Yoga for Recovery 5.29.10

I came to the studio to practice an hour before class. The studio was remarkably beautiful; the warm summer breeze floated in while the late afternoon light filled the pale blue room. The significance of the Saturday 6PM time slot inspired every breath and every pose of my pre-class practice tonight; this is where I learned to teach from my heart.

I started crying soft sentimental tears before peeps showed up. Not because these series of classes are over. On the contrary, my yogic journey is breaking wide open. And I am so grateful for the foundation these classes have given me.

A giant THANK YOU to the Saturday evening crew for your practice, and to Kira for Everything.

Watering the Heart
OM

Supine rest

eye of the needle

cat
cow
balasana with side stretch
puppy dog

plank
downdog

tadasana
easy lunge salutes
low lunge salutes
sphinx
other side
cobra
locust
bow

balasana with lengthening the exhales

tadasana
lunge
warrior I dance
twisted lunge
hammock

vinyasa

balasana

tadasana
MAITRI

other side adding on squirt pose

vinyasa

roll to supine
star pose

bridge
baddha konasana
bridge
sacrum rest with gratitude meditation

easy spine twist with silent MAITRI

supported savasana

sit

Namaste!

Vinyasa Basics 5.25.10

Hot off the press of 'what I'm learning these days' is "energy flows were your attention goes", a little piece of wisdom I've been aware of for quite some time, but its coming back around for another look these days. I'm reading Harmonic Wealth and practicing with Kira and revisiting Patricia's workshop and am now learning a fresh twist and new tools about the quality of my attention with sutra 1.33. The suggestions of friendliness, compassion, sympathethic joy, and neutrality/equanimity give me useful direction to help me open. I am inspired and endeavor to share this in class.

It can be overwhelming to try to keep all these practices front and center at once; just looking at one practice at a time is useful for me (a tip I learned from Uma in studying the yamas and niyamas). So I started with 'maitri' (friendliness, especially friendliness to oneself) because it is the first suggestion in the sutras. We practiced maitri today. And we did some poses too!

It felt a little clumsy, it was unrehearsed, but it was a start in sharing this newfound space in my heart.

Heart opener over bolster.
breath awareness and attention
OM

windshield wiper
supine rest

sukasana side bending
baddha konasana with forward fold

table top
paschimotadasana

cat
cow
balasana
puppy dog

easy side angle
barrell roll
other side

tadasana
uttithatadasana
YAM

lunge salute with sphinx/seal
lunge salute with heart opener
cobra
locust
bow

balasana

tadasana
Maitri

lunge
twisted lunge
hammock
warrior II
extended side angle

vinyasa

other side

balasana

camel play
balasana
malasana
uttanasana

tadasana

Dancer's pose

twisted root with silent maitri (in retrospect would have been nice to do eye of the needle/twisted root combo)

supported savasana

sit

namaste!

Yoga for Recovery 5.22.10

We used the breath as our primary alignment tonight, and finding opening through softening our hearts. Yoga chitta vritti nirodahah.

Heart opener over bolster
breath awareness
OM

windhshield wiper over bolster
supine rest

eye of the needle

cat
cow
balasana with side stretch
puppy dog

tadasana

easy lunge salutes

lunge salutes with sphinx/seal

tadasana
lunge
warrior I dance
twisted lunge
downdog

vinyasa
other side

starfish

bridge
sacrum rest
bridge
baddha konasana

easy spine twist

supported savasana

sit
OM
Namaste

Vinyasa Basics 5.20.10

Didn't feel like a lot of talking was necessary today. Let the postures and breath "speak" for themselves with a variety of hip openers, shoulder stretches, balance poses, and twists. Tried to keep focused on the present and stay in tune with the internal flow.

Wished I'd had more time today. Noticed it was time for savasana on the first side of twisted root. Ooops. I ran a few mins over.

Sukasana
breath awareness
angeli mudra
YAM

windshield wiper
leg extensions with strap

cat
cow
balasana with side stretch
puppy dog

uttanasana
tadasana
uttitatadasana
balancing uttitatadasana
tadasana

lunge salute with sphinx
lunge salutes with cobra, locust, locust variation

tadasana
lunge
warrior I dance
eagle
warrior III
lunge

vinyasa

other side

balasana

slow camel play
balasana
malasana
uttanasana
other side

balasana

side saddle stretch
side saddle twist

twisted root

savasana

sit

OM
Namaste!

11th Step Meditation 5.20.10

windshield wiper

easy eye of the needle

sukasana
spine rocking
forward fold

sukasana with extended arms
3 breaths

cat/cow flow

downdog

baby cobra
locust
cobra

other side with forward fold silent 3rd step prayer

virasana with eagle arms

downdog

balasana

sit

read

share

OM

Namaste!

Vinysasa Basics 5.18.10

It took a while for me personally to land in my practice this morning so the class sequence was a bit eclectic.

We practiced love. As I am learning to practice this myself, I am slowly finding the words. And am forever grateful for a place to share.

Krishna to Arjuna "No learning can happen without love". I am finding this to be true.

Sukasana
3 breaths
YAM

sukasana spine twist

cat
cow
balasana with side stretch
puppy dog

downdog
uttanasana

tadasana
YAM

easy lunge salutes with sphinx/seal
lunge salutes with cresent pose and YAM


cobra
locust
supine YAM
locust variation

balasana

tadasana
lunge
hammock
warrior II dance
side angle
twisted ardha chandrasana

vinyasa

uttanasana
malasana

windshield wiper
bridge prep with YAM
bridge
supine baddha konasana

other side standing sequence

lowering to cobra/frog w/twist
cobra
other side

downdog
balasana

windshield wiper

easy eye of the needle

legs up the wall with support
supported baddha konasana
savasana with foot support
OM

sit
angeli mudra

Namaste!

Prototypes Women's Center 5.17.10

We placed our mats in a circle facing in. It is always a delight to see someone connect with their internal flow for the first time. Most seemed to want to practice today, which brought the newbys into groove. We laughed a lot today, especially in tiger pose, and talked about how exciting it is to feel alive. Spent most of the class noticing the effects of the poses.

Sukasana
3 breaths
forward fold

sukasana

other side

sukasana side bending

all fours tiger pose w/balasana rest

downdog
uttanasana with hamstring stretch

tadasana
angeli mudra

lunge salute with sphinx/seal
downdog
balasana

virasana with eagle arms and shoulder rolls

windshield wiper

supine spine curls with abdominals

bridge x2

sacrum rest

savasana

easy twist

sukasana
Namaste!

1:1 sign out

Yoga for Recovery 5.15.10

Seasoned practitioners this evening so I kicked it up a notch. In Kira's class this morning I was struck by a teaching from the Bhagavad Gita where Krishna says to Arjuna "no learning can take place without love'. As we moved through deeper poses, the emphasis was doing so with love.

The sequence also produced a spontaneous sit after lotus. I love when that happens.

Downdog

Baby cobra
Cobra
Papa cobra

Balasana with anja chakra meditation

cat/cow
barell

all fours tiger balance with twist

Downdog

uttanasana
cowboy negociation
crow

tadasana

lunge salutes with tiger pose
cobra
locust
locust variation
other side lunge salute

camel play

tadasana
lunge
high cresent
twisted lunge
warrior 1
tree

vinysasa

other side

plank play

tadasana
lunge
high lunge
twisted lunge
plank
warrior I
tree

other side

toe stand play

uttanasna
malasana
windshield wiper

spine rocks

half lotus
forward fold
ardha matseydrasana
cow face with shoulder rest

paschimotadasana

other side lotus sequence

full lotus play

sit

windshield wiper

viparita karani

savasana

easy twist
sit

Serenity prayer
YAM

Namaste!

Vinyasa Basics 5.13.10

Intimate group with a request for neck and shoulders. Pulled out the harmonium for some OM's to help open the throat to begin. (As a record this class it dawns on me that some HAMS would have been appropriate for chanting during the practice!)

Practiced one of my favorite neck openers..supported shoulderstand (lowering to heart opener).

Sukasana

3 OMS

wide leg sit with extended arms
seated circle dance

janushirsanana with side stretch and twist
sukasana with twist

forward fold
table top
paschmotadasana

other side


uttanasana

tadasana
OM

shoulder opener with strap
forward fold

standing side bend with strap
forward fold

lunge
cresent
hamstring stretch

sphinx
cobra
cobra/frog

downdog

other side with cresent OM

vinyasa

tadasana

lunge
side angle blueprint
trikonasana with shoulder opener
side angle

downdog
vinyasa

balasana

other side

roll to backs

bridge
sacrum rest

supported bridge/supported shoulderstand

heart opener over blanket

supported savasana

sit
OM
Namaste!

11th Step Meditation. 5.13.10

Was a little tired this morning. Tapping really helped invigorate the flow of energy. I am grateful for this sangha, and my gratitude extends to all the people in my life. The movement towards feeling connected, truly and divinely connected, is growing.

Played with the idea of pain and illness as blocked prana and using our bodies and our minds to unblock our flow. A bit of movement, breathwork, prayer, fellowship, scriptual study, speaking, and meditation is powerfully effective.

Baddha konasana with forward fold
3rd step prayer

seated Baddha konasana

3 deep breaths with arms extended overhead

pashimotadasana
tapping (legs, low belly, low back, heart)

easy eye of the needle with twist

starfish

sit

read

share

Namaste!

Vinysasa Basics 5.11.10

Patricia Sullivan's workshop this weekend was incredible, mainly because it was Patricia Sullivan. I love the way she teaches as much as what she teaches. I love that she takes her time, I love that she allows so much space, I love her autheticity. She is teaching me to relax more into not only the teachings, but also the fun of being a teacher.

Kira's use of working the feet and LOOKING at the feet in yin class last night inspired the theme of avidya.

YAM'ed more than usual. I am intrigued with sound.

lotus foot rub

janushirsanana with twist and side bend
sukasana with twist

3 breaths

other side

cat
cow
active balasana
puppy dog

plank
downdog

tadasana
angeli mudra
gratitude meditation
YAM

lunge salute with cobra and YAM
lunge salute with cobra, locust

tadasana
lunge
twisted lunge
warrior I
eagle arms
eagle
tadasana

vinyasa

other side


standing sequence #2 adding on
lunge
twisted lunge
warrior I
eagle
warrior III
standing splits

vinyasa

balasana
back on the heart breath

other side sequence #2 with silent YAM in Warrior I

from cobra, lowering.
YAM

Roll to backs:

starfish

bridge
sacrum rest

twisted, twisted root (feeling the 'wierd side' first)

savasana

sit

3 OM's
Namaste

Prototypes Women's Center 5.10.10

It was so nice outside, we took our mats to the front yard to practice. Rooting and feeling into the earth energy was delightful. I learned the term "chin to chest", so often used in yoga to create a jalandara bandha as well as to protect and lengthen the back body, is a heroin "using" term. One of the women pointed that out to me. She said she was learning to associate 'chin to chest' with yoga, not heroin, but I wonder how many women the term triggers.

I feel I should reword that action..maybe 'chin towards the heart' or 'lower your chin', something like that?

I was a little late in finishing, but even so, nobody ran off right away. This is progress I think.


Sukasana 3 breaths
earth energy, springtime blooms and new beginnings

Sukasana side bending

windshield wiper

tiger balance pose with twist playing with support

tadasana

lunge salutes with cobra, locust play

tree

bridge

twisted root

savasana

sit

1:1 signout

Yoga for Recovery 5.8.10

Lulu's is an amazing place to teach. Add to the natural good energy a workshop lead by Patricia Sullivan, and voila, teaching a class was pure delight! I didn't have a sequence planned, so I did some of my personal favorites.

Usually I don't endeavor to teach something I just learned until I bake it in for myself, but I really connected to the way Patricia taught sphinx/seal. I love the feel of the elbows pressing in to the earth in sphinx, and then pulling the palms towards you as you draw the heart forward to open. Then lift the elbows a few inches and press the palms away and feel the feet reach back towards the back of the mat (yummy extension and expansion). To lower, pull the palms forward again. Yeah yeah!

Connecting to the springtime energy of blooming and new growth, new beginnings. Trusting, Faith, relaxing into the earth.

Heart opener over bolster
breath awareness
finding support
OM

windshield wiper over bolster

supine rest on earth

cat
cow
balasana
puppy dog

balancing tiger

plank
downdog
uttanasana

tadasana
YAM

lunge salute with twist
(Patricia) sphinx/seal
lunge salute with twist
cobra/locust

tadasana
lunge
side angle prep
trikonasana
extended trikonasana
extended side angle
lunge
twisted lunge

vinyasa

other side

lowering to pigeon
3 leg dog
other side

vinyasa
rolling to supine

starfish

bridge
baddha konasana
bridge
sacrum rest

savasana

sit
Namaste!

Prototypes Big Bear Retreat 5.5.10

We began at 6.30AM. The day before I found a beautiful spot by a mountain stream with a large granite rock which sloped downward just enough to provide a gentle hip opener. Perfect! We took a 1o minute hike to do our yoga/meditation session here. The movement practice was about 25 minutes, and we sat for 15.

Hike to Stream

Tadasana
Uttithatadasana
3 breaths

¼ sun saluations

½ sun salutations

malasana
cowboy negociaton

uttanasana

tadasana

sukasana
side bending
seated twist
other side

alternate nostil breathing

sit

Namaste

Prototypes Big Bear Retreat 5.6.10

Yoga and meditation on this retreat was an optional activity. I was delighted at the number of women who requested to practice and expressed an interest. Today we held our movement practice in the meeting hall and then hiked to the stream for meditation. The sun peeks over the trees during our sit and warms the rock where we sit. It is nice and toasty by the end of the session. It was lovely.

Like yesterday, we stayed after meditation for a short chat and hung out on the rock by the stream.

Tadasana
Uttithatadasana
3 breaths

¼ sun saluations
½ sun salutations
lunge salutes with low cobra

windshield wiper

sukasana

side bending
seated twist
other side seated series

Hike to Stream


Sit
Breath awareness



Namaste