Archive: The Yoga Portfolio

The May 2007 Vanity Fair photo essay featuring Shri K. Pattabhi Jois (Guruji).




High quality image at Govinda Kai's flickr page here
Article at Vanity Fair here

Ashtanga Yoga: The Practice

From the KPJAYI website:

Ashtanga Yoga is an ancient system of Yoga that was taught by Vamana Rishi in the Yoga Korunta. This text was imparted to Sri T. Krishnamacharya in the early 1900’s by his Guru Rama Mohan Brahmachari, and was later passed down to Pattabhi Jois during the duration of his studies with Krishnamacharya, beginning in 1927.

The following are aspects that Pattabhi Jois emphasizes as the main components of Ashtanga Yoga.

Vinyasa: Vinyasa means breathing and movement system.
Tristhana: This means the three places of attention or action: posture, breathing system and looking place.
The six poisons: A vital aspect of internal purification that Pattabhi Jois teaches relates to the six poisons that surround the spiritual heart.

Read full posting at KPJAYI.org

Dharma Talk with Richard Freeman

"Ganesh’s Secret: The Obstacles to Yoga"

http://www.yjevents.com/audio/ep10_richard_freeman.mp3

Ashtanga Yoga Opening Prayer

वन्दे गुरूणां चरणारविन्दे
सन्दर्शित स्वात्म सुखाव बोधे ।

निःश्रेयसे जङ्गलिकायमाने
संसार हालाहल मोहशांत्यै ॥

आबाहु पुरुषाकारं
शंखचक्रासि धारिणम् ।

सहस्र शिरसं श्वेतं
प्रणमामि पतञ्जलिम् ॥

vande gurūṇāṁ caraṇāravinde
sandarśita svātma sukhāva bodhe |

niḥ śreyase jaṅgalikāyamāne
saṁsāra hālāhala mohaśāṁtyai ||

ābāhu puruṣākāraṁ
śaṁkhacakrāsi dhāriṇam |

sahasra śirasaṁ śvetaṁ
praṇamāmi patañjalim ||

I bow to the lotus feet of the Gurus
The awakening happiness of one's own Self revealed,
Beyond better, acting like the Jungle physician,
Pacifying delusion, the poison of Samsara.

Taking the form of a man to the shoulders,
Holding a conch, a discus, and a sword,
One thousand heads white,
To Patanjali, I salute.

From the KPJAYI website.
Listen to Sri K. Pattabhi Jois chant the opening mantra.
Read the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali online or get a translation.

Guru Purnima: Remembering Guruji

• "Every other adult has told me to get a haircut and get a job. You are telling me to practice yoga, and all is coming. OK, I am ready!" -The tribute article for Guruji at Yoga Journal
  
  
• Namarupa interview with BKS Iyengar, Pattabhi Jois (Guruji), and TKV Desikachar.
  
  
• In Memoriam by Kino MacGregor.
  
  
• "This is a personal account of my connection with a great teacher, nothing more." -Paul Dallaghan at ashtanga.com
  
  
• "A Day in the Life" short film by John Romero.
  
  
• Sri K. Pattabhi Jois and the Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute by R. Alexander Medin at ashtanga.com.
  
  
• Sri K. Pattabhi Jois Public Talks on Ashtanga Yoga (France 1991) at aysnyc.org.