By Felicia Tomasko, Photography by Andrew Purcell

Anusara isn’t a person’s name, but the moniker given to one of the fastest-growing styles of yoga filling studios and spas today. The first Anusara class that I attended was admittedly a bit of a mystery, with a focus on invisible spirals curling up the legs. After taking a class at a conference with senior Anusara teacher Desiree Rumbaugh, I was struck by the joy inherent in the style. She emphasized the therapeutic nature of the practice in alignment, adjustments, and sequencing.

Rumbaugh also played with us, bringing a sense of her own joy into the class. She is not the only one; many of the Anusara teachers I have encountered since emphasize the importance of bringing the heart into yoga practice. This is not by accident. The name Anusara itself means “flowing with grace.” In fact, when Anusara founder John Friend speaks about the philosophical basis of Anusara yoga, he refers often to words like joy, ecstasy, and bliss. The philosophy of Anusara is rooted in Tantra, a yogic school of thought that emphasizes the importance of energy and consciousness. Friend believes that it is critical within the Tantric philosophy to recognize that “everything and all of us are essentially supreme consciousness, which means that at the very essence of being, at the essence of life, there is an auspiciously supreme intelligent presence that is benevolent, with absolute goodness at its nature.” The point of yoga, Friend continues, “is to try and remember, realize, and recognize the very essence of ourselves and the essence of life.”

Although this may initially sound esoteric, the Tantric ideals espoused in Anusara are actually very practical and life-affirming. Through his teaching, Friend seeks to “enhance life and bring more beauty and goodness into every day . . . to look for the good within ourselves and others.” This positive attitude is cultivated in Anusara’s extensive teacher training programs and perpetuated in the close-knit Anusara community.

Origins of Anusara

Friend founded the amalgamation of Anusara after practicing yoga for more than twenty-five years and being affiliated with a number of other yoga schools and traditions. Friend’s broad
education and experience in the yoga tradition led to his development of Anusara, which integrates the familiar physical practices of Hatha yoga with the aforementioned philosophy of Tantra. If you already practice yoga, the physical postures of Anusara may resemble other styles, but there are some important differences that distinguish the tradition. Although Anusara does not incorporate set routines, Friend identifies what he’s labeled the Universal Principles of Alignment™, which are designed to serve every level of student who tries the practice. These principles help bring balance to each individual. For example, a stiff student will find more flexibility, while someone hyperactive or energetic will be able to find calm. The principles include the use of spirals, loops, directional movement, and other cues to help students find a sense of ease in each pose along with the experience of precisely focusing on proper alignment. Alignment within the body is then carried forth to alignment with the universal.

Why is Anusara Popular?

When considering the style’s popularity, founder Friend feels that people are primarily attracted to its uplifting philosophy of empowerment. Also, anyone, of any ability level, can use the Universal Principles of Alignment™ to find immediate benefit on the mat. Additionally, within the Anusara community, the network of teachers and students has created a community focusing on mutual support. In any pose in an Anusara class, the practice is not about creating an outer shape, but expressing internal bliss and allowing that bliss to shine through the body.

SEQUENCE OF POSES

The emphasis in Anusara is on attitude, alignment, and action, and this comes through in the actual practice of the asana. To represent the style, Friend chose the following sequence of poses that could be practiced at home.

1. Sukhasana or Siddhasana (Meditation sitting pose)

In Anusara yoga, the overarching theme is to align with the divine. We always start and end our practice with remembering that the yoga practice is ultimately a spiritual art, and that any insights or benefits that we gain in our practice comes from the power of grace and not just from our own self-efforts.

Sukhasana and Siddhasana are easy, seated poses, either with one leg crossed over or in front of the other, determined by individual flexibility. Ideally, the spine is straight and the heart expansive. You can sit on a blanket to encourage appropriate alignment.

2. Vrksasana (Tree Pose)

This pose represents the importance of balanced action in every Anusara yoga pose. To find the gateway to our spiritual essence, we cultivate a balanced relationship between contrary complements such as stability and freedom – or effort and surrender – in every pose.

To practice tree, focus your attention on the sole of one foot and lift the other. There are many variations of tree, depending on ability and balance. The lifted foot can be crossed in front of the standing ankle, on the inside of the calf, or set on the inside of the thigh. Avoid placing the foot on the inside of the knee. Finding a focus point, or drishti, to focus on can help with maintaining balance.

3. Vashishthasana (Side Plank)

This fundamental hand-balancing pose in Anusara yoga, which can be performed with one leg bent and foot on the floor for beginners, or with holding the top foot in the air for more intermediate students, reflects our delight in playing the edge of our creative potential in life. Again, this pose reflects Anusara’s very positive, life-affirming attitude.

Begin in plank or downward facing dog and then bring more weight into one hand, firming the connection between the hand and the mat without constricting the shoulder. There are many variations. You can stack one foot on top of the other and keep both legs straight and balanced on top of each other. Alternately, as you are learning to balance in the pose, you can bend the bottom knee and place it on the floor, extending the top leg straight, or you can keep the bottom leg straight and bend the top knee, crossing the leg over to place the sole of the foot on the floor to support balance. Extend your top arm to the sky to open the heart and feel the joy and expansiveness inherent in the pose. More advanced practitioners can lift the top foot in the air, playfully.

4. Setubandha or Urdhva Dhanurasana (Bridge or Wheel/Upward-Facing Bow)

Backbends in Anusara yoga are wonderful poses which reflect our intention of using the practice to help us fully open our hearts and celebrate life.

In both poses, begin by lying on your back on your mat with your knees bent and the soles of your feet on the floor. In bridge, the arms stay at the sides of your body. As you press into your feet, you lift your hips, buttocks, and sequentially raise your low, mid, and upper back. Keep the thighs and feet parallel. You can interlace your fingers beneath your back to accentuate the expansiveness of the chest and lift the heart.

Wheel is a more advanced backbend. Begin on your back, with knees bent and the soles of your feet as close to the buttocks as possible. Place your hands palms facing down along either side of your head with your fingers pointed toward your body. Press into both your hands and feet to lift your body into an arch. Keep the thighs and feet parallel, spine long, and lift from the heart. Let your neck and head relax.

Model Tina Brandt. Wardrobe by LotusWear, www.lotuswear.com

May/June 2006

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