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Founded by John Friend in 1997, Anusara Yoga is a powerful hatha yoga system that unifies a Tantric philosophy of intrinsic Goodness with Universal Principles of Alignment™. Currently, Anusara Yoga is one of the most popular and fastest growing yoga styles in the world with over 1200 affiliated teachers and 100,000 students world-wide. Anusara Yoga classes are now found throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, the UK, Europe, Australia, and Japan with a growing presence in many other areas of the world. Anusara Yoga is attracting media attention worldwide including a 2004 Yoga Journal cover story, CBS national news in the US, as well as newspapers and magazines throughout North America, the UK, and Europe.

Anusara Yoga's remarkable popularity is due in large part to its uplifting philosophy, epitomized by a "celebration of the heart," that looks for the good in all people and all things. Consequently, students of all levels of ability and yoga experience are honored for their unique differences, limitations, and talents. This life-affirming vision sets the basis for a yoga system in which the harmony and joy of a tightly knit community is exulted. Not only is Anusara Yoga an elegant system of alignment principles and non-dual philosophy, but it is also a wonderful community of highly trained teachers and fun-loving students. This community feels like it has the tightness of a family, yet the looseness of a merry band of bohemian artists.

As a community, Anusara Yoga is well networked and organized, yet there is a strong emphasis on creative freedom and individuality. Anusara Yoga is held together by everyone's implicit alliance to the spiritual principles of Anusara Yoga philosophy, such as celebrating beauty in all its diversity, truthfulness, and honoring the creative freedom of the Divine in all beings. Everyone is aligned with the truth that Grace plays the key role in the successful flow of their practice, classes, and the community itself. Without a rigid dogma, the system is open to continual change and restructuring. Self-examination, discovery, and receptivity to new ideas are foundational to this dynamic system. Individual creativity and investigation are always encouraged within the bounds of basic alignment principles and philosophic precepts of Anusara Yoga. Anusara Yoga grows with harmony and integrity through the combined vision of our Anusara Yoga teachers to unveil the innate goodness, worthiness, and supreme nature of each student and every being.

My interpretation of all this:

Anusara Yoga is an evolution of an ancient practice. Anusara means to flow with Grace, to be in the Currents of something far greater than ourselves. In class you will learn how to cultivate this relationship with Grace by using Universal Principles of Alignment which are the hallmark of the Anusara® method. Each class has a specific theme that invites you to go a step deeper into your own Heart-felt experience and inspires life-affirming habits. Each pose, each breath, each thought is an opportunity to align with the divine and evolve from within.
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