Portland Community College
PE 182 K - Yoga I and PE182 L - Yoga II
Terminology
Yoga Traditions:
Classical Hatha
Anusara
Ashtanga
Bikram
Iyengar
Kundalini
Sivananda
Viniyoga
Vinyasa
Power Yoga
Yin
The Anusara Posture Loops
used as universal principles of alignment
Skull loop
Shoulder
loop
Kidney loop
Pelvic loop
Thigh loop
Shin loop
Ankle loop
Mudras (Hand Positions):
Anjali mudra (Salutation)
Viparita Namasté (Reversed Salutation)
Dhyana mudra (Palm up in Palm up)
Jnana mudra (thumb & first finger
touching)
Padma mudra (Blossoming Lotus)
Sutras
1.1. Atha Yoganusasanam
(now, in this auspicious moment, the
sacred art of teaching Yoga begins)
1.2. Yogas citta vrtti nirodhah
(yoga is the restraint of the
modifications of the mindstuff)
Classical Ashtanga - (Patanjali’s 8 limbs of Yoga):
• Yama
(The five abstentions - universal ethical principles: “Do not”)
• Niyama
(The five observances - rules of personal conduct: “Do”)
• Asana
(practice of postures)
• Pranayama
(practice of breath control)
• Pratyahara
(control of the senses - minimizing sensory input)
• Dharana
(concentration - focusing on a single object)
• Dhyana
(meditation - silent, or with mantra / chanting)
• Samadhi
(contemplation - absorption into the infinite, into bliss)
Concepts
Breathing Pranayama, Ujjayi, Nadi Shodhana
Mantra normal (baikhari), whispered (upanshu), silent (manasik)
Bandhas Mula Bandha, Uddhiyana Bandha
The powerhouse “core” muscles
Control Enter - Hold - Exit the Asana
Precision Alignment in Asana - Anusara Posture Loops
Energy Lines oppositional direction of effort/muscle wrap
Drishti Direction of Gaze
Vinyasa Flow/Fluidity of Movement, Transitions
Body Positions:
Standing (also: “upside down”)
Seated (also: balanced on sitbones)
Kneeling (on all fours), or Kneeling Upright
Prone (also: front support, elbow support)
Supine (also: back support, elbow support)
Side-lying (also: side support, elbow support)
Balances (on single leg, arm balances)
Inversion (legs above heart)
Movements
Spine: flexion (“forward bend”), extension (“backbend”),
rotation (“twist”), lateral flexion (“side bend”)
Pelvis: neutral, tuck, tilt
Hip: (thigh bone in socket) - flexion, extension,
abduction, adduction, inward and outward rotation
Shoulder:
(stabilization of shoulder blades with movement of arm):
extension, flexion, abduction, adduction, rotation of
humerus
(mobilization of shoulder blades with or without movement of the arm):
elevation, depression, protraction (abduction), retraction
(adduction), rotation of scapula
