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Ashtanga Yoga:

Ashtanga Yoga literally means "eight-limbed yoga," as
outlined by the sage Patanjali in the Yoga Sutras.
According to Patanjali, the path of internal purification
for revealing the Universal Self consists of the following
eight spiritual practices:

Yama - moral codes
Niyama - self-purification and study
Asana - posture
Pranayama - breath control
Dharana - concentration
Dhyana - meditation
Samadhi - contemplation

The definition of Yoga is "the controlling of the mind". The first two steps toward controlling the mind are the perfection of yama and niyama. However, it is not possible to practice the limbs and sub-limbs of yama and niyama when the body and sense organs are weak and haunted by obstacles. A person must first take up daily asana practice to make the body strong and healthy. With the body and sense organs thus stabilized, the mind can be steady and controlled. With mind control, one is able to pursue and grasp these first two limbs.

To perform asana correctly in Ashtanga Yoga, one must incorporate the use of vinyasa and tristhana. "Vinyasa means breathing and movement system. For each movement, there is one breath. For example, in Surya Namskar there are nine vinyasas. The first vinyasa is inhaling while raising your arms over your head, and putting your hands together; the second is exhaling while bending forward, placing your hands next to your feet, etc. In this way all asanas are assigned a certain number of vinyasas" ("Ashtanga Yoga").