3rd international yoga day 2017

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21st June 2017 celebrated the 3rd International yoga day. In most of my classes we practiced an edited version of the sequence above, and as promised here is the full version and the letter which came from the RIMYI (Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute) in Pune, India.

We have received requests from various associations and teachers for a ‘sequence’ of practice for the third International Day of Yoga. If our large Iyengar Yoga family across continents would practice the same sequence then it would be our small tribute to Guruji.

Whenever we talk about 'Iyengar Yoga’, we talk about precision and alignment. We insist that if the legs and arms are to be straight in any asana then the teachers insist on the straightness, “Keep the knees firm and tight. Lock the elbows. Make the legs poker stiff” are the instructions that we often give and hear. It is this sharpness in the asanas in Light on Yoga that has attracted millions. It is the sharpness in the presentation by Guruji that has inspired generations of yoga sadhaka-s (practitioners).

Why this insistence on straightness and sharpness? Is it merely for the aesthetic appeal? Guruji has said, “Crooked body crooked mind’. When the body is straight, aligned then the intelligence flows - if there are dents and bends then the intelligence does not flow. When the intelligence does not flow, there is no awareness. There is stagnation, the asana becomes lifeless. And, if so how can it be healthy? Guruji has often given us the analogy of the flowing river where there is constant freshness from moment to moment. 

So, on this International day of Yoga, we would be doing the asanas that remind us of this legacy, this tradition of our beloved revered Guruji.

Tadasana
Urdhva Hastasana
Urdhva Baddhaguliyasana
Uttanasana
Utthita Trikonasana
Ardha Chandrasana
Virabhadrasana I to Virabhadrasana III
Parsvottanasana
Parivrita Trikonasana
Prasaritta Padotanasana
Sirsasana
Parsva Sirsasana
Upavistha Konasana in Sirsasana or Eka Pada Sirsasana
Adho Mukha Svanasana
Urdhva Mukha Svanasana
Chaturanga Dandasana
Dandasana
Navasana
Ardha Navasana
Urdhva Prasaritta Padasana
Supta Padangusthasana
Parsva Supta Padanguhthasana
Parivritta Supta Padangusthasana
Upavistha Konasana
Parsva Upavistha Konasana
Sarvangasana
Eka Pada Sarvangasana
Halasana
Supta Konasana
Parsva Halasana
Paschimottanasana
Savasana
Viloma 1 and 2 Pranayama
Ujjayi Pranayama
Savasana

The students would have differing levels of experience, so the teacher can decide on which of these asanas can be done by them and use props as appropriate.

Regards
Rajvi Mehta