Vinyasa Krama, Yoga Step-by-Step

These are the general principles behind the Vinyasa Krama yoga approach, to teaching and practicing:

1. Non-harming: be of benefit and cause no harm.

2. Autonomy: you, the yoga practitioner has the right to reject any instruction.

3. Respect: both the teacher and the yoga practitioner treat each other with respect.

4. Informed consent: as the yoga practitioner you will be informed as much as possible about the practice and technique in advance.

5. Justice: fair treatment of everyone regardless of age, ability, race, or gender.

The Moon Sequence (Chandra Krama) is a gentle and slow Vinyasa flow sequence that includes active yoga postures (that are held for around 5 breaths) and more gentle yoga postures (that are held for around 10-20 breaths).

The Moon Sequence is made up of a series of yoga poses focused on hip and shoulder openers, while still being a well-rounded complete practice. Often the led-classes (group classes) will introduce pranayama breathing techniques to use during your physical practice. Along with core warm ups, moon salutations, standing poses, seated forward bends and hip openers, shoulder openers and backbends, and relaxing restorative poses.

Throughout the practice you will be guided to focus on relaxing and easing into the postures and finding options that feel appropriate for your body. During a led-class of the Moon Sequence you’ll be encouraged to use your breath as a guide to how deep you go in your physical yoga practice. Each led class will have a slightly different focus and sometimes include different yoga poses from the sequence.

This Moon Sequence can be a great supportive sequence to practice once or twice a week. The Moon Sequence is a helpful tool to ease into finding more softness, releasing tension and stress, letting go, and helping to prepare you to be able to sit quietly for pranayama breathing techniques and meditation.

It is a great practice to balance a more dynamic yoga practice like the Sunshine Sequence, or other active yoga practices like Ashtanga and Vinyasa yoga.

The Sunshine Sequence (Atapa Krama) is a more dynamic Vinyasa flow sequence that includes a series of active yoga postures (that are held for around 5 breaths) and linked together through sun salutations. There are some similarities to the Primary Series in Ashtanga, Vinyasa All-Level and Vinyasa Strong Flow classes, but with some different adaptations to the order and yoga poses that are practiced to suit different constitutions.

The Sunshine Sequence is made up of a series of yoga poses focused on sun salutations (with the option to add jumps), standing poses, forward bends, hip openers, shoulder openers, upper body strength, backbends, and the use of props such as blocks and the wall. Throughout the practice you will be guided to keep a slow and flowing breath and to find options that feel appropriate for your body.

During a led-class of the Sunshine Sequence class you’ll be encouraged to use your breath as a guide to how deep you go in your physical yoga practice. Seeing if you can keep a smooth and steady inhale and exhale, while flowing dynamically through your yoga practice. This might sound relatively simple but to breath freely in challenging yoga postures isn’t so easy in practice!

The Sunshine Sequence is a great practice to do regularly to help you create heat, strength, and flexibility. While also having some focus on slowing down your breath and movement, so that you can flow meditatively through an active yoga practice. It is great to also balance with a more gentle, calming practice like the Moon Sequence, Vinyasa Slow-Flow, Yin-Yang or Yin yoga.

In each Vinyasa Krama led-class (group class) you will be introduced to a short practice of a pranayama breathing technique and meditation. We also have a dedicated Pranayama and Meditation class that includes some gentle yoga warm ups to help you sit more comfortably, a pranayama breathing series of practices, meditation and relaxation.

Just like with the physical yoga focused classes of the Moon Sequence and Sunshine Sequence, in Vinyasa Krama we work with set sequences and consistent Pranayama techniques that can be adapted to each individual’s needs.

During the Pranayama classes, and the physical yoga classes of Moon Sequence and Sunshine Sequence you will be guided through one foundational Pranayama technique at a time that is focused on physically improving how you breath (during yoga practice and in everyday life). Helping you reduce stress and find more quietness, so that Pranayama can be used as a stepping stone towards Meditation.

In the dedicated Pranayama and Meditation class you will be introduced to physical warm up practices and guidance on how to sit tall and comfortably. As well as support Pranayama practices, restorative and gentle relaxation yoga postures and techniques.

Irene Lomer is a Vinyasa Krama yoga teacher that believes in an individual approach to yoga. She teaches beginners and more experienced yoga practitioners personalised yoga practices and programs with a goal to help you reach your goals and intentions for practicing yoga.

Irene has been practicing yoga for over 12 years and teaching at Tula Yogastudios since 2016. She is certified to teach Vinyasa Krama, Pranayama, and Meditation through her teacher, Matthew Sweeney.

Eva de Hoijer has been trained in Vinyasa yoga, Yin yoga, Restorative yoga, Mindfulness, Meditation and Pranayama. Her passion for yoga comes out of the deep changes that she experienced when starting practicing yoga. Already practicing yoga for 25 years and teaching 10 years, yoga is inseparable from her life.

She is studying Vinyasa Krama with Matthew Sweeney and has an ongoing training and practice in meditation and pranayama.