You say Ashtanga, she calls it Flow, and he swears by Vinyasa.
Same poses, but with huge dramatic differences, in what I'd like to call "choreyogaphy".
Vinyasa Yoga is often termed as a "flowing sequence of asanas that connect breath with movement". I love Vinyasa. I love the very fact that I can tap into classical Hatha yogasanas and "choreyogaph" them to a seamless flowing practice where the mind, breath and body unite in a meditative state while in motion. In lieu of the music of my breath, I too sometimes love to Vinyasa to tunes from my playlist where I get swept up by the flow of mantras as I settle into a pose, be it for a breath or five, before another takes its place. I love the 'aaah' moment where the practitioners in my class are led from prep poses to a peak pose, before dissolving the practice into restorative mode.
Vinyasa reminds me that life imitates art (the art in this case, being Yoga). Yoga teaches us to practise non-attachment (vairaghya) because nothing in life is ever permanent. Just like a Vinyasa practice, we flow through life, ride the peak poses, take the occasional tumble (like from a Handstand straight into a Savasana splat!), as one life experience dissolves and a new one takes its place. But as each unfolding moment presents itself, that too shall pass.
Finding the balance between joy and curiosity is often the base ingredient for my Vinyasa "choreyogaphy", sometimes even without the initial, rigid dogma of alignment. My Vinyasa practice is when I take fun seriously. My body and mind become my intimate canvas for opportunities, mistakes and growth. To me, healthy alignment is in the body's natural state, and with a full presence in one's practice, the alignment will eventually come (those who practise Ashtanga Vinyasa will attest to that).
We exist in a constant state of adjustment, in order to get the alignment of our lives right. We adhere by schedules, deadlines, society and parental expectations. But have we ever thought of loosening the reins a little, and revisit the state of childlike wonder, to allow every turn to reveal a constant discovery, and every experiment to unearth new beginnings? Would we let ourselves sink into permanent rituals that (may) rob us of being joyful?
Much has been said about 'enjoying the journey' but do you Vinyasa on the mat, as well as in life?
Same poses, but with huge dramatic differences, in what I'd like to call "choreyogaphy".
Vinyasa Yoga is often termed as a "flowing sequence of asanas that connect breath with movement". I love Vinyasa. I love the very fact that I can tap into classical Hatha yogasanas and "choreyogaph" them to a seamless flowing practice where the mind, breath and body unite in a meditative state while in motion. In lieu of the music of my breath, I too sometimes love to Vinyasa to tunes from my playlist where I get swept up by the flow of mantras as I settle into a pose, be it for a breath or five, before another takes its place. I love the 'aaah' moment where the practitioners in my class are led from prep poses to a peak pose, before dissolving the practice into restorative mode.
Vinyasa reminds me that life imitates art (the art in this case, being Yoga). Yoga teaches us to practise non-attachment (vairaghya) because nothing in life is ever permanent. Just like a Vinyasa practice, we flow through life, ride the peak poses, take the occasional tumble (like from a Handstand straight into a Savasana splat!), as one life experience dissolves and a new one takes its place. But as each unfolding moment presents itself, that too shall pass.
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| Vinyasa - even bunnies do it (image from mindbodygreen) |
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| My body, my canvas |
Much has been said about 'enjoying the journey' but do you Vinyasa on the mat, as well as in life?
