Memorizing Sanskrit: Standing Sequence

Yesterday, I spent time memorizing the Sanskrit names of the poses in the standing sequence in order. I used David Swenson's book to look at the parts of the names (i.e. pada = foot, hasta = hand, uttana = intense). Once I recognized the patterns, I could put the names together. I said them out loud over and over. By the evening I was able to stumble through without looking at the book for hints.

This morning, I went through them again. Then, in practice this evening in the studio, before I did each pose, I whispered the name into my hands. Here they are in order from my memory:

• Padangustasana
• Padahastasana
• Uttitatrikonasana
• Parivrittatrikonasana
• Uttitaparsvakonasana
• Parivrittaparsvakonasana
  
• Prasaritapadattonasana (4)
• Parsvottanasana
• Uttitahastapadangustasana (4)
• Ardabadapadmasana
• Utkatasana
• Virabadrasana (2)