“Vinyasa”: By synchronizing movement with breath, this ancient system of yoga arouses the inner fire to cleanse and strengthen the body. "

“Oh Yogi, do not do asanas without vinyasa," wrote the sage Vamana Rishi in the Yoga Korunta, an ancient scripture rediscovered, translated, and put into practice in this century by Sri T. Krisnamacharya and his disciple Sri K. Pattabhi Jois. Pattabhi Jois now teaches the Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga system in Mysore, India, - a method of purifying body and mind by awakening an "inner fire " just as he learned it long time ago.

The idea of purification through heat has been central in Indian thought for millennia. The second chapter of Patanjali's Yoga Sutra, for example, begins by describing the preliminaries of yoga practice, the first of which is Tapas, which literally means “burning” The Vinyasa system is based on the idea of purification by means of movement and heat. The synchronization of movement with breath creates heat, or "internal fire" in the body, causing profuse perspiration and increasing circulation and flexibility. Increased circulation and flexibility calm the nervous system, allowing the muscles and mind to relax, while perspiration removes toxins through the skin.

Yogis have known for centuries that by regulating their breath they could calm down their mind;, the practitioners can achieve a perfect body alignment thanks to a calmer mind, creating a context in which it is easier to move beyond physical and psychological barriers.

By practising the vinyasa system, it is possible to redress the balance thanks to the alignment of the body. During practice, any area of the body that was subjected to pressure or decreased blood circulation due to the execution of asanas, can be refreshed.

Full, directed breathing coupled with movement also oxygenates and cleanses the blood. By means of the internal heat, the blood becomes more fluid and circulates better. It nourishes all the internal organs and glands, thus promoting a filtering action through the body eliminative organs and beginning a powerful cleansing process that greatly strengthens the body and mind. Long-held stress and toxins are released, and the glow of health returns.