October Focus of the Month – Vinyasa

Focus of the Month: Vinyasa

 

vinyasa fall
As we arrive into autumn, a season of transition, with its vibrant colors, chilly evenings, and bountiful harvests, we are focusing this month on Vinyasa. While the literal translation of the word vinyasa means “to place in a special way,” we often designate the term for the set of postures that separate sequences, appear in our sun salutations, and clear out one side of postures to repeat the same postures on the other side. Whether you’re thinking of the literal or more common translation, the word connotes the transitional quality of yoga as we systematically take our minds and bodies from one point and safely land at the next with our controlled breathing and specific movements. We say that Vinyasa is a flow, an unobstructed path to a final destination. As Pattabhi Jois has declared, “When vinyasa is perfect, the mind is under control,” and we can attain a state of meditation and liberation through this “special placement” within our practice.