How I sequence my vinyasa yoga classes
Sharing a little bit about my class sequencing process here. Those of you who practise with me regularly will know we explore something a little different each week - with changing patterns and themes that move through the seasons. I love the creative work behind putting a class plan together but I’ll be honest, it’s been a bit of a journey getting this process aligned and it’s only in recent months that I’ve really hit a rhythm with class planning. There’s a fine line to balance between teaching something very intuitive, current and present in my own practice and following a thematic arc for students to journey along with.
When I first started teaching, I’d often feel overwhelmed at the thought of a new sequence to teach each week, unsure where to begin from the huge amount of information gathered on teacher training. I also put a whole lot of pressure on myself to create the ‘perfect’ class every time and would sometimes feel like I was going through the motions rather than giving space to be present with my students. With practice I’ve learnt to simplify, soften the grip and let my own experiences in self practice guide the teaching for the week that follows. Here’s how it’s working for me at the moment (... and I love the idea that this will change again in the future!)
Vinyasa is often translated as ‘to move in a special way’ and for me, this special way is always guided by the breath. Vinyasa classes will often follow an ashtanga inspired framework, consisting of repetitions of sun salutations, standing poses strung together into a seamless flow and longer held and relaxation poses to close. While this structure forms a wonderful framework to build on - I have loved breaking down the pattern of what a sun salutation might look like and introducing varied repeated movement patterns, or weaving qigong forms into recognisable asana sequencing. Within these repeated patterns there might be a simple theme or movement that occurs again and again. For example, working on a theme of expansion from centre we may begin on the back, pulsing from seed to starfish before repeating this shape in seated and standing forms.
This is where krama, or wise progression, becomes important. This step by step progression allows practitioners to build strength and familiarity in a movement pattern or shape, gradually building towards poses that might require a greater level of awareness, flexibility and strength (often with less support in contact to the ground). Rather than throwing a new and technically challenging shape into a sequence, the body has already picked up clues of what’s to come. This readiness makes more challenging asana achievable, intuitive and also provides those who wish to take a gentler practice the option to return to a more supportive shape that has already been explored earlier in the sequence.
My sequences will always start as a seed of an idea. This could start from a philosophical concept, a yogic map of the body, a line in a book or something that’s clicked in class with one of my teachers. From here I’ll dig a little deeper - reading and re-reading the chapters that inspire and looking for parallel concepts in other books. Taking time to chew on the idea.
Sometimes this will be a bigger theme that can spread over several months, with different smaller explorations each week. For example, this month I’ve loved working seasonally around the Earth element, moving through mudras and qigong forms to feel the ground, as well as exploring cues centred on stability in the lower body. The overarching theme through September has been finding foundation in our practice and within this each week has dug a little deeper into a specific feeling, whether this is the governing of smooth transitions or a feeling of spiralling that begins from the ground up.
Self practice is the place where all of this comes together. I’ll set time aside to practise (... choosing a playlist to get me moving!) and explore how these themes come up in movement. There’ll be parts of this exploration that feel clunky and strange and there’ll be other parts that feel just right. I’ll take notes of things that work that can then form the framework of a sequence. Sometimes it might be one pose or one simple movement that forms a starting point for a full practice.
Before I start to teach a new sequence I come back to the intention of the class. What might my students feel through the practice? What suggestions can I offer? And what energy can I bring to facilitate this.
Explore this with me every Sunday at Victoria Park Pilates. A 75 minute slow flow practice with plenty of space to explore an energetic theme. Book here!