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May: Let's Astanga, baby.

This month we will breath our way through preparation for the primary series and closing sequence in Astanga yoga.  

The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali state there are 8 limbs of yoga,  being Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi are those limbs.  They are words in ancient sanskrit meaning ethics or integrity, self-discipline, postures, breath control, withdrawl or sensory transcendence, concentration, meditation or contemplation and finally ecstasy.  This is the first series of the style founded by Sri K. Pattabhi Jois.  Astanga is the word for 8 limbs in sanskrit and this styles basis. 

 


I have in the past linked some of the same poses in my sequences and also do some preparatory poses in my classes.  I need to find some variations of the prep poses for change and challenge this month.....and a good study opportunity as well.  I wonder how long it will take me to be able to do the whole thing.  Some of the poses in this series I am unable to do at this moment.  For now we will only focus on the first series and the closing sequence........ or in reality a modified version of both.

So together let's take a journey down the path of Astanga and the great masters of this style in May.


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