The Power of Ashtanga Yoga

267 Pages·2016·5.88 MB·English

“Kino MacGregor is gifted not only as a practitioner of asana but also as a
writer and portrayer of the deeper aspects of yoga. She easily traverses such
diverse terrains as spirituality, scripture, health, relationships, anatomy, and of
course postural alignment and technique.”
—Gregor Maehle, author of Ashtanga Yoga: Practice and Philosophy and
Pranayama: The Breath of Yoga
“An excellent, well-researched book that explores the philosophical, spiritual,
and physical dimensions of Ashtanga Yoga in a way that is informative,
inspirational, non-dogmatic, and easy to understand.”
—Tim Miller, Director of the Ashtanga Yoga Center, Encinitas, California
“I highly recommend The Power of Ashtanga Yoga. Not only is it chock-full of
practical advice and tips for the beginner and for those with injuries or
obstacles, it also treats asana practice as a fine contemplative art by its
emphasis on smooth, focused movement in and out of the postures in sync with
the breath. Its presentation of the subtle and deeper aspects of yoga is clear
and accessible, making this book useful for all types of practitioners.”
—Richard Freeman, author of The Mirror of Yoga
“In this marvelous book, Kino MacGregor shows us why she is so highly
esteemed worldwide among Yoga teachers. Not only is she a miraculously
proficient practitioner, she is also a skilled and compassionate teacher who
knows the heart and essence of Yoga as a spiritual path leading to
enlightenment.”
—Jack Forem, author of Transcendental Meditation
“Kino MacGregor is a dedicated student and teacher of Ashtanga Yoga and she
has wonderfully shared her insights, thoughts, and guidance in this book.”
—David Swenson, author of Ashtanga Yoga: The Practice Manual
“Anyone with an interest in yoga—from a bookstore browser to a dedicated
practitioner—will find something to engage their mind, open their heart, and
nourish their spirit in The Power of Ashtanga Yoga. Inspirational, heartfelt, and
practical, it is an invaluable roadmap to your infinite potential.”
—Frances Cole Jones, author of How to Wow
“The Power of Ashtanga Yoga accomplishes something fantastic. . . . Kino
manages to incorporate everything you ever wanted to know from a yogi. She
seamlessly incorporates personal experiences, useful gems of wisdom, and
detailed technical knowledge of the practice.”
—Huffington Post
ABOUT THE BOOK
Ashtanga Yoga is a graceful, athletic type of yoga that has become extremely
popular in recent years. Here, Kino MacGregor, a disciple of Sri K. Pattabhi
Jois, the great modern guru who developed Ashtanga Yoga, gives a
comprehensive view of the practice and shows how Ashtanga is fundamentally a
path of spiritual transformation and personal development.
MacGregor delves into the history and tradition of Ashtanga Yoga and reveals
how its philosophy manifests in contemporary lifestyle and dietary choices. She
also explains the essential connection of breath, posture, and gaze that is the
core of the practice. Her clear, step-by-step instruction of the Ashtanga Yoga
Primary Series—including standing, seated, backbending, twisting, hip-opening,
and closing postures—is a wonderful initiation for those who are new to the
practice, and it will motivate experienced yogis toward perfection of the form.
Throughout, MacGregor shares her own personal yoga journey and her
devotion to yoga as a path of self-realization in a way that will inspire all
practitioners.
KINO MACGREGOR is one of only fourteen people—and the youngest woman—
in the United States to receive certification to teach Ashtanga Yoga from its
founder Sri K. Pattabhi Jois. She has an international following of her own, and
a busy schedule of teaching gigs at seminars and yoga conferences worldwide.
She is a life coach and has a Master's Degree from New York University.
MacGregor and her husband, Tim Feldmann, are the founders of the Miami Life
Center (www.miamilifecenter.com), where they teach daily classes, workshops,
and intensives together. MacGregor was featured in Yoga Journal as one of the
top twenty-one rising stars of yoga. Her website is www.kinoyoga.com.
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The Power of
ASHTANGA YOGA
Developing a Practice That Will Bring You Strength, Flexibility, and Inner Peace
Kino MacGregor
SHAMBHALA
Boston & London • 2015
Shambhala Publications, Inc.
Horticultural Hall
300 Massachusetts Avenue
Boston, Massachusetts 02115
www.shambhala.com
© 2013 by Kino MacGregor
Cover photograph by John Miller
Cover design by Kathleen Lynch/Black Kat Design
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or
mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system,
without permission in writing from the publisher.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
MacGregor, Kino
The power of ashtanga yoga: developing a practice that will bring you strength, flexibility, and inner
peace / Kino MacGregor
Pages cm
eISBN 978-0-8348-3041-7
ISBN 978-1-61180-005-0 (pbk.: alk. paper)
1. Ashtanga yoga. I. Title.
RA781.68.M32 2013
613.7′046—dc23
2012038267
This book is an offering to every sincere student of yoga. I dedicate this book to my teachers Sri K. Pattabhi Jois and R.
Sharath Jois, to my parents for their constant support, and to my husband who will always be my hero. Special thanks to John
Miller for awesome photos, Jack Forem and Greg Nardi for editing, and my agent Bob Silverstein—without your hard work and
faith in me this book would not exist.
CONTENTS
Acknowledgments
Introduction: How to Use This Book
P O : T
ART NE HEORY
1. Getting Started with Ashtanga Yoga History and Tradition
2. Heart of the Method: Breath, Pose, and Gaze
3. The Ashtanga Yoga Diet
4. The Spiritual Journey of Asana: Yoga beyond Bending
P T : P
ART WO RACTICE
5. Sun Salutation: Where It All Begins
6. Standing Poses: Build Your Foundation
7. Seated Poses: Grow Your Lotus
8. Backbends: Open Your Heart
9. Finishing Poses: Entering the Inner Space
10. Strength: The Yoga of True Power
Appendix A: Mantras
Appendix B: Sanskrit Vinyasa Count
Appendix C: The Complete Ashtanga Yoga Primary Series
Glossary
Resources
E-mail Sign-Up
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I CONSIDER IT TRUE GRACE AND GOOD FORTUNE THAT I met Sri K. Pattabhi Jois and his
grandson R. Sharath Jois when I had been practicing Ashtanga Yoga for less than a
year. Always joyful to see a new student, Jois beamed with the true joy of a man
who has touched the heart of yoga. It was his contagious laugh, forgiving grace,
unparalleled urgency, and depth of wisdom that gave me faith to practice Ashtanga
Yoga six days a week over the last twelve years through pain and injury and into
healing. Whenever I studied with Jois as he traveled and taught Ashtanga Yoga
around the world, I felt the unique blend of peaceful happiness emanating from his
heart. Over the ten years I spent training with him, I always saw him full of energy,
love, and enthusiasm for his students. There will never be another teacher or
person exactly like him, and we should not seek to replace him. Instead, I hope only
to continue practicing and teaching the tradition of yoga that I was lucky enough to
receive from him.
I thank my first Ashtanga Yoga teachers, Ryan Spielman and Govinda Kai. I also
had the support of my mom and dad, who recognized the healing power of yoga in
my life and believed in my dream of sharing yoga with the world. My husband has
been a constant source of teaching, evolution, and love. Throughout my journey into
Ashtanga Yoga, I have had many angels who guided my way, and I bear a torch of
gratitude to everyone who has been a teacher to me. I would not have the legacy of
Ashtanga Yoga to share with you if it were not for the generation of Ashtanga Yoga
teachers who first traveled to Mysore in the 1970s when I was just a baby. It is
because people like Tim Miller, Nancy Gilgoff, and David Swenson dedicated their
lives to Ashtanga Yoga that I was able to find it as early as I did.
The journey of a spiritual seeker never ends, and the best teachers always have
the open minds of new students. But no matter how much support and help you
have, the spiritual journey is a lonely quest that must be walked alone; you are
directly accountable for each step you take in any direction. It is your own strength
that you discover along the way, and no one but you can truly find that.
INTRODUCTION
How to Use This Book
IF, INSTEAD OF READING THIS PAGE, YOU WERE SITTING with me in a practice room at my
South Beach, Florida, wellness center, the first thing I’d say would probably be,
“Welcome! Thanks for coming today.” Because I’d be happy to see you and because
yoga is my life and my passion, I’m always grateful for the chance to share it.
I’d also probably say, “Congratulations for doing this,” whether it’s your first step
into the world of yoga or the next step to deepening and enriching your ongoing
practice. I know from my own experience and that of my students that regular, daily
practice leads to real and lasting peace. It is a path lit by the torch of your own
consciousness, guarded by a lineage of teachers that starts with the sages of India’s
historic past and culminates in the millions of people who practice yoga today. When
your body, mind, and soul come to rest in the sacred movements of yoga, you join an
international community dedicated to living life fully at peace. The real magic of
yoga lies not in any specific movements but in its universal ability to transform the
lives of its practitioners—including you. So I welcome you today and congratulate
you for your good fortune (or perhaps, good karma) in discovering and embracing
this transformative knowledge.
M Y J
Y OGA OURNEY
Like many Americans, I was introduced to yoga at a gym. When I was nineteen and
more interested in fitness than spirituality, I noticed that some of my fellow
aerobicizers attended the gym’s yoga class; they had more defined arm muscles and
were able to do headstands. This piqued my curiosity. Observing the class, I
couldn’t make much sense of the stretching, breathing, and bending. Yet something
within me was drawn to these somehow-familiar movements. So I decided to try.
Back then, I had no idea that there were different types of yoga, but I know now
that the first class I took was from the Sivananda tradition. Focusing on gentle
stretches, relaxation, and deep breathing, this class was calm, peaceful, and (to my
young and restless mind) totally boring. So boring, in fact, that I never went back.
But something about it had resonated with me, because when I injured both of my
Achilles tendons about a month later, I turned to yoga to help me heal. I had no clue
that I was about to reconnect with my inner self and begin a lifelong journey.
My injury was so debilitating that I had a hard time walking without the support
of air casts. The sports medicine doctors I consulted recommended surgery. Instead
I bought books on yoga from the Sivananda tradition and other Hatha Yoga schools,
canceled my gym membership, and began the slow road to recovery that has taken
more than a decade. This road became a pathway of discovery that involved far