Introduction to Anusara Yoga
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In our Tuesday / Saturday classes we’ve started applying with more specificity the Anusara principles of alignment – this is sort of a “peek behind the curtain” of all the alignment efforts we’ve been doing in class for years; it’s just that I may not have been spelling them out quite as much in the past, but now we are looking and studying more closely.
Anusara is the main hatha yoga system that I have trained in, and it has a big influence in how I understand the body, alignment, and yoga. Over the next several weeks we will be looking into and learning each alignment principle of Anusara (of which there are 5), as a way to strengthen our foundational understanding – as well as to give you the power to find your most optimal alignment and vitality in any yoga pose. It’s always very good practice to visit and revisit the “basics”, even as we progress in our practice in ways that were previously unimaginable.
Anusara is a Sanskrit term derived from the root words, anu, meaning “with,” and sara, meaning “flow.” Therefore, anusara may be translated as “flowing with grace”, “entering the flow of divine grace” or “flowing with the heart”.
The Anusara system of alignment opens us up to a deeper question: What does alignment truly mean? in our bodies, in yoga postures, but also – in our lives. What does it mean to align with our own hearts, our own truth, and to live (flow) from that space?
These teachings correspond directly to what my teacher Swami Chetanananda explains to us that yoga is about: Contact, Alignment & Flow. We’ll explore this idea further down the line when we have a more complete understanding of the principles of alignment themselves.
There are 5 principles of ALIGNMENT, in Anusara. These are the 5 principles that we follow, in their specific sequence, to find ourselves in greater alignment physically, as well as to our hearts, in our lives:
Opening to Grace
Muscular Energy
Inner Spiral
Outer Spiral
Organic Energy
We will be exploring what each one of these means in class, and I will write more about each one here soon – I hope you will join us!
lots of love,
natasha
