Ashtanga yoga is also known as power yoga. Learn more about practicing Ashtanga yoga and its health benefits.

Yoga is not only about excellence in different poses but also excellence of mind. It is exactly opposite to western concept of mind storming. It is all about mind stilling and controlling your mind. Its different poses help to increase flexibility of your body. As you regularly practice yoga, you will find that you can concentrate well on your work. You are also able to cope with stress.

Yoga is a way of living a life without any health problems. It is the best way to deal with severe diseases like cancer, heart disorders, obesity, etc. One of the good forms of yoga suitable for regular practice is Ashtanga yoga. It is a course of internal cleansing. It consists of eight spiritual practices to give you plenty of benefits. Read on to know how this ancient practice can help you earn many such benefits.

What is Ashtanga yoga?

Ashtanga yoga was structured by sage Patanjali. It simply means, 'eight-limbed yoga'. It is also known as Power yoga in western countries and practiced by many people for physical fitness. Many people from western countries visit India to learn Ashtanga yoga from Indian yoga experts. It consists of following eight fold paths.

Yama - moral codes

It is all about staying away from alcohol, drugs, stealing and unethical behavior. It is a first step towards internal purification and self control.

Niyama - self purification and study

Niyama simply means purification of body, mind and speech. Its core is to be calm and satisfied throughout. It is about performing yoga by overcoming all difficulties. It is also about keeping your self educated through study of Vedas and Upanishads. It is to go deeper in one's own self.

Asana - posture

Asanas are different postures that are beneficial for increasing flexibility of body. Practicing different asanas help in generation of positive energy in one's body. It also helps to keep body fit. It consists of postures like standing asanas, forward bending asanas, spine asanas, inverted asanas, abdominal and lumbar asanas, twisting asanas, back bending asanas and balancing asanas.

Pranayama - controlling breath

It consist of four stages which are inhalation, exhalation, holding breath and lastly storing retained breath in different organs of body. Regular practice of Pranayama helps to improve concentration.

Pratyahara - sense control

It means concentrating attention on senses. It is necessary for practicing the further three stages called Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi.

Dharana - concentration

It is one of the important stages of meditation. It is all about developing power of concentration. It helps you learn different ways of fixing attention. It also helps you controlling your attention and mind.

Dhyana - meditation

It is just a state of mind. Unlike other paths it not a technique, it is a state of meditation. It is very delicate stage. It is a deep concentration by staying in fixed comfortable pose for a longer time. It is moving away from outside world. It is diverting your entire attention towards one point of interest. It is essentially a state of stable mind.

Samadhi - contemplation

It is a state where mind, body and soul become one with a desired focus of attention. It is one step ahead of Dhyana. It is an ultimate stage in Ashtanga yoga. During this stage your soul will celebrate a joy of becoming one with your desired focus of attention.

Instructions for Ashtanga yoga

You should make sure that you abide with some things before practicing Ashtanga yoga. If you want to earn maximum benefits of Ashtanga yoga, follow these simple instructions.

• Avoid consuming drugs, alcohol, tobacco and stay away form unethical behaviour
  
  
• Try practicing it in an open and comfortable environment
  
  
• To be more comfortable wear loose clothes while practicing Ashtanga yoga
  
  
• Try practicing it early morning
  
  
• Make sure that you have enough of sleep
  
  
• Consult your doctor to make sure that it suits your body or not
  
  
• Pay your maximum attention on each activity of Ashtanga yoga while performing
  
  
• Be regular in practicing Ashtanga yoga
  
  
• Take help of instructor and consult doctor if you are pregnant, avoid practicing difficult poses
  
  
• Have a balanced diet and drink a lot of water