Yoga Sangraha is a balanced approach to yoga asanas in a format I have developed over the past several years. The idea was to build an easeful and effective yoga practice, with moments of challenge, that can be ramped up or down depending on time, energy, and circumstance. Here’s an overview of the sequence, and the reasoning behind it:
Lying down postures
Postures down lying down provide the most easeful entry into yoga postures. The intention behind the first sets are to:
- Link breath and movement
- Strengthen legs, abdomen, and trunk muscles
- Allow natural breath movement without gravity’s interference
- Promote slow, light breathing for nervous system receptivity
- Focus on slow, subtle movements to start
From the floor, we rock up to a standing position using the longevity test practice,
Five Directions of the Spine
These are common practices that are found in sukshma vyayama and other traditions. They:
- Open the lung channels
- Engage hamstrings and posterior chain of back muscles
- Prepare the body for more dynamic movements
While there are of course more than five directions of the spine, each of these five open up differents areas of the back and chest where our lungs are housed, and also stimulate the lung channel of Chinese medicine.
Next, we have:
12 variations of Sun Salutations
Some of these variations I have made up, such as the first introductory salutations, which are accessible and great for back pain or still bodies. Others are classically oriented, and others include dands and baitaks from the Hindu wrestling tradition of Kushti.
- Includes classical approaches
- Incorporate custom variations
- Integrate practices from Kushti (Hindu wrestling)
- Beginner levels can do two types of Sun Salutations, and as the familiarity increases, so do the variations.
Then we are ready for standing asanas:
Standing Asanas
- Balance strength and flexibility
- Focus on waist strength for posture and gut health
- Start with twisted trikonasana (toes forward)
- Emphasize strength in traditionally stretching poses
These natually lead into forward bends, as forward bends are standing postures, but seated.
Forward Bending Asanas
- Calm the parasympathetic nervous system
- We use unique approaches (e.g., purvattanasana before paschimattanasana)
- Progressively include various types of forward bends, which will include twists as well
Shoulderstand and plough pose fall into the forward bending category because of the position of the neck, and how they enhance the calming aspect of forward bends. So, next come inversions.
Inversions
- Shoulderstand and plough pose enhance the calming effect of forward bends
- Provide relief for legs from gravitational effects
- Matsyasana, or fish pose, follows these two
Backbends
After the first set of inversions, we do back extension postures. Now the nervous system is calm, and so we can stimulate it in a controlled manner. Back bends stimulate the sympathetic nervous system chain in the spine in the lumbar and thoracic regions.
- Stimulate the sympathetic nervous system in a controlled way
- Balance engagement of back muscles with spinal stretching
- Counter-pose with planks and neutral spine positions
Headstand and arm balances
After plank positions, the trunk and arms are prepared for headstand. Headstand is both calming and stimulating, and is more or less a back bending position, which is indicated again by the position of the neck, and lower back.
- Incorporate various backbends from headstand position
- Leverage earlier trunk and spinal strengthening for ease
- Can also be done in a neutral spine manner
Slow breathing and pranayama
We conclude with several seated asanas, including vajrasana, bhadrasana, and cross-legged positions for slow breathing and pranayama.
- Practice slow, even breathing
- Include Yoga Mudra and other preparatory poses
- Simple pranayamas can be done here
Lying down twists
Forward bends are calming, backbends are stimulating, and twists are grounding. We conclude with lying down twists because they:
- Organize information flow between brain hemispheres
- Consolidate body awareness from previous postures
- Prepare the body for relaxation
Rest
- Use various techniques (e.g., SVYASA vocalization practices, marmasthanas)
- Adjust length based on practice intensity and energy levels
This is the basic format of Yoga Sangraha. Each practice session includes postures that stimulate the nervous system in a progressive manner: focusing, energizing, calming, grounding, stimulating, balancing, and resting. Within each section, postures can emerge and unfold, either remaining simple or become increasingly complex—but it is not linear. It is an unfolding based on the individual and the present day needs.
