Living Vinyasa by Shiva Rea

In our first module, we embark on this journey by understanding the holistic map of the seven fires. We’ll explore the roots of our ancestral firekeeping legacy and the microcosmic and macrocosmic view of the fire within all of the elements of yoga, ayurveda and tantra.

We will assess our “inner fire” and explore how to balance a dim, excessive or wavering fire, viewed through the basic lens of our Ayurvedic constitution. To bring about more balance and harmony, we’ll apply microcosm-macrocosm principles to our bodies and lives.

In this module, you’ll:

• Cultivate an understanding of the differences, challenges and ways to address dim fire, excessive fire and wavering fire.
• Receive an overview of the microcosm-macrocosm principle.
• Understand your basic Ayurvedic dosha — the foundation of your constitution and an important key to practices, foods and habits that can balance, support and nourish you.

Module One Practices:

• Yoga Practice: Sun and Moon Salutations (Surya and Chandra Namaskar) — the balancing power of the solar and lunar salutations
• Health Practice: Tending the fire with solar-lunar awareness (sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system)
• Meditation Practice: Inner Fire Meditation for dissolving patterns and igniting positive change

This module explores the yoga of tending our physical fire — our health and vitality as the foundation for all of the other fires. We will explore the importance of “sealing the leaks” and “caring for the container” in our firekeeping. We’ll also establish a seasonal health rhythm known in Ayurveda as “dinacharya” (practices of the day) and “ratricharya” (practices of the night) to begin to care for our vital health fire from the moment we awaken as well as practices for restful sleep.

In this module you’ll:

• Learn about the benefits of tending the fire of your root chakra as the foundation for your physical health — and identify ways to strengthen this energy center.
• Discover and experience the benefits of a daily self-care routine based in Ayurvedic principles of cleanliness, balance and nourishment.
• Develop a holistic understanding of your physical and energetic constitution so that you can increase your vitality.

Module Two Practices:

• Yoga Practice: Grounding and Relaxing — Intro to Standing Pose Flow, Hip Openers and daily Shavasana (relaxation practice)
• Health Practice: Ayurvedic Daily Routine — Dinacharya and Ratricharya for enhancing one’s health in daily life
• Meditation Practice: Breath Mantra and Immune System — Vital Health Meditation

Module three cultivates the power of our creative-sexual fire and the process of releasing inhibitions or disconnections blocking our creative flow. We’ll explore the alchemy of the water element and the generation of “ojas” — our juiciness, luster, immune support and intrinsic happiness cultivated through herbs, food and yoga practices for sringara rasa (the fluid eros) of life.

In this module you will:

• Discover ways to enhance your creative center to experience more flow in your daily life — and build greater radiance and vitality.
• Understand how to utilize the dynamic relationship of the water element with your creative-sexual fire to release creative blocks.
• Learn how to integrate ojas building practices into your life to Increase mental clarity, generate strong immunity, and minimize the effects of stress.

Module Three Practices:

• Yoga Practice: Prana Sahaja Yoga — Fluid Flow
• Health Practice: Abhyanga Massage Sequence for Everyday Life
• Meditation Practice: Sahaja and Sacred Sexuality — Inner Consort Meditation

Module four cultivates the inner fire of our sacred center, our capacity to harness, digest and manifest our raw potential. We will explore the three different powers of the fire to ignite, sustain and transform, as well as the manifestation of our deeper dharma (life calling). We will cultivate “tejas” as our inner intelligence, instincts, radiance and brightness.

In this module you’ll:

• Learn potent practices for tapping into your fire center to discover your sacred calling — and manifesting your dharma.
• Experience the benefits of inner fire building for metabolizing stress, cultivating inner wisdom and clearing the path for greater intuition.
• Understand the sacred principles of inner harmony through tejas enhancing practices — and learn ways to build and increase balanced fire within.

Module Four Practices:

• Yoga Practice: Kapalabhati Pranayama, Creative Core, Dancing Warrior
• Health Practice: Sacred Nutrition and Caring for Digestion in Daily Life
• Meditation Practice: Inner Fire Meditation (part two)

Module five brings us to our heartfire and the core cultivation of love within our being, as our background material explores the practical wisdom of “devotion in motion” or bhakti yoga for cutting through disconnection and dissatisfaction. Our practices this week fan the fire of love at the soul level where passion and compassion connect, and all of the different aspects of ourselves can find sacred grounding in our heart awareness. Through yoga practices of “heartfulness” we will enhance the quality of our relationships and lives.

In this module, you will:

• Transform feelings of disconnection and dissatisfaction into passion for life and compassion for others and yourself.
• Ground your being in the sacred through “heartfulness” practices.
• Ignite the fire of love within your soul by gradually opening the heart center through a progressive backbending sequence.
• Experience the life-affirming power and grace of “devotion in motion.”

Module Five Practices:

• Yoga Practice: Backbending Sequence for heart opening
• Health Practice: Cultivating “heartfulness” and “heart-brain entrainment” in everyday life
• Meditation Practice: Heart Mudra and Mantra Meditation

In this module, we integrate the fire of expression with our vision and communion with a greater source. We’ll reflect and act upon our deeper svadharma and cultivate practices for listening, communing and embodied prayer for tending the fire of our vision. We’ll integrate the scientifically proven benefits of chanting and mantra for attuning ourselves and entering deeper states of flow. This week, we’ll integrate the yogic art of syncopating with the sunrise, sunset and moon cycles for balancing our life-rhythm.

In this module, you’ll:

• Develop your capacities for listening, sacred communion and embodied prayer.
• Attune yourself to deep state of flow that allows for greater self-expression and clearer “inner” vision.
• Discover the benefits of mantra, chanting and japa mala for cultivating greater connection with the Sacred, inner wisdom and flow in your life.
• Align your life rhythm with the sunrise, sunset and moon cycles, revitalizing your body, mind and spirit.

Module Six Practices:

• Yoga Practice: Yoga Mala — Devotion in Motion
• Health Practice: Gazing and Syncing with the Sun and the Moon
• Meditation Practice: The Power of Chanting — Mantra and Japa Mala

In our final module, we bring everything together and cultivate the practice of integrating personal retreat into your weekly, monthly and seasonal life within your own home or in nature; and offering your seva or service within our community and beyond. We will integrate the different practices of the past six weeks and learn to “unplug” and renew so that we can serve through our svadharma — unique purpose.

In this module, you will:

• Integrate what you’ve learned in the last six weeks, and create your own personal retreat in preparation to be of service in the world.
• Experience the benefits of inner renewal to further build your relationship with your sacred purpose.
• Design your own yoga flow and personal rituals aligned with your natural state and the rhythms of nature.

Module Seven Practices:

• Yoga Practice: Using the Yoga Matrix to create your own flow
• Health Practice: The power of unplugging and energy Sabbath
• Meditation Practice: Personal Ritual & Integration of the Meditations