Vinyasa yoga: Purpose, Positives & Precautions
Vinyasa yoga - What is it good for?
As a yoga teacher specialising in teaching Vinyasa, I decided to write this blog post today to help explain what this style is and who it is best for. Vinyasa is a widely known and practiced style of yoga here in the West - but let’s have a look at the origins of where it came from:
Yoga itself originates from India (which hopefully you already know!), and the style of Vinyasa was created there as well. It emerged from the foundational practices of Hatha yoga (the founding physical style of yoga), and was officially taught and named by Sri Krishnamacharya. He is often considered the father of modern yoga and therefore it is important to honour the origins of this widespread practice.
Sri Krishnamacharya explained Vinyasa yoga to be, “An appropriately formed sequence of steps (krama) to achieve a certain posture.” That’s why you may already associate Vinyasa yoga with being more “flowy” than Hatha - as it incorporates various movements to get from pose A to pose B.
What is the purpose of Vinyasa?
By practicing Vinyasa, the goal is to cultivate harmony between the breath and the body. When done correctly, Vinyasa offers a form of moving meditation - as the breath and body work in perfect unison - we fall into this “flow” state of mind, where the outside noise is silenced and our thoughts shift inwards.
Some other benefits of practicing Vinyasa are:
Builds both strength and flexibility (the perfect combo!)
Enhances balance and coordination
Aids with cardiovascular health
Works to detoxify the body
Help with postural issues
Reduce stress and anxiety
Encourage emotional release
Awaken intuition
What are some precautions for practicing Vinyasa?
Vinyasa can sometimes be too intense for some people, the consistent breath work and quick pace of class can be overbearing and bordering on dangerous if you suffer with health problems such as; respiratory issues, joint pain, sciatica, vertigo or high/low blood pressure.
To ensure you stay safe and enjoy your vinyasa yoga class, here are some precautions to take:
Warm up and cool down properly
Listen to your own body, take modifications and rest where needed
Don’t rush, if you need to stay in one pose for longer - that’s okay!
Consult a healthcare professional if you are unsure about practicing
If you want more help with finding the yoga style that suits you - check out this blog post where I share tips on how to find your style 🤗🩷
