Yoga: Anusara Yoga

Founder: John Friend

Anusara (a-nu-sar-a), means “flowing with Grace”, “going with the flow”, “following your heart”.

Anusara is saying “Yes” to the whole spectrum of life. It is a willingness to be aware of all parts of ourselves—the light and the dark, the full rainbow of sensation, perception, emotion and thought. To be in the flow is to look at whatever arises with freshness and freedom. It is to simply open our hearts with love to the present moment without clinging or pushing.

Anusara is accepting the world and ourselves as we are, and then responding with love.Anusara Yoga is a uniquely integrated approach to hatha yoga in which the art of the human spirit powerfully blends with the science of biomechanics.

Founded by John Friend in 1997, Anusara Yoga is an exceptional yoga system in that it integrates the celebration of the heart, Universal Principles of Alignment, and balanced energetic action in the performance of asana.The highest intention of practicing Anusara Yoga is to align and harmonize with the flow of Grace, to awaken to the truth that our essential nature is part of this divine flow, and to lovingly and playfully serve this flow. In each pose, we lovingly and artistically offer our individual light and unique music to the flow of Life. The art of yoga is viewed as a co-participation or co-creation with the Supreme—not a practice of domination, subjugation or control of Nature.

Anusara Yoga is a synergy between 3 key areas of practice known as the 3 A’s:

Attitude – The practitioner balances an opening to Grace with an ardent aspiration to reawaken to her divine nature. This is the power of the heart that is the force behind every action or expression in an asana.

Alignment – Each pose is performed with an integrated awareness between all different parts of the body. This dynamic symmetry is optimized by using Universal Principles of Alignment, which include specific energy Loops and Spirals within the body.

Action – Each pose is performed as an artistic expression of the heart in which muscular stability is balanced with a joyful and expansive inner freedom.

The Anusara Yoga teaching style blends the teacher’s heart-oriented attitude and postural instructions with specialized technical knowledge that includes Universal Principles of Alignment. Anusara Yoga instructors teach from their hearts using distinctive postural instructions, which help students connect to their hearts and to the spiritual purposes behind the practice of hatha yoga.