
This year-long cycle consists of 3 trimesters: two of approximately four months, one of two months. Each of these trimesters includes an “easing-in” preparatory phase, a consolidation phase where all the various poses that are standard for the intermediate practitioner are worked through, and a progression phase where you will get to play with some of the more complicated poses. This is followed by a recovery phase where the practices shift into a quieter mode to give you a chance to rest and integrate for a couple of weeks. July and August consist of a super-long recovery phase, encouraging you to get out and enjoy the weather and to do other things with your body so that the practice does not become stale.
The practices are aimed at the intermediate/advanced level. Regardless of your level, remember not to be reckless in your practice. Please consult your doctor before beginning any new exercise routine and do not attempt poses that you have not been taught in class by a competent instructor. The practices will also include restorative and quiet, meditative work for a fully balanced expression of the yogic path.
Look over the week's practices before you launch into them and rearrange them according to your schedule. Two of the practices each week are softer, often shorter practices. You should feel free to rearrange the order of the days, and even the practices themselves, according to your energy levels and your schedule. Take these sequences as suggestions and modify them as you will.
The practices begin with January 1st, but feel free to begin at any time. Either start from the beginning with the January 1st practice at any time of the year, or just drop into the cycle and begin to follow along at any point.