Warm up the body with five rounds of Surya Namaskar A (Sun Salutation), which is the foundation sequence of Vinyasa Flow. Then begin integrating the standing poses into your Vinyasa. Remember to transition smoothly from one pose to the next, using the breath as a meditative focus.

1. Take one full breath in Tadasana. Inhale and raise the arms to Urdhva Hastasana.

2. Exhale into Uttanasana. Extend the spine and look up on an inhale.

3. Exhale into Chaturanga.

4. Inhale into Upward Dog.

5. Exhale into Downward Dog.

6A. Exhale and step forward into Trikonasana from Down Dog; hold for five smooth breaths. Engage the muscles that sculpt the pose (use the pose section in this book for reference). Expand the chest and, on the last breath, engage two opposing muscle groups to create a bandha.

7. Then place both hands onto the floor on either side of the foot, and lower into Chaturanga on your exhalation.

8. Inhale into Up Dog.

9. Exhale into Down Dog.

10. Inhale and step forward with the opposite foot.

Follow Steps 7 through 9 to return to Down Dog and rest there for five breaths, sequentially engaging the muscles described in the foundation pose section for Vinyasa.

11. Inhale and jump or step forward into Ardha Uttanasana (Half-Intense Forward-Bending Pose), extending the lower back and looking up.

12. Exhale and bend forward into full Uttanasana.

13. Inhale and rise up into Urdhva Hastasana with the arms overhead.

14. Exhale and lower the arms to Tadasana. Rest here for a breath or two and then continue the flow.

Repeat this sequence as you integrate the other standing poses in successive rounds of Vinyasa.

The series displayed here awakens the core muscles of the pelvis by progressively turning it from a position that faces relatively forward to facing the front leg and finally revolving the pelvis into the parivrtta (revolving) variations of the poses. We finish the sequence with the forward fold Prasarita Padottanasana.

Integrate each pose into the Vinyasa Flow foundation described on the facing page. Hold each standing asana for five breaths per side. Use the standing pose section of this book to work your way through the body with each breath. Pause in Dog Pose and consolidate the effects of the sequence on the body. Rest in Uttanasana or Child’s Pose if you become light-headed or fatigued.

6B. Move into Warrior II, extending through the back heel while flexing the front-leg hip and knee and expanding the chest.

6C. Next, integrate Utthita Parsvakonasana into the flow by laterally bending over the front leg. Extend from the back heel up into the tips of the fingers.

6D. Turn the pelvis and lift the arms into Warrior I, lifting the chest and extending the back leg through the heel.

6E. Bend forward into Parsvottanasana, internally rotating the shoulders to bring the hands into prayer position on the back.

6F. Revolve the pelvis into Parivrtta Trikonasana, sliding the hand onto the floor or to the outside of the ankle. Use the hand to lever the torso into the twist while extending down through the back heel.

6G. Bend the front knee and rotate the body to place the hand on the outside of the foot or the elbow onto the knee for Parivrtta Parsvakonasana. Use the hand and lower-side abdominals to lever the upper body into the twist. Extend back and down through the rear heel.

6H. Close the standing flow sequence with Prasarita Padottanasana. Bend forward and allow the head to hang in a relaxed fashion. Continue to engage the quadriceps to straighten the knees.

You can integrate the hip openers and forward bends into Vinyasa after the standing poses or as a free-standing practice. Remember to warm up the muscles first with a few rounds of Surya Namaskar A, the foundation of Vinyasa Flow. Because the hip openers and forward bends are performed from a seated position, they use a variation of Vinyasa wherein you jump or step through into Dandasana. As Tadasana is for the standing poses, Dandasana becomes the touchstone or barometer in which to gauge the transformations that take place throughout the body for the seated poses.

1. Begin in Dog Pose. Inhale and then exhale to jump or step through between the hands.

2. Land in Dandasana. Press down with the hands and engage the accessory muscles of breathing to expand the chest as you inhale deeply.

3A. Exhale and bend forward into Paschimottanasana (Intense Stretch to the West Pose). Hold for five deep breaths.

4. Inhale and sit up into Dandasana.

5. Exhale and jump or step back into Chaturanga.

6. Inhale into Upward Dog.

7. Exhale back into Downward Dog. Hold for five deep breaths, working through the body by engaging the appropriate muscle groups to sculpt the pose. You can also use this pose as a touchstone and as a position of rest. Repeat the flow, integrating the next asana.

In this series, we begin with forward bends and close with hip openers. Refer to Mat Companion 2 for details on the muscles you engage and stretch in these poses. Integrate the postures into the flow, holding each for five breaths, as described for Paschimottanasana on the facing page.

3B. Take Triang Mukhaikapada Paschimottanasana (Three Limbs Face One Foot Pose), bending one knee and straightening the other. This is an asymmetrical pose in which the tendency is to lean to the straight-leg side. Balance this by engaging the muscles that push and draw you towards the bent-knee side. Repeat on the other side.

3C. Flex, abduct, and externally rotate the hip on one side, bending the knee to form Janu Sirsasana (Head-to-Knee Pose). Extend the other knee and reach forward to grasp the foot.

3D. Flex, abduct, and externally rotate both hips into Baddha Konasana (Bound Angle Pose). Squeeze the lower legs against the thighs to flex the knees.

3E. Spread the legs apart and reach forward to grasp the feet to take Upavistha Konasana (Wide-Angle Seated Forward Bend Pose).

3F. Finish with Kurmasana (Tortoise Pose), placing the arms under the knees or thighs and flexing the trunk forward.

Backbends and twists are also practiced from the floor and use the same Vinyasa Flow series as the hip openers and forward bends. Typically, backbends have the shoulders either extending (moving back away from the body) or flexing (raising forward and over the head). We begin the series with several poses that extend the shoulders. Once the back is warmed up, we add Urdhva Dhanurasana, which flexes the shoulders overhead. Backbends and twists stimulate the third and fourth chakras by activating the muscles and organs of the torso.

1. Begin in Dog Pose; exhale to jump or step through the arms.

2. Land in Dandasana. Press the hands into the mat and expand the chest as you inhale deeply.

3A. Lie on the back and extend the arms towards the feet. Engage the buttocks and back extensors. Press the feet into the mat and begin to straighten the knees to lift the pelvis for Setu Bandha (Bridge Pose). Press the backs of the arms into the mat. Hold for five deep breaths; then lie back down.

4. Roll to the side and sit up into Dandasana, pressing the hands into the mat and expanding the chest.

5. Lift the torso and jump or step back through the arms, exhaling into Chaturanga.

6. Inhale into Upward Dog.

7. Exhale into Downward Dog. Stabilize the pose and rest here for five breaths. Repeat the flow, incorporating the next pose.

3B. Next, integrate Purvottanasana (Inclined Plane Pose) into the flow. Press the hands into the mat and firmly extend the elbows. At the same time, straighten the knees and press the soles of the feet into the floor.

3C. Turn onto the stomach and grasp the ankles for Dhanurasana (Bow Pose). Create a bandha by attempting to straighten the knees while resisting by trying to bend the elbows.

3D. Push up into Urdhva Dhanurasana (Upward Facing Bow Pose). Note how the shoulders are now flexing overhead (as opposed to extending in the previous poses). Combine the actions of the shoulders and hips and the elbows and knees to balance the body weight over the hands and feet.

3E. Backbends engage the extensor muscles of the back. Twists balance some of this contraction by stretching the spinal rotators. Start with a seated twist, using the arms to turn the body. Engage the core abdominal muscles to stabilize the torso.

3F. Move into a deeper twist with Marichyasana III (Great Sage Pose).

Integrate these twists into the flow, as shown on the previous page.

Arm balances and inversions move the energy upward through the fourth, fifth, and sixth chakras. Sensory and motor nerves in the brachial plexus are stimulated by positioning the joints and contracting the muscles that create the asanas. The inversions also affect the autonomic nervous system, increasing parasympathetic output. This can temporarily decrease heart rate and blood pressure. Do these poses at the end of your session to prepare the body for Savasana (Corpse Pose). The following asanas can be practiced from the standing version of Vinyasa Flow; they follow the same breathing sequence.

1. Take one full breath in Tadasana. Inhale and raise the arms to Urdhva Hastasana.

2. Exhale into Uttanasana. Extend the spine and look up on an inhale.

3. Exhale into Chaturanga.

4. Inhale into Upward Dog.

5. Exhale into Downward Dog.

6A. Exhale and jump or step forward to wrap the legs around the arms to move into Bhujapidasana (Shoulder-Pressing Pose). Press down with the hands and straighten the elbows. Squeeze the arms with the legs to create a bandha.

7. Then exhale and jump or step back into Chaturanga.

8. Inhale into Upward Dog.

9. Exhale into Downward Dog and rest there for five breaths.

10. Inhale and jump or step forward to Ardha Uttanasana (Half-Intense Forward-Bending Pose), lifting the chest and looking forward.

11. Then exhale into full Uttanasana. Hold this pose for a few breaths more after inversions. This allows the cardiovascular system to re-acclimate and helps to avoid light-headedness.

12. Inhale and extend the back to rise up into Urdhva Hastasana.

13. Exhale and lower the arms to Tadasana. Rest for a moment or two and then repeat the flow, integrating the next pose.

6B. Incorporate Bakasana into the sequence by jumping or stepping forward to place the upper shins on the outsides of the upper arms. Straighten the arms and squeeze against them by engaging the adductor muscles on the insides of the legs. This stabilizes the pose and creates a bandha.

6C. Then insert Parsva Bakasana, the turning version of Crow Pose. Press the side of the knee against the outer arm by engaging the abductor muscles on the side of the leg. This helps to turn the body into the twist.

6D. Go upside down into Handstand. You can leave the Vinyasa Flow for a moment and use a wall for support. Rest for a few breaths in Uttanasana after the pose and then repeat the flow.

6E. Go up into Pincha Mayurasana (Feathered Peacock Pose). Spread the weight over the entire forearm and lift the shoulders away from the ears. Then rest for a few breaths in Uttanasana. This allows the cardiovascular system to equilibrate. Repeat the Vinyasa.

6F. Finish this series with Headstand. With practice, you can learn to hold Sirsasana for longer than five breaths. Come down and rest in Child’s Pose and then repeat the Vinyasa to balance the body. Do not practice Headstand if you have an injury or other pathology in the cervical spine region.

We finish the series with Halasana (Plough Pose) and Shoulder Stand (Sarvangasana). Like other inversions, these postures can affect the autonomic nervous system by stimulating pressure receptors located in the aorta and carotid arteries. This can result in a temporary lowering of the heart rate and blood pressure. Both Halasana and Shoulder Stand have a calming effect on the body and mind and help to prepare for deep relaxation in Savasana. Like Headstand, they stimulate the nerves associated with the fourth, fifth, and sixth chakras. Note that this series follows the order for Headstand and Shoulder Stand that is advocated by the Iyengar Yoga tradition. In the classical Ashtanga system, Shoulder Stand precedes Headstand. Both systems have similar benefits in relation to the autonomic nervous system and chakras. Try each method to find what works best for you.

1. Exhale and jump or step through from Dog Pose to Dandasana.

2. Inhale, pressing down through the hands and engaging the accessory muscles of breathing to expand the chest in Dandasana.

3A. Exhale and roll back over into Halasana. Flex the elbows by contracting the biceps and press the palms of the hands into the back. Lean back slightly into the hands to open the chest forward and support the lumbar. Hold Halasana for five deep breaths.

4. Exhale and roll back over into Dandasana.

5. Inhale deeply, lifting and expanding the chest in Dandasana.

6. Exhale and lift the torso and swing (or step) back through the arms into Chaturanga.

7. Inhale into Upward Dog.

8. Exhale into Downward Dog. Hold this pose for five deep breaths and then repeat the flow, adding the next pose.

3B. Roll over into Halasana and then exhale and lift the legs into Shoulder Stand. Lean back into the hands and contract the biceps to bend the elbows; press the hands into the back and open the chest forward. Leaning back into the hands has the added benefit of taking the pressure off the cervical spine. Maintain the pose for five breaths in the beginning; build up to holding it longer with practice. Exhale down and back into Halasana; inhale and then exhale to roll out into Dandasana. Follow the flow as described on the previous page.

3C. Roll over into Halasana and then walk the feet around to the side, taking Parsva Halasana, the turning version of Plough Pose. Note that the feet will be uneven, with the outside foot further away from the body. Bend the knee to bring this foot in line with the inside foot; fix it on the mat and then straighten the knee. Note how this balances the pelvis. Repeat on the other side and then roll back into the Vinyasa Flow.

3D. Come up into Shoulder Stand from Halasana and then flex one hip to take Eka Pada Sarvangasana (One-Legged Shoulder Stand). Press the hands into the back and expand the chest. Then create a bandha by engaging the psoas on the side of the flexing hip and the gluteus maximus on the side with the leg in the air. This stabilizes the pose. Hold for five breaths and then return to Shoulder Stand. Repeat on the other side. Return to Halasana and then enter the flow.

3E. Lie down in Savasana. Place a folded blanket under the head to support it with the neck in a neutral or slightly flexed position. This is a gentle form of jalandhara bandha. You can also place a bolster under the knees, as shown. Let the arms and legs fall out to the side and turn the palms to face upward. This aids to passively open the chest. Close the eyes and sink into the floor. Completely relax and let go. Stay in Savasana for five to ten minutes—or more if you have time.