Most people associate the word Vinyasa with the homonymous popular Yoga style. But Vinyasa is first and foremost an essential component of Ashtanga Yoga, one of those elements that render it so unique.
The term means “to move with the breath”. All transitions in and out of poses in Ashtanga Yoga are vinyasas. Not just the famous jump back and jump through, but every movement really that we do not hold for 5 breaths or more is a vinyasa.
Ashtanga Yoga is a wise combination of static and dynamic elements. It is the only Yoga style that contains both and in that sense it is revolutionary. Sri T. Krishnamacharya - the father of modern Yoga - was the first who introduced the dynamic element of vinyasa. Before him asana practice was mostly static.
Krishnamacharya used to say: “Without vinyasa, asana is not correct”. He innovated by making the practice paced and vigorous through the coordination of movement and breath. Later on, Sri K. Pattabhi Jois introduced even more vinyasas when the number of his students rose and he started giving counted Led classes the way we know them today.
There is no randomness in Ashtanga Yoga. All its elements have a reason of existence. Vinyasa is no exception and performs some key functions. Let’s take a close look at those.
1. It maintains body heat
Thanks to the dynamic element of the vinyasa, the body stays warm throughout the whole practice. In more static Yoga styles like Hatha or Yin Yoga - where the vinyasa element is not present - there is almost no sweating happening.
Ashtanga Yoga is the style where practitioners sweat the most without artificial ways such as an overheated room. Body heat makes the pores of the skin open and sweat flushes out all the accumulated toxins. Muscle blockages loosen and joints become more supple.
The warmer the body, the more the blood flows freely; it oxygenates cells and tissues, regenerates and repairs damage.
Sweating is therefore encouraged because of all its therapeutic qualities. This is the reason why we don’t drink water during practice. We don’t want the body temperature to drop. And this is why vinyasa should not be omitted as it is an integral and extremely valuable part of the practice.
2. It builds endurance and strength
Practicing with correct vinyasa elevates the heart rhythm. The fact that we only hold the poses for 5 breaths before the next vinyasa doesn’t let the heart rate drop. Some practitioners might even feel out of breath at the beginning. After some time though, the cardiorespiratory endurance is improved. In simple words, we get into shape.
Correct breathing is key here. Sometimes students tend to hyperventilate or hold their breath. Ideally we should maintain an even breathing, with the same length of inhale and exhale and only breathe through the nose. This - together with correct vinyasa - will make the heart and lungs stronger and more efficient.
Moreover, the squeezing actions of lifting up and jumping back as well as jumping through strengthen the pelvic floor and abdominal muscles. A strong and steady core supports our lower back and sacrum area. More stability equals less injuries.
3. It resets the body and spine after each asana
A demanding and intense practice like Ashtanga can only really work with vinyasa in between asanas. Introducing some movement in between static postures forces the spine to bend in different directions and resets the whole body.
Imagine moving on from a deep backbend like Kapotasana to the next pose, without going through the familiar movements of chaturanga, upward dog and down dog; imagine only stretching in one direction without a balancing sequence every time. It would be really hard on the body. Or, imagine practicing all the forward folds of Primary Series without stretching the front body every time in upward dog. We would end up with slouching shoulders and a hunched back.
Vinyasa enters the game as a counterbalancing force after each and every asana, resetting the body and safeguarding the health of the spine.
4. It keeps the mind focused
In Patanjali’s Ashtanga Yoga, the fifth of the eight limbs is Pratyahara. The literal meaning is “withdrawal of the senses”. This is the first step towards meditation. To reach a meditative state we need to turn our attention to what is happening within, instead of that which we can perceive through our senses. This is why all the subtle elements of Ashtanga (breathing, bandhas, drishti) are essential. They ensure that the focus is internal and prevent the mind from wandering in every possible direction.
To cultivate presence, to be in the now, we need structure, method and a strong intention. Vinyasa - yet another thing to focus on - does not let the mind drift away. It keeps it stable, as it should be.
5. It renders the practice a moving meditation
The synchronization of breath and movement that is the essence of vinyasa, gives Ashtanga practice its ritualistic aspect. Ritual - be it Japa meditation, recitation of mantras or moving through familiar sequences following the breath - takes the mind one step further than Pratyahara; towards Dharana (concentration) and Dhyana (meditation). The whole practice then becomes a meditation in movement.
To reach that state it is very important that the breath guides the movement, not the opposite. Always follow the breath, inhale when you expand, exhale when you contract. Listen to the subtle sound of the breath and appreciate the surrounding silence.
From the physical and mental, to the philosophical: Vairagya in action
According to the Yoga Sutra 1.12: “These mental modifications are restrained by practice and non-attachment”. This Sutra defines how the state of Yoga is achieved. There are two components: Abhyasa (practice, continuous effort) and Vairagya (non-attachment, letting go of expectations).
It is very easy to fall in the trap of turning our asana practice into a to-do list or a process of collecting asanas. Many students do this at the beginning. But the real value lies in the non-attachment, the non-identification with the desired outcome. Doing each asana only once, staying 5 breaths and then moving on to the vinyasa prevents us from obsessing over certain asanas, how deep they are or how perfect they look.
Vinyasa wipes the slate clean every time, teaching us the value of effortlessness. Otherwise the practice would become too heavy from the load of our expectations, dragging us down instead of lifting us up.
This is the last and the deepest function of vinyasa: an embodiment of Vairagya in the most subtle, light and graceful way.
