YogaVita Training

YogaVita Training
Lima, Peru
God, grant me the serenity

To accept the things I cannot change;
Courage to change the things I can;
And wisdom to know the difference
Namaste to everybody interested in an Yoga training course in Peru!
My name is Yovita, and I am a certified yoga instructor in Hatha

(http://www.yogapoint.com/ ) and Ashtanga (www.yogainbound.com )Yoga, with over eight
years of experience studying and teaching this unique philosophy and a form of living .
I began practicing yoga while living in Cyprus back in 1998, and have since then continued a
serious and dedicating practice in various schools in Europe, Asia and the Americas learning
from some of the most important contemporary yoga masters (Swami
NiranjanandaSaraswati, Santhanam, Elisa Cardoso, B.J. Galvan, Chantanya Das and others).
After practicing Iyengar, Ashtanga, Anusara, Bikram, Acroyoga and Shivananda Yoga
styles, I had the urge to find the roots of Yogic wisdom and I traveled to India where I had
the unique opportunity to learn Asanas, Pranayama, Meditation, Kriya Yoga and Patanjali’s
Yoga sutras from some great Indian gurus and swamis. Studying the ancient traditions
deepened my understanding of yoga, allowing me to appreciate fully the basic principles
underlying the forms of yoga I’d been practicing for years. As a result, I have come to
understand that the different varieties of yoga are essentially components of a single system,
each with its specific effects and benefits. I have found balance, peace and purity with Yoga,
and this is what I strive to share with my students.
Today, I practice and teach a form of Integral Yoga, combining all these techniques in order
to address to the unique needs of my students while emphasizing unity and balance in
intellect, body, and spirit. The following course represents an intense 30 hours Yoga
Training Program and it is designed for people who want to deepen their knowledge of this
disciple as a part of their personal spiritual journey or as a preparation for the Yoga Teacher
Training.
I teach my students that Yoga is all about gaining a full awareness of body, breath and mind.
The awareness will bring control and the control will bring grace, peace and balance in your
everyday life. I called this web site YogaVita in a dedication to Yoga as an art of living and
also as an indispensable part of my life style.
NAMASTE!
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Yoga Syllabus
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I. What is Yoga?
1. Student and teacher presentation, class curriculum and syllabus; Discuss yoga becoming
mainstream, personal attitude and intentions. “New American Yoga”. Begin the path of yoga
practice as a service ca. 30 min
2. Chanting (Om o Mantra) and Meditation ca. 20 min
3. Kryas ca. 10min
4. Sun Salutation ca. 10min
5. Yoga asanas ca. 1hour Featured Asanas: Surya Namaskar and Shavasana
6. Preparation for Pranayama: Deep Breathing ca. 20 min
7. Final Relaxation ca. 30 min
II. The Roots of Yoga

1. Explore the ancient science of yoga, it’s beginnings and origins. Study the oldest system
of personal development; the nature of the mind and the spirit. Introduce the different types
and schools of Yoga.
2. Chanting (Om o Mantra) and Meditation
3. Kryas
4. Sun Salutation
5. Yoga asanas Featured asanas: 1-5 from the YogaVita asanas
6. Preparation for Pranayama: Alternative Nostril breathing
7. Final relaxation
III. Anatomy and Physiology of Yoga

1. Discover how anatomy, alignment, and philosophy are an integral part of Yoga asanas.
Learn how to recognize body types and tendencies, and learn observation skills. Discuss the
benefits of yoga.
3. Kryas
4. Sun Salutation
5. Yoga asanas, Featured asanas: 5-10
6. Preparation for Pranayama: wave breathing
7. Final relaxation
IV. Deepening Your Practice and Teaching Methodology

Understanding the yoga philosophy (discuss the Patanjali Yoga Sutras). Explore conscious,
skillful living. Introduce the 8 limbs of Yoga. Explain and discuss the sound of OM.
3. Kryas
4. Sun Salutation
5. Yoga asanas Featured asanas: 10-15
6. Pranayama : Aloma Viloma
7. Final relaxation
V. The Metaphysical Body and Relaxation Science

Cultivating mindfulness. Learn the principles of pranayama and investigate the subtle link
between the body and the mind. Explore Bhandas, Kriyas and Mudras.
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3. Kryas
4. Sun Salutation
6. Pranayama: udjjai
7. Final relaxation
VI. Yoga as a Therapy

Introduce Ayurveda. Yogic dietary regime. Discuss the nadis (ida, pingala shushumna) and
the chakras.
3. Kryas
4. Sun Salutation
5. Yoga asanas. Featured asanas: 20-25
6. Pranayama: bhramari
7. meditation on the chakras
VII. Ashtanga Yoga

Learn the Ashtanga teaching, the principle of correct sequencing. Vinyasa Flow.
3. Kryas
4. Sun Salutation
6. Pranayama: Udjjaii
7. Yoga Nidra - short
VIII. Iyengar Yoga

Learn the essentials of teaching of Iyengar yoga, preparation, structure, and main principles.
Discuss the science of props.
3. Kryas
4. Sun Salutation
6. Pranayama
7. Yoga Nidra
IX. Anusara & Partner Yoga

Learn the essentials of teaching of Anusara yoga, preparation, structure, and the 5 universal
principles of alignment. Partner yoga!
3. Kryas
4. Sun Salutation
6. Pranayama
7. Antar Mouna (The Meditation of Inner Silence)
X. Namaste Class. Inquiry and Practice

Gather the strands of the mind, gather the community. Review course.
3. Kryas
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4. Sun Salutation
5. Yoga asanas Featured asanas: 40-to end
6. Pranayama
7. Vipassana Meditation
YOGA ASANAS
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1. Begin in mountain pose, pressing evenly down through the feet, extending up
through the crown of the head.
2. Inhale, sweep the arms up overhead gaze forward or up
3. Exhale, swan dive to a forward fold, lunge the right leg back, drop the knee
4. Inhale, the arms overhead
5. Exhale the hands to the floor, step to plank
6. Inhale, drop the knees to the floor
7. Exhale, lower the heart between the thumbs, hips higher like an inchworm
8. Inhale to cobra
9. Exhale to downward facing dog
10. Inhale, step the right foot between the hands
11. Exhale, drop the left knee
12. Inhale, reach the arms overhead
13. Exhale, hands to the floor, step forward and fold.
14. Inhale, reach the arms to the side rising to stand, arms overhead
15. Exhale, lower the hands to prayer. Repeat and lunge the left leg back & forward.
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1. Mountain Pose
[taahd-AAH-suh-nuh]
This posture is generally placed at the beginning of a class to help students focus on the
breath and the body. Encourage students to feel grounded to the earth, starting at the feet.
Benefits
• Teaches importance of body alignment and
posture
• Strengthens spinal and abdominal
musculature
• Draws the focus inward
Verbal Cues
• Lift the tees and ground down through the four corners of the feet (ball of big toe, baby toe,
inner and outer heels). Spread the toes and place them evenly on the floor. Feel firmly rooted
into the earth.
• Engage the muscles of the quads (or front of the thighs), lifting the kneecaps up.
• Firm the core by drawing the navel back toward the spine and keeping the pelvis in a
neutral position (you could use hands to help find a neutral position).
• Keep your spine lifted, roll the shoulders forward, up, back and then drop them down. Feel
the chest expanding, drop the shoulders from your ears.
• Draw the shoulder blades together, let the arms rest to the outside of your legs.
• Bring your chin parallel to the floor. Feel yourself lengthening through the crown of your
head, while continuing to ground down through the feet.
• Breathe deeply. Breathe evenly through the nostrils.
Adjustments
• Use your fingertips to lift the chin parallel to the floor.
• Encourage the shoulders to relax by placing your hands on the shoulders.
• Use your hands to guide the student’s hips to a neutral position.
Variations
• Feet can be together or a few inches apart. People with tight hamstrings will want the feet
apart, so will people that have difficulty balancing.
• Upstretched mountain (arms reaching upward)
• Extended mountain (arch the spinal for spinal extension)
• Arms can be placed by the sides or hands in prayer (or namaste).
Modifications
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• Use the back of a chair or the wall for support as needed
2. Utkatasana Chair or Powerful Pose
[OOT-kuht-AAH-suh-nuh]
Benefits
• Strengthens the scapular, ankles, calves, thighs and glutes
• Opens the chest and shoulders
• Heats the body and creates endurance
Verbal Cues
• Bend your knees as much as you can while keeping your heels down on the floor.
• Keep your pelvis in a neutral position, or tuck the tailbone and lengthen from the low back.
• Draw your shoulders down and keep opening through the chest.
• Straighten your arms and try to keep them by your ears.
• Keep your gaze slightly down and forward.
• Notice that gravity is pulling the hips down, but with each inhalation feel yourself lifting up
towards the sky.
Adjustments
• Use your hands to guide the students hips to neutral position
• If the hips and knees are too far forward align them by standing behind the student and
guide the hips back. Be mindful that this can throw their balance off so move slowly and
carefully.
• Encourage student to open through the chest by moving the shoulders back, rotating the
elbows in, and/or gently lifting the arms up.
Variations
• Feet can be together or hip width apart.
• Hands can be together or shoulder width apart.
• Arms can be at a variety of heights.
• Squat lower (tummy on thighs) and bring the arms forward.
• Bring hands to prayer, lower the torso and twist to each side.
Modifications
• Do not have students squat as far if they have a knee injury or feel pain.
• If student has difficulty balancing, have them practice at a wall.
• Have students squeeze a block with hands overhead to strengthen and align shoulders.
• Squeeze a block between the thighs to roll the thighs inward.
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3. Virabhadrasana I
Virabhadrasana I Warrior I
[veer-uhb-huh-DRAAH-suh-nuh]
Benefits
• Builds strength and endurance
• Strengthens and tones the lower body, especially the thighs as well as the arms and
shoulders
• Stabilizes hip and knee joints
• Helps build flexibility in the spine
Verbal Cues
• From a lunge position, lower your back heel, so the entire foot is flat with the toes turned in
slightly.
• Inhale, lift the torso up and place the crown of your head over your hips.
• Extend the arms all the way up, with the palms face each other.
• Work to bring the front thigh parallel with the floor.
• Feel the back hip moving forward while the front hip moves back. Work to square the hips
forward.
• Stretch the tailbone toward the floor and lengthen from the low back.
• Both feet press into the earth. Keep pressing the outer edge of the back foot down into the
earth. (This helps to stretch the hip flexors and allow the pelvis to rotate more freely.)
• Gaze straight ahead.
Adjustments
• Using your foot, press the outer edge of their back foot down.
• Move the back hip forward and encourage the front hip to move back. Do the same with the
ribcage and shoulders.
• If the front knee is moving inward, gently press is out, aligning the knee over the ankle.
• Move your hand up the low back to encourage lengthening. Remind students to move the
tailbone towards the floor.
• Place your hands on the top of the shoulders and remind them to relax the shoulders down.
• Encourage students to stretch the arms all the way up by gently pressing and lifting the
arms up (but not at the expense of moving shoulders to ears).
Variations
• Palms together or shoulder distance wide.
• A few different stances for the back foot. Back foot and same hip should be pointing the
same direction.
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• Arms in cow face or eagle arms. Or hands behind the back with fingers interlaced.
• Humble Warrior – fingers interlaced behind the back and fold forward.
• Crescent Pose
Modifications
• Use a wall to press the heel into for more balance, stability, and grounding.
• Use a chair or fitness ball under the hips to reduce body weight.
• If a student has knee pain, don’t bend the front knee as much.
• Practice with the back knee down
4. Virabhadrasana II
Warrior II
[veer-uhb-huh-DRAAH-suh-nuh]
Benefits
• Builds strength and endurance.
• Strengthens and tones the lower body, especially the thighs as well as arms.
• Stabilizes hip and knee joints.
• Helps build flexibility in the spine.
• Stretches the chest, shoulders, groin, and hips.
Verbal Cues
• Place the crown of your head directly over the hips. Or, the torso stays stacked above the
pelvis.
• Draw the shoulder blades down the back. The arms are parallel to the floor.
• Create a straight line from the back hand all the way forward out the front fingertips.
• Work to bring the front thigh parallel to the floor.
• Press through the back foot to keep the back leg long and strong.
• Align the front knee over the ankle, in line with the middle toes.
• Extend through the crown of your head while you stretch the tailbone down towards the
floor. Lift through the low back.
• Bring the gaze forward towards the right fingertips.
Adjustments
• Direct student to align front foot with outer edge of mat.
• Move the front thigh and knee open to align over the ankle.
• Place your hands on the shoulders and gently press down to move the shoulders down away
from the ears.
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• Align the arms so they are parallel to the floor.
• Open and align chest by taking your hand under the shoulder (fingertips point up) and
gently opening.
• If the spine is moving forward over the bent leg, guide the torso back by placing your hand
at waist and gently pulling the back arm.
• Bring the hips/pelvis to a neutral position.
Variations
• Eagle arms
• Reverse warrior – back arm drops to back let and front arm lifts up and back with the palm
facing down.
Modifications
• Use a chair to rest the front thigh for more support and stability.
• Use a wall and have student place their body very close to the wall. This will help them to
see where they hold their body in space.
• Bend front knee less that 90 degrees if someone feel knee pain.
• Shorten the lunge.
5. Utthita Trikonasana Extended Triangle
[oot-T-HEE-tuh tree-kohn-AAH-suh-nuh]
Benefits
• Stretches the groin and hamstrings
• Tones abdominals
• Opens the shoulders and chest
• Strengthens the ankles
• Strengthens the neck
• Stabilizes and opens the hips
Verbal Cues
• Place your right hand on your shin, a block, ankle, or floor.
Reach the left arm up towards the ceiling.
• Align the right side of your torso over the right leg. Or, imagine that you are pressing your
back against a wall.
• Extend the crown of your head away from your tailbone.
• Lengthen your neck and lift your gaze up towards the left hand.
• Apply equal pressure to both feet, and to the inner and outer edge of the foot.
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Adjustments
• Stand behind the student and use your thigh to support the student. Place your right hand on
the right hip and your use your left hand to cup around the shoulder.
Pull the right hip gently towards you and roll open the left shoulder.
• To assist students moving into the pose: Stand in front of the student. Place your foot into
the crease of their upper thigh. Use your hand to take hold of their wrist.
Find you balance then gently pull and lengthen the student over their right leg.
When they are at the fullest stretch, remove your foot and place the hand down.
Variations
• Wrap the top arm around the back and hold upper thigh.
• Reach the top arm straight over head (in line with the ear).
• Bound Triangle – thread the right arm through the right leg, wrap the left arm around the
back for a bind.
Modification
• Use a block or chair underneath bottom hand.
• Use the wall and have the student move into position with their back placed against the
wall.
• If student hyper extends the knees, put a small bend in the front leg.
• Turn the head (gaze) down if the neck feels strained.
• Place top hand on the hip if the student experiences shoulder pain.
6. Parivrtta Trikonasana Revolved Triangle

[par-ee-VRT-tuh tree-kohn-AAH-suh-nuh]
Benefits
• Stretches the hips and spine
• Strengthens the legs and core
• Massages the organs
• Promotes balance
Verbal Cues
• From triangle pose with the right leg
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forward….
• Place the left hand down on the floor or a
block to the inside or outside of the right foot.
• Draw the right hip back and the left hip
forward t square the hips.
• Place the right hand at the right waist.
• Inhale, reach the heart forward lengthening the spine
• Exhale, revolve the chest and twist to the right. Extend the arm towards the sky.
• Gaze upward toward the thumb, forward, or towards the floor.
• Keep pressing the feet down, strengthening the legs and breathing deeply.
Variations
• You can step into revolved half moon from here.
Modifications
• Use a block under the hand to the inside of the front foot
• Keep the hand at the waist and twist
• If the back heel lifts practice with a wedge under heel.
• Practice with a narrower stance.
7. Utthita Parshvakonasana
Extended Side Angle
[oot-T-Hee-tuh paarsh-vuh-kohn-AAHsuh
Benefits
• Stabilizes the hip and knee joint
• Stretches the hip and groin areas
• Tones the abdominal muscles
Verbal Cues
• Place the right forearm on the right thigh, or right hand on the floor in front of the right
foot.
• Roll the chest and shoulders up towards the sky.
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• Extend the left arm up over the head in line with the ear. Palm faces down.
• Turn the gaze towards the left palm or the ceiling.
• Please make sure the bent knee doesn’t roll inward.
• Feel one line of energy from the back heel all the way through the fingertips.
• Press firmly through both feet and rotate the navel towards the sky.
• Roll your thighs away from one another.
• Feel the pelvis opening up with each breath.
Adjustments
• Use your body to support the student from behind. Use your right hand to support the hip.
Use your left hand to cup the upper left shoulder. Gently draw their body towards you.
• Move the top arm over in line with the ear.
Variations
• Arm can be directly overhead, or in line with the ear.
• Arm can be on the thigh, hand on a block on the floor.
• Top arm can reach around the back, bottom arm through the leg to take a bind.
Modifications
• Place the forearm on the thigh or use a block to rest the bottom hand.
• Use a wall to support the back body.
• Turn the head (gaze) down if the neck feels strained.
• Use a chair for support.
8. Parivrtta Parshvakonasana
Revolved Side Angle
[par-ee-VRT-tuh paarsh-vuh-kohn-
AAH-suh-nuh]
Benefits
• Improves digestion
• Opens shoulders and hips
• Massage internal organs
Verbal Cues
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• Square your hips toward the floor. Lift the back heel if needed.
• Bring the hands in prayer.
• Lengthen your spine and twist to the right.
• Place your left elbow to the outside of the right knee.
• To go further, place the left hand to the floor. Keep the arm to the outside of the right leg.
• Roll the chest and shoulders open towards the sky.
• Extend the right arm straight overhead, or over in line with the ear.
• To go further, wrap the right arm around your back and wrap your left arm underneath the
right leg to take a bind. Breathe.
• Lift your gaze towards the sky.
Adjustments
• Straddle the students back leg. Bend your legs and squeeze their legs to help support. Place
your left hand on their lower shoulder blade. Place your right hand on their top rib cage. At
the same time and with even pressure, twist their torso towards the sky.
Variations
• Variety of places for the hands – prayer, hand on the floor, straight up, in line with the ear,
taking a bind.
• Back heel grounded, or lifted (crescent).
Modifications
• Drop the back knee
• Use a block if hand doesn’t reach the floor.
9. Vrksasana Tree Pose
[vrick-SHAAH-suh-nuh]
Benefits
• Strengthens the spine, legs, and ankles
• Stretches the groins and inner thighs
• Enhances sense of balance
Verbal Cues
• Root the left foot down into the earth
• Take the right hand to take hold of the right ankle, placing the foot above or above the
knee.
• Keep both hip points moving forward
• Make sure the pelvis is in a neutral position. Lengthen the tailbone towards the earth.
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• Bring the hands together into prayer position.
• Gaze straight ahead. Breathe deeply.
Adjustments
• Stand in a grounded position behind your student. Place one hand on the front of their
shoulder and the other hand on the inner knee of the bent. Gently draw the shoulder and knee
backwards to open the chest and hip.
• Stand behind the student and place your hands on their hips. Carefully align the hips
straight forward.
Variations
• Arms reach overhead, hands together or apart.
• Move into tree blowing in the wind by dropping the right hand to the right knee and adding
a side bend to the right.
• Close the eyes.
Modifications
• Keep the right toes on the floor
• Use a wall or chair for support.
10. Garudasana Eagle Pose
[gah-rue-DAHS-anna]
Benefits
• Strengthens the thighs, calves and ankles
• Stretches the upper back and shoulders
• Enhances balance
• Improves concentration
Verbal Cues
• Root down through the left foot.
• Lift the right leg and cross it over the left thigh.
• Point the right toes and try to hook the top of the right foot around to the left calf.
• Sink into the balancing leg.
• Keep the left hip moving forward so the hips stay squared.
• Stretch your arms straight forward, parallel to the floor.
• Make a big X with the arms, crossing the left arm over top the right. Lift the palms and
bring them back towards your face. The palms face one another.
• Squeeze your arms together.
Adjustments
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• You take a chair like stance and allow student to “rest” on your thighs.
• Help to align the pelvis forward.
Variations
• Lean the torso more forward, pressing the forearms into the thigh of the top leg.
• Practice a deeper chair like position with the balancing leg.
Modifications
• Cross the top leg, but instead of hooking to the left calf, leave the big toe on the floor to the
outside of the left ankle.
• Use a wall or chair for support.
• If the student is unable to wrap the arms have them bring their hands to prayer and press the
forearms together.
11. Virabhadrasana III
[veer-ah-bah-DRAHS-anna]
Benefits
• Strengthens the back, shoulders, legs and ankles
• Tones the abdomen
• Stretches the hamstring
• Builds stamina and endurance
Verbal Cues
• From Tadasana (Mountain) bring the hands to prayer.
• Ground down through the left foot.
• Bring the right knee towards your chest
• Hinge forward at your hips and extend your right leg straight back behind you.
• Extend your arms straight forward and turn your gaze down.
• The arms, torso and back leg work towards becoming parallel to the floor.
Adjustments
• Standing in front of your student, take hold of their wrists and guide them into place. Have
them press their palms into yours as they find their balance.
• Stand at the balancing leg and align/support the pelvis.
Variations
• The arms can be placed in a variety of places,…prayer, to the sides, straight ahead, back by
the sides, or fingers interlaced behind the back.
Modifications
• Use a wall to press the back foot into or make contact with the fingertips.
• Use a chair to rest the hands on.
• Use blocks under the shoulders to support the hands.
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12. Ardha Chandrasana Half Moon
[AR-duh chuhn-DRAAH-suh-nuh]
Benefits
• Strengthens the balancing leg
• Opens the shoulders, chest, and hips
• Enhances balance
• Builds concentration
Verbal Cues
• Bend the left knee and extend your upper body over the left leg.
• Place the left hand of the floor in front of your left foot. Keep the left knee aligned with left
toes. Straighten the left leg.
• Bring your right hand to your hip and roll the right hip open. Flex the right foot.
• Roll the stomach, chest and shoulders up towards the sky.
• Extend the right arm straight up to the sky.
• Steady the breath. Steady the balance.
• Lift your gaze up to the right hand.
Adjustments
• Stand behind the student, using your body to support theirs. Use your right hand to roll
their right hip open and your left hand to open their chest up. You could also raise or lower
the top leg so it’s parallel to the floor.
Variations
• Lifting the top leg higher than hip height
• Bending the top leg back towards the bum and binding with the top arm.
Modifications
• Use a block under the bottom hand
• Use a wall for support
• Leave the hand on the floor or hip
• Keep the balancing leg bent
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13. Uttanasana Standing Forward Bend
[oot-taahn-AAH-suh-nuh]
Benefits:
• Stretches the hamstrings and back
• Calms the mind
• Stimulates the digestive system
Verbal Cues:
• From Tadasana – Hands in prayer
• Inhale and lengthen through the spine
• Exhale and fold forward from the hips
• Place the hands on the shins, ankles, blocks, or the floor.
• Keep pressing down trough the feet and lengthening through the spine.
• Engage the front of the thighs (quads).
• Imagine reaching your chin towards your shins. Breathe deeply.
• Inhale and rise to standing.
Adjustments:
• Using your hands, guide the student’s hips so they are aligned over the ankles.
• Gently lift the shoulders away from the ears.
• Place one hand on the low back and the other halfway down the back. Gently press into the
mid back.
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Variations:
• Arms behind the back with fingers interlaced.
• Feet can be together or hip distance wide.
Modifications:
• Use a chair, blocks for an assist.
• Bend the knees.
• People with low back pain need to be mindful here, as with most forward folds.
Have them explore different places for the hands to see where they feel most comfortable.
• Recline hand to big toe pose
14. Parsvottanasana Intense Side Chest Stretch
[paarsh-voht-taahn-AHH-suh-nuh]
Benefits:
• Stretches the hamstring.
• Opens the chest.
• Promotes balance and stability
• Strengthens the back
Verbal Cues:
• From Tadasana
• Step the left foot back about three feet.
Rotate the back foot around as much as you
need to square the hips forward.
• Inhale and reach the arms overhead.
• Exhale the hands behind the back to reverse prayer, or take hold of wrists or opposite
elbows.
• Inhale, roll the shoulders back, and lift the gaze.
• Exhale and fold forward over the right leg.
• Keep pressing the feet evenly into the floor and breathing deeply.
• Try to keep the hips even and the ribcage squared to the floor.
• Lengthen the crown of the head towards the floor.
• Keep drawing the shoulders back and down.
• Press down firmly through the feet, inhale and rise back to standing.
Adjustments:
• Use your hands and guide the hips to square up. Typically the hip of the front leg will be
more forward, so lengthen the right hip back.
• Assist in aligning the neck to neutral.
• Gently draw the shoulders down the back.
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Variations:
• A variety of places for the hands; behind the back in prayer, on the floor, moving back
towards the feet, fingers interlaced behind the back.
Modifications:
• Many people can’t do reverse prayer safely so give alternatives with the placement of
hands.
• Have a small bend in the front leg for tight hamstrings.
• You could use a chair for tight hamstrings or pain in the low back.
• Practice the pose with the torso parallel to the floor.
15. Balasana Child’s Pose
[bah-LAH-suh-nuh]
Benefits:
• Calms the mind
• Gently stretches the hips, knees and ankles
• Restores energy
Verbal Cues:
• From Downward Facing Dog
• Exhale and drop to the knees.
• Inhale, bring the knees and feet together and sit back on the feet.
• Exhale and fold forward releasing the torso over top the legs. Rest the forehead
and arms on the floor.
• Breathe deeply and relax.
Adjustments:
• Gently pressing the sacrum down.
• Gently pressing down along the back (on the sides of the spine).
Variations:
• Knees can be together or apart.
• Hands can be forward or back by the hips.
Modifications:
• If someone has knee pain have place blankets under their bum and over the ankles
or have them on lie on their back with the knees pulled into the chest.
• Use blankets and blocks to elevate the torso higher.
• Place a blanket or block under the forehead if
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16. Dandasana Staff Pose
[duhnd-AAH-suh-nuh]
Benefits:
• Strengthens the back, abdominals, and thighs.
• Helps build postural awareness.
• Promotes hamstring flexibility.
Verbal Cues:
• Sitting of the floor, stretch your legs straight out in front of you. If you need to, reach back
and roll the flesh away so your sitting bones are rooted and level on the floor.
• Place your hands on the floor directly underneath your shoulders with the fingers pointing
towards the toes.
• Sit tall and imagine that you are sitting back against a wall. The ears are aligned over the
shoulders and the shoulders over the hips.
• Keep the legs active and the knees and toes pointing up towards the ceiling.
• Drop the chin down towards the chest and breathe deeply.
Adjustments:
• Gently brush the student’s feet to remind them to keep the feet flexed.
• If the student’s back is rounding…stand behind the student with the side of your leg
pressing gently into their back. Take your hands and hold the front of their shoulders. At the
same time, gently press into their back and roll their shoulders back encouraging more length
through the spine.
Variations:
• Have the student actually sit back against a wall.
Modifications:
• Sitting on a blanket for more comfort
• Putting a small bend in the knees if the hamstrings are tight.
• Legs up the wall.
17. Paschimottanasana Seated Forward Fold
23
[pahsh-chee-moht-tuhn-AAH-suh-nuh]
This pose can be taught in an active way (with a lengthened back) or passive way (with a
rounded back).
Benefits:
• Calms and soothes the mind
• Stimulates the circulation of the liver, kidneys, ovaries and uterus
• Improves digestions
Verbal Cues:
• From Dandasana
• Inhale and reach the arms overhead lengthening the spine
• Exhale, hinge forward from the hips and fold forward.
• Inhale and lengthen the spine, maintain this length and fold forward with an exhale.
Breathe deeply.
• Inhale and walk the hands back, releasing the pose.
Adjustments:
• If the back and shoulders are rounding, kneel behind the student and use your hands to roll
the shoulders open.
Variations:
• Reach the hands in front of the feet, take one hand and grip the other wrist.
• Place a block in front of the feet instructing the student to hold the outside of the block.
Modifications:
• Use blanket(s), block(s) or a bolster to elevate the pelvis.
• Wrap a strap around the feet for tight hamstrings.
• Sit at the edge of a chair and practice with a strap.
• Legs up the wall.
18. Head to Knee Janu

Sirsasana
[JAAH-noo sheer-SHAAHsuh-
24
nuh].
Benefits:
• Stretches the hamstring of the
straight leg
• Strengthens and stretches the spine
• Calms and soothes the mind
Verbal Cues:
• From Staff Pose
• Bend the right leg back pressing the foot into the inner left thigh.
• Keep the left leg active by pressing the leg into the floor. The knee points up and
the toes are flexed.
• Inhale and stretch your arms overhead, lengthening the spine. Align the torso
over the left leg.
• Exhale and fold over top the left leg.
• Inhale and lengthen the spine as much as possible.
• Exhale and fold forward once more. Place your hands on the floor or your feet.
• Go only as far as you can without rounding the spine.
Adjustments:
• Kneel behind the student and align the ribcage over the extended leg.
• Kneel behind the student, using your hands gently press the low back forward and
up creating more length in the spine.
Variations:
• If the student has enough flexibility they can reach forward for a block or one hand to hold
the opposite wrist.
• Revolved head to knee pose.
Modifications:
• Some students may need to sit on a blanket or block.
• If the student feels strain under the bent leg, support it with a blanket or block.
• Use a strap for tight hamstrings, wrapping the strap around the outstretched foot.
• Use a chair to stay more upright and rest the arms on.
19. Upavishta Konasana Seated Straddle

[oo-puh-VISH-tuh-kohn-AAH-suh-nuh]
25
Benefits:
• Opens the hips
• Stretches the groins and hamstrings
Verbal Cues:
From Dandasana
• Take your legs as far apart as you can. The knees and toes point up towards the ceiling.
• Take your hands behind you. Press your fingertips into the floor allowing the pelvis to roll
forward.
• Inhale and reach your arms overhead, lengthening the spine.
• Exhale and fold forward.
• Reach out through the heels and press through the balls of the feet.
• Use your inhalations to lengthen the spine and the exhalations to fold forward more deeply.
• Inhale and release the posture.
Adjustments:
• If the toes are rolling inward, kneel behind the student, take your hands and roll
the student’s thighs back.
Variations:
• Hold the big toes with the peace fingers and thumbs.
• Add a twist and forward fold over each leg (walking the hands and torso over the right leg
and folding forward).
• Revolved seated straddle
Modifications:
• Sit on a blanket to elevate the pelvis.
• Practice with legs up the wall.
• Practice reclined (sputa) or happy baby.
20. Marichyasana 1 The Sage Marichi Pose
26
[mar-EE-chee-YAHH-suh-nuh]
Benefits:
• Massages the internal organs
• Stretches the shoulders
• Strengthens the hip and shoulder joints.
Verbal Cues:
• From Dandasana
• Bend the right leg back towards your chest placing the sole of the foot on the floor.
Bring the right heel close to the bottom
Inhale and bring the right arm inside the right leg.
• Exhale and bend the right arm around the leg. The right shoulder is reaching beyond the
right shin.
• Bring your left arm behind your back with the palm rotated out; reach for your right hand
or right wrist.
• Inhale and lengthen the spine.
• Exhale and fold forward over the left leg. Breathe deeply
• Inhale back up right, exhale and release your hands.
Adjustments:
• If the extended leg is rolling out, gently brush the student leg or foot reminding them to
keep the knees and toes pointing up.
• If the student’s hands are almost touching take hold the wrists and gently bring them
towards each other on an exhalation. Be very mindful of people’s shoulders here.
Variations:
• From a forward fold, keep the bind…inhale back upright and gently lean back lifting the
right foot away from the floor.
Modifications:
• Use a strap if the student cannot bind the hands.
• If the hip of the bent leg lifts, use a blanket underneath the opposite hip.
21. Marichyasana III Marichi’s Pose
27
[mar-EE-chee-YAHH-suh-nuh]
Benefits:
• Massages abdominal organs
• Aligns the spine
• Can relieve mild backache
Verbal Cues:
• From Dandasana….
• Bend the right knee and place the foot on the floor, placing the heel close to the right sitting
bone.
• Inhale and stretch the left arm overhead
• Exhale and twist to the right, placing the left elbow to the outside of the right leg.
• Place your right fingertips just behind you for support.
• Turn your gaze in the direction of the right shoulder.
• Use your inhalations to lengthen the spine, and exhalations to twist.
• Keep your straight leg active and the foot flexed.
• Continue to focus on your breath.
Adjustments:
• Use your left hand to press into the middle spine (lengthen the spine up) and place your
right hand along the deltoid and assist them with twisting. Coordinate with the breath and
twist with the exhalation.
Variations:
• Take a bind with the hands by reaching the left arm to the inside of the right leg (hooking
the right shin in the crook of the left elbow) and the right arm around the back.
Modifications:
• Hook the left elbow around the right knee (instead of moving it beyond the right knee).
• If people have tight hips or hamstrings a blanket under the hips can help them align
themselves more easily.
• Practice a twist in a chair.
• Practice a supine twist.
22. Ardha Matsyendrasana Half Lord of the Fishes
28
[are-dah-maht-see-en-drah-suh-nuh]
Benefits:
• Massages the internal organs
• Stretches the shoulders, back and hips
• Energizes the spine
Verbal Cues:
• From Dandasana
• Bend your knees and place the feet on the floor.
Slide the left foot under the right leg to the outside of the hip, placing the left leg on the left
foot under the right leg to the outside of the hip, placing the left leg on the floor. Step the
right foot over the left leg and place it to the outside of the left hip.
• Inhale and reach the left arm overhead, exhale and twist to the right. Press the left elbow
into the outside of the right leg.
• Place your right fingertips behind you for support.
• Turn your gaze in the direction of your twist.
• Try to resist concentrating your twist in your low back, focusing more on the mid to upper
back.
• Use the inhalations to lift trough the spine and sternum and the exhalations to twist a bit
more.
• Breathe evenly and deeply.
Adjustments:
• Use your left hand to press into the middle spine (lengthen the spine up) and place your
right hand along the deltoid and assist them with twisting. Coordinate with the breath and
twist with the exhalation.
Variations:
• Someone with really flexible shoulders and back could take the hands to bind.
The left arm would wrap around the outer right leg and the right arm reaches around the
back.
Modifications:
• If people have tight hips or hamstrings a blanket under the hips can help them align
themselves more easily.
• Some people may not be able to bend both legs and twist so you could work the right foot
to the outer left leg and twist from here.
• Modify how far you cross the top foot over.
29
• Practice a twist in a chair.
• Practice a supine twist.
23. Jathara Parivartanasana Supine Twist
[juht-HAR-uh par-ee-VAR-tuhn-AAH-suh-nuh]
Benefits:
• Gently stretches the spine
• Cools and relaxes the body
• Open the chest and shoulders
• Used lots at the end of class before
Savasana
Verbal Cues:
• From lying on your back…
• Inhale and bring the knees to your chest
• Take your arms straight out to the side at shoulder height.
• Exhale and drop the knees and feet to the right.
• Turn your gaze to the left.
• Breathe deeply and evenly.
Adjustments:
• Gently press the outside left knee
Variations:
• Straighten the legs.
• Cross the top leg over the bottom leg
• The closer the knees are to the shoulders the deeper the stretch will be.
Modifications:
• Use blankets (or blocks) underneath the knees if the don’t touch the floor, or have them
extend the knees further down.
24. Malasana Yogic Squat
30
[maahl-AAH-suh-nuh]
Benefits:
• Stretches the hips and opens the pelvis
• Stretches the muscles of the back
• Builds strength in the feet and ankles
• Builds focus and concentration
• Massages intenrnal organs
Good to transition from standing to seated in vinyasa practice
Verbal Cues:
• From Tadasana bring hands to prayer
• Step your feet hip width apart. The toes can be rotated slightly out.
• Inhale and feel the crown of your head lengthening toward the ceiling
• Exhale, sink into your knees and lower your hips straight down towards the floor
• Lower to a place where you are comfortably challenged and breathe deeply
• Press your arms into your knees and press your knees into your arms with equal traction.
• To exit come to standing or lower your bum slowly to the floor.
Adjustments:
• If a student had a hard time balancing here you can stand in front of them and in a squat
like position and support their arms.
Variations:
• Have feet closer together and balance on your tiptoes.
• Extend the arms forward and drop the head towards the floor.
Modifications:
• Place a blanket underneath the heels if they lift off the floor. This may be due to tight calf
muscles or compression.
• People with knee pain should only come into a partial squat.
• Practice against a wall
25. Baddha Konasana Bound Angle Pose
31
[baah-dhu kohn-AAH-suh-nuh]
Benefits:
• Stretches the hips and inner thighs
• Can relieve discomfort from menstruating
• Can relieve pain from sciatica
Verbal Cues:
• From Dandasana
Bend the legs and bring the soles of the feet together, releasing the knees toward the floor.
• Take the hands to hold the ankles or feet.
• Inhale and lengthen through the torso
• Exhale and fold forward. Can be taught active or passive. If you’re teaching it actively have
them inhale and reach the head beyond the feet to lengthen the spine. Maintaining the length
exhale and fold forward. If you’re teaching it passively have them drop the head and round
the shoulders.
• Breathe deeply
Adjustments:
• Kneel behind the student; use your hands to press into the thighs to gently rotate the legs
externally.
• Kneel behind the student; use your knees to assist the pelvis to roll forward.
Variations:
• Instead of holding the feet you could move the arms and hands forward to the floor.
Modifications:
• Use blocks underneath the knees for support. Not having the knees supported could be
painful for those with knee or hip injuries.
• Sit on a blanket if the low back rounds.
• Supine (supported) bound angle.
• Use a strap to wrap around the back and feet.
26. Eka Pada Kapotasana One Legged Pigeon
32
[ekah pah-duh kuh-poht-AAH-suh-nuh]
Benefits:
• Opens the hips and chest
• Full variation strengthens the back and
abdominal muscles
• Stabilizes the hips
• Good for digestion and elimination
Verbal Cues:
• From Downward Facing Dog
• Bring your right leg forward and place the knee to the outside of the right wrist.
Lower the outside of the leg to the floor, allowing the hips to release towards the floor.
• Fully extend the left leg straight back and square the hips forward.
• Inhale and lengthen from the low back, exhale and walk the hands forward to come into a
resting pigeon.
• Rest on the elbows or extend the arms fully forward.
• Breathe deeply. Try to keep your weight balanced on both sides of the legs.
• Inhale and walk the hands back, curl the left toes under and exhale back to downward
facing dog.
Adjustments:
• If the hips aren’t level, use your hands to guide them to a level place. Usually people will
roll over to the side of the front leg. If their hips are tight, this will add more strain to the
knee.
Variations:
• Work towards the full posture by lifting the back leg and taking one or two hands to the
back foot. In either place open through the chest and shoulders.
• Add a twist to the right (or the front leg) by placing the hands in prayer to the outside of the
front knee. Or walk the left hand over to the right, reach the right arm around the back to
bind with the right big toe.
Modifications:
• If the hip of the bent leg doesn’t rest on the floor then place a blanket under the hip to
relieve pressure through the hip and knee.
• Practice ankle to knee seated, prone, or in a chair.
33
27. Gomukhasana Cow Face Pose
[go-mook-AHH-suh-nuh]
Benefits:
• Stretches the hips and shoulders
• Opens the chest
• Can relieve pain from sciatica
Verbal Cues:
• From Dandasana
• Bend the legs and place the soles of the feet on the floor
• Slide the left leg under the right and release the knee and leg to the floor. The left foot will
be outside of the right hip.
• Cross the right leg over the left and release the right foot to the outside of the left hip.
• Work to stack the knees.
Inhale and extend the left arm overhead. Exhale and take the left hand to the back of the
neck.
• Inhale and reach the right arm out to the side. Exhale, bend at the elbow reach the arm
behind you and walk it up the back towards the left hand.
• Inhale, lift your chest and open through the shoulders.
• Exhale and drop the shoulders from your ears. Breathe deeply.
Adjustments:
• If the back is rounding, kneel behind them and gently press the ribcage forward
and up.
• If the elbows are wider than shoulder distance, gently press the arms closer to the students
head.
Variations:
• The pose can be separated for a shoulder or a hip stretch and/or combined with other
positions.
• You can add a forward fold.
Modifications:
• Use a strap if they can’t reach hands or just have the hands on the back without
binding.
• If the hips aren’t level you could place a blanket under the side of the lower hip
(the side that’s on the floor).
• Practice the legs and the shoulders separately.
34
28. Padmasana Lotus Pose
[puhd-MAAH-suh-nuh]
Benefits:
• Opens the hips, knees and ankles
• Build concentration and focus
• Promotes stillness and relaxation
• Boosts energy
• Good for meditation
Verbal Cues:
• This is an advanced pose and there are many different phases, or places for students to be in
the pose. We’ll discuss these.
• From Sukhasana
• Cradle the right lower leg with the right hand under the calf and the left hand under the foot
with the palm of the hand cradling the foot. Draw the leg into the groin and place the foot in
front of the groin. Repeat the process with the other leg.
This is the most supportive way for the knee in moving into the pose. .
• To exit the pose gently lean into the leg that is on top, lift and cradle in a similar fashion to
slide it to the floor.
• Alternate which leg you use on top to keep the hips balanced.
Adjustments:
• Remind your students of how challenging this pose is and to sit in a place that’s most
comfortable. Not every day is a day for full or even half lotus.
Variations:
Modifications:
• Sit in sukhasana, or half lotus
• Sitting on a blanket can help for tight hips or if the low back in rounding.
• Use blocks underneath the knee(s) if they are feeling pain/strain in the knee joint.
• Practice half lotus seated in a chair.
• Happy baby
29. Bhujangasana Cobra
35
[bhoo-juhn-GAAH-suh-nuh]
Benefits:
• Stretches the abdomen in deeper versions
• Elevates mood
• Promotes scapular stability and strength
Verbal Cues:
• From prone position
• Bring your hands under the shoulders and press your arms into your sides.
• Rest the tops of your feet on the floor and lengthen through the legs.
• Inhale to lift the chest and head away from the floor, exhale and draw your shoulders down
your back.
• To lengthen the spine, press the tailbone towards your feet.
• If you want to go deeper, inhale and lift your chest and head higher away from the floor
using the muscles of the arms.
• Feel the shoulder blades moving down the back and pressing towards one another as the
chest moves forward.
• Keep your hips grounded and continue to breathe deeply.
Adjustments:
• Squat behind the student, place your hands on the front of their shoulders and gently pull
back encouraging the chest to open and torso to slightly lift.
• If the elbows are splaying out gently press them in with your hands.
Variations:
• You can teach as a baby cobra, or regular cobra. In baby cobra they are using the back
muscles to support themselves. In regular cobra they can use the arms to support themselves
in lifting higher. In both variations the hips stay grounded.
Modifications:
• Sphinx pose
• Supine heart opener with blankets
36
30. Ustrasana Camel
Oosh-TRAA-sh-nuh]
Benefits:
• Opens the front body, especially the shoulders and chest
• Lengthens the hip flexors
• Increases energy
Verbal Cues:
• From a kneeling position
• Place your hands on your sacrum and curl the toes to lift the heels (nice option for
newbies).
• Inhale and extend your spine and chest up towards the ceiling.
• Exhale and take your hands back one at a time to the heels.
• Relax your neck and allow your head to release back
• Continue to press the pelvis forward and lift the chest up towards the ceiling.
• Breathe deeply.
• To exit, place the hands back on the sacrum, stabilize through the core, lift the chest and
slowly bring the head back up.
Adjustments:
• If the hips are falling back towards the feet instead of being aligned over the knees use a
strap and place it around the lower ribs. Stand in a lunge like position and gently pull the
student forward.
• Support the students head when they drop it back with your hands.
Variations:
• Deepen the pose by pressing the feet, calves, and knees together
Modifications:
• Instead of taking the hands back to the feet, keep the hands on the sacrum.
• Place blocks back by the heels on their highest side and take the hands there.
• Practice with the thighs pressing against a wall.
• Practice with a blanket under the knees.
32. Dhanurasana Bow
37
[dhuh-noor-AAH-suh-nuh]
Benefits:
• Stretches the front body
• Strengthens the back body
• Opens the chest, shoulders, and throat
• Elevates mood
• Internal organ massage
Verbal Cues:
• From prone position
• Bend the legs and reach the feet towards the bum.
• Reach the arms back and take hold of the outside of the feet or ankles. Press your knees and
legs towards one another.
• Inhale and lift the chest and head off the floor
• Exhale, lift the thighs and press the feet towards the ceiling.
• Inhale and lengthen the crown of your head towards the ceiling
• Exhale, drop the shoulders and press the chest forward.
• Breathe deeply.
• Exhale and release back to the floor
Adjustments:
• If the knees are more than hip width apart, gently press the knees and legs together.
• If a student has a difficult time lifting the shoulders, stand behind them (straddle) and place
your hands on their shoulders and gently lift while rolling the shoulders back.
Modifications:
• Have students practice half bow by lifting one leg at a time.
• If a student can’t reach the feet, have them use a strap and wrap it around the front of the
ankles. They’ll hold the strap and lift up.
• Legs can be bent to 90 degree angle and hands can be pressing into the floor by the hips.
33. Setu Bandhasana Bridge
38
[se-TOO buhn-DHAAH-suh-nuh]
Benefits:
• Opens and expands the chest and shoulders
• Stretches the torso
• Gateway to shoulderstand
• Stretches the hip flexors
• Elevates mood
Verbal Cues:
• From supine
Bend the knees and place the soles of the feet on the floor. Heels are in line with
the sits bones and feet are hip distance wide.
• Place your arms along the sides with the palms pressing down.
• Inhale and lift the hips away from the floor. Continue to lift the hips and
abdomen towards the sky.
• Exhale, walk the shoulders under the back and interlace the fingers under your
back,
• Inhale to continue lifting the hips, navel and chest.
• Exhale and press through the feet and arms.
• Breathe deeply.
• Release the fingers, exhale and slowly roll down.
Adjustments:
• If the knees are rolling out gently press them in.
• Straddle the person’s knees in a standing squat position. Place your hands under
the sacrum area. Lean back and pull their hips up and back.
Variations:
• Lift one leg at a time.
• Use the arms to support the low back
• Reach hands for the ankles
Modifications:
• Use a block under the sacrum for people too weak to support themselves or to
practice as a restorative.
• Place a blanket under the shoulders.
• Use a strap around the upper knees.
39
34. Urdhva Dhanurasana Wheel
[oohr-dhuh-vuh duh-noor-AAH-suh-nuh]
Benefits:
• Strengthens the shoulders, arms, wrists, legs and spine
• Opens the whole front body, especially the abdomen, chest and shoulders
Verbal Cues:
• From supine
• Bend the knees and place the soles of the feet on the floor, hip distance wide.
Bend the arms and place the palms of your hands on the floor by your shoulders with the
fingers pointing towards the toes.
• Inhale, lifting the hips as if you are moving into bridge and place the crown of your head on
the floor.
• Exhale, press your hands and feet down… lift your head and torso off the floor.
• Breathe deeply
• Inhale and feel the heart opening and expanding. Keep the shoulder blades stabilized on the
back.
• Exhale, press the hands down and straighten the arms.
• To release, slowly bring the chin towards the chest and release the back to the floor.
Adjustments:
• If a student has a hard time lifting up, stand behind them and allow them to take hold of
your ankles. Support them around the shoulder blades and assist them in lifting up.
• You can also use a strap around the sacrum to gently lift the hips up. Stand in a lunge like
position with one leg in between theirs. Holding the strap, gently lean back as you lift the
hips up
• Gently press the knees towards one another.
Variations:
• Lift one leg at a time
Modifications:
• Use a block under the hands to experience more of a backbend (this can help someone with
problems with their wrist, or tightness around armpits).
• Use a exercise ball and have your student lay over the ball to feel more supported but still
get many of the benefits of the pose.
40
35. Matsyasana Fish
[muht-see-YAHH-suh-nuh]
Benefits:
• Opens the ribcage and chest
• Strengthens the neck
Verbal Cues:
• From supine position down.
• Inhale and lift your chest and shoulders off the floor, supporting yourself with your arms.
• Exhale, arch the head back and release the crown of your head on the floor.
• Keep the legs active and the toes pointed.
• Continue to lift and expand through the chest.
• There is minimal weight on the head and much of the spinal muscles are doing the work.
• Inhale, lift your head up bringing the chin towards the chest.
• Exhale and release down to the floor.
Adjustments:
Variations:
• Instead of having the hands under the bum, just rest them alongside the body (the arms are
still bent though). After lifting up and dropping the head back you can bring the hands to
41
prayer or for more of a challenge lift the legs and the arms.
Modifications:
• The version I teach is pretty much a modification for the full pose.
• You can use blankets or a bolster underneath the shoulders to relieve the back and use less
effort.
36. Chaturanga Dandasana Four Limbed Staff Pose

[chuh-tour-RUHN-guh duhn-DAAH-suh-nuh]
Benefits:
• Strengthens the arms, shoulders, and wrists
• Promotes scapular stabilization
• Strengthens the abdominal muscles
• Builds confidence and energy
Verbal Cues:
From Plank (utthita chaturanga dandasana – Shoulders aligned over the elbows)
• Exhale, bend at your elbows and create a 90 degree angle with the arms, the upper arms are
parallel to the floor. Hover a few inches above the floor with your body straight as a plank of
wood. Drop to your knees if you need to modify
• Squeeze your elbows into your ribs and draw your shoulders away from your ears.
• Either roll over your toes to Up Dog, or release down and press into Cobra.
Adjustments:
42
• Align the student’s hips in relation to shoulders and knees.
• Gently press the elbows in towards the ribs.
• Draw the shoulders away from the ears.
Variations:
• In plank, lift the legs (one at a time) hip height
• Drop the head and bring knee towards the nose.
• Release to the elbows and practice forearm plank
Modifications:
• Drop to the knees and lower
• Practice at a wall
• Place a block under the pelvis and practice lowering to this parallel position.
37. Bakasana Crow or Crane

[buhk-AAH-suh-nuh]
Benefits:
• Strengthens the arms and wrists
• Strengthens the abdominal muscles
• Stretches the low back
• Builds confidence and energy
Verbal Cues:
43
• From Malasana (squat)
• Place your hands on the floor shoulder width apart and bend your elbows
• Make yourself compact and press your knees into the top inner arms
Fix your gaze in front of your hands
• Lean forward and lift the right foot off the floor. Breathe deeply.
• Place the right foot down and lift the left foot. Slowly lower it back down.
• If you’re feeling comfortable lift both feet. Breathe.
• Work to bring the big toes together and lift your gaze.
• Keep your core (uddiyana bandha) engaged.
• Exhale and slowly release your feet back to the floor.
Adjustments:
• Squat in front of the student and support their shoulders with your hands. This will be
helpful if they fear falling forward.
Variations:
• Side Crow (parsva bakasana)
Modifications:
• Place a block(s) under the feet or forward under the forehead
• Place a blanket in front of the mat (for people fearful of falling forward)
38. Virasana Hero

[veer-AAH-suh-nuh]
44
Benefits:
• Stretches the ankles, knees and thighs
• Good spinal support for meditation
Verbal Cues:
• From kneeling on knees
• Separate the feet a little more than pelvis distance wide
• Reach back and roll your calves out
(this gives knees a little more space to relax)
• Sink your bum to the floor.
• Place your hands on your knees or folded in your lap
• Keep the spine lifted and the chest open.
• Pay close attention to the sensations you are feeling. If you are feeling pain in or around
your knees, lift your bum and place a blanket or block underneath for support.
• Breathe nice and deep.
• To exit, press your hands into the floor and lift the hips to tabletop.
Adjustments:
• If the student is rounding through the spine, kneel behind them and press the knees into the
back and roll the shoulders back.
• Provide any extra support that may be needed
Variations:
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• Walk the hands back and rest in supta virasana.
• Use arms for shoulder stretches (cow face, eagle arms, interlace fingers and stretch the
arms up, etc)
Modifications:
• Place a blanket under the ankles for tight ankles or foot pain
• Place a blanket or block under the bum for knee problems/pain.
• Pose can be modified for most by elevating the sitting surface with blankets and blocks.
39. Navasana Boat
[naah-VAAH-suh-nuh]
Benefits:
• Strengthens the abdominal muscles, hips, and thighs
Verbal Cues:
• From Dandasana (staff pose)
• Bend the legs and place the soles of the feet on the floor
• Use your hands to hold the backs of the leg above the knees.
• Walk the feet back while you recline the torso back to balance on the sits bones.
• Lift the feet off the floor, creating a straight line from the knees to the ankles.
• To move further, continue to stretch the legs up to about eye level.
• Keep the low back lifted and the chest open. The spine stays in neutral.
• If you are feeling comfortable here, stretch your arms forward so they are parallel
Adjustments:
• Kneel behind the student and use your knees to support their low back. Use your hands to
roll the shoulders back.
• Kneels to the side and use one arm to support the legs and the other arm to support the mid
back.
Variations:
• Take hold of the big toes and extend legs up
• Place the hands in prayer and add a twist
• Take the arms back, bend at the elbows and place hands on the back of the head
(like a crunch like position).
Modifications:
• Keep the legs bent and use the hands to support the legs
• Only lift the feet a couple inches from the floor
• Practice core strengthening lying on the back. Bend the legs 90 degrees, engage core, keep
neutral spine and lower the feet forward one at a time.
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40. Salamba Sarvanghasana Shoulder Stand
[sah-LOM-bah sar-van-GAH-suh-nuh]
Benefits
• Stimulates the thyroid
• Stretches the shoulders and neck
• Can relieve stress and mild depression
• Reduces fatigue
• Improves digestion
• Tones the abdominal and leg muscles
Verbal Cues:
• From supine
• Bend your legs and place your heels close to the sits bones.
• Press your arms into the floor and lift your hips, drawing the knees towards the chest.
• Continue to lift the hips and back away from the floor.
• Lay the backs of your upper arms on your mat and place your hands on your back,
• Walk your elbows in so they are shoulder distance wide.
• Continue to lift the hips up, working to bring your pelvis over your shoulders.
• Inhale and slowly lift your legs up towards the ceiling.
• When the legs are fully extended, press through the balls of the big toes.
• Breathe deeply. Try to not collapse through the chest.
• To exit, exhale and slowly bend the legs bringing the knees back towards the chest and
slowly roll the spine back to the floor.
Variations:
• Reach your arms away from the back to the sides of your body.
Modifications:
• Use a wall to support the legs for half shoulder stand.
• You can also place the body in a banana shape position, if there is strain on the neck.
• Practice with a block under the sacrum for support
• Bridge pose
41. Halasana Plow
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[huhl-AAH-suh-nuh]
Benefits:
• Stretches the back and shoulders
• Stimulates the thyroid gland, abdominal organs, and digestion
Verbal Cues:
• From Shoulder Stand
• Exhale and take the legs slowly towards the floor behind you. Flex your feet and release
your toes to the floor
• Your feet may or may not touch the floor.
• Try to keep the torso straight, hips above the shoulders and your legs fully extended.
• With your arms on the floor, interlace your finger and walk the shoulders under to open
through the chest.
• Breathe deeply and try to lift the thighs away from the floor.
• To exit, release your hands to the floor, bend your legs and slowly roll your spine down the
floor. Release your legs all the way to the floor.
Adjustments:
• Stand in a squatting position behind the person’s back. Place your fingers in the crease
made by their bent legs. Lift the hips up and allow them to walk their shoulders under.
46. Shirshasana Headstand
[sheer-SHAAH-suh-nuh]
Benefits:
• Improves circulation
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• Builds strength in the shoulders, neck, abdominals, and upper back.
Verbal Cues:
• From table top
• Place your forearms on the floor in front of your knees. Elbows are shoulder width apart.
• Interlace your fingers, and separate the heels of the hands. Place the hands on the floor in
front of your knees.
• Bend forward and place the crown of your head on the floor.
• Draw your shoulders away from your ears, inviting the neck to lengthen.
• Curl your toes and lift your hips as you would in down dog. Pause here and take a couple
deep breaths. Continue to lengthen al the way through the spine.
• Begin to walk your feet towards your face, feeling the hips aligning over your shoulders.
• When your hips are aligned over your shoulders, bend one leg and bring the knee towards
your chest. Find your balance and breathe.
• If you are comfortable bring the other knee towards your chest.
• Re-establish your balance and take several deep breaths.
• (After consistent practice) Slowly begin to straighten both legs.
• Imagine aligning your body in an upside down Tadasana.
• Press firmly through your elbows.
• To exit, slowly bring your legs to the floor and rest in child’s pose.
Adjustments:
• Make a fist and place it between the student’s knees. Cue them to squeeze your fist. This
will help them to lengthen and be more active in the pose.
Variations:
• Lower the legs halfway (to a “L” shape)
• Open the legs to “V”
• Place legs in lotus
Modifications:
• Practice with a wall
• Practice dolphin
42. Adho Mukha Vrksasana Hand Stand
[uhd-HOE moo-KUH vrick-SHAAH-suh-nuh]

Benefits:
• Strengthens the shoulders, arms, shoulders, and wrists
• Promotes scapular stabilization
• Opens the chest and ribcage
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• Builds overall strength, balance, energy and confidence.
Verbal Cues:
• Come into Down Dog with your fingers about 4-6 inches away from the wall.
• Your hands are shoulder width apart and your arms are straight and strong.
• Draw your shoulders down your back and keep the shoulders broad.
• If you’re uneasy, you’re not alone. Just breathe. J
• Bend the left leg and bring the foot in a step closer. This leg will be bent and the other will
be straight.
• Take a few practice hops. Sweep the right leg up towards the wall and then lift the lift leg
up. Each time you hop, exhale deeply.
• Keep the core muscles, arms and shoulders strong.
• Hopping up and down may be it for today. This is a great place to be. It builds the required
strength and stamina necessary for handstand.
• If you kick your legs to the wall. Imagine finding the alignment of Tadasana.
Reach your tailbone towards your heels, lengthen through your back, and bring your gaze to
the center of the room.
• To exit, take the legs down one at a time.
Adjustments:
• Place fist between students thighs and have them squeeze.
Variations:
• L Hand Stand
Modifications:
• Practice “donkey kicks” against the wall.
• Practice basics of pose in mountain with arms lifted.
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Yoga Lectures
1 The Science of Yoga

1.1 What is Yoga?
 A fashion? An art of living? What is Yoga for you? -Yoga is a life style, a
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complete method for self-realization
 What are the aims of Yoga? - it is a limited aim of gaining just heath benefits and
eliminating diseases, because there is definitely an enormous fiscal benefit
performing asanas but more important and more useful are the mental and the
spiritual benefits.
 The Final Aim of Yoga: to be aware, to be present, self-conscience and to
overcome the limitations of the body. Yoga teaches that the goal of every
individual is to take an inner journey, to the soul. Yoga offers both the goal and
the means to reach it. Only by a perfect harmony between body and soul we can
reach enlightment.
 Mystical and spiritual experience but not an esoteric one: there should be an inner
desire and will, a conscious decision and right intentions.
 The commercialization of Yoga in the western societies - the examination of yoga
from your one prism
 Now Yoga is open to every one. Before you had to be from a Brahman cast and
male to be allowed to study yoga
 Why to practice yoga? To reach, align myself with the divinity, with the supreme
will.
 Yoga reflects your personality. It doesn’t cause spiritual and religious conflicts
and allows you just to be. Balance in yoga -balance in real life. It is proven that it
produces endorphin-the hormone of happiness.
 The teacher is the mirror of the student and vice versa.
1.2 The word Yoga
Yoga is “to join”, connection
1. Tool available to obtain this goal:

o Body: perfectly healthy
o Mind: totally purified, is now contaminated with thoughts
o Intellect that is properly trained
 Yoga practise helps in this evolution; it is a journey of evolution
2. Yoga practices can be used:

o To correct the disorders in the body
o To purify the mind
o To train the intellect
3. Yoga is a science of Personality development:

o Physical condition
o Mental control
o Emotional balance
o Intellectual development
1.3. Featured asanas

Surya Namaskar
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Saludo al sol. It is a ritual, a veneration of the divinity, like the prostrations, it should be done
108 times. It is not part of the Yoga practice. It is like 3 in 1. It is a prayer (Om ram namaha,
ect.); it’s a pranayama and incluyes 12 asanas. Normally it should be performed by itself.
Even of you don’t have time for yoga, do just suryanamaskar.
12 postures, a perfect sequence. A very slow and controlled movement. There are 12
separate asanas but performed with the flow. The duration should be 7 min.
Surya Namaskar Prayer:
Om Mitraaya Namah
Om Ravaye Namah
Om Sooryaya Namah
Om Bhaanave Namah
Om Khagaaya Namah
Om Pooshne Namah
Om Hiranya Garbhaaya Namah
Om Mareechaye Namah
Om Aadityaaya Namah
Om Savitre Namah
Om Arkaaya Namah
Om Bhaaskaraya Namah
Shavasana
Every asana involves some or the other action. But the asana where you don’t do any action
is called as Shavasana. There are three important components of Human existence; these are
body organs, energy supply and mental activity. In Shavasana, one has to stop or reduce the
activity on all these three levels. He has to stop or reduce his physical activity, reduce the
energy requirement by reducing the strain and also reduce the mental activities. Stopping the
physical activity is somewhat easier but stopping the mental activity is extremely difficult.
Benefits of Shavasana
Shavasana is the Asana:
 Which gives you the maximum rest.

 Which gives rest to Respiratory & Circulatory system.
 As the activities of the muscles are reduced, the supply of blood and oxygen to them
eventually reduces.
 In short, because of the less fresh blood requirement, the participation of respiration
system also reduces comparatively.
 Naturally the activities of the respiratory system and blood circulation system are
very slow and thus they get rest.
 Which gives rest to Heart: Pumping of the heart also reduces and heart gets rest. In
general the activities of body are reduced.
 Which gives rest to nervous system & Brain: The activities of nervous system are
also reduced. Hence the brain gets rest when the body relaxes and the breathing is
slower.
 Which makes mind Stable: In turn the mind becomes stable and steady with slow
breathing. So this Asana gives rest to the body as well as the mind.
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1.4. Pranayama - Deep Breathing
Since we want to control the breathing after studying the process or system of respiration, it
is better to try deep breathing as the first state in that direction.
For this, two things are to be considered chiefly:

First, the movements concerned with inhaling and exhaling are to be controlled in order to
further slow down the breathing, at the same time the need of oxygen for the body is to be
lessened, so that the speed of breathing can further, slowdown. it is necessary to keep the
body in the stable and relaxed position. And this is possible in any sitting position of
meditation. However, Padmasana is the best Asana position. The other preferable Asanas in
sitting position are Vajrasana and Swastikasana. But once the Asana is taken up, it should be
blissfully stabilized until the study of breathing is over. Any strain anywhere will cause
distraction in breathing. Therefore the Asana position should be stable and pleasant, while
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doing meditation. The hands should be in Dhyana Mudra. The straight upright position of the
neck, the spine and closed eyes help in attaining concentration without making any
movements. Relax the muscles and concentrate fully on breathing. This is free from any
control. No movement is seen on the chest. It is confined to the movement of the muscles of
the abdomen and the lungs.
Initially one should practice prolonged inhaling and prolonged exhaling. The constant
practice enables the person in having repetition of such prolonged inhaling and exhaling.
Initially equal time should be allotted for inhaling and exhaling. That is, the time given to
inhaling, the same amount of time is given to exhaling. For instance, if inhaling takes four
counts, the same period should be taken for exhaling. The study of deep breathing with equal
time and speed should continue for 10 to 15 minutes without pause.
1.5. Matra to learn

The Ganesh mantra:
Om Gum Ganapataye Namaha (mantra to remove obstacles)
2 The Roots of Yoga

Yoga is a very ancient practice, which originated in India. The word Yoga means Union in
Sanskrit. The description of Yoga in Bhagatvagita is: (6BC)
Yoga is equilibrium in success and failure

Yoga is skillful living among activities
Yoga is the supreme secret of life
Yoga is the producer of greatest happiness
Yoga is affected by self-control
Yoga is non-attachment
Yoga is the destroyer of pain
Yoga is serenity
The earliest evidence of yoga is archeological. 3000BC sculptures, gods in yogic poses.
Long ago the arrival of the Arian tribes in India. God shiva mostly. Yoga teaching: in the
books of Vedas. Upanishads,: When the five senses and the mind are still, and reason itself
rests in silence, then begins the path supreme. This calm steadiness of the senses is called
yoga”. Upanishads means literally, sitting next to: from teacher to students. Yogic
philosophy: karma, Samadhi, the wheel of life, reincarnation. Yoga is described as a
technique for achieving a higher state of awareness. In the 6 BC: the greatest text on yoga
was written. (Part of Mahabharata)-Krishna Anjuna. Yoga is not a religion, it is a self-
development technique. From the beginning of Christianity to Middle Age, Yoga was seen
as a sect. Patanjali-2000 years ago, the yoga sutras, Yogananda, Shivananda, Vivekananda,
Krishnamarichya.
2.1 Yoga schools

Ashtanga. The practice of Ashtanga that's getting mainstream attention today is a fast-paced
series of sequential postures practiced by yoga master K. Pattabhi Jois, who lives in Mysore,
India. Today, yogis continue to spread Jois's teachings worldwide, making it one of the most
popular schools of yoga around. The system is based on six series of asanas which increase
in difficulty, allowing students to work at their own pace. In class, you'll be led nonstop
through one or more of the series.
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Iyengar. From his home in Pune, India, B.K.S. Iyengar reigns as one of the most influential
yogis of his time. At 80 years old, he continues to teach thousands of students from all over
the world, encouraging them to penetrate deeper into the experience of each pose. This is the
trademark of Iyengar Yoga an intense focus on the subtleties of each posture. In an Iyengar
class, poses (especially standing postures) are typically held much longer than in other
schools of yoga, so that practitioners can pay close attention to the precise muscular and
skeletal alignment this system demands. Also specific to Iyengar, which is probably the most
popular type of yoga practiced in the United States, is the use of props, including belts,
chairs, blocks, and blankets, to help accommodate any special needs such as injuries or
structural imbalances.
Sivananda. This yoga practice is based on the philosophy of Swami Sivananda of Rishikesh,
India, who taught disciples to "serve, love, give, purify, meditate, realize." In order to
achieve this goal, Sivananda advocated a path that would recognize and synthesize each level
of the human experience including the intellect, heart, body, and mind. In 1957, his disciple
Swami Vishnu-devananda introduced these teachings to an American audience. A few years
later, Vishnu-devananda founded the International Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centers,
summarizing Sivananda's system into five main principles: proper exercise (asanas); proper
breathing (pranayama); proper relaxation (Savasana); proper diet (vegetarian); and positive
thinking (Vedanta) and meditation (dhyana).
Anusara. Anusara means "to step into the current of divine will." Anusara Yoga is an
integrated approach to hatha yoga in which the human spirit blends with the precise science
of biomechanics. It is a new system of hatha yoga that can be both spiritually inspiring and
yet grounded in a deep knowledge of outer and inner body alignment. It can be
therapeutically effective and physically transformative. Anusara Yoga differentiates itself
from other hatha yoga systems with three key areas of practice: Attitude. The practitioner
balances an opening to grace with an aspiration for awakening to his or her true nature.
Alignment. Each pose is performed with an integrated awareness of all the different parts of
the body. Action. Each pose is performed as an artistic expression of the heart in which
muscular stability is balanced with an expansive inner freedom.
2.2 Types of Yoga

Hatha Yoga. Hatha yoga means the union of the pranic and mental forces. Hatha yoga is
part of Tantra = the tradition of lord Shiva. Hatha yoga starts with asanas while Ashtanga
yoga starts with the Yamas and Niyamas.
HA THA
Pingala (right) Ida (left)
Sun Moon
Body Mind
Represents Prana Represents the mind, the mental energy
Bhakti Yoga. Bhakti is atheYoga of devotion or complete faith. This faith is generally in the
God or supreme consciousness in any of the forms. It may be Lord Rama, Krishna, Christ,
Mohammed, Buddha etc. It may be a Guru for his disciples. Important thing is the person
interested in following this path should have very strong emotional bond with the object of
faith. The flow of emotional energy is directed to this object. Mostly people suppress their
emotions and that often reflects in the form of physical and mental disorders. This Bhakti
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Yoga releases those suppressed emotions and brings the purification of inner self.
Karma Yoga. Yoga of action. The law of karma that every action brings more action; and it
is impossible to avoid action. It is not to act, it is the act itself; Acting detaching from the
results. Not expecting a reward. Action is performing as an offering for the love of God.
Jnana Yoga. Yoga of knowledge and wisdom. It is practice through meditation, reflection
and renunciation. The jnana yogi is a scholar and an asked. It is an intellectual understanding
of the Truth (Divinity).
2.3. Pranayama-Nadi Sodhana
2.4. Matra to learn: Om Purna

Purna means in Sanskrit full, whole, complete and perfect. Everything in our visible and
invisible world is purna. Even if something gets destroyed or removed is still purna
The mantra of the perfect Wholeness:
Om purnam Adah purnam Idam
Purnat Purnam Udachyate
Purnasya Purnam Adaya
Purnam Evavashishyate
3. Anatomy and Physiology of Yoga
3.1. Lecture
(See Human Anatomy and Physiology Presentation)
3.2. Pranayama: wave breathing
3.3. Mantra to learn: The Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra

The Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra is regarded as a healing mantra and moksha mantra. It is
addressed to Shiva and considered as one of the most potent Sanskrit Mantras.
Om. Tryambhakam Yajamahe, Sugandhim Pushtivardhanam, Urvarukamiva Bandhanan,
Mrityor Mukshiya Maamritat
4. Deepening your practice and teaching methodology

4.1. Ashtanga Yoga: the 8 fold Path
 Yamas
 Nymas
 Asanes
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 Pranayama
 Pratyahara
 Dharana
 Dhyana
 Samadhi
4.1.1. Yama: Rules for social discipline
• These are universal laws respected everywhere (laws of Nature)
• These are natural instincts and easy to follow
There are 5 Yamas:
1. Ahimsa: non-violence
2. Satya: truthfulness
3. Asteya: non-stealing
4. Brahmacharya: sexual control
5. Aparigraha: non-possessiveness
“CHITTA VRITTI NIRODHANA”

= the control of mental activities
4.1.2. Niyamas: self discipline

• This is the second component of Ashtanga Yoga
• There are 5 Niyamas:
1. Shaucha: purity
2. Santosha: contentment
3. Tapa: endurance
4. Swadhyaya: self study
5. Ishwara Pranidhana: total surrender to God
4.2. The sound of OM

According to the ancient Indian philosophical text i.e. BHAGAWAD GITA it is said that the
AUM is the representation of the "Brahma" which is the origin and the energy source of the
whole universe. In other words AUM represents God.
AUM is a root of all mantras. "Mantras" is a typical combination of words which affects the
surrounding and human being through the vibrations. These mantras are to be chanted for
enormous number of times to get the results. The results are miraculous. AUM is a mantra
with only one syllable but is the basic mantra. Each and every mantra starts with AUM and
mostly ends with AUM.
OM In Yoga
Patanjali had designed and caste the Science Of Yoga about 2400 years ago (i.e. 400 year
BC) in the form of Yoga Sutras, he had explained AUM in Sanskrit verses (sutras).
Patanjali had explained the definition of God and he explains in the sutra that "AUM
represents God”. He further explains that you can go nearer to God by repeatedly chanting it.
The relation between the name and the form is a subject of research and is the subject of
great discussions in philosophy and all its branches including spiritual, philosophical.
Advantages and effects of Omkar
AUM : Cleansing the mind.
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AUM: Controlling the emotions.
AUM: Improves the concentration.
AUM: Improves the understanding capacity
AUM: Improves the memory.
AUM: Relaxes Physically, Mentally, Emotionally.
AUM: Improves physically mentally and emotionally.
AUM: Charge the surrounding atmosphere.
Systematic Method of Chanting OM

The OM is to be chanted in a most comfortable posture. The OM is to be chanted during
exhalation after deep inhalation. The OM is composed of two vowels A, U & one alphabet
M. The total timing of 10 seconds for chanting of one AUM is divided as follows:
A - 2 seconds
U - 3 seconds
M - 5 seconds
A - is to be pronounced for 2 seconds with open lips (about 6 mm). U - is to be pronounced

for 3 seconds while partially closing the lips. M - is to be pronounced for 5 seconds while
lips completely closed. Complete 1 repetition of AUM is as follows.
1. Deep inhalation in 5 seconds.
2. Exhaling pronounce A for 2 seconds with lips open.
4.3. Pranayama: Aloma-Viloma
This is one of the fundamental types of Pranayam.
4.4. Mantra to learn: Omkar

Omkar bindu sanyuktam niyam dhyantiyoginah, kamadam mokshadam chiva,
omkaraya namo namaha
5. Metaphysical Body and Relaxation Science
5.1. Pranayama Sadhana
What is Pranayama?
PRANA & AYANA

Prana = energy source, vital force behind life activities
Ayana = control
Life = movements (physical, mental, emotional, intellectual, spiritual)
The study of Pranayama is the control over these movements
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Prana stimulates the cells to get the oxygen and glucoses from the blood = energy source
behind all the activity of the body
The mind controls the physical body and the physical and emotional activities: needs energy
for this
= Prana is the energy source for emotions as well
Control of Prana = control of life activities

= Pranayama
Control of Prana is through control of breath

Breathing is a continuous process from birth to death (= indication of life)
Breathing is automatically controlled by our autonomous nervous system
Breathing can be controlled at our will
We can get control over our autonomous nervous system through Pranaymic Practices
5.2. Bandhas
There are three classic bandhas; mula, uddiyana, and jalandhara bandha. When practiced
together they are called tri-bandha. They are practiced together or individually at specific
times during kriya, asana, pranayama, mudra, visualization, dharana (concentration), and
meditation (dhyana) practice. They also occur spontaneously especially in children, but also
in yogis who allow themselves to be moved by the evolutionary transformational intelligent
force, the kundalini.
Mula Bandha: relates mainly to the muscles of the anus, penis and the muscles located
nearby. The muladhar chakra is supposed to be located near penis. Hence this bandh relates
to muladhar chakra and is termed as mulbandh. Also it relates to the base of the spine, this
may be the other reason for naming it as such because 'mul' means root or base.
Uddiyana Bandha Jalandhara Bandha
5.3. Kriyas
1. Dhauti
This is the first and most difficult kriya. It involves swallowing and re-gurgitation a fine
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piece of muslin cloth. I have not tried this practice. My teacher told me that it is prescribed
only in case of serious ailments of the stomach like cancer. This is aimed at cleaning the
mouth, throat and stomach.
2. Neti
This practice involves cleaning up the nasal passages as well as the throat. It can be done
with water (jala-neti), where water is poured into one nostril and it automatically comes out
through the other. A variation is Sutra-neti, where a fine thread is taken inside one nostril and
then pulled out of the mouth through the throat. Other netis are done with milk (dugdha-neti)
or ghee (ghritha-neti). Neti is a pre-requisite for cleaning up the respiratory passages for the
proper practice of pranayam.
3. Nauli
The rectus-abdominii (abdominal column) is churned left and right in this kriya.
4. Agnisar
same as Nauli but contracting the muscles
5. Kapalbhati.
This is a cleanser for the respiratory system, especially the lungs. It involves forceful
breathing in and out repeatedly. The lungs work like the bellows of a blacksmith. The body
is kept in different positions for different effects.
5.4. Pranayama: Kapalbhati-The Breath of Fire

5.5. Mantra to learn: Om Namah Shivaya
Om Namah Shivaya Gurave
Satchidananda Murtaye
Nishprapanchaya Shantaya
Niralambaya Tejase
6. Yoga as a Therapy
6.1. Ayurveda in Nutshell
Each and every person in this Universe should be disease free. No one should remain sick
and ill. Every person's life should be health. Ayurveda, the ancient Indian science is
originated from one of the four divisions of "Vedas" i.e. 'Atharva Veda`. Ayurveda has
honorable, holistic background of Indian culture. Ayurveda, the science of life. Ayurveda,
the science of medical truths from ancient India based on science, religion and philosophy.
The basic aim of ayurveda is to maintain health of the healthy. And to free every person of
the world disease free. Ayurveda is "Sanskrit Word " "Ayu" means life span. Ayu means
composition of body, soul and mind. Physio - Chemical basis (five elements of nature which
are present in body) is 'Ayu'. Ayu means your living body. The 'Veda' means science, which
describes about 'Ayu '.
Time / Period of Origin: This is most ancient and rich science in the history of human being.
Period of Veda - certainly 4000 B.C. to 6000 B.C.Golden period - Gautam Buddha (483
B.C.)School of thoughts1. Atreya - 1000 B.C.2. Agnivesha - 1000 B.C.The treatise written
by Agnivesha on Ayurvedic medicine is cretisized by charaka so it is called as "Treatise of
Charaka ". Sushrut, Charaka, Bharadvaj, Kashyap, the pillers of Ayurveda carried out the
good work on earlier. There are 3 types of personalities or three doshas: Kapha, Vata, Pitta
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6.2. The nadis
Nadi = de physic passage of the Pranic energy, a wire of energy
Prana is the life force
There are 7200 nadis in our body, the three most important ones are Pingala (right), Ida (left)
and Sushumna
The kundalini prana rises through Sushumna nadi
Left side of spinal cord Right side of spinal cord

Ida Pingala
Lunar Solar
Moon, female Sun, male
Shakti (energy) Shiva (consciousness)
Mental activities Pranic activities (physical)
Parasympathetic nervous system Sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight)
(relaxation)
Connection to right hemisphere of the Connection to left hemisphere of the brain
brain
Cold Hot
Auspicious, smooth & virtuous Rough, non virtuous
Bright fortnight Dominance during dark fortnight
Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Monday Sunday, Saturday, Tuesday
Zodiac signs during Lunar flow: Tauras, Zodiac signs during solar flow: Aries,
Cancer, Virgio, Scorpio, Capricorn, Aquarius, Libra, Gemini, Sagittarius, Leo
Pisces
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6.3. The chakras
Muladhara (Sanskrit: Mūlādhāra) Base or Root Chakra (ovaries/prostate)
Swadhisthana (Sanskrit: Svādhiṣṭhāna) Sacral Chakra (last bone in spinal cord *coccyx*)
Manipura (Sanskrit: Maṇipūra) Solar Plexus Chakra (navel area)
Anahata (Sanskrit: Anāhata) Heart Chakra (heart area)
Vishuddha (Sanskrit:, Viśuddha) Throat Chakra (throat and neck area)
Ajna (Sanskrit: Ājñā) Brow or Third Eye Chakra (pineal gland or third eye)
Sahasrara (Sanskrit: Sahasrāra) Crown Chakra (Top of the head; 'Soft spot' of a newborn)
Kundalini is a sleeping energy atthe base of the spine. It does not exist on a physical level
Chakras are whirlpools of Kundalini energy, energy locations, evolution of level of mind.
6.4. Pranayama: Brahmari

= humming bee breath
Inhalation sounds like the male honey bee
Exhalation sounds like the female honey bee
This Pranayama practise had a soothing effect on the mind
6.5. Mantra to learn: Durge Smrita-To eliminate poverty and all kinds of sorrows.
DURGE SMRITA HARASI BHITIM ASHESHA JANTOH SWASTHAIH SMRITAA
MATI MATEEVA SHUBHAM DADAASI DAARIDRAYA DUKH BHAYA HAARINI
KA TWADANYAA SARV UPAKAAR KARANAAYA SADAARDA CHITTAA
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6.7. Meditation on the chakras
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Selected Articles
Here Comes the Sun

That most familiar of asana sequences, Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutation) is as rich in
symbolic and mythic overtones as it is in physical benefits.
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By Richard Rosen
In many cultures, light has long been a symbol of consciousness and self-illumination. "The
world begins with the coming of light," wrote Jungian analyst Erich Neumann in The
Origins and History of Consciousness (Princeton University Press, 1995). "Opposition
between light and darkness has informed the spiritual world of all peoples and molded it into
shape."
Our primary source of light is, of course, the sun. When we look at our closest star, we may
see nothing more than a big yellow ball. But for thousands of years, the Hindus have revered
the sun, which they call Surya, as both the physical and spiritual heart of our world and the
creator of all life itself. That's why one of Surya's many other appellations is Savitri (the
Vivifier), who, according to the Rig Veda, "begets and feeds mankind in various manners"
(III.55.19). Moreover, since everything that exists originates from the sun, as Alain DaniŽlou
wrote in The Myths and Gods of India (Inner Traditions, 1991), it "must contain the
potentiality of all that is to be known." For the Hindus, the sun is the "eye of the world"
(loka chakshus), seeing and uniting all selves in itself, an image of and a pathway to the
divine.
One of the means of honoring the sun is through the dynamic asana sequence Surya
Namaskar (better known as Sun Salutation). The Sanskrit word namaskar stems from namas,
which means "to bow to" or "to adore." (The familiar phrase we use to close our yoga
classes, namaste—te means "you"—also comes from this root.) Each Sun Salutation begins
and ends with the joined-hands mudra (gesture) touched to the heart. This placement is no
accident; only the heart can know the truth.
The ancient yogis taught that each of us replicates the world at large, embodying "rivers,
seas, mountains, fields...stars and planets...the sun and moon" (Shiva Samhita, II.1-3). The
outer sun, they asserted, is in reality a token of our own "inner sun," which corresponds to
our subtle, or spiritual, heart. Here is the seat of consciousness and higher wisdom (jnana)
and, in some traditions, the domicile of the embodied self (jivatman).
It might seem strange to us that the yogis place the seat of wisdom in the heart, which we
typically associate with our emotions, and not the brain. But in yoga, the brain is actually
symbolized by the moon, which reflects the sun's light but generates none of its own. This
kind of knowledge is worthwhile for dealing with mundane affairs, and is even necessary to
a certain extent for the lower stages of spiritual practice. But in the end, the brain is
inherently limited in what it can know and is prone to what Patanjali calls misconception
(viparyaya) or false knowledge of the self.
History and PracticeThere's some disagreement among authorities over the origins of Sun
Salutation. Traditionalists contend that the sequence is at least 2,500 years old (perhaps even
several hundred years older), that it originated during Vedic times as a ritual prostration to
the dawn, replete with mantras, offerings of flowers and rice, and libations of water. Skeptics
of this dating maintain that Sun Salutation was invented by the raja of Aundh (a former state
in India, now part of Maharashtra state) in the early 20th century, then disseminated to the
West in the 1920s or 1930s.
However old Sun Salutation is, and whatever it may originally have looked like, many
variations have evolved over the years. Janita Stenhouse, in Sun Yoga: The Book of Surya
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Namaskar (Innerspace Map Studio, 2001), illustrates two dozen or so adaptations (though
several are quite similar). Our sequence here consists of 12 "stations" composed of eight
different postures, the last four being the same as the first four but performed in reverse
order. In this sequence, we'll start and end in Tadasana. (Station 12, not pictured, is the same
as station 1 on p. 91).
The eight basic postures, in order of performance, are Tadasana (Mountain Pose), Urdhva
Hastasana (Upward Salute), Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend), Lunge, Plank Pose,
Chaturanga Dandasana (Four-Limbed Staff Pose), Urdhva Mukha Svanasana (Upward-
Facing Dog Pose), and Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward-Facing Dog Pose).
The transition from posture to posture is facilitated by either an inhalation or an exhalation.

As you move through the sequence, watch your breath closely. Slow your pace or stop and
rest entirely if your breathing becomes labored or shuts down altogether. Always breathe
through your nose, not your mouth: Nasal breathing filters and warms incoming air and
slows your breathing down, thereby lending the sequence a meditative quality and reducing
the risk of hyperventilation.
To perform the sequence, start in Tadasana, with your hands together at your heart. Inhale
and lift your arms overhead to Urdhva Hastasana, then exhale while lowering the arms down
and fold your torso into Uttanasana. Then inhale, arch your torso into a slight backbend with
the fingertips or palms pressed to the floor or blocks, and exhale while bringing your left foot
back into a lunge. Inhale forward to Plank, then exhale and lower yourself into Chaturanga
Dandasana. On an inhalation, arch your torso up as you straighten your arms into Upward
Dog. Exhale back to Downward Dog; step the left foot forward on an inhalation into Lunge.
Swing the right leg forward to Uttanasana on an exhalation, then lift your torso and reach
your arms overhead on an inhalation to Urdhva Hastasana. Finally, lower your arms on an
exhalation and return to your starting point, Tadasana.
Remember, this is only a half-round; you'll need to repeat the sequence, switching left to
right and right to left to complete a full round. If you're just starting out, it might help to
work on the poses individually before you put them together. (Visit www.YogaJournal.com
for more how-to information.)
Many of the variations of Sun Salutation begin in Tadasana with the sacred hand gesture
mentioned earlier. Most students know it as Anjali Mudra (Reverence Seal), but—in honor
of the ancient yogis—I like to call it by one of its other names, Hridaya Mudra (Heart Seal).
Touch your palms and fingers together in front of your chest and rest your thumbs lightly on
your sternum, with the sides of the thumbs pressing lightly on the bone about two-thirds of
the way down. Be sure to broaden your palms and press them against each other evenly, so
your dominant hand doesn't overpower its nondominant mate. The pressing and spreading of
the palms helps to firm the scapulas against, and spread them across, your back torso.
Since the sequence is, in essence, a humble adoration of the light and insight of the self, it's
essential to practice Sun Salutation in a spirit of devotion and with your awareness turned
always inward toward the heart. Make each movement as mindful and precise as possible,
especially as you near the end of your rounds, when fatigue can lead to sloppiness.
Deepening the PracticeThe sequence itself is fairly straightforward, but beginning students
often stumble in two parts of it. The first of these is Chaturanga Dandasana: Lowering from
Plank, students who lack sufficient strength in the arms, legs, and lower belly commonly
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wind up in a heap on the floor. The short-term solution is simply to bend the knees to the
floor just after Plank, then lower the torso down so that the chest and chin (but not the belly)
lightly rest on the floor.
The second sticky part is in stepping the foot forward from Downward-Facing Dog back into
Lunge. Many beginners are unable to take the full step smoothly and lightly; typically, they
thump their foot heavily on the floor about halfway to the hands, then struggle to wriggle it
the rest of the way forward. This is a consequence both of tight groins and a weak belly. The
short-term solution is to bend the knees to the floor right after Downward Dog, step the foot
forward between the hands, then straighten the back knee into Lunge.
Success with Sun Salutation, as with all aspects of yoga practice, depends on commitment
and regularity. An everyday practice would be best, but you might at first aim for four times
a week. If possible, don't skip more than a couple of days in a row, or you might end up back
at square one.
Traditionally, Sun Salutation is best performed outdoors, facing east-the location of the
rising sun, a symbol of the dawn of consciousness and jnana. This might be a perfect wake-
up routine in India, where it's usually warm outside, but it's probably not feasible in
Michigan in late December. Nowadays, Sun Salutation is used mostly as a preliminary
warm-up for an asana session. I do 10 to 12 rounds at the start of every practice—or after a
few hip and groin openers—and a few more on each equinox and solstice to acknowledge
the change in the light. On days when only a quickie practice is possible, an intense 10-
minute Sun Salutation and five minutes spent in Savasana (Corpse Pose) will do you just
fine.
Launch your practice slowly with three to five rounds, gradually building up to 10 or 15. If
this seems like a lot, remember that the traditional number of rounds is 108, which may take
you more than a few weeks to work up to. You can pace the sequence briskly to generate
heat and cleanse the body-mind, or more moderately to create a moving meditation.
If you're looking for a more vigorous Sun Salutation, consider the approach of the vinyasa
traditions such as K. Pattabhi Jois-style Ashtanga Yoga, which uses a jumping version of
Sun Salutation to link the individual poses in their fixed series.
Variations of Sun Salutation are legion, and because of the sequence's malleability, it's easy
enough to cook up a few of your own. For instance, you can make things more challenging
by adding one or more poses: Insert Utkatasana (Chair Pose) after Urdhva Hastasana, or
from Lunge, keeping your hands on the floor, straighten the forward leg to a modified
Parsvottanasana (Side Stretch Pose). Let your imagination run wild and have fun.
Richard Rosen, a YOGA JOURNAL contributing editor.
Find Serenity in Savasana

Reward yourself every day by taking a 15-minute break for real relaxation.
By Judith Hansen Lasater
I was slumped on the floor of a dressing room in a large department store at 7:40 p.m.
watching my teenage daughter try on what seemed like the 5,000th pair of jeans. It was
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taking "for ev-vah," as she would say, and I was really tired. But more than that, I felt
confused, like the protagonist in some bad dream, endlessly running from task to task. What
was I doing here? Why wasn't I home resting after a full day of teaching, writing, cooking,
and driving kids around? For that matter, why do so many of us avoid taking a nice,
delicious break every day?
The answer is complex, both in my life and, I'm guessing, in yours too. First, our days are
full of tasks, appointments, and errands. Second, statistics show that we are working longer
hours and bringing more work home with us than ever before. Technology has given us
certain freedoms, but it has also enabled us to work all the time. It's now easy to check a
bank balance online at 1 a.m. or make that little business call from the car.
My favorite sign of overload is when I'm rushing around and I call from my cell phone to my
home answering machine to leave myself a message about something that I absolutely must
do that day—very efficient. I believe I'm not alone in this behavior; it seems we are all on
overload much of the time.
What's the result of this constant busyness? We're tired and stressed out. I recently asked my
yoga students to raise their hands if they had been stressed-out during the previous week. I
got a near-universal show of hands and some incredulous looks. Why wouldn't they be
stressed-out? We now expect to be.
It should be noted that stress isn't always a bad thing. In fact, it's a necessary physiological
response when we perceive a threat. Take the example of a stranger following you down a
dark alleyway—when you sense danger, your body responds by activating the sympathetic
nervous system, also known as the fight-or-flight response, and bringing you to a hyperalert
state, ready to respond. (For a more detailed description of these physiological effects, see
"This Is Your Body on Stress".) But when the body habitually and unnecessarily goes into
this state day after day, our health suffers. Chronic stress can interfere with digestion, sleep,
libido, fertility, and more.
What strategies can we adopt—aside from chucking everything and moving to a hidden
paradise—to ease this sense of impatience and exhaustion? How can we quell the feeling that
there are too many things to do and not enough time to do them?
Resting in Personal Paradise
I propose a formal relaxation period of 15 to 30 minutes per day, every day, in Savasana
(Corpse Pose). Not only is Savasana (pronounced sha-VAH-suh-nuh) central to all traditions
of hatha yoga, but it can be done with very little fuss. You can choose a simple version with
very few props or a luxurious, fully propped, "Calgon, take me away" version.
Savasana used to be part of every yoga class. Sadly, I now hear from students that teachers
skip it and recommend "doing it later." Or I hear that some teachers do Savasana for five
minutes. They may not know that it takes at least 15 minutes to relax deeply. In some
countries, there is a siesta every day. I vote for a daily siesta in the form of Savasana.
There are many excuses for not practicing Savasana, and I've heard them all. Do it anyway!
But first, you might need to reconsider how you think about time. The one thing most people
say about time is that there is not enough. Here's a radical thought: Everyone who is alive in
the world has exactly the same amount of time each day. Some have more education, some
have more wealth, some are in better health, but everyone has the same amount of time. It is
how you use that time, and how you perceive the amount of time you have, that can increase
or decrease stress.
The fact is, you might have to give up that TV sitcom or resist talking on the phone
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rehashing the same old thing, but if you assess the different time slots in your day, you'll find
room for at least 15 minutes of do-nothing rejuvenation.
Savasana Strategies
Some people like to practice Savasana first thing in the morning as part of a regular yoga
practice. Others use it as a midafternoon break instead of drinking a cup of coffee. Still
others like to rest briefly when they get home from work, before the evening's activities
begin. Find a time that works best for you and practice at the same time every day. Also,
consider using a timer. I find that a timer allows me to fully relax without worrying that I'll
end up lying in Savasana for hours, unable to get up and finish my day.
Think of practicing Savasana each day as a gift to yourself, your family, and the world.
Taking a restorative break every day will not only make you feel better, it will likely make
you more enjoyable to be around. When you're relaxed, you're less likely to overreact in the
face of difficulty. A well-rested, balanced person is more likely to make choices that will
affect the world in a positive way.
A Simple Setup
Here's more good news: Everything you need for Savasana can be found lying around the
house. The basic form of Savasana requires only a quiet space, a comfortable surface to lie
on, and a couple of props. (On days when you have the time, treat yourself to a more
elaborate setup of Savasana, like the one on page 56, which is especially restorative for the
lower back.) For the basic pose, you'll need a support for your head, such as a small pillow or
folded blanket, and a rolled blanket or large pillow to support the backs of your knees. For
extra relaxation, I recommend a soft cover for your eyes and another blanket to keep you
warm; you can also wear socks.
Lie down on your back. Place the small pillow or folded blanket underneath your head so the
neck is well supported and the chin drops below the level of the forehead. Take a moment to
relax the legs and let them fall open. With the palms facing up, spread the arms away from
your body so the upper arms do not touch the sides of your rib cage. You should have an
expansive feeling, as if you are taking up as much space in the room as possible.
Set your timer for 15 or 20 minutes (you can work up to 30), cover your eyes, and lie back.
Take up to 20 steady, even breaths, gradually increasing the inhalations and exhalations.
Then completely let go; release any controlled breathing, allow your body to drop into the
floor, and observe your thoughts without reacting to them, as if they were clouds drifting
past you in the sky. When you hear the timer, exhale and bend your knees to your chest. Roll
to one side, letting the eye cover fall off by itself, and use your arms to sit up slowly.
Savasana as Stress Management
If you stay in Savasana long enough, you will eventually experience three different stages of
the pose. The first is what I call physiological relaxation; it takes most people about 15
minutes. At first, you might feel like the mind is still revved up and attached to thoughts,
feelings, and muscular movement. But gradually, the brain waves and the breath slow down,
and the blood pressure drops.
As the mind and body unwind, the real Savasana can begin. During this second stage,
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awareness of the outside world begins to dim. You might hear sounds, but they won't disturb
you. Instead, everything will start to drift farther and farther away.
In my opinion, the second stage is the most healing for the body and comforting to the mind.
A high school student once described Savasana to me as, "Your body sleeps and your mind
watches." I like this description, because the mind never completely quiets down, but as you
loosen your identification with the physical body, you can disconnect from the constant whirl
of thoughts. Then you can simply witness them, just as you would notice the rising and
falling of your chest with the breath. As this happens, you'll feel more at ease and willing to
be where you are.
The final state of Savasana occurs when the mind completely lets go. It is thought that the
brain waves slow down to their lowest frequency. You will feel disconnected from the
outside world until the timer rings or your teacher's voice brings you back to the present.
Give yourself time to drop into at least the second stage every day. Some days you will
receive the third state as a gift, but don't worry if you don't. Just keep practicing and it will
evolve.
I sometimes ask my yoga students if they think the world might be a better place if everyone
practiced Savasana every day. The unanimous answer is always yes. So let Savasana begin
with you, today. Instead of thinking of it as an unimportant finishing pose that isn't really
necessary, think of your active yoga practice as a preparation for the real, deep yoga of
Savasana.
Judith Hanson Lasater, Ph.D., is a physical therapist who has taught yoga since 1971.
Discover Your Dosha.

Analyzing everything from teeth and nails to temperament and sleep habits can help you
identify your Ayurvedic constitution. Select the trait under each category that most applies to
you. (A) responses correspond to vata, (b) to pitta, and (c) to kapha. When you are finished,
calculate your results to discover your dominant constitution.
Height
1. Tall or very short
2. Medium
3. Usually short, but can be tall and large
Frame
• Thin, bony, good muscles
• Moderate, developed
• Large, well-built
Weight
a. Low; hard to hold weight
b. Moderate
c. Heavy; hard to lose weight
Skin Luster
a. Dull or dusky
b. Ruddy, lustrous
c. White or pale
Skin Texture
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a. Dry, rough, thin
b. Warm, oily
c. Cold, damp, thick
Eyes
a. Small, nervous
b. Piercing, easily inflamed
c. Large, white
Hair
a. Dry, thin
b. Thin, oily
c. Thick, oily, wavy, lustrous
Teeth
a. Crooked, poorly formed
b. Moderate, bleeding gums
c. Large, well-formed
Nails
a. Rough, brittle
b. Soft, pink
c. Soft, white
Joints
a. Stiff, crack easily
b. Loose
c. Firm, large
Circulation
a. Poor, variable
b. Good
c. Moderate
Appetite
a. Variable, nervous
b. High, excessive
c. Moderate but constant
Thirst
a. Low, scanty
b. High
c. Moderate
Sweating
a. Scanty
b. Profuse but not enduring
c. Low to start but profuse
Stool
a. Hard or dry
b. Soft, loose
c. Normal
Urination
a. Scanty
b. Profuse, yellow
c. Moderate, clear
Sensitivities
a. Cold, dryness, wind
b. Heat, sunlight, fire
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c. Cold, damp
Immune Function
a. Low, variable
b. Moderate, sensitive to heat
c. High
Disease Tendency
a. Pain, inflammation
b. Fever, edema
c. Congestion
Disease Type
a. Nervous
b. Blood, liver
c. Mucous, lungs
Activity
a. High, restless
b. Moderate
c. Low, moves slowly
Endurance
a. Poor, easily exhausted
b. Moderate but focused
c. High
Sleep
a. Poor, disturbed
b. Variable
c. Excessive
Dreams
a. Frequent, colorful
b. Moderate, romantic
c. Infrequent, disturbed
Memory
a. Quick but absent-minded
b. Sharp, clear
c. Slow but steady
Speech
a. Fast, frequent
b. Sharp, cutting
c. Slow, melodious
Temperament
a. Nervous, changeable
b. Motivated
c. Content, conservative
Positive Emotions
a. Adaptability
b. Courage
c. Love
Negative Emotions
a. Fear
b. Anger
c. Attachment
Faith
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a. Variable, erratic
b. Strong, determined
c. Steady but slow to change
Totals
a. ____
b. ____
c. ____
When you are finished, calculate your results to discover your dominant constitution. (A)
responses correspond to vata, (b) to pitta, and (c) to kapha.
Yoga for Your Dosha

Does your yoga class not feel quite right? It could be because it's not a good match with your
Ayurvedic dosha.
By Stacie Stukin
I am doing my umpteenth Chaturanga Dandasana at the Dancing Shiva Studio in Los

Angeles and I am sweating—a lot. The room has beautiful, dark beechwood floors, the
natural light is seductive, and soothing chants play in the background. However, I don't like
any of it. The aggravation of saltwater running down my face is precisely why I never follow
my friends, who enthusiastically tout spinning to nowhere on a stationary bike. This is also
why I generally don't take vinyasa yoga classes. They leave me feeling agitated and surly. I
used to think my aversion to heat-inducing exercise was a personal failure. But right now,
the thermostat is turned up and as I continue to swelter this August afternoon, the clichéd
lightbulb turns on in my head. I realize that not only am I susceptible to vata imbalances but
that I'm also having a very pitta day. This means I am completely ruined because I'm in a
kapha-stimulating yoga class.
If the words "vata, pitta, and kapha" mean absolutely nothing to you, then I completely
understand where you are coming from. As I, too, was once ignorant that these Ayurvedic
terms—which describe archetypal body characteristics as well as their tendency toward
specific strengths, weaknesses, and imbalances—had direct links to my yoga practice.
Certainly, thanks to Deepak Chopra and my interest in complementary medicine, I was
somewhat familiar with the basic tenets of Ayurvedic medicine, but I never knew it had deep
ties to yoga. In fact, most Ayurvedic scholars agree that you really cannot practice one
without the other.
"They have been sister sciences since the beginning in ancient India," explains David
Frawley, Ayurvedic expert and an author of several books on the subject, who directs the
New Mexico-based American Institute for Vedic Studies as well. "They comprise a whole
system of human development where yoga is the more spiritually-oriented practice and
Ayurveda deals with therapy and treatment for the physical body as well as the mind."
In his latest book, Yoga for Your Body Type: An Ayurvedic Approach to Your Asana
Practice (Lotus Press, 2001), Frawley and his coauthor, Sandra Summerfield Kozak, take
this point further: "The interface between self-healing and self-realization is the union
between yoga and Ayurveda."
Understanding DoshasAyurveda means "the wisdom of life" in Sanskrit, and the science
links the rhythms of the universal elements—earth, fire, air, water, and space—to individual
constitutions called doshas. The three dosha types are vata, pitta, and kapha, and while
people all have some of each, generally, a person tends to have an abundance of one or a
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predominant combination of two.
Vata types are connected to the air and space, so they are similar to the wind—dry, cool, and
capable of fast, unpredictable movement and thought. Pittas are aligned with fire, influenced
by air, and act with intense determination. Finally, kaphas are a combination of earth and
water, move slowly and gracefully, and tend to be both stable and loyal.
These doshic constitutions, known as prakruti, are determined at the moment of conception,
according to Ayurveda. But doshas are like anything in life; they are fluid and affected by
circumstance, emotion, or even the seasons. So on that August afternoon when Mas Vidal,
the director of Dancing Shiva Studio, led his class through what he calls a "Veda Yoga"
class, designed to reduce kapha, I was essentially doing the exact opposite of what I actually
needed at that moment.
Let me explain: Since I am primarily a vata person with a dash of pitta, I'm best served by a
slow, grounding practice that cools my heat and brings me out of the air and back to the
earth. Then there's also a unique external circumstance that further aggravated my vata. The
previous day, I had left New York City at 7 a.m. on a flight home to Los Angeles. Already
being someone who tends to be a bit flighty, I had literally just been in the air travelling at
mind-boggling speeds, and in addition, the heat of the day had aggravated my pitta, which
fueled my tendency to push myself too hard. As Vidal encouraged the kapha folks to keep
moving to produce the heat that would give them momentum to counterbalance their
predisposition toward inertia, I was soaring in the ether like a whirling dervish propelled by a
ball of fire.
No wonder I was upset. I felt like the Tasmanian Devil. During Savasana (Corpse Pose), I
began cursing Vidal, who is actually charming, kind, and compassionate. But in the moment
I could not see that. In fact, after the class, as I drove to meet friends for dinner, I began to
experience the stomach cramping that occasionally plagues me. Guess what happens when
your vata gets out of balance? There's a tendency toward gas and stomach pain. And when
your pitta flares? It will spawn anger and irritability.When the kapha folks get out of whack,
inertia rules and lethargy and lack of motivation keep them from moving forward.
It's precisely these connections among the doshas, physiology, and psychology, that inspire
teachers like Mas Vidal to be mindful of how asana affects the individual and vice versa. The
classes at Dancing Shiva are specifically designed to accommodate doshic tendencies.
"The key to Ayurveda is that it teaches us how to approach our practice in a specific way,"
Vidal says. "It's different for each individual, so they will reach their doshic balance in
different ways." Vidal assists his students by continually educating them and helping them to
incorporate other techniques into their yoga practice, such as utilizing aromatherapy for each
dosha. At the end of his kapha class, as everyone is resting in final relaxation, he circulates
through the room with a spray bottle and sprinkles a mist of eucalyptus-scented water on his
students because, he explains, "Eucalyptus energizes and opens the lungs. Kapha types often
tend to suffer from asthma and extra mucus." For fiery pittas, a spritz of calming and cooling
lavender does the trick, while vatas benefit from jasmine and rose.
The Yoga-Ayurveda ConnectionAcross the states in New York, Sarah Tomlinson and
Gandharva Sauls are also exploring the link between Ayurveda and yoga. They founded the
Ayurveda-Yoga Institute (www.ayurvedayogainstitute.com), and they base their teaching on
the work of Sauls's mentor, Edward Tarabilda, who wrote the book Ayurveda
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Revolutionized: Integrating Ancient and Modern Ayurveda (Lotus Press, 1997).
Tarabilda, who passed away in 1999, developed an Ayurvedic system called the Astrology of
the Eight Fields of Living, which classifies doshas and determines the planets that rule
different areas in your life, such as career, health, spiritual path, creativity, and relationships,
and discovers how a body type is out of balance. As in traditional astrology, Sauls creates a
life blueprint using a person's date, time, and place of birth and presents his findings during a
private consultation.
Then the yogic counseling begins with Tomlinson. A member of the first group of
Jivamukti-trained teachers, Tomlinson slowly phased out her Ashtanga practice after a
consultation with Sauls. She was 20 pounds heavier, and even in spite of her aggressive
practice, she could not shed the extra weight. When Sauls told her that she had a tendency
for vata imbalances, she cut back on the vigorous, athletic style yoga, began adhering to
some of the dietary tenets of Ayurveda, and incorporated more forward bends and relaxing
postures into her yoga practice. The pounds then came off without much effort.
Tomlinson applies what she has learned from her own personal experience to both her
private and her public teaching. After looking through the papers and manuscripts that
Tarabilda left behind, she found a series of 21 poses he recommended that are not only
linked to the doshas but also linked to the planets and the gunas. The three gunas in
Ayurveda are the same as the gunas of yoga. They are another level of archetypes that define
basic human psychological states: sattva (balance), rajas (aggression), and also tamas
(inertia). Of course, everyone strives for sattva, but in life, as in yoga practice, we need to
incorporate the other two to be whole. So from here she creates a yogic prescription that
incorporates pranayama, asana, and the occasional chanting. Ultimately, for Tomlinson, the
key to achieving doshic balance is the approach you take to your practice.
Adapting the Poses When Tomlinson and I begin discussing the way that I should be
incorporating Urdhva Dhanurasana (Upward-Facing Bow Pose) into my practice, she advises
that I should do it several times but only hold it for a few breaths. "Keeping the movement
compact and doing it in fluid repetition is relaxing for vata," she advises. "For the kapha
person I recommend holding the pose for up to 20 breaths, then it becomes much more
energizing. If someone with more vata imbalance did that, he or she would become dizzy
and disoriented."
I then reveal to her how much I happen to enjoy doing balancing poses. "That makes perfect
sense," she says. "Balancing is very integrating, and this is especially true for vatas. These
particular poses make them become aware of the top of their head all the way down to the
bottom of their feet. It helps them become more grounded."
People with different doshic constitutions take class together all of the time, but according to
Frawley, students with Ayurvedic knowledge can adapt a class to their personal needs
through attitude and intention. "If everyone did their asana the exact same way, it would be
like everyone taking the same medicine," he explains. "Vatas should practice slowly and
deliberately. Kaphas need to challenge themselves more, and pittas need to relax and to
avoid overheating," he also explains. "What you do in your yoga practice is basically just a
preparation for the work that you do on your life force. According to Ayurvedic principle,
the connection between our state of mind and our physical posture is the ultimate expression
of our psychological energy."
93
Teaching AidThis raises an intriguing challenge for yoga teachers. As more teachers
become well versed in Ayurveda's ties to yoga, they are beginning to look at their students in
a different way. Patricia Hansen has been teaching yoga for some 35 years and studying
Ayurveda with Vasant Lad since 1983. Alhough she doesn't teach dosha-specific classes like
Vidal, she does incorporate this knowledge into her teaching style. "It is just an extra
awareness I have developed," Hansen comments. "I look at the way the students hold their
bodies as well as the way they approach asana." And just as teachers might make seasonal
adjustments by not teaching the same way in summer as they do in winter, classes take on
doshic personalities and require different treatment.
"Sometimes I will walk into the room and find that everyone is very animated; they're
climbing the walls," she explains. "That could be vata or pitta agitation. So right off the bat, I
might try chanting and some mudra work."
Many yoga teachers will agree a well-rounded practice is tridoshic by nature and can
accommodate any constitution or imbalance. "If you incorporate forward bends and
backbends, twisting and standing poses, pranayama, chanting, as well as inversion, that's the
key," says Hansen. "However the real high point of the class should be Savasana. That's
where the real doshic integration takes place. Also, the essence of any practice is the attitude
of the student."
With all this in mind, I've come back to Dancing Shiva—this time for a vata-balancing class.
As I lie on my mat in a long, deep Savasana, I feel quite divine. But don't get me wrong:
There are times when I crave a really sweaty, intense flow class. Those are generally days
when my kapha flares. So the time, like my dosha, has to be right. But at this moment Vidal
has just sprayed me with rose water, and the worries of the day evaporate like the aromatic
mist that surrounds me.
Stacie Stukin is a contributing editor for Yoga Journal. She works at balancing her
doshas from her home in Los Angeles, California.
94
Yoga Glossary
95
TERMS DESCRIPTION
Abhyasa practice - the act of practicing

Acharya teacher
Adwaita a philosophy according to which there is no duality - only a singular state of
consciousness
Agni fire
Agnisar kriya one of the shatkarmas (cleansing practices) -intestinal cleansing
Aham ego
Ahimsa non-violence, non-injury - one of the yamas of ashtanga yoga
Ajapa japa spontaneous repetition of 'soham' mantra
Ajna chakra energy center located behind the forehead, also called psychic centre - one of the
seven energy centers
Akasha ether, space
Anahata chakra energy center located in the heart region; also called pranic centre - fourth of the
seven energy centers.
Ananda bliss, ecstasy
Antar inner, internal
Antar dhauti internal yoga cleansing (shatkarma) techniques
Antar kumbhaka internal breath retention. The stage of pranayama where breath is retained after
inhalation.
Antar mouna internal silence - a meditation practice.
Anubhava experience, realization
Ardha half
Ardha dhanurasana half bow yoga pose
Ardha half spinal twist yoga position
matsyendrasana
Ardha padmasana half lotus pose
Asana yoga position or yoga pose, also called yogasana. A balanced position for
smooth energy flow in specific areas of the body and mind.
Ashrama residential place of people living together in yogic tradition.
Ashtanga yoga the eight fold path of yoga as outlined by Patanjali: yama, niyama, asana,
pranayama, pratyahara, dharana, dhyana, samadhi
Ashwini mudra practice of contracting the anal sphincter.
Atman soul.
Aum see Om
Avidya ignorance
Bahir outside, external
Bahir kumbhaka external breath retention. The stage of pranayama where breath is retained after
exhalation.
Bahiranga trataka concentrating the attention (gaze) upon an external object such as a candle
flame.
96
Bandha a posture in which organs and muscles are contracted to create energy lock in a
specific area.
Basti a colon cleansing technique (shakarma), yogic enema
Bhagvad Gita a part of the famous Hindu epic 'Mahabharata'. Teachings of Lord Krishna to his
disciple Arjuna at the commencement of the battle of Kurukshetra, with
explanations on sannyasa yoga, karma yoga, bhakti yoga, and jnana yoga.
Bhakti devotion
Bhakti yoga the yoga of devotion.
Bhastrika 'bellows' breathing technique in which the breath is forcibly drawn in and out
pranayama through the nose in equal proportions, like the pumping action of the bellows.
Bhramari breathing practice in which a soft "humming-bee" sound is produced during
pranayama exhalation to stimulate the Ajna Chakra
Bhujangasana cobra' pose.
Brahman supreme consciousness, absolute reality.
Chakra literally meaning circle or wheel, in yoga this refers to the energy centers lying
along the confluence of the nadis (energy channels)
Chandra moon
Chandra nadi ida nadi
Chidakasha psychic space in front of the closed eyes, just behind the forehead.
Chin mudra hand gesture in which the first finger is kept at the root of the thumb, the last
three fingers are unfolded.
Danda stick
Danda dhauti one of the cleansing techniques (shatkarmas), used to clean the oesophagus with
a stick.
Danta dhauti teeth cleansing technique
Dhanurasana bow' pose; backward bending yoga pose
Dharana practice of concentration; sixth of the eight fold path in ashtanga yoga
Dharma duty, righteous path
Dhauti second of the shatkarmas; cleansing technique of the eyes, ears, tongue,
forehead, oesophagus, stomach, rectum and anus
Dhyana meditation; single-pointed focus of mind on either a form, thought or sound.
Diksha initiation given by the guru.
Dosha three humours of the body; see kapha, pitta, vata
Dugdha neti nasal irrigation or cleansing technique using milk
Ghrita neti neti (nasal cleansing technique) performed with ghee
Gomukhasana cow's face' posture
Gorakshasana Yogi Gorakhnath's' pose
Guna quality of nature viz. tamas, rajas, sattwa
Guptasana the 'secret' pose
Guru spiritually enlightened soul, who can dispel darkness, ignorance and illusion
from the mind and enlighten the consciousness of a devotee/disciple
Hatha yoga science of yoga which purifies the whole physical body by means of shatkarma,
asana, pranayama, mudra, bandha and concentration
97
Hridaya akasha psychic space of the heart centre
Ida nadi one of the main energy channels running on the left side of the spine from the
mooladhara (base) chakra to the ajna chakra in the head.
Jala water
Jala basti the yoga technique of enema using water - one of the yoga shatkarma
Jala neti a shatkarma technique - cleansing of the nasal passages with water by
alternating the flow of water in the nostrils, preferably using a neti pot.
Jalandhara bandha throat lock' to restrict the flow of bereath through the throat - done by resting the
chin on the upper sternum (chest).
Japa continuous chanting i.e repetition of a mantra
Jihva dhauti one of the shatkarma techniques for cleansing the tongue.
Jnana knowledge, understanding, wisdom
Jnana mudra the gesture of knowledge - in this the index finger is bent so that its tip is joined
with the tip of the thumb, the other three fingers are spread out.
Jnana yoga the yoga of knowledge - attained through spontaneous self-analysis and
investigation of abstract and speculative ideas.
Kapal skull or cerebrum
Kapalbhati a breathing technique aimed at cleaning the frontal part of the brain; also called
pranayama skull polishing - done through rapid breaths with more force on exhalation.
Karma action; the act of doing
Karma yoga the yoga of action - aims at supreme consciousness through action; discussed in
Bhagavad Gita
Karna dhauti one of the shatkarma which involves cleansing the ears.
Kati chakrasana waist rotating' pose.
Kevala kumbhaka spontaneous cessation of breath without any conscious effort.
Klesha afflictions or tensions - according to yoga there are 5 such afflictions present in
humans from birth
Koormasana tortoise' pose - an advanced posture.
Kosha sheath or body; realm of experience and existence.
Kriya activity, dynamic yogic practice
Kriya yoga the practice of kundalini yoga
Kukkutasana cockerel' pose
Kumbhaka breath retention
Kundalini man's retained energy or potential energy and consciousness
Kundalini shakti refers to the human's potential energy lying dormant in mooladhara (base)
chakra like a coiled serpent. When awakened it rises up through the sushumna
nadi.
Kundalini yoga philosophy expounding the awakening of potential energy and inherent
consciousness within the human body and mind.
Kunjal kriya a shatkarma (cleansing) technique that involves the cleansing of the stomach by
drinking in water and then expelling it by inducing vomiting.
Laghoo a shatkarma technique - also referred as the short intestinal wash. Involves the
shankhaprakshalana drinking of several glasses of water and the expelling it through stool after a
series of exercises (asanas); in the process a thorough cleansing of the colon
98
takes place.
Laya yoga union with the supreme consciousness through pranayama or devotion. Literally,
union by absorption
Maha great
Maha bandha the great lock - combines the three locks in yoga - the moola bandha, jalandhara
bandha and uddiyana bandha - together with breath retention.
Maha mudra the great gesture - combines the practice of moola bandha, shambhavi and
khechari mudras simultaneously.
Maha nadi literally means 'great nadi', which is the 'sushumna' in yoga
Makara crocodile
Makarasana crocodile' pose
Manas chakra the energy center above the ajna chakra - is depicted with six petals
Manipura chakra the energy centre in the spinal column located behind the navel - corresponding
to the solar plexus.
Mantra subtle sound vibration, which through repetition aims at expanding one's
awareness or consciousness.
Mantra shakti the power of mantra
Matsyendrasana a spine twisting pose
Mayur peacock
Mayurasana peacock' pose - advanced pose aims at strengthening the arms and stimulating
the manipura chakra.
Moksha liberation from the cycle of birth and death.
Moola root
Moola bandha energy lock created by the contraction of the perineum in the male and the
cervix in the female.
Mooladhara chakra lowest energy centre in the human body where the kundalini shakti (serpent
power) resides - situated in the perineal floor in men and the cervix in women.
Moorchha fainting or swooning breath' in which the breath is inhaled slowly and retained
pranayama for an extended period.
Mouna silence - the practice of silence
Mudra literally means 'gesture' - mudra expresses and channelizes cosmic energy within
the mind and body.
Nadi energy channels in the body, similar to the meridians in acupuncture
Nadi shodhana breathing technique - is the 'alternate nostril breathing' or 'balanced breathing' -
pranayama balances the energy flow in the channels and purifies the energy channels (nadi)
by balancing the flow of breath through the right and left nostrils.
Nasagra/nasikagra hand gesture adopted during pranayama to alternate the flow of breath through
mudra the nostrils.
Nauli abdominal massage' - a cleansing technique (shatkarma) involving the
contraction of the rectus abdominal muscles.
Neti kriya another shatkarma (cleansing technique) - involves cleaning of the nasal
passages or sinus irrigation; jala neti forms a part of the various neti kriyas.
Nidra sleep
Niyama rule; there are 5 rules described in the Ashtanga Yoga of Patanjali.
99
Om the universal mantra; cosmic vibration of the universe; represents the four states
of consciousness
Pada foot; section of a literary work
Padmasana lotus pose - a seated meditative posture
Pancha makara the five tantric practices : mansa(meat), madhya(wine), matsya(fish),
mudra(grain), and maithuna(sexual intercourse)
Pancha tattwa the five elements - earth, water, fire, air and ether
Param highest, supreme, God
Paramatma the supreme atma; God
Parichaya avastha stage of perception of nada
Paschimottanasana back stretching pose
Patanjali author of the Yoga Sutras and preacher of the eight-fold (ashtanga) yoga
Payaswini nadi energy channel terminating at the right big toe, between poosha and pingala
channels
Pingala nadi one of the main energy channels running on the right side of the spine from the
mooladhara (base) chakra to the ajna chakra in the head by intersecting various
chakras on the way.
Plavini pranayama breathing technique which involves gulping air and swallowing it into the
stomach and retaining it
Poornima full moon night
Prakamya fulfillment of desire
Prakasha inner light
Prakriti nature
Pramana proof
Prana vital energy force sustaining life and creation
Pranayama technique of breathing and breath control which regulates energy flow and aims
at maintaining energy balance
Prasad an offering usually food to and from the guru or higher power
Pratyahara sense withdrawal; first stage of concentrating on the mind during meditation
Pravritti nature of the mind
Prithvi tattwa the earth element
Purana eighteen ancient books consisting of legends and mythological narrations
dealing with creation, recreation and the genealogies of sages and rulers
Purusha man; pure consciousness
Purushartha purpose of the consciousness, of man's existence- the four basic needs or desires,
arth, kaama, dharma, moksha
Raja yoga yoga in which union is achieved through concentration of mind
Rakta bindu red bindu, same as beeja(seed) bindu, shakti bindu; the potentially creative
bindu from which creation springs; often refers to the ovum.
Rechaka exhalation
Rudra Lord Shiva ; Rudra is said to have sprung from Brahma's forehead and is one of
the holy trinity
Sahasrara chakra highest energy centre located at the crown of the head
100
Sakshi witness
Samadhi the final stage of ashtanga yoga in which concentration becomes one with the
object of concentration; supreme union.
Samskara impressions stored in the mind that form the basis of our beliefs, attitudes and
personality.
Sankalpa spiritual resolve.
Sannyasi one who has renounced the world in seek of self-realization.
Santosha contentment
Saraswati Goddess who bestows knowledge of fine arts and power of speech
Sarvangasana shoulderstand - an inverted posture
Sat truth
Satguru guru who has attained self-realization
Sattwa guna quality unwavering purity
Satya truth-one of the yamas
Seetkari pranayama Breathing technique which involves hissing leading to a cooling effect upon the
whole body.
Shabda Brahman cosmic causal state.
Shakti vital force; energy
Shambhavi mudra a yoga gesture in which one focusses at the mid-eyebrow centre
Shashankasana moon pose
Shatkarma the six yogic techniques of purification of the body, viz. neti, dhauti, nauli, basti,
trataka, kapalbhati
Sheetali pranayama cooling breath' - a pranayama technique that lowers the body temperature by
inhaling through the mouth while letting the breath flow in over the tongue.
Shishya disciple; student
Siddha yoni asana the female counterpart of the siddhasana meditative posture, in which the left
heel presses the entrance to the vagina
Siddhasana a meditative seating posture in which the left heel presses the perineum
(stimulating the mooladhara chakra); also called as the adept's pose or the 'pose
of perfection'.
Sirshasana inverted pose - the 'headstand' in which the body is inverted and balanced on the
crown of the head
Soham represents a mantra in meditation; literally means, 'I am That'. Represents the
Psychic sound with the sound 'so' during inhalation and 'ham' during exhalation.
Soma chakra sixteen petalled chakra situated above ajna and manas chakras
Sukhasana a comfortable meditative pose; also called the 'easy pose' or simply the cross-
legged pose.
Surya bheda breathing technique in which inhalation is done through the right nostril ;
pranayama increases vitality
Surya nadi see 'pingala nadi'
Sushumna nadi main energy channel in yoga, in the centre of the spinal cord through which
kundalini shakti flows.
Sutra neti yogic technique to cleanse the nasal passage using a special thread
Swadhisthana second chakra in the spinal column, above the mooladhara.
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chakra
Swastikasana auspicious pose -meditative posture similar to siddhasana
Tadasana palm tree pose- standing posture
Tamas the quality of inertia, laziness, procrastination.
Tiryaka twisting cobra pose
bhujangasana
Tiryaka tadasana swaying palm tree pose
Trataka one of the cleansing techniques (shatkarma) in which the gaze is focussed upon
an object such as a candle flame.
Uddiyana bandha abdominal retraction lock'; drawing in of the abdomen towards the backbone
after exhaling
Ujjayi pranayama a kind of breathing technique which produces a light sonorous sound.
Utkatasana squatting position
Uttankoormasana Tortoise pose
Vajrasana the 'thunderbolt' pose; a kneeling posture with buttocks resting upon the heels.
Vama swara flow of breath in the left nostril
Vaman dhauti yogic technique to cleanse the stomach by voluntary vomiting. There are two
types: kunjal kriya (regurgitating of water) and vyaghra (regurgitating of food)
Varisara dhauti yogic cleansing technique in which a large quantity of water is drunk in
conjunction with asanas to cleanse the entire digestive tract; also known as
shankhaprakshalana.
Vashitva ability to control all objects, living and non-living
Vastra dhauti yogic detoxification technique in which a specially prepared cloth is swallowed
and removed after ten minutes, in order to remove mucus from the stomach
Vatsara dhauti a cleansing technique in which the air swallowed into the stomach is belched
out.
Vayu tattwa air element
Vedas four ancient texts- Rig, Yajur, Sama, Atharva, which are further divided into
Samhita, Brahmana, Aranayaka and Upanishads. They were revealed to the
sages and saints of India which explain and regulate every aspect of life from
supreme reality to worldly affairs. The oldest books in the library of mankind.
Veerasana hero,s pose - for concentration and discrminative thinking.
Vishuddhi chakra one of the energy centres located in the spine behind the throat and connected
with the cervical plexus, tonsils and thyroid gland.
Yamuna river emanating from Yamnotri in the Himalayas and joining Ganga near Allahabd,
North India;refers to pingala nadi in the pranic body.
Yoga state of union between two opposites - body and mind; individual and universal
consciousness; a process of uniting the opposing forces in the body and mind in
order to achieve supreme awareness and enlightenment.
Yoga abhyasa practice of yoga.
Yoga nidra a deep relaxation technique also called 'yogic sleep' in which mind and body is
at complete rest but with complete awareness.
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YogaVita Training

God, grant me the serenity

Namaste to everybody interested in an Yoga training course in Peru!

My name is Yovita, and I am a certified yoga instructor in Hatha

II. The Roots of Yoga

III. Anatomy and Physiology of Yoga

IV. Deepening Your Practice and Teaching Methodology

V. The Metaphysical Body and Relaxation Science

VI. Yoga as a Therapy

VII. Ashtanga Yoga

VIII. Iyengar Yoga

IX. Anusara & Partner Yoga

X. Namaste Class. Inquiry and Practice

2. Utkatasana Chair or Powerful Pose

5. Utthita Trikonasana Extended Triangle

6. Parivrtta Trikonasana Revolved Triangle

9. Vrksasana Tree Pose

10. Garudasana Eagle Pose

11. Virabhadrasana III

14. Parsvottanasana Intense Side Chest Stretch

15. Balasana Child’s Pose

17. Paschimottanasana Seated Forward Fold

18. Head to Knee Janu

19. Upavishta Konasana Seated Straddle

20. Marichyasana 1 The Sage Marichi Pose

21. Marichyasana III Marichi’s Pose

22. Ardha Matsyendrasana Half Lord of the Fishes

24. Malasana Yogic Squat

25. Baddha Konasana Bound Angle Pose

26. Eka Pada Kapotasana One Legged Pigeon

29. Bhujangasana Cobra

32. Dhanurasana Bow

33. Setu Bandhasana Bridge

36. Chaturanga Dandasana Four Limbed Staff Pose

37. Bakasana Crow or Crane

38. Virasana Hero

39. Navasana Boat

41. Halasana Plow

46. Shirshasana Headstand

42. Adho Mukha Vrksasana Hand Stand

[uhd-HOE moo-KUH vrick-SHAAH-suh-nuh]

1 The Science of Yoga

1. Tool available to obtain this goal:

 Yoga practise helps in this evolution; it is a journey of evolution

2. Yoga practices can be used:

3. Yoga is a science of Personality development:

1.3. Featured asanas

 Which gives you the maximum rest.

For this, two things are to be considered chiefly:

1.5. Matra to learn

2 The Roots of Yoga

Yoga is equilibrium in success and failure

2.1 Yoga schools

2.2 Types of Yoga

2.3. Pranayama-Nadi Sodhana

2.4. Matra to learn: Om Purna

3. Anatomy and Physiology of Yoga

3.2. Pranayama: wave breathing

3.3. Mantra to learn: The Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra

4. Deepening your practice and teaching methodology

“CHITTA VRITTI NIRODHANA”

4.1.2. Niyamas: self discipline

4.2. The sound of OM