Intuitive Practice Sequencing
In this exploration of yoga practice, I discuss fostering a yoga sequence that is intuitive rather than a set series of poses or one that is done a particular way. Following the body’s lead will be more or less accessible to a yoga practitioner depending on how clear and open the channel is for listening and connecting to one’s own body moving through life.
Why Follow a Set Sequence?
There are reasons and times for having and following a fixed sequence. Safety concerns may play a part in tending towards a more set practice sequence approach, which is a valid concern. Following a repetitive sequence can be useful especially for beginning students who are first learning the poses and building sequence structure or if a student is working therapeutically. In order to establish a steady and safe practice and a regular routine, this can require basic building blocks and a set sequence to begin from.
In teaching a general class or workshop my teaching layout is usually specific and intentional. I create an outline of a sequence arc and an ordered series of postures around a central theme with a progressive movement to an apex followed by counter poses and/or pranayama for overall balance. It is a sequence that speaks the language of yoga to a greater variety of bodies…
The Language of Sequencing
A sequence of yoga poses is a kind of language and communication tool within the body/mind/heart flow. Similar to stringing words together to form a sentence, sequencing individual postures supports a kind of communication and understanding. If without some kind of organization, a sequence of poses or collection of words can be disjointed and therefore difficult to take in the fuller meaning or have a meaningful or beneficial impact.
Understanding & Knowledge
Success with a naturally inspired, balanced practice sequence, and deriving the most benefit from our practice, relies on cultivating inward listening but also skill based on understanding and knowledge. This empowers our practice potential. We can bring to our experience of practice what we have learned from our reliable teachers and other resources about the affects of the yoga postures and the benefits of a balanced yoga sequence. From this we learn that certain postures are heating and other’s cooling, each one more stimulating or calming or restoring… Further, we can follow the natural laws of movement and open large muscles before smaller ones and prepare the body/mind for more complex or challenging poses by breaking down and understanding the main action(s) with the poses. These considerations can provide important guidance in making a transition into a more natural process of sequencing a yoga practice.
Form & Freedom
Once this knowledge is considered, the doorway can open to an integrated, intuitive practice, inspired by an inner, natural flow; one that is unified and deeply satisfying. Cultivating an experiential understanding as well as working closely with skilled, wise teachers who utilize creative and intelligent sequencing principles helps us build a solid foundation of confidence to meet one’s current needs; this is a great place to arrive and from where to embark on a solo yet expansive practice journey.
In my own practice, I come to the mat with a sense of purpose and curiosity, intimacy and reverence. While motivated to bring myself to the mat, and aiming for a specific peak pose in the arc of my sequence, I will essentially rely on and feel my way through my present body/mind/heart in order to inform a dynamic and safe yoga practice. From deeply listening, this unfolding always feels grounding and liberating at the same time.
Enjoy your yoga journey!