Dear friends, here are some quotes of Sri Krishna Pattabhi Jois. We hope you will find them inspiring. These simple statements clarify the essence of Ashtanga Yoga.

1. “Yoga is 99% practice and 1% theory.”
2. “So whether you do your first downward dog at 14 or 44, it’s not your history but your presence on your mat that counts.”
3. “Why fear?”
4. “Simply be present with your own shifting energies and with the unpredictability of life as it unfolds.”
5. “Yoga is good for man because the physical body improves, the nervous system improves, the mind improves, the intellect improves—so, how can yoga not be good?”
6. “I was disappointed to find that so many novice students have taken Ashtanga yoga and have turned it into a circus for their own fame and profit.”
7. “If we practice the science of yoga, which is useful to the entire human community and which yields happiness both here and hereafter – if we practice it without fail, we will then attain physical, mental and spiritual happiness, and our minds will flood towards the Self.”
8. “Yoga is not easy!”
9. “Awake my dear be kind to your sleeping heart take it out into the vast fields of Light and let it breathe.”
10. “The full ashtanga system practiced with devotion leads to freedom within one’s heart.”
11. “Practice and all is coming.”
12. “When the breath control is correct, mind control is possible.”
13. “Body is not stiff. Mind is stiff.”
14. “The whole purpose of Hatha yoga is to purify and control our senses. It is the ultimate science of helping us discover what lies behind the apparent reality of body and mind.”
15. “The title “Power Yoga” itself degrades the depth, purpose and method of the yoga system that I received from my guru, Sri. T. Krishnamacharya. Power is the property of God. It is not something to be collected for one’s ego.”
16. “You can take practice. Don’t talk.”
17. “Yoga is for internal cleansing, not external exercising. Yoga means true self-knowledge.”
18. “Discipline means you can take yoga practice. Stamina comes first in the body. Strength comes first in the body. Body means there are three types of body: external body, internal body, spiritual body. Those are the three types of body strength.”
19. “Breathing is very important. Without breathing, the spiritual mind and body are not coming. There is a method to breathing. That is Vinyasa.”
20. “I was disappointed to find that so many novice students have taken Ashtanga yoga and have turned it into a circus for their own fame and profit.”
21. “In Order to be effective, truth must penetrate like an arrow-and that is likely to hurt.”
22. “When you are inspired by some great purpose, some extraordinary project, all your thoughts break their bounds: Your mind transcends limitations, your consciousness expands in every direction and you find yourself in a new, great and wonderful world. Dormant forces, faculties and talents become alive, and you discover yourself to be a greater person by far than you ever dreamed yourself to be.”
23. “Yoga, as a way of life and a philosophy, can be practiced by anyone with inclination to undertake it, for yoga belongs to humanity as a whole. It is not the property of any one group or any one individual, but can be followed by any and all, in any corner of the globe, regardless of class, creed or religion.”
24. “The Ashtanga yoga system should never be confused with “power yoga” or any whimsical creation which goes against the tradition of the many types of yoga shastras (scriptures). It would be a shame to lose the precious jewel of libiration in the mud of ignorant bodybuilding.”

25. “Yoga is possible for anybody who really wants it. Yoga is universal…. But don’t approach yoga with a business       mind looking for worldly gain.”

Dear friends, there is no doubt that yoga is most important aspect of our life as when we practice we live. And there is not

a surprise that even bears offers us their modifications of Ashtanga asanas.

Upavishta Konasana B is most popular among bears :

 

“Upavishta Konasana A” is also offered:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Drishti is important part of the practice:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Janu sirsasana” ,modification for beginners)))

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Second Series, for advanced only :”KROUNCHASANA”

 

“Pindasana” – Finishing siquense

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NAMASTE))

Dear yogis!
 We want to share with you the benefits of pink Himalayan salt, we use it ourselves and we think the below information would be interesting for you.

Once upon a time (a couple of hundreds of millions of years ago) crystallized sea salt beds, now deep within the Himalayans, were covered by lava. Aside from being kept it in a pristine environment that has been surrounded by snow and ice year round, the lava is thought to have protected the salt from modern-day pollution leading to the belief that Himalayan Pink salt is the purest salt to be found on earth. It is now hand-mined from the mountains and brought to the culinary market.

The many hues of pink, red and white are an indication of this salt’s rich and varying mineral and energy-rich iron content.

Packs a hearty 80+ minerals and elements- Himalayan salts are mineral packed crystals which formed naturally within the earth made up of 85.62% sodium chloride and 14.38% other trace minerals including: sulphate, magnesium, calcium, potassium, bicarbonate, bromide, borate, strontium, and fluoride (in descending order of quantity).

Because of these minerals Himalayan pink salt can:
Create an electrolyte balance
Increases hydration
Regulate water content both inside and outside of cells
Balance pH (alkaline/acidity) and help to reduce acid reflux
Prevent muscle cramping
Aid in proper metabolism functioning
Strengthen bones
Lower blood pressure
Help the intestines absorb nutrients
Prevent goiters
Improve circulation
Dissolve and eliminate sediment to remove toxins

Commercial refined salt is not only stripped of all its minerals, besides sodium and chloride, but is also chemically cleaned, bleached and heated at unnecessary high temperatures.

In addition, it is treated with anti-caking agents which prevent salt from mixing with water in the salt container. These agents also prevent dissolving within our system leading to build up and then deposit in organs and tissue, causing severe health problems.

Finally, the iodine that is added into salt is usually synthetic which is difficult for your body to process properly. Shockingly under U.S. law, up to 2% of table salt can be additives.

Full moon days and new moon days are considerate as rest days in Ashtanga Yoga Tradition. What is the reasoning behind this?

Pattabhi Jois was a student at the Marajas Pathashala (Sanskrit College in Mysore) and then he was the Professor of Yoga there from 1937 to 1973. Sanskrit College was closed each month for classes on the moon days, and the day before and after. Even the studies were continued by the students, no new lessons were taught. One of the reasons for it is that some rituals had to be performed by the teachers and students who are all brahmins. Also Pattabhi Jois used to quote that if teacher teaches new subjects on the moon days, his knowledge will be declined and on the day before and after. Being a brahmin, being a student and later on a teacher in Sanskrit College Pattabhi Jois developed some habits of following an astrological cycles and performing some observances according to the moon calendar.

Pattabhi Jois held the view that yoga was a practice of Vedic origin, and that the knowledge of the Upanishads was to be accessed through the doorway of asana and pranayama, he ascribed the same observances of teaching them as he did for teaching Veda. He used to say that on the full and new moon days, there was a particular conjunction of nakshatras (lunar mansion) that can cause one to get easily injured and that injury will take long time to heal.

Through practicing yoga we become more aware of our own tendencies and the natural cycles that occur within and around us. Observing moon days brings us to function more harmoniously within ourselves and with the environment we live in, it connects us with universe and makes us more aware of the effect the universal energy can have on us individually. Human beings have a watery nature (we consist approximately of 70% water) and as all things of watery nature we are affected by the phases of the moon. The phases of the moon are determined by the moons 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 earth. One definite effect on this is that oceans tides are higher and lower on these days. Their relative position create different energetic experiences that can be compared to the breath cycle. In yoga, the full moon energy corresponds to the top of the inhalation and the very peak 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 full moon provides energy and heat, but can increase the tendency of loosing connection to earth. The new moon energy is associated with the end of exhalation when the force of prana is at its strongest. Its a contracting and downward-moving direction of the prana, its a moving force that makes us feel calm and grounded, but the tendency can be towards heaviness and lethargy. Practicing yoga over time creates a greater sensitivity towards energetic movements and influences. And because of these differences in energies the practitioners are more likely to injure themselves on moon days so it is advised to take rest from asana practice.

“In addition, once you practice on a daily basis (six days a week recommended), you will notice that being invited to take a day off is a luxury. The body can rest (after all the Ashtanga practice is physically demanding) and on moon days you feel like a huge chunk of unspoken for “free time” when you are used to daily practice.” – Richard Freeman

Squatting toilets sometimes leave confused westerns or people from “developed countries”. We used to think that sitting toilet facility is an attribute of civilization. Squatting toilet requires one to take a squatting posture to proceed with motion where knees and hips should be sharply bent and buttocks should be close to the ground. This type of toilets are more common in countries where majority of population are Muslims and Hindus as it makes more comfortable anal cleansing with water than from sitting position. Also squatting posture is determined by early childhood habits and this posture is taken for defecation naturally where there is no toilet facility.
Squatting posture is more natural for human while performing tasks, resting or passing motion. Our bodies are designed so that we can defecate easily in a squatting position. Quite often parents help their baby to pass the motion by pushing childs knees towards the chest while the baby is lying down.

Lets look through some anatomical details of squatting posture and sitting posture in terms of defecation process:
When one is bending the knees towards the chest just as if one was to do a yoga asana he/she would feel a slight pressure on abdomen and this is what happens when one squats to pass the motion. When legs are bent at the hips and the knees are touching the chest in this position, most of the work is done by gravity. Upper body presses against abdomen and colon internally stimulating the body to start the process of moving waste materials to the colon, rectum and finally the anus. During this process the right leg pushes the cecum and its contents upwards into the ascending colon and the left leg thigh lifts the sigmoid colon. These two actions help to move the fecal matter in the intestine, preventing the waste from leaking into the appendix or other places it isnt supposed to be in. Also lifting the sigmoid colon helps to open up the kink allowing the passage of waste into the rectum. Squatting position also helps to seal valve between colon and small intestine which is preventing the back flow of waste and creates pressure within colon which also acts as a natural laxative. Also this position relaxes the muscle at the junction of the rectum and anus which in turn allows to complete excretion of waste.
And what happens when one uses the Western type of toilet or the “throne”. First of all its not natural posture for humans to pass the motion as our body want not made to function in this position. Sitting on throne type of toilet chokes the entire flow of waste where sigmoid colon is not raised and which does not relax the kink. The muscle at the junction of the rectum and anus is also not relaxed, choking the rectum, leading to the retention of waste in the body making one feel uncomfortable. Apart from this, in the sitting position one tends to apply pressure by breathing in and pushing the diaphragm downwards, which harmful.This action also leads to the leaking of stool into adjoining parts like the appendix. It can also effect the heart if one applies too much pressure. On the top of everything mentioned above, in the sitting posture the valve between the colon and small intestine tends to leak making it difficult for the bowels to generate the required pressure to defecate. All these leads to a variety of ailments.

               If you are still doubting of benefits of squatting position while passing the motion, you can experience it. Experiment by arranging small stools at the sides of the toilet where the feet could be placed that the knees would be higher close to the chest. And keep in mind that healthy way of defecating prevents the formation of hemorrhoids, beats constipation and helps to complete fecal evacuation to prevent colon cancer. Apart of all these squatting makes the process much faster and easier. According to some practical experiments it takes approximately 51 seconds (for average individual) to move the bowels, compared to the 130 seconds when sitting on a higher toilet. Additionally, when individuals are squatting they are more likely to rate their experience effortless.

Its a a last month of durian fruit season here in Thailand and of course yoga practitioners dont miss a chance to fulfill their needs in nutrition! But only true gastronome can really appreciate and enjoy this very special fruit. Weather you love durian or hate it and there is no any other option. This “King of fruits” is characterized by its very unpleasant and pungent smell and even many hotels and public places have a sign “no durian”. The description of its smell varies from rotten meat, onion and garlic to combination of banana, mango, vanilla, pineapple, strawberry and papaya.
But durian is famous not only by its smell and taste, despite of very specific look, taste and smell it boasts of numerous health promoting effects. It contains high levels of dietary fiber, which are essential to the normal function of multiple systems in the body. Its a good source of vitamin C, B, antioxidants, many minerals like calcium, magnum, zinc etc.

               Consuming durian regularly very beneficially effects on health. It normalizes blood pressure and cardiovascular health, it battles aging as it has a wide variety of antioxidant properties stemming from its vitamin and organic chemical makeup that actively reduce the amount of free radicals in the body. Since durian contains thryptophan which when enters to the brains converts to serotonin which gives feeling of relaxation and happiness so you can forget about insomnia. Durian meat acts as aphrodisiac as it can produce intensified sexual libido and stamina. Eating this fruit helps to prevent cancer as vitamins, nutrients, organic chemicals function as antioxidants. Since durian is a great source magnesium, potassium, manganese, and copper, all of which play an integral role in developing and sustaining bone strength and durability. There are high levels of folic acid within durian as well which is essential component in the production of red blood cells. Durian aids in regulating blood sugar level due it rich manganese content.

Durian is the only fruit which contains organic sulfur. Sulfur is vital macronutrients and its a part of amino acids and enzymes, it is an indispensable part of the cells, tissues, organs, nerves, bone and cartilage tissue, hair, skin and nails of human, and it is involved in many biochemical reactions occurring in the body.

Not going into detailed description of nutrients (for more information please see detailed table below) we wanted to recommend to try this fruit to all who didnt have a chance to enjoy it before.

Also durian is called “hot fruit” as by consuming it the stomach temperature is increasing and some South-East Asians say you would not need a blanket while sleeping.
Its not recommended to have a big amounts of durian at one time and if combines with alcohol, can trigger side effects such as strong gastro spasms and explosive flatulence. Consuming durian is also not recommended to pregnant and breast feeding women, people suffering from hypertension,
Nutritional Value of Durian

Amount of Durian (chopped): 1 cup
Total Weight of Durian (chopped): 243 g

Nutrients
Amount
Basic Components

Protein 3.6 g
Fat 13 g
Water 158 g
Ash  2.7 g
Calories
Total Calories 357
Calories From Carbohydrate 237
Calories From Fat 108
Calories From Protein 12
Carbohydrates

Total Carbohydrate 65.8 g
Dietary Fiber 9.2 g
Vitamins

Vitamin A 107 IU
Vitamin C 47.9 mg
Thiamin 0.9 mg
Riboflavin 0.5 mg
Niacin 2.6 mg
Vitamin B6 0.8 mg
Folate 87.5 mcg
Pantothenic Acid 0.6 mg
Minerals

Calcium 14.6 mg
Iron 1 mg
Magnesium 72.9 mg
Phosphorus 94.8 mg
Potassium 1060 mg
Sodium 4.9 mg
Zinc 0.7 mg
Copper 0.5 mg
Manganese 0.8 mg

Today 31st July 2015 is full moon and this day is marked as special day for ashtangis all over the world as its birth day of Sri Krishna Pattabhi Jois (1915-2009).
Guruji’s birth date is understood as auspicious in the lineage of Ashtanga Yoga since the full moon of July each year marks the celebration of Guru Purnima, a significant day of the Hindu Calendar. On this day disciples also perform ceremonies for their specific Guru as an expression of gratitude for their spiritual guidance.
Sri K. Pattabhi Jois taught Ashtanga yoga for more than 65 years before passing on May 18, 2009. It was the depth and power of Gurujii himself that inspired his students to have faith in themselves and in Ashtanga yoga. The miracle of Jois’s life and legacy far exceeds his physical presence and is perhaps the very definition of the word Guru.
With more than 65 years of diligent, soulful teaching Guruji maintained the Ashtanga yoga method in its pure form. This dynamic flowing series of postures traces its lineage to an ancient sage named Vamana Rishi in the Yoga Korunta. Combining breathe and movement in Vinyasa, Ashtanga yoga purifies the body through the stimulation of internal heat (agni). Used together with the Tristana method specifically taught by Jois, Ashtanga practitioners concentrate their minds by focusing on three things: breathe (ujjayi breath), posture (asana) and gaze (dristhi).
Guruji used to say, “Ashtanga yoga is for all people, old people, young people, fat people, skinny people, only not lazy people.” Yoga is as strong as you make it and takes you as deep as you are willing to go.
“Practice, practice, practice…. then all is coming.”

Dear friends!

We are happy to announce that finally we finished the video of reviews about our activity at the Shala.

Our students kindly gave interviews where they gave honest appraisal of TAYSP and we are very thankful  or that.

We tried to make this video maximum funny and honest. We did the first performance of this video after Saturday Led Class where our students could see the video first as well as try celebratory cake and have Indian Tulsi tea. We hope that all who have seen the video would appreciate our work.

Thank you for your kindness, Namaste!