Ashtanga Vinyasa: Beyond the Fixed Sequences

In the yoga world, few styles have garnered as much international recognition as Ashtanga Vinyasa, a rigorous and methodical approach popularized by Sri K. Pattabhi Jois (1915-2009). While many practitioners today follow the fixed sequences of Primary Series, Intermediate Series, and beyond, the historical roots of this practice reveal a more fluid and adaptable approach than what is commonly taught in modern Ashtanga shalas.

Krishnamacharya: The Teacher Behind the Legend

To understand Ashtanga’s origins, we must first look at Tirumalai Krishnamacharya (1888-1989), the teacher of Pattabhi Jois and the man often credited as the father of modern yoga. Krishnamacharya’s teaching at the Mysore Palace Yoga Shala from 1933 to 1955 laid the groundwork for what would later become known as Ashtanga Vinyasa.

Contrary to today’s standardized approach, Krishnamacharya’s original teaching methodology was remarkably flexible. Historical evidence suggests he didn’t adhere to strict, predetermined sequences.

Instead, he:

Held postures for extended periods rather than moving quickly through them
Tailored sequences to individual practitioners based on their needs, abilities, and constitutions
Worked primarily with young boys and men at the yoga shala, customizing practices to suit their youthful vigor and physical capabilities

The Five-Count Breath and the Maharaja’s Influence

The characteristic five-count breath (Pañca vinyāsa) that defines modern Ashtanga practice likely emerged from practical considerations. When the Maharaja of Mysore, Krishna Raja Wadiyar IV, appointed Krishnamacharya to make yoga more accessible to the Indian population, Krishnamacharya needed an approach that could:

Be taught systematically to groups
Appeal to a broader audience
Showcase yoga’s physical benefits in a demonstrable way

This mission aligned perfectly with the instructions Krishnamacharya had received from his first teacher, Ramamohan Brahmachari, who had instructed him to marry, live as a householder, and spread yoga throughout the land.

Pattabhi Jois and the Personalized Sequence

Perhaps the most fascinating insight into Ashtanga’s development is that the sequence Pattabhi Jois later taught worldwide was likely created specifically for him as a student. Krishnamacharya, known for his discerning eye, would have observed Jois’s particular constitution, strengths, and areas for development before crafting a practice to suit him personally.

Over time, as Jois began teaching, this personalized sequence became standardized and codified into the Primary Series (Yoga Chikitsa), Intermediate Series (Nadi Shodhana), and Advanced Series (Sthira Bhaga) that practitioners follow today.

The Lineage Bearers: Different Interpretations of Krishnamacharya’s Teaching

Krishnamacharya’s influence extends far beyond Pattabhi Jois. His other prominent students (to name a few and the ones that I was lucky enough to learn from personally) developed distinctly different approaches to yoga, suggesting the master himself taught with remarkable adaptability:

T.K.V. Desikachar (Krishnamacharya’s son): Developed Viniyoga, emphasizing individualized practice with careful attention to breath, adaptation to individual needs, and therapeutic applications. As documented in “The Heart of Yoga,” Desikachar emphasized his father’s belief that “yoga must be adapted to the individual, not the individual to yoga.”
B.K.S. Iyengar: Developed a precise, alignment-focused approach with extensive use of props to make poses accessible to all bodies. His seminal work “Light on Yoga” (1966) demonstrates how yoga can be meticulously adapted for individual anatomical differences.
B.N.S. Iyengar: Another direct student of Krishnamacharya who maintained elements of the vigorous vinyasa approach while emphasizing precision in alignment and breath control.
A.G. Mohan and Indra Mohan: These long-term students of Krishnamacharya have been instrumental in preserving and sharing his later teaching methodology, which focused heavily on therapeutic applications. The Mohans highlight the importance of adapting practices based on an individual’s age, occupation, constitution, and specific health conditions—principles that were central to Krishnamacharya’s mature teaching method but sometimes overlooked in more standardized approaches to yoga.

Historical Context and Modern Scholarship

Modern yoga scholars have shed additional light on Ashtanga’s development:

Mark Singleton: In “Yoga Body: The Origins of Modern Posture Practice” (2010), Singleton reveals how Krishnamacharya’s methodology was influenced by Western physical culture movements, suggesting that what we practice today contains both ancient and modern elements.
James Mallinson and Mark Singleton: Their collaborative work “Roots of Yoga” (2017) traces the textual history of yoga practices, providing context for understanding how modern postural yoga relates to historical traditions.
Norman Sjoman: In “The Yoga Tradition of the Mysore Palace” (1996), Sjoman examines the Sritattvanidhi, an illustrated manuscript from the Mysore Palace depicting gymnastic exercises that likely influenced Krishnamacharya’s teaching.

Rethinking Modern Ashtanga: Finding Balance in Tradition and Adaptation

Understanding this rich historical context invites us to reconsider how we approach Ashtanga practice today. Rather than viewing the sequences as immutable or sacred, we might see them as beautifully crafted templates that can—and perhaps should—be thoughtfully adapted.

This doesn’t mean abandoning the core principles that make Ashtanga powerful: the tristhana approach (breath, bandha, and drishti), the vinyasa counting system, or the meditative quality of the practice. Instead, it means embracing Krishnamacharya’s original spirit of adaptation while maintaining the integrity of this profound system.

Honoring Tradition Through Mindful Adaptation

For me, the beauty of Ashtanga Vinyasa lies in its systematic approach to physical, mental, and spiritual transformation. To practice Ashtanga in a way that honors both its traditional structure and adaptable origins, consider:

Respecting individual anatomy: Not all bodies can or should perform the same movements in identical ways. Minor adjustments to accommodate your unique structure honor the original intention of yoga as a healing practice.
Addressing modern lifestyles: Contemporary practitioners often come to the mat with challenges unknown to the young boys of the Mysore Palace—desk jobs, stress patterns, and different cultural contexts. Intelligent adaptation acknowledges these realities.
Embracing the therapeutic intent: The Primary Series, “Yoga Chikitsa,” translates as “yoga therapy.” True therapy addresses specific conditions rather than applying a one-size-fits-all approach.
Maintaining the meditative thread: Whatever adaptations we make should preserve the meditative quality of the practice—the linking of breath and movement, the cultivation of drishti (focused gaze), and the internal awareness that transforms physical exercise into yoga.
Taking a developmental approach: Adding postures progressively based on readiness rather than strict sequential order can prevent injury and foster sustainable practice—exactly what Krishnamacharya did with his students.

By approaching Ashtanga with both reverence for tradition and intelligent adaptation, we may discover that the practice becomes not only more sustainable but also more transformative. In doing so, the Ashtanga Yoga classes at Manas Yoga honor not just the form of the practice Pattabhi Jois taught but the adaptable spirit that Krishnamacharya embodied—making this powerful system of yoga accessible, beneficial, and sustainable for all who come to it with sincere dedication.

I think the “true” lineage of Ashtanga is perhaps best honored not by perfect adherence to fixed forms, but by embodying its deeper purpose: the cultivation of strength, flexibility, concentration, and inner peace—qualities that transcend any particular sequence of postures and serve practitioners throughout their lives.

Image: Nina Strasser