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Anusara YogaHatha Yoga in the Anusara StyleThird EditionBy Doug KellerEmail: DoYoga@aol.com
Copyright 2001-2005 by Doug KellerAll rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrievalsystem, or transmitted, in any form or by any means – electronic, photocopying,recording, cave scribbling, sign language, sky-writing or otherwise – without the priorwritten permission of the copyright owner.2Hatha Yoga in the Anusara Style Doug Keller 2001-2003, all rights reserved
Table of ContentsAnusara Yoga . 7YogaThe Practice . 9PracticeA Matter of Principle . 11Three Elements of Practice . 11Form and Spirit . 13‘Outer’ and ‘Inner’ Body: Language of the Heart . 17The Principles . 19PrinciplesPrinciples of Action . 21Muscular and Organic Energy . 21The Focal Point . 23The Spirals . 27Universal Principles of Alignment . 29The Five Principles Applied to the Legs and Pelvis. 30Your Foundation: Open to Grace . 30Muscular Energy . 30Shins In, Thighs Out . 32Inner Spiral . 35Outer Spiral . 39Organic Energy . 42An Example of the Spirals in Action: Trikonasana . 43The Four Corners: Your Foundation . 47Working with Your Feet . 52A Closer Look at ‘Bunions’ . 55Refining the Spirals . 57Refining Your Work with ‘Shins In, Thighs Apart’ . 57Of Inner Heels, Thighs and Sitbones . 62Taking Care of Your Knees . 66The Loops . 69The Loops of Anusara Yoga . 71The Seesaw Principle . 74The Relationship Between the Loops, Focal Points and Spirals . 76The Ankle Loop . 77Loops in the Lower Body. 77The Shin Loop . 82The Thigh Loop . 89The Pelvic Loop . 92The Kidney Loop . 96Expressing Your Heart . 99Hatha Yoga in the Anusara Style Doug Keller 2001-2003, all rights reserved3
The Psoas . 101The Effects of a Shortened Psoas on Posture . 103Spirals, Loops and the Psoas . 106The Focal Point Revisited: Finding Your Center . 108Envisioning the Focal Point . 109The Shoulder Loop . 111‘Opening’ the Shoulders . 111The Shoulder Loop . 112Basic Points for Aligning the Shoulders . 112The Universal Principles Applied to the Shoulders . 117The Actions of the Shoulder Loop. 120Practices and Applications of the The Shoulder Loop . 122The Head Loop . 126The Benefit of the Loops in the Upper Body . 128Refining the Loops .129.129The Ankle Loop Revisited . 134The Shin Loop Revisited . 137The Thigh Loop Revisited . 145The Breath . 149BreaeathThe Breath and the Bandhas in Anusara Yoga . 151The Ujjayi Breath . 152Principles of the breath . 154The Bandhas . 155The Hatha Yoga Pradipika . 157An Anusara Exploration of The Bandhas . 158Uddiyana Bandha . 158Mulabandha . 164Jalandhara Bandha . 169Mahamudra . 172The Inner Architecture of the Temple . 175ArchitecturchitectureThe Heart . 177Chakras and the Prana Vayus . 179The Prana Vayus . 179Asana Principles and the Prana Vayus . 183The Chakras . 184Bibliography . 187About Doug Keller . 1884Hatha Yoga in the Anusara Style Doug Keller 2001-2003, all rights reserved
The Anusara Opening MantrasOmNamah Shivaya GuraveI offer myself to the Light, the Auspicious Lord,Who is the true Teacher, within and without,Saccidananda MurtayeWhose form is Being, Consciousness and Bliss,Nisprapancaya ShantayaWho is transcendent, calm,Niralambaya TejaseTejaseFree from all outer support, and full of lightHatha Yoga in the Anusara Style Doug Keller 2001-2003, all rights reserved5
Dedicated with Gratitude to John FriendFor setting forth the Anusara system for understanding and practicing yogaBeautiful in its simplicity and comprehensive grasp of the integrity of the bodyHighly refined in its applicationAlways mindful of the spiritual significance of the inner work we do in yoga.Also dedicated with Gratitude to my StudentsWhose honesty, earnestness and enthusiasm for yogaMake every class a fresh and mutual learning experience.Om saha Na-vava-tuMay we, teacher and student be protected togetherSaha nau bhunaktuMay we enjoy the fruits of our actions together.Saha vir-yam kara-va-vahaivir-yamMay we achieve strength together.Teja-svi na-va-dhitam astuMay our knowledge be full of lightMa vidvi-sha-vahaiMay there never be discord between usOm shantih shantih shantihiOm. Peace, peace, peace.6Hatha Yoga in the Anusara Style Doug Keller 2001-2003, all rights reserved
Anusara YogaThis book offers an introduction to the practice of hatha yoga according to principles of Anusara Yoga. Theseprinciples express the wisdom and power inherent in the asanas or ‘poses’ of hatha yoga that awaits an awakeningin your practice through the combined power of your own intention, understanding and effort.Anusara Yoga is not limited to mere asana technique or technical instruction. At the heart of yoga there must bean inspiration – a feeling, an attitude, a ‘bhavana’ – which fills the practice with life, so that your yoga becomesa force that transforms your life in line with your own highest intentions – and in line with the intention of theDivine for you. Yoga begins with your choice to participate, your own intention – pravritti – which from theSanskrit literally means a ‘turning’ of your heart toward your own highest good. Yet yoga is not simply an affairof human intentions; by turning toward your highest good, you draw closer to the greater, more inclusive divineintention by which we are all united.The highest good we seek to experience through yoga is the abiding experience of our innermost Self. This Selfis not the limited ‘I’ that we experience as doing, thinking, feeling and sensing. The Self is the abiding, expansiveexperience of ‘I’ that we have in moments of calm and peace, or in moments of mental focus, heartfelt compassionand service, and in
Anusara Yoga This book offers an introduction to the practice of hatha yoga according to principles of Anusara Yoga. These principles express the wisdom and power inherent in the asanas or ‘poses’ of hatha yoga that awaits an awakening in your practice through the combined power of your own intention, understanding and effort. Anusara Yoga is not limited to mere asana technique or .
