Let It Shine

Honor the sage Vasistha by radiating gratitude for your own teachers in the pose Vasisthasana.

By Rachel Brahinsky

It's not uncommon to hear Anusara Yoga founder John Friend describe yoga using casual American lingo (he calls the Hindu sage Vasistha "the man") and in the next moment reveal his deep knowledge of esoteric spirituality. It's no surprise, then, that his system of yoga mixes serious spiritual intention and playfulness. Anusara is a unique mélange of precise physical alignment, ancient Tantric philosophy, and Friend's lively personality. The postures are taught using his Universal Principles of Alignment, which guide proper positioning while encouraging strength and fluidity.

Knowledge of the physical is layered with Friend's interpretation of Tantra. In class you'll often hear him allude to one of the system's central tenets: the belief that there is no separation between the physical body and the spirit. "This body is not only a vessel for spirit; it is also the Supreme itself. Each pose celebrates the embodied spirit," Friend says. Watch Friend or any of his devotees (like Anusara teacher Sianna Sherman, above) hold a challenging pose, and you'll see that radiant inner spirit manifest in a glowing smile.

Vasisthasana is, in Friend's opinion, an ideal pose to put Anusara's alignment and philosophical principles into action. The sage Vasistha represents the highest level of integrity, Friend says. "He taught the dharma [the right path] and how to align with nature." When Friend practices the pose, then, he likes to honor Vasistha by paying his respects to everyone he's learned from. "When I do the pose, I remember my teachers. And then I want to do it really beautifully, to acknowledge that I have great teachers and am reflecting that in the excellence of the pose."

Friend says that an Anusara sequence should feel like a wave in the body. To experience this in the sequence that follows, try to establish an intensely awake awareness throughout each pose. "Every pose leading up to Vasisthasana is going to have some embodiment of the feelings that we want to ultimately physicalize. So when you place your hands for Down Dog, keep a high level of integrity. You're not going to space out or be haphazard. Extend through Down Dog with the full glory and power of the guru."

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