Ashtanga Home Practice Support
Join me for a deep dive into your Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga practice.
These resources are here to support your home practice when you can’t get to class. You’ll find guidance for Surya Namaskar, short sequences, and more to help you build confidence alongside the work we do together.
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Online Tutorials
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1: Opening Chant
This is the Ashtanga opening chant. We chant it at the start of our Ashtanga yoga practice to offer our thanks and respect to the lineage of teachers before us, and to focus our mind.
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2: Surya Namaskar A
The building blocks for your practice. We start here, warming the body and settling the mind with Surya Namaskar. We usually do this sequence 3-5 times at the start of each practice.
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3: Surya Namaskar B
Surya Namaskar B adds Utkatasana (chair pose) and Virabhadrasana A (warrior 1) to the sun salutation sequence, helping to open the hips and further warm the body. Take care with your transitions and work on lengthening and smoothing out the breath.
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4: Standing Postures
The fundamental standing postures work on lengthening the hamstrings, opening into the hips and rotating the spine. These postures work on the whole body and help to build strength, particularly in the lower body. Practice (at least some of) these after your Surya Namaskar and before you move onto whichever of the Ashtanga series you are working on.
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5: Short Sequences
These 30 minute practices are ideal when you don’t have a lot of time and would like guidance through your practice.
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6: Longer Sequences
If you are familar with some of primary series, these videos offer you some longer practices. Please remember that not all postures will work in the same way for all bodies, so I encourage you to stick within your comfort zone. If you come to an asana you have not yet encountered, know that we will explore it when you are ready!
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6: Closing Chant
This is the Ashtanga closing chant. We chant it at the end of practice to invoke gratitude, dedicate our practice to something bigger, and send a prayer for peace and kindness into the world.
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Want to learn more? In a Mysore style Ashtanga class you’ll develop the tools you need to grow your own personal practice. Each class offers guidance through postures and breathing, along with time to explore what you’ve learnt. Your practice is built slowly and steadily, with new postures added when you’re ready, creating a sustainable path that supports you long term. It’s a wonderful place to begin your journey or to deepen and refine an existing practice.