LONDON, ENGLAND, October 27, 2001: When Shri K Pattabhi Jois, the foremost exponent of Ashtanga yoga, visited London this month hundreds of people flocked to his classes. His technique, which is the most vigorous form of yoga, has become increasingly popular throughout the Western world. Jois, who still teaches daily at his research institute in Mysore, India, said that yoga is mind medicine. “Ashtanga yoga is helping many people throughout the world to balance the mental, physical and spiritual pressures and stresses posed by the modern world we live in today,” he said. The basic premise of Ashtanga yoga is that it produces an intense internal heat through synchronizing movement with breathing while practicing a set sequence of postures. Pattabhi Jois says that this heat purifies the muscles and organs, expelling unwanted toxins as well as releasing beneficial hormones and minerals which can nourish the body when the sweat is absorbed back into the skin.
A daily summary of world news for Hindus and non-Hindus alike