Vision of an ideal Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga learning and resources to reach it.
Fortunately, we do not live in a perfect world that would be a major obstacle to all progress and learning. Samsara and Nirvana would be one and the same river idling on the banks of an eternity whose tamasic lament would implore the terrible Kali to do her work of destruction so that the world may be reborn in the creative chaos of Prakriti.
Blessed are we then to live in what strongly resembles Kali Yuga with the countless opportunities to test our beautiful practice of Yoga.
Before formulating what for me would be an ideal learning of Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga, I would like to sincerely thank all the dedicated teachers who transmit their art day after day to the best of their abilities and the expectations of their students.
Namaste.
So far my experience of learning from this noble school of Yoga has resembled the reconstruction of a mandala with multiple pieces scattered around in the form of led classes, Mysore sessions, workshops, lectures, documentaries, numerous readings and researches, hours of online video, thousands of kilometers traveled and above all assiduous practices integrated into everyday life.
The diversity of approaches and teachers is certainly beneficial up to a point, but for a beginner, the lack of consistency and above all of a global vision is quite disconcerting.
Perhaps this is part of a modern rite of initiation, certainly less demanding than when some aspiring yogis came to cut off one hand in order to show their determination to enter into the service of a master.
Even before I unrolled my mat and started Surya Namaskar A, I would have liked to learn where Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga came from, by whom it was created and for what purpose. What are the lineages and their differences, what is the connection with the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali and the Ashtanga denomination he uses while in his system Patanjali only summarily mentions Asana.
I would have liked to know the more general context in which Yoga and its philosophy fit in the history of Hinduism.
I would have liked to have been introduced to the Bhagavad Gita and the distinction between Hatha, Karma, Bhakti, Jnana and Raja Yoga.
With this knowledge I could have grasped all the richness and the scope of this philosophical system integrating body, mind and consciousness.
Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga is a demanding physical practice and before participating in a class I would have dreamed of having an Ayurvedic consultation to determine if this discipline was really suitable for my condition and my age. I could have discovered the basic principles of Ayurveda and the importance of diet (Mitahara) as well as the techniques of Kriya purification (Shatkarma).
By integrating Asanas, Mitahara and Kriya, I would have understood the power and the complementarity of these techniques.
Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga is an exercise in breathing and concentration that takes on its full meaning when it is part of the eight limbs (Ashtanga) of Patanjali: Yamas, Niyamas, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi. You still have to know what the eight limbs mean, while most courses only present Asana.
If we talk about the Ashtanga of Patanjali and the philosophy of Yoga in general the goal is to achieve Samadhi or communion with the Absolute which, according to my personal experience, is very little conveyed in comparison to the physical dimension and mental clarity.
So I would have loved to have had training on ALL the limbs and understand the subtleties of their complementarity and especially the effectiveness of integrating them gradually, but in a combined manner. Indeed, if the eight limbs were to be mastered sequentially, there would probably not be more than a handful of Asana practitioners on Earth, as the perfect mastery of the first two limbs (Yamas and Niyamas) in thought, in speech, and in action is beyond the reach of ordinary people.
While practicing the Asanas, I would have liked to know the origin and the meaning of the name of the positions and thus discover Sanskrit and the importance of language in the acquisition of knowledge and the representation of reality. I would have gained insight into the extraordinary richness of this language which shaped the thoughts of the Indo-European civilization of which we are the heirs today.
Learning the Asanas would also have been an opportunity to learn about modern anatomy as well as the subtle energies of Prana, Chakras, Nadis, and Koshas. This introduction to the energetic and vibratory realm would have been included in the presentation of Hindu cosmology allowing to understand the global coherence of the metaphysical system of Yoga and to practice Mantras, Bijas and Mudras by meditating on their deep meaning.
With this knowledge integrated into my practice, I would have fully experienced Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga as a deep meditation in motion.
I would have liked my teacher to tell me that Yoga is an art of living, a way of being, a process of deep transformation, a journey towards the divine. He would have warned me about the Kleshas and the obstacles to the practice. He would have been a guru in the original sense of the word, namely a guide able to dispel the darkness, to lift the veil of ignorance (Avidya). A true master accomplished in all the forms of his art, a living example of his teaching knowing each of his students and leading them according to their own personalities and capacities. A scholar versed in Eastern and Western philosophies, a living bridge between cultures and civilizations. A being aligned in mind, body and consciousness with the divine expression of his Svadharma.
Would I have been a worthy student of such a master?
The Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga teachers surely also have their ideal vision of teaching and of their students …
In an attempt to reach this vision of ideal learning, here is a selection of resources available online and produced by men and women fully living their yoga. Of course, nothing replaces the presence and support of a qualified teacher.
General Practice
Richard Freeman & Mary Taylor
Accomplished and respected yogis, having studied with Sri K. Pattabhi Jois and B.K.S. Iyengar, Richard and Mary deliver high quality content in the form of books, podcasts, videos and apps.
Here are two featured books.
When love comes to light
“Here, Richard Freeman and Mary Taylor, both deeply respected yogic teachers, offer a practical, immediately relevant interpretation of the Gita that emphasizes self-reflection and waking up in our modern world.”
The Art of Vinyasa
“The Art of Vinyasa: Awakening Body and Mind through the Practice of Ashtanga Yoga takes a look at yoga as a meditation in motion that produces profound inner change. Exploring Ashtanga Vinyasa yoga not as a gymnastic feat but as a meditative form, Richard and Mary reveal that doing the practice — and particularly the vinyasa, or the breath-synchronized movements — in a deep and focused way allows practitioners to experience a profound awakening of the body and mind.”
Gregor Maehle
Gregor has studied, practiced, and taught yoga for decades. He had Sri K. Pattabhi Jois and B.K.S. Iyengar as teachers, he also studied Sanskrit and yogic scriptures. Gregor has published several well-documented and very educational books allowing to deepen different disciplines.
Here is a selection of his books.
Ashtanga Yoga: Practice and Philosophy
“A comprehensive guide to all eight limbs of Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga.
- the history and lineage of yoga
- the fundamentals of breath, bandhas (energy locks within the body), drishti (the focal point of the gaze), and vinyasa (sequential movement)
- a detailed breakdown of the asanas of the Ashtanga Primary Series, following the traditional vinyasa count
- a lively and authentic rendering of the complete Yoga Sutra of Patanjali, yoga’s ancient sacred text a glossary of yoga terminology.”
Pranayama — The Breath of Yoga
“For millennia pranayama was considered to be the quintessential yogic limb, yoga’s main motor for spiritual evolution. To show pranayama’s importance Maehle supports his findings at every turn with hundreds of quotations from yogic scripture. With unprecedented detail the author shows how pranayama is used to connect posture practice to yogic meditation and why it will accelerate your progress in both.”
Yoga Meditation
“This book not only gives a precise step-by-step description of the meditation technique at the heart of yoga but also puts it into context with all other yogic techniques and how they contribute to the breakthrough to spiritual freedom.”
Samadhi — The Great Freedom
“The book culminates in a detailed description of the eight classical samadhis as listed in the Yoga Sutra, both from the practical view of content and experience and from the techniques to access them.”
How to Find Your Life’s Divine Purpose — Brain Software For a New Civilization
“This book not only shows how we lost the knowledge that all life is sacred and purposeful, it also introduces layers of technique to lead us back to finding and gradually implementing our life’s divine purpose.
Philosophy & Metaphysics
Swami Krishnananda
Swami Krishnananda was the General Secretary of The Divine Life Society from 1961 until 2001. A great scholar of Eastern and Western philosophies, he has been a prolific author on the themes of metaphysics, psychology, sociology and mysticism. All his texts, as fascinating as they are profound, are available free of charge on the site dedicated to him.
Here are two featured books among many others.
True Spiritual Living
“A guidebook for those who wish to tread the spiritual path, giving an in-depth analysis and understanding of each step along the way, explaining what is involved.”
Everything about spiritual life
“Spirituality is of a different calibre altogether. It is a working in a different realm of being, and not in this world of space and time. It is towards this end that we are trying to gradually take you, not only for your individual satisfaction, but for the satisfaction of everyone with whom you will come in contact. Your vibrations will benefit everyone who is near you. Maybe, if the vibration is strong enough, it can benefit the whole world.”
Sri Aurobindo
Sri Aurobindo (born Aurobindo Ghose; 15 August 1872–5 December 1950) was an Indian philosopher, yogi, guru, poet, and nationalist. He joined the Indian movement for independence from British rule, for a while was one of its influential leaders and then became a spiritual reformer, introducing his visions on human progress and spiritual evolution. (Source: Wikipedia)
From his works we retain in particular his commentary on the Gita.
The Bhagavad Gitâ
“A 700-verse scripture that is part of the Hindu epic Mahabharata. It contains a conversation between Pandava prince Arjuna and his guide Lord Krishna on a variety of theological and philosophical issues.”
Chakras
Eastern Body, Western Mind: Psychology and the Chakra System As a Path to the Self
“In Eastern Body, Western Mind, chakra authority Anodea Judith brought a fresh approach to the yoga-based Eastern chakra system, adapting it to the Western framework of Jungian psychology, somatic therapy, childhood developmental theory, and metaphysics and applying the chakra system to important modern social realities and issues such as addiction, codependence, family dynamics, sexuality, and personal empowerment.”
Documentary
ON YOGA: The Architecture of Peace
"”It follows photographer Michael O’Neill as he talks to the great Yoga masters in India, Tibet and New York. By director Heitor Dhalia’s."
Podcast
The Ashtanga Dispatch Yoga Podcast
“Join Peg Mulqueen et Meghan Powell each month as they explore what it means to practice yoga through conversations with the people who inspire, question, provoke, educate, and empower. Every conversation is unscripted and personal, and range from lighthearted and funny to blazingly impassioned.”
Students and teachers do you share this vision of ideal learning?
