UNCONVENTIONAL SEQUENCING, or HOW UP-DOG AND HERO PREPARE YOU FOR LOTUS

My early relationship with Light on Yoga, like most people's, was as a kind of reference book. I didn't view it as a whole, as an ordered development of poses with a beginning, middle, and end. In fact, in some ways, it seemed entirely without order. When I had a question or curiosity about some particular posture, I would pick it up and flip right to the index. Then I would go to the page for that pose to look at its pictures and read its instructions, and that's it. It didn't occur to me to look at the pose(s) before or after. It didn't occur to me to look for patterns or sequences or to think of it as a self-contained practice. Instead it was almost like a phonebook of asana -- you don't read the phonebook from beginning to end; you go right to the information which is most relevant in that moment. In that way, LoY helped me connect to individual poses. I loved it for that. It wasn't until years later -- and over the slow course of several year's worth of time -- that I realized there was something much more deliberate and noteworthy in its organization. And that made me love it even more.

If you look closely there is a decipherable sequence within the book as a whole, but one that is only fully accessible to very experienced practitioners. In other words, one could use the book as a manual for a full-spectrum practice beginning with Tadasana and ending with Savasana with all of the asana from basics to advanced in between. But if you are not a very experienced practitioner capable of full-spectrum advanced postures, please do not discount the value of this book. There is a wealth of information in its pages -- some of it sits lightly on the surface ready to be known as soon as you crack it open while other parts are more deeply buried and are only discoverable to those who invest the effort and patience necessary to shine light on them.

Something accessible to all students, regardless of experience level or postural capacities, is the mini-sequences found throughout the text. They may not be immediately visible upon simply turning the pages. But they are there, and they're worth noticing.

There are lots of these so-called mini-sequences in the book, and I think the set of poses immediately prior to Padmasana (Lotus pose, 129-32) is particularly interesting. My experience as both a student and a teacher has often included lots of external rotation and abduction work as direct preparation for Lotus -- essentially all kinds of poses and variations of poses that encourage the inner thighs to stretch and widen; poses that mimic the basic form of Lotus's pretzel-y legs without the full intensity of that difficult position. That's a typical approach, and a reasonable one, as well.

However, that is not exactly the way it is presented in LoY. The sequence of poses preceding Lotus in the book includes a combination of core-strength and hip-opening. The hip-opening, though, isn't what you would expect. It is mostly internal rotation and adduction. Why would core-strength, internal thigh rotation, and adduction be placed just before Lotus pose? This is one of the reasons why the text sometimes seems disorderly rather than methodical. It is true that the sequence is unconventional, but it is not disorderly. There is a method embedded in the madness.

Let's consider this particular mini-sequence as starting with Urdhva Mukha Svanasana (Upward-facing Dog pose, 109) and ending with Padmasana. It would be as follows:

     Urdhva Mukha Svanasana (Upward-facing Dog pose, "UMS")

     Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward-facing Dog pose, "AMS", 110)

     Dandasana (Staff pose, 112)

     Paripurna Navasana (Full Boat pose, 113)

     Ardha Navasana (Half Boat pose, 113)

     Gomukhasana (Cow-face pose, 115)

     Lolasana (Pendant pose, 117)

     Siddhasana (Adept's Seat pose, 120)

     Virasana (Hero pose, 121-23)

     Supta Virasana (Reclined Hero pose, 124)

     Paryankasana (Couch pose, 125)

     Bhekasana (Frog pose, 126-27)

     Baddha Konasana (Bound Angle pose, 128-30)

     Padmasana (Lotus pose)

In short, what is happening here is this set of poses is providing lower-body mobility (opening and loosening for the ankles, knees, and hips) while simultaneously creating torso strength and stability via the back bends and abdominal poses. Lotus pose, keep in mind, is meant to be used as a stable seated position for practicing pranayama (breath exercise) and meditation techniques. If the muscles of the torso, either along the belly or the spine, are weak, you will not be able to sit for any kind of prolonged practice period. And, of course, if your ankles, knees, or hips lack suppleness, you won't be able to get into the pose at all, let alone sustain it. Therefore, the poses immediately preceding Lotus pose provide the stability and mobility needed to be in the pose.

In case it still isn't entirely clear as to how all of that is happening here, I'll highlight a few specific points.

First, UMS, AMS, Staff pose, and Full Boat pose are strikingly similar when the form of the upper-body is considered. Look at them side by side:

Notice the shape of the chest in particular. With only a minimal repositioning of the arms and head along with a change in the relationship to gravity, these four poses have a lot in common. UMS and Staff pose are essentially identical with the exception that UMS places the legs in extension which makes the pose a back bend while the legs are flexed into a forward bend for Staff pose.

AMS, Staff pose, and Boat pose are essentially a single physical form interpreted three different ways relative to gravity.

These four poses (UMS, AMS, Staff, and Boat) are presented sequentially in the text, at least in part, because they are clearly related to one another in physical form. Each one provides a preparation or compliment for the one following. And they can easily be practiced in a continuous flow-style movement: from UMS, the hips lift and the chest presses back into AMS; from AMS, the legs jump through the arms to sit for Staff pose; from Staff pose, the body rocks back to balance on the buttocks for Boat pose; from Boat pose, the hands press into the floor next to the hips, the legs swing back through the arms, and the chest lifts for UMS; and so on. In other words, not only are these poses really important individually, but this mini-sequence is also the beginning of the Sun Salutation components. This is the first place that LoY presents a kind of "vinyasa."

The next pose is Ardha Navasana (Half Boat pose) which provides additional core strengthening. It is a more intense version of Full Boat. What make it more difficult is the clasp of the arms behind the head plus the repositioning of the torso and legs much closer to the ground. But those characteristics are what makes it so effective -- they challenge the muscle groups in a different way than Full Boat. Also the abdominal strengthening postures are included here to prepare you, in part, for the inversions that are not far away when the sequence is viewed as a whole.

Gomukhasana (Cow-face pose) takes a break from the strong core work, but not for long. Here is the beginning of more focused attention on the mobility of the hips, knees, and ankles. The standing poses, belly-down back bends, and core work that precede this pose emphasize generating heat and stability. This is something a little different: it highlights stretching and flexibility more so than strength. And it serves as a transition pose between what has already happened and what is about to happen. By combining the stability of the UMS arms and Staff pose spine with the strength of the Boat pose abdomen and the bendy Cow-face legs, you get the next pose: Lolasana (Pendant pose).

Pendant pose is the first of many arm-balances presented in the text. And, not only is it the peak at the end of its own mini-sequence (UMS + Staff + Boat + Cow-face = Pendant), it is also another component of the traditional Sun Salutation insofar as it prepares you to jump and swing the legs either forward or backward through the arms.

Mobility in the hips, knees, and ankles continues to be the primary focus in the next pose which is Siddhasana (Adept's Seat pose). But, different from the previous poses, now we see the first posture which utilizes external rotation and abduction at the hips. In this way, it is both a kind of counter-pose to what preceded it (Cow-face and Pendant both position the legs in internal rotation and adduction) as well as a sneak-peak into what is developing.

After that brief break, we go back to the internal rotation and adduction position of the hips and legs to practice several different stages of Virasana (Hero pose), and the focus is still on mobility in the hips, knees, and ankles. The deep flexion of the knees, the stretch for the ankles, and the upper-body seated on the feet in this way make Hero pose similar to Cow-face pose.

But the adduction of the thighs is lessened in Hero pose making it less intense for the hips. Notice that in Cow-face the legs are crossed above the knees so that the thighs move beyond the midline whereas in Hero pose the thighs are joined at the midline. In some ways, it would make sense to place Cow-face after Hero pose as it is a more difficult position for the legs, and therefore Hero could serve as a preparation for Cow-face. You certainly could do that. However, the advantage of practicing Cow-face first is that the challenge of Hero pose is greatly dissipated if you have already prepared the hips in the more extreme form; that is to say, if you can comfortably practice Cow-face legs, then you can surely practice Hero legs as the latter is less demanding. And, if by the time you enter Hero pose, your hips and knees are adequately prepared, you can focus your attention on other important components of the posture, such as the feet and upper-body.

There are four different positions for the feet in Hero pose, and each one provides a slightly different stretch for the lower legs, particularly the ankles. The final form is when the feet rest on either side of the hips (rather than underneath them) and are pointed straight back so that the inner and outer ankles are equally extended. At this point the upper-body experiences four additional stages of Hero pose.

After the forward folded stages of Hero pose come the supine stages known as Supta Virasana (Reclined Hero pose) and Paryankasana (Couch pose). These two poses continue the theme of ankle, knee, and hip mobility, and they add a focus of stretching the hip-flexor muscles along the front of the thighs and into the lower abdomen. Tightness in the hip-flexors will prevent the femur bone from sitting properly inside the hip-socket. If the femur bone is improperly positioned, it will limit your ability to fold the legs into Lotus pose. So even though these poses don't much resemble Lotus in their physical form, practicing them first is a huge part of preparing for it.

Then, you simply flip over to a prone position and repeat the same basic form while on your belly for Bhekasana (Frog pose). It continues to open the hip-flexors and strengthen the spine, and the contact of the hands against the top of the feet further stretches the ankles in cotninued preparation for Lotus pose.

Similar to Siddhasana seen earlier in this sequence, Baddha Konasana (Bound Angle pose) serves as both a counter-pose to what has just taken place (the deep internal rotation, adduction, and hip-flexion of the Hero pose variations) as well as a sneak-peak at what follows (Lotus pose is next). All of the preceding attention to the hips, knees, and ankles has presumably prepared the body to achieve this mild hip-opener with relative ease. At this point, the lower body is quite supple, any pressure otherwise experienced in the ankles or knees has likely been relieved, and, not only do the thighs open easily now that they are properly positioned within the hip-socket, it probably feels very good to allow them to do so. Of course, if you got to this point and didn't feel supple in the hips, knees, or ankles, then you probably would not want to proceed into Lotus pose.

The only posture left is the peak of our mini-sequence: Padmasana. Utilizing everything we have covered up to this point -- stable spine, uplifted chest and upper-back, strong belly, open hips, bendy knees, and mobile ankles -- each foot is carefully positioned over the top of the opposite thigh to create Lotus pose.

You can certainly see the similarities between Siddhasana, Baddha Konasana, and Padmasana, and why they would commonly be used as preparations for each other.

And it is understandable that the direct correlation between Hero pose and Lotus pose is often overlooked. They don't appear at first to have that much in common. But if you look closely, you can see traces of Hero legs in Lotus legs. And, of course, their relationship makes much more sense when viewed from the context of the particular sequences of events we just explored.

Again, this is definitely not the most conventional means of sequencing Lotus pose. And it probably isn't the best way to initially learn the pose. This particular sequence is probably most effective for those people for whom these poses are already well-established. They can each be broken down and their component parts better understood by placing them in other postural arrangements. Then this unique mini-sequence can be explored and experimented with.

As I mentioned earlier, Lotus pose is often used during pranayama and meditation practice, and for that you want the body to be as comfortable and stress-free as possible. That makes a build-up to Lotus itself a fantastic peak-pose sequence. But, of course, this isn't the end of sequencing in the book. Now that Lotus pose has entered the practice, it plays a major role in many of the subsequent asana. The next section of the book revisits most of the basic forms we were just introduced to but now with Lotus legs -- arm-balancing (Tolasana and Kukkutasana), back bending (Simhasana and Matsyasana), forward folding (Baddha Padmasana), etc. Then, all of that hip-opening is utilized in a series of poses focused on basic forward folding techniques. Following that, Lotus legs shows up again in several variations of inversions, more challenging arm-balances, and deeper forward bends later on, all of which have their own mini-sequences embedded within.

This short thirty-page section alone is rich and deep with work that could keep us studying for a very long time. As you see, not only are the individual poses essential for their own sakes, there are sequences inside of sequences which have the potential to unlock all new avenues of understanding and awareness and experiences.

Barring any limitations which would prevent a safe practice, I encourage you to try this mini-sequence and see how your body responds to it. Or find your own mini-sequence to play with. As a whole, LoY may not be conventional in its sequential presentation, but it does have order. And sometimes the unconventional approach takes you exactly where you wanted to go all along, just in a brand new way.

TO FORM OR TO FLOW, THAT IS THE QUESTION. OR IS IT?

Form or flow. Flow or form.
It seems sometimes like the whole of modern yoga is divided up into form-based practice and flow-based practice, and we, as students, should identify ourselves as being a follower of one or the other. I find myself frequently fielding questions and conversing about the two practice styles, and often times in an almost defensive tone as if I need to substantiate my choice with sound reason. An all-too-typical conversation for me is one in which I tell somebody I teach yoga, they get real excited and tell me how they just love their vinyasa flow class (or that they really enjoyed that one semester they took in college), and then ask me what kind of yoga I teach. As soon as I mention the words "form" or "alignment" their eyes glaze over, and I can see they have lost interest in what I'm saying. Of course it's not just "flow yogis" not understanding "form yogis"; disparateness easily goes both ways. From either perspective, it can feel almost like being on differing sides of a political issue; as if there is no common ground or relatability.

To form or to flow has become a yogi's question. But what does it even mean to call some yoga "form" and some other yoga "flow"? What are they? And are they as different as they're made out to be? I propose that they are in fact in some ways distinct entities; two components of a singular intention. That is to say, form and flow are two means of a single end: the practice of yoga. But rather than being unrelated communities peering at the other from across the uncrossable railroad tracks, they are instead each a vital aspect of a kind of yoga co-op; a circle or a cycle in which flow follows form follows flow and so on. I'll explain, but first a tiny bit of history.

Form and Flow are just two (not the only) ways of distinguishing practice styles. Yogic lineages are more complex than that, but for simplicity's sake let's stick with just the two. Form-based yoga is often credited to B.K.S. Iyengar. Young Iyengar was sick and weak, and his yoga practice was a means of turning his chronic disease into sustainable fitness. In the early stages, his physical condition didn't allow for robust athleticism or rapid, high-impact aerobics. His body needed time to learn proper mechanics and functionality. He needed to reinforce his entire musculoskeletal system, invigorate his nervous system, and nurture practically non-existent physical and psychological stamina. Therefore the yoga he practiced, and subsequently taught, was slow, even seemingly static, and meticulous. His starting point was just shy of crippled; anything more demanding than a thoroughly thought-out and well-executed single pose at a time would have been impractical and even dangerous.

Modern form-based practice uses those same intentions of teaching the body proper mechanics and functionality even when the starting point is less diseased than Mr Iyengar's. The idea is the same, though: reinforce the musculoskeletal system, invigorate the nervous system, and nurture stamina. Through critical analysis and precision of action, the body performs the pose in the most optimal and accessible way (given its unique structures and capacities).

Alternatively, flow-based yoga is often credited to K. Pattabhi Jois, founder of Ashtanga Yoga. Nearly every modern interpretation of flow-style practice can be traced back to Mr Jois. Young Jois was healthy, active, energetic, and athletic; his practice was a means of employing and enhancing his existing vitality. Neither his musculoskeletal nor nervous systems were impaired; he had strength and stamina. His health and safety weren't as vulnerable, and therefore weren't as compromised by less-fastidious, more-vigorous activities. The yoga he practiced, and subsequently taught, focused less on thinking and more on simply doing.

Modern flow-based practice typically assumes a starting point of at least basic physical and physiological health and vitality, and that strong, fast actions won't compromise one's safety. That kind of activity creates optimization and accessibility also, but from a kind of meditation in motion. That is not to say that one or the other style is safer or less risky than the other. It is not to say that flow practices lack concern for proper alignment or can't be used therapeutically. And neither is it to say that form practices lack vigor or breath-coordinated transitions. They both include risks, the need for thoughtfulness, and the support of proper respiration because that is how anatomy and kinetics work, and in that way they are inherently interrelated. And it is all the more reason to view form and flow as belonging to a cycle rather than as rivals on separate sides of the track. (Also, these comments are not at all directed specifically toward "Iyengar Yoga" or "Ashtanga Yoga" which are two very distinct brands of practice which cannot be simplified into merely being of one method or another; I am speaking only very broadly in regards to form and flow style practices.)

What, Why, and How
I think the best yoga practices are centered around a comprehensive understanding of what, why, and how. The right question is not Is the best kind of yoga form or flow?, rather the question is actually three-fold: What is yoga, why is yoga, how is yoga? And the answers are (1) Form (here the word "form" is referring to basic shape, not the style of practice known as "form-based"), (2) Function, and (3) Refined Form. Together they make Flow.

The what of a pose comes from its basic form: what does the pose look like, what am I trying to do? Form, in this sense, is looking at a picture or a demonstration of the pose to see shape and position. By itself it's just an outline, a blueprint. It is foundational and therefore vital, but it's without substance or structure. Take Down-dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana 110), for example. What does Down-dog look like, what is its shape? Your hands and feet are on the floor; your arms, legs, and spine are straight; and your butt is high. So the basic form of Down-dog is in inverted-V. You cannot perform the pose if you don't know what its most basic components are. But understanding that alone does not mean that you are practicing Down-dog; it doesn't tell you anything about why you're doing it or how to do it well.

From form follows function, which is the why: why am I doing it, why is that a good choice? Answering why provides purpose. Why do I practice Down-dog? Because it stretches the shoulders, opens the upper-back, and lengthens the legs. Why do I need to do those things? There are multiple ways to answer that particular question, but often Down-dog is used as an immediate counter-pose to a back bend or series of them. Within a traditional Sun Salutation (Surya Namaskar), for instance, Down-dog follows Up-dog. And if you look for Down-dog within Light on Yoga, you will see that it comes immediately after a series of belly-down back bends (100-111). Poses like Upward-dog (Urdhva Mukha Svanasana 109), Locust (Salabhasana 100), and Bow (Dhanurasana 102) contract the muscles of the shoulders, spine, and legs. As a direct counter to those contracting actions, Down-dog provides a stretching and an opening to those same body parts. Therefore, understanding that Down-dog's function is to stretch the whole back body tells you to practice it after belly-down back bends.

The how is form (what) revisited and refined: how do I accomplish that, how do I turn theory into practice and basics into nuances? How do I do it well? It is like "advanced form" or "form with skill." Knowing that Down-dog's form is an inverted-V whose function is to counter-act back bends does not tell you how best to use that form to create that desired function. After acquiring a theory of shape (form/what) and an understanding of purpose (function/why) you can properly apply anatomic mechanics into optimal combinations of stability and mobility which in turn become a good yoga pose. In other words, refined form is the means by which you create actual substance and structure.

If you want Down-dog to counter a back bend, you need to know how to position your bones and engage your muscles to achieve that end, and the more refined and skilled you are with position and engagement, the more effective the pose will be. Look at the picture of Down-dog from the front. The reason why this pose is serving as a stretch for the shoulders and upper-back is because of how his arms are positioned and engaged. His hands are slightly wider than his shoulders and his arm-bones are inwardly rotated. You can tell that by the fact that his elbows are pointed out rather than down. Those two things combined allow him to move his arms way back behind his ears into extreme flexion and to move his upper-back in. Now look at the side-view image of Down-dog turned upside down: notice how far his arms are behind his ears, and the angle which that creates where his arms intersect with his spine. That is part of what makes it a big stretch for the shoulders and upper-back.

Although knowing the answers to what and why does not explicitly explain how (because that comes from good instruction, practice, and experience), it does take both of the first two questions to answer the third. Jumping from form (what) straight to refined form (how) without function (why) can lead to a pose not adequately suited for your intentions. We can see that by answering Down-dog's why question differently.

Instead of a counter-pose to Up-dog as we were using in the previous example, imagine you are in Down-dog preparing to hop forward into Standing Forward bend (Uttanasana 93) as is typical in a "vinyasa flow." How would you refine your form, how would you position bones and engage muscles to achieve a safe and graceful hop forward? Look again at the full side-view picture of Down-dog.

This is the version of Down-dog best suited to stretching your shoulders, spine, and legs after back bending because of the deep opening of the shoulders and upper-back, the length of the legs, and the fact that the head is literally on the ground. The function of this pose is to restore and rejuvenate. It is a fantastic pose! But it clearly does not have the power and focus necessary for hopping into Uttanasana. In fact, here is the picture of the first stage of Uttanasana next to the picture of Handstand (Adho Mukha Vrksasana 287); see any similarities?

Look closely at the arms, upper-back, and head.

The basic form of Uttanasana is much more closely related to that of Handstand than it is to the version of Down-dog pictured above, right? If you want to hop forward into Uttanasana, it makes sense to power up your arms and legs and look forward, which is not unlike what you would do to lift into Handstand.

There isn't a right way or a better or best way to perform Down-dog; it's about context and intention. Function informs refinements. The Down-dog whose function is to stretch you after back bends does not use the same skillful actions as the Down-dog whose function is to propel you from the back of your mat to the front. They share a common basic form (i.e. the inverted-V) which can deceive you into thinking they are one in the same pose when in fact they serve different functions and therefore utilize different refined forms. If you find yourself in Down-dog, and you haven't asked yourself why you are there, how can you be properly skillful?

The picture below is two different expressions of a similar basic form: hands down, arms straight, hips above heart. But their functions, and therefore their refinements, are very different.

What am I doing? Why am I doing it? How am I going to do it well?

It's all form and it's all flow.
The shape of the pose is important. The purpose of the pose is important. And the skillful actions of the pose are important. When the what, why, and how of any given pose come together and serve each other, and the pose is otherwise performed (relatively) singularly and statically, therein lays what is often referred to as "form-based practice." In other words, the what, why, and how focus primarily on getting you into and out of just that individual pose. But the thoughtful and skillful manner in which that is accomplished has its own inherent grace, fluidity, momentum, and therefore flow. Just because you return to Mountain (Tadasana 61) in between each standing pose does not mean it lacks flow. You move in coordination with your breath, you move with elegance, you flow smoothly from one pose to another. In that way, it is all flow practice.

What is thought of more commonly as traditional "flow-based practice" occurs when the what, why,and how are expanded to include more seamless (and often creative) transitions and (relatively) constant movement between two or more poses. The fact that the movement is continuous does not by any means negate the importance of answering all three questions, however. In fact, in some ways it makes it even more imperative because the pace is faster, the time to analyze is reduced, and details will surely be left out. If you are in a flow and you haven't considered what, why, and how, you may be sabotaging your intentions or, worse, setting yourself up for injury. The individual poses need to be understood very well before they are linked together with other poses. Not only that, but the transitions themselves have their own what, why, and how. By that I mean that you master the form, function, and refinement of Pose A, and then you repeat that process for Pose B, and then you repeat it again in order to master the transition which links Pose A to Pose B. Then you master Pose C, followed by whatever it is that links Pose B to Pose C, and then whatever links Pose C back to Pose A, etc. And in that way, it is all form practice.

There will always exist differences -- different lineages, different methodologies, different philosophies, different focal points, different intentions, and on, and on. Conversations about what it is or what it isn't can go on ad nauseam. Rather than perpetually standing across from something seemingly different from you in separation from it, yoga can teach you how to step across the divide into relationship. When you ask the right questions, the answers lead you to clarity and continuity. And the question, remember, is not Is the best kind of yoga form or flow? The question is What is yoga, why is yoga, how is yoga? And then you practice. It is always one pose at a time. And it is always one pose after another after another after another.

Form. Function. Refined form. Flow.

And repeat. Always repeat.

Image of Sutra: Yoga Sutra I.33 as translated by Chip Hartranft, 2003.
All other images and page numbers: Iyengar, B.K.S., Light on Yoga. New York: Schocken Books, 1979. Print.

RECOGNIZE. RELATE. REPEAT., or WEEKS 16 & 17 PART 3

The further we progress on the yogic path, the more we can examine yoga's relationships. There exist significant interplays, continuities, similarities, derivatives, connections, and exchanges, both direct and indirect, all throughout yoga's practices. And those relationships, be they physical or philosophical, are a fascinating aspect to study. For now, I want us to look again at some physical relationships between poses.

Sometimes Pose A serves as a direct and immediate preparation for Pose B. For instance, one easily recognizable relationship between Warriors I and III (Virabhadrasana 71 and 74) is that Warrior I is a direct preparation for Warrior III; it is explicitly stated so in the text (LoY 73).

Other relationships take more discrimination to uncover. If, for example, you understand that successful back bends require sufficient mobility in your hip-flexors (front thighs, even up into the lower belly) as well as your side body, then you could glean the value of using Gate pose (Parighasana 86) as preparation for Camel pose (Ustrasana 88). It isn't explicitly stated, and it isn't necessarily obvious simply by looking at their images; it's a relationship more likely to be recognized through practice itself.

And still other poses seem entirely unrelated, and yet they play together tremendously well. A great example of that is how efficiently a series of deep, skillful twists prepare your body for back bends. That is because twists stabilize your legs and hips while mobilizing your spine, and thus leave you properly anchored and nimble for back bends. So one way to prepare for a challenging pose such as Upward Bow (Urdhva Dhanurasana 361) would be with other obviously similar poses like Camel, Bow (Dhanurasana 102), and Bridge (Setu Bandha Sarvangasana 229); in other words, you could use back bends to get into back bends. That's clearly direct. But it's not the only (or necessarily best) way. You could also use poses like Revolved Triangle and Side Angle (Parivrtta Trikonasana and Parivrtta Parsvakonasana 64 and 65), Bharadvajasana variations (252), and Jathara Parivartanasana variations (239). It's certainly indirect, but surprisingly effective.

Often times, when you look closely at the form of a pose, you can see the components of some other pose(s), and that keen eyesight can help you decide what and how to practice. Say you want to work toward the first variation of One-legged King Pigeon pose (Ekapada Rajakapotasana I 390). It is a tough one that can be daunting to take on. You may look at a pose like that and think Yeah right, maybe next lifetime! But you only need to break it down to recognize its more digestible pieces. Start by asking yourself what you need to do to prepare; which poses have similar looking components? Well, the front leg looks like Bound Angle (Baddha Konasana 128) or Janu Sirsasana (150). The back leg is reminiscent of Bow or One-legged Frog (Ekapada Bhekasana [not in LoY]). The arms are overhead like Fierce pose (Utkatasana 89) or Down Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana 110). And the torso is arched like Camel or Cobra (Bhujangasana 108). Those are all "Level 1" poses that are likely already a part of your ongoing repertoire. If you worked on each of them in their own right, you would simultaneously be working toward EPRK.

Recognition of related components certainly isn't limited to poses as dramatic or "advanced" as EPRK. We recently spent a class time focused on Upward Plank (Purvottanasana 176), and we prepared for it via a series of poses targeting the feet, legs, and hips plus a little attention to the shoulders. We could have spent our time more focused on the shoulders and upper back. Or we could have more thoroughly opened the hip-flexors. Or we could have looked carefully at the shape of Upward Plank and picked out some specific poses sharing similar components.

What do you see when you look at Purvottanasana? Which other pose(s) are you reminded of?

I see Locust pose (Salabhasana 100) turned upside down and Camel pose with straight (rather than kneeling) legs. Can you see the similarities?

How about when they're seen side by side? Here is Upward Plank next to Locust which has been turned upside down and rotated slightly so that the legs are at the same angle in both pictures.

And here is Upward Plank next to Camel.

Look specifically at his torso, arms, and head.

And now look at what happens when the images are overlapped.

There are substantial similarities between Purvottanasana, Salabhasana, and Ustrasana, which means that one way of preparing to practice any one of them is through practicing the others. You can practice a sequence which includes Locust and Camel and then peaks with Upward Plank, for instance. But their abilities to affect each other are reciprocal, and you could just as effectively practice a sequence which uses Locust and Upward Plank to peak with Camel, or practice Camel and Upward Plank to prepare for Locust.

And someday you might practice a sequence which includes Locust, Camel, and Upward Plank as a means of preparing for something like Two-legged Inverted Staff pose (Dwipada Viparita Dandasana 375). Can you see why that would be effective?

Asana practice is forever challenging and intense. But it isn't challenging just for the sake of being challenging, nor is it intense just for the sake of intensity. It is through endurance of repetitive intensity that you learn and change. The study of the forms of poses theoretically (i.e. analyzing the pictures and their instructions) informs the study of them experientially (i.e. actually practicing them on the mat). Through theory and practice you come to recognize their relationships to each other. Through the poses themselves, you recognize their relationships to your body. That takes you into deeper and deeper realms of understanding and accessibility. And from that comes recognition of the relationships between your body and your "something-more-than-just-your-body" (which is another post for another day).

Recognize. Relate. Repeat.

     ~~~~~

The following is the "16th and 17th week" sequence including the poses we have learned together in class up to this point and omitting those we have not yet learned.

     Sanskrit names are in bold.
     (English names are in parentheses.)
     [Numbers in brackets correspond with illustrations.]
     Poses with an * are new to the sequence.
     Observe the change in the order of the asana.

Salamba Sirsasana I (Supported Headstand first variation) [184]

Utthita Trikonasana (Extended Triangle pose) [4 and 5]

Parivrtta Trikonasana (Revolved Triangle pose) [6 and 7]

Utthita Parsvakonasna (Extended Side-angle pose) [8 and 9]

Parivrtta Parsvakonasana (Revolved Side-angle pose) [10 and 11]

Virabhadrasana I (Warrior pose first variation) [14]

Virabhadrasana II (Warrior pose second variation) [15]

Virabhadrasana III (Warrior pose third variation) [17]

Ardha Chandrasana (Half Moon pose) [19]

Parsvottanasana (Intense Side-stretch pose) [26]

Prasarita Padottanasana I and II (Standing Wide-angle forward bend first and second variations) [33 and 34, 35 and 36]

Padangusthasana (Standing Big-toe pose) [44]

Padahastasana (Hand-under-foot pose) [46]

Uttanasana (Standing forward bend) [48]

*Urdhva Prasarita Ekapadasana (Standing Splits) [49]

*Utkatasana {Fierce pose) [42]

Parighasana (Gate pose) [39]

*Ustrasana (Camel pose) [41]

Salabhasana (Locust pose) or Makarasana (Crocodile pose) [60 or 62]

Dhanurasana (Bow pose) [63]

Bhujangasana I (Cobra pose first variation) [73)

*Virasana (Hero pose) [86]

Salamba Sarvangasana I (Supported Shoulderstand first variation) [223]

Halasana (Plow pose) [244]

Karnapidasana (Ear-pressing pose) [246]

Supta Konasana (Reclined Angle pose) [247]

Parsva Halasana (Side Plow pose) [249]

Ekapada Sarvangasana (One-legged Shoulderstand) [250]

*Parsvaikapada Sarvangasana (Side One-legged Shoulderstand) [251]

Jathara Parivartanasana (Revolved Abdomen pose) [274 and 275]

Urdhva Prasarita Padasana (Upward Extended Legs pose, aka UPP) [276 to 279]

Paripurna Navasana (Full Boat pose) [78]

Ardha Navasana (Half Boat pose) [79]

Janu Sirsasana (Head-toward-Knee pose) [127]

Paschimottanasana (Seated forward fold) [160]

*Purvottanasana (Upward Plank pose) [171]

Ujjayi Pranayama with inhalation retention (Section 203) in Savasana [592]

     ~~~~~

"By performing asanas, the [practitioner] first gains health, which is not mere existence. It is not a commodity which can be purchased with money. It is an asset to be gained by sheer hard work. It is a state of complete equilibrium of body, mind and spirit. ... Where does the body end and the mind begin? Where does the mind end and the spirit begin? They cannot be divided as they are inter-related and but different aspects of the same all-pervading divine consciousness" (41).

Quote, images, and page and illustration numbers: Iyengar, B.K.S., Light on Yoga. New York: Schocken Books, 1979. Print.