There are a plethora of yoga vacations, retreats, and workshops in Costa Rica. It seems that Costa Rica attracts surfers and yogi’s in droves! It’s almost as though the energy here is a conductive force which magnetically draws in yogi’s from all around the world.
Recently Ashtanga yoga has made an indent on the community here in Costa Rica. Ashtanga literally means eight limbed. The eight limbs of Ashtanga yoga were outlined by the sage Pantanjali who listed the path of internal purification for revealing the universal self as consisting of 8 spiritual practices, which are as follows:
Galit:What sets Ashtanga yoga apart from other yoga practices?
Alejandra:Well, first of all in Ashtanga there is a set practice which is always followed in the same order. So, anytime you take an Ashtanga class you will be doing the same practice. With other kinds of yoga, you can have a different sequence every time.
G:What do you enjoy most about teaching Ashtanga?
A: What I most enjoy is to see the progress in the students, how the practice starts to help them in many aspects of their daily life.
A: Anyone can do ashtanga vinyasa yoga class, we can vary the poses to all kinds of levels, using the help of props.
G: What do you think is the most beneficial aspect of the Ashtanga practice?
A: Each pose of the series has a different objective, but all together creates a strong discipline and determination.
G:Do you incorporate aspects from Ashtanga into your usual yoga sequences?
A: I definitely incorporate aspects of the series, it is a very intelligent sequence made by one of the most important teachers in the world of yoga. Also it is a fun and challenging series!
Building a yoga practice and sequence with the building blocks of various techniques can make
for a constantly changing and challenging practice. However, there are times where the full immersion into a particular technique such as Ashtanga can deepen and enhance your daily practice.
