Vinyasa Yoga is all about freedom.
Freedom of the mind, body and spirit.
To just let go and flow, can be a liberating experience, but like a dance it must be learnt.
Yoga postures are strung together on the thread of the breath.
This brings awareness to our limitations and restrictions and provides a pathway to overcome them.
The practice of Vinyasa brings our attention to where we are, right now, and opens doorways that welcome in new possibilities, letting go the past, bringing us to the present, and shedding a new, brighter light on the future.
What initially may seem imposable and unobtainable become probable and eventually a reality.
You may find this practice challenging to begin with, nothing good comes without effort. With the correct approach, perseverance and regularity we begin to unlock our potential.
This gives rise to a unique and effective physical fitness program. Strength, stamina, balance, lightness of body, flexibility and a focused calm mind results. The satisfaction of doing something positive and progressive is also very rewarding and satisfying.
Once learnt we can practice anywhere, anytime, and begin to establish your own self-practice. This is another aspect of the freedom of this type of yoga.
Vinyasa Yoga is essentially a breathing practice. Conscious breathing brings our attention and awareness back to the breath and connects us to where we are in both mind and body.
The breath is the connection or bridge between them; continually developing this bridge builds a strong foundation for the body and has a calming effect on the mind that allows for concentration to improve.
Vinyasa is the ability to flow effortlessly on the wave of the breath.
A sequence of yoga postures or asana are learnt with modifications to suit our individual level and joined together in a continual flow.
Each movement is done with either an inhalation or exhalation, the breath is long and complete, to enable the movement to become much more effortless.
The first vinyasa learnt is the Sun Salutation Suraya Namaskara, this exercise dates back over 2500 years, originally a devotion to the sun Suraya, in Sanskrit.
This is the dawn of the practice and develops the foundation for the entire Vinyasa Yoga style.
At first the movements may feel difficult and unsteady and just one may be a challenge, overtime as we adapt, our goals begin to open up.
The continual improvement and harmonization of Tristhana leads to a meditation in motion, effortless and free.
We uncover our limitations and learn how to turn them into strengths.
Flexibility or strength is not important and the perfection of postures or how long we can hold them is not the main issue, it’s how our breath is affected. The harmonization of Movement, Breath and Focus, the Tristhana, is the main aim of this practice.
The Breath is our guide.
Concentration or focus is lost when the body is restricted by alignment or weakness, over time these limitation dissolve away leaving an effortless, light and flowing, enjoyable and rewarding experience.
Freedom of movement gives rise to freedom of breath that leads to a calm and focused mind.
Over time with commitment to a regular practice we begin to break down barriers that once held us back, continually opening up new frontiers to explore.
Vinyasa Yoga is the vehicle that has the capacity to take us to new heights, on a continually evolving journey - all that is needed is the driver.
