Brahmana Yoga Practice: A Quick Pick-Me-Up for Afternoon Slump

When one thinks of a brahmana practice that is supposed to build and energize the system, it is easy to conjure images of Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutations), challenging standing poses and fast flows. But this is not what brahmana practice is about. The brahmana practice is about energy management. Because of this, it is supposed to support and expand the breath, specifically the inhalation. If fast movement and challenging poses make the breath fast and shallow, the practice might have an agitating effect instead of a lasting brahmana effect.

In addition, when designing a brahmana practice we always have to consider the student’s current state. If the student is tired and depleted, jumping straight into Sun Salutations might be even more exhausting. Instead, we need to use breath and movement to match the student’s current state first, and then gradually take him where he needs to go.

In the short brahmana practice below, we start with simple poses close to the ground to gradually deepen the breath and begin to move the body. Then we use extension poses, backbends and lateral bends to support and expand inhalation. We gradually transition to standing poses and begin to use large whole body movements to nourish and energize the system. We finish the practice with Viloma Ujjayi technique (Alternate Nostril Inhalation) for a more pronounced brahmana effect.

Brahmana Yoga Practice

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Reprinted with permission from Sequence Wiz.

Educated as a school teacher, Olga Kabel has been teaching yoga for over 14 years. She completed multiple Yoga Teacher Training Programs but discovered the strongest connection to the Krishnamacharya/ T.K.V. Desikachar lineage. She had studied with Gary Kraftsow and American Viniyoga Institute (2004-2006) and received her Viniyoga Teacher diploma in July 2006 becoming an AVI-certified Yoga Therapist in April 2011. Olga is a founder and managing director of Sequence Wiz- a web-based yoga sequence builder that assists yoga teachers and yoga therapists in creating and organizing yoga practices. It also features simple, informational articles on how to sequence yoga practices for maximum effectiveness. Olga strongly believes in the healing power of this ancient discipline on every level: physical, psychological, and spiritual. She strives to make yoga practices accessible to students of any age, physical ability and medical history specializing in helping her students relieve muscle aches and pains, manage stress and anxiety, and develop mental focus.