Reported by Matrika (Marlene) Gast

“Alternate Leg, using the ‘plain vanilla’ alignments, is my favorite,” says Betsy Ayers, CYST. “I learned it nearly 20 years ago when I first became a Svaroopa® yoga student. Getting its full benefits has been a slow progression. But after years of practice I do now feel a shift in my tailbone, moving and aligning on its own. It’s simple, with no effort on my part. I had to have trust, and I had good teachers.

“Feeling my tailbone release tension and lengthen has been so rewarding. My hips level and I enjoy the stability in my low back. Even though with years of Advanced Teacher Training, I still like standard Alternate Leg best. In classes, I notice beginners think they have to pull, when all you do is support your leg in an easy angle. Although they don’t get the full experience for a while, I know from their eyes they’ve still gotten a profound change.”

“I don’t really have a favorite pose,” shares Margaret Hofacker, a new Foundations Grad. “For me, the best was the Foundations immersion experience, being part of a such loving community for all those days. I especially enjoyed understanding and learning to apply the detailed information about alignments and props for all the poses. And I am very thankful for the ‘moving in’ and ‘moving out’ words for each pose.”

Vicky Osborn describes, “My favorite is , Digestion Pose.  It gives me a feeling of easy stability, where I just sit for myself. Sitting in it is sustainable. It doesn’t aggravate my sciatica.  I digest my thought processes as well as my food. More than any other seated pose, Vajrasana feels like coming home. Sitting in Vajrasana for meditation is much more ‘native’ to me.  I feel stronger in my Self.”

These three Boise ID Svaroopis just completed the Foundations of Svaroopa® Yoga course. It was my second Foundations as a student, though I’ve also assisted in a few.

My favorite pose was Shavasana, with Swami Nirmalananda’s long Guided Awareness. I savor the memory of my journey inward to ever deeper dimensions. After that experience, the world clearly shone with the Light of Consciousness.