Ashtanga yoga translates from Sanskrit to ‘8 limbed yoga' and refers to Patanjali"s Yoga Sutra. These 8 limbs of Yoga are guidelines that are intended for yoga practitioners to follow in order to live a more disciplined and conscious life.
The practice known as Ashtanga Yoga was created by Sri K. Pattabhi Jois who developed the practice focusing on the 3rd limb of yoga, asana, or posture. He believed that through practicing the sequence of postures he developed, that the 7 remaining limbs of Yoga would be realized.
Ashtanga is a set sequence of postures synchronized with a specific breathing technique. This is referred to as vinyasa and serves to focus the attention on the breath and build heat in the body. This method is designed to stretch strengthen and purify ones body and mind over time.
