What is Ashtanga Yoga

Ashtanga Yoga which is also known as eight fold Raja Yoga noble path is mainly focused on progressing in meditation and achieving final liberation. The eight limbs of Raja Yoga or Ashtanga yoga path are:

(1)Yama or Eternal Vows/ self-restraint

(2)Niyama or Observances/ commitments to practice

(3)Asana or Hatha Yoga/ physical posture to develop healthy body which can develop ability to sit longer in meditation.

(4)Pranayama (Regulation of the breathing energy);

(5)Pratyahara (withdrawl of senses from objects);

(6)Dharana (concentration one pointedness of mind );

(7)Dhyana (meditation); and

(8)Samadhi (enlighten state)

Ashtanga yoga eight fold noble path and Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga from mysore are two different things.

Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga from Mysore India is simply a distorted form of hatha yoga system with main focus on physical demanding gymnastic type exercises and while authentic Ashtanga yoga noble eight folds noble path main focus is on meditation.

Issued in public interest by celebrity yoga trainer, Subodh Gupta, based in London.

Subodh is the author of the book 'Simplified Yoga for Backache' available at Amazon, Waterstones and other leading book stores in the UK and US.

Yoga, Yogi and Misconceptions

The word yoga simply means "union", union of individual consciousness with the supreme consciousness. 

Many people confuse the word yoga with exercise. Many think that Yogi means the one who can do all kinds of acrobatic postures which is not true.

In fact, Yoga has nothing to do with the acrobatic poses which are performed by many yoga gurus in India and in the west such as Bikram choudhury or Mr BKS Iyengar  or Late Shri Pattabi Jois, under the name of yoga. Yoga doesn’t mean exercise, it simply means union, no more no less.

Similarly Yogi simply means the one who is united with the supreme. The one who is free from all kinds of impurities. The one who is free from all kinds of craving and aversion. The one who has attain and established in eternal peace. Yogi is the one who remain in balance in all kinds of situations. The one who is filled with love and compassion.