The Yoga Space Ashtanga Yoga

The Yoga Space teaches Ashtanga Yoga in the tradition of Pattabhi Jois of Mysore, India. Both Jean and Rob are authoirsed by him to teach this system of yoga. We offer daily classes and courses in eastern philosophy, meditation and pregnancy yoga.

What is Ashtanga Yoga?

Ashtanga Yoga is a powerful system of practice designed to purify the body, nervous system and mind. One of the main distinguishing features of Ashtanga yoga is that it links a set series of postures together in a flowing sequence that is synchronised with the breath. This is called vinyasa.

The purpose of vinyasa is to build heat in the body, to warm and thin the blood. This improves circulation and removes impurities from the internal organs. These impurities are then eliminated in a profuse, purifying sweat.

The resulting purification of the body and nervous system is aided by a special system of deep breathing called ujjayi pranayama, or 'victorious breath'. Internal muscular locks called bandhas are integral to this style of resonant breathing. The bandhas also help to stabilise the spine, bringing lightness and health to the body.

Finally, Ashtanga yoga steadies the mind by focusing the gaze on specific dristhis or 'looking places'. This focus on posture, breath and gaze is called Tristhana and is what purifies the body, nervous system and mind.

The home of Ashtanga Yoga is Mysore, India, where it is taught by Sri K. Pattabhi Jois and his grandson Sharath Rangaswamy at the Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute .Now 90 years old, Pattabhi Jois, or Guruji as his students call him, began practicing and refining the Ashtanga system in 1927, when his teacher, Sri T. Krishnamacharya, gave him an ancient Sanskrit text called the Yoga Korunta to translate and study as his life's work. The Yoga Korunta is said to record the ancient teachings of the Indian sage Vamana Rishi.