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Yoga is an ancient philosophy and way of life that developed in the Indus Valley Civilization in 3000 B.C., that is over 5 millennia ago. Over its course of long and rich history, Yoga has come to be interpreted in a number of different ways to cater to the specific requirements of the time. In 2^nd century, however, Patanjali undertook the work of standardizing Yoga and laid out 195 sutras and the Eight Limbs of Yoga in a work called ‘Patanjali’. Ashtanga Yoga, also spelt as Astanga Yoga, refer to these Eight Limbs of Yoga. The method of ashtanga practice was laid out by Krishnamacharya and Sri K. Pattabhi Jois by interpreting an ancient text called ‘Yoga Korunta’.

Pattabi Jois was a disciple of Shri Krisnamacharya and studies Astnaga Yoga under him in Mysore, India from the age of 12. He went on to become one of the world’s foremost practitioners and teacher of Ashtanga Yoga. Re died recently in the year 2009. In 1958, he had written and published a treatise on Astanga Yoga, called Yoga Mala. He has prescribed a total of six different series of Yogic practice that a student needs to follow.

The primary series among these 6 series, is called Yoga Chkitsa, which means Yoga therapy. This series consists of 75 yoga poses which can be completed in the span of an hour and a half to two hours. It begins with sun salutation and consusts of seated poses, standing poses, backbends and inversions. This series is aimed at providing therapeutic benefits of Yoga for the body. It helps in realigning the spine, detoxifying internal organs, making the body flexible and supple and building strength as well as stamina.

The secondary series in Ashtanga Yoga, as prescribed by Pattabi Jois is called Nadi Shodna. This series can be initiated only after the primary series has been mastered. The main aim of this series is to cleanse and strengthen the nervous system, hence enabling energy to flow through the body without any obstacles and hindrances. This series also consists of the sun salutation, seated poses, standing poses, backbends, forward bends and inversions, but a large number of new Yoga Asanas are introduced here.

The remaining four series of Astanga Yoga are highly advanced and are concerned with spiritual stability. These four series, called Sthira Bhaga, were originally intended to be only two series, but Jois later divided them into sub-categories and made them out to be 4 series. These advanced series are suitable only for very experienced Yoga practitioners as they consists of extremely difficult balance poses.

It is very easy to follow the practice of Astanga Yoga. Once you have learnt the sequence of the poses as well as the poses themselves, you can practice them on your own. It is however, advisable to attend Yoga classes to learn the poses to ensure that you know them well and can hold them correctly. There are many yoga classes that offer the first two series of Astanga yoga and it may benefit you to attend one of them.