Ashtanga vinyasa yoga system (pranayama), posture (asana), and looking place (drishti). These are considered core concepts for ashtanga yoga practice; cover the three levels of purification: the body, nervous system and the mind; and are supposed to be "performed in conjunction with each other". The asanas in ashtanga yoga follow a set sequence as described above. Their stated purpose is for strength and flexibility of the body. Officially, the style has very little alignment instruction. However, many of Patthabi Jois' earliest teachers did emphasize very detailed alignment and posture-break down instructions, based on information they gathered outside of Pattabhi Jois direct instruction. Sharath's
Ashtanga vinyasa yoga more breaths in difficult postures. Various influential figures have discussed the specific process of breath in ashtanga. Pattabhi Jois recommends breathing fully and deeply with the mouth closed, although does not specifically refer to Ujjayi breathing. However, Manju Jois does and refers to breathing called "‘dirgha rechaka puraka’, meaning long, deep, slow exhalations and inhalations. It should be dirgha... long, and like music. The sound is very important. You have to do the Ujjayi pranayama". In late 2011, Sharath Jois, the grandson of Pattabhi Jois, declared his feelings on the issue, stating that Ujjayi breathing was not done in the