Sequencing By Progression Deeper Into The Body

At the Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute, the home base of B. K. S. Iyengar in Pune, classes are organized around a monthly progression. Each week a different category of poses is focused on, leading the student deeper into the body. The first week of every month is standing poses, the second forward bends, the third back bends and the fourth is devoted to restorative poses and Pranayama. This idea can be taken further to include all the other categories, making it possible to structure a practice along those lines. Here are the ten categories of poses arranged in order of depth of penetration:

Standing Poses
Seated Poses
Forward Bends
Reclined Poses
Core Poses
Twists
Arm Balances
Inversions
Back Bends
Restorative Poses

Even though restorative poses are not as physically demanding as back bends, in terms of energy and awareness they require the most subtlety and discernment if they are to be practiced at their highest level.

Using this progression as a map, the student could begin his or her practice at any point and be given ideas as to where to go next. Consider these examples:

Standing Poses - Seated Poses - Forward Bends
Standing Poses - Seated Poses - Twists
Standing Poses - Seated Poses - Reclined Poses
Standing Poses - Reclined Poses - Core Poses
Standing Poses - Seated Poses - Restorative Poses
Standing Poses - Core Poses - Arm Balances
Standing Poses - Twists - Inversions
Standing Poses - Reclined Poses - Inversions
Standing Poses - Core Poses - Inversions
Standing Poses - Inversions - Back Bends

Seated Poses - Forward Bends - Reclined Poses
Seated Poses - Reclined Poses - Core Poses
Seated Poses - Reclined Poses - Inversions
Seated Poses - Twists - Arm Balances
Seated Poses - Twists - Inversions

Forward Bends - Twists - Inversions
Forward Bends - Twists - Arm Balances
Forward Bends - Reclined Poses - Inversions
Forward Bends - Arm Balances - Inversions

Reclined Poses - Core Poses - Inversions
Reclined Poses - Core Poses - Arm Balances
Reclined Poses - Inversions - Restorative Poses

Core Poses - Twists - Arm Balances
Core Poses - Arm Balances - Inversions
Core Poses - Inversions - Restorative Poses


Related Posts:
Modes of Sequencing
Sequencing For Balance Within A Practice
Sequencing By Category Of Poses