Vinyasa Yoga
Vinyāsa
A style that flows from posture to posture with the breath. Sequences are freely composed by each teacher.
History
Vinyāsa is Sanskrit for a special placing or arrangement, a principle from Krishnamacharya's lineage. Flow classes spread through the West in the 1980s–90s.
Philosophy
Joining movement and breath to anchor the mind in the present.
Physical character
Raises the heart rate and draws on strength, flexibility and coordination together.
This page offers general information and is not medical advice. If you have a medical condition or are pregnant, consult a doctor or a qualified teacher before practising.
Related practices
- 002 Style
Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga
Aṣṭāṅga Vinyāsa Yoga
A strong, dynamic practice moving through fixed sequences of postures, with each movement linked to the breath.
Mysore, India · 20th century
- 010 Technique
Sun Salutation (Surya Namaskara)
Sūrya Namaskāra
A signature sequence of yoga, linking forward bends, back bends and plank into one flowing series.
India · widely popularised in the early 20th century
- 011 Technique
Ujjayi Breath
Ujjāyī Prāṇāyāma
Breathing through the nose with a slightly narrowed throat, making a soft, ocean-like sound.
India · described in the Haṭha Yoga Pradīpikā