John Friend - Founder of Anusara Yoga
The focus of Anusara Yoga is on experiencing bliss and joy in your yoga practice and in your daily life.
I Love this because ‘experiencing’ means present tense. It is about enjoying and enjoyment, which is present tense. I always say that ‘enjoy’ is my favorite word because it is present and is ‘right now’, so for this alone, I Love the style of Anusara Yoga.
Anusara Yoga is a modern-day Hatha Yoga style that was founded by John Friend. Anusara means - “flowing with grace,” or “go with the flow,” or “following your heart.” It is well-known as a celebration of the heart.
Anusara Yoga is rooted in a non-dual Tantric philosophy, which states that we are all inherently Good. Its intention is to remind us that Life is a precious gift, which we are reminded to celebrate in our yoga practice, on and off the mat.
Anusara Yoga emphasizes “Universal Principles of Alignment” along with non-dual Tantric Philosophy as the focal point of its practice, which reminds us that everything is Supreme Consciousness and nothing exists that is not Supreme Consciousness.
Anusara Yoga holds the belief that every person is seen as equally divine in - body, mind and spirit. It is the body and mind that are seen as sacred vessels wherein the Divine Radiance of Supreme Consciousness can reside and shine. This allows for a great deal of acceptance and allows for differences and deviation.
Many Anusara Yoga teachers will teach in the Vinyasa Yoga style holding some poses for a longer period of time, which may be a Slow Flow Vinyasa.
The flow practice helps to connect your consciousness to your breath wherein the breath then serves as the guide for your practice. Holding the poses for longer periods of time also allows for a more detailed explanation of alignment principles, while linking the spiritual intention.
Anusara yoga is for students of any level or ability. There are over 250 poses included in Anusara Yoga with no set sequence or routine. The Anusara Yoga class typically ends with a meditation.
The positive approach or spin of Anusara Yoga is that the teachers will typically not ‘assist or fix’ a student’s alignment, but instead, will instruct in the principles of alignment and allow each student to develop in their own time.
Anusaragate (the scandal of 2012) and John Friend
In 2012 there was a scandal that's was dubbed Anusaragate, where John Friend, the founder of Anusara Yoga was estranged from the yoga world due to rumors of sex scandals, inappropriate relationships with students and financial mismanagement.