Ashtanga-Primary Series

Ashtanga Yoga – The Primary Series*

Yoga Chikitsa (Yoga therapy)

  • _ Dandasana (staff posture)
  • _ Paschimottanasana A, B, C (Western intense stretch)
  •    ardha (half) vinyasa (AV)
  • _ Purvottanasana (Eastern intense stretch)
  •      ardha vinyasa
  • Ardha Baddha Padma Paschimottanasana: right, AV, left, AV (half bound lotus Western intense stretch)
  • _ Trianga Mukhaikapada Paschimottanasana: right, AV, left, AV (three limbs face one foot Western intense stretch)
  • _ Janu Sirsasana A: right, AV, left, AV (head to knee posture)
  • _ Janu Sirsasana B: right, AV, left, AV
  • _ Janu Sirsasana C: right, AV, left, AV
  • _ Marichiyasana A: right, AV, left, AV (posture dedicated to the sage Marichi)
  • _ Marichiyasana B: right, AV, left, AV
  • _ Marichiyasana C: right, AV, left, AV
  • _ Marichiyasana D: right, AV, left, AV
  • _ Navasana: 5 times (boat pose)
  •     ardha vinyasa
  • _ Bhujapidasana (arm pressure posture)
  •          ardha vinyasa
  • _ Kurmasana (tortoise posture)
  • _ Supta Kurmasana (sleeping tortoise posture)
  •          come up into Tittibhasana (A) then ardha vinyasa
  • _ Garbha Pindasana: roll 9 times (womb embryo posture)
  • _ Kukkutasana (cock/rooster posture)
  •          ardha vinyasa
  • _ Baddha Konasana (bound angle posture)
  •          ardha vinyasa
  • _ Upavishta Konasana (seated angle posture)
  •          ardha vinyasa
  • _ Supta Konasana (sleeping angle posture)
  •          ardha vinyasa
  • _ Supta Padangusthasana A,B,C on right; A,B,C on left (sleeping big toe posture)
  •     Chakrasana (circle)
  • _ Ubhaya Padangusthasana (both big toes posture)
  • ardha vinyasa
  • _ Urdhva Mukha Paschimottanasana (upward facing Western intense stretch)
  •          ardha vinyasa
  • _ Setu Bandhasana (bridge)

* Spellings and translations following David Swenson’s Ashtanga Yoga: The Practice Manual