Svadhyaya: Self-Study

Saturday


Anusara
Heart quality: awareness, perseverance
Theme: fourth Niyama, Svadhyaya, self study.
Quote: Your teacher can open the door, but you must enter by yourself.  -Chinese Proverb
Principles of emphasis: thigh loop, inner spiral, outer spiral, pelvic loop, organic energy
A way to self study: what did the results of the cause and effect of actions your took. A cause is why something happens and an effect is what happens. In an alignment based practice we perform a universal principle of alignment. That action is the cause. We intentionally take an action. The effect is another action that happens as a result of the first action.
Examples:
Cause: we rotate the back leg in back and wide in an asymmetrical pose. (Inner spiral)
Effect: the belly and pelvis shift from the midline in the opposite direction the back leg rotated.
Cause: we drag the ball of the back foot asymmetrically forward (thigh loop)
Effect: the opposite end, in this case the top of the thigh roots backwards toward the hamstring (see saw principle)
Cause: wrap the front hip sit bone down and under in the front leg of an asymentrical pose. (Outer spiral/ pelvic loop)
Effect: that side glute tones and that side of the belly lifts and tones in.

We can also cause these effects. I
take inner spiral lifting my back thigh up and if my muscles are engaged it won't have the effect of shifting my hips. So I can cause my hips to shift. However it is not as beneficial as if I can create the effect of my hips shifting from taking the original action.

Off the the mat: after seeing the cause and effect of our actions on the mat we start to see the cause and effect off of our mat and we can start making more intelligent actions to cultivate the effects we want in our life. This take lots of self study to see what we care creating. By far this has been one of the biggest benefits in my life from Anusara yoga specifically. Looking at the cause and effect on and off the mat wasn't something I, personally got from a vinyasa practice. But I always say there are as many styles I fit the variety of students. I am happy I have found the style that resonates with my heart.

Examples:
Cause: a consistent mediation and home asana practice
Effect: more peace, steadiness and joy in my life. Stressors of life bother me less.
Cause: lack of sleep from tending to baby
Effect: irritable, forgetfull. This is an effect I don't like. So I am working at changing the cause and getting more sleep.


Anusara yoga is often translated as aligning with the Divine. As you practice this Niyama of self studying, reflect and see if the actions you are taking are having the effect of aligning you with the Divine. If it is awesome! Keep doing that. If it's not start changing your actions so you an cause a different effect.


Cat/cow
Lunge
Lunge
Low lunge glute work pick up back knee a few inches- L.l quad - l.l glute - hrl twist
Active eprk
 Eprk twist quad
Lunge- Tree - vira 3 - vira 1
Lunge- Stranding pigeon- vira 3
Upright dancer
Core work crunches
AMV
AMV
Pincha
Bridge
Urdhva danurasana
Partner eka pada urdhva danurasana  hands to hips help them organically extend from hips to feet. Then lift one foot partner takes hands to feet so they can organically extend ino partners hands
Legs up wall
Virasana blanket roll
Uttanasana
Root femurs symmetrically
Shavasana

FUNdamentals
P.O.E: thigh loop

Arm circles 3x
1/2 sun 3x
Short short lunge thigh loop
Short lunge thigh loop
Lunge thigh loop
Mod. Plank thigh loop
Short anjaneyasana thigh loop
Anjaneyasana quad stretch
Mod. Plank
Tadasana
Tree
Tree- w3 prep thigh loop standing leg
Standing pigeon
Eprk prep
Cat/cow
Mod. Mod. Parsvak
Mod. Parsvak
Supta root femurs