| Namaste:) First of all, I would like to share that liberation | | | | not agitate the mind. |
| and limitless happiness are the major benefits of | | | | Various postures are used to become aware of all |
| Ashtanga Yoga. There are other wonderful physical, | | | | areas of the body. Where awareness goes there |
| emotional, mental and intellectual benefits of Ashtanga | | | | goes life force (breath). Chronic diseases are believed |
| Yoga waiting to be experienced by everyone. All one | | | | to develop where awareness is permanently lacking. |
| has to do is to practice. That is it. | | | | Practitioner learns to breathe into all parts of the body, |
| Ashtanga benefits are physical, emotional, mental and | | | | an act that is equivalent to evenly spreading the breath |
| intellectual. The physical benefit is freedom of disease; | | | | throughout the body. |
| Ashtanga makes the body light and strong. Body | | | | Ashtanga uses actively both the abdomen and the |
| absorbs and retains prana, which extends the life span. | | | | thorax to breathe (thoraco-diaphragmatic breathing). |
| Emotional benefit is to be able to remain the witness, | | | | Air is literally pumped out of the lungs. The aim is to |
| be able to not to identify oneself with any situation or | | | | breathe more deeply so as to increase vitality. The |
| condition; nothing. As emotions are not real, they are | | | | way to achieve this is not by inhaling as much as |
| past; whenever we are feeling, we are in the present. | | | | possible but by first exhaling completely in order to |
| Ashtanga removes old conditioning; makes us feel | | | | create space for the new inhalation. |
| intensely. On the other hand; mind analyses sensory | | | | By increasing the inhalation, the amount of oxygen |
| data and projects past onto the future. As long as one | | | | supplied is increased. By increasing our exhalation |
| is in the sway of the mind, one is not living. Intellect is | | | | toxins are exhaled; including mental, emotional, physical |
| something that grows and evolves as opposed to | | | | toxins, and environmental toxins. These toxins are held |
| consciousness which exists in an eternal state of | | | | and stored in the body in unpalatable areas where |
| perfection. The intellect, which is purified through | | | | there is only a small amount of oxygen, often around |
| practice, visualization, meditation and samadhi is | | | | the joints or in adipose tissue. The build-up of these |
| capable of seeing the world as it really is. This is | | | | toxins- energetic dying of certain body areas- |
| nirvana; the ultimate and continuous happiness. | | | | eventually leads to chronic disease. By breathing |
| How is ashtanga yoga practiced? Ashtanga yoga is | | | | deeply, exhaling accumulated toxins and inhaling |
| dynamic and breath is its fundamental. Fluctuating, | | | | oxygen, the ashtanga practitioner attempts to return |
| pulsating or oscillating of breath happens simultaneously | | | | the body to its original state of health. |
| with the movements of the mind. The practice of | | | | I deeply, genuinely hope that this article helps you in |
| pranayama therefore is the study and exercise of | | | | every way you wish. |
| one's breath to a point where it is calmed and does | | | | |