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- Hey everyone,
welcome to Yoga With Adriene.

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I'm Adriene, and today
we're tackling the question,

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what is a vinyasa?

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This comes up a lot,
and it's a totally awesome

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question because it's confusing.

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We go to public classes
and the teacher's like,

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"And vinyasa, vinyasa.
Mufasa."

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So first thing's first,

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we'll break this
down very quickly for ya.

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First thing's first is
like most Sanskrit terms,

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the word "vinyasa"
has many meanings.

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The first thing we'll
do is break down the word.

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The Sanskrit word vinyasa

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means to place.

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The first part means to
place "nyasa" in a special way.

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So forget about that Chaturanga
to Up Dog for a second

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and just think about
that the Sanskrit term itself

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means "to place
in a special way."

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Now I'm not trying to get
on my Sanskrit high horse,

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or my Yogic high horse here,

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but I feel like that's really
cool and really important.

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Especially as a beginner but

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even for anyone who
might be listening to this,

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wanting to deepen your practice

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and embrace 
the Yogic philosophy

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in your asana practice,

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and hopefully in
your everyday lives.

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So to place in a special way.

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For me, that brings up
the idea of intention,

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to move with intention.

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So honestly,

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there are many
definitions to the word vinyasa,

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and for this vinyasa.

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But to place in a special way,

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I feel like my favorite

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definition is definitely
how do you move with intentions?

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To move with intentions.

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So that brings me to another

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way of interpreting 
this word vinyasa,

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and that is that it is a
systematic approach to moving

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from one point to the
next with the breath.

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So very
important with the breath.

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So moving from Point A
to Point B with the breath.

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So we have this idea
of moving with intention,

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and now we have this
understanding or this idea of

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moving from one
pose to the next,

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or just moving from Point A
to Point B with the breath.

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So it's breath and intention.

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Now to the confusing question.

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I look at a yoga schedule and
I see there's a vinyasa class.

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So linking body movement
with the breath has become this

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very popular way to
get the heart rate going,

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to flow in and
out of the postures.

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So (chuckles)
using my hands a lot.

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So we also will refer
to this word as flow,

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a flow class,
a vinyasa class.

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So you know what to expect 
when you show up to that class

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to link breath 
and body movements.

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Probably moves 
at a semi-swift pace

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if you're in the West.
(laughs)

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And then the final kind of

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practical thing that
you might be wondering,

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well, what about when I'm
in that vinyasa class and the

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teacher says, "And now
take your vinyasa or rest?"

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And that is looking at
the word in a whole other way,

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but still with the 
same principles

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of moving with intention,

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linking body
movement with breath.

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And that is that 
little sequence between

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our Downward Facing Dogs.

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So that moment between Adho
Mukha and Adho Mukha usually.

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So typically, that will be
lowering down to the belly,

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opening your heart in Cobra,
moving with the breath,

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and then exhaling
back to Down Dog.

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Or, again,
really common in the West and

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in these kind of
more fast-paced classes,

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we do them in the
channel here as well,

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we will take that opportunity,

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that vinyasa as a

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Chaturanga to Upward Facing Dog

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and then a return
to Downward Facing Dog.

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So I hope I'm not confusing you.

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There are lots of
meanings to the word vinyasa.

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There are also
these practical applications;

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the name of the class,
the noun,

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the moment between
the Downward Facing Dogs.

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But if we really go back to
the root of the Sanskrit word,

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we're talking about moving with

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intention and using the breath
as a tool to do just that.

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So hopefully, this will help you
figure out the word vinyasa.

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It doesn't always have to be

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that fancy Chaturanga to
Up Dog to perform a vinyasa.

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If you're in a class and that
moment comes along

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and you're not 
prepared to do that or

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you're working
on shoulder stuff,

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or you're just
growing that Chaturanga,

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as long as you're moving with

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your breath
you're doing it right,

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you're doing it awesome.

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So anyway, that's all for today.

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Keep the questions coming.

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We love to respond to the
requests because it means that

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we're having a
real conversation,

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we're not just yoga robots.

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I wore this shirt
especially for you.

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It's my first time to
wear it in a long time.

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I made this when I was in 5th
grade for Track and Field Day.

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That might be an over share,
but I think it's pretty cool.

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Okay anyway,
take good care, everyone.

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We'll see you next time.

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Free yoga videos 
every Wednesday.

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Join the conversation.

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Namaste.

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That was really cheesy, sorry.
Namaste.

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(upbeat music)