Named after its founder, yogini Kali Ray, TriYoga is made up of systems called "TriYoga Flows". TriYoga Flows is a complete method of Hatha yoga and it is made up of three elements – posture (asana), breath (pranayama) and mudra (focus).
TriYoga works with the body's 18 main energy lines to help ease tension built up in your body over time. This trinity practice helps develop great spinal flexibility through specific movements that approach yoga differently than other styles of yoga. The practice also involves standing poses, balancing postures, twists, folds, relaxation poses and deep breathing techniques.
TriYoga is meant to be relaxing and rejuvenating for all levels of practitioners; it can provide both physical benefits like stress reduction and pain management as well as emotional benefits like increased self-understanding.
The Prana Vidya
The prana vidya is simply the knowledge of prana and to achieve this. TriYoga uses a trinity of pranayama, dharana (concentration) and dhyana (meditation). Pranayama balances, strengthens and increases universal life energy, and it includes breathing techniques to control the breath and expand the life force. However, it is not only limited to breathing. Prana can be increased by gaining greater awareness, and therefore changing the way that one lives their life.
Dharana, or concentration, gives the student the ability to focus their awareness on any given object. This can be done by Dharana Sakti Kriya or concentration on energy. This Sakti Kriya uses breath, sound and light to develop greater powers of concentration. It is also known as kundalini in action and is a strong tool to focus and calm the mind.
Meditation gives the student the opportunity to witness their own mind. In order to begin meditation, the student must become the witness in order to see the three functions of the mind. While in this state of witness, the consciousness expands and higher knowledge can be attained.
Benefits of TriYoga
TriYoga is a form of yoga that focuses on getting the most out of your body by challenging it the best way possible. TriYoga is also an ultimate method to focus one's mind and clear any distractions, thus promoting mental, physical and spiritual development. TriYoga has so many benefits ranging from stress relief to improved relationships. The flow of postures not only improves your core muscles but also deepens your connection with your mind, body and emotions. In addition to the common benefits of yoga, other benefits that you can reap from this form of yoga include:
- toning muscles in all parts of the body
- a stronger, more flexible spine
- increased lung capacity
- improved circulation and lymphatic flow
- greater relaxation
- a stronger heart
- increased flexibility in all areas of the body
- greater balance and coordination
- rehabilitation and recovery from injury
- enhanced awareness, clarity of thought and decision making ability
- balances the emotions
- body confidence
Source: Confessions of the Professions
TriYoga is also good for the brain, regardless of whether you're doing simpler postures or more difficult sequences. The postures release serotonin, which improves feelings of wellbeing and happiness, while depleting cortisol, the primary stress hormone. This allows yoga students to learn faster and more effectively.
TriYoga is an incredibly beneficial practice that allows participants to get their hearts pumping with its cardiovascular aspect while simultaneously helping to stretch muscles throughout the body.
TriYoga's Flow of Postures
TriYoga is an effective way to target all muscle groups and joints. Following a precise flow of postures will improve not only the physical aspects of our bodies, but it will also bring awareness to how emotions can affect us on both a physical and spiritual level. TriYoga combines stretching with a trinity of breathing practices that release tension in major muscle groups throughout the body, including those surrounding hip joints, pelvis, spine and abdomen areas. This yoga practice allows you to stretch without straining or causing further harm to an injured area.
Different types of yoga postures are used in this yoga style, but the common ones include: Ashtanga Yoga, Vinyasa Yoga and Power Yoga. Each pose flows into the next, leading you on a journey from one pose to another. There are seven levels to the TriYoga Practice, beginning with TriYoga Basics which consists of 108 gentle postures. Once you have completed Level 1, you can proceed to advanced levels of TriYoga. As you progress, you perform more challenging sequences than those in the earlier levels to achieve transformation of body.
TriYoga is thought to have been created by Kali Ray as a corrective exercise for those with lower back problems due to its emphasis on stretching and strengthening the spine, hence promoting natural alignment. The postures are designed to open up your hamstrings, hips and lower back, allowing them all to work in unison together more effectively. This yoga method targets specific muscle groups that need extra attention, whether they're too tight or too weak. At the same time, it contracts muscles that have been weak to boost the body's strength and provide it with the support it needs to carry out activities in daily life.
TriYoga flows can be mixed with other types of yoga to gain an even deeper physical and spiritual experience.
TriYoga Classes
Some fundamentals in performing TriYoga flows include relaxation in action, wave-like spinal movements and economical movements. Once these fundamentals have been learnt, students can choose to stick to TriYoga Basics or progress to a more advanced level. Special sessions can be provided to students with specific needs or who may have difficulty adjusting to advanced classes.
Students increase their knowledge of posture and flow, as well as their levels of strength, endurance, flexibility and breath control as they move through subsequent levels. The level system starts at basic and progresses through to level 7, which is the most advanced.
Classes begin with a gradual warm up of the body before progressing into more intense strengthening and stretching poses. There is then a cooling down period which is accompanied by deep relaxation. Because of the varying levels available in TriYoga, students of all ages and fitness levels are able to practise it in a safe and therapeutic manner.
If you're all set to learn TriYoga, achieve core alignment and adopt the inherent qualities of a yogi, be sure to come to class in comfortable clothing and with a positive mindset. You can also take online classes or schedule a private yoga class with your preferred yoga instructor to get individual attention and perfect the poses in the shortest amount of time.
The practice of yoga is more than just a form of physical exercise. The reason it is labelled as "meditation in motion" is that it can improve all areas of your life. And with continued practice, you can even uncover the mystical experiences of seasoned yogis and yoginis. Check out Natural Therapy Pages' listing of yoga studios that offer TriYoga near you to find one that can help you get started with your yogic lifestyle.
Originally published on May 25, 2007
