New location of Sequences Website

             New location of Sequences Website

Please note that this blog is now dormant.  I have moved the information to a new website. 

Below is a guide of poses that are used on the sequence site - hope it helps.  If you are still unsure of the pose in a sequence, write to me Jürgen new email - info@iyengaryogawithdavid.com

The link to the new site

http://www.iyengar-yoga-sequences.com

Structure is the secret to an enjoyable yoga practice

“Structure is the secret to an enjoyable yoga practice

Asanas cannot be jumbled together any which way. The proper sequencing of poses is crucial to the effective opening and closing of the body. Each posture has a specific effect on the body. When combined with another posture, these effects can be used to heal, raise energetic states, and soothe.

The proper combination of asanas is crucial to an intelligent understanding of yoga that goes beyond mere repetition of postures.

Yoga is an art and a science. The sequencing of asanas is the science of yoga.”

Guruji's 94th birthday celebrations

The move to the new studio is now complete

so the post for sequences can continue.

Building of new Iyengar Yoga Centre

here's our new home

Finally the building of our Yoga Centre is underway. Take a look.

BKS Iyengar and Dalai Lam in Dehli 2010

New Delhi, India, 20 November 2010 - His Holiness the Dalai Lama today engaged in a conversation with renowned Indian master Dr. Yogacharya BKS Iyengar on mind training and compassion in a discussion titled Yogic and Buddhist Techniques of Mind Training and Cultivating Compassion at the Convention Center of India Habitat Center in New Delhi.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama with BKD Iyengar and discussion moderator Rajiv Mehrotra at the Indian Habit Center in New Delhi, India, on November 20th, 2010. Photo/Tenzin Choejor/OHHDL

His Holiness said happiness is generally understood as deep satisfaction; however, it is important to make a distinction between satisfaction achieved through sensorial level and mental level. The mental level of happiness, he said, can be achieved through spontaneous willingness from within as well as mind training leading to ultimate compassion. For a Buddhist practitioner, His Holiness said the ultimate goal is achieving Buddhahood by cultivating a compassionate mind and the by-product of thus practice is the ability is to achieve a calm and positive mind in one’s day-to-day life.

Dr. Iyengar known for deciphering the code of Patanjali Yoga Sutra in a scientific way and who has practiced Yoga for the last 60 years explained the seven stages in achieving happiness through yoga. He said the moment the intellect of the heart and mind meets through complete understanding of body and mind cleansing, that is when the consciousness of the egoistic self or the “I” is nullified and a practitioner experiences boundless uncolored joy. The aim of yoga, said the sprightly 93-yr-old is to achieve non-colorisation of happiness where remnants of the self is eliminated. He said a yoga practitioner treats negative emotions such as anger as separate entities and thereby brings the mind under control.

His Holiness referred to the various stages of mind as are described in Buddhist texts saying daily meditation coupled with investigation on shunyata or emptiness helps a Buddhist practitioner in achieving happiness. He said the Yoga Mandala practice in Tibetan Buddhism involves the understanding of the concept of emptiness or shunyata. Unless a practitioner has a deep understanding of shunyata, it perpetuates grasping of false realities or perceptions.

Asked by moderator Mr. Rajiv Mehrotra, secretary/trustee of the New Delhi-based Foundation for Universal Responsibility (FUR) if yoga aims at loosening such grasping to avoid maya or false realities, Dr. Iyengar said yoga considers ignorance or mental deficiencies as the cause of all sufferings or dukha in the world. He said living moment to moment without getting caught up in the wheel of past or memories is the path to future. In Patanjali Yoga, he explained, shunyata is known as manolaya or dissolution of the state of mind.

Speaking on the mind and body connection, His Holiness said like yoga practice that stresses on the connection between emotions and physical postures to achieve a state of equilibrium of equanimity, Tibetan Buddhist practice also stresses on the importance of mind and body connection whereby a practitioner when meditating has to focus on the correct body posture such as keeping the spine straight in order to allow the correct flow of energy to provide relaxation during meditation. He then referred to the Vajrayana school of Tibetan Buddhism where connection between right body posture and state of mind are described in detail such as dream state or deep sleep state.

Dr. Iyengar said there are some similarities or closeness between Indian yogic tradition and Tibetan Buddhist approach and suggested both traditions should work together to find a common avenue to benefit the humanity.

The discussion was attended by Indian and western scientists among them physicists and neuroscientists, scholars, spiritual practitioners and the general public.

Sequence 1 - Supta Padangusthasana I

Supta Padangusthasana I

Supta Baddha Konasana

Adho Mukha Sukhasana

Adho Mukha Svanasana

Uttanasana

Prasarita Padottanasana

Utthita Trikonasana

Ardha Chandrasana

Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana

Parsva Hasta Padangusthasana

Parsvottanasana

Prasarita Padottanasana

Virasana – Gomukhasana - arm variations

Adho Mukha Virasana

Salamba Sirsasana

Salamba Sarvangasana

Paschimottanasana

Uttanasana – blanket roll under heels

Padangusthasana

Padagulfasana

Uttanasana – classic

Urdhva Prasarita Padasana – legs at wall, weight on feet

Urdhva Mukha Paschimottanasana II – stage 1

Eka Pada Adho Mukha Svanasana – foot/leg up wall

Urdhva Prasarita Eka Padasana – at wall

Anjanayasana

Hanumanasana

Parivrtta Supta Padangusthasana

Supta Trivikramasana

Adho Mukha Svanasana – Baddha Konasana – at wall – Eka Pada Rajakapotasana

Supta Padangusthasana I – belt overhead

Supta Padangusthasana II – long belt behind neck, block beside hip of down leg

Parsvottanasana

Utthita Trikonasana

Adho Mukha Svanasana

Supta Padangusthasana I & II – rolled face cloth behind extended, bottom thigh

Parsvottanasana

Utthita Trikonasana

Adho Mukha Svanasana

Supta Padangusthasana I – belt over head

Supta Padangusthasana I I – belt behind neck

Parsvottanasana

Utthita Trikonasana

Adho Mukha Svanasana

Supta Padangusthasana I & II – heel on block

Parsvottanasana

Utthita Trikonasana

Adho Mukha Svanasana

Supta Padangusthasana I & II – blanket roll next to hip

Parsvottanasana

Utthita Trikonasana

Adho Mukha Svanasana

Supta Padangusthasana I & II – weight on down leg

Parsvottanasana

Utthita Trikonasana

Adho Mukha Svanasana

Supta Padangusthasana I & II – classic

Supta Eka Pada Virasana

Supta Virasana

Supta Baddha Konasana

Adho Mukha Virasana

Ardha Halasana

Setu Bandha Sarvangasana

Viparita Karani

Savasana

The sequence is so designed to work up to the final, classical pose Supta Padangusthasana I.