In the Yoga Sutras, self-observation is known as Svadhyaya. In our Ashtanga community, the mat acts as a mirror; we don’t just study the sequence, we study the person performing it. At its core, Svadhyaya is the practice of observing your ego, habits, and reactions...
As we embrace November, our practice turns toward the energetic bridge between the heart (anahata) and throat (vishuddha) chakras. This is a month of opening, softening, and courage — an invitation to express ourselves with clarity while remaining rooted in...
As spring unfolds around us, nature demonstrates the profound art of balance—light emerging from darkness, strength softening into ease, renewal rising from stillness. This is our invitation as Yoga practitioners to explore the same sacred dance of opposites, both in...
Core stability and integration are fundamental principles in yoga teachings, particularly within the lineage of Krishnamacharya and his renowned students, Pattabhi Jois and B.K.S. Iyengar. While these teachers developed their own distinct styles, they all emphasised...
The bandhas or muscle seals are an integral part of the Ashtanga Vinyasa practice. They form part of what Pattabhi Jois called the ‘breathing-movement system’. They complement the ‘chest breathing’ we use in Ashtanga. What are bandhas & how to apply them Bandhas...
Written by Karyn Grenfell, Ashtanga Yoga Castlemaine, formerly Melbourne A traditional Ashtanga led class is counted in Sanskrit, the ancient language of India. This is the basis of the whole Ashtanga system and connects the student to the lineage of Ashtanga yoga....
