Lately, I have been approached by my students with the same question… “Why is everything so intense, and I just can’t persevere with my practice?”… “Why doesn’t my practice elicit the clarity that I so badly need?”…”Why can’t I see straight and connect the movements with the breath?” If you are one of those practitioners swept by the tidal wave of radical change that is crumbling old structures and demolishing the outdated world order, I am ready to join you on the ride.

As 2017 dawns the world has changed: cultural earthquakes rumble on; momentum builds for the changes already in progress, but the dust is stirred up so we cannot see the new lay of the land. We are reconsidering our quest for power, renovating our approach to political ad personal power around the globe. Efforts to crack down and tighten the rule; and debates about governing structures echo around the globe, from political parties to our own circles. Rebellion foments in response energized by revolutionary and anarchistic outbursts to be independent and free. Only a third perspective, where all parties can be heard and empowered, can take the quantum leap beyond struggle and into creation.

There is a compelling search for new answers lets the veil between the worlds stay thin, and lets our imagination and spiritual hunger sit like a welcoming pool, waiting for us. We have to consciously reach in to activate it. And that is where our regular yoga practice comes in handy. As we go deeper into it we are able to face our discouragement, work through it, integrate conflicting needs and find a productive and powerful way forward with unusual imagination and honesty.

As we change our practice so it transcends the routine of every Vinayasa class, our practice encourages new solutions outside our normal apprehension. It allows us to manage our emotions, and manage our greed and our anger. Letting of the inappropriate anger and the impulse to hold other people responsible for our happiness we are able to take back the reins. And then you connect to nature – personal and Earthly and are able to streamline and revamp your personal rituals to bring us closer to nature, so we can adapt to the many realities of life.

The joy from our practice will help us expand our horizon and support our health. Similarly, we can reach into spiritual traditions to helps us tap our deeper reserves. Yoga urges us to do a lot of retrospection, introspection and reorganization in order to leap forward. If we take the wisdom from the mat into the world we will realize that as frustration and revolutionary energy build up – this powerful momentum can bring either manipulative aggression or dynamic progress.

This is the time to make some revolution in our personal lives so we can work hard to innovate and integrate our life with our philosophy. Yoga gives us the reality check to know that we are back on track, aligned with our ideals and surrounded by the right crowd of game changers. We are part of this hub of game changers. Social justice, personal evolution, technological innovation can all take a quantum leap forward if we choose to harness the power of chaotic upsurge for a greater cause.

We cannot go back, but we can choose how to participate by releasing the restrains of rationality – so we can experience ourselves as sentient patterns of energy.

The intensity swirl is now challenging us to grow in new and unpredictable ways, so that evolutionary options are expanded. Our Yoga practice reminds us that all these massive changes spur a renaissance of creativity offering us a prism of possibilities that spring forth as facets of our own sweet design.

Intermediate Yoga Routine: Intensity Swirl

This intermediate yoga class integrates breathing and conscious movement into a dynamic flow. You get to juggle with different pose types and reap the many physical, mental and spiritual benefits that they offer, ranging from healthy stretching, glandular secretion, detoxifying to restoring balance and inner peace.