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Anusara Yoga
Anusara means "Flowing With Grace",
Anusara's remarkable popularity is due in large part to its uplifting philosophy, epitomized by a "celebration of the heart," that looks for the good in all people and things. Consequently, students of all levels of ability and yoga experience are honored for their unique differences and limitations. This life-affirming vision sets the basis for a yoga system in which the harmony and joy of a tightly-knit community is exulted. Not only is Anusara an elegant system of alignment principles and non-dual philosophy, but it is a wonderful community of highly-trained teachers and fun-loving students. This community feels like it has the tightness of a family, yet the looseness of a merry band of bohemian artists. As an organization, Anusara is well networked and organized, yet there is a strong emphasis on creative freedom and individuality. Anusara is held together by everyone's implicit alliance to the spiritual principles of Anusara philosophy, such as celebrating beauty in all its diversity, truthfulness, and honoring the creative freedom of the Divine in all beings. Everyone is very attuned to the truth that Grace plays the key role in the successful flow of their practice, classes, and the organization itself. Without a rigid dogma, the system is open to continual change and restructuring. Self-examination, scrutiny, discovery, and an openness to new ideas are foundational to this dynamic system. Individual creativity and investigation are always supported and encouraged within the bounds of the basic principles and philosophic precepts of Anusara Yoga. Anusara grows with harmony and integrity through the combined vision of our Anusara Yoga teachers to serve each student and help them unveil his or her innate goodness, worthiness, and supreme nature. Anusara Yoga incorporates the principles of the 3 A'sóAttitude, Alignment and Actionóinto every asana. Attitude encompasses the yogi's quality of emotional, mental and spiritual expression through the body when performing an asana. In the highest sense Attitude is the balance between an openness to Grace and the aspiration to reawaken to our divine nature. "When I watch a student performing a pose, I see what quality of their heart shines through. I see whether they are effortful or passive; contracted or celebratory; sad/angry/fearful or happy/loving/peaceful." Alignment deals with the degree of dynamic symmetry or conscious interconnectedness between parts of the body. The inner knowledge of how each part is equally connected and expressive derives from both a steady, focussed awareness and an open witnessing. "When a student performs a pose I look to see where in their body their awareness is bright and where it is dark. I then offer the student instructions to help evenly distribute the light of their consciousness throughout their body." Action refers to the natural flow of energy in the body, which provides a balance of both stability and joyful freedom. Some students draw their muscles into their body too tightly creating joint compression and diminished circulation. Others tend to hyperextend the joints and are too unstable and loose. Postural instructions help students experience a balance of stabilizing energy drawing into the core of their bodies and freeing energy extending out from the core to the periphery of their bodies. In summary, a yogi uses Action to express his Attitude through the Alignment of the body. In addition to the 3 A's, Anusara Yoga uses universal principles of alignment to help the student more quickly and effectively learn classical asanas to both open and to heal the body/mind. The poses in Anusara Yoga are considered to be "heart-oriented", and are expressed from "inside out". Instead of only trying to control the body and mind from the outside, the poses originate from a deep artistic feeling inside. There is an emphasis on remembering the spiritual purpose of hatha yoga, which includes reconnecting with our innate goodness, power, and beauty, and expressing ourselves from that divine place. Anusara Yoga teachers practice looking for the good in things, especially in themselves and their students. Anusara Yoga teachers do not try to "fix" or "correct" students, instead they help enhance and reveal the beauty and divine qualities that are already present in the studentsí poses. One of the other key aspects of this Tantric philosophy is that we are all co-creators with Nature or the Divine in this life, and this creative freedom makes life fun, exciting and inspiring. Life is seen not as a hard labor assignment without chance of parole, but as a fun game that can be celebrated each day. Anusara
Yoga teachers are dedicated to serve each student and help them unveil their innate
goodness, worthiness, and Supreme nature. They are committed to empowering and
building each studentís self-esteem, while inspiring light-heartedness,
play and joyful creativity within the yoga practice. Anusara Yoga teachers are dedicated to:
As a nationally Registered Yoga School, Anusara Yoga offers a teaching certification program that meets the national standards for yoga teachers as set by the Yoga Alliance. With over 1,200 teachers and 100,000 students worldwide, Anusara Yoga is one of the fastest growing schools of hatha yoga in the world. Click below to read this information in PDF format: |
