Yoga Snack. Enjoy! 7.30.10

As I used to say In polite social circles from debutant days, I 'had words' with my boyfriend this morning. And on top of that I'm coming down with a cold. Through the practice of yoga I am learning to let uncomfortable and upsetting events like this take more appropriate space in my life. I could have let it wreck my whole morning and gruffed my way through class, but I didn't.

Instead, I took action in my part in the argument, bought some natural cold medicine, and went in to Lulu's with plenty of time to open the windows and doors and let in the beautiful Ojai summer day. I was delighted to see each and everyone who showed up. As we sat in the beginning of class to center ourselves, I tapped into my own truth. I feel lucky to live in Ojai and teach yoga at Lulus. I am enjoying my life.

Just like practicing asana, I have to go through some tight spots to get clear about what actions to take to restore ease.

Sukasana
breath awareness
chin mudra
OM

janushirsasana with twist and side bend
rest
other side

tabletop
paschimotadasana

uttanasana with twist

uttithatadasana
tadasana

easy lunge salutes

lunge
twisted lunge
low lunge
hamstring stretch
cresent

downdog

other side

sphinx
baby cobra
locust
cobra

windshield wiper

balasana

lunge
warrior I dance
standing separate leg forehead to knee
warrior III

other side

pigeon both sides

legs up the wall

savasana

sit
OM
Namaste

Restorative Yoga. Advance Napping. 7.29.10

Thank you to Ashley Lowe for asking me to sub! And thank you for inspiring this sequence. I love all the room, space, and stillness in restorative, practiing and teaching.

Heart opener over brick and bolster
shoulder openers over brick and bolster
rest

windshield wiper
sukasana side bending
rest with chin mudra

supported childs pose

cat/cow release

supine butterfly

side lying rest pose

easy spine twist with blanket support

legs up the wall
supported baddha konasana
savasana with sole support at the wall

sit

Namaste!

Vinyasa Basics: Cultivating Silence. 7.29.10

I am being drawn to a more intimate practice. Ravi Ravindra offers a translation of sutra 1.2 as "Yoga is the cultivation of silence". 12 step programs speak of 'the perpetual quietness of the heart'. The quiet practice appeals to me these days.

Today's class was intimate; a perfect opportunity to practice teaching exactly what I'm trying to know for myself.

Heart opener over bolster and brick

shoulder stretch over bolster and brick

supine rest

windshield wiper

eye of the needle with twist

tailbone awareness

sukasana with side bending

cat
cow
balasana
puppy dog

uttanasana
uttithatadasana
tadasana

meridian massage

lunge
hamstring stretch
low lunge
other side

baby cobra
locust
cobra

balasana

tadasana

lunge
side angle prep
trikonasana
extended side angle
twisted lunge

vinyasa

other side

roll to supine
starfish
YAM
windshield wiper

supported savasana

sit
OM
Namaste!

11th Step Meditation: Hole or Whole? 7.29.10

We are rereading Buddhism and 12 Step Recovery (Zen Center San Francisco). Starting at the beginning today. Sat with a seasoned group this morning. Felt all I had to do was hold the space.

I find this practice is a potent tool for clarity.

Freeform yoga practice 25 min

Sit 20 min

Read 15 min

Share 15 min

sit
Serenity Prayer
OM

Namaste!

Vinyasa Basics: Loosening the Grip. 7.27.10

Ravi Ravindra offered the translation of sutra 1.2 as 'yoga is the cultivation of silence'. I've been offering a quieter practice lately and am feeling much more comfortable with spaces of silence during classes.

Sukasana
breath awareness
ajna awareness
chin mudra
OM

eye of the needle with twist

cat
cow
balasana
puppy dog

plank
downdog

tadasana
OM

lunge
twisted lunge
low lunge

vinyasa
other side

balasana

tadasana
lunge
warrior I dance
eagle
warrior III

vinyasa

other side

balasana

sit
jnana mudra
'Divine wisdom gladdens me and shows me my path"
silent OM

ardha matseyendrasana

supported savasana

sit
OM
namaste

Prototypes Women's Center. Feeling our Prana. 7.26.10

Supine
3 breaths

shoulder openers

sukasana side bending

tadasana
crazy eights

heart tapping with subtle energy play

1/4 sun salutations

kneeling lunge salutes

bridge x 2

twisted root
rest
twisted root
rest

breathing exercise with noticing the bottom of the exhale

savasana

sit
Namaste!

1:1 sign schedules

Prototypes Women's Center. Energy flows where Attention Goes.7.26.10

Technically this wasn't a yoga class, but yogic techniques seep its way into the all the therapy groups I lead. Today's session was inspired by the nostril breath awareness I've been studying with Kira as well as Ravi Ravindra's discussion of 'attention' from his sutra study course. It was not typical of 'counseling track', and I was a little nervous to teach such esoteric exercises. But on the other hand, I feel it could possibly help many on the road to recovery, and who am I to hold information back?

There was a mixed reaction to the session, but most of the classes I teach at Prototypes are, especially when presenting new material.

Relaxing breath exercise

Recall waking moments exercise with discussion.

Rating 5 areas of your life (1-10)
What are you paying attention to?

Nostril breathing exercise
experiential discussion

Journaling exercise (my day so far)

closing check in. One word to describe an area that deserves more attention in your life.

1:1 sign schedules

Yoga Blue. Wisdom Within. 7.24.10

Heart opener over bolster and brick
YAM
shoulder stretches over bolster and brick

rest

sukasana side stretching
Hridaya mudra
YAM

uttanasana with twist

tadasana

lunge salute with bricks

baby cobra
locust
cobra
windshield wiper

tadasana
lunge
side angle prep
trikonasana
side angle
lunge

uttanasana
malasana with cowboy negociation

other side

bridge x2 with rest

twisted root with rest

supported savasana

sit
Jnana mudra
"Divine Wisdom gladdens me and shows me my path"

OM
Namaste!

Vinyasa Basics: Bathing in the Anahata. 7.22.10

I prefer to teach in silence these days. Asana, mantra, and mudra are a lot!

Heart opener over brick and bolster
breath awareness
Ajna awareness
OM

shoulder openers over brick and bolster

supine rest

sukasana
spine rocks
side stretching

sukasana
hrydaya mudra
YAM
gratitude meditation

uttanasana with hamstring stretch and gentle twist

tadasana

lunge salutes with heart openers (sphinx, seal, cobra)

tadasana
lunge
warrior I
eagle
warrior III
lunge
3 leg dog
downdog

vinysasa

other side

balasana
ajna rest

tadasana
lunge
warrior i
eagle
warrior III
pigeon
three leg dog
downdog

other side

from pigeon

wide leg sit

twisted root

starfish with anahata meditation

supported savasana

sit
OM
Namaste!

11th Step Meditation. Creating Room in the Heart. 7.22.10

Today concluded our reading of Buddhism and 12 step recovery. Its been so powerful we've unanioumsly voted to reread the literature. Thank you to C for bringing it to the group, and thank you to the Zen Center in San Francisco for sharing your publication with us.

Heart opener over block and bolster
breath awareness
Anja awareness
OM

supine shoulder openers over block and bolster

supine rest

easy eye of the needle with twist

paschimotadasana

sukasana
shoulder shrugs
neck rolls

sit

read

share

OM
Namaste!

Vinyasa Basics: Removing Blocks from your Heart.

I'm so grateful for Laura Tyree's chakra workshop this weekend at Lulu's. I've been fascinated with spiritual anatomy since I was first introduced to it, and this workshop renewed my interest. I wasn't quite sure how it would play into teaching, but I sorted it out when I went in to practice before class today. Instead of taking off in totally new territory, I added a layer of mudra. I've been teaching with a focus on the anahata, so it seemed logical to start there. It felt like the new words melted right into the groove, having made the decision to let go of what it all is supposed to look like.

Touched on satya, ahimsa from the sutras, and gentleness from the taoist cycle of creativity

Heart opener over brick and bolster
breath awareness into the 'holding back'
YAM

shoulder stretches with breath

supine rest

sukasana side bending

sit
Hrydai mudra
gratitude meditation

uttanasana with hamstring stretch and twist

uttithatadasana

tadasana
YAM

1/4 suns x3

lunge salute with sphinx/seal
lunge salute
cobra
locust
rest
bow
rest

tadasana
YAM
lunge
high lunge
hammock
warrior II dance with hrydai

vinyasa

other side

tadasana
warrior I
hammock
warrior II dance

other side with YAMs and hrydai

exiting to pigeon

eye of the needle
twist
starfish rest
other side with hrydai

supported savasana

sit
OM
sutra 1..1
Namaste!

Prototypes Women's Center, Who am I? 6.19.10

I like to use student questions as a teaching tool, especially in this environment. Today, somebody asked if my boobs were real. Although highly unusual, I thought it was the perfect launch into a discussion of how yoga can play a powerful and profound role in the path of self discovery. I offered some personal examples of how yoga was changing my life. I told how the practice was revealing a different understanding of who I am than what I thought I should look like, figuratively and literally. Somehow, somewhere through the practice of yoga and the journey through sobriety, I have learned to truly care about how I felt more than the way I looked. I also told them I was never more in love with life than now.

When it got to the asana portion, they dove in deeper than I've ever seen. You could have heard a pin drop for most of the class. This level of introspection in the practice at Prototypes was a first.

Discussion: Yoga as a path to self discovery. The self you discover just might surprise you!

supine
4 part breath awareness

supine arm raises with breath

sukasana side bending

uttanasana
tadasana

crazy 8's (they LOVE this!)

tadasana

1/4 sun salutations
1/4 silent sun salutations
lunge salutes

sphinx

tadasana with 4 part breath awareness

bridge x2

sacrum rest, back of the heart rest

guided relaxation

savasana

sit
Namaste!

1:1

Vinysasa Basics Exploring Satya. 7.13.10

There is a lot of talk about yoga as a path to finding the 'true' self. This sounds all good, but actually feeling into it can be a delicate journey. Ahimsa comes before Satya as listed in the sutras, and we used this as a guide to breathing into what we find as the practice reveals tight spots.

We were on our way to ardha chandrasana, but it didn't seem necessary to go there after all.

Sukasana
spine awareness
breath awareness
Anahata
intention meditation
OM

supine windshield wiper

supine hamstring stetch and twist with strap

sit in sukasana

easy side plank
cat/cow
easy ardha chandrasana
balasana

plank
downdog

plank
sphinx/cobra

lunge
cresent

tadasana
YAM

other side
lunge
cresent with YAM

tadasana
lunge
side angle prep
trikonasana
bound side angle

vinyasa

balasana with anja meditation

other side standing sequence

supine windshield wiper
3 part bridge (breath, YAM, pose)
supine baddha konasana
bridge
sacrum rest
anahata rest
gratitude meditation

twisted root

savasana

sit
Namaste!

Prototypes Women's Center. Choose to Relax. 7.12.10

I was covering a group for a counselor on vacation so we had the whole house in yoga today...too many for our usual room so we took it outside in the grass. It was the perfect venue to offer some new techinques I learned this weekend in kids yoga training with Betsy Stix. "Crazy 8's" was a huge hit. It was fun as well as woke up the energy. It also created a sense of focus and concentration because you have to count backwards and down. I used 'Peace Pie' as our check in, which was a nice variation.

Peace Pie

Bendy Tadasana
Crazy 8's

1/2 Sun Salute

Lunge
Plank
sphinx/seal
balasana
lunge
uttanasana
tadasana

other side
lowering to
reclining Buddha
bow
rest
balasana

eagle arms in virasana or sukasana

bridge
sacrum rest
Anahata awareness
gratitude meditation

savasana

sit
Namaste
1:1

Vinyasa Basics: Listening to the Heart. 7.8.10

Sometimes the heart speaks so quietly. I turned the volume down. No music, more time in poses, few words, and more space. I'm getting more comfortable in this teaching style; I'm getting more comfortable in own pracctice, and in myself.

Sukasana
breath awareness
YAM

sukasana side bending

cat
cow
balasana
puppy dog

plank
downdog

lunge
cresent

baby cobra
locust
cobra

cobra/frog sequence

other side
lunge cresent

cobra
balasana

uttanasana
tadasana
1/4 sun salutes

lunge
side angle prep
extended trikonasana
extended side angle

vinyasa

other side

sequence #2
tadasana
angeli mudra
lunge
side angle prep
extended trikonasana
extended side angle
twisted lunge
pigeon

vinyasa

other side

windshield wiper

bridge
sacrum rest/back of heart rest

twisted root

savasana
sutra 1.1

sit
OM
Namaste

11th Step Meditation. Gradual Awakening. 7.8.10

Sukasana forward fold

windshield wiper

eye of the needle

janushrisasana with twist and side stretch

sit

reading from Buddhism and 12 step Recovery

share

3rd step Prayer

Namaste

Vinyasa Basics: Unguard the Heart. 7.6.10

Heart opener over bolster
breath awareness
YAM
windshield wiper

eye of the needle
rest
other side
rest

cat
cow
balasana
puppy dog

toe stretch
foot tapping

plank
downdog

tadasana

lunge salutes with sphinx/seal
lunge salutes with baby cobra, locust. cobra with YAM

tadasana
angeli mudra

lunge
side angle
trikonasana with heart opener
bound side angle
twisted lunge

vinyasa

other side with YAM trikonasana

balasana

side saddle stretch with twist

3 part bridge (breath, YAM, asana)
supine baddha konasana
bridge
sacrum rest with gratitude meditation

twisted root
rest
twisted root
rest

supported savasana

sit
OM
Namaste

Strong Vinyasa. Freedom in the Heart. 7.4.10

We found poses from the heart and took rests between to feel open space. Happy July 4!

Balasana
breath awareness
YAM

cat
cow
balasana
rest

puppy dog

table top balanace play

marichiasana
half cow face with forward fold

other side
(forgot the half cow..we picked it back up later after our vinyasa.)

plank
downdog
plank
baby locust
locust
cobra with 2 breaths

supine rest

plank
downdog
uttanasana
tadasana
YAM

lunge salutes with tiger pose

tadasana
side angle prep
trikonasana with heart opener
bound side angle

downdog
revolved dog

vinyasa with 3 leg downdog, plank, updog

balasana or sirsasana

other side

demo second set

tadasana
YAM
side angle
trikonasana with heart opener
bound side angle
bird of paradise
step back

vinyasa

other side

starfish
bridge
supine baddha konasana
bridge/wheel
sacrum rest with gratitude meditation

twisted root
rest
other side
rest

savasana

sit
OM
Namaste!

Yoga Blue. Gazing into the Heart. 7.3.10

I feel my heart opening as a consequence of my practice. I'm personally moving into a quiet space of looking deep inside and I love a bit of a sit after moving. Until recently I thought I couldn't make sitting a 'formal' part of a class.

In the beginning of class tonight I had a clear hit to take it all down a notch; tonight was the night to offer quiet. No music, lots of space to breath, and yes, we sat for 7 mins at the end.

Heart opener over bolster
YAM
windshield wiper

supine rest

eye of the needle

cat
cow
balasana with side stretch
puppy dog

toe stretch
top of foot tap

plank
downdog

tadasana
YAM

lunge salute with sphinx/seal
rest
lunge salute with baby cobra, locust, cobra

windshield wiper

tadasana
high cresent
twisted lunge

other side

downdog
plank
cobra

supine star

bridge
supine baddha konasana with hands on the heart meditation

bridge
sacrum rest

twisted root
rest
twisted root other side
rest

sit

sit/savasana

Namaste!

Vinyasa Basics: Dancing in the Anahata. 7.1.10

Played with feeling poses from from an open heart.

Sukasana
spine awareness
OM

eye of the needle

cat
cow
balasana with side stretch
puppy dog

toe stretch
foot tapping

plank
downdog

tadasana
OM

lunge salute with seal/sphinx
lunge salute with cobra/locust

tadasana
YAM
lunge
warrior I dance
eagle arms
eagle
warrior III

vinyasa
balasana
toe torture

other side

balasana

side saddle stretch and twist

baddha konasana
pigeon
supine tree

3 part bridge (breath, YAM, pose)
sacrum rest

other side pigeon
supine tree

bridge
supine baddha konasana with gratitude meditaiton

twisted root

savasana

sit
OM
Namaste!