The Amazing Benefits of doing Ashtanga Yoga

Ashtanga Yoga is one of the most popular forms of yoga in the world. What are the origins of Ashtanga Yoga? Made known to the world by PattabhiJois, this style was developed by the guru TirumaliKrishnamacharya, in 1924, when the first school was opened in India: PattabhiJois was a pupil of Krishnamacharya and took his place as a teacher, when he retired.

But what is Ashtanga Yoga? The word "Ashtanga" means "8", a number that refers to the 8 branches of yoga:

• Yama (action towards others)
• Niyama (action towards oneself)
• Asana (posture)
• Pranayama (breath control)
• Pratyahara (fasting of the senses)
• Dharana (concentration)
• Dhyana (meditation)
• Samadhi (self-consciousness)

In the Ashtanga you work in total respect of the looseness of the back, the elasticity of the muscles and tendons, the control and the ability to listen to the body in general. The internal organs of the body also benefit, the practice influences the regulation of the endocrine glands and the nervous system, thus helping to create the premises for a total psycho-physical health.

When you practice Ashtanga during your
Yoga Teacher Training in Rishikesh, it takes a lot of listening and inner work to really connect with yourself and with the universe to a brand new level. The juicy thing is that everything is conducted by the breath, your vital force..

Ashtanga Yoga is a physical and mental journey that can help you improve your life. The greatest benefits that can be obtained from this style are: physical well-being, mental relaxation and a renewed spirituality.

To learn more about all the benefits of Yoga in general, I suggest you also read this article: what are the benefits of Yoga for health?

Physical well-being

Thanks to the breath and the asanas, the body rebalances itself day after day and all areas experience profound benefits. Even those who suffer from various problems, such as back pain, neck pain, etc., slowly perceive that these imbalances disappear altogether.

This type of Yoga, like others, acts in depth: the muscles are toned, the joints become stronger, the blood circulation is significantly improved and above all the spine becomes strong and very flexible at the same time. Many other systems such as the nervous, digestive and respiratory systems also undergo numerous improvements.

Mental relaxation

Thanks to breathing techniques, the mind calms down and the stress, typical of our times, disappears completely. Furthermore, problems such as anxiety, depression, nervous hyperactivity, etc. also disappear to leave room for a feeling of calm, balance and relaxation.

Nowadays more and more people are using Ashtanga breathing techniques, and Yoga in general, to relax and eliminate mental problems of various kinds.

Spirituality

The Ashtanga and its principles represent a real philosophy of life that with time change for the better many habits and so many ways of behaving that are wrong according to Yoga disappear.

The condition of total balance with one's body and mind allows you to feel more connected with the surrounding world. Moreover, if well practiced, Ashtanga gives an incredible inner peace.

Through correct posture and breathing, the body and mind are pervaded by renewed energy.

This psycho-physical condition of balance and contentment allows each individual to find his own ethics and spirituality. Through the positions of ashtanga yoga, each individual feels in communion with plants, animals and inanimate objects. Basically with the universe.

Meditation and silence allow you to find lost time and energy. Inner peace is the most natural consequence of a healthy body and a fresh and rested mind.

Proper practice of this Yoga style allows you to rediscover your physical, psychological and spiritual potential. Your body becomes stronger, much lighter and more flexible.

As far as the mental state is focused, the mind becomes calmer, stress vanishes and this allows you to concentrate more deeply. These benefits also positively affect problems such as anxiety, depression or nervousness.

To enjoy Ashtanga’s amazing benefits we advise you to start considering your practice as a real lifestyle, committing to it and really diving into it and not just as a daily exercise.

We all suffer more or less from these mental disorders and a better way to get rid of them is to change our lifestyle. To do this, this type of Yoga is the best technique to use!