You had me at “peak pose”. I have to say I am a goner for a well-sequenced class. I just love it when the teacher commands your full attention to take you on a journey with an actual destination. Different teachers have different methods, sometimes it's a peak pose and other times it's a thread that brings everything together and provides cohesion.
It wasn't clear then, but I can see that I've been drawn to intelligent sequencing for some time now. As my yoga practice evolved like many, I went from DVDs, to the gym, to the studio, to a home practice and now to teaching. I sought out those instructors who put thought and effort into their classes and provided a new variation, challenging options or a different perspective.
The class where I really learned to appreciate sequencing was centered around Padmasana or Lotus pose. This posture requires major hip opening and was not an easy asana for me at the time. You sit up nice and tall, with your legs folded, one on top of the other with your feet resting in your hip creases. It's the stereo-typical yoga pose.
So, I trusted the teacher and enjoyed the journey. He weaved and winded us through a number of postures gently coaxing the hips to open, deeping the bend in the knees and lengthening the spine. By the end of class, my legs slipped into place like they were meant to be there. The savasana that followed was blissful. I had trusted the journey, made a few discoveries along the way and really enjoyed the process.
This was a big turnaround for me with my yoga practice. Since then, I've been blessed by a number of amazing teachers who are deliberate with their classes and intention. Sometimes I reach that “peak pose” and sometimes my peak isn't quite at the summit. The peak or destination isn't really what's important.... it's the journey.
