Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga Weight Loss Diet Nutrition Tips Guide

Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga Emphasizes Flowing Breaths And Yoga Poses

By Veronica Tripplethorn

Philosopher Alan Watts once wrote in The Wisdom of Insecurity, "But tomorrow and plans for tomorrow can have no significance at all unless you are in full contact with the reality of the present, since it is in the present and only in the present that you live.

If happiness always depends on something expected in the future, we are chasing a will-o’-the-wisp that ever eludes our grasp, until the future and ourselves, vanish into the abyss of death."

While it may sound a bit dark, it is this idea of harnessing and living in the present moment that attracts so many people to yoga in general, especially Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga, which emphasizes spiritual philosophy, flowing breaths and yoga poses.

Reaching Internal Purification With Eight Principles

Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga was first brought to the Western world by the teachings of Patanjali Maharishi, a sage from Mysore India.

He spoke about the significance of reaching internal purification and reconnecting with the "Universal Soul" through eight principles: moral codes, self-purification and study, posture, breath control, sense control, concentration, meditation and contemplation. He believed that each step built upon one another, much in the same way each posture (or "asana") builds upon the next.

Purifying The Body By Practicing Postures And Breathing

In the beginning of Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga, a yoga instructor will help students master "external cleansing practices." They learn about morality and study, while practicing specific postures and breathing.

Instructors help beginners review their options and find the correct positions and inspire students to live a just and moral existence. Next, after days of mastering the proper poses and gaining strength, students will learn to control their minds.

Through posture, breathing and focusing, the practice purifies the body, nervous system and mind over time.

Six Specific Postures(Asanas)

In practice, Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga involves six specific postures (otherwise known as "asanas") that are always completed in the same order. In the opening asana, there are ten standing "Sun Salutations" or "The Primary Series," which is intended to align and detoxify the body.

The "Intermediate Series" works on the nervous system by opening and clearing internal energy pathways. "The Advanced Series A, B, C and D" helps students achieve maximum flexibility, strength, definition and humility. Teachers emphasize the mastering of each level before moving on, with special focus and attention given to each step of progress.

Internal Cleansing

The ujjayi (meaning "victorious breath") method of exhaling and inhaling, combined with the fluid, dynamic asanas, heats the blood and generates a detoxifying sweat, or what is known as "internal cleansing."

Advanced methods of breathing techniques (bandhas) teach students how to "lock" or "seal" energy and redirect it to one of the 72,000 energy channels within the body. To obtain maximum benefit from the asanas, learning to lock in positive energy is crucial. Nine different focus points seek to purify and stabilize the mind, facilitating concentration.

Dissipate Six Spiritual Poisons

Once perfect form is achieved, a true understanding of Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga is found and the six spiritual poisons (desire, anger, delusion, greed, sloth and envy) will dissipate.

It is said that the mind will become unshackled and true happiness and understanding will pour in. With life moving so fast, the practicality of yoga meditation attracts roughly 16.5 million Americans each year.

This Article was about Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga.

Please Note: All information given on this site is for general information purposes and is not to replace any medical opinion or medical diagnosis given by a qualified medical doctor, a dietitian/nutritional expert or any other medical expert, as individual circumstances may vary. Please see your medical doctor, before any action is taken to alleviate symptoms.

About the Author:
Veronica Tripplethorn is an author of yoga, meditation, health, nutrition, dieting and weight loss articles including Celiac Disease, Holistic Health, Hollywood 48-Hour Miracle Diet, Massage Therapy.
Keep a lookout for more of her articles coming soon.

More Facts About Yoga

Practicing Yoga and Pilates is nothing new. Its been around for centuries but has enjoyed a revival of interest in the past few decades. It is not just naturalists, Buddhists or Hindus practicing, it is now a mainstream form of exercise and relaxation.

If you do not have a regular workout program or even if you want a change of pace, Yoga may be what you need. You can look good and feel good quickly. Are you ready to begin learning this ancient art?