Yoga with Patrick Montgomery: The 7 loops of Anusara Yoga
from the Anusara Master Immersion Guide
Loops are refined currents of energy flow in the body which are initiated by the flow of Muscular and Organic Energy. These more advanced energetic actions serve as the fine tuning dials for increased alignment in order to optimize the flow of energy within the body.
The seven pairs of Loops:
Ankle
The ankle loop starts at the base of the shinbone just above the ankle. It moves down the back of the heel, forward along the bottom of the foot, then back up through the center of the arch to the front of the shin base.
Shin
The shin loop starts at the base of the shinbone just above the ankle. It moves up the back of the calf muscle to the top of the shins just below the knee, forward through the top of the shin, then down the front of the shin back to the base of the shin.
Thigh
The thigh loop starts at the top of the thighbone in the core of the pelvis (pelvic Focal Point). It moves down the back of the leg to the top of the calf muscle, forward through the top of the shin, and then up the front of the leg through the lower abdomen and back to the Focal Point.
Pelvic
The pelvic loop starts in the core of the abdomen in line with the middle of the lumbar spine and just below the navel. It moves down from the middle of the lumbar spine to the middle of the buttocks in line with the bottom of the sacrum, forward through the floor of the pelvis (pelvic Focal Point) to the top of the pubic bone, then up the lower abdomen to just below the navel.
The Pelvic Loop has the same direction of rotation as the Thigh Loop. However, they have opposite effects on the alignment of the body. The Thigh Loop moves the top of the thighs backward, while the Pelvic Loop moves the top of the thighs forward.
Kidney
The kidney loop starts in the core of the abdomen in line with the middle of the lumbar spine and just below the navel. It moves up the back from just below the kidneys to the bottom of the shoulder blades, forward through the top of the diaphragm (heart Focal Point), to the base of the sternum, then down the solar plexus to just below the navel.
Shoulder
The shoulder loop starts at the center of the upper palate (skull Focal Point). It moves down the back of the neck and the upper back to the bottom of the shoulder blades, forward through the bottom of the heart and the top of the diaphragm, then up the chest and throat from the base of the sternum to the upper palate.
Skull
The skull loop starts at the center of the upper palate (skull Focal Point). It moves back and up along the back of the skull, forward over the top of the head, then down the face back to the upper palate.
The Loops interconnect with each other and so influence each other as they are independently activated. For instance, as you Outer Spiral the legs the Pelvic Loop is activated, which in turn will help to increase the Kidney Loop.
The seven Loops also connect into these five universal alignment steps as follows:
- Opening to Grace helps to establish the Kidney Loop.
- Muscular Energy helps to initiate the Shin and Shoulder Loops.
- Inner Spiral relates to the Thigh Loop.
- Outer Spiral relates to Pelvic Loop.
- Organic Energy helps to initiate the Ankle and Skull Loops.