Artistic Yoga

Artistic Yoga was founded by Yogacharya Swami Maitreyanada (Dr Fernando Estevez Griego) in 1970. Swamiji was president of International Yoga Federation. The International School Artistic Yoga was founded in 1985 and the World Championship of Artistic Yoga star in 1989 . Artistic Yoga combines ancient yogic techniques (asanas, pranayama, kramajis, bandhas, kriyas, mudras,pratihara, dharana dhyana with dristhis, ekagrata, Sambandha, Samanvay, tala and another techniques of Dynamic Yoga or Gatizila yoga ).
Bharat Thakur Artistic Yoga is a system of Yoga founded by Yogi Bharat Thakur. It combines ancient yogic techniques (asanas, pranayam, bandhas, kriyas & mudras), with modern cardiovascular-training and partner-stretches. It works on the individual at many levels - the physical level, where flexibility, strength and endurance are the primary goals, to the mental and spiritual levels, focusing on awareness of the body, alertness and meditation.
Background
From of the age of eight, Swami Maitreyananda studied yoga. He became a yoga teacher in Sivananda Ashram and is the head of Aurobindo Sivananda Ashram and member of World Yoga Council The Artistic Yoga Net is in English World Champions of Artistic Yoga
From the age of four, Bharat Thakur received yoga training in the Himalayas by his Guru. He says, “When I returned from the Himalayas, I was amazed to see that the ancient 5000 year old science of Yoga had been reduced to just a few asanas. People, who had been practicing Yoga for 20 years, were still pot-bellied!”. Realising that Yoga needed to be re-worked to suit modern man, he combined his training in Yoga and his education in modern exercise physiology to develop his own system - Artistic Yoga.
Elements of Artistic Yoga
Yoga originated in India and has been in existence for 2500 years. Yoga is spiritual education. "Spiritual" does not refer to any particular religion; rather it refers to the spirit, which consists of feelings and emotions. The mastery of the physical techniques of yoga is valued only if the human being achieves dominion over his mind and spirit. A sport is a regulated game in which there exists competition between two or more persons. Yoga Sport establishes whether or not a certain human being is competent physically, mentally, spiritually, socially, ethologically, ecologically, and culturally. Yoga Sport is a lesson in life itself which is a competition in every instance. However, the most important thing to remember in Yoga Sport competitions is that they are games, where one must achieve control over his emotions, feelings, and passions in the face of stress. The greatest Spiritual Intelligence obtains more points than any other evaluated category in the competition, such as flexibility, strength resistance, and balance. Judges determine Spiritual Intelligence by evaluating the Affective Intelligence and Emotional Intelligence of the competitor. Affective Intelligence is one’s ability to adapt to the feelings of those around him. Emotional Intelligence is the ability to adapt to one’s own emotions. Yoga Sport develops these forms of intelligence within the context of competition where the environment could generate imbalance, dissatisfaction, and stress. Competition motivates the competitor to achieve personal transcendation and spiritual training, which ultimately serves him in conquering the obstacles life places before him on a daily basis. Ultimately, Yoga Sport uses competition of physical yoga techniques as a means to a spiritual end.
Divisions of Yoga Sport
Yoga Sport is divided into four Ramas, Styles, of Lines:
#Athletic Yoga
#Artistic Yoga
#Rhythmic Yoga
#Yoga Asanas
;Athletic Yoga
Athletic Yoga evaluates the perfect execution of asana, the perfect alignment, and the range of flexibility, strength, balance, and resistance. It also evaluates the perfect execution of Pranayama (control of energy), and appropriate breathing techniques, or Swara Yoga.
Other factors that are evaluated include achievement of Pratihara (introspection), Dharma (concentration), and if possible the achievement of Dhyana (meditation). Spiritually, the competitor should not be nervous or altered; rather he should feel relaxed, harmonious, content, and happy, which causes him to gain more points in the competition. The spiritual state in which the competitors are in wins them more points than their physical qualities: flexibility, strength, balance, and resistance.
;Artistic Yoga
Artistic Yoga is composed of kramajis, or series of yoga postures that create an uninterrupted cascade of asana. Qualities of artistic yoga include use of music, costume, good taste, natural art, rhythm of execution, and rhythm of breath work. The series should be executed to music chosen with good taste. The postures are united with the use of intercalary postures, being the ones that create a passage between the two postures with the least weight displacement and the least time possible. It is fundamental in artistic yoga to express spirituality and the joy of movement. The competitor should achieve a state of empathy and connection toward the judges and the audience.
;Rhythmic Yoga
Rhythmic Yoga is executed in pairs and is trained with the use of a mirror to ensure the synchronization of the postures. The postures ought to be executed by each individual to the same degree and at the same time. Rhythmic yoga preserves the primary qualities of Artistic Yoga.
;Yoga Asanas
Yoga Asanas is closely related to Athletic Yoga. It deals with the execution of athletic asanas which are to be performed at the competitor’s maximum of flexibility, balance, alignment, and resistance.
Artistic Yoga is intended as a system to help modern man effectively deal with his ‘acute stress levels, obesity and lack of energy’. According to Bharat Thakur, he called his system ‘Artistic’ because he incorporated many new aspects into it that were different from the traditional approach to Yoga.
Along with the use of exercise and yogasanas (physical yoga postures), and partner-stretching techniques (that help in quickly improving flexibility), Bharat introduced cardio-vascular training and the concept of body-part training into his yoga. A typical Artistic Yoga class would focus only on one or two body parts. This helps achieve body-toning and weight loss.
The philosophy of Artistic Yoga is fitness, fun and spontaneity. Artistic Yoga also maintains a secular approach to Yoga, stressing that it is a pure science. The teachers and students are from all parts of the world with varied backgrounds.
At the mental and spiritual levels, it works with breath (Pranayama) and meditation (Dhyaan). These are said to make the practitioner feel energized, yet calmer and more peaceful within.
Current scenario
Currently, Artistic Yoga is taught in India in Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bangalore and internationally in Dubai, Kuala Lumpur and Russia.
Some of the most recognizable Artistic Yoga students include Russian President Andrei Medvediev, Ratan Tata, Anoushka Shankar, Kareena Kapoor, Saif Ali Khan, Bipasha Basu and Sachin Pilot.

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