• Centering and intention
• Warmup
• Standing/balancing
• Hip openers
• Abdominal work
• Inversions and/or backbends
• Twists and forward bends
• Pranayama breath work
• Savasana

For each pose that you do, it is important to counterbalance the action with a counter-pose. Pratikriyasana is the principle of following an asana with it’s compliment. It acts to help neutralize your body. A counter-pose balances the physical and energetic effects of each asana. Typically, a counter-pose is in the opposite direction of the asana. It is less advanced and intense, and you hold it for less time then the asana. A counter-pose can be used for a single asana or for a sequence of asanas.

Vinyasa yoga is one of many types of yoga. Basically, a vinyasa is a flow of asanas combined to accomplish a goal or work a particular body part. A group of asanas flow seamlessly from one to the next. There is no defined set of vinyasa’s, so it allows you or your instructor to create any type of vinyasa sequence they enjoy or feel is necessary, by organizing asanas and counter-poses within a vinyasa; then creating a full class based on multiple vinyasa’s.

Here are a few little additions you can add to your practice, or vinyasa, that may help bring new awareness to your body and enhance the relationship between breathing and your physical body.

A. Breath Opener

Sit cross-legged. You can sit on a pillow. Your eyes are closed. Exhale and bend forward, lowering your head as you go. When you have completely exhaled hold the breath out as long as you can comfortably. Then, as you inhale, raise you chest and head up. Take about six seconds to completely inhale. Now hold your breath in, just as you held it out. Repeat this sequence six to eight times. As you hold the air in or out of your lungs, pay close attention to your body. See if there are areas that speak to you. Watch for any little area of soreness that you hadn’t noticed before. Or, see if you feel any apprehension holding the air out or in your lungs. See what you learn.

B. Cat Pushup

After a cat-cow stretch sequence try this: You are on your knees and hands. Your hands are under your shoulders palms on the floor. Rotate your hands inwards to face each other. Your arms are shoulder length apart, so the middle fingers face each other. Now do a little push-up bringing first your chest down and then your head to just barely touch the floor before going back up again. Try several repetitions. This little add-on to cat stretch greatly strengthens your upper arm strength!

C. Savasana

When you are relaxed let your mind go to your breath. Inhale, pause, exhale, pause. The natural pause in your breath is known as kumbhaka. Now imagine that this is your last breath. That you just exhaled your very last breath on planet Earth. Now enjoy the pause, don’t force it just experience it. Hold it out comfortably until your body demands air. Now, imagine that this is the first breath of your life. See how it feels “to be born.”

Benefits of Specific Poses
Standing poses
Standing poses, which typically encourage strength, are also good for energizing your body. Through the use of correct movement, they allow you to become more aware of your body mechanics. This is beneficial both on and off the mat. Internally, standing poses affect the core of your body by stimulating digestion; regulating organs such as the kidney; and getting energy or prana to move through the use of your breath. You gain both strength and stamina by doing standing poses; and you gain confidence in your ability to move into more challenging poses and experiment with your edge (described above). Standing poses develop leg and hip strength and flexibility and increase pelvic mobility.

Forward bends
Forward bends allow you to surrender your body. They are good for introspection and awareness. Even the deepest forward bends should provide a coolness about them that allows your mind to rest and be calm. The flexibility of your hamstrings will be increased by consistently practicing forward bends. Forward bends also allow your spine to stretch out in a mindful way.

Sitting poses
Contrary to standing poses; sitting poses create a calming affect on your mind, body and spirit. By providing this calm space, they remove stress and fatigue that we hold in our bodies and mind. Mindful attention to your body during sitting poses can have a positive affect on your blood pressure.

Twists
Twists benefit your entire trunk and organs. In effect, a twist wrings out toxins that accumulate in your body. Gentle twists can be used to relieve upper and lower back aches as well as head aches. When your internal organs become activate, digestion improves, and you get a feeling of well-being as toxins are released from your body. Twists also allow your spine to become more supple and flexible, which in turn will allows the hips to move more easily.

Inversions
Inverted asanas reverse the action of gravity on your physical body. They give us a different perspective on life. That’s why children love to have parents hold them upside down… or teenagers (and some adults) love to get their physical bodies spun around at carnival rides. Instead of everything being pulled down towards your feet; this new orientation shifts the flow down towards your head.

The four major systems in the body the practice of inversions positively influences include: cardiovascular, lymphatic, nervous and endocrine. Whenever your heart is lower then your head it is not working as hard to get blood to your brain. A first-aid saying goes like this, “when pale, lift the tail and when red, lift the head.” You become pale when not enough blood moves into your brain. When you think about it most of us either stand or sit for a great portion of our day… how much blood is easily moving upward when we do this… not enough!

The benefit of being upside down can also occur on your emotional and psychic levels. Inverted asanas turn everything upside down, allowing an illumination of old patterns of behavior. Generally, these practices improve health, reduce anxiety and stress and increase self-confidence. They also increase mental power, concentration and stimulate the chakras. It is not uncommon in India for people to use and inversion such as head-stand on a daily basis.

Backbends
Performing backbends gives us a sense of freedom and courage. By opening your heart area to the sky, you allow an opening of your body, mind, and spirit to occur as well. Strength is required in your arms and shoulders; so you gain stability in those areas. Backbends can also be beneficial to the spine as they create flexibility. At the same time they need to be gently worked into your practice to prevent lumbar injuries.