This is part of a series of brief introductions to diverse styles of yoga and the teachers that specialize in them, meant to inform and inspire your practice. This edition was co-written with teacher Angèle Dubois.
Vinyasa yoga is a practice where movement is intentionally linked to the breath, with postures flowing together to create a continuous sequence. Beyond movement, Vinyasa is a method of attention. The uniqueness of the practice comes from the intelligence behind the transitions. Each transition is shaped by the relationship between postures and prepares the body for what comes next. Over time, Vinyasa can become a moving meditation, disciplined yet expressive.
This approach to movement has its roots in the teachings of T. Krishnamacharya, whose work emphasised the coordination of breath and movement. His influence shaped several modern yoga systems, including Ashtanga, from which contemporary Vinyasa evolved. While preserving Ashtanga’s foundational principles of rhythm, consistency, and breath awareness, Vinyasa gradually developed into a more open approach. It emerged from this space, honouring tradition while allowing creativity, adaptation, and personal expression, retaining the discipline of breath and structure while accommodating different bodies, needs, and intentions.
Within this framework, a typical Vinyasa class moves at a steady to strong pace. Practice often begins with grounding or breath awareness, followed by warm up sequences that build presence. Sun Salutations frequently serve as a framework, creating rhythm and continuity throughout the class. The practice gradually builds heat through flowing sequences, standing poses, and peak postures, before gently descending toward stillness and rest. Pace may vary depending on the teacher and the intention of the class, but the emphasis remains on continuity rather than speed. Props such as blocks or straps are often used to support alignment and encourage sustainable movement, rather than simply to modify the practice. No two Vinyasa classes are the same, yet the underlying thread is always breath led movement.
Through this continuous relationship between breath and movement, Vinyasa offers a wide range of benefits. Physically, the practice develops strength, mobility, coordination, and stamina. Repeated transitions build functional strength, while varied sequencing encourages balanced use of the body. Mentally, the inseparability of movement and breath cultivates focus and presence, drawing attention away from distraction and into sensation, leaving little space for the mind to wander. Emotionally, Vinyasa can be both regulating and expressive, offering grounding and release. Its rhythm provides a powerful way to reconnect with the body as an intelligent, responsive system rather than something to control.
Because of its fluid and dynamic nature, Vinyasa is often well suited for practitioners who enjoy movement, exploration, and variation. It tends to appeal to those who value structure but resist rigidity, and to those who find stillness more accessible after movement. While it is sometimes perceived as physically demanding, Vinyasa can be accessible to a wide range of practitioners when taught with intention, clear sequencing, and respect for individual capacity.
At the same time, the dynamic quality of the practice can invite over effort or momentum driven movement. One of the key learnings of Vinyasa is discernment, knowing when to continue and when to pause. Practitioners benefit from patience, and from remembering that consistency matters more than intensity.
Angèle shares:
"Vinyasa has given me the space to breathe, listen, and feel, while cultivating precision and consistency. Like in music, each posture is a note, each breath a rhythm. This meeting between discipline and exploration nourishes my body, my mind, and my joy each day. To practice is to stay connected to myself, to what makes me feel alive; and to share this energy with the world."
Explore Vinyasa with Angèle
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Angèle is a movement and yoga teacher based in Amsterdam, trained in India in Ashtanga, Vinyasa, and Hatha yoga. She teaches Vinyasa alongside strength- and mobility-based practices, with an approach that bridges discipline and exploration.
Follow: @angeledubois.fr
Offerings:
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Weekend Yoga Retreat, The Netherlands | 22–24 May 2026 – Curious Bodies
A weekend of creative, embodied yoga that reconnects you with yourself and others. Explore new ways of moving, open and strengthen your body with partner stretches and mindful, slower flows, while savouring restorative moments - from sauna and jacuzzi to fresh meals outdoors or walks in nature. Recharge, play, and feel alive.
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Weekend Yoga Retreat, The Netherlands | 20–22 November 2026 – Rewild
Inspired by her previous retreat Rewild, this weekend offers grounding yoga to anchor yourself before the year ends. Powerful flows, restorative evenings, and conscious presence to help release tension, cultivate stability, and return to daily life feeling centered, strong, and clear.
