JANUARY NEWS
Hello friends!
Welcome to my first newsletter. It’s a bit old-fashioned, as we’ve got so used to bite-sized content now, but some subjects need more than a few words in a IG or TikTok post! In these newsletters I plan to share with you thoughts, insights and teachings regarding Ashtanga Yoga Practice and Philosophy, drawing on my 20 years of Ashtanga practice, as well as long-term studies of Ayurveda, Tantra and Menstruality. And as I’m a huge book worm there might be some reading recommendations along the way!
Since the passing of dear Sharathji, I have been reflecting on his legacy. I always remember his emphasis on knowing the correct posture names, pronunciation and vinyāsa count. So in honor of Guruji, amongst other topics, I will be detailing Ashtanga yoga asana names, vinyāsa count and some guidelines for practice in each newsletter. Let’s go on this journey together!
With Love
Nea Ferrier
ne*@ne************.com
neaferrieryoga.com
Sūryanamaskāra A
Practice Tip:
Ideally our practice should cultivate a beautiful balance between energizing uplifting quality and a grounding sense of calm. The key is in the breath. All throughout the Ashtanga practice we aim for the breath to be “sama”, same in length for the inhale and exhale.
This rhythm starts in Sūryanamaskāra. What this means is each movement needs to be exactly the same duration, whether it is bending forward as in “dve” or lifting the head and chest in “trini”, as the length of the movement links to the length of breath.
You can either practice with an internal count of “inhale 1 – 2- 3″ exhale 1 – 2 – 3” to measure this, or for fun, practice with a metronome (do they still exist?) The Breathing App is very useful resource for regulating the breath. Give it a try and see how you feel. It can be a great thing to do if your practice is starting to feel mechanical. The antidote to boredom is to pay attention. So zoom in on the breath and really check if each movement in your sūryanamaskār is of equal length.
Listen below to learn the vinyasa count for Sūryanamaskāra A
Nea Ferrier Yoga
Sūryanamaskāra A
Stream Audio on SounCloud
Download the 2025 moon day calendar
Outer and Inner Moons in Ashtanga Yoga
Full and New Moon days are traditionally taken as rest days in Ashtanga yoga, and in addition woman are advised to rest during their inner moon, the menstrual cycle. Sometimes you might find this time also lines up with the new or full moon, but it’s very normal for it to shift by a few days cycle-to-cycle.
For many female practitioners being told to take a break from practice can feel like unwelcome advice. It can maybe seem patriarchal, out-dated, sexist or overly interventionist.
To better understand the reason for this recommendation, we need to zoom out and consider our practice from the Yoga & Ayurvedic lens, rather than a western-medical viewpoint.
We know that our bodies are continually transforming whether it be digestion, hormonal release, cell renewal or brain cognition. Western medicine clearly describes the various functions taking place, but falls short on explaining “force” or “power” behind these processes. In Yoga and Ayurveda, this animating principle is known as Prāṇaśakti.
There are five mukhya (major) pranas (also called vayus), that play different roles managing our bodily processes. Illness and mental disturbances are attributed to dysregulation or blockages in the flow of these pranas.
Prana – its role is the ingestion of nourishing energy, pulling energy from the macrocosmic into the body. Its seat is in the heart.
Apana – is the downward and outward moving energy, in the form of urination, defecation and menstruation. Its seat is in the lower abdomen, pelvis and thighs.
Samana – is clockwise moving prana governing digestion and assimilation, and it’s seat is is in the abdomen.
Vyana – is dispersing, diffusive energy. Its main seat is in the arms and legs but it is present throughout the entire body helping with movement.
Udana – is the uprising, uplifiting, lighter energy performing speech, cognition and perception. It is the intelligence behind the five sense organs and located in the throat.
At the time of menstruation, it is APANA, this downward movement of prana that we want to honor and support. This is why we often naturally feel a heaviness in the legs, and abdomen, and general fatigue. Our bodies are calling for a slow down, a pause, to give into this downward pull, to facilitate the apana movement of śakti. that takes place during menstruation. Rather than view this as an inconvenience, we would do well to give gratitude for how amazing it is we have this in-built system of monthly cleansing and renewal via the menstrual cycle.
One just needs to visualize the bandhas used in Ashtanga yoga, (uddiyana – drawing in the lower abdomen, and moola bandha – lifting the pelvic floor) to acknowledge that this is not ideal for a time when we are wanting to encourage apana. Instead we can consider some slower practices such as restorative yoga (I’ll be writing more on this another time).
I personally take a break from all formal practices (including chanting and pranayama as both of these involve bandha activation) during menstruation, and rest as deeply as possible, as I like to truly honor and give space for this incredible movement of Prāṇaśakti. The fact is, at this time – YOU ARE THE YOGA. Nothing else is needed..
BOOK CORNER
If you are interested in learning more about tuning into lunar cycles check out this amazing new book by Ayurvedic practitioner Kate O’Donnell. In this book, Kate explains the healing properties that comes from “soma” the lunar energy, and how it is a much needed balance to the “sūrya” energy of “all go” that tends to dominant our society. Embrace the sacred pause!
HAPPY PONGAL!
While most festivals in India are based on the lunar calendar, tomorrow January 14 is the only one based on the movement of the sun. Makar Sankranti is when the sun moves into the house of Makar (Capricorn), signifying longer days to come as we move out of the depths of winter. In the Punjab it is known as Lohri and the south it is Pongal. In places like Karnataka and Tamil, women decorate the entrance to homes with these beautifully intricate designs in chalk known as kolam or rangoli. In fact this is a daily ritual all year round – just extra special for festival time. I’m kind of obsessed with them at the moment!
