Anne Michelle (she/her) is a grad of our 2024 250-Hour Yoga Teacher Training. And you can find her teaching at TBY on Wednesday evenings!
I tend to be a literal person, and have trouble interpreting instructions in any way that isn’t verbatim. For me, learning to find flexibility and improvisation within a structure involves understanding why that structure was created in the first place. When we learned about Krama, or the order for sequencing in a yoga asana class, I struggled to divert from it at all, even though we were encouraged to be flexible with this structure when it suited our sequence. The only way for me to move away from this rigidity is to learn more.
Let’s start with the basics. Krama can mean many things! To be more specific, we’re looking at Vinyasa Krama. Vinyasa means “separating (vi) putting down (nyasa)” and Krama means “steps” or “order”, and so all together Vinyasa Krama is a thoughtful sequence of actions; a way to structure a class progressively to allow students to find freedom and joy in their poses. Sounds solid. But how did this order become The Order? Why is there a handstand near the beginning, why abdominals before hip mobilizers? Where did it originate?
History:
Traditional Vinyasa has been around since ~300BC or earlier. The beginnings of the modern Vinyasa approach is credited to Krishnamacharya (1888-1989) who broadened from traditional asanas (Surya Namaskar), and focused on teaching “what was appropriate for the individual.” There is an emphasis on synchronizing movement with an inhalation or an exhalation, creating a seamless transition between poses, while embodying Parinamavada–the understanding that constant change is an inherent part of life. For this reason, Vinyasa Krama begins with initiation: centring, assessing where we are today, and setting intention. This is followed by sustained effort built from the breath and beginning with gentler poses building to the peak (to be prepared and avoid strain that could create an angry prana). Finally, winding down and ending with integration (savasana), as “it is not enough to climb a tree, you must also be able to get down.” Vinyasa mimics the flow of life, the flow of a day, even the flow of the seasons, as energy starts quiet and builds to a climax and winds down to the inevitable end.
Krishnamacharya’s sequencing was quick in pace and highly demanding. Despite the proclaimed goal of building gradually to a goal, he did not have patience for slowness or challenges, and was brutal in his treatment of students, hitting them with rods when they didn’t perform as he wanted. BKS Iyengar was one of those students, and ran away from his teacher and his abuse to later become a leading guru in the yoga world some time in the 1940s.
Iyengar brought about a less strict interpretation of vinyasa krama. Sequencing in Iyengar yoga is not set in stone, and varies according to many different factors, including: group of postures, aim of sequence, level of experience of the student, and state of mind when approaching a session. He learned from his own ageing, observing students in practice, and his own life experiences, including the injuries and strain from being forced into poses prematurely during his years with Krishnamacharya. This led him to sequence classes slower, with attention to anatomy and alignment, as well as the inclusion of props like blocks and blankets to create a more accessible yoga experience.
The Components of Krama:
Let’s take that historical context, how it was built over time, and think about what this order provides for the body, how it creates an effective and accessible practice.
The opening (Centring > Warm-ups/preps = activations > Downward Dog > Sun Salutations) is fairly obvious in its intention: connect with yourself and your breath, and provide some warming, well-rounded movement to prepare you for the rest of the practice. The one that threw me off was Handstand/Forearm Balance being next, it seemed surprising! It’s important to understand that this placement is for an experienced yogi with an existing handstand practice, not for learning how to do it. There’s a few reasons for this placement. One is the energizing quality; it sharpens your awareness and wakes you up for the rest of the practice. It also gives you a new perspective, both literally and metaphorically. Finally, you aren’t too exhausted to execute one safely.
Handstands are followed by Standing Poses > Standing Balancing Poses. This feels logical. We are most comfortable on our feet and adding balance is increasing the difficulty, it’s just progressive. But what about hand balancing poses, the next in line? This one I couldn’t find reasoning for, except maybe that it is a further progression of balancing.
The next part of the sequencing–Core > Hip Mobilizers > Backbends–is interesting, and requires thinking more anatomically. An activated core provides support for both hip mobilizing and backbends. Getting your core online allows you to isolate and support hip movement more effectively (rather than compensating with your spine). This continues along the chain coming to backbends. When doing a backbend, there is one point in your back (T12 vertebra) that wants to do all the back bending work. This can have some pretty negative wear and tear on your T12 and neighbouring vertebrae, as well as missing the full benefits for the rest of your back. The primary goal is to find an even and supported bend through your back, not just fold in half in one spot, and to find extension in the hips. To achieve that, you need an active and supportive core, and you need to access the mobility in your hips. This can take extra work if you have a hyper-mobile low back especially, but will provide better alignment for joint health and spaciousness in the pose.
After the energizing nature of backbends, the sequence begins to wind down. Shoulder Stands or legs up the wall provide some cooling, calming, and quieting of the nervous system, as well as a counter pose to the previous backbend. Forward bend & twists and supine poses continue that quieting momentum, bringing you closer to the ground and folding inward and setting you up for some stillness in restorative poses, meditation & pranayama, and finally savasana. “It is not enough to climb a tree, you must also be able to get down.”
I found it fascinating to learn about all the smaller moving parts hidden inside how the Krama for sequencing is laid out. I don’t know if anyone else needs to know the ‘why’ as much as I do, but I find it freeing so I can understand how to effectively use this tool to suit my own sequence designs, so if I deviate I can do so intelligently.
The Branches 