Vinyasa Basics: Room in the hips, room in the heart. 9.30.10

Windshield wiper

Windshield wiper with holds and stretch

cat
cow
childs
puppy dog

table top with balancing tiger pose
tiger pose with heart opener

plank
downdog
malasana with heart opener

uttithatadasana

tadasana
YAM
lunge
hammock
low cresent
other side

sphinx/seal

balasana

three leg dog other side to get to tadasana

tadasana
lunge
hammock
warrior II dance
twisted lunge
vinyasa

other side with twist and dip from hammock along the way

lowering to pigeon
supine tree
bridge
pigeon
supine tree
bridge/wheel
gratitude mediation with supine baddha konasana

twisted root

supported savasana

sit
OM
Namaste!

11th Step Meditation: Always a surprise. 9.30.10

Windshield wipers

eye of the needle with twist and leg extension
sukasana side bending

downdog

sphinx

baby cobra
locust
cobra

baddha konasana with spine rolls
baddha konasana yin style

sit

read

share

Namaste

Vinyasa Basics: Gratitude for Obstacles. 9.28.10

We started at the wall as an attempt to keep it cool. Used the wall as a metaphor for obstacles in our life and suggested they might be useful. began to talk about Yamas, or restraints in yoga.

I really enjoy teaching yoga. This doesn't have much to do with recording this class sequence but upon reflecting on our practice I connected to this feeling so i put it out there on todays blog.

Think a good side stretch before savasana would have felt nice but I ran out of time.

Played with awareness in muladara chakra (LAM), and anahata (YAM)

Legs up the wall using bolster

eye of the needle at wall...used some hands
wide legged at wall
eye other side
baddha konasana at wall

supine
supine uttitha tadasana play

cat
cow
balasana
puppy dog

sole of feet opener

plank
downdog
walk forward to uttanasana
malasana with heart opener
uttitha tadasana
forward fold with arms interlocked
tadasana variation with shoulder openers

lunge
hammock
lunge
cresent
other side

sphinx

tadasana
lunge
hammock
warrior II dance
pigeon
three leg dog
vinyasa wiht cobra
other side

balasana

supine windshield wiper

bridge
bridge or wheel

twisted root

supported savasana

Is it possilbe these practices open the heart? Michael Bolton Charites, Ojai Valley Inn and Spa. 9.26.10

Teaching about opening from the inside out as well as talking about Yoga Blue. Temp in Ojai was about 106!!! Room (Shangri-La Pavillion) had incredible view but was hotter than hades by 10.30. Cut second set to one pose, which worked out well as more space was allowed for anointing, kirtan and savasana.

Amy Arani sang, Allee, Lisa and I anointed. Whoa whoa.

I pretty much cried through the whole class. Felt a new level of passion, a new level of love, a new level of gratitude and connection. Heart breatking wide open.

Yoga Blue intro

supine
3 breaths
windshield wiper

eye of the needle
rest knees bent
other side

cat
cow
balasana
puppy dog

easy side plank

plank
downdog

uttanasana
malasana

uttanasana
uttithatadasana with deep breath
tadasana a la Rumi

angeli mudra
YAM

forward fold
lunge
hammock
lunge
twist
other side

sphinx
seal
windshield wiper

downdog
lunge
uttanasana

tadasana
heart tapping

forward fold

lunge
hammock
warrior II dance
other side WII

slow vinyasa

roll to backs

spine twist
rest
spine twist
rest

savasana with anointing and kirtan

sit
OM
Namaste!

Celebratiion of Yoga Blue poolside with brunch and fashion show by Bhavantu, One Stitch at a Time (Lise Solvang), and Gabbita.

Vinyasa Basics: Just a little bit. 9.20.10

Kept it soft soft soft. Nobody was in a rush, and we played with letting the practice feel really good.

supine
3 breaths

easy eye of the needle

cat
cow
balasana
puppy dog

plank
downdog
rounded plank
downdog

rounded plank
baby cobra
locust
cobra
balasana

easy side plank

downdog
uttanasana
malasana
uttitha tadasana
tadasana

easy lunge salutes

tadasana variation with arms behind back
forward fold
tadasana variation with shoulder opener and neck stretch (both sides

catchers arm to open shoulders

trikonasana
wide leg forward fold
other side

warrior II dance
forward fold with twist
forward fold with squirt pose play

slow vinyasa

locust play with arm/leg variations

balasana

side saddle stretch and twist

bridge x2

easy twist/twisted root

supported savasana

sit
Namaste!

Prototypes Women's Center. Align with your feeling. 9.20.10

I have varying degrees of success in communicating and inviting this population to turn inward. It would be easier to ask them to wrap their leg around their neck! Offering compassion is the most useful tool I've found.

One of the biggest hurdles today was getting them to remove their shoes.

Supine
4 part breath

sukasana
spine rolls
side stretch
other side

uttanasana with hamstring stretch
uttitha tadasana
tadasana
tadasana with heart opener
forward fold
shoulder opener tadasana with twist (so wierd the room gets very still!)

1/2 sun salutation
simple lunge salutes

tadasana with heart tapping
hands to heart connection

triangle
wide leg ff
other side
ff
malasana with cowboy negociation

warrior II dance both sides

forward fold

windshield wiper
bridge
easy spine twist

savasana

sit
Namaste
1:1 sign out

Yoga Blue: Become familiar with ease and gentleness. 9.18.10

Baddha konasana

padagustasana with twist and side bend

cat
cow
balasana
puppy dog

plank
downdog
lunge
low lunge
hamstring stretch
cresent
other side

sphinx with neck rolls
seal
reverse windshield

downdog
walking to utanasana
malasana variation
uttanasna
tadasana

OM

lunge
hammock
horse
warrior II
warrior II other side
wide leg forward fold
squirt pose

lunge
pigeon
three leg dog
pigeon other side
three leg dog

rolling cobra

balasana

sit with alternate nostril breathing

padagustasana with twist using strap

supported savasana

sit
OM
Namaste!

11th Step Meditation: meditation as a form of 3rd step.9.16.10

This paragraph in the reading (Buddhism and 12 Step Recovery, Zen Center, San Francisco) really made us say WOW!!!!

When we sit.."We make a decision to investigate this life, and we turn ourselves over to whatever we discover which cannot be imagined ahead of time or controlled. Meditation is always and experiment and a surprise. we just let go, sit down for the ride and observe the scenery of the undiscovered country of the self".

Freeform

sit

read

share

namaste!

Vinyasa Basics: Half Moon in Full Bloom. 9.14.10

We played to find ease in blooming half moon.

Alternate Nostril Breathing (Nadi Sodhana)

cat/cow release
balasana
puppy dog

Only cowgirls get the blues (dolphin play with brick)

plank
downdog
plank
downdog

lunge
twisted lunge
hammock
other side

baby cobra
locust
cobra

balasana

plank
uttanasana
malasana
cowboy negociation

tadasana with side bending
YAM

lunge
hammock
horse
triangle
extended triangle
side angle
vinyasa
other side (playing with 'witches brew' in horse)

vinysasa
balasana

demo half moon sequence with brick

downdog
lunge
side angle
trikonasana
half moon
standing splits

vinyasa
balasana with kidney breath
other side

lowering to pigeon after standing splits
vinyasa with revolved dog
other side

bridge
rest
YAM
bridge/wheel
rest

twisted root

Savasana

sit
OM
Namaste

Yin Yoga: The Breath Inside the Breath. 9.13.10

Sit
Alternate Nostril Breathing
OM

cat/cow release

swan

prep for wide leg forward fold (easy side bending)
wide leg forward fold

balasana

easy side plank

sphinx/cobra
balasana

Lunge

Twisted Root
rest
Twisted Root
rest

sit

sit/savasana
Namaste.

Prototypes Women's Center: Heart-hand connection. 9.13.10

There was an air of openness/willingness today so I went a little further with the subtle energy connection.


Check in

sukasana side bending
rest
other side rest

uttanasana
tadadasana

crazy eights (it is fun to invite them to count with me)

1/4 sun salutes
uttanasana
lunge
low lunge
cresent
hamstring stretch
other side
tadasana

sphinx/cobra
balasana

tadasana
trikonasana
forward fold
trikonasana
forward fold

malasana
cowboy negociation with hand-heart connection

tree

bridge x2

savasasana
sit

namaste
1:1 sign papers

Stiff White Guys: Summer Breeze, Warm Heart. 9.11.10

Supine
3 breaths

supine padagustasana with twist and strap

cat
cow
balasana
puppy dog

plank
downdog
baby cobra
locust
cobra

locust play

balasana
downdog
uttanasana
tadasana

shoulder shrugs
swinging arm shoulder opener
forward fold with strap

warrior II
wide leg forward fold
other side
wide leg forward fold

malasana
cowboy negociation

tadasana
trikonasana
other side
forward fold

windshield wiper
bridge
rest
bridge

easy spine twist

supported savasana
sit

Namaste!

Yoga Blue: Open Heart, Loving Mind. 9.11.10

Supine 3 breaths

windshield wiper

supine padagustasana with twist using strap

cat
cow
balasana
puppy dog

easy side angle

plank
dowdog

lunge
twisted lunge
hammock
baby cobra
locust
cobra
other side

cobra
balasana

tadasana
YAM

lunge
hammock
warrior II
trikonasana
extended side angle
other side with YAM


pigeon
supine tree
bridge
other side

bridge
gratitude meditation

twisted root with rest

supported savasana

Vinyasa Basics: Providing the Ground to Open: 9.9.10

Brought light to more of the chakras than normal, and kept an eye on grounding energy to provide the safety to open.

Sukasana
LAM
Angeli mudra
YAM

eye of the needle with twist
rest
VAM
other side

cat
cow
balasana
childs

easy side plank

balasana

plank
downdog
plank
baby cobra
locust
cobra

plank
downdog
lunge
twist
hammock
lunge
three leg dog with twist
downdog

cobra
balasasana
other side

cobra
locust with manapura opening
locust variation

balasana

tadasana

lunge
hammock
warrior II dance
trikonasana
standing sep leg stretch
warrior III
standing splits

uttansasana
malasana

windshield wiper
bridge

other side
from standing splits

pigeon
supine tree
bridge
other side
bridge
wheel prep

easy spine twist with ajna OM

supported savasana

sit

Vinyasa Basics: Connecting to within. 9.7.10

Two peeps attending had low back mischief this morning so kept tuned to how it felt. Also played with the theme of connective tissue, melting the fuzz (Gil Hedley), connecting to our feelings and emotions, rumored to be in the web of the connective tissue (Motoyama).

supine 3 breaths
windshield wiper
hamstring stretch and twist with strap

easy side plank

cat/cow
balasana

balasana with sole of feet stretch

plank with circles
downdog
uttanasana
uttithatadasana with 2 breaths
tadasana

catcher's arm shoulder opener
shoulder opener with strap
shoulder opener with ff and strap

lunge
hammock
lunge
downdog
plank
sphinx/seal
balasana
lunge
hammock
lunge
downdog
baby cobra
locust
cobra
windshield wiper
balasana

plank
downdog
uttanasana
tadasana
YAM

uttanasana
half arch
uttanasana
lunge
hammock
warrior II dance
lunge
uttanasana
lunge other side
hammock
floor twist
warrior II dance
lunge
downdog

vinysasa
balasana

plank
downdog
side plank
downdog
side plank
downdog

vinyasa
balasana


tree
malasana

Bridge x2

eye of the needle
twisted root
other side

seated alternate nostril breathing

supported savasana with 2 blankets

sit
OM
Namaste

Yoga Blue: Its all connected. 9.4.10

The studio was very hot so I opted for less than I'd planned to do. Started playing with talking about the connective tissue.

Supine
windshield wiper
supine janushirsasana with twist using strap
rest
other side
rest

cat
cow
balasana
puppy dog

easy side plank
balasana

plank
downdog
lunge
hammock
lunge
baby cobra
locust
cobra

lunge other side
hammock
lunge
cobra

downdog
uttanasana
tadasana
YAM

lunge
hammock
warrior III dance
lunge
downdog
other side lunge
hammock
twist and dip
warrior II dance
lunge
downdog
cobra

roll to supine
YAM
rest

alternate nostril breathing on brick

eye of the needle
easy spine twist

supported savasana

sit
OM
Namaste

11th Step Meditation: Power Greater that Ourselves .9.2.10

Baddha konasana yin style

seated janushirsasana with twist and side bending

eye of the needle

uttanasana with hamstring stretch

downdog

baby cobra
locust
cobra

balasana

vijrasana with 3rd step prayer

sit
read from "Buddhism and the 12 steps of Recovery", Zen Center, San Francisco
share

sit
OM
Namaste!

Vinyasa Basics: Opening Here, There, and Everywhere. 9.2.10

Broke out of such a patterned practice to encourage a deep, all-over body experience. Used a restorative heart opener over bolster at the end of class to integrate.

Baddha konasana forward fold

janushirsasana with twist and side bend

plank
downdog with hamstring stretch

plank
downdog

lunge
twisted lunge
hammock
baby cobra
locust
cobra
balasana

other side standing sequence
locust
locust variation

tadasana
lotus standing side stretch
YAM
lunge
hammock
warrior II dance

vinyasa

other side with YAM in hammock and chin mudra in Warrior II.

vinyasa
plank
downdog
plank

downdog
balasana

vijrasana with heart meditation

uttanasana
malasana

windhshield wiper

bridge
wheel prep
wheel

seated 1/2 ardha matseydrasana
1/2 gomukasana with forward fold
other side

restorative heart opener over bolster
supine
sutra 1.33 maitri

sit
OM
Namaste