Vamana Rishi was a yoga sage who recorded the Ashtanga yoga in the ancient manuscript the Yoga Korunta. It contains many lists of different groupings of asanas and very original teachings on vinyasa, drishti, bandhas, and mudras.

What is Ashtanga Yoga?

Ashtanga yoga means eight limbed yoga. There are eight spiritual practices involved:

1. Dhyana - Meditation

2. Asana - Posture

3. Yama - Moral Codes

4. Dharana - Concentration

5. Pranayama - Breath control

6. Pratyahara - Sense control

7. Samadhi - Contemplation

8. Niyama - Self-purification and study

Yama, asana, pranayama, niyma are external practices for cleansing. The others, dhyana, pratyhara, Samadhi, and dharana are internal cleansing practices. You must use all eight of these practices together to reap the maximum rewards of Ashtanga yoga.

The controlling of the mind is the definition of yoga. In order to control the mind, you must perfect niyama and yama. But if the sense organs and the body are weak, you won't be able to utilize these two practices. You must first use daily asana to make the body healthy and strong. When you body is stabilized, then the mind can be controlled and steady, enable you to pursue niyama and yama.

In Ashtanga yoga, in order to perform asana the correct way, you must use vinyasa and tristhana. Vinyasa refers to breathing and for each movement there is one breath. Inhaling is the first vinyasa, with your arms over your head, and exhaling is the second, with your hands on either side of your feet. Vinyasa allows for internal cleansing, as the asana heats the blood. This allows for the cleaning and thinning of the blood so it can move more freely. Good blood circulation will help remove toxins from the organs and relieves joint pain. Ashtanga yoga will help the body to become strong.

Tristhana combines the three levels of purification for the mind, body, and nervous system. It is always performed together in Ashtanga Yoga.

The four internal practices, pratyahara, Samadhi, dharana, and dhyana bring the mind under control. It is believed in Ashtanga Yoga that the six poisons that surround your spiritual heart, desire, anger, delusion, greed, envy, and sloth, with go completely away. It is at this time that you have achieved the level of harmony of Ashtanga Yoga.

What is Hatha Yoga?

Hatha yoga is considered to be a holistic yogic path, with moral disciplines, asanas, purifications, breathing, and meditation. The Hatha Yoga that is practiced in the West is mostly asanas for physical exercise. Raja Yoga is another half of Hatha Yoga and the two are needed together to get the wanted results. Raja Yoga focuses on preparing the body for meditation. Hatha Yoga uses meditation as well, but also uses cultural postures.

Hatha Yoga is often confused with Ashtanga Yoga, but it is not the same thing. Hatha yoga refers to opposing energies, such as hot and gold. Hatha yoga tries to balance the body and mind with asanas, but also uses breathing and purification practices to aid in calming the mind.

Both Ashtanga yoga and Hatha yoga reach to attain Samadhi. In Hatha yoga, it is an attempt to attain Samadhi through the six limbs that are similar to Ashtanga yoga. However, Ashtanga yoga refers to Samadhi as the experience of unity with God.

Both Ashtanga yoga and Hatha yoga should be learned from qualified yoga teachers to help you experience the results you want or need.

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