Philosophy

City Yoga is based in the traditions of Anusara Yoga founded by John Friend. In Sanskrit, Anusara pronounced (ah-new-sah-ra) means “to flow with grace,” or “to be in the flow,”- flow, meaning the universal energy that surrounds us and is us. According to the Anusara tradition, we realize our true potential as human beings when we seek to align our consciousness and actions with this “flow”, to open our hearts to grace. The ultimate aim of Anusara Yoga is to align with this divine grace and live our lives in harmony with it.

There are three fundamental currents of yoga philosophy: Classical, Advaita Vedanta and Tantra.

Classical yoga’s basic belief is that matter and spirit are separate. The goal of classical yoga is to join with the divine spirit by transcending matter. This spiritual perfection can only be achieved by overcoming the inferiority of the body and its inherent desires. Vedanta teaches that matter and spirit are one, and the fundamental problem of the human condition is that we assume them to be separate, in other words we live in a deluded state. The goal of Vedantic yoga is to transcend the illusion, maya, which blinds us to our essential unity with the universe. Tantra, the philosophy upon which Anusara is built, is also non-dualistic but sees this quest differently. Tantra states that both spirit and matter are real phenomena, but not separate. In Tantra, matter is not inferior to the divine, but an aspect of it. One does not seek freedom from the body; one seeks freedom in the body. In the history of yogic thought, this is a revolutionary viewpoint. Tantric philosophy teaches that all things come from the divine; from the one come the many. It offers practitioners the gift of revelation, of awakening them to their own divinity at any moment.

Unlike Classical yoga in which the study of yoga was restricted to male Brahmins, tantric yogins were actually lay people like us, including women. For the first time in yogic history, women were not only allowed to study but were honored. They were called a kula, a community that comes together out of free will, like a yoga studio.

Both the spiritual and physical aspects of an Anusara yoga practice are fully integrated into the student’s way of life. The foundation of the practice is broken down into the three A’s: attitude, alignment and action. Attitude is of primary importance because it addresses the heart and intention of each student. It challenges the student to look inward, to transcend mere exercise and use the yoga practice as a means to celebrate greatness and interconnectedness with all life. The concept of an open heart is paramount in Anusara Yoga. When combined with the elegant set of biomechanical principles of alignment, the student confronts the choice to take action. The right choice is the one that is shri “that which is life-enhancing”. It enables students to consistently soar to new levels, not only on their mats, but also in their lives.

Anusara is also highly regarded for its therapeutic benefits. Many students come to heal from past injuries. The principles of alignment are so refined and accessible that within minutes students can experience relief from their pain. Then they can learn how to keep themselves safe by employing the principles in all aspects of their life. It is very empowering.

Empowering is a key word in the Anusara philosophy. The aim of an Anusara teacher is to help the student reveal his or her own inner goodness, to recognize the divine in all things. At City Yoga, individuals are offered a choice and a challenge to enter the flow of grace and experience new levels of joy. Through mastery of asana and the practice of meditation, students undertake a powerful transformative journey.