![]() It is important to remember that one of the basic principles of Iyengar yoga is balance. The inversions that you do can be flexible: Sirsasana along with its alternatives, Sarvangasana, or one of its alternatives, such as Setu Bandha or Viparita Karani. They may be practised separately from the main practice, for example, in the afternoon or at the end of the day, but are typically added into all of our practice sessions. Inversions should be practised every day, as they have wonderful health-giving properties in the way that they affect the nervous system, circulation, and blood flow. While some of us may be in a rush to return to our day after a yoga session, this return to neutral is important, and we place great emphasis on it in all of the Yoga Vastu materials. Savasana signals to us that the session is concluding. To assist with returning to neutral, we normally will do Sarvangasana (Shoulderstand) or a few energy quietening poses towards the end of a session, followed by Savasana. Like a good arc to a story, we build up towards the central point of the sequence and then come back to neutral. We may use motion to energise, or hold poses for longer to stabilise our minds and bodies and to improve overall attention. In yoga, we aim to link the body to the mind, and the mind to the body, through our practice. Some sessions will start with actions to lift and focus the mind, and others may start with more physical actions, but both those things will tangibly merge at a certain point. In the beginning, it is best to follow some set guidelines so that you can begin to understand the purpose and then the effect of different sequences. With more experience, we have some leeway and can apply the principals a little more informally, as long as our intention is clear. The application may be more strict or more loose, according to the background of the students. That means that no matter what our focus is, whether it be forward bends or backbends, standing poses or inversions, whether the aim is to energise, to quieten, or to stabilise, some fundamental principals are always applied. The time of day may affect how you go about your practice, and, certainly, your energy or the state of your body will influence your choice of poses, and approach to sequencing.Īs teachers, we often say that you can make or break a session by how it is sequenced. Sequencing varies according to many different factors, including: group of postures, aim of sequence, level of experience of the student, and state of mind when approaching a session. The sequences in Iyengar yoga are not set in stone. Why sequencing is important in Iyengar yoga ![]() ![]() As we move further into yoga, it is helpful to be open to change, to allow ourselves to see things from another angle, to not baulk at difficulty.
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