Several years ago, Mingyur Rinpoche requested a number of yoga students to update the Awareness Yoga sequence that he developed during his wandering retreat and shared with his students upon his return.

The update has now been completed under the guidance of Yeshe Palmo, Christopher Baxter, Terri Yeshe, Elizabeth Callahan, and George Hughes, a seasoned core group of yoga practitioners and long-term meditators who worked in consultation with Mingyur Rinpoche.

“He wanted to make it a little bit more traditional with the Trulkhor style of Tibetan Yoga. He also wanted to make it a little bit closer to Hatha Yoga, so it was more familiar to folks,” said George Hughes, a Tergar guide and long-time yoga instructor, in an interview in Kathmandu this past June.

The final sequence received approval from both Mingyur Rinpoche and Tsoknyi Rinpoche.

The new sequence can be performed sitting, standing, or even reclining. Instead of starting from the crown and working down the body, the flow is reversed, beginning from the ground and integrating movements upward and outward to the extremities.

“It felt more grounding to start with stabilizing the body and moving upward and then moving out,” shared George.

“The key to either sequence has always been synchronizing movement, breath, and awareness,” he said.  “Awareness Yoga is not intended to make you more flexible or stronger, and there is no perfect posture to attain. It is whatever your expression of the posture might be bringing in with it, synchronizing the movement, with awareness, and your breath.”

The new sequence focuses more on the five main chakras of the Tibetan system and works to balance the subtle energies. Rather than focusing on the bones, joints, or even nerves, the focus is on the energy: prana, bindu, and nadi. 

The Awareness Yoga sequence underwent numerous iterations based on feedback from Mingyur Rinpoche, Tsoknyi Rinpoche, and several focus groups. Their feedback informed the different iterations, such as the choice of wording, especially around synchronizing awareness, movement, and breath in the seated or reclining position.

And when should one practice Awareness Yoga? “Whenever you can,” Mingyur Rinpoche has repeatedly said.

Since Awareness Yoga works with the subtle energy body, it might be helpful to settle the body before meditation practice. At other times, when focusing more on the breath, it might be an energizing sequence to do after meditation or best when starting the day.

“I would see how it lands with you and your personal experience,” suggested George.

July 2024