Vinyasa Yoga and the Flows Associated With It

Vinyasa means going towards a goal, step by step, a certain path. Vinyasa Yoga is a fluid yoga style that moves from one posture to the next with each breath. It simply explores the synchronization of breathing and movement. It offers the experience of opening the body, emotions, and mind while opening the breath. For Vinyasa Yoga, we can say that it is the experience of researching inner calmness on the yoga mat in the running of daily life. During the flow, the experience of realizing what happened in the process is investigated. So what is this vinyasa flow?

Vinyasa flow is the application of fluid and fun movement sequence in coordination with breathing. Vinyasa flow consists of yoga poses that focus on the principles of alignment peculiar to one’s own body and flow as if dancing with a direction that will support the comfortable movement of breath in the body. As breath and movement begin to be coordinated, the lessons turn into an energetic work of transforming the body and mind. The graceful and continuous flowing state between poses invites the mind to the moment, opens the joints without forcing, and makes the whole bodywork.

Vinyasa Flow: What Does It Mean?

Vinyasa flow is a flowing specific asana sequence coordinated with breathing movements. The Sanskrit meaning is “to place in a special way.” Vinyasa flow yoga is associated with a specific series of asanas known as ashtanga yoga and comes from ashtanga yoga. However, the sequence of poses in ashtanga is clear and cannot be changed. Vinyasa yoga is a freestyle of ashtanga, as there is no such certainty. There are harmony and transition between the poses and since the flows are free, very creative sequences can be prepared with vinyasa flow. Vinyasa Flow style has three important elements:

Vinyasa: Making logical, creative, surprising, inspiring flows
Alignment: Safe and accurate application
Awareness: Vinyasa, in other words, means relationship. While enumerating the poses, being in awareness with ourselves and with the class, and most importantly being in the moment are the most important elements in a vinyasa flow.

In the vinyasa stream, each asana follows the next. We use the rhythmic flow of the breath to initiate the movement. Every movement starts with the breath. Without breathing, yoga is an ordinary exercise. With breath, body, soul, and mind come together and enter into a relationship. And the importance is given to both the stability within the movement and the passivity within the movement. The flow continues throughout the lesson. With the energy of motion, the body begins to bend and stretch. As Pattabhi Jois said, “even iron bends in the fire”. With this freedom of movement, we begin to open the blocked areas in our bodies. This is a feeling of relief. And so we really begin to experience yoga.

A vinyasa stream usually begins with a sun salutation series (according to the sequence). The flow continues with the standing poses. The sitting poses are also included in the flow and finally, the flow is completed with the cooldown poses and the last corpse pose (savasana). The sequences are created freely and in the desired way, according to the theme to be determined by the teacher. In vinyasa flow, then flows generally proceed in a very dynamic and rhythmic manner. In this respect, vinyasa flow is very pleasant. The difficulty level of the flows is determined as beginner, intermediate, intermediate/advanced, and advanced according to the level of the group.

When I first started yoga, I experienced many different yoga styles (hatha yoga, kundalini yoga, yin yoga …). The main reasons why I love the vinyasa flow style very much and I prefer this style in my education are that the Vinya is a freestyle, moves with a rhythmic flow, has a classical dynamic structure, but also flexibility flow or sequences for relaxation (chill out). flow) can be listed as being prepared. So it doesn’t have to be very difficult. At least not always. However, of course, it is necessary to push the limits, strengthen the body, and awaken the power that exists within us. Because the body needs this too.

More Information on Vinyasa Flow

The word vinyasa means to place in Sanskrit special form (Nyasa = to place, Vi = in a special form). Flow is an application that expresses a theme consisting of poses or groups of poses that are connected or associated with each other. When the words Vinyasa and Flow are mentioned together, Vinyasa Flow is to consciously place the body-breath-mind triad into the continuous fluidity of time and space. Godfrey Devereux describes Vinyasa in two ways. In small letters; vinyasa means “progress, continuity”. In capital letters; Vinyasa is “breathing-linked pose sequences running”.

As in Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga; Vinyasa Flow is to flow from one pose to another without stopping, in motion sequences that are synchronized with the breath, and to remain in poses for different durations by maintaining the rhythmic flow of the breath. It progresses from simpler poses to more complicated poses by building them step by step. In summary; Vinyasa Flow is the coordinating of fluid motion sequences with rhythmic breaths. Vinyasa is not just streams of a sun salute. Vinyasa is a gradual approach that takes the student from one point to the next and safely takes them to the next point, systematically and appropriately.

What is meant by placing in a special way? Each teacher defines it differently. A few examples:

To be aware of how the body moves, how it is settled in the poses, how it becomes when moving from pose to pose,
Establishing a conscious connection with the breath and body-mind duo in and between poses,
How you approach your mat, how you create intent and maintain your connection with this breath throughout the practice, get up from your mat and step into the outside world,
Pay attention during practice – breath, movement, feelings, observation, staying with the flow,
More intuitive opening to express the feeling of pranic energy flowing through the universe.

Although Vinyasa Yoga is a form of Hatha Yoga, unlike other schools of Hatha Yoga, Vinyasa Flow is not a system. Allows creativity in asana sequencing. This freedom and dynamism have made the Vinyasa Flow the most attractive style today. There is no hierarchy. There is no guru either. Anyone can teach Vinyasa Flow without the hierarchy or approval of a guru.

All You Need to Know About Vinyasa Yoga and Its Flows

Vinyasa yoga is the synchronization of physical movement with breath in Hatha yoga. It is a style based on the ashtanga school developed by Sri K. Pattabhi Jois. It is more liberal than ashtanga yoga, which is a stricter discipline. While there are certain series to follow in Ashtanga yoga, the Vinyasa yoga class is shaped according to the preference of the instructor or the student. This technique allows you to create a deeper awareness through rhythmic movement meditation while practicing yoga.

There is no steady flow in vinyasa yoga, each lesson has a different flow depending on the instructor’s direction. Vinyasa describes transience as a philosophy, you use your breath and improve your balance as you move from one asana to another with awareness. Vinyasa allows you to create the sequence you need depending on your mood, body, and state of mind after your practice progresses a little, and enjoy being in the flow alone. You learn to “let go” as you move from the previous asana to the next. The benefits of vinyasa yoga can be listed as follows:

It reduces stress: It is not only physical but also spiritual and mental work. Your anxiety and stress levels will decrease and your central nervous system will calm down.
Your flexibility increases: You relax your body that is stiffened by stress and reduce the risk of injury. You enjoy stretching your body with pleasure.
You learn to breathe properly: With breathing techniques, your blood pressure is balanced, your mind is calm, your risk of illness decreases. Breath-focused work improves your awareness.
It detoxifies the body: The blood circulation improves and you get rid of toxins.
It’s also a strength and cardio workout: You can burn 300-500 calories at the end of an average pace workout. The whole body is treated with equal importance.
Improves your balance: Alignment and balance studies are done in practice. If you continue regularly, you may be surprised how much your balance improves.

Vinyasa yoga is suitable for:

They will start yoga for the first time
Those who like to practice in the flow rather than staying long in a fixed pose
Those who enjoy lessons with music
Those who seek not only physical but also spiritual and mental work
Those who want to develop balance and strength
Those interested in breathing techniques
Likes to improvise instead of a standard lesson

Vinyasa yoga is a moving yoga style that moves from one posture to the next with each breath. Vinyasa Yoga, in which movements are synchronized with yoga movements, is a broad term that encompasses many types of yoga. In this yoga style, it is sometimes called flow yoga as it is passed from one yoga posture to another just like dancing. Breath is an important part of this yoga style. Yoga instructor tells to switch from one posture to the next with each breathing. Vinyasa is a Sanskrit word and means “connection.” This connection can be interpreted as the connection between breathing and posture. The movement of cat yawn (Chakravakasana) is a very simple example of Vinyasa because the spine is arched or straightened according to the breath. it is a more complex example of vinyasa, in which every movement is performed by certain breathing or exhalation.

This style of yoga allows for a great variety and almost certainly includes sun greetings. Not only stretching but also movement can be expected in this style. Whether the session is fast or slow, whether mantra is used in the session, or whether there is an emphasis on alignment, depends entirely on the teacher. Some very popular yoga styles, such as power yoga and Ashtanga yoga, use the vinyasa method, but they are named after them so that there is no confusion. The word vinyasa in the noun describes a series of three postures used as part of the sun salutation. When the teacher says “Do the Vinyasa”, he means to do the four-armed high stance, the four-armed straight stance (chaturanga), and the upward-facing dog stance.

Vinyasa’s strength lies in its diversity. There is no philosophy, a rulebook, or standings that the teacher has to follow; so there is a lot of room for individuality. Therefore, it becomes very important to find a teacher to be loved and trusted in vinyasa yoga. Those who are not very impressed with the first flow lesson can try other teachers. This style of yoga is suitable for those who like to be in a free environment, do unexpected things, and move.

Vinyasa Styles
Anusara
Ashtanga
Bikram Yoga
Forest Yoga
Jivamukti
Moksha

Vinyasa Yoga and Its Benefits

It can sometimes seem confusing for beginners to decide between the many different types of yoga. Once you understand the general features of the genres, it is good to try them all, but if you want to meet a quick and moving style of yoga, Vinyasa yoga may be for you. Vinyasa yoga is a yoga style that moves rapidly from one pose to another while constantly encouraging the attention to hold in your breath. It moves dynamically from one pose to the next, and care is taken to ensure that every movement is synchronized with breathing.

Vinyasa, which means “to place in a special way” in Sanskrit, is based on carefully placing the breath in the flow of the pose. You practice specific poses one by one first, you learn to go back and forth between several poses, and then you move continuously, at a suitable speed, in a stream of poses. At the end of the session, as after almost all yoga classes, a “savasana” or “corpse pose” is recommended, thus creating the opportunity to relax while calming the movement in the body.

Vinyasa yoga is a type of yoga that can be considered suitable for everyone as long as it is accompanied by an expert instructor. It may be beneficial for those who are new to yoga to study the Hello to the Sun series first, so it will be easier to continue continuous flows between different poses after learning the basic poses and postures. Beginners to vinyasa yoga can try a similar flow: Choose 4 movements that you know the basics of. The four-foot (cat) pose, the cow pose, the downward-facing dog, and the child pose are 4 ideal poses for creating a flow. While the cat is breathing in, go into the cow pose, while breathing again, get up in the downward-facing dog pose, exhale here, descend as you breathe again, and fall into the child pose. Repeat this a few times to match the flow of your breath.

You can create your own flows with different poses like these to understand the basics of vinyasa yoga. In order to learn more in detail, it is recommended that you attend classes with an expert. Vinyasa yoga is basically a yoga style based on flow where you synchronize classical yoga movements with breath. This technique allows you to create deep awareness through rhythmic motion meditation while practicing yoga. In classical yoga, you stay in one pose for a long time and rest between poses, while in vinyasa yoga you combine the poses and create a sequence. There is no fixed flow, each lesson can be in a different flow depending on the instructor’s improvisation. So you won’t get bored, on the contrary, you will feel more lively and free at the end of the lesson.

Vinyasa yoga is essentially a system based on technique. As your technique improves, you begin to make movements easier. Therefore, all women and men, regardless of age, height, weight, can practice vinyasa yoga. Since the person does vinyasa yoga using his / her body weight, everybody does the movements according to their physical characteristics in the lessons. So everyone can practice vinyasa yoga in their own way. In addition, vinyasa yoga is beneficial in healing disabilities such as waist, back, and neck pain, and hernia. That’s why people with such disabilities can also practice vinyasa yoga.

Primary Benefits of Vinyasa Yoga

Vinyasa yoga allows you to gain flexibility, strength, and balance. Your body gets in proportionate form as it attaches equal importance to all muscle groups. You can also burn 400-500 calories at the end of a medium speed class. While doing Vinyasa yoga, you are doing physical, spiritual, and mental work at the same time. This helps you to connect the mind and body. Your anxiety and stress levels drop. With vinyasa yoga, you learn to breathe properly. Your mind will calm down with breathing techniques. Your blood pressure drops. The risk of heart disease and diabetes are reduced. Your metabolism is balanced, you sleep more comfortably.

Vinyasa can also be considered as a beneficial cardio exercise because it is a more active type of yoga compared to other types. While helping to regulate blood circulation, increase liver capacity, it can also facilitate fat burning. At the same time, gaining the habit of acting with your breath will increase your physical awareness in daily life and help you feel stronger and more balanced. All the benefits of vinyasa yoga can be listed as follows.

Your flexibility increases: How do we all become stiff when we are stressed right? Stress is not just a mental state, when we are stressed, our muscles contract and this can hinder our ability to move or even create pain or aches. You can stretch your body and reduce your risk of injury by enjoying Vinyasa yoga.

It is also a strength workout: Vinyasa yoga is a powerful practice based on resistance and balance, giving equal importance to all muscle groups. With this style, you can increase the whole body muscle mass.

Relieves stress: While doing Vinyasa yoga, you are doing physical, spiritual, and mental work at the same time. This helps you to connect the mind and body. Your anxiety and stress levels drop. As you focus on breathing, your central nervous system calms down and you are in a moving meditation.

You learn to breathe properly: During the lesson, you strive to have all your focus on your breath and body. This means working in a state of full awareness. With breathing techniques, your mind calms down, your blood pressure, heart disease, and diabetes risk decreases. Your metabolism is balanced, you sleep more comfortably.

It is also a cardio workout: It is a faster workout compared to classical yoga. You can burn 400-500 calories at the end of a medium speed class.

Detox: During the practice, the warmth that occurs in the body, and the dirty and dense blood is cleaned and thinned. This improves blood circulation throughout the body. With the right breath, it is purified from toxins and a detox effect occurs on your whole body. With regular practice, you feel more energetic and you get tired harder.

Vinyasa Yoga and Power Yoga

You can turn yoga into a ritual in your daily life. You can maximize your energy by practicing yoga every day. Vinyasa Yoga practice will also bring you the peak of energy. Every experience in yoga will take you to the next level. Beginners should read the requirements for this type of yoga well.

Vinya Yoga is divided into two as “Vi” and “Nyasa” as its root meaning. “Vi” means in a special way. Nyasa means to place. The term vinyasa is used to refer to other forms of yoga other than self-expression. It is used to express the meanings of yoga methods in categorizing. To make a more precise explanation for this method, it can be explained as a student using combinations of movement and breath to move from one point to another.

Many positions are used in yoga techniques. These positions are arranged in a certain order. It is necessary to travel between different poses. The more important thing on the way to move from pose to pose is the correct application of the pose. In some poses, the practitioner takes a pose, holds it, releases it, and switches to another pose. Vinyasa shows us that it’s important to use the breath in the meantime.

Vinyasa emphasizes that we need to make connections between movements. It is very important that we control our breathing in transitions between movements. Taking a good breath is as important as taking the right pose. According to the Vinyasa Yoga philosophy, it is possible to incorporate the practice we are in into another yoga style. That’s why Vinyasa is a sharing style. You can easily transfer the poses you learn to other forms of yoga. The only thing you should not forget is not to disturb the harmony of the flow sequence of your normal postures that you start with the breath.

You can put Vinyasa in the center of your life. You can choose any posture and start with their breathing focus. Before starting the practice, take a standing position that will increase your energy. There are many forms for standing up. However, the best stance for this method is Mountain Pose. Start with Mountain Pose and follow the next steps sequentially. These steps are listed as follows;

Start with Mountain Pose
Lean down without folding forward yourself
Then return to the Mountain Pose movement
Fold yourself forward again.
Take the Low Lunge position. For this position, stretch one foot back.
Your next move is the downward-facing dog pose.
Reach the plank pose after your ascending movement with dog position.
In the new, we need to take the Low Lunge position. For this, stretch your other leg back
Go back to the plank pose.
Then take your side plank pose, leaning towards your side.
Go back to Plank.
Turn your other side into Side Plank.
Take the downward facing dog step.
Make sure the position is facing upwards. For this, slide the doggy style inward.
Bring one leg forward so you can get into the pigeon pose.
Step back to the upward facing dog position.
Then bring one leg forward for the stew pose.
After the dove pose is complete, take the downward facing dog form again.
Go back to folding things as you approach the final pose.
Go back to Mountain Pose and stand up.

Most poses in vinyasa can be overwhelming. We can replace forms that you have difficulty in moving from one pose to another, with another. For example; After completing the dove pose, instead of standing, you can try sitting postures such as Side Bend and Cow Face pose. If you want to end the session, you can lie down towards Savasana or Corpse Pose to make it easier for you to relax.

Ashtanga Yoga, another version of vinyasa yoga, is formed by the combination of two yoga forms. The founder of this yoga is Sri K. Pattabhi, the Yoga guru. You can also use this method as another form of your daily Vinyasa practice. You can practice this up to ten times during the opening of the Sun Salutation session. You can learn the postures of the required poses from the resources and start.

If you want to continue with the Ashtanga philosophy instead of Vinyasa, you add the first series to the middle series or the advanced series with a back and twist and finally close it with a reverse stance. You can learn detailed and effective information from yoga trainers. For effective and useful yoga, you must be familiar with all the details about my practice.

More Information On Power Yoga

Power Yoga is a method that was created in the ’90s to speed up the heartbeat and make practitioners sweat. It is done in an intense yoga class, with aerobics, cardio, and non-stop exercises. It is the contemporary application of gyms. It is a yoga practice that aims at achieving wisdom and discipline and glorifies the concept of wellness. Physical posture and calmness are used in direct proportion to balance and enlightenment in Power Yoga. It is designed to reveal the spiritual self. Take care to apply this application beyond contemporary methods. Feel the spirituality of Power Yoga for a good and effective result.

Power yoga is based on Ashtanga, a series of continuous hangers that salute the sun with a fast tempo popularized by K. Pattabhi Jois. It is very difficult to breathe in uninterrupted sessions in the classroom, but thanks to the high temperature and intense movements, toxins are easily removed. The continuous sun is greeted with fast and decisive moments.

Powerful Yoga is often done in heated studios to warm up muscles faster and help remove toxins through perspiration. It increases endurance, strength, and flexibility. The expansion of our boundaries allows us to see how far we can go. Our heartbeat speeds up increases our oxygen intake. It makes our metabolism run faster.

There are special classes for Power Yoga practices. You can continue with the poses determined by the instructors in the private studios you go for the practice. If you are not enrolled in a yoga center and will practice it yourself, you can use your own techniques. You should start by saluting the sun first. Then you should repeat the standing poses and follow them in order of leaning forward. Asanas connect all your posture and twisting poses.

If you are a beginner practitioner and notice in which pose you are struggling, you can reduce your speed. You have to repeat your previous moves to move on to the next series. If you are not suitable for the speed of yoga practice, you can terminate the application. This application will cause you to sweat a lot, so it would be good to carry a mat or towel with you.

Power Yoga classes are derived from Ashtanga. Power includes the Vinyasa flow, but the poses it includes go beyond it. Power class progresses faster than others. All yogas are born from Hatha, all of them are actually a Hatha. Iyengar can be the first step yoga for beginners. It is easier than all of them with their stance and support. Support tools are used for this yoga.

Hot yoga is the choice of individuals who are resistant to hot environments. This practice, which does not require physical speed as much as power yoga, is a good choice for those who do not like speed. Yin Yoga is an invigorating and healing type of yoga. It strengthens the heart rate and refreshes the body. Although Power Yoga is a method that seems crazy, don’t be afraid to try it. Enjoy focused and challenging movements and enjoy high energy.