Referred to as the Yoga Chikitsa or Yoga Therapy which helps to develop a healthy mind and body that is calm as well. When you do the workout you primarily work on aligning your spine as well as detoxification of the body and building stamina and flexibility.   The yogi is subjected to about an one and a half hours to two hours of intense yoga workout. The ashtanga primary series consist of about 75 postures and the instructor may or may not choose to utilize all poses for a full workout.

The workout begins with the sun salutations, as all the other steps in the series. This is done so the body will be purified and health can be restored.  The Sun Salutations or the Surya Namaskara have two types the Surya Namaskara A and Surya Namaskara B. Either of the two entails going to a series of around 18 poses to prepare the body for the next succession of asana.

After the Surya Namaskara the primary series shift to the standing poses. This pose requires flexibility from the yogi as well as prepares him/her to the more difficult, seated pose in the series of Yoga Chikitsa. The seated Chikitsa is more challenging than the standing pose of the ashtanga primary series since this involves a more complex positioning that involves more coordination and concentration.

The yoga session is ended by the corpse, a pose that signifies that the body is in a state of utter relaxation that the serenity it emits is like that of a corpse.  Chikitsa is said to be the most challenging form of ashtanga, maybe because, more so for beginners, the ashtanga primary series entails a long, rigorous, strenuous workout. But if you find the correct instructor ashtanga yoga may prove to be an enjoyable yet healthy and vigorous, mental and physical relaxing endeavor one might consider going through.

Yoga Chikitsa starts with surya namaskara or sun salutation, which is done so that the body can be purified and restored to health, before the next pose is done.  There are two known sun salutation the surya namaskara A and B. The yoga practitioner goes through 18 various postures so that the body can prepare for the next series of poses.

After going through the surya namaskara, the primary series steps to the standing poses. These lead the yogi through a set of postures requiring flexibility. It also allows the body to prepare for the more difficult steps that follow: the seated version of the Yoga Chikitsa. Some of the positions include: Big toe pose, side intense stretch, Hands under feet, triangle, Revolved triangle, extended side angle, extended hand to big toe, wide leg forward fold, half bound lotus and warrior. These are the standing ashtanga yoga primary series poses.

After the standing poses, Chikitsa moves on to the seated postures, inversions and backbends. Although they are seated, they are much harder to do than the standing poses, it involves plenty of coordination and concentration. Some of the seated poses includes staff pose, west intense stretch, east intense stretch, half bound lotus, head to knee pose, boat, handstand, arm pressure pose, tortoise, embryo in womb, rooster, bound angle, wide angle seated fold, the wheel and the bride building pose.

After that, a few relaxation pose follows including upward bow, intense stretch and the corpse before starting the shoulder stands including supported limb, plow ear pressure, upward lotus, embryo, intense feet and leg stretch, lifting from the headstand, energetic lock, Childs pose, bound lotus, fish and the uplifting. The pose that concludes the yoga session is called the corpse. This only means that the yogi is at an extensive relaxation that his limbs have reached a level of tranquility that is equal to that of a corpse.

Chikitsa is supposed to be the most difficult form of ashtanga, this is because it is meant to be a long and strenuous workout that will lead you to the ashtanga yoga primary series. Many beginners find it difficult as they begin the workouts, but as the workout session progresses, with the right instructor that will lead you to the series, it can prove to be a fun as well as healthy and vital workout session that provides you with mental and physical relaxation as well.

The benefits provided by Ashtanga yoga encapsulate the entire being, physical, emotional, and mental.   Physically it frees the body of diseases, making it strong and light, allows the body to absorb and maintain prana that is believed to prolong life span.  Emotionally it frees us of old emotions and allows us to see clearly and not link ourselves to a situation or condition. Mentally it helps in the analysis of sensory data and helps in understanding as it opens the mind.
How is Ashtanga Yoga Performed?

Often referred to as the athletic yoga due to its discipline and dynamic system of Vinyasa, ashtanga yoga vinyasa is a set of particular asanas or postures that are performed in a chronological order, starting with the ten sun salutations followed by standing, seating and finishing moves. When one is in the full expression of the asana, it held for a minimum of five breaths. Ashtanga uses actively both the abdomen and the thorax to breathe (thoraco-diaphragmatic breathing). Air is literally pumped out of the lungs. The aim is to breathe more deeply so as to increase vitality, hence the term vinyasa that means it incorporates breathing into the movements.

The different poses are done so one may become aware of all the areas of the body, and as awareness is achieved the life force is directed to that area. Chronic diseases are believed to develop where awareness is absent. As one learns to breathe into all areas of the body, it is believed that the life force is also spread evenly to the all areas of the body.

Ashtanga uses abdominal and thoracic breathing (thoraco-diaphragmatic breathing). By increasing inhalation, oxygen supply is increased as well and by increasing exhalation toxin are exhaled too which includes physical, mental, emotional and environmental toxins.  These toxins build up in areas where oxygen is almost absent and these leads to chronic illnesses. By breathing deeply and exhaling deeply as well you are able to exhale toxins and inhale oxygen to bring life to all areas of the body, thus the body is returned to its original state of health.

David’s first encounter with Ashtanga was in 1973 when he met David Williams and Nancy Gilgoff in Encinitas, California.  And in 1975 David and Nancy brough Sri K. Pattabhi Jois to the US for the first time and this was when David was able to study directly with the master. In 1977, Swenson made his first trip to Mysore and learned Ashtanga yoga as it was taught back then. Nowadays, David is a forefront teacher of the art, educating thousands of teachers and students around the world, as well as producing countless videos and the popular book, Ashtanga Yoga: The Practice Manual. He is well known for his knowledge and ability to coerce learning deeply thru an enjoyable environment where laughter and fun is a norm.

David Swenson Ashtanga Yoga

The contemporary yoga is a division out of the ancient and well disciplinary Ashtanga Yoga that is why studying it would be of great aid in studying any or all yoga. Ashtanga Yoga works by synchronizing the breath with a progressive sequence of postures that combines strength, endurance and flexibility.

Ashtanga is a yoga practice producing intense internal heat and a profuse, purifying sweat that detoxifies muscles and organs. The result is improved circulation, a light and strong body, and a calm mind. The book provides some advice about the recommended observance, measures and simple tasks when doing or trying to meditate or doing the basic yoga. David Swenson Ashtanga yoga is a very good way to learn all these things.

Lastly according to David, “Ashtanga Yoga is an incredible tool that seeks to balance our strength with flexibility and to bring about a sense of well-being on an emotional and mental level. A steady and regulated practice over a long period of time is the catalyst to these changes. We must be patient and listen to our body and progress at our own pace. By focusing on the breath and moving with awareness then our yoga body/mind grows like a tree. It requires steadfast care and watering through the avenue of conscious and diligent practice.“

There are many benefits to doing yoga, from stress reduction to increasing muscle strength and flexibility as well as improvement of general health more so for the joints. These are the very reasons why many people have opted to do daily yoga routines. Ashtanga yoga poses known as well as power yoga have gained popularity over the years and this is because this type of yoga is an all around yoga exercise routine than other yoga types.   If you have been doing yoga for a while you find ashtanga yoga to be more on the higher levels of yoga and are more complex than beginner’s yoga, but if you are fit enough, you might want to try out this exciting yoga workout. If you already have your yoga studio at home, you can easily transform it to an ashtanga yoga studio.

Doing yoga is a very productive endeavor. Whether you have prior training or just beginning there is a yoga that is right for you.  But it is advised that ashtanga yoga be done by those who are already fit or at the very least in decent shape since the workout is a bit more rigorous that regular yoga workouts and even the warm up routines can make you sweat, this is so that the practitioner can achieve the maximum benefits that this type of yoga can provide. So whether you are in a class together with your fellow yoga enthusiasts or you are in your own ashtanga yoga studio, you are sure to benefit widely from this wonderful yoga workout.