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 six series are: Earlier practitioners of the style report that originally there were four series on the Ashtanga syllabus: Primary, Intermediate, Advanced A, and Advanced B. A fifth series of sorts was the "Rishi series", which Guruji said could be done once a practitioner had "mastered" these four. According to Sharath Jois, one must master poses before being given permission to attempt any others that follow. However, Manju Jois disagrees. According to Manju's accounts of his father's instruction, Pattabhi Jois also occasionally allowed students to practice in a non linear format. Many of Pattahbhi Jois' students now teach their Mysore