Ashtanga Intermediate Series: Nadi Shodhana
Deepening your practice with the Intermediate Series is a journey of cleansing energy channels and discovering new layers of strength within.
A clip of my practice showing a transition into a standing posture, embodying the inner fire that illuminates the journey through the Intermediate Series.
This video shows the deep backbends of the Intermediate Series, Laghuvajrasana and Kapotasana, which are tools to bring awareness to our whole being.
Karandavasana, a challenging inversion and arm balance, which teaches the art of balancing softness and strength at the right moments.
Tittibhasana, or Firefly Pose, an arm balance that requires core strength and reminds us that the divine spark is found when we turn inward.
Another arm balance from the series, showing that we receive what we need when we stop asking for what we do not.
Eka Pada Sirsasana, or Leg-Behind-Head Pose, a deep hip opener that represents the courage to take small steps toward uncomfortable growth.
A transition into Karandavasana, illustrating how surrender happens organically through earnest effort, not by force.
Practicing dropbacks into Urdhva Dhanurasana (Upward Bow Pose), a reminder that showing up daily creates eternal support over time.
Another look at Karandavasana, highlighting the interplay between working hard and letting go in order to surrender.
A forward bending posture from the series, symbolizing the continuous expansion of our vision on this sacred journey of transformation.
About The Ashtanga Intermediate Series: Nadi Shodhana
The Intermediate Series (Nadi Shodhana) is a specific methodology designed to cleanse the nadis, or energy channels, and it shifts the focus from the healing aspect of the Primary Series to a deeper structural refinement. Before we begin these advanced sequences at my HSR Layout shala, we verify that your Primary Series foundation is stable, as the intensity of postures like Kapotasana or Karandavasana demands both precise alignment and a consistent, steady breath to remain safe.
While the Primary Series (Yoga Chikitsa) focuses on therapy and detoxifying the body, the Intermediate Series, or Nadi Shodhana, is about purifying the nervous system. It introduces a challenging array of deep backbends, intense hip openers, and arm balances that shift the practitioner’s internal experience.
The Path of Nadi Shodhana
Nadi Shodhana literally translates to 'nerve cleansing.' As we move through this series, we are not simply adding more difficult poses for the sake of progression. We are creating specific structural heat to open the energy channels that may remain blocked by previous tension or trauma. This is why I insist on a solid foundation. If the body is not prepared for the intensity of poses like Eka Pada Sirsasana (Leg-Behind-Head), the practice becomes a source of injury rather than a path to freedom.
My Approach to Intermediate
- Safety and Progression: In my HSR Layout classes, I teach these postures only when I see your body is ready. We do not rush. I use hands-on adjustments to help you find the correct line of action, ensuring you don't compromise your spine in the deeper backbends.
- Individualized Adjustments: Every student’s anatomy is different. Whether you are struggling with the balance required for Tittibhasana or the depth needed for Laghuvajrasana, I provide guidance tailored to your specific physical reality.
- Consistency: The Intermediate Series requires a high level of discipline. My Mysore-style classes are designed to help you maintain this rhythm, with 3 sessions per week at my shala or online, ensuring the 'internal treasure chamber' is built through sustained, daily effort.
This series is a marathon, not a sprint. If you are a student of the Primary Series and feel ready to explore the next stage of your sadhana, come join us. We work with what is available, building strength slowly and intentionally.
Sanjana Sekar
I’m Sanjana. I spent my early years as an architect, but yoga pulled me in fully. I teach from my home-shala in HSR Layout, focusing on the traditional Ashtanga lineage I learned from Guruji Sharath Jois, helping students build strength and awareness through the Intermediate Series.
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