Ashtanga Yoga
 One of the most popular forms of yoga that is practiced today is Ashtanga yoga. A form of flow yoga, this type focuses on the practice of Ashtanga yoga poses and breath and the "flow" from one position to another. As participants move into a pose, air is inhaled, and then it is slowly exhaled as they move into the next position. This flow from pose to pose is believed to provide a variety of benefits, such as increased breath control, stress reduction, concentration, and flexibility.
Ashtanga yoga is very similar to the practice of hatha yoga, but instead of the six principle limbs, Ashtanga utilizes eight. The limbs, or focused aspects, of Ashtanga yoga include:
- Pranayama - breathing
- Asana - yoga positions
- Pratyahara - detachment of senses
- Dharana - concentration
- Dhyana - meditation
- Samadhi - detachment of the body
- Yama - moral code (exclusive to Ashtanga)
- Niyama - self-purification and study (exclusive to Ashtanga)
Ashtanga yoga, as well as Vinyasa yoga, are considered to be "advanced" in that they tend to use a variety of more challenging postures and transition faster from one to the next than many other types of yoga.
If you are considering adding Ashtanga yoga to your health regimen, you may want to consult with your primary care provider and seek the guidance of an experienced yoga instructor. Together they will be able to help you determine if you are healthy enough for this activity to ensure you do not risk injury in the future.
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