Chakras and Asana Practice

The Chakra System originated within the yoga traditions of India, most specifically the Tantric period, circa 500 1000 AD. Therefore, yoga is an ideally designed practice to not only train your mind and body, but to access your chakras. The word yoga means yoke or union, and one can see how the chakra system represents the structural aspect of that yoke the means through which mind and body, mortal and divine, connect. In that way yoga is the prime tool for accessing this sacred architecture of the soul. The postures listed below are grouped according to chakra. They are a guideline and by no means exhaustive. They are put in a logical sequence, so that the postures flow together, but more postures are given than one would ordinarily do in a single class and often beginning and more difficult postures are mixed in together. Some postures are combined with bioenergetic exercises, in Anodeas unique yoga-bioenergetics style. Notes on bioenergetic emphasis, breathing, partner exercises, or meditation are added where appropriate and make more sense if you have experienced them in a Sacred Centers workshop. These tables are here to give students a reminder of what they learned in class for the continuation of their own process. If you are familiar with yoga, a quick scan will give you suggestions for tailoring a chakra based practice. We have two audio recordings of yoga practices: The Chakra Balancing Kit includes a set of seven chakra based sun salutations, with variations for each chakra as a morning practice. The Chakra System CD set contains one CD on simple asanas that take you through all the chakras. Anodea just made a Yoga video through Sounds True and will be available around August/September 2011. You may also be interested in Anodeas Chakra Yoga Teacher Training Manual. The article below is included in the yoga manual which is currently just under 100 pages.

Chakra Yoga Sequences

Chakra Seven Chakra Six Chakra Five Chakra Four Chakra Three

Chakra Two Chakra One UP TO TOP

Chakra One: Muladhara

Focus: Noticing gravity, and moving SLOWLY and deeply to really feel all aspects of the body Begin in Savasana: make contact with earth plane, surrender to gravity, press limbs into floor

Bend knees for Four part pelvic breath (breathe out bottom of spine) Bridge pose (Setu Bandhasana) Knee to chest pose (Apanasana) Leg stretches with tie Bioenergetic pushing the feet Head to knee poses (Janu Sirsasana and Paschimottanasana) Rolling to belly Half and full locust (Shalabasana) Childs pose (Gharbasana) Downward Dog (Ardho Mukha Svanasana) Squat Spinal roll to stand Bioenergetic grounding Open leg forward bend (Prasarita Padottanasana) Separate leg forward fold (Parsvottanasana) Chair pose (Utkatasana) Tree pose (Vrkasana) Standing or mountain pose (Tadasana) Warrior I (Virabhadrasana) From seated position: Siddhasana (cradling foot and calf in arms) Supta Virasana (lying back on heels) Sitting Yoga Mudra

Kundalini: Butt bounce and roll, Knee lifts with breath Bandha: Mula Bandha Pranayama: Complete breaths, especially on exhale Partner exercises: Earth skiing, slap hands, foot massage

Meditation: Earth element, roots going down, four petals, with square and downward pointing triangle, Shiva lingam, Kundalini coiled Color: red Seed sound: lam Vowel sound: Oh Mudra: Press the pads of the little fingers together UP TO TOP

Chakra Two: Svadhisthana

Focus: Moving fluidly, like water, feeling sensuous with movements, noticing sensation

Pelvic breath with wave imagery Pelvic rocking, rapid pulses Bridge pose (Setu bandhasana) Knee down twist (Supta Matsyendrasana) Goddess pose (Supta Baddha Konasana) Butterfly legs (bioenergetic exercise) Side rolls, bent and straight legs Open leg forward bend (Upavistha Konasana) Swan (Kapotasana) Lunges Open leg childs pose (Upavistha Virasana) Frog (Mandukasana) Downward puppy Cat (Vyaghrasana) Lateral Bend I (looking over shoulder at hip) Lateral Bend II (bringing straight leg behind bent and looking at foot) Sunbird (Chakravakasana) Hip drops from table position (bringing hips to floor from table) Cobra (Bhujangasana) Bow (Dhanurasana) Boat (Navasana) Yoga mudra with soles together (Baddha Konasana II)

Kundalini: Pelvic rocks with breath while sitting Pranayama: pelvic breath Bandha: PC muscle pumps (women: kegels; men, flex while erect)

Partner exercises: join hands, bent with straight back; lean back to back and roll Meditation: Water element, fluid flow, six petals, with half moon Color: orange Seed sound: vam Vowel sound: Ooo (as in you) Mudra: Press the pads of the little fingers together UP TO TOP

Chakra Three: Manipura

Focus: Moving with will and purpose, energizing limbs and torso, building chi

Supine Half Moon Supported bridge, bridge with one leg extended Abdominal toning: Stomach crunches, scissors kicks, leg lifts Staff pose (Dandasana) Desk pose (Dwipadapitam) (alt. one leg extended) Inclined plane (Purvottanasana) (holding, then rapid movement) Gate pose (Parighasana) (arch over straight leg) Half circle pose (arch over bent leg) Seated boat pose (Paripurna Navasana) (beg. use wall or bend knees) Seated twists (Maricyasana) Go to table position) Cat arches Downward dog to upward dog (Adhamukha to Urdhvamukha Svanasana) Side stretches (Vasisthasana) Squat to stand Vibration Warrior poses (Virabhadrasana I, II, and III) Triangle and variations (Trikonasana) Twisted triangle (Parivrtta Trikonasana) Half Moon Pose (Ardha Chandrasana) Tadasana Making the sun Woodchopper

Kundalini: Seated belly rolls Pranayama:

Breath of Fire (Kapalabhati) Bastrika

Bandha: Uddiyana Bandha Partner exercises: Willful arm lifts, towel pull, space invasion, statues, Meditation: Fire element, energy distribution, strength, will, ten petals, with downward pointing triangle, Color: yellow-gold Seed sound: ram Vowel sound: Ah (as in father) Mudra: Press the pads of the ring fingers together UP TO TOP

Chakra Four: Anahata

Focus: Working from breath, allowing breath to be deep, breath to move the body

Supine half moon Four-part pelvic breath Knee to chest (Apanasana) Knee down twist, (Supta Matsyendrasana) emphasis on shoulders and chest Fish (Matsyasana) Head to knee (Paschimottanasana) Swan (Kapotasana) (Hands clasped behind back, opening chest) (move to belly) Cobra (Bhujangasana) Inverted Boat (Navasana) Bow (Dhanurasana) Childs pose (Gharbasana) Downward puppy (Shoulder stretch) Table Twist Camel (Ustrasana) Cow face (Gomukhasana) (move to stand) Belt stretch Standing Yoga Mudra Dancer (Natarajasana)

Partner sequence Pyramid shoulder stretch

Around the clock Assisted cobra Childs pose, breathing into back Double arch (arch over partner in whos in childs pose) (if time)

Pranayama

Anuloma Krama (inhale-hold, inhale-hold, etc.) Viloma Krama (exhale-hold, exhale-hold, etc.) Nadi Sodhana Alternate Nostril

Kundalini: twisting torso with wings out Bandha: Mula bandha and jalandhara bandha Meditation: Air element, spaciousness, love, balance, ease, twelve petals, intersecting triangles Color: green Seed sound: yam Vowel sound: Ay (as in play) Mudra: Press the pads of middle fingers together UP TO TOP

Chakra Five: Vissuddha

Focus: Moving with sound, letting sound move the body, releasing through sound Warm-ups and review of previous postures, designed to bring energy up from base:

Breath with sound, turning head side to side Bridge pose (Setu Bandhasana) Supine half moon Knees to chest (Apanasana) Butterfly Stomach crunches

Fifth chakra poses:

Shoulder stand (Sarvangasana) Plow (Halasana) Fish (Matsyasana) Table position into Cat Sunbird(Chakravakasana) (down on forearms) Cobra (Bhujanghasana) (lift head without using hands) Downward puppy shoulder stretch Camel (Ustrasana) Seated: Shoulder lifts Neck stretches Standing poses: Dancer (Natarajasana)

Pranayama: Ujjayi Chanting:

General toning Seed sounds and vowel sounds of the chakras

Bandha: Jalandhara bandha (chin lock) Meditation: Ether or sound as element, resonance, harmony, vibration, sixteen petals, downward triangle Color: bright blue Seed sound: ham Vowel sound: ee (as in see) Mudra: Press the pads of index fingers together UP TO TOP

Chakra Six: Ajna

Focus: Internal seeing, imagining energy moving, visualizing the chakras during posture Moving up from the base:

Knee to chest, (Apanasana) imagining being in womb Bridge pose, (Setu Bandhasana) pushing up from earth Butterfly, opening groin Knee down twists (Supta Matsyendrasana) Seated straight leg (Dandasana) Head to knee poses Janu Sirsasana and Paschimottanasana Front stretch (inclined plane) (Purvottansana) Fish (Matsyasana) Plow (Halasana) Shoulder stand or half shoulder stand (Viparita Karani or Viparita Karani) Swan (Kapotasana) Cat to Sunbird (Chakravakasana) Downward Dog (Ardho Mukha Svanasana) Standing forward bend (Uttanasana) Balance poses: Tree (Vrkasana) Eagle (Garudasana) Warrior poses (Virabhadrasana) Dancer (Natarajasana)

Seated:

Spinal twist Neck stretches Eye exercises

Pranayama:

Alternate nostril(Nadi Shodona)

Meditation: Light as element, visualize colors, deities, or shapes of the chakras, rainbow meditation, lotus with two petals Color: indigo or white Seed sound: om Vowel sound: mmm Mudra: Press the pads of thumbs together UP TO TOP

Chakra Seven: Sahasrara

Focus: Awareness of body, awareness of awareness, witness consciousness, releasing attachment Begin bringing energy up from the base

Knee to chest, (Apanasana) imagining being in womb Bridge pose, (Setu Bandha) pushing up from earth Butterfly, opening groin Knee down twists (Supta Matsyendrasana) Seated straight leg (Dandasana) Inclined plane (Purvottanasana) Head to knee poses Janusirasana and Paschimottanasana Fish (Matsyasana) Plow (Halasana) Shoulder stand (Viparita Karani) Camel (Ustrasana) Wheel pose, backbend (Chakrasana)

Balance poses:

Tree (Vrkasana) Eagle (Garudasana) Right angle handstand (feet against wall) Handstand against wall (Ardho Mukha Vrksasana) Headstand (Salamba Sirsasana) Seated: Spinal twist keeping gaze even Yoga Mudra

Pranayama:

Alternate nostril (Nadi Shodona)

Meditation: thousand petaled lotus, transcendent or cosmic consciousness, unity, wisdom Color: violet or white Seed sound: none Vowel sound: nnggg (as in sing) Mudra: Press the pads of thumbs together