ASHTANGA YOGA

THE PRACTICE

 

People from ALL walks of life are encouraged to study yoga at Ashtanga Yoga Buffalo. All students walk away from their experience with me at AYB with a yoga practice they can take with them always. 

“A tree stands strong not by its fruits or branches, but by the depth of its roots.” ~Anthony Liccione

New students aren’t expected to  have prior experience with yoga, identify as physically strong, or be flexible. Simply come as you are with an open mind to learn. During a morning session a teacher may use a verbal cues, hands on adjustments, or demonstrations as teaching tools. While the room remains quite with only the sounds of breath and shuffling bodies there is room for applicable embellishment and questions during and after Mysore sessions.

At AYB we teach traditional Mysore style Ashtanga yoga, a dynamic sequence of asanas linked with movement, breath, and gaze point. Ashtau means 8 and anga means limbs. While asana (yoga postures) is an important part of the Ashtanga Yoga practice it’s only one of 8 limbs. 

The Ashtanga/Mysore approach to yoga is unique because it uses the tools of dristis (gaze points) pranayama (breath control) and asana (physical postures). Using tristhana, the tools, helps us to make a healthy, lean, flexible body and cultivates a steady,focused mind. All students begin by learning the primary series of postures at their own pace according to their abilities. This allows for anyone to begin and develop a daily yoga practice. 

While it is nice to learn in the classroom I’m always available by email.

Ladies, you’re invited to take three days of rest when you are on your cycle. Light stretching and long walks are encouraged but lifting or engaging the pelvic floor is counter indicated. It’s nice to use that time to become more aware of the body, her rhythms, and her changing needs.

Women who no longer get their cycle are invited to take extra rest around the moon days or as needed. 

Gentlemen, if you find yourself needing an extra day off to rest it’s nice to plan them around the lunar cycle as well. 

New students students with further questions interested in beginning a month of study at AYB email me, Malissa, at AshtangaYogaBuffalo@gmail.com. 

 

MANTRAS

OPENING MANTRA

ॐ
वन्दे गुरूणां चरणारविन्दे सन्दर्शित स्वात्म सुखाव बोधे ।
निःश्रेयसे जङ्गलिकायमाने संसार हालाहल मोहशांत्यै ॥
आबाहु पुरुषाकारं शंखचक्रासि धारिणम् ।
सहस्र शिरसं श्वेतं प्रणमामि पतञ्जलिम् ॥
ॐ

 

auṁ
vande gurūṇāṁ caraṇāravinde sandarśita svātma sukhāva bodhe |
niḥ-śreyase jaṅgali-kāyamāne saṁsāra hālāhala mohaśāṁtyai ||
ābāhu puruṣākāraṁ śaṁkhacakrāsi dhāriṇam |
sahasra śirasaṁ śvetaṁ praṇamāmi patañjalim ||

auṁ

 

OM

I bow to the lotus feet of our great teachers, who uncovers our true self and awakens happiness
Like a Shaman in the Jungle he brings total complete well-being. He can even heal the most awful poision of conditioning and illusion.
The upper body of human shape, carrying a mussel horn (original tone), a discus (infinity) and a sword (power of differentiation)
having 1000 bright heads, I bow to Patanjali.

OM
 

CLOSING MANTRA

स्वस्तिप्रजाभ्यः परिपालयंतां न्यायेन मार्गेण महीं महीशाः ।
गोब्राह्मणेभ्यः शुभमस्तु नित्यं लोकाः समस्ताः सुखिनोभवंतु ॥
ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः

 

svasti-prajā-bhyaḥ pari-pāla-yaṁtāṁ nyāyena mārgeṇa mahīṁ mahīśāḥ |
go-brāhmaṇebhyaḥ śubham-astu nityaṁ lokāḥ samastāḥ sukhino-bhavaṁtu ||
auṁ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ

 

May the well-being of all people be protected By the powerful and mighty leaders be with law and justice.
May good success be with all cows (divinity) and scholars May all (samastah) the worlds (lokha) become (bhavantu) happy (sukhino).

Om peace, peace, peace

Photo by Jesse Gordon

SOURCE: kpjayi.org

MOON DAYS

MOON DAYS 2020

January

FULL. 10
NEW. 24

February

FULL. 9
NEW. 23

March

FULL. 9
NEW. 24

April

FULL. 7
NEW. 22

May

FULL. 7
NEW. 22

June

FULL. 5
NEW. 21

July

FULL. 5
NEW. 20

August

FULL. 3
NEW. 18

September

FULL. 2
NEW. 17

October

FULL. 1
NEW. 16

November

NEW. 15
FULL. 30

December

NEW. 14
FULL. 29

MOON DAY INFO

Traditionally Astanga yoga is not taught on moon days (days when there is a full or a new moon), as the potential for injury is greater. Please take rest on moon days.
Both full and new moon days are observed as yoga holidays in the Ashtanga Yoga tradition. What is the reasoning behind this?

Like all things of a watery nature (human beings are about 70% water), we are affected by the phases of the moon. The phases of the moon are determined by the moon’s relative position to the sun. Full moons occur when they are in opposition and new moons when they are in conjunction. Both sun and moon exert a gravitational pull on the earth. Their relative positions create different energetic experiences that can be compared to the breath cycle. The full moon energy corresponds to the end of inhalation when the force of prana is greatest. This is an expansive, upward moving force that makes us feel energetic and emotional, but not well grounded. The Upanishads state that the main prana lives in the head. During the full moon we tend to be more headstrong.

The new moon energy corresponds to the end of exhalation when the force of apana is greatest. Apana is a contracting, downward moving force that makes us feel calm and grounded, but dense and disinclined towards physical exertion.

The Farmers Almanac recommends planting seeds at the new moon when the rooting force is strongest and transplanting at the full moon when the flowering force is strongest. Practicing Ashtanga Yoga over time makes us more attuned to natural cycles. Observing moon days is one way to recognize and honor the rhythms of nature so we can live in greater harmony with it.

SOURCE: ashtangayogacenter.com

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