This morning I've been working on something (
see this post on the other blog) for my
Vinyasa Karma Practice Book which will make up part of the 2nd edition that I hope to put online this week. The new edition will include most of the Vinyasa Krama subroutines, 80 or so. What I've been working on this morning is an attempt to show one way we can turn the subroutines into a full practice.
As we work through Ramaswami's book it can sometimes be hard to visualise how we can turn all this information, on all these postures, in these great long sequences, into a mornings practice. We can practice the full sequences as they stand and Ramaswami recommends this approach as a way to learn all the sequences and postures, the complete syllabus as it where. I found that approach useful too, you get to see the families of postures, how they relate to each other, leading up to and developing postures. Sooner or latter though we're probably going to want to work at a subroutine level.
Below is the popular Ashtanga Primary sequence. What I've done is divide the practice up into the different Vinyasa karma sequences. Within those sequence boxes it should be easy to see there are one or more subroutines. The Ashtanga practice that ashtangi's run through every day is just a collection of subroutines.
After their Surynamaskaras, Ashtangi's move on to a Standing sequence that includes a short 'On your feet' sequence and the three 'Triangle' subroutines. Next up are a couple of 'On one leg' sequences before the Warrior sequence which is another 'Triangle' subroutine.
This is STILL my framework for all my asana practices in the morning. I add a short tadasana sequence at the beginning and I might add or change a subroutine but this is pretty much my warm up, It worked, it kept me safe.
The Ashtanga seated section in Primary begins with vinyasas in Paschimottanasana a Vinyasa Krama 'Seated' subroutine then after a counter pose moves on to , what, five simplified 'Asymmetric' subroutines. Four more simplified 'Seated' subroutines come next and then we're into, I count seven, 'Supine" subroutines'.
The series ends with a simple Inverted subroutine, a headstand, and then a couple of 'Lotus' subroutines before Savasana.
The only things missing are 'Bow' and 'Meditative' subroutines. Some Ashtangi's who have been practicing for some time add on some of the Ashtanga 2nd series postures which include some cobra and locust postures, (these are from our Bow sequence) and Kapotasana (from Meditative).
Vinyasa Krama is different from Ashtanga, we don't use the jump back as much, we breath more slowly, repeat postures, take more breaths but most significantly perhaps, we're not tied to the same sequence of postures every day. However the Ashtanga series I'm so familiar with has helped me to develop a framework to hang my own Vinyasa Karma practice on.
So here's a suggestion.
Come up with a basic practice following
Ramaswami's guidelines.
Start with some On your feet Tadasana hand/ arm variations.
Pick a Triangle and On one leg subroutine that you like.
Now pick an Asymmetric subroutine then one from Seated to go with your long Paschimottanasana.
Do the same with Bow and Meditative perhaps and then the Shoulderstand preparation postures.
Finish with a couple of vinyasas in Shoulderstand ( Supine) and headstand (Inverted) and finally a short Lotus subroutine.
Now practice this for a few weeks until it's so familiar you don't have to think about it. this becomes you framework as Ashtanga has been mine.
The next step is to start switching and changing subroutines. Don't change everything over night, you'll only become lost again just change two or three subroutines at most. Keep doing this over the next couple of weeks keeping the same overall structure of your practice.
This approach might not work for everyone but it's worked for me.
