Fundamental Positions

DṚṢṬI nose nose hand hand hand hand

S S S S

out 5x in out 5x out 5x out 5x out 5x out 5x

UjjAYI
VINYĀSA ... 2 1 2 ... 2(4) ... 2(4) ... 2(4) ... 2(4) ...
Pādānguṣṭhāsana Pāda Hastāsana Utthita Trikoṇāsana Parivṛtta Trikoṇāsana Utthita Pārśvakoṇāsana Parivṛtta Pārśvakoṇāsana

nose

3. eye 3. eye The Fundamental Positions (Āsana)

bring the energetic and physical body
DṚṢṬI

in balance (alignment). The dynamics

in
out
in out 5x in
out
in
out of the Sun Salutations (see there)
transform into new sequences of
UjjĀYī
1 2 3 4 5
VINYĀSA
Prasārita Pādottānāsana A
movements (Vinyāsa). just as before
each sequence begins and ends in a
standing position. Counting every
movement from there, you will arrive
DṚṢṬI
3. eye nose 3. eye
in the pictured positions with the
respective numbers shown below (left
side, not pictured, shown in paren-
theses). However once the rhythm is
out out 5x out
in in in
UjjĀYī 1 2 3 4
VINYĀSA
Prasārita Pādottānāsana B familiar, the sequences partially
merge with each other. Once in
a while you will still pass through
nose Samasthitiḥ (Samasthitiḥ   S ). Never-
3. eye 3. eye
theless the numbers for the individual
DṚṢṬI
movements are not changed.

in
out
in out 5x in
out Whenever you pass through the stan-
UjjĀYī
VINYĀSA
1 2 3 4
ding position ( S) ), it is an opportunity,
Prasārita Pādottānāsana C
especially for beginners, to obtain the
warmth and dynamics of the practice
nose through a connecting sequence of
movements (Basic-Vinyāsa).
3. eye 3. eye foot
DṚṢṬI
You may add these six Fundamental
S S

Positions after Sūrya Namaskāra A

and B (see there) once you are well
out out 5x out
in in in in out 5x
...
UjjĀYī ...
familiarized with their practice.
1 2 3 4 5 2(4)
VINYĀSA
Prasārita Pādottānāsana D Pārśvottānāsana

Basic-Vinyāsa Sequence (can be integrated after every standing position)

nose thumb nose

DṚṢṬI nose 3. eye nose 3. eye navel 3. eye nose 3. eye

out out out out out out

UjjĀYī in in in in in
VINYĀSA S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 S

© ashtangayoga.info Dr. Ronald Steiner, 2015

This is part of the light version of the practice sheet. The coloured, foldable original is available on ashtangayoga.info
 yoga Cikitsā – 1st Series (Sheet 1)

thumbs nose thumbs hand nose

DṚṢṬI
nose foot side foot nose nose

S S V V

Ujjāyī in out 5x in out 5x in out in 5x out out 5x in 5x out in in 5x out 5x in 5x out 5x out in

VINyāSA 1(8) 2(9) 3(10) 4(11) 5(12) 6(13) 7(14) ... 2(7) ... ... 7 8 ... 7 8 9 10 11 ...

Utthita Hasta Pādānguṣṭhāsana Utthita Pārśvasahita Ardha Baddha Padmottānāsana Utkaṭāsana Vīrabhadrāsana A Vīrabhadrāsana B
These positions are practiced only if Supta Pārśvasahita has been learned From here, the 1st Series is learned position by position

nose foot foot foot foot 3. eye

DṚṢṬI foot foot foot foot foot

V V V V V V

Ujjāyī in 5x in out 5x in out 5x in out 5x in out 5x in 5x out 5x out 5x out 5x out 5x out 5x

7 8 9 8 9 8 9 8 9 ... 8 ... ... ... 8(15) ... 8(15) ... 8(15)

VINyāSA 8(15) 8(15)
9 8
Ardha Baddha Padma Triyang Mukha Eka Pāda
Pūrvottānāsana jānu Śīrṣāsana A B C
Daṇḍāsana Paścimottānāsana A B C D Paścimottānāsana Paścimottānāsana
Only when a regular practice has been established, learning of 1 Series is continued from here st

side foot nose nose nose 3. eye nose

DṚṢṬI
foot nose side

V V V V V V V

out out
Ujjāyī out 5x out 5x in 5x out in 5x out in 5x in in out 5x in 5x out in in out 5x in in

VINyāSA 8(15) ... 8(15) ... 7(12) ... 7(12) ... 7 8 ... 7 8 ... 7 8 9 10 11 ...
Nāvāsana
Marīcyāsana A B C D (3-5x with lift between) Bhuja Pīḍāsana Kūrmāsana Supta Kūrmāsana

© ashtangayoga.info Dr. Ronald Steiner, 2015

This is part of the light version of the practice sheet. The coloured, foldable original is available on ashtangayoga.info
 yoga Cikitsā – 1st Series (Sheet 2)

DṚṢṬI
nose nose nose 3. eye nose nose up nose up nose foot side

V V V V C

out
Ujjāyī out 5x out in in 5x out in 0-5x 5x in out 5x out 5x in 5x out out 5x in out 5x in out 5x

VINyāSA 8 9 9 ... 7 8 7 8 ... 8 9 ... 8 9 ... 9(17) 10(18) 11(19) ...

Garbha Piṇḍāsana Kukkuṭāsana

Baddha Koṇāsana A B C Upaviṣṭha Koṇāsana Supta Koṇāsana Supta Pādānguṣṭhāsana Supta Pārśvasahita
(9x rolling clockwise) (Nauli)

DṚṢṬI nose up nose foot nose 3. eye foot

V V C C V

out out out 5x

Ujjāyī in 5x out in in 5x in 5x out 5-10x

VINyāSA 8 9 ... 8 9 10 ... 9 ... 9 ... 9 ...

Ūrdhva Dhanurāsana
Ubhaya Pādānguṣṭhāsana Ūrdhva Mukha Paścimottānāsana Setu Bandhāsana Paścimottānāsana
(3-5x with laying down between)
This will be practiced as soon as Nāvāsana is learned

Aṣṭāṅga yoga is a journey from the coarse to the subtle. The practice of the 1st Series
is at the beginning of this journey. Therefore strength, vitality and health of the
physical body are at the center of attention. This gives her the name yoga Therapy Vinyāsa & Cakrāsana
(yoga Cikitsā). DṚṢṬI nose nose nose 3. eye navel nose
As with Fundamental Positions (see there) each movement sequence (Vinyāsa) begins
and ends in standing and is counted starting from there. However once rhythm is
familiar, the movement sequences merge partially with each other. Every once in a
V

while you will still pass through Samasthitiḥ (  S  ). But for most movement sequences Ujjāyī in
out
in
out
in
out
in
out
in

the first six and last three movements are omitted. Then the practice leads you via VINyāSA x x x x x x

plank pose (Vinyāsa V ) or a backward roll (Cakrāsana  C ) simply through the DṚṢṬI
nose nose nose 3. eye navel nose

downward dog position (Adho Mukha Śvānāsana). All positions (āsana) are always
practiced on both sides, even though only the first is pictured. A Vinyāsa sequence V
C

is also performed in between switching sides of each seated position. Ujjāyī out out out out

After you have established your practice in the Fundamental Positions (see there), the
in in in in
VINyāSA x x x x x

1st Series will be your field for learning on six days a week (Sunday to Friday, except
on moon days). Following the outlined steps, you can build up your practice, together
with an experienced teacher.

© ashtangayoga.info Dr. Ronald Steiner, 2015

This is part of the light version of the practice sheet. The coloured, foldable original is available on ashtangayoga.info
 Finishing Sequence

DṚṢṬI nose nose nose nose nose nose 3. eye 3. eye

in in 10-25x in 5-10x in 5-10x in 5-10x ex 5-10x in 5-10x in 5-10x ex

UjjĀYī 5x

7 8 8 8 9 9 8 8 ...
VINYĀSA
Sālamba Sarvāṅgāsana Halāsana Karṇa Pīḍāsana Ūrdhva Padmāsana Piṇḍāsana Matsyāsana Uttāna Pādāsana

nose 3. eye nose nose

DṚṢṬI nose nable nose nose nose
close
V V eyes

UjjĀYī in 10-25x ex 10-25x ex ex 5x in in 0-10x ex 5-10x in 10-25x ex in 10-25x in ex relax 10-20 minutes
in
8 8 8 8 ... 8 9 8 9 ... 7
VINYĀSA
Śīrṣāsana Ūrdhva (1-20x Beine Bālāsana Baddha Padmāsana Yoga Mudrā Padmāsana Utplutiḥ Śavāsana
Daṇḍāsana heben & senken)

Vinyāsa & Cakrāsana

With the Finishing Sequence, the Aṣṭāṅga Yoga practice comes to its energetic
culmination. The steady audible breathing (Ujjāyī in   ex  ) leads you inward, subtle DṚṢṬI nose nose nose 3. eye nable nose

muscle contractions (Bandha) activate the flow of energy (Prāṇa), and the focus of
perception (Ḍṛṣti nose ) brings mental peace.
V

For novices, the sequence consists of only one sitting posture (Padmāsana), fol-
UjjĀYī ex ex ex ex
in in in in in
VINYĀSA 1 2 3 4 5 6
lowed by the Closing Mantra (see there), and finally a relaxation posture
(Śavāsana) until attention and breathing subside, and the last drop of sweat eva-
DṚṢṬI
nose nose nose 3. eye nable nose

porates. With cumulative experience in practice, further tranquil positions (Āsana)

are gradually added to complete the Finishing Sequence. Only a few movement
C

sequences through a plank pose (Vinyāsa V ) or backwards roll (Cakrāsana C ) UjjĀYī ex

in
ex
in
ex
in
ex
in

hold the underlying dynamics of the practice up.

VINYĀSA 1 2 3 4 4

© ashtangayoga.info Dr. Ronald Steiner, 2015

This is part of the light version of the practice sheet. The coloured, foldable original is available on ashtangayoga.info