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Ashtanga Yoga: The Eight Limbs
by: Michael Saunders Yoga is a family of ancient spiritual practices originating in India. It is one of the six schools of Hindu philosophy. In India and across the World, Yoga is seen as a means to both physical health and spiritual mastery. Outside India, Yoga has become primarily associated with the practice of asanas or postures of Hatha Yoga. In the United States the American Fitness Professionals & Associates offers Yoga Certification for intructors.
Ashtanga means "eight limbs" in Sanskrit, a reference to eight elements that define as a lifestyle. These "limbs" cover your attitudes towards the world around you, your attitudes towards yourself, the poses, breathing exercises, the withdrawal of the senses, concentration, contemplation, and enlightenment.
As a type of yoga, Ashtanga is better known as "power yoga." This specialized form of Hatha yoga (which uses the third and forth of the eight limbs, poses and breathing exercises) provides an intense workout. Six series of poses within Ashtanga yoga allow for steps of progression in skill, strength, and flexibility. After learning the order of poses from an instructor (the first series includes 75 poses and can take two hours to complete), students often practice Ashtanga independently. This allows them to progress at their own pace to master each series before attempting to learn the next.
With 75 poses in the first series alone, Ashtanga yoga can be difficult to learn, especially with the Sanskrit names.
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Ashtanga Yoga: The Eight Limbs
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