House of AnandaMovement · Stillness · Wisdom · Journey

Movement / Ashtanga / Study atlas

One practice.
Six curricula.

Explore Yoga Chikitsā, Nāḍī Śodhana and the advanced series. Follow the maps, discover the terminology, and find a posture by Sanskrit or English name.

01 / The landscape

The six-series map

Primary and Intermediate have individual names. Advanced A–D share the name Sthira Bhāga; translations vary across teachers.

01

Series 1 · Primary

Yoga Chikitsā

Yoga therapy

Build the foundation

Breath-linked movement, forward folds, twists and seated strength. Primary names the first curriculum; it does not mean every posture is easy.

Open illustrated Primary guide ↗
02

Series 2 · Intermediate

Nāḍī Śodhana

Purification of channels

Explore a wider range

Backbends, deeper twists, leg-behind-head forms, arm balances and inversions build on the foundation of Primary.

Explore Intermediate index ↗
03

Series 3 · Advanced A

Sthira Bhāga

Advanced family · steadiness and strength

Integrate strength & mobility

The third series combines demanding balances, deep backbends and complex transitions. Study with a teacher experienced in this curriculum.

See Advanced A reference charts ↗
04

Series 4 · Advanced B

Sthira Bhāga

Advanced family · steadiness and strength

Refine complex forms

The fourth series extends the demands on mobility, balance and movement control. Its posture work is an individual, teacher-led undertaking.

Read curriculum sources ↗
05

Series 5 · Advanced C

Sthira Bhāga

Advanced family · steadiness and strength

Sustain precise control

The fifth series includes highly demanding inversions, balances and transitions. This atlas gives orientation, not a self-taught practice prescription.

Read curriculum sources ↗
06

Series 6 · Advanced D

Sthira Bhāga

Advanced family · steadiness and strength

The sixth curriculum

The final series in the common six-series classification. A higher series number describes a physical curriculum, not a person’s spiritual attainment.

Read curriculum sources ↗

02 / Original House of Ananda charts

See the whole picture.

Three original study graphics, designed for reading, saving and printing. These show the structure of practice; they are not pose-execution instructions.

Six series · one overview — labelled educational chart, with equivalent information in this page.

Six series · one overview

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The architecture of a practice — labelled educational chart, with equivalent information in this page.

The architecture of a practice

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Intermediate · movement families — labelled educational chart, with equivalent information in this page.

Intermediate · movement families

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A shared framework

Opening → main series → closing

01

Sun salutations

Sūrya Namaskāra A and B establish breath-linked movement.

02

Standing foundation

Standing forms prepare the practice; the portion taught can vary.

03

Your main series

The sequence, or portion of it, introduced by your teacher.

04

Finish & rest

Backbending, finishing forms and quiet rest, adapted to the individual.

Intermediate is often introduced a few postures at a time after Primary, before eventually becoming a separate practice. This is a teaching pattern, not a fixed calendar.

03 / Searchable posture reference

Find your place in the sequence.

Primary entries link to the existing illustrated guide. Intermediate entries show the main posture families in Ronald Steiner’s reference order. Advanced A–D are covered as curriculum overviews above, not complete practice charts.

Intermediate family numbers are study positions, not vinyāsa counts. The list does not replace opening and finishing sequences or teacher-taught transitions.

117 posture references match your filters

Three-limbed one-leg forward fold reference from the Primary guide

primary · Seated sequence · part one

Triāṅga Mukhaikapāda Paścimottānāsana

Three-limbed one-leg forward fold

Study notes

tri-aṅga: three limbs; mukha: facing; eka-pāda: one leg

Open illustrated sequence & practice notes ↗
01

intermediate · Twist

Pāśāsana

Noose pose

Study notes

Intermediate main-series family 1. Letters group variations; practise both sides where applicable, as taught. This index omits detailed entries, exits and breath counts.

See the movement-family chart ↗
02

intermediate · Forward fold

Krouñcāsana

Heron pose

Study notes

Intermediate main-series family 2. Letters group variations; practise both sides where applicable, as taught. This index omits detailed entries, exits and breath counts.

See the movement-family chart ↗
03

intermediate · Backbend

Śalabhāsana A–B

Locust

Study notes

Intermediate main-series family 3. Letters group variations; practise both sides where applicable, as taught. This index omits detailed entries, exits and breath counts.

See the movement-family chart ↗
04

intermediate · Backbend

Bhekāsana

Frog

Study notes

Intermediate main-series family 4. Letters group variations; practise both sides where applicable, as taught. This index omits detailed entries, exits and breath counts.

See the movement-family chart ↗
05

intermediate · Backbend

Dhanurāsana

Bow

Study notes

Intermediate main-series family 5. Letters group variations; practise both sides where applicable, as taught. This index omits detailed entries, exits and breath counts.

See the movement-family chart ↗
06

intermediate · Backbend

Pārśva Dhanurāsana

Side bow

Study notes

Intermediate main-series family 6. Letters group variations; practise both sides where applicable, as taught. This index omits detailed entries, exits and breath counts.

See the movement-family chart ↗
07

intermediate · Backbend

Uṣṭrāsana

Camel

Study notes

Intermediate main-series family 7. Letters group variations; practise both sides where applicable, as taught. This index omits detailed entries, exits and breath counts.

See the movement-family chart ↗
08

intermediate · Backbend

Laghu Vajrāsana

Little thunderbolt

Study notes

Intermediate main-series family 8. Letters group variations; practise both sides where applicable, as taught. This index omits detailed entries, exits and breath counts.

See the movement-family chart ↗
09

intermediate · Backbend

Kapotāsana A–B

Pigeon backbend

Study notes

Intermediate main-series family 9. Letters group variations; practise both sides where applicable, as taught. This index omits detailed entries, exits and breath counts.

See the movement-family chart ↗
10

intermediate · Backbend

Supta Vajrāsana

Reclining thunderbolt

Study notes

Intermediate main-series family 10. Letters group variations; practise both sides where applicable, as taught. This index omits detailed entries, exits and breath counts.

See the movement-family chart ↗
11

intermediate · Balance

Bakāsana A–B

Crane

Study notes

Intermediate main-series family 11. Letters group variations; practise both sides where applicable, as taught. This index omits detailed entries, exits and breath counts.

See the movement-family chart ↗
12

intermediate · Twist

Bharadvājāsana

Bharadvāja’s twist

Study notes

Intermediate main-series family 12. Letters group variations; practise both sides where applicable, as taught. This index omits detailed entries, exits and breath counts.

See the movement-family chart ↗
13

intermediate · Twist

Ardha Matsyendrāsana

Half lord of the fishes

Study notes

Intermediate main-series family 13. Letters group variations; practise both sides where applicable, as taught. This index omits detailed entries, exits and breath counts.

See the movement-family chart ↗
14

intermediate · Leg behind head

Eka Pāda Śīrṣāsana

One leg behind the head

Study notes

Intermediate main-series family 14. Letters group variations; practise both sides where applicable, as taught. This index omits detailed entries, exits and breath counts.

See the movement-family chart ↗
15

intermediate · Leg behind head

Dvi Pāda Śīrṣāsana

Both legs behind the head

Study notes

Intermediate main-series family 15. Letters group variations; practise both sides where applicable, as taught. This index omits detailed entries, exits and breath counts.

See the movement-family chart ↗
16

intermediate · Leg behind head

Yoga Nidrāsana

Yogic sleep pose

Study notes

Intermediate main-series family 16. Letters group variations; practise both sides where applicable, as taught. This index omits detailed entries, exits and breath counts.

See the movement-family chart ↗
17

intermediate · Balance

Ṭiṭṭibhāsana A–C

Firefly family

Study notes

Intermediate main-series family 17. Letters group variations; practise both sides where applicable, as taught. This index omits detailed entries, exits and breath counts.

See the movement-family chart ↗
18

intermediate · Inversion

Piñcha Mayūrāsana

Feathered peacock / forearm balance

Study notes

Intermediate main-series family 18. Letters group variations; practise both sides where applicable, as taught. This index omits detailed entries, exits and breath counts.

See the movement-family chart ↗
19

intermediate · Inversion

Kāraṇḍavāsana

Duck / lotus forearm balance

Study notes

Intermediate main-series family 19. Letters group variations; practise both sides where applicable, as taught. This index omits detailed entries, exits and breath counts.

See the movement-family chart ↗
20

intermediate · Balance

Mayūrāsana

Peacock

Study notes

Intermediate main-series family 20. Letters group variations; practise both sides where applicable, as taught. This index omits detailed entries, exits and breath counts.

See the movement-family chart ↗
21

intermediate · Balance

Nakrāsana

Crocodile

Study notes

Intermediate main-series family 21. Letters group variations; practise both sides where applicable, as taught. This index omits detailed entries, exits and breath counts.

See the movement-family chart ↗
22

intermediate · Balance

Vātāyanāsana

Horse-face pose

Study notes

Intermediate main-series family 22. Letters group variations; practise both sides where applicable, as taught. This index omits detailed entries, exits and breath counts.

See the movement-family chart ↗
23

intermediate · Side bend

Parighāsana

Gate

Study notes

Intermediate main-series family 23. Letters group variations; practise both sides where applicable, as taught. This index omits detailed entries, exits and breath counts.

See the movement-family chart ↗
24

intermediate · Seated

Gomukhāsana A–B

Cow-face pose

Study notes

Intermediate main-series family 24. Letters group variations; practise both sides where applicable, as taught. This index omits detailed entries, exits and breath counts.

See the movement-family chart ↗
25

intermediate · Seated

Supta Ūrdhva Pāda Vajrāsana

Reclining raised-foot thunderbolt

Study notes

Intermediate main-series family 25. Letters group variations; practise both sides where applicable, as taught. This index omits detailed entries, exits and breath counts.

See the movement-family chart ↗
26

intermediate · Inversion

Mukta Hasta Śīrṣāsana A–C

Free-hand headstand family

Study notes

Intermediate main-series family 26. Letters group variations; practise both sides where applicable, as taught. This index omits detailed entries, exits and breath counts.

See the movement-family chart ↗
27

intermediate · Inversion

Baddha Hasta Śīrṣāsana A–D

Bound-hand headstand family

Study notes

Intermediate main-series family 27. Letters group variations; practise both sides where applicable, as taught. This index omits detailed entries, exits and breath counts.

See the movement-family chart ↗

04 / Same words, different practices

What does Nāḍī Śodhana mean?

ĀSANA

The Intermediate series

A sequence of whole-body postures in Ashtanga Vinyasa. “Purification of channels” expresses a traditional subtle-body understanding of practice.

Nāḍīs belong to that philosophical framework; they should not be equated directly with anatomical nerves or blood vessels.

PRĀṆĀYĀMA

Alternate-nostril breathing

A breathing practice also called Nāḍī Śodhana. It is a separate technique, not another name for doing Intermediate postures.

Explore the breathing room ↗

Similarly, “yoga therapy” is the traditional name of Primary. Neither title demonstrates that a sequence detoxifies organs, cleans nerves or treats a particular illness.

Progression

Readiness is individual.

Primary can be demanding. Time spent practising is only part of readiness: breath, movement control, attention, recovery and individual anatomy also matter. David Keil’s discussion supports assessing the person rather than using a universal deadline.

Deep backbends, lotus, headstands and leg-behind-head work need individual instruction. The chart is a study companion, not a reason to push through pain.

Philosophy

Six series ≠ eight limbs.

These are the posture curricula of modern Ashtanga Vinyasa. Patañjali’s eight limbs describe a broader path including ethics, breath, sense withdrawal, concentration and meditation.

Changing series is not a measure of spiritual progress.

Read Patañjali’s Yoga Sūtras ↗

Research & further study · 17 September 2026

Follow the references.

Original House of Ananda layouts and explanatory text; sequence nomenclature checked against the resources below. Primary photographs and illustrations are reused from our existing atlas. This new atlas has not yet had a named teacher review.

Different teachers and historical charts use different groupings, spellings and transitions. This page uses the common six-series classification. Traditional energetic explanations are presented as tradition, not clinical findings.