On the Way to William Penn House for Tuesday Night Yoga Practice
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Vinyasa Krama (and Anusara Sequencing Principles)
Vinyasa krama — the art or essence of sequencing is meant to help us align in space and time, so that we experience being and practice in the most optimal way. Last time I was with John Friend, he gave as a homework assignment, writing down Anusara sequencing principles. What I found wonderful about thinking this through, was it was not just about how to sequence a practice to reach a particular apex pose (though that is an important aspect of designing a class or practice). Here’s the list I came up with (not in any particular order and I am sure I’ve left some out):
First principle (open to grace always comes first)
Attitude, alignment, action
Open to grace, muscular energy, inner spiral, outer spiral, organic energy
Set the foundation of the pose first (for teaching and observing this also applies to looking to the foundation first)
Breath leads the way
Stabilize the periphery, move from the core
Root to rise
Major principles before applying refinements (i.e., open to grace, ME, IS, OS, OE before loops)
Sensitivity, stability, adjustment (for hands on/therapeutic adjustments)
Curvature before length (spinal alignment)
Shins in, thighs out
Initiate actions from the back body
I could blog about these for weeks and how, although they are simply articulated physical alignment principles, they would apply to actions off of the mat.
Curvature Before Length
A key therapeutic alignment principle is “curvature before length.” This in essence means that we want to get our skeleton into the basic form of its “optimal blueprint” before trying to create length or extension. Making sure the spine has the four curves it is meant to have — the sacral curve is convex, the lumbar curve concave, thoracic curve convex, cervical curve concave — does not only alleviate issues stemming from the spine, but helps the thigh bones fit better into the hip socket and the arm bones into the shoulder sockets.
How do we get curvature before length? It is just doing the Anusara principles in the sequence we are taught them: inner or expanding spiral, as it takes the thighs back, out, and apart, enhances the curve in the lumbar spine. We do inner spiral before outer spiral, which in addition to toning the low back and gluteal muscles, lengthens the low back. We do shoulder loop, which in addition to integrative the shoulders and hugging the shoulder blades onto the back of the heart, provides curve for the cervical spine. We only do skull loop, which lengthens the cervical spine, after we have done the integrating and curve-enhancing action of shoulder loop.
If you think about the shape of the body from that perspective, it makes perfect sense that you would want to shape and integrate before pulling, stretching, or extending. It is very hard to create a curve or integrate something if it is already pulled or stretched to or beyond its limit. In its broadest sense, “curvature before length” serves us the way “start with the foundation” serves us. We get into the right space and shape before going full out. With the open attitude fostered by “first principle” (remember, first principle is always first no matter what is the focus of your class, your practice, or whatever you are doing on or off the mat), the basic alignment must come ahead of striving to expand further into a pose. With curvature before length, we heal and grow. If we try length before curvature, we might feel stretched for a moment, but may feel worse afterwards or will only have temporary relief.
“Dry Clean Only” (Don’t Believe Everything You Read)
As I was doing my laundry yesterday, most of which I line-dried, I thought about the fact that I have not been to the dry cleaner in nearly a decade. This is one of the small things I have chosen in order to be a little kinder to the environment.
Some of my clothes, especially things I bought several years ago, say “dry clean only.” This includes knits made of wool, tencel, modal, or rayon (all of which are natural fibers) and linen and silk unconstructed clothing. All of these do fine with hand washing (or on the gentle cycle in the washing machine) and being hung up to dry (this also applies to cotton, button-down shirts). Of course, if it doesn’t say to dry clean then you definitely don’t need to dry clean.
Always believed the label? How was clothing made of natural fibers cleaned before there was such a thing as a dry cleaner? Think they look better or it is easier to get them dry cleaned? Think about the solvents, the plastic, the energy for the cleaning method, and whether you drive to the dry cleaners. Then make a decision.
Most things do not need to be cleaned by use of poisonous solvents (just because a solvent is “organic” or “natural” doesn’t mean it is good for the environment) and then wrapped in non-recyclable plastic to take home (many dry cleaners will take back the hangers, but will say they need to use the plastic wrap because their premises are too dusty for your clothes to stay clean outside the plastic wrapper).
So look for clothes that say “gentle wash, line dry” instead of “dry clean only.” If it says “dry clean only” think about whether it really applies. It will not apply for a wool sweater, most knits, or unlined clothes. A business suit — yes, it won’t keep its shape unless you dry clean. Do you really need to wear a business suit? Will a choice not to wear a suit impact whether some people think you are truly “professional”? Possibly. If you decide you need to wear a suit regularly, how many times can you wear it before taking it to the dry cleaners?
PS. Don’t experiment with things that are new and expensive. Try it on older clothes and discover whether you need to believe everything you read.
