Ashtanga yoga cannot be compared to the other types of yoga – it is very intensive physical experience. Either you like it immediately, or you find it too hard. In any case it is worth a try. 1001 thanks to Tonći for giving us the opportunity to practice this supreme technique with the best teaching and all the needed knowledge, here in our beautiful Split.

Tajana

So far I have been to many different workshops of Hatha yoga, but Ashtanga yoga is completely new discovery for me. My mind and my body have had unusual transformation. Bandhas have given me stability and far more strength during the practice, and focus on breath and certain points gave me focus of the mind. Control over my body is bigger; my mind is calm and centred. I'm more awake, my meditations are deeper. I have more energy, joy and enthusiasm during daily activities. I practice regularly and I would recommend this course to anyone wanting progress and new challenges.

Mirjana Augustinčić

Ashtanga yoga gives absolutely everything. It deepens the breathing, builds muscles and improves flexibility that personally gives me a sense of freedom. The best is that it happens very fast through an interesting practice that always gives new obstacles, but also the enthusiasm to cross those obstacles created by our body and basically discover what our possibilities are. The impossible becomes possible. The practice itself is a motivation because it gives a lot and changes don't happen only in body, but a new contact with yourself is developed. Ashtanga builds me and opens me up in every way and I believe that everyone should have this experience.

Angela Bonacin

My name is Leonardo. I'm 24; I have been doing Kriya yoga and meditation for about 6 years, and Hatha yoga a little bit shorter. I'm very satisfied with life and experiences, but I felt as if something was missing. I tried to find that «something» in Hatha yoga system, but still it was missing. In June 2008 I met Tonći and Ashtanga yoga. My first encounter with Ashtanga yoga was new, special and beautiful experience. Until then, I had problems with my eyes, they burned a lot, and I felt a lot of stress in them, but after first training, it passed. Feeling in the body was magnificent, and the energy around the body could almost be touched. I sat and started to meditate, and still felt the energy expanding from me to the surrounding space.

I continued to learn Ashtanga yoga and practice everyday sun salutation A, sun salutation B, standing and finishing asanas, and every time I practiced I felt immense happiness and fulfilment. After the training I feel physical and emotional stability and bliss and I believe that Ashtanga is the «peak» of similar practices. I also think that other people, especially the ones living a stressful life, should start with this practice as soon as possible. Every time I think of Ashtanga yoga I feel gratitude for meeting Tonći and for the honour of practicing this valuable knowledge.

Leonardo Gospodnetic

I feel it as some warrior discipline and practice that prepares me for daily challenges. Ashtanga practice faces person with blockages and fears in controlled environment. Often while I practice old emotions and memories from the subconscious arise, through the practice they disintegrate and leave space for the new emotions and experience.

I know a world of yoga and various disciplines and I think that Ashtanga is among the top ones by benefits it gives to human existence. If you want physical and mental stability, confidence and joy on daily basis, this is definitely your practice.

Josip Bujas

Hatha yoga is activity I have been doing since I was 3 years old, thanks to my good parents. In spite of all the acitivies I've done, my spine was deformed and I had indigestion problems. I knew that my body can heal itself; I just needed stronger physical and mental technique. At the right time I was invited to the class of Ashtanga yoga and the moment I started to breathe, my body started functioning. The first three chakras awoke and smiled. The first day, besides the tiredness of the muscles, I felt enormous relief in spine and had no abdominal pain for 24 hours. I continued doing it, and it's been 2 months since then and my body has started to change! My muscles are harder, I see muscles that no physical activity has touched; balance and coordination are 50% better; all of the back pain have disappeared; only one move is needed for everything to come at its right place. After paragliding training (which I do), I feel no inflammation in muscles, I'm capable of enduring more strain without pain the following morning.

Besides the physical benefits, mind and emotions are more stable. Stress and daily troubles are something I'm coping with much better. In spite of my explosive temperament, I manage to stay focused in crisis situation, I notice inner piece that allows me to breathe a few times before I react, verbally or emotionally. I don't need so much food to feel energized, and my body has started rejecting meet and conserved food. I wake up more stable, during daily routine my mind does not deal with other things, but only the one I'm focused on; emotions don't fluctuate in large amplitudes, but are stable and I'm certain of what I feel, think and do.

I'm changing physically and becoming better, emotionally I am more stable and a lot happier, pleased with myself and my life. I could say that Ashtanga has «grounded» me, but it also gives me the capability to rise above the situation, so that my life is becoming a puppet show run by me. And I’m looking forward to it! Thanks Tonći! Thanks Ashtanga!

Larisa

I have been doing Ashtanga fairly regularly for two years. I have noticed that Ashtanga brings stability in physical and mental level. By doing Ashtanga you are stronger physically and mentally. I was pretty inert, and I didn't know the reason for that inertia and lack of will. I have never been completely static physically (I have always trained or worked), but quite often I felt mentally inert. In those periods it was very difficult to move out of that inertia and keep my discipline, in whatever I was doing, training, studying...

Precisely because of that inertia, I have never been able to gain discipline in most of the things I was doing: I would start, but on the first «I don't feel like it» - everything would drop for a period of time and of course the results could not be as good as I had expected. Since I have been doing Ashtanga, that inertia is considerably smaller. After daily practice I feel fresh the whole day, stable, physically and mentally strong, and is much easier for me to do my daily duties.

I see Ashtanga as a tool to improve my body, mind and emotions. I see it as a way to achieve discipline in life and improvement of quality of life. Since I practice Ashtanga 4-5 times a week for an hour and a half approximately, control I have over my body, emotions and mind during that hour and a half turns into control over situations that happen during the day. Discipline to practice Ashtanga regularly has brought me a discipline in other areas of life, and attention and focus during practice have turned into attention and focus over my whole life.

Matea Puljić

I have met Ashtanga yoga for the first time a couple of years ago when my friend told me that there was a group practicing that kind of yoga and advised me to stop by. I'm an athlete, so from that point of view Ashtanga seemed interesting to me. It fulfilled all my criteria: it was demanding, you progress with everyday practice, it need discipline, it produces a lot of sweat and, what is most important, after doing it you feel great. So, 2 years ago I started practicing Ashtanga yoga, but only from time to time, at home, with DVD.

In May 2009 I did the course of Ashtanga yoga with Tonći and have been practicing every day since. I learned how to breathe properly, which muscles to use and when to contract, how to focus and many more. Only after the course I realised the strength and depth of Ashtanga.

My experiences with practicing Ashtanga are diverse. There are good ones, but there are painful ones as well. There are muscle inflammation and cramps in my legs. Tonći said that inflammations will disappear in time. I hope they will...:-) One day I can do everything, the next day almost nothing, One day I'm «flying», the next day I can't wait till the end. Still, this yoga has amazing effect on the spirit and body. Although the practice is physically demanding, as I go from one asana to another I feel the energy growing inside of me. I'm often so tired that I barely force myself to start practicing and then (although I feel as if I won't be able to do the sun salutation), in the end I do the whole series with a lot of energy.. Ashtanga just keeps you going. A little bit more, a little bit more, a little bit more...

The course with Tonći is an amazing experience. It is interesting and fun enough to keep the people interested, and on the other side it is serious enough so that you can learn a lot. Besides, Tonći is very nice and funny. He is the best incentive and an advertisement for Ashtanga yoga.

Petra Bujan

After practice, numerous thoughts in my head just melt and everything that is left is peace that gives me pure satisfaction and pleasure. Practice is very useful for the ones seeking peace and escaping the pace of everyday life. There are side effects such as better physical condition, good body posture and feeling of lightness in your legs. I don't know how, but after practice the body, instead of being tired, becomes more energised and gives additional energy and strength that can be felt during the day. All in all, very strong and useful practice.

Toni Jakovčević

I have become much lighter and I have more energy. My indigestion is much better and I feel better. I don't get tired as before and I feel certain stability in my body. Kundalini is more under control. I feel and extraordinary strength in my body.

Slavek

Before Ashtanga I went through several yogic practices and got insight in a completely new way of dealing with everyday problems. I've gotten a chance to finally get in touch with that part of myself which is sometimes impossible to pull out in a turbulence of today's society even if we are gifted with a pretty clear-sighted mind. I recently discovered Ashtanga yoga and already after the first experience I was stunned by amount of energy that went through my body...My mind was suddenly tranquil and I felt peace and delight that is every man's right. Ashtanga, if taken responsibly, is a one way ticket to a harmonious life with yourself and your enviroment and even to some  much deeper spheres if the practitioner is austere on the path to selfrealisation. Ashtanga yoga is, I would dare to say, a responsible love towards one's self.

Ratko Letilović