Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga (part 2)

Vinyasa
Vinyasa is a way of synchronizing breathing and movement. There is one breathing cycle per movement. For all asanas, a certain amount of vinyasas is established.
The purpose of vinyasa is internal purification. Breathing and movements performed simultaneously with asanas cause the blood to become hot, or, as Sri K. Pattabhi Jois says, “make the blood boil.” Stagnant thick blood is dirty and causes various diseases in the body. The heat produced by yoga purifies the blood and makes it fluid so that it can circulate without difficulty. The combination of asanas with movement and breathing allows blood to freely reach all joints, taking away pain from the body. In case of insufficient circulation, pain occurs. Heated blood also passes through all internal organs, removing impurities and diseases that are eliminated from the body through sweat during practice. Continue reading →