Intermediate Series Reference

Ashtanga yoga is a dynamic and challenging practice that requires a deep understanding of the movements of the spine. In this blog post, we will explore the six directions of spinal movement and how they inform our practice. We will also discuss the importance of spinal alignment and how to apply this knowledge to different categories of asana. Ashtanga yoga is a dynamic and challenging practice that requires a deep understanding of the movements of the spine. In this blog post, we will explore the six directions of spinal movement and how they inform our practice. We will also discuss the importance of spinal alignment and how to apply this knowledge to different categories of asana. The Six Directions of Spinal Movement A balanced yoga…

Decontextualizing indigenous insight practices—like those in traditional Ashtanga Yoga or other ancient systems—tends to diminish their efficacy because these practices are deeply embedded in specific cultural, spiritual, and historical contexts. This “embedding” isn’t a casual detail; it’s essential to how these systems work. When aspects of a practice are extracted or secularized, they lose the nuanced interconnections that support the whole system, similar to removing a keystone from an arch. For example, in Ashtanga Yoga, specific techniques and philosophies are not just exercises but methods developed within a layered understanding of ethics, community, and personal transformation. This is why teachers like Gregor Maehle emphasize that yoga is not just postures but part of a system that includes spiritual texts, breath work, ethics, and ritual. Removing…