Anusara

Flowing with Grace, Following your Heart

Align with the Divine

The highest intention of practicing Anusara yoga is to align with the Divine. As we deepen our alignment with the Supreme, we step deeper into the flow of Grace.There are over 250 Anusara Yoga asanas, including standing poses, backbends, bends, twists, hand-balancing postures, inversions and restoratives. Through repetition of basic poses, and the application of Anusara’s Alignment Principles, practitioners experience an increasing awareness of the inherent goodness of One's being

Anusara Yoga

• In Anusara yoga, poses adhere to the Universal Principles of Alignment. Discover the five main alignment principles, which apply sequentially in each pose: Opening to Grace, Muscular Energy, Inner Spiral, Outer Spiral, and Organic Energy.

• By John Friend

Asana and Anusara

• An important intention in Anusara Yoga is to recognize our true nature as supreme auspiciousness.

• Asanas are a means to connect with our inner Self of unbounded joy

• Asanas are also a way to artistically express and experience the joyful play of the universe.

• This intention can be more fully realized when the yoga poses are performed using the Universal Principles of Alignment, which help to optimally align the poses to their fullest potential in the moment.

Anusara’s 5 Main Alignment Principles

• There are five main alignment principles, which are applied sequentially in each pose:– Opening to Grace –Muscular Energy – Inner Spiral – Outer Spiral– Organic Energy

The Universal Principles of Alignment 1

OPENING TO GRACE • Having the intention to place oneself—body, mind, and heart—in alignment with the flow of supreme consciousness. This involves approaching asana practice with an attitude of softhearted devotion.

The Universal Principles of Alignment 2

MUSCULAR ENERGY • A drawing of energy from the

periphery of the body into the Focal Point (see below), which increases stability, strength, and physical integration in the pose.

The Universal Principles of Alignment 3 INNER SPIRAL

• An ever-expanding energy spiral that moves outward from the core; it runs from the feet up through the pelvis into the waistline area. Inner Spiral rotates the legs inward, moves the thighs backward, and widens the thighs and pelvis.

The Universal Principles of Alignment 4

OUTER SPIRAL • An ever-narrowing spiral that moves

inward toward the core; it runs from the waistline area down through the tailbone and out through the legs and feet.

• Outer Spiral rotates the legs outward, moves the tailbone and thighs forward, and draws the pelvis and thighs closer together.

The Universal Principles of Alignment 5 ORGANIC ENERGY

• Organic Energy is the outward extension of energy from the Focal Point through the core lines of the body to the body's periphery, which increases expansion, flexibility, and freedom in the pose.

The Secondary Principles

• FOCAL POINT • SIDE BODY LONG • SHOULDER LOOP • INNER BODY BRIGHT

FOCAL POINT

• A localized power spot within the body. Muscular Energy draws into it, and Organic Energy extends out from it. There are three possible locations for the Focal Point: the core of the pelvis, the bottom of the heart, and the upper palate. In any given pose, only one Focal Point is active. The active Focal Point is the one nearest the most weight-bearing part of the pose. When the three possible Focal Points are equally weight-bearing, the pelvic Focal Point becomes the active one by default.

SIDE BODY LONG

• Lengthening the sides of the ribs so the tops of the shoulders come in line with the base of the neck.

SHOULDER LOOP

• One of the seven energy loops within the body. This loop originates in the upper palate and flows backward to the base of the skull and down the back of the body to the bottom of the shoulder blades. When you engage Shoulder Loop, the head moves back slightly and the shoulder blades move down the back. At the bottom of the shoulder blades, the loop begins arcing forward and upward as it draws the bottom tips of the shoulder blades in and upward, toward the heart. The loop continues forward and up to the palate again as it lifts the chest and opens the throat.

INNER BODY BRIGHT

• A soulful expansion of feeling and vital energy from within the body that gives the outer form of the body a buoyant fullness. This attitude is created in the first principle, Opening to Grace, in which the fullness of the inner Self is embraced so the inner luster of Spirit naturally shines forth.

On Posture

• While one or two of the Universal Principles of Alignment may be emphasized at a time in each asana,

• However, remember that all the principles are applied in every pose.

• Principles are preformed in an ordered sequence• As you move in sequence through the principles,

maintain the action of the preceding principle for a cumulative effect.

• In every pose, each principle forms a base for the next. • Infuse every pose with meaningful intention that is the

purpose of yoga• which include awareness of the inherent goodness of

one's being and aligning with the Divine.

Invocation

• Sanskrit– Om Namah Shivaya Gurave Saccidananda Murtaye

Nisprapancaya Shantaya Niralambaya Tejase

• English– I offer myself to the Light of Pure Awareness, who

is the True Teacher within and without ( the teacher of all teachers), Who assumes the forms of Reality, Consciousness and Bliss, who is never absent and is full of peace, independent in its existence, It is the vital essence of illumination.

Foundation: Opening to Grace

• Begin with the intention to align your whole being with Supreme Consciousness. Approach the practice with "soft-hearted devotion."

Posture

• Maintain "Opening to Grace" and follow the Universal Principles in order during – Engaging muscular energy by hugging the

muscles to the bones and drawing this energy into the focal point in the core of the body

– Creating an expanding spiral that opens the back of the body

– Creating a contracting spiral that balances the expanding spiral and increases stability

– Extending organic energy out from the focal point.

Anusara in Action

• Muscular Energy draws energy from the body's outer region into a Focal Point.

• Muscular Energy creates stability, strength and physical integration.

• The Inner Spiral expands energy from center outward. Its path is up from the feet, through the pelvis and into the waist region. Precise leg, thigh and pelvic movements accompany.

• The Outer Spiral involves narrowing spiral movements inward to your core. Its path is from the waist through the tail bone, out through the legs and feet. The Outer Spiral also includes precise movements.

• Organic Energy extends outward from the focal point through the core to the periphery. Expansion, flexibility and freedom in the pose increase.

Organic and Muscular Energies

• Muscular energy and organic energy are complementary forces. They reflect the universal pulsation of contraction and expansion of life in the body.

• Muscular energy corresponds to the inhale and draws the various parts of the outer body closer together with consciously integration.

• Organic energy creates freedom of movement in the joints and reflects the spirit's light shining throughout the body.

• Organic energy corresponds to an exhale and is an unfolding energy that creates expansion, length and breadth.

• Whereas muscular energy moves from the surface of the body and ends of the limbs toward the core, organic energy moves outward from the focal point.

Spanda

• Spanda System - school of Kashmir Shaivism that teaches realization through concentration on "nonmoving movement”