Ashtanga Yoga Vocabulary: 10 Terms To Know Before Heading To Class

Ashtanga Yoga has some specific words and terms that confuse me! said a friend recently as we were talking about styles of yoga, and she was curious about the Mysore practice I do.

I could relate. Aside for the poses being mostly called in Sanskrit there is a rainbow of terms used within Ashtanga yoga that can be intimidating.

Here is a list of 10 terms I can think of that could come handy for someone approaching this wonderful practice. I also wrote their meaning, in a short and simple way, making it a bit more accessible, or so I hope.

Yoga Chikitsa

I know, I start with two words, what am I thinking?  Chikitsa means "therapy", and yoga means a lot of things depending on who is perceiving the word. The actual full meaning of "yoga" is to come to a place of presence, to tame the mind etc. But in this case both words together refer to the primary series of Ashtanga Yoga, the routine of poses weaved in by jump back and jump through done in between, and the series that every person in the world who practices Ashtanga starts with.

There are six series in total, with about 30 to 35 poses (plus the standing and the closing sequences), and everyone starts (and likely stays for a long time) on this one, on the Chikitsa.

Why?   Because it is the Yoga of Healing, the one that cleanses us, the one that will help point out where we are out of  balance.

Navassana, one of the poses of the primary series or
Yoga Chikitsa

The primary series of Ashtanga yoga changed my life completely and for the better. It helped me notice where I was spending extra energy, how I was eating too late (showed me that when I could not bind in poses the following morning), helped me release extra weight, calmed my mind, gave me better balance and body strenght as well as good toning and much brighter disposition in life.

Yes, that all comes from the Yoga Chikitsa or the Primary Series of Ashtanga Yoga. Amazing, ha?

Nadi shodana  

This is the name of the "Intermediate Series", the one that comes after one can somehow master, or get close to that, the primary series.  Nadi Shodhana means "nerve cleansing" and that is exactly what this second series does.

Laghu Vajrasana, one of the poses of the intermediate series
you can see the back bending action

How does it do it?  Well, after you are back to health through primary series, the intermediate one, Nadi Shodhana, works much deeper in twisting, bending, stretching and challenging your back.

When you think about it, the nervous system sprouts from the back, and therefore this "washing machine" effect on the spine helps release and purify all nerves.  It takes years of practice to even get  started with Nadi Shodhana but it is worth every minute.

Ujjaji Breathing

Ujjaji Is a pranayama (or breath extension) exercise which is done by breathing loudly (contracting the glottis gland) and slowly.  It makes the breath sound as if it was Darth Vader breathing through us, or as the hissing of a serpent.  This is done during the fourth limb of yoga (the one that comes after asana) and may involve retentions etc. It is not to be confused with deep breathing with sound, which is the next term.

Deep Breathing with Sound

There is some confusion in the Ashtanga world and people think that the ujjaji breathing described above is done during the practice of asana, but luckily you read this and now you know that is not the case.

During the practice of the poses we do breath deeply and with sound but, as Sharath pointed out recently in a conference, this is simply that, loud breathing with sound, but not Ujjaji breath, which refers to a pranayama exercise.

During practice we breathe like him, deep and loud

So during practice we simply breathe with a sound (like a hissing of a serpent), slow, and deep.

Mula Bandha

During the practice of poses in Ashtanga we contract the area of the perineum.  As a matter of fact K.P. Jois is known for having said that we should contract it at all times.  It may feel funny, but it has deep and profound effects to do so.  Mula Bandha means "root lock".

During the practice of asana, the engaging of mula bandha (tightening the perineum) harnesses the root power of the body.

You could try this for yourself for example, by lifting yourself up with your arms with mula bandha and without it,  just for testing sake. You will notice a difference even if you don't practice Ashtanga regularly (provided you also include deep breathing and concentration).

red dots show the area of mula and uddyhana bandha

Mula Bandha or the root lock has psychological implications as well.  For example, this practice helps us notice where in our lives we may be "leaking" energy, as in, for example: where are we wasting time with people who pull us down or are always negative?  We start to notice and pluck those leaks, we harness the energy of being around positive people, our lives are transformed.

Uddyana Bandha

Uddyana Bandha is also a lock, this one is an uplifting one and you can think of it in terms of sucking in the stomach, only you would think sucking in and UP!.  The intention is to combine it with the mula bandha or perineum tightening so you harness the energy from the bottom of your core and lift it up, pushing it towards the center of your spine, so it travels upward...  Whenever I think of uddyana bandha I think of a lotus flower, harnessing energy from the mud, lifting it up through the stem and flowering up above the surface in peaceful lakes.

A lotus flower

Many people confuse Uddyana Bandha, which is the uplifting of the stomach area during practice with uddyana "kryia" which is a cleansing technique done by yogis in the morning.  Here is Kino MacGregor in a great video explaining the difference:




Jalandara Bandha

This is the third lock and it is done at the chin level.  It is not usually used during the practice of asana, as it is more an aid to pranayama.  It is done by, while comfortable sited with a straight back, lowering the chin and bringing it towards the chest, thereby creating an block of energy so that the sensations in the stomach area cannot raise to the head.  It is a more advanced technique, which is sometimes utilized by some teachers during asana, but it would be rear.

For more on the three bandhas see this recent post on how Krishnamahcarya himself described them.

Dristhi

Drishti means focus point, or where we softly place the gaze of our eyes.  In Ashtanga Yoga, during the practice of the series we have a specific eye focusing point for each asana.  For example, as we stand on samastitihi the gaze is placed softly down and towards the horizon.  As we lift the arms up (engaging bandhas and with the deep breathing with sound), the eyes softly gaze towards the ceiling along the line of the palms.

There are the nine drishtis (or gazing points):
1.- Tip of the nose
2.- Between the eyebrows
3.- Navel
4.- Hand
5.- Foot
6.- Far to the right
7.- Far to the left
8.- Thumbs
9.- Up to the sky

Sometimes people get confused as of where to look, especially when getting started.  It is suggested that When in doubt look along side the nose (avoiding cross eyes)

Jump Backs and Jump Throughs


Yes, the term is in English and it refers to what happens in between each side of a pose and in between each pose in Ashtanga Yoga.  We lift ourselves and jump back towards chaturanga, then upward facing and downward facing dog and then we "jump through" to sited to continue with another asana or the other side of an asana.

There is no stopping in the garland of poses that a series of Ashtanga Yoga provides, it is a dance designed to bring us within, to calm the mind, and fortify the body.

Mysore

Pronounced just as if you had a sore "my-sore" it is the town in South India (near Bangalore) where Ashtanga Yoga was born.  It is also the name of the style that you will see listed in your local studio and that will let you know that they have a serious Ashtanga program going on.

Mysore style means yoga is practiced as it is at the source even today, where every student arrives in their own time, rolls the mat, and goes through his or her own practice.  The teacher comes and adjusts each student individually depending on their level of ability.

Mysore is also known for its huge and delicious dosas
as the one I am about to eat on this picture

Everyone is practicing with their bandhas engaged, loud breathing, and focusing points, everyone is likely sweating too, and there is an energy in the room like nothing you may have felt before, a very deep experience, something I particularly enjoy.  Practicing with others has many wonderful side effects!

If you are interested in visiting Mysore, I have a free guide for yogis called Mysore Pedia Dot Com, that is the webiste, or click here to see.  Enjoy!

RELATED:
SAMASTITIHI - WHAT IS THAT?
GUIDE TO MYSORE