The Front offers the most extensive Ashtanga Yoga program in Utah! We are the only yoga shala (school) in Utah authorized by R. Sharath Jois of Mysore, India, the current head teacher or “guru” of Ashtanga Yoga. Our authorized Ashtanga teachers, Samuel Brown and Sarah Jane Burkholz have had many years of study under his tutelage and all of our Ashtanga teachers have had many years of practice under authorized teachers, through which this valuable practice was passed down with respect and love.
Ashtanga Yoga is a science and a practice that has evolved over thousands of years. The discipline has 6 sequences, each with around 30 different sitting asanas (postures). All sequences start with Surya Namaskars (sun salutations) and the same core standing asanas. Each sequence ends with backbends and the same finishing series of asanas. The first sequence, the Primary Series, can be a lifetime of practice and is called “Yoga Chikitsa” or body therapy. Yoga Chikitsa has many forward folding postures, hip openers and jumps. The forward folding postures encourage lengthening of the hamstrings and contraction of the front side of the body, conditioning the inner organs and making the lower back more secure and supple. Patience and time are required to familiarize the body and mind with this practice and it may take many years to learn completely.
Benefits of Ashtanga
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.
The purpose of vinyasa is for internal cleansing. Breathing and moving together while performing asanas makes the blood hot, or as Pattabhi Jois says, boils the blood. Thick blood is dirty and causes disease in the body. The heat created from yoga cleans the blood and makes it thin, so that it may circulate freely. The combination of the asanas with movement and breath make the blood circulate freely around all the joints, taking away body pains. When there is a lack of circulation, pain occurs. The heated blood also moves through all the internal organs removing impurities and disease, which are brought out of the body by the sweat that occurs during practice.
Sweat is an important byproduct of vinyasa, because it is only through sweat that disease leaves the body and purification occurs. In the same way that gold is melted in a pot to remove its impurities, by the virtue of the dirt rising to the surface as the gold boils, and the dirt then being removed, yoga boils the blood and brings all our toxins to the surface, which are removed through sweat. If the method of vinyasa is followed, the body becomes healthy and strong, and pure like gold.
After the body is purified, it is possible to purify the nervous system and then the sense organs. These first steps are very difficult and require many years of practice. The sense organs are always looking outside and the body is always giving into laziness. However, through determination and diligent practice, these can be controlled. After this is accomplished, mind control comes automatically. Vinyasa creates the foundation for this to occur.
Ashtanga Terms
Tristhana: This means the three places of attention or action: posture, breathing system and looking place. These three are very important for yoga practice and cover three levels of purification: the body, nervous system and mind. They are always performed in conjunction with each other.
Asanas purify, strengthen and give flexibility to the body.
Breathing is rechaka- inhale and puraka- exhale. Both the inhale and exhale should be steady and even, the length of the inhale should be the same length and strength as the exhale. Breathing in this manner purifies the nervous system.
Dristhi is the place where you look while in the asana. There are nine dristhis: the nose, between the eyebrows, navel, thumb, hands, feet, up, right side and left side. Dristhi purifies and stabilizes the functioning of the mind.
For cleaning the body internally two factors are necessary: air and fire. The place of fire in our bodies is four inches below the navel. This is the standing place of our life force. In order for fire to burn, air is necessary, hence the necessity of the breath. If you stoke a fire with a blower, evenness is required so that the flame is not smothered out, or blown out of control.
The same method stands for the breath. Long even breaths will strengthen our internal fire, increasing heat in the body which in turn heats the blood for physical purification, and burns away impurities in the nervous system as well. Long even breathing increases the internal fire and strengthens the nervous system in a controlled manner and at an even pace. When this fire is strengthened, our digestion, health and life span all increase. Uneven inhalation and exhalation, or breathing too rapidly, will imbalance the beating of the heart, throwing off both the physical body and autonomic nervous system.
An important component of the breathing system is mula and uddiyana bandha. These are the anal and lower abdominal locks which seal in energy, give lightness, strength and health to the body, and help to build a strong internal fire. Without bandhas, breathing will not be correct, and the asanas will give no benefit. When mula bandha is perfect, mind control is automatic.
Yoga is learned step by step. All exceptional yoga practitioners were once beginners who put many hours of practice in to get where they are today....if you have never done yoga or have very little experience, you are welcome here. We offer a safe, non-competitive, inclusive and supportive environment to learn, practice, and expand your abilities in.
Find full class descriptions by selecting a title in the calendar below.
- Intro to Yoga // on hold until January 2026
- Intro to Mysore Ashtanga Yoga // does not meet on moon days
- Meditation & Movement
- Mysore Ashtanga // does not meet on moon days
- Restore
- Soft & Slow
- Sound Healing Yoga
- Study Sangha
- Yoga Lounge
- Yoga Workshop
