There are many different levels from which we can approach practice; It depends upon the practitioner.  At the beginning, for many, yoga practice is simply a question of wanting a healthier body, or a way to work with stress. Yoga practice cleanses, tones and purifies the organism on many levels from the muscular to endocrine to skeletal to respiratory to subtle energies.  One starts by working with the grossest levels in order to affect (over time) the more subtle levels.  So on your first day you may notice changes such as sore muscles and a sense of relaxation.  With time, you may notice yourself standing and sitting up straighter, with a heightened awareness of your breathing and mental patterns.  Eventually the body’s systems begin to shift into balance, allowing deep breathing that clears away obstacles in the subtle channels.  This allows the mind to settle deeply.

But you don’t need to know any of this.  It happens naturally with practice.  Once the breathing slows down and deepens the mind follows suit and you begin to notice subtleties of awareness that were previously unrecognized below the surface consciousness.  We begin to tune in to a deeper level of awareness.

The asana (posture) practice of Ashtanga follows a set series of positions, flowing together with vinyasa (linking) movements, in combination with a deep breathing technique. Practitioners move through the postures at their own pace, and advance only when ready.  So there is no pressure to be anywhere but where you are.

Sitting still for shamatha (tranquil abiding) meditation involves following the breath and observing the contents of our mind.  A precise technique will be presented to provide a reference point, enabling practitioners to experience resting the mind.