When I first began to practice yoga asana in the late noughties, the 90 minute class length was quite common. Today most classes are 60 minutes, and a 75 minute class is considered long. While I recognize the appeal that a shorter class has to people who are solely interested in fitness, I believe that there is still a hunger for longer format classes in the yoga community. In fact I was asked by students from a 60 minute, fitness-context class I taught if I would expand the class to a 75-minute format for them. To this day, I still feel like the “natural length” of a yoga class is around 75-90 minutes; providing enough space for thematic framing, a strong physical practice, and significant meditation.
At the 90 minute length, I am proposing two regular weekly classes. The first, which I call “Going Deeper”, is intended to be suitable for the average practitioner who is also interested in the full practice of Raja Yoga. The second, a Level 3 class, is intended for experienced practitioners who are seeking to use advanced asana to sharpen their ability to focus their attention and control their bodies. Both of these classes make use of the extra time available in the 90-minute format to work with extra material that is difficult to make available in a 60-minute format.
The "Going Deeper" class is intended to explicitly work with the practices of Raja Yoga beyond simple asana. This will be practically expressed with the following (the order will vary)
Satsang is probably the least familiar practice. One translation of "satsang" that I particularly like is "being with truth". In the brief form it takes as part of a asana class, satsang usually consists of a brief "talky bit" from the teacher on matters relating to the eight limbs of Yoga and how they can be brought into the asana practice on the day. This aspect of teaching, while easy to neglect, is particularly important because it helps to make the skills developed during asana relevant to life spent off of the mat.
I realize that the notion of "levels" of practice is problematic due to a lack of common definitions, however, over the years I have developed a personal system of classification for asana based on a number of basic actions which are commonly practiced in drop-in yoga classes. The primary characteristics of level-3 practice are individual asanas with 2 or more primary muscular actions, and transitions that proceed directly from one asana to the next without the common intermediate "grounding" postures found in a traditional vinyasa. This kind of practice requires sustained concentration and effort along with very conscious control of the breath. Practicing in this way requires a deep embodiment of all the practices in the eight limbs while the student is immersed in a continuous flow.
A level 3 practice needs more time for two reasons. First is the need for more comprehensive warm-up when one is engaging with multiple actions in asana. But a 90-minute format also gives more opportunity to workshop difficult individual asanas and flows, allowing students to develop ease in handling more complex work.
All of this beautifully translates into life off the mat as well, since life rarely gives us the opportunity to do just one thing. Multi-tasking on the mat then become a mini laboratory for handling the multitude demands of modern life with grace and ease. This kind of practice also appeals to yogis with active minds and fiery emotions as it gives them a way to express their inner fire and complexity in a safe space.
Handstand, like many advanced asanas, requires the simultaneous integration of many different muscular system within the body. Additionally, because it is performed upside down, it also require intense concentration in order to get body to function consciously while doing activities that are very similar to its automatic action in a tadasana. While it is generally viewed as a “peak pose” (and for good reason - it is very difficult to spend minutes in handstand), this class will take handstand work as a motivating and organizing principle.
This is because success in handstand comes from doing many small things well, rather than just one big thing. Press handstand in the center requires body awareness during inversion, open hips to shift the weight to the hands, core strength for support, both shoulder strength and flexibility, as well as a laundry list of other abilities. This easily motivates most of the work in a regular asana class; progressing to handstand then becomes a way of observing the change.
This particular class might also work well as a limited duration (6-8 week) course, but handstand must be developed over time and requires a full dose of patience. Even so, it does seem to have an enduring appeal, with Facebook groups dedicated to it. Even here in Dublin there is a regular "Coffee and Handstands" class offered in Terenure. Simply put, handstands are stimulating and fun - and that is why I think this could be an attractive specialty course in the context of a larger Yoga studio.
david