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Emmahudelson

ASHTANGAYOGAby EMMA HUDELSON

What is Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga?

Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga is a set sequence of postures linked by breath and movement. It was developed and popularized by Sri K. Pattabhi Jois in the mid-to-late 20th century, and is the basis for western vinyasa or “flow” yoga as we know it today. Ashtanga means “eight-limbed,” and refers to the eight-limbed path of yoga, while Vinyasa is translated as movement linked with breath. There are six asana series in Ashtanga, each requiring progressively more strength and flexibility. Most practitioners do not advance beyond the first or second series, and only Sharath Rangaswamy Jois, the grandson of Pattabhi Jois and living master of Ashtanga, currently practices the sixth series. Each series begins with Surya Namaskar (sun salutations) followed by 19 standing poses and ends with 12 closing poses. The asanas in the middle are predetermined for each series, and the practitioner moves from one pose to another in a specified order through choreographed transitions. After surya namaskar, the poses are held for 5-8 breaths each, and for every pose, there is a specific count for each movement and a specific drishti (gazing point). The two lower bandhas (energetic locks) remain engaged throughout the sequence. The practice is intended to be performed six days a week, except on the days of the full and new moon or during the first three days of the menstrual cycle. This precise method allows the series to be memorized, creating a practice that travels with the practitioner. It also turns what are essentially gymnastics into a moving meditation. Many practitioners feel like they are praying with their bodies, which is a lovely metaphor.

Emma teaches Ashtanga Yoga at White Pine Wilderness Academy on Wednesday evenings. She took her first yoga class in a basement studio when she was thirteen, but it took fourteen years, a few Gaiam DVDs, and a hip surgery for her to develop a daily practice. After discovering Ashtanga, she never looked back. Emma believes in the power of the Ashtanga system to realign, heal, and discipline both body and mind.

Off the mat, Emma is a writer, writing instructor, and animal-lover, and lives with her husband, four dogs, and two cats. They are dedicated to a sustainable lifestyle that includes veganism, composting, reduce/reuse/recycling, and lots of guacamole.

Follow Emma on twitter and Instagram at @thebuddhiblog, and check out her words at

www.thebuddhiblog.com.

Tristana Method: the Key to the Practice

Tristana method is another process that makes ashtanga unique. While it should technically be employed in any type of asana-based yoga class, it isn’t always taught as explicitly as it is in ashtanga. When fully utilized, tristana method opens the door to a quiet mind. If the quiet mind from Yoga Sutra 1:2 “yogas-citta-vrtti-nirodhah” (translated as “yoga quiets the chatter of the mind”) is a door, tristana method is the key that opens it. Tristana method is composed of three parts:Breath (free breathing with sound): The ashtangi breath is called “free breathing with sound.” With the back of the throat lightly constricted, inhale fully, filling the entire lungs, and exhale completely. Inhales and exhales should be of equal length, and be calm throughout the entire practice. Breath brings prana (life-force), and prana is good!

Gazing-point (drishti): In each pose and transition, there is a prescribed place to direct the gaze. Directing the eyes to a specific point brings focus to the mind and completion to the asana. There are nine drishtis used:

nasagre-tip of the nosepadayoragre-toesparsvadrishti-to the right side parsvadrishti-to the left sidebrumadhye-third eyeangusthamadhye-thumbsnabi chakra-navelhastagre-handurdhva drishti-to the sky

Poses (asanas), including the energetic locks (bandhas): Performing the physical postures is part of this three-pronged method. Asanas create purifying heat that burns off the mental, physical, and emotional waste of the practitioner and engaging the bandhas maintains the prana built through the breath.

A MISSIVE OF THE

WHITE PINE

WILDERNESS

ACADEMY

ASHTANGA YOGA5:15 pm - 7 pmKUNDALINI YOGA7:15 pm - 8:30 pm

ASHTANGA YOGA5:15 pm - 7 pmKUNDALINI YOGA7:15 pm - 8:30 pm

ASHTANGA YOGA5:15 pm - 7 pmKUNDALINI YOGA7:15 pm - 8:30 pm

ASHTANGA YOGA5:15 pm - 7 pmKUNDALINI YOGA7:15 pm - 8:30 pm

ASHTANGA YOGA6 pm - 7 pm

TAI CHI6:30 pm - 7:30 pmCHI GONG7:30 - 8:30 PM

TAI CHI6:30 pm - 7:30 pmCHI GONG7:30 - 8:30 PM

TAI CHI6:30 pm - 7:30 pmCHI GONG7:30 - 8:30 PM

TAI CHI6:30 pm - 7:30 pmCHI GONG7:30 - 8:30 PM

ASHTANGA YOGA6 pm - 7 pm

ASHTANGA YOGA6 pm - 7 pm

ASHTANGA YOGA6 pm - 7 pm

PRACTICAL MARTIAL ARTS6 pm - 7 pm

PERSONAL TRAININGSESSIONS AVAILABLE

PRACTICAL MARTIAL ARTS6 pm - 7 pm

PERSONAL TRAININGSESSIONS AVAILABLE

PRACTICAL MARTIAL ARTS6 pm - 7 pm

PERSONAL TRAININGSESSIONS AVAILABLE

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PERSONAL TRAININGSESSIONS AVAILABLE

PRACTICAL MARTIAL ARTS6 pm - 7 pm

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There are three bandhas used during practice:

Mula bandha- Also known as the “root lock,” this bandha engages the muscles of the pelvic floor, including the perineum, the anus, the vaginal walls, and the muscles around the urethra. It is intense! To practice it, imagine that you are stopping the flow of urination while contracting your anus and (if you’re a lady) the walls of your vagina. Simultaneous-ly, imagine pulling the sitz bones together. Don’t forget to breathe. Pattabhi Jois recommended having this bandha engaged at all times, except during sleep, rest, and going to the bathroom. Uddiyana bandha- This is the lower abdominal lock, and is engaged by pulling the belly button back and up to the spine. You should feel all the muscles between the belly button and pubic bone activate. This bandha should be engaged throughout the entire practice.

Jalandhara bandha- This lock is activated by lengthening the crown of the head towards the ceiling, and then dropping the chin to the hollow where the neck meets the chest. If dropping the chin all the way to the chest is too intense, simply drop the chin in that general direction. The back of the neck should be long and the throat should feel unconstricted. This bandha is only practiced during certain asanas.

How Does Yoga Connect to Primitive Skills?

White Pine is a place where people come to connect to something primal, whether through building a bow, gathering edible medicine from the woods and fields, or meditate. While yoga isn’t a primitive skill in the same sense that learning to build a fire is, it’s a fantastic method of connecting with the most primal parts of the self: mind and body. Ashtanga Yoga specifically eschews anything that distracts from this concentration, such as music, temperature changes during class, and the dissonance of practicing a different sequence on different days. By connecting mind and body with movement and breath, the primal, essential self is ignited.