Roga Chikitsa (Disease Treatment)

Ashtanga Yoga is divided into different series of asanas (yoga postures):

• Roga chikitsa (Disease Treatment, Primary or First Series)
• Nadi shodana (Nerve Cleansing, Intermediate or Second Series) and
• Sthira bhaga (Divine Steadiness, Advanced Series A, B, C, D)

The Primary Series in Ashtanga Yoga is roga chikitsa, that is "Disease Treatment" (this name seems to have evolved later into "yoga chikitsa", that is "Yoga Treatment"). The name "Primary Series" is ambiguous: “Primary" means "first" as well as "main". This means: The First Series is the most important series, too, followed by the Second (Intermediate) Series, and the Advanced Series do not play much of a role any more. It is perfectly alright to practise the Primary Series for your entire life but to do it with determination.

Usually, only this Primary Series is taught (or even just parts of it). The Primary Series takes proficient yogi(ni)s about 80 minutes to complete at regular speed (five breaths per side and asana).

The asanas of the Primary Series comprise: 
(asanas that have not always been taught appear in brackets)

surya namaskar A, B
padangushtasana
padahastasana
trikonasana
parivritta trikonasana
parsvakonasana
(parivritta parsvakonasana)
prasarita padottanasana A, B, C, D
parsvottanasana
utthita hasta padangushtasana A, B, C
ardha baddha padmottanasana
utkatasana
virabadhrasana A, B 

(dandasana)
paschimottanasana A, B, C
purvottanasana
ardha baddha padma paschimottanasana
trianga mukha eka pada paschimottanasana
janu sirsasana A, B, C
marichyasana A, B, C, D
navasana
(End of "Half Primary")

bhujapidasana
kurmasana
supta kurmasana
garbha pindasana
kukkutasana
baddha konasana A, B 
upavishta konasana A, B
supta konasana
supta padangushtasana A, B, C
ubhaya padangushtasana
urdhva mukha paschimottanasana
setu bandhasana
(End of "Full Primary")

(urdhva dhanurasana)
paschimottanasana 
salamba sarvangasana
halasana
karnapidasana
urdhva padmasana
pindasana
matsyasana
uttana padasana
baddha hasta sirsasana
urdhva dandasana (= ardha chandrasana)
balasana
baddha padmasana
yogamudrasana
parvathasana
padmasana
(utpluthihih)
sukhasana (= savasana)

"Primary Series - very important!
Intermediate Series - some important!
Advanced Series - only for demonstration!"