The Anusara style emphasizes a set of Universal Principles of Alignment which underlie all of the physical asanas and are connected to philosophical aspects of the practice.The Anusara School of Hatha Yoga (ASHY) became a non-profit corporation in 2017 and is recognized as a 501(c)(3) by the United States Internal Revenue Service.In the years following he traveled to California to study with Judith Lasater, and began to focus on Iyengar yoga.Friend was also accused of de-funding employees' benefits plans without notifying them, and for arranging delivery of marijuana shipped for his own use to Anusara's main office.[7][8][9] Friend soon announced his resignation as officer and director of Anusara Inc.[7] In September 2012, Friend returned to teaching a set hatha yoga sequence of 108 asanas called "The Roots" based on Anusara's Universal Principles of Alignment.
John Friend starting a workshop in
Copenhagen
, June 2010, while he was still associated with Anusara