Chromatic Monthly Through line

Chromatic Monthly Through line

Monthly Through Line: February 2025

Information regarding this month or topic “Adductors/hips/etc.”

WELCOME TO MONTHLY THROUGH LINES!

This month our focus will be on the Hips. Week 1 we will work with Adduction, week 2 will be Abduction, week 3 

What is a Physical Through Line? 

A Physical Through Line is a term we use in Chromatic Yoga that is defined by the muscle engagement, or joint action that we focus on through the duration of the yoga class. Certified Chromatic Teachers construct their classes around a PTL (Physical Through Line) in order to create a more effective learning environments for students. As a student you can expect that each Chromatic class will include a PTL. Of course, you will do other postures and other muscle engagements within a Chromatic class, however there is a strong emphasis on the PTL. 

What are the Physical Through Line’s of the Month?

This month there are four physical through lines:

  1. Week 1: Adduction – Thighs move toward the midline
  2. Week 2 Abduction – Thighs move away from the midline
  3. Week 3: Hip Flexion – Thighs move toward front of the torso like they do in Childs pose or boat pose
  4. Week 4: Hip Extension – Thighs move away from the front and toward back body like the back leg of Dancer Pose.

 

Patrick’s Top Tips

Peak Postures to use:

Adduction: Frog, Wide Legged Forward Fold, Crow

Abduction: Half Moon,Extended Hand to Big Toe (standing leg), Eagle (standing leg)

Hip Flexion: Hanuman (Balancing Action of Back Leg)

Hip Extension: Full Wheel, Warrior 3

FOR TEACHER’s: VERBAL CUE’S 

For “Adduction” instead of saying “squeeze your inner thighs, try saying “Pull your feet toward each other until you feel your inner thighs engage”

FOR CHROMATIC STUDENTS: 

As a practitioner of Chromatic Yoga you can of course expect to experience these PTL’s in Chromatic Classes around the world. You can also practice these within any yoga class without the guidance of a teacher. For example, within a vinyasa class you can try squeezing your feet toward each other throughout the standing posture sequence and observe what that creates for your practice. 

CHROMATIC TEACHERS:

Let’s see what you come up with this month. What peak postures will you be using? After you teach your class, share in our Global WhatsApp Group which layering postures worked best for you, which did you find students struggled with? We look forward to our collective collaboration to offer top level yoga experiences world wide. 

~Patrick Heffernan 

 

Chromatic Blogs & Through-Lines

Chromatic Monthly Through line

Chromatic Monthly Through line

Information regarding this month or topic "Adductors/hips/etc."WELCOME TO MONTHLY THROUGH LINES! This month our focus will be on the Hips. Week 1 we will work with Adduction, week 2 will be Abduction, week 3  What is a Physical Through Line?  A Physical Through Line...

read more
Resillience: Living a Happier Life with Yoga

Resillience: Living a Happier Life with Yoga

Living a happier life through the practice of Yoga Element: Earth in Fire or Air in Fire Resilience is the ability to stay calm during crisis and to be capable of acting competently and well-considered instead of emotionally driven. In terms of the elements that means...

read more
Gratitude for Our Roots: Stronger Together by Genell Huston

Gratitude for Our Roots: Stronger Together by Genell Huston

Many traditions over time have spoken to the veils being thinner this time of year. The space between our dense tangible bodies to the formless self becomes less, and therefore, lies an offering to deepen connection. We can lean into this time and steep deeper into...

read more
Ball Rolling the Piriformis with Pam Godbois

Ball Rolling the Piriformis with Pam Godbois

What is the Piriformus? The Piriformis is one of the 'deep 6' hip muscles responsible for external rotation of the thigh bone. It is also a muscle that sits right in the middle of the gluteals and often responsible for that pain you get right in the middle of your...

read more
Changing the Patterns of the Mind with Pam Godbois

Changing the Patterns of the Mind with Pam Godbois

Thought Patterns Our thought patterns develop as a result of our life experiences. The interesting thing is, it doesn't take a large number of negative experiences to product negative thought patterns. We all have patterns that do not serve us, the sneaky truth about...

read more
The Chaturanga Breakdown with Matt Giordano

The Chaturanga Breakdown with Matt Giordano

Engagment Vs. Alignment There are so many opinions about how to do each posture in yoga, and they each of their benefits and their draw backs. The major confusion however comes from not understanding the difference between a muscle engagement and an alignment....

read more

Resillience: Living a Happier Life with Yoga

Resillience: Living a Happier Life with Yoga

Living a happier life through the practice of Yoga

Element: Earth in Fire or Air in Fire

Resilience is the ability to stay calm during crisis and to be capable of acting competently and well-considered instead of emotionally driven. In terms of the elements that means that one is able to stay connected to the earth even if one´s thrown into fire by life or to develop a sense of ease and joy – air – in these intense periods of time. The good news is: We can learn resilience! This is due to the amazing capability of our brain to change, which in neurosciences is called “neuroplasticity”. That means that almost like a muscle, we can train certain patterns in our brain we want to grow bigger, while not training those patterns which don´t serve us, e.g. being reactive or stressed out by challenges.
So if we want to live a more happy and fulfilled life and to stay connected to a sense of deep joy even facing challenges, we need to train – metaphorically speaking – the “happiness muscle” in our brain. The more often we intentionally decide to be happy by focusing on the positive experiences right now, the more often our brain will let us experience happiness! 
This is where the yoga practice comes in: Try to concentrate in every asana on what feels great right now and develop a feeling of happiness about it. 
That will set you on the path towards becoming a more resilient person, meaning with practice, your brain will naturally choose this option of happiness, even in situations facing challenges. 

Connect with Johanna

Instagram @johannayoga
Chromatic Monthly Through line

Chromatic Monthly Through line

Information regarding this month or topic "Adductors/hips/etc."WELCOME TO MONTHLY THROUGH LINES! This month our focus will be on the Hips. Week 1 we will work with Adduction, week 2 will be Abduction, week 3  What is a Physical Through Line?  A Physical Through Line...

read more
Resillience: Living a Happier Life with Yoga

Resillience: Living a Happier Life with Yoga

Living a happier life through the practice of Yoga Element: Earth in Fire or Air in Fire Resilience is the ability to stay calm during crisis and to be capable of acting competently and well-considered instead of emotionally driven. In terms of the elements that means...

read more
Gratitude for Our Roots: Stronger Together by Genell Huston

Gratitude for Our Roots: Stronger Together by Genell Huston

Many traditions over time have spoken to the veils being thinner this time of year. The space between our dense tangible bodies to the formless self becomes less, and therefore, lies an offering to deepen connection. We can lean into this time and steep deeper into...

read more
Ball Rolling the Piriformis with Pam Godbois

Ball Rolling the Piriformis with Pam Godbois

What is the Piriformus? The Piriformis is one of the 'deep 6' hip muscles responsible for external rotation of the thigh bone. It is also a muscle that sits right in the middle of the gluteals and often responsible for that pain you get right in the middle of your...

read more
Changing the Patterns of the Mind with Pam Godbois

Changing the Patterns of the Mind with Pam Godbois

Thought Patterns Our thought patterns develop as a result of our life experiences. The interesting thing is, it doesn't take a large number of negative experiences to product negative thought patterns. We all have patterns that do not serve us, the sneaky truth about...

read more
The Chaturanga Breakdown with Matt Giordano

The Chaturanga Breakdown with Matt Giordano

Engagment Vs. Alignment There are so many opinions about how to do each posture in yoga, and they each of their benefits and their draw backs. The major confusion however comes from not understanding the difference between a muscle engagement and an alignment....

read more
The Chaturanga Breakdown with Matt Giordano

The Chaturanga Breakdown with Matt Giordano

Engagment Vs. Alignment

There are so many opinions about how to do each posture in yoga, and they each of their benefits and their draw backs. The major confusion however comes from not understanding the difference between a muscle engagement and an alignment. Alignment is a placement of your bones or a set of joint articulations. A muscle engagement within a static posture is what we would call isometric – engagement without movement. To help you understand, get into chair pose with your knees bent. Ask yourself if your quads are active? Yes, of course they are, but the quads are the muscles that straighten your legs and yet your knees are still bent. THIS is why so many get confused, you can engage muscles that support the alignment, and you can engage muscles that appose the alignment.

Balancing Action Vs. Fundamental Action

In Chromatic Yoga I created two terms to help understand isometric engagements. Balancing action is the muscle engagement that apposes the alignment – Quadriceps activation in chair pose is the perfect example. Fundamental Action is an isometric engagement of same muscles as the joint alignment, so in the case of chair pose you would have to engage your hamstrings which is challenging due to the relationship to gravity in that posture. An easier example is plank pose, you have to activate your triceps in order to keep the elbows straight. To clear up the how to of chaturanga I have created the following video. 

See the full blog and chaturanga part 2 on theyogimatt.com/free

The Chaturanga Breakdown

Patrick's Top Tips

Peak Postures to use:

Adduction: Frog, Wide Legged Forward Fold, Crow

 

 

Chromatic Monthly Through line

Chromatic Monthly Through line

Information regarding this month or topic "Adductors/hips/etc."WELCOME TO MONTHLY THROUGH LINES! This month our focus will be on the Hips. Week 1 we will work with Adduction, week 2 will be Abduction, week 3  What is a Physical Through Line?  A Physical Through Line...

read more
Resillience: Living a Happier Life with Yoga

Resillience: Living a Happier Life with Yoga

Living a happier life through the practice of Yoga Element: Earth in Fire or Air in Fire Resilience is the ability to stay calm during crisis and to be capable of acting competently and well-considered instead of emotionally driven. In terms of the elements that means...

read more
Gratitude for Our Roots: Stronger Together by Genell Huston

Gratitude for Our Roots: Stronger Together by Genell Huston

Many traditions over time have spoken to the veils being thinner this time of year. The space between our dense tangible bodies to the formless self becomes less, and therefore, lies an offering to deepen connection. We can lean into this time and steep deeper into...

read more
Ball Rolling the Piriformis with Pam Godbois

Ball Rolling the Piriformis with Pam Godbois

What is the Piriformus? The Piriformis is one of the 'deep 6' hip muscles responsible for external rotation of the thigh bone. It is also a muscle that sits right in the middle of the gluteals and often responsible for that pain you get right in the middle of your...

read more
Changing the Patterns of the Mind with Pam Godbois

Changing the Patterns of the Mind with Pam Godbois

Thought Patterns Our thought patterns develop as a result of our life experiences. The interesting thing is, it doesn't take a large number of negative experiences to product negative thought patterns. We all have patterns that do not serve us, the sneaky truth about...

read more
The Chaturanga Breakdown with Matt Giordano

The Chaturanga Breakdown with Matt Giordano

Engagment Vs. Alignment There are so many opinions about how to do each posture in yoga, and they each of their benefits and their draw backs. The major confusion however comes from not understanding the difference between a muscle engagement and an alignment....

read more
Ayurvedic Tip From Genell Huston: Tongue Scraping Detox

Ayurvedic Tip From Genell Huston: Tongue Scraping Detox

Our tongues have so much to share with us!  In Ayurveda, as well as other Eastern medicines, the tongues are a representation of our whole body and organs.  There is a story on all of our tongues and we can start to learn about our own health through the status of our tongue.  Learn why and how to scrape your tongue.  An ancient Ayurvedic practice of starting your day with clearing off the toxins (or “ama”) from your tongue.  Scraping your tongue first thing in the morning, not only do you scrape away the layer of gunk and have fresher breath, you also consciously stimulate all your organs. Learn more about Ayurveda, cleansing, and self care from Genell Huston at www.livelila.com/health-wellness/
Water Meditation with Corinne Farrell

Water Meditation with Corinne Farrell

The Flow of Life

Embracing the flow of life can be challenging, but with the right tools it is possible. Picture the river of your life, it might be deep, it might be rapid, and there may even be several obstacles standing in your way. Are you in the flow or are you resisting the natural movement of your life?

Take a Seat, Press Play, and Lets Meditate

 

Connect with Corinne

Corinne Ferrell is the founder and ownder of Balance Yoga in Forty Fort, Pennsylvania. Visit her on instagram @Crinne8 or check out her studio and trainings at www.BalanceNepa.com

Chromatic Monthly Through line

Chromatic Monthly Through line

Information regarding this month or topic "Adductors/hips/etc."WELCOME TO MONTHLY THROUGH LINES! This month our focus will be on the Hips. Week 1 we will work with Adduction, week 2 will be Abduction, week 3  What is a Physical Through Line?  A Physical Through Line...

read more
Resillience: Living a Happier Life with Yoga

Resillience: Living a Happier Life with Yoga

Living a happier life through the practice of Yoga Element: Earth in Fire or Air in Fire Resilience is the ability to stay calm during crisis and to be capable of acting competently and well-considered instead of emotionally driven. In terms of the elements that means...

read more
Gratitude for Our Roots: Stronger Together by Genell Huston

Gratitude for Our Roots: Stronger Together by Genell Huston

Many traditions over time have spoken to the veils being thinner this time of year. The space between our dense tangible bodies to the formless self becomes less, and therefore, lies an offering to deepen connection. We can lean into this time and steep deeper into...

read more
Ball Rolling the Piriformis with Pam Godbois

Ball Rolling the Piriformis with Pam Godbois

What is the Piriformus? The Piriformis is one of the 'deep 6' hip muscles responsible for external rotation of the thigh bone. It is also a muscle that sits right in the middle of the gluteals and often responsible for that pain you get right in the middle of your...

read more
Changing the Patterns of the Mind with Pam Godbois

Changing the Patterns of the Mind with Pam Godbois

Thought Patterns Our thought patterns develop as a result of our life experiences. The interesting thing is, it doesn't take a large number of negative experiences to product negative thought patterns. We all have patterns that do not serve us, the sneaky truth about...

read more
The Chaturanga Breakdown with Matt Giordano

The Chaturanga Breakdown with Matt Giordano

Engagment Vs. Alignment There are so many opinions about how to do each posture in yoga, and they each of their benefits and their draw backs. The major confusion however comes from not understanding the difference between a muscle engagement and an alignment....

read more