y !SHTANGA9OGA ASTAUGHTBY3HRI+0ATTABHI*OIS y 3HRI+0ATTABHI*OIS $OYOURPRACTICEANDALLISCOMING 'URUJI 4OMYGURUANDMYINSPIRATION )DEDICATETHISBOOK ,ARRY3CHULTZ 3AN&RANCISCO #ALIFRNIA Ashtanga Ashtanga Yoga as taught by shri k. pattabhi jois Copyright ©2000 By Larry Schultz All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reprinted without the written permission of the author. Published by Nauli Press San Francisco, CA Cover and graphic design: Maurício Wolff graphics by: Maurício Wolff & Karin Heuser Photos by: Ro Reitz, Camila Reitz Asanas: Pedro Kupfer, Karin Heuser, Larry Schultz y )WOULDLIKETOEXPRESS MYDEEPESTGRATITUDETO"OB 7EIROFTHE'RATEFUL$EAD (ISFAITHFULSUPPORTAND TEACHINGSHELPEDMAKETHIS MANUALPOSSIBLE forward WENTYYEARSAGO!SHTANGAYOGAWASVERYMUCHAFRINGE THEPAST YEARS!SHTANGAYOGAHASEXISTEDASANORALTRADITION ACTIVITY /UR SMALL DEDICATED GROUP OF STUDENTS IN SOWHENBEGINNINGSTUDENTSASKEDFORAPRACTICEGUIDEWEWOULD 4%NCINITAS #ALIFORNIA WERE MOSTLY YOUNG HIPPIE TYPES HANDTHEMAPIECEOFPAPERWITHSTICKlGURESOFTHElRSTSERIES WITHLITTLEMONEYANDFEWMATERIALPOSSESSIONS7EDIDHAVEONE POSTURES,ARRYGAVE"OB7EIRSUCHASHEETOFPAPERACOUPLEOF PRECIOUSTHINGn!SHTANGAPRACTICE WHICHWEALLKNEWWASVERY YEARSAGO TOWHICH"OBRESPONDED h9OUVEGOTTOBEKIDDING) POWERFULANDDEEPLYTRANSFORMATIVE0RACTICINGTOGETHERCREATEDA NEEDAMANUALv UNIQUEANDMAGICALBOND AREALSENSEOFFAMILY 4HUSBEGAN,ARRYSPROCESSOFCREATINGTHISMANUAL WHICHHASNOW /VER THE YEARS THE !SHTANGA FAMILY HAS GROWN CONSIDERABLY BEEN COMPLETED WITH THE HELP OF SEVERAL FRIENDS .OW HAPPILY THROUGHOUT THE WORLD AND )VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE WHEN BEGINNING STUDENTS ASK FOR A PRACTICE GUIDE WE CAN OFFER THEPRACTICEWITHMANYWONDERFULPEOPLEASBOTHASTUDENTAND THEMTHISEXCELLENT PRACTICAL ANDINFORMATIVEMANUAL TEACHER)N!USTIN 4EXAS)MET,ARRY3CHULTZYEARSAGOWHEN HE WAS JUST BEGINNING HIS !SHTANGA PRACTICE WITH MY TEACHER 4IM-ILLER 0ATTABHI*OIS%VENTHOUGHTHEPRACTICEWASVERYCHALLENGINGFOR 3ENIOR4EACHER!SHTANGA9OGA HIM ,ARRYAPPROACHEDITWITHGREATENTHUSIASM OPTIMISM AND GRATITUDE(E LIKESOMANYOTHERS RECOGNIZEDIMMEDIATELYTHAT THISWASEXACTLYWHATHEHADBEENLOOKINGFORANDWASVERYEXCITED BYBOTHTHEPRACTICEANDTHEPEOPLEINVOLVEDINIT ,ARRYAND)HAVEBECOMECLOSEFRIENDSOVERTHEYEARSANDTOGETHER WE HAVE WITNESSED THE PROFOUND POSITIVE IMPACT THE !SHTANGA PRACTICEHASHADONHUNDREDSOFPEOPLESLIVES PARTICULARLYOUR OWN7EHAVEDEVELOPEDMANYWONDERFULFRIENDSHIPSWITHINTHE !SHTANGA FAMILY AND FEEL TRULY BLESSED TO BE ABLE TO SHARE THE PRACTICEWITHOTHERS-OTIVATEDBYTHISDESIRETOSHARETHEPRACTICE ,ARRY OPENED )TS9OGAIN WHICH HAS BECOME ONE OF THE LARGESTANDMOSTSUCCESSFULYOGASCHOOLSIN3AN&RANCISCO !PROBLEMTHAT,ARRYAND)HAVEENCOUNTEREDOVERTHEYEARSIS HOW TO KEEP BEGINNING STUDENTS GOING WITH THE PRACTICE WHEN THEYAREUNABLETOATTENDCLASSDUETOWORK TRAVEL FAMILY ETC&OR pedro kupfer :: padmasana conteúdo (OW4O5SE4HIS-ANUAL )NTRODUCTION 4HE(ISTORYOF!SHTANGA9OGA !WAKENING4HE&IRE7ITHIN 4HE"REATH/F,IFE 0RANA #APTURING0RANA s5DDIYANA"ANDHA s*ALANDHARA"ANDHA $RISHTI #LEANSING!ND0URIlCATION-ELTDOWN #REATING!3ACRED0LACE 4HE)NVOCATION !SANAS 0RANAYAMA4HE3ERPENT0OWER 9OUR0RACTICE(ELPFUL(INTS )NTEGRATION4HE#HALLENGE 3UN3ALUTATIONS4HE$AWNINGOFA2ITUAL 0RIMARY3ERIES "IBLIOGRAPHY !BOUT)TS9OGA One cannot understand the rhythms and meanings of the how to use this manual outer world until one has mastered the dialects of the body. 4HEBASICSOFASHTANGAYOGACANNOTBELEARNEDENOUGH"ECAUSE YOGA PRACTICE IS PROGRESSIVE IT IS IMPORTANT TO GO THROUGH THIS Timothy Leary MANUALINTHEORDERITISPRESENTED(OWEVER IFYOUAREHAVING DIFlCULTYWITHANYOFTHEPOSTURESGOBACKTOTHEBEGINNING+EEP y IN MIND THAT THE TRUE SOURCE OF UNDERSTANDING IS IN THE BASIC PRINCIPALS UNDERLYING THE ASANAS4AKEYOUR TIME AND LEARN THE FUNDAMENTALS OF THE PRACTICE 'O SLOWLY .EVER FORCE OR PUSH YOURSELF INTO A POSTURE BE PATIENT AND ALL WILL COME IN TIME 7HATSTHERUSH )FYOUAREEXPERIENCINGANYHEALTHPROBLEMS CONSULTYOURYOGA TEACHERORAHEALTHADVISORBEFOREBEGINNINGTHEEXERCISESINTHE MANUAL4HISMANUALISAGUIDETOBEUSEDINCONJUNCTIONWITH CLASSES AND IS NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR THE PERSONAL ATTENTION AND ASSISTANCEOFATEACHER -OSTOFALL HAVEFUN%NJOYTHEPROCESSOFBUILDINGYOURYOGA PRACTICEANDBRINGINGPEACEINTOYOURLIFEANDTHOSEAROUNDYOU You can’t diligently practice yoga, honing the clarity of your mind, and fail to be struck by the very humorous-albeit pathetic predicament we’re all in. We introduction find ourselves chained to the wheel of karma, going round and round in our 'ETTING)T4OGETHER own private illusory worlds, struggling to glimpse reality and attain eternal peace. It’s funny and maddeningly difficult, and sad, too, sometimes. It’s also the only 3EPARATENESSCAUSESSUFFERINGANDUNIONCREATESFREEDOM9OGAIS FUTUREANDPAST ANDPERCEPTIONISRESTOREDTOITSPRIMALFRESHNESS game in town and nobody gets out alive. UNION From The Five Tibetans 7ECANACTUALLYGAINBACKTHECONNECTIONTO3ELFANDOTHERSASWE )TISTHESEPARATIONFROMOUR3ELF EACHOTHER NATURE ANDFROM ARERELEASEDFROMTHERESTRICTEDTHINKING DULLMIND ANDNEGATIVITY y SOMETHINGGREATERORHIGHERBEIT'OD UNIVERSALCONSCIOUSNESS RESULTING FROM A STRAINED TIRED NERVOUS SYSTEM 4HE HEALTHIER ORWHATEVERTERMYOUWANTTOUSE THATCAUSESTHEANXIETYAND OURNERVOUSSYSTEM THEHEALTHIEROURBODY MIND THOUGHTSAND CHAOSSYMPTOMATICOFOURTIMES)TISDIFlCULTFORUSTOEXPERIENCE ACTIONS OURNATURALCONNECTIONWITHEACHOTHERWHENWEDONTHAVETHAT CONNECTIONWITHOUROWN3ELF9OGACONNECTSUSWITHANINNER 4HEPURPOSEOFTHISMANUALISTOMAKETHESETECHNIQUESAVAILABLE WISDOM INWHICHTHEREISNODOUBTASTOTHECONNECTIONOFALL TOALLWHOAREINTERESTEDINENHANCINGTHEQUALITYOFTHEIRLIVES THINGS FROM THE MOST FUNDAMENTAL FOUNDATION THE INNER SOURCE4HE IDEAISTOPROMOTESELF PRACTICEANDSELF RESPONSIBILITY TOOFFERA .OWISTHETIMEFORYOGA9OGAISAPRACTICALMETHODOFBRINGING TOOLFORRECONNECTING4HISISTHEPLACEWHEREYOGATRULYBEGINS PEACE AND CONNECTEDNESS BACK INTO OUR LIVES "ECAUSE WE ARE A INEACHOFOUROWNINDIVIDUALLIVES9OGAHELPSYOURISETOTHE REmECTIONOFOURNERVOUSSYSTEM THESTATEOFOURNERVOUSSYSTEM CHALLENGEOFLIVING DICTATESHOWWEEXPERIENCETHEWORLD)FTHENERVOUSSYSTEMIS FRESHANDRESTED THEBODYWILLBEHEALTHYANDTHEMINDALERTAND COMPREHENSIVE!SARESULT OURTHOUGHTWILLBEPOWERFULANDCLEAR ANDOURACTIONS WHICHAREMANIFESTEDTHOUGHT WILLBESUCCESSFUL ANDREWARDING 9OGASTRENGTHENSANDPURIlESTHENERVOUSSYSTEMSOITCANREmECT A GREATER DEGREE OF CONSCIOUSNESS AND OUR LIVES CAN BECOME AN INCREASINGLYPOSITIVEFORCEINTHEWORLD)FTHEMETHODSPRESENTED INTHISMANUALAREPRACTICEDCORRECTLYTHEWHOLENERVOUSSYSTEM ISREVITALIZED THEBODYENJOYSBETTERHEALTHANDMOREENERGY THE MINDISRESTEDANDFREEDFROMTHEENDLESSBURDENSOMETHOUGHTOF the history of Ashtanga Yoga !S THE STORY GOES THE ASHTANGA YOGA SYSTEM WAS RECONSTRUCTED FROMAMYSTERIOUSMANUSCRIPTWRITTENONABUNDLEOFPALMLEAVES THE9OGA+ORUNTA4HIS COLLECTION OF VERSES ON HATHA YOGA WAS DISCOVEREDINTHESBYYOGAMASTERAND3ANSKRITSCHOLAR3RI 4IRUMALAI+RISHNAMACHARYAANDHISDISCIPLE+0ATTABHI*OISWHILE RESEARCHING 3ANSKRIT TEXTS AT A #ALCUTTA UNIVERSITY LIBRARY4HE MANUSCRIPTISDATEDTOBEBETWEENAND YEAROLD +RISHNAMACHARYA AND *OIS TRANSLATED AND RECONSTRUCTED THE ASHTANGAYOGASERIESORIGINALLYTHEREWERESIXSEQUENCESOFPOSTURES AND0ATTABHI*OIS WITHTHEENCOURAGEMENTOF+RISHNAMACHARYA TOOKTHEINSTRUCTIONSASTHEBASISOFHISPRACTICEANDTEACHING(E ISSTILLTEACHINGTHISMETHODTODAYIN-YSORE )NDIAATTHEAGEOF !SHTANGATAUGHTBY0ATTABHI*OISISAFORMOFHATHAYOGAWHICH FOCUSESONASANAPOSTURE ANDPRANAYAMABREATHCONTROL 3OME PEOPLE CALL THIS ASHTANGA VINYASA YOGA IN ORDER TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN 0ATANJALIS EIGHTFOLD SYSTEM AND THE ASHTANGA YOGA DESCRIBEDINTHISMANUAL kukkutasana It is in the very cavern of our heart that we can realize the immensity of spaces, and by controlling our own vital rhythms that we can escape the power of time. awakening the fire within It is by reaching the source of life that we can escape the power of death. It is 6INYASA-OVEMENT"REATHING3YSTEM STATEWHERETHEREISNOSENSEOFTIME WHEREEXTERNALLYIMPOSED by exploring the unknown spheres within ourselves that we can visit the celestial !SHTANGAYOGAWAKESUPTHEINTERNALlRE)TIGNITESTHEDORMANT BARRIERSDISSOLVEANDTHEREISASENSEOFONENESSWITHTHEUNIVERSE and infernal worlds mAME OF VITAL LIFE ENERGY WITHIN ALL OF US4HE VINYASA SYSTEM !S FOCUS INCREASES THERE IS AN EFFORTLESSNESS A LIGHTNESS IN THE Alain Danielou. WORKS WITH THE SYNCHRONIZATION OF DEEP RHYTHMIC BREATHING HARMONYOFMOVEMENTANDBREATHING ANDMOVEMENT"YLINKINGTHEPOSTURESITCREATESACONTINUOUS mOW OF ENERGY THAT HEATS UP THE BODY BRINGING OXYGEN TO THE y BLOOD NOURISHINGTHEGLANDSANDINTERNALORGANS CLEANSINGAND PURIFYINGTHENERVOUSSYSTEM RELEASINGUNWANTEDTOXINSTHROUGH PERSPIRATION!STHEHEATGOESUPTOXINSAREBURNEDUPANDOUTOF THESYSTEM CREATINGALIGHTERANDSTRONGERBODY ANDACLEARMIND 4HEHEATISNOTONLYAPHYSICALEXPERIENCE ITISANINTERNALSPIRITUAL lRETHATBURNSTHROUGHTHEFOGOFILLUSIONANDIGNORANCE !CCESS!LL!REAS !STHEINTERNALHEATGOESUP NOTONLYDOTHETOXINSBEGINTOEXIT THESYSTEM BUTANOTHERAMAZINGTHINGHAPPENSTHEBODYBEGINS TOBENDANDMOVE!S0ATTABHI*OISSAYShEVENIRONWILLBENDWITH HEATv7ITHTHISFREEDOMOFMOVEMENTWEAREABLETOOPENUP AREASOFTHEBODYTHATHADBEENPREVIOUSLYRESTRICTEDORBLOCKED 4HEREISARELEASE AFEELINGOFLIGHTNESS)TISINTHESEPLACESTHAT WE CAN DISCOVER WHAT YOGA TRULY IS9OGAIS NOT JUST A PHYSICAL EXERCISEORSOMENEWWAYTOPASSTHETIMEORlLLTHEEMPTINESS BUTAMETHODOFBRINGINGLIFEANDVITALITYBACKINTOTHOSEAREAS AWARENESSOFTHEDEEPER INNERPARTSOFOURSELVES)TISAREUNION WITHTHATINNATEWISDOMTHATWEALLPOSESS BUTSEEMTOHAVELOST TOUCHWITH9OGAWASDEVELOPEDASAMEANSOFACKNOWLEDGINGOR RETURNINGTOTHESOURCEOFLIFE !S CONCENTRATION INCREASES THE BREATH MIND BODY AND SOUL COME INTO UNION TO ENTRAINMENT !SHTANGA YOGA IS A FOCUSING TECHNIQUE THAT JOINS THE MAIN LIFE FORCES BEATING IN UNISON TO ANINTERNALRHYTHM YOURINTERNALRHYTHM7ITHCONTROLOFTHE