About
Anusara Yoga®, founded in 1997 by John Friend, is a powerful and highly therapeutic form of hatha yoga integrating the love and radiance of the Heart with Universal Principles of Alignment™. Anusara Yoga is learning to skillfully ride the currents of our experience into the fullness of our Hearts, and then it is sharing this innate joy with the world to create beauty and strengthen community.
To the Anusara® yogin everything in the universe is a form of Supreme Consciousness, vibrating with the highest joy. In fact, everywhere we look we are witness to this Divine pulsation: the beating of our hearts; the rise and fall of our breath; the ebb and flow of our thoughts and emotions; and as the love we recieve from and offer to others. Of course, this grand pulsation is also experienced in our physical practice of yoga. Indeed, the yogin finds that in order to align and harmonize with nature's cycles (Grace), she must learn within each pose to find the dynamic balance between stability (muscular energy) and freedom (organic energy); self-effort and surrender. As such, every asana becomes a dance between these two complimentary and inseparable energies, leading the practitioner to a place of optimal health, balance, and joy!
In order to harmonize and align with Grace, the Anusara yogin unifies three key elements within her practice: Attitude, Alignment, and Action. The three A's represent the foundation of Anusara Yoga. Attitude is the power of the Heart and the source behind all our actions and expressions. Alignment is the mindful awareness of how various parts of ourselves are connected and may join together to form an integrated and harmonious whole. Action is the natural flow of energy inside the body, creating strength and freedom. In each posture the Anusara yogin seeks harmony between the 3 A's.
The Universal Principles of Alignment incorporate the 3 A's and provide the yogin with a series of sequential, highly refined steps, bringing the mind and body into alignment with the Heart's intention. When applied properly, the Universal Principles of Alignment are highly therapeutic and include the following steps:
- Setting the Foundation and Opening to Grace
- Muscular Energy
- Expanding Spiral
- Contracting Spiral
- Organic Energy
The Universal Principles of Alignment reflect the grand pulsation of the universe, expanding and contracting, and sequentially building upon one another to create maximum strength and freedom. "Opening to Grace" is softening and becoming sensitive to the bigger energy and spirit that beats our hearts, breathes our bodies, and represents our deepest and most authentic nature. "Muscular energy" draws into this inner light and creates strength and stability in the body through balanced muscular action. "Expanding Spiral" encourages freedom and fluidity in the body-mind and is characterized by the water element. "Contracting Spiral", related to the fire element, helps create length in the core of the body and connects us to our intrinsic desire (tapas) to awaken and transform. Lastly, "Organic Energy" is an unfoldment and expansion from the inside out expressing our happiness and joy to simply be alive!
The spirals and loops of Anusara Yoga represent further refinements of Muscular and Organic Energy and are especially effective for preventing and healing injuries. For instance, Expanding (or inner) Spiral, when applied to the legs, takes the top of the thighs back and widens the sit-bones apart. This creates an expansion and release in the sacroiliac joint and helps to create a natural curve in the lower back. The Contracting (or outer) Spiral is then initiated through the action of the tailbone gracefully rooting and scooping, creating a lengthening throughout core of the body and spine. The integration of the Expanding and Contracting Spirals helps create an optimal flow of energy in the spine and throughout the body. The Shin Loop is a circular current of energy, which draws the top of the shin forward and the base of the shin back. These opposite but complimentary actions help insure that the knees do not hyperextend and the lower leg bone aligns properly over the ankle and foot during the performance of an asana.
As a hatha yoga system, Anusara Yoga can best be described as a "middle path", teaching us to align with the sun (rajas) and moon (tamas) qualities present in our lives to experience a place of balance, harmony, and vitality (sattva). Classes integrate many aspects of hatha yoga, including vinyasa (flowing asana sequences linked with a deep awareness of the breath), pranayama (breathing practices), partner adjustments, and meditation.
(For a deeper investigation into the Universal Principles of Alignment and other aspects of Anusara Yoga, the yogin is referred to www.anusara.com and the Anusara Yoga Teacher Training Manual)