Postures can be understood as recurring patterns of movement and attention.
Each posture in this book follows the same pattern: starting pose – into the pose – hold the pose – out of the pose – rest and relax. The descriptions usually follow this pattern step by step.
1. Starting pose
Each yoga posture begins with one of several starting poses. These are described in a separate chapter (page 49). The postures also end in the starting pose.
Before going into a posture, take 2-3 full yoga breaths. This can be done lying down or in any other starting pose.
2. Into the pose
From the starting pose, slowly and smoothly move into the posture. The movements should be coordinated with deep and calm breathing – in and out. Let the attention register every aspect of the muscular movements and the manner of breathing. In this way, the student becomes increasingly aware of how to integrate the body, the breath and the mind.
3. Hold the pose
When the process of moving into the posture is completed, the position should be held for a little while. The body should be quiet and the mind at rest. Usually, the student observes his free and relaxed breathing. This constitutes one of two meditative parts of the postures.
For beginners, the pose may be held for approximately 5-10 seconds. With more practice, the duration may gradually increase up to 30-60 seconds. Experienced students may hold the position even longer without effort, but generally we recommend that a posture should be repeated two or three times instead. By repeating a posture, the static and dynamic elements of yoga are combined in a balanced way.
The beginner should mainly let the attention rest on the body to improve the quality of the performance. When the use of the muscles is reasonably well mastered, the range of attention should be extended to include the breath and the bodily sensations that may accompany the pose. Later on, the attention should take in everything with a meditative, unfocused awareness. At that time, breathing should not be directed, but should flow freely with an open, restful, observing attitude.
4. Out of the pose
After holding the posture, slowly move out of it and back into the starting pose. Once again the movements should be slow and synchronized with deep breathing. The attention observes the slow movements and the breath from both within and without. Thus, the student is aware in an unfocused manner of the breath, the movements and the sensations in the body - from the moment of starting until the moment of completing the posture.
5. Rest and relax
After finishing every posture, the student may remain in the starting pose or lie down for a short while. This short rest constitutes the most meditative phase of a posture, while holding the pose is the second most meditative phase. During the short rest, the yoga student should let go of all residues or tensions caused by doing the posture. The attention should be free floating rather than observant. In other words, the rest and relaxation stage involves an undirected, spontaneous flow of the mind.
The resting periods should not be long, no more than 30-45 seconds – a time frame just sufficient for the body to calm down. After this short rest, take 2-3 full yoga breaths before moving into the next pose.
As the sequence of postures proceeds, the physiological potential for going deep into meditation between postures increases. The student should resist taking longer rests between postures, instead saving the deep meditation for the end of the sequence in the corpse pose (page 114).