Is Ashtanga The Most Misunderstood Yoga Practice? #Yoga #Ashtanga #AshtangaYoga

By Allen Barkus


Is Ashtanga Yoga

misunderstood? When the word Ashtanga is introduced to yoga most people only picture in their minds people doing a very physically challenging practice, more like gymnastics. 

 I've actually taught Ashtanga to all types of people 15-85 including with/recovering from different types of cancer, obese (one person lost 70 pounds in 8 months, no other lifestyle changes), recovering from injuries and surgeries,children and even a woman with emphysema and COPD. Yes I've also taught athletes including a teen at the University of Pennsylvania, a baseball player and a marathon runner.

I teach the traditional practice as taught by Manju Jois, who brought Ashtanga/vinyasa yoga to America in 1975 along with his father. Since 2004 he has been my exclusive teacher for advanced studies into the intermediate practice. The greatest influence Manju has had on me is what the practice in intended for, healing of both the mind and body.

What is Ashtanga Yoga? Ashtanga Yoga is an ancient system of healing in the Hindu tradition: Asta=Eight

Anga=Limbs

Yoga=Union

"The Eight Limbs of Yoga"

The author of the Yoga Sutras, Patanjali, described yoga as eight limbs of a tree: Yama, ethical disciplines; Niyama, self observation; Asana, posture; Pranayama, breath control; sense withdraw; Dharma, meditation; and Samadi, a state of joy and peace. Therefore possibly one of the greatest misconceptions of yoga is that it is purely a physical practice.

The physical practice was first recorded by the sage Vamana Rishi in the Yoga Korunta, taught to Pattabhi Jois by T Krishnamacharya. This system links the asanas with vinyasas (connecting movements), with pranayama (breath), drishti (visual focal points) and bandas (internal energy locks)

By Allen Barkus. Allen has been practicing Ashtanga yoga since 1998 and teaching since 2004. His initial teacher training was with David Swenson and has been the student of Manju Jois since 2004. Manju, along with his father, introduced Ashtanga/Vinyasa yoga to America in 1975. His studies focus on Healing Therapy. He is available in Philadelphia for private lessons and clinics and travels around the world teaching clinics. www.AshtangabyAllen.com

Yoga Is About Living Our Best Lives #Yoga #Ashtanga #AshtangaYoga #Motivation

When I was a small child I always had the feeling that I had been on this Earth before, honestly have no idea if that is true. The main idea that I had and continue to have is a focus on the 'Big Picture', optimizing my life for the long-term. In my late teens I think about a tennis match with someone in my neighborhood who was very competitive and had a big ego. I played the first set to numerous tie-breakers, 15-17, looked to the people he brought to cheer him on and decided it was not important for me to win. My real interest was in being able to play at the same level or better  when I became older. While I always kept myself in pretty good shape, my 'almost' daily yoga practice has me in as good or better shape than I was in my teens and I'm now almost 60.

How did I find yoga..  Many people ask how I found yoga. I did not find yoga until 1998, initially at a local health club. I tend to find things that work for me and stick to them. I was also lucky to have teachers taught by one of the most experienced yoga teachers in the world, Manju Jois. Manju, along with his father, brought Ashtanga/Vinyasa yoga to America in 1975. Manju became my teacher in 2004 shortly after I did my first teacher training with another wonderful teacher, David Swenson. My studies with Manju focus on Healing Therapy, what yoga was intended to be.


Ultimately I've learned no matter how much money we have, how well we eat, or even have the best healthcare; our time is limited, maybe tomorrow or maybe well into our 100's. Therefore my conclusion is that yoga is really about living our best lives. And to differ from what many/most yoga teachers say..Something else you love can be the 'yoga' to you.


By Allen Barkus. Allen has been practicing Ashtanga yoga since 1998 and teaching since 2004. His initial teacher training was with David Swenson and has been the student of Manju Jois since 2004. Manju, along with his father, introduced Ashtanga/Vinyasa yoga to America in 1975. His studies focus on Healing Therapy. He is available in Philadelphia for private lessons and clinics and travels around the world teaching clinics. www.AshtangabyAllen.com

Yoga And Ego, Two Things That Do Not Mix. #Yoga

In the past several years we've experienced the downfall of important 'modern' yoga leaders including John Friend who originated the Anusara yoga practice and Bikram Choudhry and his hot yoga practice. While no one can take away the fact that these people have introduced and inspired many people to practice yoga, it is most important to understand that ego and yoga just do not mix.

Yoga and social media has become an interesting trend in recent years, something you will have to make your own personal judgement on. In some cases good instruction comes along with the pretty poses and in other cases it appears to just to be about gaining influence and making money.

While yoga can be a physical practice, is is really about healing and focusing inward. When ego becomes involved we start focusing outward;  caring too much about how we look, teachers seeking to control and not guide students, injuries, and even sexual abuse.

A good teacher is your guide to developing a personal practice unique to your needs, both physical and emotional. I've personally taught Ashtanga yoga Healing Therapy to people 13-85 who are athletes and with serious physical problems including cancer, obesity (now slim and fit) spinal surgery, arthritis (adult and children), emotional issues, and even someone with  late stage emphysema. Therefore perceptions by most people of what Ashtanga is as a purely physical practice are wrong. 


By Allen Barkus. Allen has been practicing Ashtanga yoga since 1998 and teaching since 2004. His initial teacher training was with David Swenson and has been the student of Manju Jois since 2004. Manju, along with his father, introduced Ashtanga/Vinyasa yoga to America in 1975. His studies focus on Healing Therapy. He is available in Philadelphia for private lessons and clinics and travels around the world teaching clinics. www.AshtangabyAllen.com

What Is Yoga? This May Sound Like A Silly Question But Is It? #Yoga

By Allen Barkus- www.AshtangabyAllen.com I teach yoga privately in Philadelphia and clinics/training's worldwide focusing on Healing Therapy for body and mind.


To start with...This post is not about judgement. In all honesty I'm glad that people in general are seeking ways to move and improve themselves, ideally with proper instruction to progress and avoid injuries.

What is yoga? In the simplest form the answer is that it is an ancient system for healing for mind and body in Hindu tradition. What you may not know is many things that are called yoga created in and for our Western society are not actually yoga in any traditional sense.  While it is great that people are doing these practices, many are externally rather than internally focused as yoga is meant to be practiced.

The most basic core of the physical practice, actually 8 limbs, is pranayama. Pranayama is internal breath control, during practice as Ujjayi breath. Therefore if you are not breathing properly you are stretching, not doing yoga.

Some of the things we are told are not quite correct: One of those things is things is that you are "detoxing" while sweating during hot yoga practices. In traditional yoga your internal organs detox by internally heating your body through breath (pranayama), movement (vinyasas), the positions (asanas)  and internal locks (bandhas). With external heat you are mostly just sweating. The assumption that all sweat is bad is also not true. In traditional yoga you practice with a clean body,  ideally with a hot shower,
the toxins evaporate and you rub the good minerals back into your skin to reabsorb.

My Personal Philosophy, Inspired By #Ashtanga Yoga: Keep Moving Forward. #KeepMovingForward #Yoga #Motivation

My name is Allen Barkus. I am the publisher of the Travelore Report, owner of the Ted Barkus Company (one of the leading independent ad agencies in the U.S.), a well respected Ashtanga yoga teacher in Philadelphia (www.AshtangabyAllen.Com and AshtangabyAllen.Blogspot.Com ), active in volunteer work and mentoring others; I am often asked about my personal philosophy. My philosophy is to Keep Moving Forward, always continuing to take the physical and or emotional next step. In my personal experience if we continue to move forward and do positive things in our lives, good things happen. Please share your experiences, what works for you? I am available for private yoga lessons in Philadelphia and for clinics.