Vinyasa can be described as a linked series of postures. Typically in a vinyasa one strings the postures on the breath like beads, and the flow will repeat a series between longer holds at specific points in the chain.
There are some yoga lineages that have specific vinyasas that are done in a specific order, like Bikram or the ashtanga vinyasa of Patthabi Jois. On the other hand, a great many teachers teach in the vinyasa, or flow style, and create their own flows. Surya Namaskar is probably the earliest one that we can specifically trace to a specific creator, though it seems likely to me that the practice is quite old. Actually, I've read historians that suggest the sun salutation form was likely a different practice than other yoga practices at one time. Whatever the roots, it is pretty ubiquitous in postural yoga today.
One can practice flow without a net. That is, without a pre designed series: allowing the postures to move organically from eachother allowing the non cognitive part of the brain to direct the movement. Amrit Desai called this 'moving meditation'. I've occasionally done this with students, but I think it is fairly challenging and probably easier to teach oneself working alone. Ego and self consciousness do tend to intrude in a public practice, especially when entering new territory.
My suggestion would be to start with the tried and true classics, and get used to the way it feels. Then begin to try variations. Then develop your own... writing them down if possible.... honing and exploring. Once you really understand the form of practice, and have a good tool box full of possible postures you might want to explore that deeper brain practice.
Here are a few suggestions for anyone thinking of developing a vinyasa. Please keep in mind that I am sharing my own thoughts and opinions. If you do a teacher training or get a book on the subject you will likely get a good introduction that would be more linear than this. I just want to point out a few of the things I think about when I develop my sequences.
What is the Intention of the Practice?
What postures/movements will best meet that Intention?
The transitions between the postures are as important as the postures.
What breath techniques will best serve the Practice?
What modifications do I have ready if I/my students need to flow around some impediment?
What range of motion openings do I have ready to breathe into my holds?
What is the intention of the Practice?
I often liken starting a practice to standing in the woods at the center of a number of diverging paths. Knowing what we want to explore can be really helpful. Some vinyasas are fairly general, and good all around practices. Some might focus on postures that open the hips, some might focus on breath that wakes the brain, some might focus on core control or balance. Sometimes I will ask my class what they need. That helps them get better at looking inside and being present to what they are sensing inside. It also reminds me that my needs and ego are not the most important thing when determining how I am going to teach others. Sometimes I will start a warm up and watch what I see and determine how to go based on what I am seeing. When I see shoulders really close the the ears, for example, I am likely to add shoulder range of motion. Please keep in mind that the intention does not have to be limited to anatomical stretching and strengthening.
What postures/movements will best serve the Practice?
This is a question to be asked in any practice. On one level it is fairly simple: to target the hip flexors postures like warrior and lunge, to target the hamstrings postures like down dog. But once you get past simple anatomical considerations it can get more subtle. Some postures may be more triggering for someone who is anxious or has suffered trauma. Some postures might in theory open what you want but may be likely to cause other problems for other areas, or for the population you are working with. If you are a teacher who is fairly new it is really really helpful to take trainings in working with varied populations. The likelyhood that you will walk into a class of only 20 to 40 year olds with no injuries, good health, strong musculuture, and unwounded psyches is pretty slim.
The transitions between the postures are as important as the postures.
At its most basic level this is clear. Imagine linking something like Dhanurasana (Bow) to Setu Bhandasana (Bridge). It would be physically awkward, and the breath would not work. You could link them by putting something in between.... one or more other postures.... if you were doing a series focused on chest and hip opening.
The easiest way to think about linking is to imagine how you would breathe in the posture. In a linked series, unless you are doing a hold, typically you inhale into a posture, and then exhale into the next. You can also imagine the way a spring works. If you keep stretching a spring in one direction it will loose its elasticity. We open the joint into the inhale, and relax it and open its synergists into the exhale.
More than that, it is important to keep the mind, breath, and body in sync. If we are always jumping, (like doing hyperdrive, or beaming down, in science fiction) we are allowing our mind to leave where we are physically, jump ahead, and wait for our body to follow. We need to be present within the transition just as much as at the point of rest.
And those transitions can aid the Intention. If I an moving from Tadasana (Mountain) into Uttanasana (Forward Fold) I could just let the hands drop and allow gravity to get my hands to the floor. By contracting the abdominal wall, and lifting the seat, and opening the arms, and slowly curving the belly down as I move downward I am allowing the breath and the movement to follow the same pattern of release, I am allowing myself to feel the way core and limb strength shift at different points in that range of motion, and to feel how different muscles come online and go offline during the movement. This is what it is to 'be here now'.
What breath techniques will best serve the Practice?
If you have not yet studied pranayama much you might want to stick to the simple breath in, breath out. I think a practice can be quite good done in this way. Actually, I teach in this mode a lot. Ujjayi is one of the most used of the breath techniques. But if the only breath technique you use in your vinyasa is Ujjayi that is a great tool. But it is kind of like doing all your cooking with your favorite pot. Depending on what one wants or needs there are other techniques that are useful. If one's energy is low the 'Breath of Joy' can wake the brain as much as a cup of tea. Some of the techniques, like khapalbhati The breath can be lengthened, or shortened, or slowed so the flow is more tear drop shaped rather than round, or progressivly lengthened during a postural hold. Not all 'breath work' is suitable to vinyasa. I like doing alternate nostril breathing, but clearly it would be hard to flow in and out of postures while holding a hand to the face. Kapalbhati is not typically used while doing asana, as it is a kriya rather than a form of pranayama. It is also not a good idea to use or teach this process unless you have been fully trained to do so.
A metronome can be a helpful tool in learning to work with the breath, but the safest and best way to prepare to do so is to take a class to learn the safe and effective use of these techniques before you start to use them.
What modifications do I have ready if I/my students need to flow around some impediment?
If you are a student working on your own flows you are likely to start by choosing postures accesible to yourself. If you are a teacher creating a flow to share it is important to be ready for options. Flow is less flowing if people have to stop and figure out how to get where you are going and find that the rest of the class is then several steps ahead. As a teacher I like either to build the flow by doing the basic movements first and then making the flow longer by adding pieces, or by teaching a whole flow with the gentlest movements first and then adding options that stretch deeper or require more strength. I will also often try to see whether there are situations in the students I have in class that would make me want to flow in a particular direction. I think all students learn by having to take new routes, so this is to everyone's benefit.
Some of the places that often need options are:
standing fold (can be hard on the back if the legs are tight. Blocks very helpful, or positioning certain
people near a wall, to turn and use the wall in a half bend, bending the knees is always an
option, although I generally prefer using a half bend and bending only a bit.)
down dog (can be hard on the wrists. A folded blanket can help. Or going to dolphin. Or cycling in
and out of child pose if the strength is not there. Can be hard on the heel/achilies tendon.
Folded blanket is great, slight knee bend also works, as does cycling in and out)
8 limb staff pose (I always make this one optional. Always. My favorite option is to go to high plank
and work on slowly coming to the ground with control, which really builds the core. And high
plank can be done on the knees if necessary. Or you can go to low plank out of dolphin.)
head stand
seated folds (seated forward bends, particularly with a twist can put a huge amount of pressure on the
vertabrae of the low back. The first tier of option would be to sit on a folded blanket to assure
a pelvic tilt. If that is not enough I would suggest doing the movement with the back on the
floor, stabalizing the spine and shifting the relationship to gravity.
Upending is also good for people with knee replacements or other knee issues in poses like Pigeon.
But keep in mind that the options are not just about flowing around difficulties, it is also about shifting the stretch or angle of the limbs to more directly mirror the line of origin to insertion of the muscles within the kinetic chain of the movement. Options can be there for the injured, the very strong, those with specific needs, or those with sport specific interests.
What range of motion openings do I have ready to breathe into my holds?
Here is an example. If I come into a low plank and I want to hold and breathe into the posture to build strength and the ability to focus and maintain form I can use that hold to stretch the spine and open the shoulder girdle. So if my right foot is back I would life my right hand and stretch it as far forward as I can while pressing back with the right ankle and attempting to keep the belly lock strong, and the seat, shoulder and heel aligned. Then I would sweep the arm up to face the ceiling while rotating the palm to face away from the body, hold as long as I wanted, or simply move through the sweep a few times with one breath to open and one to stretch the arm out. I also like to use shoulder openings while in Virabhadrasana. Releasing the neck and shoulder in a rhythmic way while holding a firm base helps create focus and control as well as fluidity.
Please always feel free to contact me with questions or comments. I feel strongly that the mandate of a teacher is to help show possibilities and encourage and foster curiosity and exploration.
Jai Bhagwan
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