![]() ![]() Vinyasa Yoga arises from an intrinsic personal freedom to breathe and move in the way that is most beneficial at any given time. As you enjoy the physical postures, tune into the natural rhythm of expansion fueled by the inhale and contraction supported by the exhale. ![]() We aren’t masters of breath, we are being breathed. We don’t take a breath, for example, we are given a breath. We must let go of the doing to allow for receiving which can be as simple as shifting the language we use to guide our experience. The breath is the boss in Vinyasa Yoga, breath movement and body movement are one. Avoid negative inner dialogue and competition with fellow yogis, pausing often to evaluate the quality of the breath. This can be achieved by attentively monitoring energy levels throughout a given practice, acknowledging the need for rest as well as the call to activate. At the close of practice, it should feel as though the entire sequence could be completed again, without feeling fatigued or overworked. We must feed the body with breath, the mind with equanimity and the heart with intention. Vinyasa Yoga can always be practiced in a way that nourishes the body. The principles of practice are the practical means to experience the intimacy of your natural state.” Nourishment This sensitivity to our own life develops into sensitivity to all of life. In his “Yoga of Heart: The Healing Power of Intimate Connection,” Mark Whitwell explains why, “We start with intimacy with our body and breath. The experience of vinyasa is personal, it is an opportunity to be self-full and self-aware. These non-negotiables inform my home practice and teaching in every way. Having practiced and taught Yoga for several years, I consider the following to be my personal core values when it comes to vinyasa. Shiva Rea further explains the proliferation of Vinyasa Yoga in the west as an organic response to the symptomatic need for flow within a 21st century culture of disembodiment - the chronic disconnect between the physical body and the energetic body. Most Vinyasa Yoga classes being taught today are shaped in some way by these celebrated teachers and titans of yoga. Common to both disciplines are the principles of breath devotion, sequential progression and absolute intimacy prescribed by Krishnamacharya’s Tantric milieu. Iyengar, on the other hand, leveraged the use of props and adaptations to refine alignment for the individual such that Yoga could sustain all stages of life. Ashtanga, championed by Pattabhi Jois, is the somewhat rigid approach of practicing set sequences to the point of mastery with little modification. Shiva Rea identifies the birth of Vinyasa Flow as, “a synthesis of Ashtanga and Iyengar yoga,” both influenced by Krishnamacharya, the grandfather of modern postural practice. At the very least, that is what Vinyasa Yoga can be. How? By integrating breath, body and mind into a singular experience of presence. It is not a static experience willfully imposed on the body, but rather a co-creative movement modality that draws us closer to source Self. ![]() ![]() It is an open system of receptivity where the practitioner is invited to continually adjust the power, pace and purpose of their effort according to an intimate need. One of the most extolled qualities of Vinyasa Yoga is the ability to craft a unique practice that serves the individual. ![]()
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