There is good news for fitness enthusiasts who want to follow in the footsteps of celebrities like Madonna and Sting and embark on an Ashtanga (Sanskrit for eight limbed) journey. Popular studio
Pranamaya Yoga, recently began offering Ashtanga classes at its brand new centre in Boudha.
The program introduces the fluid movements of Ashtanga yoga and is specially designed to teach beginners techniques of breathing alignment along with strenuous physical movements to ensure a fit body and calm mind. Students train under American yoga instructor Shannon Rose Chmelar ‘Sati’ (pic, right) whose confident, calm demeanor and 12 years of experience puts even the most nervous novice at ease.
Founded and popularised by Indian yoga guru Krishna Pattabhi Jois in the 1940s in Mysore, Ashtanga is a more dynamic yoga form with precise sequence of movements (or asanas). Inspired by his teacher Krishnamacharya and a long line of yoga practitioners, Jois developed a ‘vinyasa’ practice that combines traditional yoga asanas with breathing exercises and smooth transitional movements. There are six levels of Ashtanga and as students reach - and then master - a level they move up to the next.
Sati admits disliking the demanding yoga form after her first Ashtanga class. But despite her initial reservations, she found herself called to the practice again and again and began studying Ashtanga seriously in 2005 after attending a workshop led by Jois in Florida.
“It’s one of the most challenging forms of yoga, so students naturally have a very hard time in the beginning,” she admits, “but after a few classes they start noticing major changes in all aspects of their lives.”
Sati hopes that the Pranamaya studio in Boudha can inspire individuals the way she was inspired by her guru. “A sense of community is very important on this spiritual journey,” she says, “and that is what I want to provide my students.”
With classes held almost everyday of the week for all levels, there is no excuse not to enrol. So visit Pranamaya and begin your quest for inner peace today.
9802045484
(Kanchan Singh Thagunna)
info@pranamaya-yoga.com
www.pranamaya-yoga.com
Release the power within
A vigorous fitness-based yoga, power yoga provides the perfect stimulation for the body and mind and has become immensely popular among Kathmandu residents. Sam Voolstra caught up with Roshani Adhikary, a certified yoga instructor, who teaches power yoga at the new studios in Kantipath and Patan.
What is power Yoga?
What sets power Yoga apart from the traditional style of yoga is its emphasis on strength and flexibility instead of the gentle stretching and meditation. The term power yoga became popular in the mid 1990s, when several yoga teachers were looking for a way to make Ashtanga yoga more accessible for western students. Unlike Ashtanga, power yoga does not follow a set series of poses. There is a different focus in each session, classes are usually physically more challenging and intense, and the body heat you generate helps detoxify the body.
Is power yoga for everybody?
The moves are not complex and there are adjustments for different levels, so anyone can join. However, power yoga will most likely appeal to people who enjoy exercising and want minimal amount of chanting and meditation. As students gain strength through practice they can progress to more advance versions of the different poses.
Does power yoga help in weight loss?
It makes practitioners more aware of the magical workings of their bodies, helps them develop greater acceptance of their physical self, and makes them want to adopt and maintain a healthier lifestyle.
Regular practice definitely trims and increases muscles. But a balanced diet and daily exercise are also essential for permanent weight loss. For those who work behind the computer all day, power yoga is a great way to relieve back and neck pains, release stress, and lift energy levels.