Asana Sequence

Hi YP,

The sequence of asanas is a bit tricky because in different traditions it is taught a bit differently. My teacher, Swami Vishnu-devananda teaches 12 basic asanas in the following sequence:

1. Surya Namaskar
2. leg-raising exercises
3. Sirsasan
4. Sarvangasan
5. Halasan
6. Matsyasan
7. Paschimothanasan
8. Bhujangasan
9. Salabhasan
10.Dhanurasan
11.Ardha-Matsyendrasan
12.Kakasan (or another balance)
13.Pada Hasthasan or Uttanasan
14.Trikonasan

As I know it, the headstand should always be either first or last. However, when I teach courses emphasizing movement up the chakras, I use a different order entirely. In that case it is more like:

1. Sun salutations/Trikonasan/Balancing
2. Paschimothanasan
3. Janu Sirshasan
4. Baddha Konasan (or Bhadrasan)
5. Ardha-Matsyendrasan
6. Bhujangasan
7. Dhanurasan
8. Salabhasan
9. Chakrasan
10.Sarvangasan
11.Halasan
12.Sirsasan

I tend to follow Swami Vishnu's order for my own daily practice, so to order your asanas, I would say, however it seems a little incomplete. I would include a standing asana and a balancing asana as well:

12. Surya namaskar
4. Pavan-Muktasan
2. Sarvangasan
3. Halasan
5. Matsyasan
11. Paad Pashchimottanasan
9. Bhadrasan
6. Bhujangasan
7. Dhanurasan
8. Chakrasan
10. Vajrasan
1. Ardha-Matsyendrasan

By the way, did you get your list from a website called "Hindu Universe"? It's the same list exactly.

Best of luck to you. One of my teachers is from Andhra Pradesh, although he lives in the west now. He started to practice yoga when he was given a book by Swami Vishnu-devananda.

Om,
janaki




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