Iyengar Yoga Sequencing

While looking for an image for this blog post, I stumbled upon this excellent yoga blog with great sequences and cute drawings! I already blog about yoga sequences, practice, and philosophy in my Iyengar Yoga Blog, but want to try out this space. I'm using the wonderful and best Iyengar Yoga website I know of: Brad's Iyengar Yoga Notebook for notes on sequencing. As of recently, I no longer attend weekly yoga classes. I have been practicing and studying yoga for around 14 years all while taking weekly classes with the best certified high level Iyengar yoga teachers in Chicago, completing a one-year advanced studies program and another one-year teacher training program, attending full-day to weekend workshops both in and out-of-state. I used to practice 90 minutes after work almost every weekday, these days, I'm practicing around 30 minutes every morning with a couple of meditation practice. I thought this morning, I haven't been writing and forgetting many poses and some other aspects of sequencing. Here are the some sequencing principals from Brad's Iyengar Yoga Notebook: Sequences, it's a great refresher for the overabundant information on Iyengar Yoga.

1. Standing poses good preparation for: 
• forward 
• back bends
2. Adho Mukha Svansasana 
• good preparation for all poses
• good warm down after forward and back bends
3. Don't alternate back and forth between forward and back bends
4. Don't sequence active poses after cooling poses
• gently move body into preparation for Savasana after active session
• Active Poses
• standing inversions
• inversions (unless supported)
• arm balances
• backbends (unless supported)
• active twists
• Cooling Poses
• forward bends (especially seated)
• Supta Padangusthasana (esp. after back bends)
• Supta Baddha Konasana
• twists (gentle)
• Jalandhara-Bandha-type chin lock (almost all)
• Sarvangasana
• Halasana
• Setu Bandha
• Viparita Karani
5. Twists after forward bends
6. Warm down skillfully from active back bend session
• warm down with Adho Mukha Svanasana (hands + feet wider)
• then Adho Mukha Virasana (bolster under torso)
• supported Upavistha Konasana or Janu Sirsasana
• gentle Uttanasana
• no deep twisting held long
• Supta Padangusthasana
• Ardha Halasana (w/support on chair)
• Savasana with calves on a chair or prone 

Sequence - Inversions

exhale push navel in

Supta Baddha Konasana
- torso over horizontal bolster
- press toes at wall
- rest neck on thin roll
- back bend head shape

Adho Mukha Virasana
- knees on bolster
- fold over with forehead resting on bolster
- rest arms at side of torso

Wide Leg Uttanasana

Supta Padangusthasana II
- long rectangle fold under grounded knee
- weight on top of grounded knee
- belt heel
- rest moving leg's shin on bolster

Upvista Konasana
- seated on small fold
- rest forearms on vertical bolster
- keep buttocks moving down

Prasarita Padottanasana
- rest head on bolster
- move waist and shoulder-blades into body

Sirsasana

Halasana
(Toppling Halasana)
- like Viparita Karani
- shoulders on bolster - 1" away from wall
- blanket for for head

Salamba Sarvangasasna

(for period) Setu Banda
- mat covering bench, opened, not folded
- bolster parallel to bench, not perpendicular
- double fold for head
- shoulders resting on bolster

Cross Bolsters
- block at end of bolster
- blanket over bolster
- double fold for head
- while grabbing block, push away from wall

Savasana
- rest torso on bolster
- seated on double fold
- resting head on double fold

Swastikasana

Groin Work: Backbends & Twists

Backbends and twists are excellent for cold weather

Wide Leg Twist on Chair

Uttanasana
- with chair

Adho Mukha Svanasana
- with chair

Utthita Parsva Hasta Parsvakonasana
- standing with 90 degree bent leg on chair against wall
- block behind standing foot
- move navel and groin away from each other
- move butt away from wall (bent leg's)
- move butt toward wall (straight leg's)
- first concentrate on vertical movements, then horizontal

Utthita Parsvakonasana
- with bent legs foot on block
- back foot at wall

Uttanasana
- wide legs

Adho Mukha Svanasana

Gomukasana

Adho Mukha Svanasana
- hands into wall

Gomukasana
- open armpit

Pincya Maryasana
- strap narrower than shoulderstand

Viparita Dandasana
- then with head in Sirsasana
- feet on blocks at wall

Niralamba Sarvangasana
- at wall

Swastikasana
- with bolster into navel

Adho Mukha Virasana
- with bolster into navel

Savasana

Rotating Legs & Arms Inward

Adho Mukha Virasana

Uttanasana
- legs wide apart, keeping toes on mat

Dandasana
- block at highest height between legs

Marichyasana I
- simple twist

Marichyasana II
- twist other way
- hold hug bent leg

Uttanasana
- legs hip width apart
- concave back
- then head down

Dandasana
- block at highest height between legs

Marichyasana I
- simple twist

Marichyasana II
- twist other way
- hold hug bent leg

Uttanasana
- legs hip width apart
- concave back
- then head down

Utthita Trikonasana
- on angle

Utthita Parsvakonasana

Adho Mukha Svanasana Arms
- standing in Tadasana
- rotate the tricep toward the face
- move the arm from the armpit, up

Adho Mukha Svanasana
- rotate triceps inward/under
- move biceps toward wall
- move the back body into the front body
- move shoulders into body

Viparita Dandasana
- on chair

Ardha Urdhva Dhanurasana x3
- on chair
- mat and blanket hanging on back rest of chair
- press soles of feet into legs of chair
- bottom shoulder-blades at backrest
- elongate top of buttocks toward knees
- think of block still in between thighs
- then hands on wall

Niralamba Sarvangasana
- shoulderstand setup facing 6" away from wall
- place bolster at end of blanket setup
- strap on before going up
- swing shins up at wall
- hold unto bolster
- then place hands on back
- curl toes under
- lift inner heels, buttocks, and torso(?)
- rotate thighs inward
- interlace hands unto bolster
- end in supported Karnipadasana

Upvista Konasana
- sit on shoulderstand blanket setup
- start in Baddha Konasana
- press navel of bolster into navel
- fall forward
- extend arms forward

Supta Swastikasana
- then extend legs into Supta Tadasana

Dandasana/Virasana Sequence

Adho Mukha Virasana
- knees on 3 double folded blankets
- curl toes under

Inclinded Adho Mukha Virasana
- knees on 3 double fold blankets
- keep knees apart
- uncurl toes
- head down
- keep buttocks seated on heels

Uttanasana
- place metatarsals on rolled blanket

Baddha Konasana
- seated on 4 double folds
- then 2 blankets
- then seated on ground with feet on 2 blankets
- adjust buttocks
- hold skirt of feet to lift Baddha Konasana legs level to eyes

Lifted Upvista Konasana
- sit in Baddha Konasana on the ground
- lift legs up, level to head/shoulders

Uttanasana

Vibradrasana III
- press back foot into wall
- press finger tops on floor
- move outer thigh of grounded foot into waist

Uttanasana

Marichyasana III
- Marichyasana I, if menstruating

Parvrita Ardha Chandrasana
- black at little side of grounded foot
- feet placed halfway on mat
- mimic work in prior Vibradrasana III
- lifted leg's foot pressed into wall
- move outer thigh of grounded foot into waist

 Baddha Konasana
- seated on floor
- hold unto skirts of feet
- lift legs straight up

stability then mobility 
Supta Padangusthasana
- bend grounded leg
- strap at arch

Supta Padangusthasana
- showing bottom of foot variation

Supta Padangusthasana III
- bend both legs
- rest ankle on the other knee
- claps arms around grounded leg
- move legs toward torso
- keep vertical leg's knee away from head
- move ankle toward face

Supta Padangusthasana
- catch leg without strap
- straight leg
- keep other leg grounded and bent

Salamba Sarvangasana 
- Setu Bandha Sarvangasana, if menstruating

Swastikasana
- rest head on bolster

Adho Mukha Virasana
- legs together
- head down
- arms resting at sides

Twisting Sequence

Bharadvajasana
- seated on short end of bolster
- be seated in sitting bones

Prone Bharadvajasana
- be seated on ground
- keep short end of bolster to side
- lay down and twist to rest opposite cheek on bolster

Prone Supta Padangustasana
- turn twist to both left and right sides

Adho Mukha Virasana
- with blanket
- turn/twist to both left and right sides

Uttanasana
- on bolster
- turn/twist to both left and right sides

Prasarita Padottanasana
- turn twist to both left and right sides

Shoulderstand
- with chair

Supported Setu Banda Sarvangasana
- head/neck supported on 2 bolsters
- rest feet on blocks on high height
- same set up on chair as shoulderstand

Wide Leg on Chair
- twist to both left and right sides

Malasana

Meditative Practice

Prasarita Padottanasana

- classic

- Adho Mukha Svanasana arms

Supta Padangusthasana I & II

- pranayama blanket setup

- 1 rectangle wide fold & 1 trifold for torso

- rolled blanket for leg

- strap foot

Upvista Konasana

- 2 blankets

- bend forward

Prasarita Padottanasana

- classic

- then AMS arms

- then head down and hold shins

Uttanasana

- head down resting on blocks

Arda Sirsasana II

- Mudra

- T-shape blocks at wall

Viparita Dandasana

Niralamba Sarvangasana

- shoulderstand set up so top of head faces wall

- w/bolster at end of blankets just other side of wall

- keep top head 1" from wall

- strong lift of chest

- move legs toward face

(creates balance in the brain)

- then toes curled under

- lift legs

- rest interlaced hands on bolster

- finish in Karnipadasana

- hold unto bolster to come out of asana

Uttanasana

Supta Baddha Konasana

- over bolster

- hold elbows

then Supta Swastikasana

Baddha Konasana

- seated on bolster

- bend forward to lift buttocks into wall

Kidney Band, Inversions, Standing Sequence

Reclined Kidney Band
- support head and neck with 3 triple folded blankets
- soft block at kidney area of back clear of shoulder blades
- lay arms at sides
- extend legs
- then legs in Swastikasana, catching elbows
- repeat

Uttanasana
- spread legs wide
- concave back
- place hands on blocks

Utthita Trikonasana
- press back heel at wall
- place front heel across the mat

Uttanasana
- spread legs wide
- concave back
- place hands on blocks

Hasta Tadasana

- press palms into soft block

- extend arms over 

- reach arms behind ears

Vibradhrasana I

- extend arms up toward the ceiling and back behind head

Uttanasana

- extend arms up

- press palms together

Gomukasana

- one side

?Paschimasarasana?

Gomukasana

- other side

Adho Mukha Svanasana

- slanted blocks at wall

- press palms out to the side

- move into chest (movement from first kidney band asana)

Adho Mukha Svanasana

- butterfly arms

- move head toward ground through arms

Dwi Pada Dandasana

- extend arms

- hands hold elbows

- rest head on elbows

- then bring head to floor

- hold elbows

Adho Mukha Svanasana

- on chair at wall

- press heels of hands into seat of chair

Parsvottanasana

- press palms into seat of chair

Uttanasana

- spread legs wide

- turn toes in

- catch elbows

- rest head on forearms

Salamba Sarvangasana

- on chair

- 2 trifold blankets (for shoulders?)

- then legs in Badda Konasana

- move down to rest legs on blankets in Swastikasana 

Mudras

Chatush Padasana
- seal to hold open chest
- seated on interlaced fingers

Supta Padangustasana
- rest shin on bolster clear from knee and ankle

Upvista Konasana Leg
- twist

Viparini Karini

Restorative

Supta Padangusthasana II
- bolster arms distance length
- weight on straight leg
- belt foot and wrap behind head
- grab strap with opposite hand

Shoulder Work

Hasta Tadasana

- press into side of block between hands
Gomukasana
Repeat

Uttanasana 

- Bend forward on height raised to hips 

- place block between hands

- lift arms to be parallel to wall

Pincya Maryasana

- push palms into sides of block (for stability)

Armpit Chest Asana

- located just below the armpit

- opens up your psychology

- raise Namaskarasana arms overhead

- move arms behind ears

Adho Mukha Svanasana

- press butterfly hands into the wall

- rotate triceps under

- move head to floor

Ardha Urdhva Danuarasa
- at rope wall

Viparita Dandasana
- bolster for head

L-Shaped Upright Reclined Asana
- bolster and blanket on chair
- blanket near legs of chair to sit on
- sit in Baddha Konasana
- sit in Dandasana
- hands upright then to wall
- rest head on bolster setup on chair