The Ashtanga Invocation vande gurunam charanaravinde sandarsita svatmasukhava bodhe nihsreyase jangalikayamane samsara halahala mohasantyai abahu purusakaram sankhacakrasi dharinam sahasra sirasam svetam pranamami patanjalim om Translation: I bow to the lotus feet of the guru who awakens insight into the happiness of pure Being, who is the final refuge, the jungle physician, who eliminates the delusion caused by the poisonous herb …
Ashtanga-Sun Salute/Counting
Ashtanga Yoga: Sun Salutations and Counting Following the invocation, students stand in “Samasthiti” or “equal-standing posture”. Sun Salutations provide the opening foundation for the Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga practice. (Click here for more info on Sun Salutations). The sun salutations (5xA and 5xB) begin the actual practice: # Sanskrit Surya Namaskara A Surya Namaskara B 1 ekam (AAY-Kaam) tadasana – arms up …
Ashtanga-Primary Series
Ashtanga Yoga – The Primary Series* Yoga Chikitsa (Yoga therapy) _ Dandasana (staff posture) _ Paschimottanasana A, B, C (Western intense stretch) ardha (half) vinyasa (AV) _ Purvottanasana (Eastern intense stretch) ardha vinyasa Ardha Baddha Padma Paschimottanasana: right, AV, left, AV (half bound lotus Western intense stretch) _ Trianga Mukhaikapada Paschimottanasana: right, AV, left, AV (three limbs face …
Ashtanga – Finishing
Ashtanga Yoga: The Finishing Sequence _ Urdhva Dhanurasana 3 times (upward bow [aka wheel]) _ Paschimottanasana (Western intense stretch) ardha vinyasa _ Salamba Sarvangasana (supported whole body posture [aka shoulder stand]) _ Halasana (plow) _ Karnapidasana (ear pressure posture) _ Urdhva Padmasana (upward lotus) _ Pindasana (embryo posture) _ Matsyasana (fish posture) _ Uttana Padasana (extended leg posture) Chakrasana …
Yoga and Nutrition
By Jeff Martens As you eat, so shall ye become. What you put into your body becomes the building blocks for your physical body. What are you putting into your body? We have all felt energized by a good diet. We have also felt the results of eating unhealthy or impure foods. A nutritional Yogic diet is most often a …
Too Much Meditation?
Q: I have seen many chakra medtations and read of many more. My question is, how often can someone meditate on the chakras daily? What is too much? A: How much meditation is too much? There was once a young woman who was searching the world over for a true master to give her the secrets of life. She felt that …
The Target
by Jeff Martens sarvahrthataikahgratayoho kshayodayau cittasya samahdhi-parinahmaha Inner wholeness dawns when the mind’s many wanderings collapse into one-pointed focus. Yoga Sutra 3.11 The Zen Master Rinzai was known far and wide throughout the land as the greatest living archer. Bowmen of all levels would come from great distances to be near him and perchance, to see him practice his art. …
Yoga and Healing
“The invisible must be made visible before it can be eradicated.” –Patanjali, Yoga Sutra Many of us know more about the way that our computers, VCRs or cars work than we do about the functioning of our own bodies. This is unfortunate since very few things can have as large an impact on our daily lives as the health of …