Alphabetical Index of Poses
| NAME |
CHAPTERS IN WHICH POSE APPEARS |
| “Acha” |
Cervical Spine |
| Adho Mukha Svanasana |
All-Stars Shoulders Lumbar Spine, beginning Knees Sacroiliac Joints Feet/Ankles Ankylosing Spondylitis: fused spine Ankylosing Spondylitis: unfused spine |
| Aikido Wrist Stretches |
Wrists/Hands |
| Anantasana |
Scoliosis |
| Anjali Mudra Series |
Wrists/Hands |
| Ardha Bhekasana |
Lumbar Spine, intermediate |
| Ardha Matsyendrasana |
Lumbar Spine, challenging |
| Ardha Salabhasana Variation |
Scoliosis |
| Arms Clasped Behind |
Shoulders Ankylosing Spondylitis: fused spine |
| Baddha Konasana |
Hips |
| Bharadvajasana |
Lumbar Spine, challenging |
| Bhujangasana |
All-Stars Lumbar Spine, beginning Cervical Spine Sacroiliac Joints Ankylosing Spondylitis: unfused spine |
| Cat-Cow |
Lumbar Spine, beginning |
| Chair Garudasana |
Sacroiliac Joints |
| Chair Heel Slide |
Knees |
| Chair Malasana |
Lumbar Spine, beginning Cervical Spine |
| Chair Twist |
All-Stars Lumbar Spine, beginning Cervical Spine Sacroiliac Joints Ankylosing Spondylitis: unfused spine |
| Child’s Pose |
All-Stars Lumbar Spine, beginning Lumbar Spine, intermediate Sacroiliac Joints Ankylosing spondylitis: unfused spine |
| Corpse Roll |
Hips |
| Cosmic Head Rest |
Cervical spine |
| Crossover Cactus |
Shoulders |
| Digital Roly Poly |
Wrists/Hands |
| Eka Digital Extension |
Wrists/Hands |
| Eka Digital Flexion |
Wrists/Hands |
| Eka Pada Supta Virasana |
Hips |
| Exploratory Prasarita Padottanasana |
Scoliosis |
| Finger Push-ups |
Wrists/Hands |
| Frog |
Ankylosing Spondylitis: fused spine |
| Garudasana Arms Only |
Ankylosing Spondylitis: fused spine Ankylosing Spondylitis: unfused spine |
| Gomukhasana (Full Cow Pose) |
Ankylosing Spondylitis: unfused spine |
| Gomukhasana Arms Only |
Shoulders Ankylosing Spondylitis: fused spine |
| Gomukhasana Legs Only |
Hips Sacroiliac Joints |
| Janu Sirsasana |
All-Stars Hips Lumbar Spine, intermediate Knees Sacroiliac Joints |
| Jathara Parivartanasana |
All-Stars Shoulders Cervical Spine Sacroiliac Joints |
| Jathara Parivartanasana (variation with chair) |
Scoliosis |
| Leaning Peacock |
Sacroiliac Joints |
| Legs up the Wall |
Feet/Ankles |
| Lotus Prep with Wall |
All-Stars Hips Knees Sacroiliac Joints Feet/Ankles |
| Marichyasana I |
Sacroiliac Joints |
| Mountain Brook |
Cervical Spine |
| Mulabandhasana |
Feet/Ankles |
| Parachute Pull |
Shoulders |
| Parighasana with Chair |
Lumbar Spine, intermediate |
| Parivrtta Janu Sirsasana |
Lumbar Spine, challenging |
| Parivrtta Parsvakonasana |
Lumbar Spine, intermediate |
| Parsvottanasana Prep |
Wrists/Hands |
| Paschimottanasana |
Lumbar Spine, challenging |
| Pigeon Pose |
Lumbar Spine, intermediate Sacroiliac Joints |
| Plank Series |
All-Stars Shoulders Lumbar Spine, beginning |
| Prasarita Padottanasana |
All-Stars Hips Cervical Spine Feet/Ankles Ankylosing Spondylitis: unfused spine |
| Prasarita Padottanasana with Table |
Ankylosing Spondylitis: fused spine |
| Pressure Cooker |
All-Stars Hips Lumbar Spine, beginning Knees Sacroiliac Joints |
| Purvottanasana with Chair |
Shoulders |
| Resisted Abduction of Arm |
Scoliosis |
| Salabhasana |
Lumbar Spine, beginning Ankylosing Spondylitis: unfused spine |
| Savasana (Corpse Pose) |
All-Stars Sacroiliac Joints |
| Seated Crescent Leveler |
Scoliosis |
| Self-Hug with Belt |
Shoulders |
| Setu Bandhasana |
All-Stars Shoulders Hips Lumbar Spine, beginning Cervical Spine Knees Sacroiliac Joints |
| Shoulders Back Head Forward |
Cervical Spine |
| Side Child’s Pose |
Lumbar Spine, beginning Scoliosis |
| Sitting Lunge with Chair |
Hips Ankylosing Spondylitis: fused spine |
| Slow Metronome |
Cervical Spine |
| Standing Crescent |
Lumbar Spine, beginning Ankylosing Spondylitis: unfused spine |
| Standing Lunge with Chair |
All-Stars Hips Lumbar Spine, intermediate Knees Sacroiliac Joints Ankylosing Spondylitis: unfused spine |
| Standing Lunge with Wall |
All-Stars Lumbar Spine, beginning Feet/Ankles |
| Standing Marichyasana III |
Sacroiliac Joints |
| Stop |
Shoulders Wrists/Hands |
| Strap Hanger |
Ankylosing Spondylitis: fused spine |
| Sukhasana |
Sacroiliac Joints |
| Supta Padangusthasana |
All-Stars Hips Lumbar Spine, beginning Knees Sacroiliac Joints Feet/Ankles Ankylosing Spondylitis: fused spine |
| Supta Virasana |
Lumbar Spine, challenging |
| Tadasana |
All-Stars Cervical Spine Wrists/Hands Feet/Ankles |
| Tadasana with Block |
Sacroiliac Joints |
| Tadasana with Side Bend |
Scoliosis |
| The Thinker |
Cervical Spine |
| Toe Abduction |
Feet/Ankles |
| Triang Mukhaikapada Paschimottanasana |
Lumbar Spine, challenging |
| Unseen Staff |
Wrists/Hands |
| Ustrasana with Chair |
Lumbar Spine, intermediate |
| Utkatasana |
Knees Feet/Ankles |
| Uttanasana |
Lumbar Spine, intermediate Knees Feet/Ankles |
| Utthita Parsvakonasana |
All-Stars Hips Lumbar Spine, intermediate Knees Sacroiliac Joints Feet/Ankles Ankylosing Spondylitis: unfused spine |
| Utthita Trikonasana |
All-Stars Hips Lumbar Spine, intermediate Feet/Ankles |
| Vasisthasana |
Shoulders Scoliosis |
| Viparita Dandasana Prep |
Lumbar Spine, challenging |
| Virasana |
Feet/Ankles |
| Wall Dog/Table Dog |
Scoliosis |
| Wall Finger Stretch |
Wrists/Hands |
| Wall Push-ups |
Shoulders |
| Wall Quad |
All-Stars Knees Feet/Ankles |
| Windshield Wiper |
All-Stars Hips Lumbar Spine, beginning Sacroiliac Joints Ankylosing Spondylitis: fused spine Ankylosing Spondylitis: unfused spine |
Poses by Chapter
these poses are preceded by an asterisk
when they are listed in other chapters
1. Tadasana, with variations: Tadasana Urdhva Hastasana, Tadasana Urdhva Baddha Hastasana
2. Standing Lunge with Wall
3. Adho Mukha Svanasana with four stages: Puppy, Wall Dog, Table Dog, Full Downward Dog
4. Utthita Parsvakonasana
5. Utthita Trikonasana
6. Prasarita Padottanasana
7. Standing Lunge with Chair
8. Pressure Cooker
9. Chair Twist
10. Wall Quad
11. Lotus Prep with Wall
12. Windshield Wiper
13. Setu Bandhasana
14. Supta Padangusthasana
15. Jathara Parivartanasana
16. Plank Series with three stages: Forearms and Knees, Forearms and Toes, Hands and Toes
17. Bhujangasana
18. Janu Sirsasana
19. Child’s Pose
20. Savasana
1. Wall Push-ups
2. Self-Hug with Belt
3. Parachute Pull
4. Stop
5. Arms Clasped Behind
6. Crossover Cactus
7. Gomukhasana Arms Only
8. Purvottanasana with Chair
9. *Adho Mukha Svanasana
10. *Plank Series
11. Vasisthasana Variation
12. *Jathara Parivartanasana
13. *Setu Bandhasana
1. Corpse Roll
2. *Windshield Wiper
3. *Setu Bandhasana
4. *Supta Padangusthasana (with variation: One Knee to Chest)
5. *Lotus Prep with Wall
6. Baddha Konasana
7. *Janu Sirsasana
8. *Pressure Cooker
9. Eka Pada Supta Virasana
10. *Standing Lunge with Chair
11. Sitting Lunge with Chair
12. Gomukhasana Legs Only
13. *Utthita Parsvakonasana
14. *Utthita Trikonasana
15. *Prasarita Padottanasana
1. *Windshield Wiper
2. Cat-Cow
3. Side Child’s Pose
4. *Child’s Pose
5. *Plank, Stage III
6. *Bhujangasana
7. Salabhasana
8. *Adho Mukha Svanasana, Stage II: Wall Dog
9. *Standing Lunge with Wall
10. Standing Crescent
11. *Pressure Cooker
12. *Chair Twist
13. Chair Malasana
14. *Setu Bandhasana
15. *Supta Padangusthasana
1. *Standing Lunge with Chair
2. *Utthita Trikonasana
3. *Utthita Parsvakonasana
4. Parivrtta Parsvakonasana
5. Uttanasana
6. Ardha Bhekasana
7. Ustrasana with Chair
8. Parighasana with Chair
9. Pigeon Pose with Bolster and Chair
10. *Janu Sirsasana
11. *Child’s Pose
1. Viparita Dandasana Prep
2. Supta Virasana
3. Parivrtta Janu Sirsasana
4. Bharadvajasana
5. Ardha Matsyendrasana
6. Triang Mukhaikapada Paschimottanasana
7. Paschimottanasana
1. *Tadasana
2. Cosmic Head Rest
3. The Thinker
4. *Chair Twist
5. Chair Malasana
6. Shoulders Back Head Forward
7. “Acha”
8. *Prasarita Padottanasana with Bent Knees
9. Slow Metronome
10. *Bhujangasana
11. *Jathara Parivartanasana
12. *Setu Bandhasana
13. Mountain Brook
1. Chair Heel Slide
2. *Pressure Cooker
3. *Standing Lunge with Chair
4. *Lotus Prep with Wall
5. *Setu Bandhasana
6. *Supta Padangusthasana
7. *Janu Sirsasana
8. *Wall Quad
9. *Adho Mukha Svanasana
10. Utkatasana
11. *Utthita Parsvakonasana
12. Uttanasana
1. Tadasana with Block
2. *Windshield Wiper
3. *Lotus Prep with Wall
4. *Supta Padangusthasana
5. Bhujangasana (variation with shin belt)
6. Sukhasana
7. *Pressure Cooker
8. *Chair Twist
9. Chair Garudasana
10.*Standing Lunge with Chair
11. Standing Marichyasana III
12. Utthita Parsvakonasana (variation with chair)
13. Leaning Peacock
14. *Adho Mukha Svanasana, Stage II: Wall Dog
15. *Setu Bandhasana
16. Gomukhasana Legs Only
17. *Janu Sirsasana
18. Marichyasana I
19. *Jathara Parivartanasana
20. Pigeon Pose
21. *Child’s Pose
22. *Savasana
1. Digital Roly Poly
2. Finger Push-ups
3. Anjali Mudra Series
4. Unseen Staff
5. Eka Digital Flexion
6. Stop
7. Eka Digital Extension
8. Aikido Wrist Stretches: Supinate and Twist, Pronate and Twist
9. Wall Finger Stretch
10. Parsvottanasana Prep
11. *Tadasana Urdhva Baddha Hastasana
1. *Tadasana
2. *Standing Lunge with Wall
3. *Supta Padangusthasana
4. *Lotus Prep with Wall
5. Utkatasana
6. Uttanasana with Rolled Blanket
7. *Utthita Parsvakonasana
8. *Utthita Trikonasana
9. *Prasarita Padottanasana
10. *Adho Mukha Svanasana
11. *Wall Quad
12. Virasana
13. Mulabandhasana (with two stages: One Foot, Both Feet)
14. Toe Abduction
15. Legs up the Wall
1. Tadasana with Side Bend
2. Side Child Spine
3. Exploratory Prasarita Padottanasana
4. Wall Dog/Table Dog
1. Seated Crescent Leveler
2. Resisted Abduction of Arm
3. Vasisthasana with four stages
4. Anantasana with two stages
5. Ardha Salabhasana Variation
6. Jathara Parivartanasana (variation with chair)
1. Arms Clasped Behind
2. Strap Hanger
3. *Adho Mukha Svanasana, Stage II: Wall Dog
4. Frog
5. Prasarita Padottanasana with Table
6. Garudasana Arms Only
7. Gomukhasana Arms
8. Sitting Lunge with Chair
9. *Windshield Wiper
10. *Supta Padangusthasana
1. *Windshield Wiper
2. *Bhujangasana
3. Salabhasana
4. *Child’s Pose
5. Gomukhasana
6. Garudasana Arms Only
7. *Chair Twist
8. *Standing Lunge with Chair
9. Standing Crescent
10. *Adho Mukha Svanasana, Stage II: Wall Dog
11. *Utthita Parsvakonasana
12. *Prasarita Padottanasana
Alignment Principles from Anusara Yoga
The yoga in this book derives from two main sources: B. K. S. Iyengar and John Friend. B. K. S. Iyengar’s books are available for further study. John Friend is currently writing a definitive text of his work. In the meantime we offer a summary of the most relevant parts of his teaching, authorized by him.
The Alignment Principles from Anusara Yoga are designed to enhance the effectiveness of yoga practice, to make it much more subtle and powerful than simply holding a position of stretch. Every principle applies to every pose, and with time and practice, you can integrate them seamlessly and skillfully into your practice. The principles encompass three foundational elements: attitude (our intention and feeling), alignment (the precise placement of the body), and action (balancing strength and flexibility). There are correspondences between the principles, some being synergistic and others complementary to each other. They are included in the pose instructions in this book and are listed here as a summary.
Open to Grace: Begin the practice by pausing to soften, to become sensitive, and to recognize a bigger perspective that links your individual self to the universal. Become receptive to all possibilities in yourself and in the practice.
Foundation: The Foundation of any pose is the part that is on the floor or the seat of a chair. In the poses listed here it could be the feet, the hands, or the pelvic sitting bones. Root down evenly through all parts of the Foundation for stability. In the case of the hands and feet, the Foundation has four corners. See the illustration on page 235.
Inner Body Bright: Allow yourself to softly expand from deep inside. Feel your breath and deepen it, allowing your natural radiance to shine out. This is both a physical action and a subtle energetic opening.
Focal Point: A location in the body into which Muscular Energy collects to create stability, and out of which one expands with Organic Energy. There are three Focal Points, as illustrated on page 311, and only the one that is most weight bearing and closest to the Foundation is active in any given pose. When you are standing or sitting, the pelvis Focal Point is active. When the weight is on the hands, such as in Adho Mukha Svanasana, the heart Focal Point is active. The palate Focal Point is used for inverted poses such as headstand and shoulder stand, which are not described in this book.
Muscular Energy: The muscles contract and support the bones from all sides, and connect the limbs into the midline and into the torso, providing stability and strength. The main current of muscular flow is from the periphery of the body toward the Focal Point of the pose.
Inner Spiral: This action is an expanding spiral that begins at the feet and moves up the legs to the top of the pelvis. Its three primary effects are (1) the thighs turn inward, move back, and then spread apart, widening the pelvis; (2) the lower back arches; and (3) the groins soften.
Outer Spiral: This spiral begins at the top of the pelvis and moves down around each leg, narrowing as it goes, and ending at the outer edge of the heel. The tailbone lengthens down, the buttocks firm without squeezing too tightly, and the legs turn out just enough to balance the inward turning of Inner Spiral. The Outer Spiral provides stability and groundedness.
Organic Energy: From the Focal Point of the pose, extend energetically down into the Foundation, up through the top of your head, and out through your arms. This principle helps to make the poses more fluid and expansive.
Figure 21. The three Focal Points and the location and direction of the seven Loops.
Shins-In-Thighs-Out: This action of pulling the shins toward the midline and the thighs away from the midline will improve the alignment of the knees and also benefit the lower back.
The Loops: The Loops are refined actions that align the designated segments of the body in relation to each other in the vertical plumb-line. The Loops help to create equal support and freedom in the front and back of the body. There are seven pairs of Loops, each pair having one on the right and one on the left at each level. Each Loop has a particular direction of flow (either up the front and down the back, or vice versa) and they interlock like gears at the intersection points (see accompanying diagram). Some Loops have more of a feeling of strength and stabilization (the Ankle, Shin, Thigh, Pelvis, and Shoulder Loops) and others have more of a feeling of lift away from the pull of gravity (Kidney and Skull Loops). A student might activate one Loop more on one side than another when addressing bodily asymmetries. Some poses may require extra focus on a certain Loop, which is noted in the instructions.
Some of the beneficial effects of the Loops include the following: The Ankle Loop roots the back of the heels down and lifts the inner arches up, stabilizing the stance. The Shin Loop activates the calf muscles and keeps the tops of the shins from moving back too far as they do in hyperextension of the knees. The Thigh Loop lifts up the quadriceps muscles and moves the tops of the thighs back, which is beneficial for the hips and lower back. The Pelvic Loop moves the tailbone and pelvic bones down, lengthening the lower back, and also lifts the abdomen up. The Kidney Loop lifts and softens the back of the ribs, lifting the weight of the chest off the lumbar spine. It also softens the front of the chest. The Shoulder Loop tilts the head slightly back, maintaining the cervical curvature. It moves down the back of the neck and shoulder blades. At the lower tips of the shoulder blades it moves forward and lifts the front of the chest up. This loop provides essential support for the arms and head. The Skull Loop moves the base of the skull back and up, lightens the head on the neck, and softens the eyes.
Balanced Action: The principles all reflect the balance of opposite currents of energy and action in the body (in and out, up and down, etc.). This balance brings a dynamic stability so that the poses are not rigid, collapsed, or mechanical, but alive, well organized, and expressive.