We have so many forms of yoga, but the one I practice is Anusara Yoga. It is the modern school of Hatha yoga, originally started by American Yoga teacher John Friend in 1997.
Hatha Yoga, a discipline upon which Anusara Yoga is based, began over five thousand years ago in India. It became very popular in the ’60s and now many different forms have been adopted in the West. Yoga brings a holistic approach to the individual with the slow, calm movement, controlled breathing with various postures (asanas) used in yoga to bring balance and tranquility to the body, mind, and spirit.
When John Friend created Anusara Yoga in 1997, this yoga practice centers on a “celebration of life” philosophy. The elements are based on Hindu Spirituality which brings the practice into a more health-oriented western approach to yoga. The term “Anusara (a-nu-sar-a), means flowing with Grace, flowing with nature and “following your heart,” as interpretation from the Sanskrit Anusara, meaning “custom usage,” natural state or condition.”
I practice Anusara Yoga because it not only deals with posture but also helps to develop self-purification through centering the body and the mind. It is not encouraged by the teachers of Anusara Yoga to “fix” student poses, but instead, allow each individual to develop on their own. The teachers provide guidelines in the form of Principles of Alignment and other useful tools for the student to progress and develop their own Anusara Yoga Methodology.
Anusara Yoga is categorized into three parts, known as the Three A’s:
1. Attitude- is the power of the heart as the force behind every action or expression in an asana. It is the aspiration to reawaken to our divine nature and the celebration of life.
2. Alignment- is the mindful awareness of how various parts of ourselves are integrated and interconnected, Anusara’s Universal Principles of Alignment are refinements of this principle.
3. Action- is the natural flow of energy in the body, which provides both stability and joyful freedom.
I attend classes at the World Yoga Center at West 72nd Street NY. The classes are strictly for those who which to develop a deeper alignment with the practice of Anusara Yoga. My teachers Jackie and Jorge bring to the classes a wealth of knowledge and I love attending this yoga center. I am one with spirit during the practice of Anusara Yoga.
The yoga sessions have a beginning, middle and an end. Each class begins with an invocation. The sanskrit mantras beginning with:
- Om Namah Shivaya Gurave (Hail to Shiva, the teacher)
- Sacchidananda-Murtaye (Whose Form is Truth, Consciousness, and Bliss)
- Nishprapanchaya Shantaya (The Singular One, the Peaceful One)
- Niralambaya Tejase (The Self-Supported One, the Lustrous One)
Every Anusara Yoga class begins with three chants of Om and three rounds of the Invocation, and concluding with one final Om. When I practice this mantra, I am centered in a level of consciousness that fills my heart with self-empowerment, self-esteem, and general positivity. Many people are turning to Anusara Yoga to deal with stress and depression, and to explore elements of spirituality which is all part of the practice of Anusara Yoga.
If you are new to yoga, try this practice, as I am sure you will feel so enlightened. You can find resources on Anusara Yoga online.
Namaste.
