Sequences of Asanas: September 2009

Sequences of Yoga Asanas

This blog is written as a means to assist in the practice of asanas for all students of yoga. It is meant to be used as a tool to inspire you to constantly improve and experience the evolution of your yoga sadhana. The information is recorded from our own practice, but is based on the inspiration of our teachers and yoga Masters, BKS Iyengar, Geeta and Prashant Iyengar (Pune, India).

The sequences compiled do not follow any pattern, but are worked out according to a systematic study and experience of sequencing. The philosophy of this approach is published in the "Basic guidelines for teachers of yoga" by BKS and Geeta Iyengar.

When considering the right sequencing of asanas, one has to first understand the capacity of students of yoga who lack awareness in the body and mind. Thus one starts by becoming aware of one's own body's movements, stability, capacity, co-ordination, flexibility and firmness. Also you will get to know your own muscular/skeletal, organic and neuromuscular body. The practice of asana is introduces in such a way, that the student works with each part, region and various systems of the body.

One must also be aware of general concepts regarding a sequence of yoga poses; they include a sequence should not irritate the nervous system, appropriate preparation for inversions and backward extension, and their order of learning. You should also know which asanas produce heat or coolness; stimulate or abate; energize; activate or relax; are simple or complex and are commonly practiced at the beginning or the end of the session.

These basic principles of learning have been taken into account, and it is taken as a given that the student using our sequences has some understanding of his/her own abilities and limitations. It is also understood that this is not meant to replace your attendance with your teacher, but merely to enhance and stimulate your self practice.

If you have any questions about a pose, you can write to us

yogawithdavid@gmail.com

Saturday, September 26, 2009

Sequence 25 - Restoratives 1 hour

Urdhva Prasarita Padasana at wall 10mins

Adho Mukha Dwi Pada Upavistha Konasana x 10mins

Ardha Halasana x 10mins

Setubandha Sarvangasana x 10mins

Adho Mukha Virasana x 5mins

Dwi Pada Viparita Dandasana – cross bolster x 5mins

Parsva Adho Mukha Pavanmuktasana x 10mins

Viparita Karani x 10mins

Chair Savasana x 10mins

Sequence 24 - Ustrasana

Adho Mukha Virasana

Adho Mukha Svanasana

Uttanasana

Prasarita Padottanasana

Utthita Trikonasana

Utthita Parsvakonasana

Virabhadrasana I

Virabhadrasana III

Prasarita Padottanasana

Virasana – Gomukhasana cycle - Paschima Namaskar

Adho Mukha Vrksasana 3 x 1min

Sirsasana

Adho Mukha Svanasana

Anjanayasana

Supta Eka Pada Virasana

Anjanayasana

Supta Virasana

Anjanayasana

Supta Vajrasana

Adho Mukha Svanasana – Urdhva Mukha Svanasana 3 x10

Ustrasana

Adho Mukha Svanasana

Supta Utthita Hasta Padasana – over blanket/mat roll

Adho Mukha Svanasana - Urdhva Mukha Svanasana 1 x 10

Ustrasana

Adho Mukha Svanasana

Chair Dwi Pada Viparita Dandasana

Adho Mukha Svanasana - Urdhva Mukha Svanasana 1 x 10

Ustrasana

Adho Mukha Svanasana

Urdhva Mukha Svanasana

Adho Mukha Svanasana - Urdhva Mukha Svanasana 1 x 10

Ustrasana

Adho Mukha Svanasana

Salabhasana

Adho Mukha Svanasana - Urdhva Mukha Svanasana 1 x 10

Ustrasana

Adho Mukha Svanasana

Bhujangasana I & II

Adho Mukha Svanasana - Urdhva Mukha Svanasana 1 x 10

Ustrasana

Adho Mukha Svanasana

Setubandha Sarvangasana

Catushpadasana

Adho Mukha Svanasana - Urdhva Mukha Svanasana 1 x 10

Ustrasana

Adho Mukha Svanasana

Dhanurasana

Adho Mukha Svanasana - Urdhva Mukha Svanasana 1 x 10

Ustrasana

Adho Mukha Svanasana

Parighasana

Adho Mukha Svanasana

Adho Mukha Vrksasana

Baddha Hasta Uttanasana

Prasarita Padottanasana

Adho Mukha Svanasana – head on bolster

Adho Mukha Virasana – bolster

Parivrtta Adho Mukha Virasana – bolster

Adho Mukha Virasana – bolster

Chair Bharadvajasana

Chair Niralamba Sarvangasana – Viparita Karani – Akunchasana

Ardha Halasana

Urdhva Prasarita Padasana at wall

Chair Savasana

Saturday, September 19, 2009

Sequence 23 - Forward bends – 3hours

Adho Mukha Virasana

Adho Mukha Sukhasana

Adho Mukha Svanasana

Uttanasana – blanket roll for heels

Prasarita Padottanasana

Uttanasana – blanket roll for heels

Padangusthasana

Padahastasana

Padagulfasana

Uttanasana – blanket roll for heels

Adho Mukha Svanasana

Sirsasana

Paschimottanasana

Trianga Mukhaikapada Paschimottanasana

Marichyasana I

Ardha Baddha Pada Paschimottanasana

Eka Pada Upavistha Konasana

Dwi Pada Upavistha Konasana

Parivrtta Eka Pada Upavistha Konasana

Parivrtta Janu Sirsasana

Janu Sirsasana

Krounchasana

Kurmasana

Malasana

Baddha Konasana

Paschimottanasana

Ardha Halasana

Viparita Karani

Sequence 22 – Ustrasana 2 ½ hours

Supta Tadasana

Adho Mukha Svanasana

Baddha Hasta Uttanasana

Virasana – Gomukhasana cycle - Paschima Namaskar

Adho Mukha Vrksasana – 3 x 1min

Utthita Trikonasana

Utthita Parsvakonasana

Virabhadrasana I

Virabhadrasana III

Adho Mukha Vrksasana x 1

Supta Vajrasana

Adho Mukha Svanasana

Eka Pada Supta Virasana

Supta Virasana

Adho Mukha Svanasana

Tadasana – Gomukhasana arms

Sirsasana

Adho Mukha Svanasana

Adho Mukha Svanasana – Urdhva Mukha Svanasana 3 x10

Adho Mukha Vrksasana x 1

Supta Tadasana

Ustrasana
Adho Mukha Svanasana

Supta Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana – over mat/blanket roll

Ustrasana

Adho Mukha Svanasana

Adho Mukha Vrksasana x 1

Supta Tadasana

Chair Dwi Pada Viparita Dandasana

Ustrasana

Adho Mukha Svanasana

Urdhva Mukha Svanasana

Ustrasana

Adho Mukha Svanasana

Supta Tadasana

Salabhasana

Bhujangasana I & II

Ustrasana

Adho Mukha Svanasana

Adho Mukha Vrksasana x 1

Supta Tadasana

Catushpadasana

Setubandha Sarvangasana

Ustrasana

Adho Mukha Svanasana

Dhanurasana

Ustrasana

Adho Mukha Svanasana

Supta Tadasana

Parighasana

Adho Mukha Vrksasana x 1

Baddha Hasta Uttanasana

Prasarita Padottanasana

Adho Mukha Svanasana – head on block

Adho Mukha Sukhasana

Parsva Sukhasana

Parivrtta Adho Mukha Sukhasana

Adho Mukha Sukhasana

Chair Niralamba Sarvangasana – Viparita Karani – Akunchasana

Setubandha Sarvangasana

Adho Mukha Virasana

Viparita Karani

Sequence 21 – Ardha Matsyendrasana I – 2 ½ hours

Adho Mukha Virasana

Parivrtta Adho Mukha Virasana

Adho Mukha Virasana

Adho Mukha Sukhasana

Parivrtta Adho Mukha Sukhasana

Adho Mukha Sukhasana

Chair Bharadvajasana

Adho Mukha Svanasana

Virasana – Gomukhasana arm cycle

Adho Mukha Vrksasana

Sirsasana – twist variations

Sarvangasana – twist variations

Parsva Dandasana – once with belt, then without

Parsva Sukhasana

Parsva Virasana

Chair Bharadvajasana

Adho Mukha Svanasana

Parivrtta Gomukhasana

Ardha Matsyendrasana I – variation – leg extended

Adho Mukha Svanasana

Chair Bharadvajasana

Parsva Uttanasana

Parivrtta Trikonasana

Parivrtta Ardha Chandrasana

Parivrtta Parsvakonasana

Baddha Hasta Uttanasana

Gomukhasana on blocks

Ardha Matsyendrasana I – variation – seated on floor

Chair Bharadvajasana

Adho Mukha Svanasana

Bharadvajasana I

Bharadvajasana II – no clasp

Adho Mukha Svanasana

Bharadvajasana I

Bharadvajasana II – clasp

Gomukhasana – classic

Ardha Matsyendrasana I on bolster – belt, no belt

Marichyasana I on bolster – belt, no belt

Chair Bharadvajasana

Adho Mukha Svanasana

Bhadrasana – no clasp

Bhadrasana – clasp

Marichyasana III – elbow over knee

Marichyasana III – hold belt

Virasana – knees supported

Virasana – feet supported

Baddha Konasana on blanket roll

Ardha Matsyendrasana I – seated on foot and blanket pad

Chair Bharadvajasana

Adho Mukha Svanasana

Ardha Matsyendrasana II

Parivrtta Eka Pada Upavistha Konasana

Eka Pada Upavistha Konasana

Parivrtta Janu Sirsasana

Janu Sirsasana

Parivrtta Paschimottanasana

Paschimottanasana

Ardha Matsyendrasana I – seated on foot – blanket pad

Adho Mukha Svanasana – head on block

Prasarita Padottanasana

Supta Baddha Konasana – arched

Setubandha Sarvangasana

Savasana

Sequence 20 - Paschimottanasana 2 ½ hours

Adho Mukha Virasana

Adho Mukha Sukhasana

Adho Mukha Svanasana

Paschimottanasana

Parsvottanasana – Paschimottanasana

Padangusthasana – Paschimottanasana

Padahastasana – Paschimottanasana

Padagulfasana - Paschimottanasana

Uttanasana – Paschimottanasana

Prasarita Padottanasana I & II – Paschimottanasana

Adho Mukha Vrksasana – Paschimottanasana

Sirsasana – Paschimottanasana

Supta Padangusthasana I & II & III – Paschimottanasana

Dandasana – Paschimottanasana

Trianga Mukhaikapada Paschimottanasana – Paschimottanasana

Krounchasana – Paschimottanasana

Adho Mukha Eka Pada Upavistha Konasana – Paschimottanasana

Adho Mukha Dwi Pada Upavistha Konasana – Paschimottanasana

Urdhva Paschimottanasana I

Ubhaya Padangusthasana – Paschimottanasana

Urdhva Paschimottanasana II – Paschimottanasana

Adho Mukha Baddha Konasana - Paschimottanasana

Malasana – Paschimottanasana

Kurmasana - Paschimottanasana

Marichyasana I – Paschimottanasana

Ardha Pada Paschimottanasana – Paschimottanasana

Janu Sirsasana – Paschimottanasana

Chair Niralamba Sarvangasana – Viparita Karani – Akunchasana – Viparita Karani

Supta Baddha Konasana – arched over bolster

Savasana II

Sequence 19 – Urdhva Prasarita Eka Padasana

Adho Mukha Virasana

Adho Mukha Sukhasana

Adho Mukha Svanasana

Baddha Hasta Uttanasana

Surya Namaskar – with lunges

Malasana – blanket roll for heels

Utthita Trikonasana

Ardha Chandrasana

Urdhva Prasarita Padangusthasana

Parsvottanasana

Prasarita Padottanasana I&II

Malasana – blanket roll for heels

Padangusthasana

Padahastasana

Padagulfasana

Uttanasana – blanket roll for heels

Malasana – blanket roll for heels

Virasana – Gomukhasana arms cycle - Paschima Namaskar

Adho Mukha Vrksasana

Sirsasana

Sarvangasana

Adho Mukha Svanasana

Eka Pada Adho Mukha Svanasana – at wall

Malasana

Eka Pada Rajakapotasana – forward on bolster

Supta Padangusthasana I & II

Supta Trivikramasana

Krounchasana

Eka Pada Upavistha Konasana

Dwi Pada Upavistha Konasana

Baddha Konasana

Adho Mukha Baddha Konasana

Upavistha Konasana

Samakonasana

Anjanayasana – Hanumanasana

Urdhva Prasarita Eka Padasana – knee at wall

Urdhva Prasarita Eka Padasana – foot at wall

Padagulfasana – block for head

Setubandha Sarvangasana

Viparita Karani

Savasana

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Invocation before practice

Invocation to Sage Patanjali

yogena cittasya padena vacam
malam sarirasya ca vaidyakaena
yopa karot tam pravaram muninum
patanjalim pranjalir anato smi
abahu - purusakaram
sankha - cakrasi - dharinam
sahasra - sirasam svetam
pranamami patanjalim

To the noblest of sages, Patanjali, Who gave Yoga for serenity of mind,Grammar for purity of speech, And medicine for perfection of the body, I bow, I prostrate before Patanjali, Whose upper body has a human form, Whose arms hold a conch and disc, Who is crowned by a thousand-headed cobra,O incarnation of Adisesa, my Salutations to Thee.

Yoga Sutras of Patanjali

Yoga Sutra 2:15
Parinama tapa samskara duhkaih gunavritti virodhat ca duhkameva sarvam vivekinnah
With awareness and wisdom of thought discrimination, rising impressions
of distress, pain and suffering can suppressed before they manifest.,suffering is caused by change, unfulfilled longing, habits and fluctuations in energy

Yoga Sutra 2:16
Heyam duhkam anagatam
Then future suffering can also be prevented. Patanjali offers some hope when he says that we can “prevent the suffering that is yet to come” We can have pain and yet not suffer. We cannot avoid hardships in life, but through the practice of the eight limbs of yoga, we can learn that our true Self remains unchanged, and so we can find peace and ease even in the midst of difficulty.