Why The Order Of Yoga Poses Matters: How Iyengar Sequencing Works

Yoga sequencing: the short version

Why does your teacher start with standing poses and finish with you lying on the floor? That is yoga sequencing, the order the poses come in, and it is done on purpose. Chris Lalor teaches that sequencing in yoga decides how you feel at the end of a class as much as which poses you do. A class that lifts you early and calms you later is built that way, not an accident. Here is how it works, in plain words.

This note in short form

• The answer: the order of poses shapes the state you arrive at by the end.
• The usual pattern: lift your energy early, then quieten the mind towards the end.
• The Iyengar order of learning: standing poses first, then forward bends, seated poses, twists, inversions and backbends.
• One firm rule: do a shoulderstand after a headstand, sometime before the end.
• New to yoga: follow sequences from an experienced teacher, with props.
• Short is fine: three to five poses can be a sequence.
• Next step: feel it in class, in the studio or LIVE online. Your first class is free if you’re new.

Back to our Poses And Practice notes, and our Iyengar Yoga And Philosophy notes.

What is yoga sequencing?

Yoga sequencing is the order in which poses are done in a class or a home practice. Chris teaches that a teacher has four main tools to shape how you feel: the order of the poses, how long you stay in each one, the technique of each pose, and how often a pose is repeated.

Iyengar yoga is the style developed by Mr BKS Iyengar. In the 20th century he did more than anyone to set down traditional Indian yoga, through his books and his teaching, and he pioneered the use of props. It is sometimes called modern classical yoga, and it’s the style we teach at Flametree.

Mr Iyengar’s method pays close attention to order. Chris says the teacher, or you at home, is working with three things at once: the body, the breath and the mind.

Why does the order of yoga poses matter?

Each pose leaves you in a different state, and the next pose starts from there. Chris teaches that the sequence can decide the main effect of a class or a home practice. The shapes you make, and the order you make them in, change how you feel.

At a Sequence Workshop Chris taught, the group did sequences for confidence and sequences for emotional stability. Stuart took notes that afternoon. He wrote that the second sequence was very calming, which he said he could always use more of.

A sequence can also help one pose. Chris says a teacher may take you through a run of poses that lets you do a particular pose better than you ever have. She also told the story of spending a whole class in Pune on one backbend, and what it taught her about simplicity and equanimity (evenness of mind).

What is the usual order in a class?

Most classes lift your energy early and quieten you towards the end. Chris calls this the broad pattern. The lifting comes from the poses you choose first. The calming comes later, often from forward bends, a supported shoulderstand, a supported bridge, or legs up the wall.

A simple class for someone new might go like this. You warm up, then do standing poses with a chair or the wall for support. You rest in a forward bend with your head supported. Then you finish with legs up the wall and lying still in Relaxation Pose (Savasana). Our notes on legs up the wall and Savasana show those last two.

Why do forward bends come after standing poses?

In the Iyengar order of learning, students meet standing poses first, then forward bends, seated poses, twists, inversions (upside-down poses) and backbends. The idea is that body and mind are built up steadily, not all at once.

Many students find forward bends hard. Putting them after standing poses helps, because the standing poses free the legs and the lower spine first. You can also go forward with a chair or a bolster, or rest your head on a support. Resting the head makes it easier to stay longer, and it draws the attention inward. Our note on the seated forward bend goes further.

Why does shoulderstand come after headstand?

The one firm rule Chris gives is to do a shoulderstand after a headstand. It does not have to be straight after. It just needs to come sometime before the end of your practice.

In the Iyengar tradition the two poses are opposites. Headstand (Salamba Sirsasana) is described as bright and activating. Shoulderstand (Salamba Sarvangasana) is described as soft and calming, so it comes towards the end to settle you. The order you learn them is the other way round: students learn shoulderstand first, and when they can hold it steady for a few minutes they are taught headstand.

Both are advanced inversions. They are learned in stages with a teacher, and they are not part of the first classes. Not every sequence needs an inversion at all. Some sequences are just forward bends, or just twists. For more, see our posts on yoga inversions and shoulderstand.

Can a yoga sequence be short?

Yes. A sequence can be as short as three to five poses. Chris gives the example of a few poses that settle anxiety and help you sleep, ending with a supported shoulderstand and then relaxation. Our post on yoga for sleep has a full sequence.

You do not need to feel shy about sequencing at home. Chris suggests you notice how you feel and what you want. If you are exhausted, a restorative sequence suits. If you are low, you might choose a backbend sequence. If you are upset or anxious, you might choose a quieter one.

Should a beginner make up their own sequence?

Not at first. Chris says there are enough sequences written already, and that when you are new it is best to follow ones given by experienced teachers. Over time you learn how the poses feel, and then you can begin to build your own. Many outcomes come from a small number of poses, put in different orders.

Other things shape a sequence too, such as the weather, the time of day and the ability of the people in the room. We look at one local example in our note on yoga in Darwin’s build-up. How long to stay in each pose is a part of sequencing too. Read how long to hold yoga poses.

What does a sequence do for the mind?

Chris teaches that sequences can steer the mind towards sattva (a calm, balanced, quiet state). Watching the breath helps the mind quieten, and over the shorter or longer term that can lead to things like patience and tolerance. In the Iyengar tradition this is why the order of poses is taken so seriously.

This is known from long practice in the Iyengar tradition rather than tested in research trials. We have not cited a study of pose order on its own. If you are new, the plain test is how you feel when you stand up after the last pose. Many students find the end of a well-built class very settling.

If you are weighing up when to try more than the beginner poses, read our note on yoga class levels.

Practise this at Flametree

Your first class is free if you’re new to Flametree. New students, and anyone who has been away three months or more, can also get a half price 10 class pass with 2 extra classes free, to use online, in the studio, or both. We teach in the studio at Woolner and Coolalinga in Darwin and LIVE online. For the studio, just come along. For an online class, click the class time you want and we email you the link to join.

• Beginners: see the half price 10 class pass for new and lapsed students
• Not a beginner: see the half price 10 class pass for new and lapsed students
• The timetable, including online classes

Can’t make a class? Practise at home with our video courses.

Questions people ask about yoga sequencing

What is yoga sequencing?

Yoga sequencing is the order in which poses are done in a class or a home practice. Chris Lalor teaches that the order, the time held in each pose, the technique and repetition are the main tools a teacher uses to shape how you feel.

Why does the order of yoga poses matter?

Each pose leaves you in a different state, and the next one starts from there. Chris teaches that the sequence can decide the main effect of a class, such as whether you finish lifted, steady or calm.

Does the order of poses matter for a beginner?

Yes, and your teacher does it for you. In the Iyengar order of learning, standing poses come first, then forward bends, seated poses, twists, inversions and backbends, with props used to make each pose easier. You do not need to plan the order yourself.

Why do yoga classes finish lying down?

The broad pattern is to lift your energy early and quieten the mind towards the end. The calming poses often include forward bends, legs up the wall, a supported bridge or a supported shoulderstand, followed by lying still in Relaxation Pose (Savasana).

Why does shoulderstand come after headstand?

In the Iyengar tradition headstand is described as bright and activating, and shoulderstand as soft and calming. Chris’s rule is to do a shoulderstand after a headstand, sometime before the end of practice. Students learn shoulderstand first, and both are taught in stages with a teacher.

Can I make my own yoga sequence at home?

You can, once you know how the poses feel. Chris suggests that when you are new you follow sequences given by experienced teachers, and later start building your own. A sequence can be as short as three to five poses, for example a few calming poses before sleep.

How long should a yoga sequence be?

As long as you need. Chris says a sequence can be very short, three to five poses, or a whole class. Some sequences are only forward bends, or only twists, and not every sequence includes inversions.

Where can I learn Iyengar yoga sequencing in Darwin?

Flametree Yoga Studio teaches Iyengar yoga in the studio at Woolner and Coolalinga in Darwin and LIVE online, and every class is a built sequence. Your first class is free if you’re new to Flametree.

Flametree Yoga Studio, Darwin NT, teaching Iyengar yoga in the studio and LIVE online. This note is general information, not medical advice.

Sources

• Notes from Chris Lalor’s Sequence Workshop, taken by Stuart McGill and shared by Flametree Yoga Studio, 2019.
• Teaching on sequencing and the order of learning in the Iyengar method, as shared by Flametree Yoga Studio (the words of Geeta Iyengar on gradual, orderly sequencing were not quoted because we could not check them at source).
• Britannica: B.K.S. Iyengar, Indian yoga teacher (1918 to 2014).
• Flametree teaching notes by Chris Lalor, Senior Iyengar Yoga Teacher, Flametree Yoga Studio.