Ashtanga Yoga
'Ashtanga' translates from Sanskrit as eight limbs. Sri K Pattabhi Jois and his teaching family Sharath and Saraswati in Mysore instruct students in the third limb of ashtanga, the practice of asana. The use of bandhas (energy locks) and the victorious Ujjayi breath with the special placement of vinyasa culminate to create a powerful practice that begins to cleanse and tone the body and starts to enable the practioner to calm the mind.
In February this year I travelled to Mysore for the first time to practice ashtanga under the guidance of Sharath and Saraswati. I spent a month attending practice at the shala. Prior to this in November 2007 I studied with David Swenson and undertook his Teaching Intensive course. I have a dedicated self practice in addition to attending Mysore style classes and workshops whenever possible. A few of weekends ago I attended a wonderful series of workshops with senior Ashtanga teacher Matthew Sweeney, I love attending workshops like this as practice started Friday evening and ended Sunday afternoon, so a whole weekend of blissful yoga with lots of fun hand-standing and back bending!
In honour of the lineage of this form of yoga I am offering led style classes in Ipswich following the practice of the Primary Series as taught in Mysore.