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) 

Utthita hasta padangushtasana
Ardha baddha padmottanasana
Prathama surya namaskara 
Utkatasana
Virabhadrasana 
(Dandasana)
Prathama pashchimottanasana 
Dwitiya pashchimottanasana 
Trtiya pashchimottanasana 
Purvottanasana
Ardha baddha padma pashchimottanasana
Triangmukha ekapada pashchimottanasana
Prathama janu shirshasana 
Dwitiya janu shirshasana 
Trtiya janu shirshasana
Prathama marichyasana 
Dwitiya marichyasana 
Trtiya marichyasana 
Chaturtha marichyasana
Navasana
(End of "Half Primary")

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

Shri K. Pattabhi Jois
(quoted according to David Swenson)