"For people over fifty, it is enough to practice some of the easier and more useful asanas, as well as some of the pranayamas. Those who have been practicing for many years, however, can do any asana or pranayama without a problem". Pattabhi Jois -Yoga Mala
The post below strikes me as somewhat of a metaphor for a Vinyasa Krama practice, cutting and pasting asana, vinyasa and subroutines from different groups (pedagogic sequences) to form a (hopefully) coherent practice appropriate for that day. Many vinyasa and variations will likely change day to day, such that over a week or two a broad range of asana and mudra will have been covered giving a beneficial effect to as much of the body as possible.
Due to familiarity, my own practice maintains a rough Ashtanga Vinyasa framework; Surynamaskara, some standing, followed by either asana (and/or Vinyasa Krama variations) from the first half of Ashtanga Primary or Second series. Finishing tends to be long shoulder stands and headstands with vinyasas, maha mudra, baddha konasana and padmasana.
The post below strikes me as somewhat of a metaphor for a Vinyasa Krama practice, cutting and pasting asana, vinyasa and subroutines from different groups (pedagogic sequences) to form a (hopefully) coherent practice appropriate for that day. Many vinyasa and variations will likely change day to day, such that over a week or two a broad range of asana and mudra will have been covered giving a beneficial effect to as much of the body as possible.
Due to familiarity, my own practice maintains a rough Ashtanga Vinyasa framework; Surynamaskara, some standing, followed by either asana (and/or Vinyasa Krama variations) from the first half of Ashtanga Primary or Second series. Finishing tends to be long shoulder stands and headstands with vinyasas, maha mudra, baddha konasana and padmasana.
Early shift yesterday, 7am start. First student didn't show up* so practiced some pranayamas, second student didn't show either, thought why not.....
*I have to stay in my booth with my earphones on in case the student suddenly arrives
*I have to stay in my booth with my earphones on in case the student suddenly arrives
A nice practice actually, half hour asana ( Let me see, Paschimottanasana, Triangmukha, bharadvajrasana, Maha Mudra and janusirsasana, marichiyasana.... navasana didn't work out. Utpluthi and a bit of a seated back stretch between each asana, kind of worked..... more like 20 minutes, took me ten to realise the student wasn't coming), finished with another ten minutes of nadi shodhana.
Getting home later I continued my practice, five sun salutations taking the Simon Borg-Olivier's approach I've been exploring on the Yogasynergy Fundamentals course, the video below gives you a taste of the first part of the salutation, every movement explained and justified....
*
Getting home later I continued my practice, five sun salutations taking the Simon Borg-Olivier's approach I've been exploring on the Yogasynergy Fundamentals course, the video below gives you a taste of the first part of the salutation, every movement explained and justified....
Shoulderstand prep, this speeded of video from a few years back.
followed by three minutes each side of maha mudra
and a few baddha konasana variations.
ending the practice with
Nadi shodhana pranayamas
and a short sit
*
Krishnamacharya was practicing Shoulder stand and headstand variations, not unlike those he taught to Ramaswami ( see Ramaswami's Complete book of Vinyasa yoga) back in Mysore in 1938 during the period Pattabhi Jois was his student, few if any of these variations made it into Jois' Ashtanga Vinyasa (some of the more challenging ones don't appear in Ramaswami's book either).
Below are the complete Vinyasa Krama Shoulder stand and headstand sequences Ramaswami offers us, the sequences are made up of subroutine. The guidance is to choose whichever variations or subroutines we wished to practice that day depending on time and appropriateness.
Overview below from my Vinyasa Yoga Practice Book (LINK)
1 comment:
Nice to squeeze in practice when life gives you extra minutes. I'm wondering how long you usually hold inversions for ? I've been holding sirsasana for longer this winter at the end of a slower practice, using headstand as a meditation pose- as suggested by Gregor Maehle- as I find the breath naturally slows right down or almost disappears, perfect for yoga style ( chakra ) meditation, though vipassana/ attention to sensation works nicely too if I'm not feeling particularly visual that morning.
My practice tends then to becomes just about this pose and working towards it. I did find some issues with holding long headstand, neck issues etc- even with weight on elbows as much as possible and very little on head and super relaxed face. But then the wonderful Nicki Knoff gave me an excellent yoga therapy counter pose for headstand which brings the natural curve back into the neck. Hard to explain and too lewd to take a photo of- but it but it's like a childs pose/ balasana with the throat on the floor, arse high in the air :) and hands either side of the shoulders pulling the weight of the body backwards towards the toes, deep into the throat and neck. I get such a post-pose high on coming out of this pose, and a very clear head ( unlike after headstand) that I can tell it's the right counter pose for my 'ashtanga straightened' neck.
The consistency I've applied to a slower practice this winter has really broadened my practice kept me open... it was all getting a bit stale before then. I haven't got a hands on teacher at the moment ( still doing SBO's course online )
This blog of your provides much food for thought and inspiration. So prolific, too! Cheers
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