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Home , Asana, Backbend, Baddha Konasana, Balasana, Handstand, Marichyasana

"True starts with radical self-acceptance. You are fully present with what is, observing the self without judgment. When the body knows that the mind is kind, it will open and release."1

Richard Faulds

Asanas, or poses, are the third limb of the eight limb path of yoga. The primary role of asanas is to prepare the body and mind to be able to sit for for long periods of time. Asanas open energy channels and , allowing to flow more freely. Asanas can develop strength, flexibility, restore energy and a sense of wellbeing and may provide some relief from painful conditions. Asanas can be grouped into families of related poses. Families of yoga poses are listed below, along with their potential benefits, contraindications and variations, and where you might place a particular type of pose in a sequence.2,3 The lists are not exhaustive.

Contraindications are conditions or factors that may serve as a reason to be cautious when attempting a pose. For example, a person with a hip replacement is contraindicated for hip openers that may dislodge their prosthetic hip joint. Yoga outreach classes are generally taught in a group setting where there can be a wide range of fitness and health levels, ages and flexibility. It is best to advise students to take responsibility for their own wellbeing and to pay attention to their bodies. Sensation is welcome, not pain. You might encourage students to find variety in their own poses, considering what the heart of a pose might be and asking for advice if they get stuck. This can encourage a sense of ownership over one’s practice, confidence and a deeper connection with one’s body. Students can be advised to take a break if need be and let you know if they are feeling any chest pain, dizziness, difficulty breathing, faintness or pain in their joints, and to feel proud of what their bodies can do.

STANDING & BALANCING POSES (Mountain), Uttkatasana (Chair), (Triangle), I-III (Warrior I-III) …

Benefits: Standing postures can be among the safest , helping to develop a sense of stability, as well as strength and flexibility throughout the whole body. can increase strength and mobility in feet, ankles, , quadriceps, hamstrings, and hips, which can protect the joint and become a firm base for the spine. Balancing postures allow a student to explore the fear of falling, focus and inspire clear thinking and a sense of confidence.

Potential Contraindications & Variations: Balancing poses may be challenging for some who are blind, deaf, have anxiety, multiple sclerosis, problems affecting the middle ear, or a weak or injured leg. The student may choose to use a wall or chair for balancing, or practice sending weight through a weaker side. Heart and blood pressure conditions may make strenuous, long-hold standing postures more challenging. Warrior poses can be practiced with hands on the hips rather than arms raised. Maintaining feet hip-width apart can protect the sacro-iliac joints that are often at risk. Ensure that the knees do not go beyond the toes during squats and low lunges. See forward folds below for more on standing forward folds.

Sequencing: Standing asanas can be good for warming and opening the entire body in preparation for more complex asanas. Refrain from moving back and forth between externally (e.g. Trikonasana) and internally rotated (e.g. Virabhadrasana 1) standing asanas. Teach externally rotated asanas first. Twist-free standing poses that open the hamstrings, hips, spine and shoulder girdle are good preparation for standing twists. Offer standing twists gradually. Standing twists, Virabhadrasana 1 and low lunges can be good preparation for . Try not do more than 2 or 3 sustained asanas in a linked sequence on each side. Many standing poses are gentle hip openers that are good preparation for deeper hip openers in backbends, arm balances or seated postures. TWISTS & LATERAL BENDING , Parivrtta Trikonasana (Revolved Triangle), Ardha (Half Lord of the Fishes) …

Benefits: Twist and bends can calm anxiety and relieve lethargy. The organs are compressed during a twist, pushing out blood filled with metabolic by-products and toxins. When the twist is released, fresh blood flows in, carrying oxygen and the building blocks for tissue healing. Twists and bends help to maintain health, strength and normal length of muscles and soft tissues around the spine, abdomen, rib cage and hips.4

Potential Contraindications & Variations: Extreme heart and blood pressure conditions are contraindicated, as is late , and an inflamed liver or spleen. Variations can be offered for pregnancy and recent abdominal surgery. Students with arthritis or rheumatic conditions or hiatus hernia may be careful when side- bending or twisting. Students attempting side-bending postures such as Trikonasana should not go too far down until they have the strength to safely exit the pose. When twisting, students should always first lengthen the spine and maintain the length during the pose. A blanket or bolster under the sit bones during a seated twist can help the student lengthen.

Sequencing: Good preparation for and following backbends. Practice twists evenly on each side. Twists can stimulate the nervous system after relaxing forward bends and hip openers. Slight backbends after intense twists can integrate the effects of a twists.

FORWARD FOLDS (Standing Forward Bend), (Child’s Pose), Ananda Balasana (Happy Baby) …

Benefits: Forward folds encourage inward facing, reflection and calm. They can compress and massage the organs of the upper abdomen, and create space between each vertebrae, benefiting the nerves and improving circulation around the spine. Folds can lengthen the hamstrings and inner leg muscles, keeping back muscles supple and strengthening the knees and the front of the legs.

Potential Contraindications & Variations: Bend the knees slightly to avoid over-stretching the hamstrings. Knees can be straightened once folded. Students with severe heart conditions and high blood pressure, hernia or spinal disc problems may want to avoid standing forward folds altogether, or folds that place the heart lower than the hips. Bending from the hips with a flat spine may be safer. Glaucoma, detached retina, inner ear discharge and severe sinus infection are all contraindicated for standing forward folds. Students with inflammation or injury in the lower back or sacrum, any of the spinal column joints or with recent abdominal surgery or inflammation of the liver or spleen should exercise extreme caution in any forward fold. Extreme forward folds are contraindicated for later stages of pregnancy. Variations include a less extreme forward fold with the wall or a chair, or a seated forward bend with legs apart and use of a strap to encourage spine lengthening.

Sequencing: Forward folds are well placed after the peak of a practice or to bring energy down at the start of class. Safest when following warming asanas such as backbends or arm balances. Hip openers are good preparation for seated forward bends. Gentle backbends are good counterposes for deep forward folds.

BACKBENDS Bitilasana (Cow), Sphinx, Urdhva Mukha Svanasana (Upward Facing Dog), Urdhva (Wheel) …

Benefits: Backbends can build courage and stamina. Heart openers can boost self-confidence. Backbends can strengthen the back and increase comfort and open the chest for deeper breath and freer circulation. 2

Backbends stretch and massage the abdominal muscles and digestive system, and stimulate the lymphatic system. The kidneys and adrenal glands can be squeezed during a , leading to adrenaline release and a potential excited or fearful response.5

Potential Contraindications & Variations: Extreme backbends such as Dhanurasana or (wheel) are contraindicated for students with high blood pressure and/or angina. Many backbends are contraindicated for pregnancy, especially in the later stages. Students with arthritic and rheumatic conditions, hiatus hernia, peptic ulcers and back conditions might be cautious. Students with may use a blanket under the pelvis when bending the back from a prone position. Contracting muscles in the buttocks, legs and hips might release tension in the lower back. Students with a more curved upper back may choose not to take the head back and support can be used under the wrists for backbends such as Urdhva Mukha Svanasana when the hands are a base of support.

Sequencing: Deep and sustained backbends should be placed at the peak of a sequence when the body is warmest. Place shoulder openers before backbends. Offer calming and neutralizing asanas after backbends. Lie in a neutral spine position before doing counterposes like Fish. Use gentle twists for counterposing, followed by deeper forward ends, hip openers and twists.

INVERSIONS Salamba (Supported Shoulder Stand), Salamba Sirsana (Supported ) …

Benefits: Inversions direct blood towards our pineal, pituitary, thyroid and hypothalamus glands. This poses can help stabilize severe hormonal fluctuations. Inversions increase circulation, calm the brain, strengthen the core and rest of the body, require focus, and stimulates the lymph system, which helps to remove waste and increases the immune system. Inversions give the heart and lower lungs a break and can release the spine and relieve back aches. (Legs up the wall) is a simple and restorative inversion.

Potential Contraindications & Variations: Students with high blood pressure and heart conditions, as well as eye problems such as glaucoma and detached retina, should exercise extreme caution when practicing an inversion (having the heart above the head increases blood pressure). Students with degenerative curving of the upper spine, osteoporosis or arthritic neck conditions may exercise caution, as should those with inner ear problems, and hiatus hernia. Students with enlarged thyroids should use a blanket under the shoulders for shoulder stand so that the chin is not fully locked. Arthritis and rheumatic conditions, pregnancy and any conditions that might affect balance may be contraindicated for balancing inversions such as . Students with neck injuries should wait until there is no inflammation and the muscles have been strengthened before attempting Sarvangasana or Sirasana. Students who may lack internal strength and who may not be able to exit a pose safely should work up to full inversions. Variations of inversions at a wall, half shoulder stand, Viparita Karani and Half Head Stand with legs on the ground are great variations.

Sequencing: Deeper inversions are often placed at the end of a sequence. Supported headstand is warming and can be done early. Downward Dog and standing forward bends are good preparation. Shoulder stand should be offered after head stand. There are multiple leg variations for shoulder stand. Counterpose headstand with child’s pose and shoulder stand with fish. Inversions are good preparation for meditation.

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SEATED POSTURES (Staff), (Boat), Padmasana (Lotus), (Easy), (Hero) …

Benefits: Seated postures can be grounding and calming. They can release tension, strengthen the core and improve the flexibility of the spine and hips.

Potential Contraindications & Variations: Many variations of seated postures require flexible knee and hip joints. Students with arthritic knees or other issues may be cautious when attempting postures such as or kneeling in Vajrasna. in crossed legged or kneeling poses for long periods can be harmful for people with varicose veins. For students with limited knee or hip flexibility or tight hamstrings in the case of forward folds, placing a folded blanket, block or bolster under the sit bones can tilt the pelvis and lower the knees to below the hips for better alignment and comfort.

Sequencing: Gentle seated poses come naturally at the beginning of a more restorative class or the end of a more vigorous practice. Deeper seated bends or twists and seated poses like boat can be the peak or come towards the end of a more rigorous practice. Begin seated forward bends from Dandasana. Offer gentle backbends after deep forward bends.

RELAXATION Supta (Reclining Bound Angle), Viparita Karani (Legs Up the Wall), Savasana (Corpse) …

Benefits: Relaxing poses can trigger the parasympathetic nervous system, allowing the body and mind to calm and anxiety to ease. These poses can help students to sleep better, potentially lower blood pressure and decrease intense chronic pain.

Potential Contraindications & Variations: Svasana is contraindicated for pregnant women beyond the 30 week stage. Guided visualizations may create a disturbing experience for some students. Past emotional problems or trauma may rise to the surface. End practice by ensuring students are grounded, bringing them back to their bodies, aware of contact with the floor or a chair, prior to sitting up or opening one’s eyes.

Sequencing: Relaxing poses are well placed towards the end of a more active class to allow the prana to settle or throughout a more restorative class.

1 “The Eight Limbs,” 2 Benefits, contraindications and introduction adapted from the “Yoga - Safety Guidelines,” Yoga Scotland. www.yogascotland.org.uk/asana_safety.pdf 3 Benefits and sequencing adapted from Stephens, Mark. Teaching Yoga: Essential Foundations and Techniques. North Atlantic Books, CA. 2010. 4 Gudmestad, Julie. “Let’s Twist Again,” Yoga Journal. http://www.yogajournal.com/practice/817 5 Backbends. http://www.yoga.net.au/back_bends.html

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