What is Ashtanga
Ashtanga means eight limbs. Eight different components, only one of which are the asanas, or yoga postures. I learned this on my first day at Nydum and quickly realized that despite having practiced yoga for the past five years, I knew but part of an eighth of this discipline.
Like many of us in Europe, I first approached yoga like a sport and loved Ashtanga for the challenge. Still, I had a vague idea that there was more to it than that, partly because practicing yoga always left me with a sense of well-being and deep connection to my breath and body I never found elsewhere, and partly because I knew that for some, it was a lifestyle rather than a weekly physical activity. Learning more about what lies beyond the asanas therefore was one of my main motivation when signing up for a 200 YTT. And I am thrilled to say that over the past month, I did just that.
Although the eight limbs should traditionally be mastered one by one and in order, I went from knowing about the third to discovering the fourth as I woke up on the first day and jumped right into a 45 minutes pranayama session. It was long, my breath was short, my back was killing me and I had to switch my cross-legged position constantly. Something else I learned on that day however, is practice, practice practice and everything will come. And indeed here I am four weeks later, having done pranayama everyday – and granted, also thanks to two bolster under my butt, a block under each knee and a comfy blanket – I have come to adore it. My breath turned from being my bête noire to becoming my personal white noise, that which helps me tune in, focus, reach a meditative state and better practice each asanas.
Pranayama and asanas occupy an important place in Ashtanga yoga, but so do the remaining 6 limbs, the first two detailing yogis attitude towards our environment and ourselves, the last four giving advice on how to reach a complete and focused meditative state. Much like it is difficult to describe such a state with words, it is no easy task to express or even realise all that I learned at Nydum. The place and the people have helped me go beyond the physical aspect of yoga and open the door so much more, which I cannot wait to further explore. Oh, and I finally found my pelvic floor!
Cloe Mabut
