Anusara Yoga Level 1 Syllabus

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The Anusara yoga level I syllabus is comprised of the most fundamental asanas within the main postural classifications-standing poses, forward bends, hip-openers, twists, inversions, backbends, handbalancings, supine poses, restoratives, and warm-ups. All of these poses should be taught to students within their first year of practice.

Anusara yoga divides a total of over 330 poses into three syllabi-levels I, II, and III, which encompass all major asanas. The syllabi were updated in May, 2006. Many of the asanas have variations based on changes in arm and/or leg positions, yet these variations are generally not listed in the syllabi. The designations of the syllabi as levels I, II, or III do not necessarily correspond to the class levels at different Anusara yoga studios.

Standing

1. Tadasana - a) hands in Anjali Mudra
2. Uttanasana
3. Parsva Uttanasana
4. Prasarita Padottanasana - a) hands clasped behind back
5. Utthita Parsvakonasana
6. Virabhadrasana II
7. Utthita Trikonasana
8. Lunge pose - a) straight leg b) bent leg
9. Twisting Lunge pose - knee on floor
10. Virabhadrasana I
11. Ardha Chandrasana
12. Parsvottanasana - a) hands on floor b) hands on hips c) hands in reverse Anjali Mudra
13. Parivrtta Trikonasana
14. Parivrtta Parsvakonasana
15. Vrksasana - a) arms overhead
16. Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana - a) top knee bent in front b) top leg straight c) lifted leg to side


Sitting Poses, Forward Bends, and Hip-openers

1. Virasana
2. Sukhasana
3. Siddhasana - a) open - one foot in front of the other
4. Ardha Padmasana
5. Baddha Konasana
6. Eka Pada Rajakapotasana prep. - a) with torso lifted
7. Janu Sirsasana
8. Triangmukhaipada Paschimottanasana
9. Marichyasana I
10. Upavistha Konasana
11. Parsva Upavistha Konasana
12. Baby Cradle (leg to the chest)
13. Agnistambhasana - (Fire Log pose) - a) forward bend
14. Paschimottanasana
15. Krounchasana
16. Navasana


Sitting Twists

1. Parivrtta Sukhasana
2. Parivrtta Marichyasana I - a) hands bound
3. Marichyasana III - a) hands bound
4. Bharadvajasana I
5. Bharadvajasana II
6. Ardha Matsyendrasana I - a) stretching the arms


Inversions

1. Sirsasana I
2. Sirsasana II
3. Sarvangasana
4. Halasana


Backbends

1. Salabhasana - a) torso elevated, legs down b) hands clasped
2. Bhujangasana - a) arms straight
3. Urdhva Mukha Svanasana
4. Eka Pada Bhekasana
5. Dhanurasana
6. Eka Pada Rajakapotasana I prep. - one leg in Bhekasana
7. Eka Pada Rajakapotasana II prep. - one leg in Bhekasana
8. Supta Virasana
9. Purvottanasana
10. Ustrasana
11. Setubandha Sarvangasana
12. Urdhva Dhanurasana


    Handbalancings

    1. Adho Mukha Vrksasana
    2. Vasisthasana - a) one leg bent, foot on floor in front b) legs together c) leg in Vrksasana d) holding top foot
    3. Wild Thing pose
    4. Bakasana
    5. Eka Hasta Bhujasana
    6. Astavakrasana


      Supine

      1. Supta Padangusthasana prep. - a) bottom leg bent b) lifted knee bent c) holding the back of the lifted leg
      2. Supta Padangusthasana - a) forehead to shin b) leg to side c) twist, top knee bent d) twist, both legs straight e) knee to floor f) baby cradle
      3. Dwi Pada Yogadandasana (Happy Baby pose)
      4. Sucirandhrasana (Eye of the Needle pose)
      5. Supta Balasana
      6. Windshield Wipers
      7. Jathara Parivartansana - a) knees bent b) legs straight
      8. Savasana


        Miscellaneous

        1. Adho Mukha Svanasana
        2. Chaturanga Dandasana
        3. 8-Point Prone Pose (Knees-chest-chin pose)
        4. Cat-Cow pelvic tilts
        5. Cat variations (opposite leg and arm)
        6. Parvatasana
        7. Tadasana (hands bound)
        8. Standing Eka Pada Bhekasana (thigh stretch)
        9. Brighid's Cross = a) legs straight
        10. Standing Crescent - a) balancing on one leg


          Restoratives

          1.
          		Adho Mukha Svanasana - head supported
          2. Uttanasana - head supported
          3. Sirsasana - a) hanging b) head between two chairs
          4. Sarvangasana - a) chair with bolsters supporting legs b) shoulders on bolster, feet backward to wall.
          5. Halasana - a) feet to wall b) feet on chair c) legs on chair or bench
          6. Viparita Karani
          7. Setubandha Sarvangasana - a) blocks under sacrum and heels b) bolster horizontal across sacrum c) cross bolsters d) bench or bolsters supporting torso and legs, shoulders on blankets
          8. Supta Sukhasana - belt around legs, lying on bolsters
          9. Supta Matsyasana - belt around legs, lying on bolsters a) Ardha Padmasana
          10. Supta Ardha Virasana - supported on bolsters
          11. Supta Virasana - supported on bolsters
          12. Supta Baddha Konasana - a) supported by length-wise bolsters b) horizontal bolsters c) pelvis and feet elevated on bolsters
          13. Supported seated forward bends - support chest, belly with blankets, bolsters; support under forehead, blocks/support under elbows
          14. Dying Warrior Pose - supported with bolsters a) legs straight (Adho Mukha Parivrtta Trikonasana)
          15. Supported Balasana - supported with bolsters a) bolsters suspended between two chairs - sitting in a chair, bending forward onto the bolster.
          16. Pasasana - sitting on Setubandha bench supported with bolsters
          17. Viparita Dandasana - a) over backbender b) over a chair, feet on a wall, rolled blanket under lumbar, head on bolster


            Basic Warm-Ups

            1. Cat-Cow
            2. Cat variations - one leg, one arm
            3. Parvatasana - standing
            4. Hands clasped behind the back while standing
            5. Ardha Uttanasana with hands on a wall
            6. Standing thigh stretch - standing Eka Pada Bhekasana
            7. Crescent pose - standing
            8. Facing a wall w/arm out to the side and palm facing up
            9. Lying supine over a rolled blanket - across upper back