The Breath is the activating force in all aspects of the Āsana.
For example, when comparing a dynamic performance
of an Āsana with the static performance of an Āsana,
the difference is in the degree or extent of the movement.
Thus, from a Viniyoga or application of Āsana perspective,
whether the extent of the movement is what is seen
as long-range, mid-range, short-range, or even micro,
the activating force of the Breath is integral to the Āsana.

From a developmental viewpoint, as in a longer-term
Vinyāsa Krama, this a journey from those Āsana that
mainly favour long-range movement, towards those Āsana
and Mudrā that mainly favour micro-range movement.
Within this developmental refinement in the relationship
of Breath as the activating force, sit the place and roles
of mid-range movement and short-range movement.

Link to Series: 108 Postural Practice Pointers

Āsana and Mudrā Glossary
– Grouped into Standing, Kneeling,
Lying, Inverted, Backbend, Seated & Sitting

The Length of the Breath
sets the Speed for the
Movement of the Body.
Rather than the Movement
of  the Body setting
the Speed for the
Length for the Breath.

Link to Series: 108 Postural Practice Pointers

Āsana and Mudrā Glossary
– Grouped into Standing, Kneeling,
Lying, Inverted, Backbend, Seated & Sitting

Bhāvana on Śavāsana within a Śikṣaṇa Āsana practice.

Inherent within the application of Śavāsana
as an Āsana within a Śikṣaṇa Krama practice,
is the active cultivation of a quality of Nirodha,
or what can be described as ‘witness awareness’.
As in the notion of the Cit observing the Citta.
Thus, a key to directing the attention in
Śavāsana, is to intentionally cultivate
a quality of passive observation.

Link to Series: 108 Postural Practice Pointers

Āsana and Mudrā Glossary
– Grouped into Standing, Kneeling,
Lying, Inverted, Backbend, Seated & Sitting

The role of Śavāsana within the Viniyoga of…

Within the application of Cikitsā Krama
Śavāsana is a position for relaxation.
Within the application of Rakṣaṇa Krama
Śavāsana is an Āsana for resting.
Within the application of Śikṣaṇa Krama 
Śavāsana is an Āsana for observation.

Link to Series: 108 Postural Practice Pointers

Āsana and Mudrā Glossary
– Grouped into Standing, Kneeling,
Lying, Inverted, Backbend, Seated & Sitting

Within the teachings of T Krishnamacharya,
as transmitted to TKV Desikachar,
the role of Śavāsana within an Āsana practice was as
a transitional link pose between categories of Āsana.

For example between Standing and Lying Āsana,
or Lying and Inverted Āsana,
or Inverted and Prone Backbends,
or Prone Backbends and Seated Āsana,
or Seated Āsana and Sitting Practices.

The extent of its use and length of rest at each stage,
when transiting from one category to another within our
Āsana practice journey, was dependent on the facility
of the practitioner and the intensity of the practice.

Within this individualised variance is the guiding
principle that the role of Śavāsana is to facilitate a
smooth transition for the flow of the breath and also
the pulse through and beyond the Āsana practice,
as a marker for the practitioner’s state of mind.

However according to Desikachar the Viniyoga of
Śavāsana was seen in terms of recovery from the
fatigue of the preceding aspect of the practice rather,
than say recovery from the preceding aspects of one’s life.

Regarding the approach for the recovery
from the preceding aspects of one’s life,
amongst other things such as Āhāra and Vihāra,
the wider purpose, content, duration and frequency
of the Āsana practice must be carefully reconsidered.

Link to Series: 108 Postural Practice Pointers

Āsana and Mudrā Glossary
– Grouped into Standing, Kneeling,
Lying, Inverted, Backbend, Seated & Sitting

We might want to consider the notion that the
most important standing Āsana is Samasthiti.
Its role is to ensure we engage with the next Āsana
from a place of attention and aware anticipation,
and after it, return to a place of fullness and reflection.
As if we are experiencing the fullness of the aftertaste
that naturally follows the ingestion of well-cooked food.
It’s learned Bhāvana is a quality of stillness within any
moment of inaction, ere to a transition to the next action.

Link to Series: 108 Postural Practice Pointers

Āsana & Mudrā Practice Techniques Glossary
– Grouped into Standing, Kneeling, Lying,
Inverted, Backbend, Seated & Sitting

When moving from Standing Āsana to Lying
Āsana, consider the role of Samasthiti to be one
of recovery from the efforts of, and exploration
of the effects from, the preceding standing Āsana.
Whilst also considering the role of Śavāsana to be one
of transition to lying and the exploration of lying Āsana.
Rather than the other way around, in that, we are taking
Śavāsana as a place of recovery from our preceding efforts.
In other words, choose to stay in stillness within Samasthiti
until you feel as if you do not need to lie down to recover.

Link to Series: 108 Postural Practice Pointers

Āsana & Mudrā Practice Techniques Glossary
– Grouped into Standing, Kneeling, Lying,
Inverted, Backbend, Seated & Sitting

How do we know that a student is ready to attempt
a more progressive Āsana such as Sarvāṅgāsana?

From following a core principle in the teachings of Vinyāsa Krama.
In that, the Pratikriyāsana for a particular Āsana needs
to be mastered before that particular Āsana is attempted.

For example, if we want to teach Sarvāṅgāsana,
because it will have a specific potential for the particular student,
then we teach the Pratikriyāsana Bhujaṅgāsana first.

So the student first works around Bhujaṅgāsana
within their personal practice and the information that arises
guides the teacher as to their readiness for, in this case, Sarvāṅgāsana.

The information arising from observing how
the student practices Bhujaṅgāsana guides
the teacher as to the appropriateness of Sarvāṅgāsana.
The information that feeds back may be on the level
of Annamaya, Prāṇamaya, Manomaya or beyond.
Obviously, this implies that we are observing the student’s practice directly.

Once the student shows an adequate performance of Bhujaṅgāsana
and it can be integrated into their existing personal practice,
then we can be more secure that the student is ready to approach
integrating Sarvāṅgāsana into their regular practice.

Link to Series: 108 Postural Practice Pointers

Āsana & Mudrā Practice Techniques Glossary
– Grouped into Standing, Kneeling, Lying,
Inverted, Backbend, Seated & Sitting

Pratikriyāsana have counterpostural, compensational and transitional roles
and are applied at specific points in the practice in order to
maintain a sound physiological and psychological base.

This principle has an important role in how
we link the different aspects of the Āsana practice,
how we close the practice or how we integrate the Āsana
element of the practice into other aspects of our Yoga practice.

There are specific guidelines around how
they can be integrated into the practice,
the first of which is that the counter posture needs to
be mastered before a particular Āsana is attempted.

This principle is especially important when
attempting to integrate more complex Āsana such as
Sarvāṅgāsana and Bhujaṅgāsana into our practice.

Link to Series: 108 Postural Practice Pointers

Āsana & Mudrā Practice Techniques Glossary
– Grouped into Standing, Kneeling, Lying,
Inverted, Backbend, Seated & Sitting

When considering the Viniyoga of Pratikriyāsana
within a student’s personal practice,
it may help to look at the integration of
their intended role from three perspectives.

– Firstly their intended role as a counterposture,
thus more from a physiological perspective.
– Secondly their intended role as a compensation,
thus more from a psychological perspective.
– Thirdly their intended role as a transition,
thus more from a sequential perspective.

Appropriate integration of these three
principles constitute an essential component in
the Vinyāsa Krama utilised within practice planning.

Link to Series: 108 Postural Practice Pointers

Āsana and Mudrā Glossary
– Grouped into Standing, Kneeling,
Lying, Inverted, Backbend, Seated & Sitting

Postural Pointer – 32 – Bhāvana on the relationship between the chest and the legs

In Bhujaṅgāsana the Bhāvana is in the chest
and on keeping the legs down.
In Śalabhāsana the Bhāvana is in the legs
and on keeping the legs up.
In Dhanurāsana the Bhāvana is in the legs
and on keeping the chest down.

Link to Series: 108 Postural Practice Pointers

Postural Practice Pointers – 31 – Bhāvana on the relationship between the pelvis and the spine

The mortar must be a strong base,
for the pestle to be worked strongly.
In other words,
the pelvic area must be a strong base,
for the spine to be worked strongly.

Link to Series: 108 Postural Practice Pointers

Postural Practice Pointer 30 – Bhāvana on the transition from Standing Āsana to Lying Āsana

In terms of the transition within
a Vinyāsa Krama from standing
Āsana to lying Āsana and beyond.
Choose not to lie down for  Śavāsana
until you feel you don’t need to lie down.

Link to Series: 108 Postural Practice Pointers

Postural Practice Pointer 29 – Bhāvana on the rear leg when moving in and out of Parśva Uttānāsana

In keeping with the Bhāvana in Parśva Uttānāsana
around the intelligent leg being the rear leg.
Consider when entering and leaving the pose dynamically
paying attention to the rear leg remaining a working leg;
within the tendency for the front leg to increasingly
become the supporting leg as the body lowers and
the bracing leg as the trunk is raised upwards.

Link to Series: 108 Postural Practice Pointers

Postural Practice Pointer 28 – Bhāvana when staying in Ardha Matsyendrāsana

In terms of weight bearing pressure on the front foot and rear hand.
Keep all the toes on the front foot as if nailed to the ground, and the
ground contact weight in the rear fingers, as if as light as a feather.

Link to Series: 108 Postural Practice Pointers

Postural Practice Pointer 27 – Bhāvana when working with Vīrabhadrāsana

Feet –
Front Leg Focus on Toes Down
Rear Leg Focus on Heel Down

Knees –
Front Knee Bent Forwards
Rear Knee Straightened Backwards

Hips –
Front Leg Hip Lifted Backwards
Rear Leg Hip Lifted Forwards

Shoulders –
Front Leg Shoulder Drawn Back
Rear leg Shoulder Drawn Forward

Spine –
Upper Back and Chest Arching Forwards
Resisting the Lower Back from Bending Backwards

(View Post or Download PDF Expanding these suggestions)

Link to Series: 108 Postural Practice Pointers

Postural Practice Pointer 26 – Bhāvana when moving or staying in Dvipāda Pīṭham

When lifting or staying within the Pūraka focus on
drawing upwards, as if raising from the chest,
rather than just raising as if from the hips.
When lowering or staying within the Recaka focus on
not collapsing down, but drawing in from the abdomen,
rather than the body just dropping as if from the hips.

Link to Series: 108 Postural Practice Pointers

Postural Practice Pointer 25 – Forward Bending and the Role of the Arms

When moving out of Paścimatāna Āsana such as Uttānāsana.
Focus on the arms bringing the back up.
Rather than the back bringing the arms up.

Link to Series: 108 Postural Practice Pointers

Postural Practice Pointer 24 – In Dvipāda Pīṭham a key Bhāvana is on the arms.

With regard to Dvi Pāda Pīṭham, a key Bhāvana is on how we use the arms.
In the beginning try exploring leaving out raising the arms as you come up,
as shoulder movement means that people can start to move about on the mat.
Here we need to focus on lifting the body upwards as many people slide backwards.
Also many people will push up too much from the buttocks and distend the belly,
which in turn will increase the abdominal pressure and disturb the Apāna Sthāna.
So initially when learning this posture the Bhāvana of lifting from the feet is enough.
Then adding the engagement of a Bhāvana on the arms, by making the arms active.
Thus whilst lifting engage pushing the full length of the arms down firmly on the floor.
Once the legs are active and the arms are active, the neck can lengthen more naturally.

Link to Series: 108 Postural Practice Pointers

Postural Practice Pointer 23 – Bhāvana for the Hips in Parśva Uttānāsana

When moving into Parśva Uttānāsana.
Lift the forward leg hip up and
draw the rear leg hip forward.
When coming up from Parśva Uttānāsana.
Keep the forward leg hip lifted and
the rear leg hip drawn forward.

Link to Series: 108 Postural Practice Pointers