How Ashtanga Yoga Makes you Happy

Ashtanga yoga is known as a challenging form of yoga, which means many people do not want to get into this form. However, it is the most scientific form of yoga. The principle of this yoga practice has been laid down after thousands of years of research by the Rishis. Science also acknowledges the fact that Ashtanga yoga makes us happy and has a great effect on our mind and body. The yoga teacher training course Rishikesh at Ojashvi Yoga Shala also professes these facts in its training. Here are the ways Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga makes you happy.

What brings happiness to your mind and body? Is becoming wealthy by putting earning money first the right approach? These are the questions we ignore every day. Ashtanga yoga not only answers these questions but makes your thoughts clear, and you will realize that healthy mind and body helps you achieve your goals in life at a quicker pace. How it happens, is what follows in the following points.

• Develops flow in life – From the first day of the Ashtanga Vinyasa practice, movement and breath are synchronized. This makes you involved with the present moment and lets you forget about future and past. Enjoying the present is actually the happiness all of us are craving for and Ashtanga yoga does just that.

• Makes you socially active – Now you would be wondering how this ancient practice can help your social life. You cannot learn yoga and will, join a Yoga Shala to get the training. You will get to talk about various aspects and routines of life with other (teachers and peers). This will make you socially aware and open you up. So, once you get back to your home settings, you will feel free to speak your mind and people around you will feel it. This way the eight limbed yoga makes you socially active. This is a n essential for happiness. Isn’t it?

• Leads to health of mind and body – Ashtanga yoga is challenging but has a really good effect on body and mind. The rigorous poses will help you get into shape very easily. Your body become strong and flexible and the life style changes. The end practice of meditation helps you calm the mind and your attention span increases. These things can help you create happiness in life, rather than run after material things that make you happy.

Ashtanga not only makes you happy but also helps you cope up with the challenging modern life. The practice was developed by yogis in a calm environment but Yoga has never been so relevant than today countering the modern unhealthy lifestyle.  The practice will help you hear inner voices and bring the shower of happiness in your life.

Ashtanga Yoga: The Continuous Evolution

Ashtanga Yoga is indeed very beneficial for the body and the mind. It is not a static form of yoga but keeps on evolving to suit all kinds of people who want to practice it. The evolution though faces stiff opposition from traditionalists. The traditionalists are of the view that tinkering can alter the asanas and it might not be pure form of Ashtanga Yoga.

However, if the changes are done keeping in view the basic principles then they are good. The 200 hour Ashtanga Vinyasa teacher training course starts with the Vinyasa that is the movement of limbs with breath. The first set of Vinyasa is the Sun salutation that has six different Vinyasa. The course moves forward with a couple of standing postures and then sitting postures.

After some days some challenging poses are introduced, which might seem difficult for some students. Proper encouragement with view on possible injury needs to be the way to go ahead. Here is where the experience of a teacher comes in. He/She can provide alternative methods to do the movements which seem easier to the student while still keeping the basic traditions intact. The role of a teacher is thus critical in Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga. The basics should remain as a standard around which the changes are done which makes the technique evolve.

Over the years the sequence and styles have changed with the needs of the students. Changing the intensity of practice is one thing that has been brought in this form of Yoga. The advantage is that the intensity can be increased or decreased as per the requirement and the time. The first 6 months though should be followed with tradition and later on the individual needs should guide the evolution. This form of yoga is quite new to practiced by the general people. Earlier it was exclusively practiced by Yogis who used to live in isolation in caves in the Himalayas. What makes the form unique? Well that is a discussion for some other time.

The Power of Japa Yoga

As a kid, I used to wonder why my Grandma would wake up in the morning and chant mantras. She would do this without fail and also use her beads for doing a chanting "Japa". After doing the same I now realize the power of chanting and the positive way the vibrations of the mantras affect a person.

Everyone has desires of material things which are endless. You can never fully be satisfied with getting something. If you are able to buy a new car you would want a bigger one. This goes on forever and is the main cause of stress in life. This creates the hole in the soul which is really not easy to get rid of.

The Crowd is a Myth
People living in cities are surrounded by a crowd always. But the crowd is a myth, and every person is quite alone in the modern world. Most of the people trade health for the career. This leads to an empty space which is filled up with intoxicants like tobacco, drugs, and alcohol. All this leads to more loneliness and empty feeling.

So what is wrong? Well, nothing is wrong in the way of doing things but the way of thinking. Getting material things cannot fill the emptiness in life. Chanting or Japa Yoga lets you realize and start the spiritual journey which fills this hole. Japa Yoga is an integral part of yoga teacher training at authentic yoga centers. They teach you the way to chant and the benefits you will see for yourself.

Kirtan the Way to Start the Chanting

Chanting alone can be challenging, and hence you should start in a group chant which is called Kirtan. The group chant not only purifies your mind but also the environment around. It awakens the energy inside you and fills the emptiness. The intensity of the Kirtan can really help you. This I have felt while going to Dwarka the kingdom of Krishna in Gujarat, India. I was not a person believing in god, but the power of Kirtan (group chant and singing) pulled me and I was dancing the whole way on the boat. The surge of energy that I felt was really something out of the world. That is the power of group chanting.

Chanting is Positive Vibration
The whole world runs on vibrations. It is the key to all things happening around us. Chanting puts the vibrations in a flow where you are able to find your true self. Whenever confused just try chanting and you will be presented with many solutions from within. So, taking up individual chanting (Japa Yoga) or community chanting (Kirtan) helps you meditate with the help of sound. It is all about practicing it diligently and you will see the difference in your life.

For more detail:  Yoga Teacher Training Rishikesh