Asana Practices
These links take you to the Vimeo web site, where you can choose to purchase or rent the practice videos — and you are able to download and save the videos you purchase.
The moderately paced flows include instruction that will deepen and refine your practice, making them worth repeating in order to absorb what they have to offer.
Each practice carries a theme — most often practice-oriented, with therapeutic benefits, sometimes contemplative, rooted in philosophical ideas of practice — and always engaging.
Though fundamental poses and ideas provide the foundation, no two practices are exactly alike — and even the same poses are approached from different angles in different practices, making for a great deal of variety while still maintaining a consistent and safe learning experience.
The practices do NOT include more advanced poses, such as headstands and handstands, which carry a higher risk of accident or injury. You do the practices at your own risk, but they are structured to offer you alternatives, and to make your experience as safe as possible as you follow at your own pace.
A basic, well-rounded asana practice that introduces the general approach of the practice videos. Find in Vimeo
This flowing asana practice begins with pointers for using the breath to deepen your experience of asana. Find in Vimeo
A practice focused on mobilizing, strengthening, and stretching the hips . Find in Vimeo
A relatively easy practice that begins with simple exercises for mobilizing the shoulders — and then taking it into practice. Find in Vimeo
This practice incorporates the theme and actions of Anjali Mudra with applications for shoulder openers in asana. Find in Vimeo
This practice starts with work for the feet — strengthening the arches and stretching the ankles, with a variety of poses. Find in Vimeo
A slower paced practice that works deeply and slowly with a sequence of forward bends and twists . Find in Vimeo
A practice for strengthening and balancing the actions of the hips from all directions Find in Vimeo
A practice using the sensitivity of the hands to explore and guide the breath in asana practice. Find in Vimeo
A practice with a sense of length and breadth in the body, with focus on the hips, for freedom in functional movement. Find in Vimeo
A practice for hip stability, leading to warmups and modifications for working our way into Hanumasana . Find in Vimeo
Explores the idea of contacting the freedom of the psoas by rooting through the sit bones without gripping the gluteals. Find in Vimeo
The 'four corners' of the body are the shoulders and hips, which often work dynamically 'against' each other for free movement. Find in Vimeo
Begins with warmups for mobility in the wrist and forearm, leading into principles for the shoulders. Find in Vimeo
A well-rounded asana practice that is at the same time a contemplation on Contentment — Santosha. Find in Vimeo
The symbol of the heart chakra represents the state of balance between grounding and rising, particularly through the psoas . Find in Vimeo
The Gunas describe the state of our emotional foundations; working with foundations in the poses are a path to the Gunas. Find in Vimeo
Explores the connection between a steady core and mobility in the hips; often efforts to engage the core tightens the hip flexors. Find in Vimeo
Explores the balance of movement and stillness, and explores how 'free play' in the joints leads to greater stability and flexibility. Find in Vimeo
Explores the experiential connection between the body ('Annamaya') and the breath-body of Prana ('Pranamaya') . Find in Vimeo
The deepest experience we are led to through asana is spaciousness; with hip opening and some backbending. Find in Vimeo
Introduces a thought experiement to bring awareness to the back body. Firmness in the front grants openness to the back. Find in Vimeo
Exploration of the Core as the center of suppleness, and the connection to clear intention — with deep twists. Find in Vimeo
Continues the focus on Udana Vayu and Uddiyana Bandha, with a different range of poses for exploring the Core. Find in Vimeo
Focuses on 'Repose' within the poses, leading from active poses into restorative poses that invite us to 'rest' in the breath. Find in Vimeo
Rooted in classic awareness of the Bhutas (elements) — and focuses on the elements of mind and body. Find in Vimeo
A practice focused on going deeper by creating - and releasing - resistance, with special attention to the fascia of the skin . Find in Vimeo
A practice for releasing the front fascial line of the body, with special emphasis on the quadriceps. Find in Vimeo
A special and accessible practice centered around hip openers using a chair. Full of ideas for short 'yoga breaks' in a chair. Find in Vimeo
Kunbhak - traditionally understood as 'breath retention' - is also a state of mind and body, into which we are led through practice. Find in Vimeo
Freedom in the shoulders depends upon freedom and stability in the movement of the shoulder blades - the 'wings.' . Find in Vimeo
Forward bending is not just about hamstrings. Forward bends massage and maintain the space of the abdominals - and digesion. Find in Vimeo
Accessible principles for working with the legs are expressed through the idea of 'spirals' for proper action and alignment, wrapping around and stabilizing the joints . Find in Vimeo
A practice focused on actions in the upper body to maximize the flexibility of the chest and the movement of the breath. Find in Vimeo
A well-rounded asana practice that focuses on the two experiential qualities emphasized in yoga: sun and moon . Find in Vimeo
A practice that includes imaginative use of props to guide the alignment of the neck, helping to overcome involuntary tension. Find in Vimeo
A with parallels between opening in the hips, and the 'openness' of maintaining a meditative space of listening. Find in Vimeo
A practice that highlights the poses named after sages, and the subtle qualities of practice suggested by these associations . Find in Vimeo
Backbending relies on complementary opposites. 'Down' is 'up,' finding length and extension in grounding . Find in Vimeo
'Mudra' is associated with hand gestures, and mudra in asana can provide keys for alignment in the wrists and shoulders. Find in Vimeo
A practice that works full circle with the body, with 360 degree movement and awareness. Find in Vimeo
For a different experience in poses, 'fly' as if you were hang gliding. Find in Vimeo
The gracefulness and ease of the breath can be experienced by imagining we are swimming in the ocrean of the breath . Find in Vimeo
The Upanishads taugh: the mind is 'bound' to the movements of the breath — the mind ultimately settles back into the breath . Find in Vimeo
'Marma' as fascial energy points for massage are also stimulated in asana, and knowledge of them helps to release the shoulders. Find in Vimeo
Marma in the thighs and hips help to open and free the power of the lower body. Find in Vimeo
Stimulation of Marma points around the sacrum in asana practice helps to overcome 'stuckness' and pain in the SI joint. Find in Vimeo
Backbends 'open' the 'middle' of the body, unleashing a special kind of bliss. Find in Vimeo
Contralateral movement is a fundamental feature of movements like walking. Asana relies these actions too. Find in Vimeo
A free-flowing simple practice which introduces simple insights for adding interesting dimensions to your experience . Find in Vimeo
The expanse of the branches of a tree depends upon the depth of its roots. With some backbending actions, we test this idea. . Find in Vimeo
Fundamental actions for working with the 4 corners of the feet in asana. Find in Vimeo
A practice that emphasizes strengthening and stretching the adductors (inner thighs), and the value of doing so. Find in Vimeo
Secrets of fascial release — distinguishing the flow of skin from firming of muscle deepens your release and stretch. Find in Vimeo