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Extreme Veteran
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Location: New Jersey | Recently an Anusara studio opened near me, and I have been thinking about trying it. I know this sounds like a stupid question, but what exactly is Anusara yoga. I went to the Anusara website, but I couldn't quite get the idea of what sets Anusara apart from other kinds of yoga. What would be the benefit to doing this kind of yoga as opposed to others? Thanks! Samantha | |
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| It's good stuff Sam (BTW--good to hear from you again). Gruvemom here on the forum is a recent BIGTIME Fan having attended on of John Friend's workshops. It's Hatha yoga but with a more in touch with yourself and others slant.Go for it--you certainly will benefit! | |
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| John Friend (the starter of Anusara) is a long time Iyengar student, so expect lots of alignment stuff. Our local teacher is very much about slow classes, and lots of breaks, and spends a lot of time talking about grace, and other airey fairey stuff. IIRC, John Friend is a Buddhist, so there's a bit of a buddhist slant to it.
For the most part I enjoy the class, the local teacher's pretty good about giving good alignment tips, since she's been teaching for quite a while. However, as ashtangi, I need a bit more movement, etc. | |
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Extreme Veteran
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Location: New Jersey | Thanks! That sounds like something I would like. I'm definitely going to try it. Samantha | |
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| The Basic classes are slower, and alignment is focused right down to where your darn pinky toe is. Higher level classes flow faster. Our instructors treat us to an advanced demonstration now and then (10 - 15 minutes long), and it's like a dance...very strong and very graceful. I will finally be moving into a higher level class during the week, and I'm pretty excited!
I'm not sure if all Anusara studios are the same, or if our studio just has that kind of personality, but there's a lot of that "feel good" atmosphere. There is much talk during the practice of honoring all that is beautiful in yourself, and sometimes the entire practice is based on a single concept like acceptance, forgiveness, courage, etc. The teacher will come back to that concept and tie the poses into it all throughout class. Music is almost always used.
The practice can go from being an exercise in strength and alignment to a very meditative thing.
Let me know how you like it! | |
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| Hey Sam! Lucky you to have an Anusara studio near you!
yes, I'm a big fan of Anusara and John Friend. I move heaven and earth to attend JF workshops when he comes to town... and when I do, sometimes I get a little too close to the Anusara Kool Aid... so I come back on a big pink cloud.... it's common.... I've been attending Anusara classes for about 1-1/2 years and it's the one style that has spoken to me more than any other.
I started out in Iyengar, so I "get" where all of the alignment instructions are going - as well as their worth. I have also practiced Ashtanga for the last 2 years and I have to tell you, I honestly feel Anusara is physically and mentally more difficult. Probably b/c of the "heart" factor. ( I like the "cut and dry" of the Ashtanga, that's what makes it easy, but I've gotten bored and the repetitive movements have caused some joint issues.)
My total practice has advanced more quickly with Anusara than in other forms - particularly Ashtanga, and I think that's b/c of how picky so many of the teachers are about form and alignment... also, Anusara teachers tend to be more highly trained than others (flame me if you want, but that's my experience). Most Anusara teachers that I know have studied and taught other styles of yoga prior to coming to Anusara - first as a personal practice, then through advanced study and training, and then certification. We're lucky to have a bunch of local teachers who are either certified or on their way to certification. I know that this isn't true in many areas.
In my experience, the male teachers have a much more rigorous class while the women have a more low key class - however, the women are no less demanding than the men and I've had great experience with both.
My suggestion, Sam, is that you commit to take a bunch of classes at the new studio and see how you like them. If you take 10 classes and aren't connecting, I think it's a pretty good sign that it's not for you.
I don't know where you are in Jersey, but I know that John Friend is coming to that area (or Philly) sometime in the next 6 months or so. go to www.anusara.com and click on John's schedule and see. Definitely apply. There's a much different level of energy in JF workshops than in any other workshop I've taken part in. I always come back to the board with incredible insights (for me I mean, if anyone else benefits, good on ya!) as well as a story or two and at least 2 huge advances in my personal practice.
feel free to PM me w/ questions about classes or workshops!
Melissa -
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| Oh, and one more thing...I am a huge fan/ believer in a discipline called "Anusara Yoga Therapy" which is sort of (and this is my description) physical theraputic passive yoga stretches. If you are lucky enough to get a teacher who has studied the yoga therapy.... then just put yourself on cloud nine. My teacher has worked with my dh (who is a non yogi) w/ great success (though he chose to go w/ surgery >:< *) and he's also been working on my "chatturanga shoulder".
I also came to class one time (it was an immersion) with the flu and had a fever, lost my voice, chills and incredible aches. A few minutes (or maybe it was an hour) of passive stretches later, and I felt so much better.... 3 hours later, my voice was back, fever gone, no more chills and the aches were drastically reduced. It was amazing.
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Extreme Veteran
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Location: New York | This is really immature, but on the front page where all the forums are listed, this thread comes up as "Thinking about trying Anus" (b/c the title is too long for the entire text to be displayed).
Just thought I'd point that out! | |
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*sigh* Okay, that was funny. Back to the topic...
I need to get myself to a John Friend workshop. Of course, perhaps getting some Level 1 and 2 classes under my belt first wouldn't hurt.  | |
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| Kabu, you should know beforehand that I've NEVER encountered any loops/spirals instructions in a JF workshop. a lot of people are surprised by this, but it's assumed that if you are going there, you have probably tried some other basic Anusara first.
I usually suggest to people (no matter how advanced) to hit a beginner's class and tell the teacher you are there for the loops/spirals stuff.
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| JackieCat - 2006-04-17 2:54 PM
This is really immature, but on the front page where all the forums are listed, this thread comes up as "Thinking about trying Anus" (b/c the title is too long for the entire text to be displayed).
Just thought I'd point that out!
Yes. I thought this thread was going to be about the old moola bandha!
I agree with Melissa that Anusura seems to draw experienced teachers and the ones I've encountered are good. However, there is a hint of a "cult of personality" around JF and the Siddha Yoga connection makes me slightly uncomfortable.
Probably best to experience it firsthand to make your own judgements. | |
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| Mitch, I've seen some serious "seekers" around a JF workshop, but not that much "cult". However, I'll be the first to admit that I do OD on the purple kool aid when John's in town.
The energy he's able to create in the room is amazing. I constantly astonish myself at the level I rise to when I'm practicing with him.
I'm constantly astonish myself at the level I sink to in my "everyday" class.. ;< *
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| "Thinking About Trying Anus"....................
Yes!! Immature or not, that is why I clicked on it! Dirty girl! Bad dirty girl (slaps back of own hand)!
Edited by Miabella704 2006-04-20 9:11 PM
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| Gruvemom - 2006-04-20 5:13 PM
Mitch, I've seen some serious "seekers" around a JF workshop, but not that much "cult". However, I'll be the first to admit that I do OD on the purple kool aid when John's in town.
The energy he's able to create in the room is amazing. I constantly astonish myself at the level I rise to when I'm practicing with him.
I'm constantly astonish myself at the level I sink to in my "everyday" class.. ;< *
I did not mean to imply that Anusura was a cult, simply that JF seems to be placed on quite a pedestal. That level of yoga celebrity makes me uncomfortable and seems counterproductive - creating a wider separation/duality between teacher and student.
Now, Siddha yoga does seem like a cult - and while the connection between siddha and anusura is discreet, it is there...although it certainly doesn't rise to dahn levels. | |
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Expert Yogi
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| Mitch - I have definitely got that vibe around JF as well, and that is just from message board stuff. Iyengar teachers are taught to really try not to develop a "personality cult" and to simply be conduits for the teaching. Of course, we each have our own gifts and some are more or less popular for a variety of reasons but I get uncomfortable when there is too much groupie stuff going on. Maybe being a cold, polite Canadian helps | |
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| I know what you meant, Mitch. I've heard the "cult" word used a bit... I know some teachers who won't use the word "kula" b/c they think it promotes a cult - y feel, or cliqueishness.
Also, I agree that JF gets put on a pedestal a bit. However, he's a REALLY nice guy, so I understand the desire to hold him up as an example. Last time he was here I spoke to him for 2 minutes about my dh's shoulder issues and asked if he would look at DH. Now, JF doesn't know me, had never had a conversation with me, and I sprung this request on him in the middle of the last day of a workshop. Without hesitation, he said 'absolutely'!. IMO, until I experience otherwise, I think he's worthy of at least my admiration.
I don't think he outdoes any of the Rockstar teachers that we know of in terms of celebrity.
As far as I'm concerned, my teachers are just people or friends whom I ask to further my practice and abilities. We find incredibly special teachers in any style, just like we find bad ones. We also find the seekers, the obsequious and the everyday normal people who practice with them.
I don't know much about the Siddha side of things. I can barely get through Patanjali and the Tattvas.... throw Siddha at me and I'm DONE!
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| I don't know a thing about Siddha yoga.
Our teachers will use the word "kula" here and there (think I've heard it twice in 2 years), but I've never gotten a cult vibe from the studio. And I'm a pretty good barometer for that sort of thing. If the studio started getting goofy on me, I'd be out of there in a heartbeat.
There's a bit of a Buddhist slant to our studio, but it's very slight. I know one of the teachers is a practicing Buddhist, and for a while they had prayer flags in the Kids yoga room (which I thought was cute). They took them down though.  | |
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| Well, Kula just refers to the community of yoga folks, especially the local and global Anusara communities. Many Anusara teachers do a good job of fostering a feeling of community in their classes. I enjoy and value that experience.
A couple things about John being on a pedestal. First, John _is_ held in high regard by many folks, for his skills and willingness to help others. And many of us are very grateful to him for developing and teaching Anusara, because Anusara has been very transformational to our practice. But John does not teach adoration of himself, and he is very humble in accepting thanks and expressions of gratitude.
At the same time, John occasionally teaches the Guru Principle, which (more or less), means that if you really want to learn the teaching of a master, you should immerse yourself in the Master's teaching or style or work as much as possible. For examplem if you want to learn to write like Fred, yhen you should read nothing but Fred's works (for some period of time). Or if you want to learn to race like Lance Armstrong, you should watch his races, and read his interviews and such, and experience everything of Lance that you can.
This could be misinterpreted as cultic, but really is just common sense (at least to the Eastern mind :-). If you want to learn a language, the fastest way is to dive right into an immersion.
A random thought - in Anusara, the exact position of a hand or foot isn't important. It is more important that you have the internal physical balanced, to produce a dynamic balance instead of a static alignment. The intended force balance is more important than the exact angle of the limb on which the forces are operating. Shining is more important than the position of the fingers that express the shine.
So perhaps the teacher is being misinterpreted. Or perhaps the teacher looks at the individual student, and sees that a particular balance can be achieved or restored by a specific external alignment. But be prepared for that particular alignment to be different oin a different day; a different external alignment might be required on a different day to achieve exactly the same energetic balance.
And such as that :-). | |
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| Hmmm, Anusara, a constant dilemna in my mind. It gave me so much but never sat quite right with me. For example, my former teacher, who claims to be a good friend and student of JF, related an incident in which JF was angrily venting his frustration that people were not following his instructions. My teacher stated that he responded to JF with "John, I will follow you 100%, lead the way" (paraphrased from my memory) and followed this statement to link to our intention for class to embrace to poses without question. Hmmm. I don't know. Too "guru" for me.
A cult cannot exist without a charismatic leader. JF's charisma is very high and his followers are very devoted. The potential for abuse of power is there, but I don't know if there has been actual harm. Yet.
The ever-opinionated,
bigmamma | |
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| if you really want to learn the teaching of a master, you shouldimmerse yourself in the Master's teaching or style or work as much aspossible<<
Agreed! But applicable to any teacher's teachings. All the teacher can do is make you like himself. Do you like Bryan Kest's teaching? Then study w/ him. Baron Baptiste or Rodney Yee? Study w/ them... and your practice and style becomes like theirs.
I liked your post, Elson, esp your take on the alignment theory.
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| wow, Big Mamma.... embrace the poses without question... that simply would not fly with me. Glad she's a former teacher. I especially find it interesting since I heard JF say (at his last local workshop - I saw the lips moving and heard the words being emoted) that we should question things, that it was good to question things.
JF is very personable and there are some people who are devoted on a scary level, but I think every "big figure" has these... I mean, have ya ever watched Oprah when she really interacts with the audience? There's always one person there who looks like they've witnessed the second coming to meet her.
Whenever I work a yoga convention, there are people who follow Gurmukh around like lapdogs. Same with Seane Corn, Anna Forrest, on and on.
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| So true gruvemom, your points about Oprah.
Has the anusara book come out yet? Feels like years . . .
I'm glad JF proposed that it is good to question things. Personally, my impression of JF is that he is generally well-intentioned and congruent with what he believes and practices. However, he himself may be under undue influence. See past posts regarding Gurumayi.
I guess I sit with anusara as being on my "watch it from time to time" list. And yes, I still apply its principles in my practice----there's nothing better! | |
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| will definitely check out the posts about Gurumayi. The book is not out yet. Supposedly it's finishing up... but everytime they approach finishing, it somehow needs to be rewritten... I think that's the story I heard. It's kind of a joke at this point. | |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 517
Location: New Jersey | Well, I took my first Anusara class, and I really liked it. I took a level one class. There was definitely more of a focus on form and alignment than other classes. I don't know if I like it more than my Ashtanga and Bikram classes though. I'll have to go a few more times to really know. I'm going to try an Ishta yoga class this weekend. Does this make me a yoga floozy? I can't seem to stick with one kind! Samantha | |
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Location: Upstate NY | samantha77 - 2006-04-26 2:24 PM
Well, I took my first Anusara class, and I really liked it. I took a level one class. There was definitely more of a focus on form and alignment than other classes. I don't know if I like it more than my Ashtanga and Bikram classes though. I'll have to go a few more times to really know. I'm going to try an Ishta yoga class this weekend. Does this make me a yoga floozy? I can't seem to stick with one kind! Samantha  From one floozy to another its not a bad thing.  | |
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| so glad you liked it, Samantha!!! | |
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| samantha77 - 2006-04-26 2:24 PM
Does this make me a yoga floozy?
Ohh a yoga floozy! Come to butthead.... heh heh heh heh heh
Actually, I think changing teachers and styles is a good thing, so long as it's not used as a distraction. By going to different teachers you learn different things, and see things from different angles. | |
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| Well, I was out of town this past weekend, and tried a class in one of the only studios in the city. I practice vinyasa flow (several years now) - what a difference! It wasn't an Anusara class per se, but the teacher's background is anusara. The pace was slower, with no real flow, and there were new poses I had never seen. No crow, camel, backbends (wheel), headstand, plow, shoulderstand as is usual in my vinyasa class, which was weird. As well, I noticed that alignment plays a big part (and trying to be 'deliberate' in the movements). I felt like a total beginner!
I might go again if I am in town again...it was different.
dwd | |
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| Out of desperation last week, I went to a different studio, and the class that I took was taught by an instructor from the anusara lineage.
I must admit, I hated it; the instructor was like the posture police - adjusting here and there, and some were just minute adjustments. Perhaps it is the years of Ashtanga and vinyasa flow that I have been doing, but come on! Besides, after the class, I asked myself this question : why is alignment *so* important? Does it matter if my hip isn't a millimeter straighter in a certain posture?
So, overall, it was a terrible experience, making me feel more disenchanted and frustrated than anything else.
Is all anusara/anusara taught teachers like that?
D. | |
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Expert Yogi
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| I teach Iyengar yoga, which is the style Anusara comes from. We are the original alignment police. If your hip is misaligned consistently over years you a) will not be moving prana efficiently and clearing/strengthening the nadis on the way to purifying your body in order to move toward enlightenment (which is what yoga is about) and b) you reinforce your existing postural imbalances and encourage things like repetitive stress injuries and arthritis. The teachers who began practicing in the 60's and 70's are reaping these injuries now. Will this happen to you for sure? I don't know. There are a few marathoners, cyclists, dancers, gymnasts and other athletes who can keep doing the same thing without overuse injuries into their 60's, but not many. Good luck! | |
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| Tourist,
Thanks for your reply.
However, how can the one millimeter that my hip is sticking out (or not *totally* straight) in Virabhadrasana B cause a postural imbalance or repetitive stress injury? I am not sure I see the correlation. If I sit at my desk with poor posture, or type away at my computer as I do now - won't that be more 'damaging' to my body than one millimeter of not being straight in a pose? Isn't going to yoga more beneficial than sitting on my butt all day?
What about professional golfers? Each has their own swing, their own slight posture tweak, their own grip, etc. - I believe a yoga posture, like a golf swing, is very individual. Besides, in yoga books, magazines, I never see anyone 'in perfect alignment'...
D. | |
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Expert Yogi
Posts: 8442
| Yes, of course there is no "perfect" alignment. We only wish! The purpose of getting as close to this ideal as possible in asana is to retrain your body so that with constant repetition and practice, you someday will not sit at your desk all day with that misalignment. For example, I could not believe my teacher wanted me to train my knocked knees to point straight. Impossible task - how could I train 40-odd years of knee-caps facing each other by standing in tadasana? How could I rotate my shins out and my thighs in at the same time? Well, I did. As much as I used to have to struggle in class to get anywhere near to what my teacher was asking, I now have to struggle to show people what my legs used to look like. Crazy, eh? I am sure my hips and knees will last 20 years longer thanks to it!
Golfers and other one sided athletes are problematic. My MIL has golfed and bowled for 40 years or so and now has an artificial hip. Of course, so do lots of other folks, but I expect that the high level golfers nowadays do lots of other work to balance their bodies. If not, I expect many of them will have problems in time. I sure see a lot of lopsided dental hygenists and hair dressers in my classes. | |
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| Tourist- I agree that anusara principles of alignment theories will also help in daily life like sitting, walking or standing properly. One day after class, while talking with teacher, she pushed my pelvis back and explained this was a common flaw in how men tend to stand. It helps you keep the natural curvature of your lower spine. I find myself adjusting my posture whenever I notice it to be improper. This will have to help me in all phases of my daily life.
I am new to yoga and this is one of two styles I am sticking with for now. It is very challenging, especially being so new, but I like how technical it is. It slows me down and makes me think too much now but I am already seeing improvements and have only been through about 5 classes. I believe it is becoming more natural every time I practice. Eventually, it should become second nature. I am in a beginner class and my teacher works very close with us. I appreciate her adjusting my poses because it is easier to me to feel than understand inner/outer spiral and other technical terms that she uses. She uses the terms while making corrections and this helps it sink in. She even demonstrates her points if more people are struggling. Her minor adjustments make a big difference in the feel and physical energy exerted in each pose. I feel since I am going to practice anyway, I might as well reap the additional physical benefits also.
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| Also-Drishti- Wouldn't it be better for you if you did sit at your desk with good posture versus how you mention you sit now?
Not trying to be cynical, just discussing a point. | |
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Expert Yogi
Posts: 8442
| Hector - funny that you use the word "technical." I think if I heard that description before I started yoga, I would not have liked it - that is just the way my mind works I guess. But yes, I practice Iyengar yoga, which is the basis of all the alignment in Anusara (although they use different words - we don't use the "spirals" etc.) I found that all the details my teacher talked about really helped answer so many questions I had wondered about while trying to practice on my own. For example, I found I could reach my feet easier in a forward bend if I hunched my shoulders, rounded my back and softened the backs of my thighs. Was this the right thing to do or was my goal to get my torso on my thighs? What a relief and delight to go to a class where I was told to do pretty much the opposite of that and the reasons why I have heard many people say they don't want all the technical stuff, they just want to do the pose. One coworker actually called my teacher "mean" and I am sure it was because she wasn't allowed to simply show off her natural flexibility. Of course there is benefit in just doing the poses however you can and I am told that as beginners especially, we are protected by our own good intentions, but I think our bodies will thank us in the end (and mine already does!) when we learn alignment.  | |
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| And I like the word "technical", it gives me something solid to latch on to, when dealing with something so amorphous as yoga. Technical concepts that involve an attitude or feeling -- that's what it is about Anusara that draws me in. Maybe there's a better word than "technical" out there, one that doesn't connote something devoid of spirit. That's probably why Anusara's so filled with all that "flowery" language that seems not to be for everyone: metaphors that attempt to apply "soft" principles (feelings) to "hard" concepts (the physical body). For me, it's totally great, because that's the way I've always operated, prewired that way, I guess. For other people, an instruction such as "open to grace" or "inner body bright" will have them completely clueless; "how do I DO that??" will be the first question on their minds, after maybe just "HUH??!". Personally, I think it's more about "how do I BE that?", and then just letting the intention to be so initiate the physical action involved. But then again, that's just me. | |
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| Just returned from my anusara class today. After our initial relaxation and during our basic standing series our teacher really seemed to be stressing shoulders down and back.
She also was stressing the inner/outer spirals of our arms and legs. She then got very “technical”(for lack of a better word) and had us do exercises to practice these techniques alone. (One was standing close to the wall with a block between our legs while doing forward bends) I felt her leading us towards something. We had a small class so she could really give a lot of individual attention which was great.
She then paired us up and had us do box pose against the wall and after more instruction had us doing handstands against the wall. (I was very leery of this because I have a weak left shoulder from surgery a couple years ago) I was totally surprised, that with proper alignment, there wasn’t near the strength needed to hold this pose that I believed it would take. I guess doing is believing and trust in an excellent teacher also helps.
After class was over, she apologized for it running long. Everyone thanked her because we were all fascinated! Great experience!
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| hate to abduct this thread.. but everytime I see it's title in the list of threads... I always have to look twice.. it reads- "Thinking about trying Anus"
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Expert Yogi
Posts: 8442
| OK - I changed the main title. I'll do the others later | |
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| "However, how can the one millimeter that my hip is sticking out (or not *totally* straight) in Virabhadrasana B cause a postural imbalance or repetitive stress injury? I am not sure I see the correlation."
I guess I just lucked out that my original yoga teachers (10 years ago) were Iyengar style alignment obessives. Not that I knew who or what Iyengar was.
Those tiny adjustments still lead to "AHA!" moments for me today. They show you things your body can do, they show you things you didn't know your body was doing and they show you things your body resists doing. I guess I should said they show me, since I don't know about anyone else...
If you have another opportunity to take a class with specific alignment, maybe think of it as an opportunity to let go and experience new sensations? In my practice, those adjustments are the keys to long and short term improvement. The tinier ones are usually the most surprising imho.
Or, maybe Yoga serves a different purpose for you. It's all good. Namaste! | |
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| I've been working with a woman who is a long-time Anusara practioner in her 2nd year of teacher training as well as a student of another kind of anatomy-focused yoga. She is really amazing. She has taught me so much about my asana practice. One class with her brought precision and awareness to some poses that I have been doing everyday. I take class from her a week and then do 3-ish Jivamukti classes a week bc I like me some fierce vinyasas. Her class and her adjustments really strengthen my Jivamukti practice. Heck, since I have been working with her, my posture has gotten so much better when I walk down the street. | |
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Anusara?