Ashtanga is a yoga system using a specific breath and gaze in every posture. The daily practice of Ashtanga helps to alleviate stress, build strength, and aid in concentration. Ashtanga is a term that refers to the traditional 8 fold path as described by Patanjali of the Yoga Sutra’s. The first two ‘limbs’ (or sections) of the path are right conduct in life and healthy life style. They consist of 10 in total. These are Kindness or not harming, Truthfulness, Not Stealing, Discipline of the body and mind, and Not hoarding. The next 5 are Cleanliness, Contentment, Discipline, the Study of oneself and also the Higher Self, and offering the fruits of your labor to a Higher Power. These recommendations help to keep your mind and body pure and light and also aid in your practice of Asana. The Asana practice then helps to open one up to the higher vibrations of acceptance and surrender and love. The next 4 steps according to the Yoga Sutra can take you to true happiness. Breathing exercises, withdrawal of the senses from external preoccupations, concentration, meditation, and enlightenment. According to the Yoga Sutra’s when ones mind is beyond all of the chatter and thoughts it can then merge into its own true nature. Here we find happiness and a sense of peace.
Ashtanga yoga can help us to get one step closer to this peace and happiness that according to yoga is our own true birthright.
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