Yoga Blue: Maitri and Metta: 11.27.10

It is my first day back teaching from surgery and I can't demonstrate very many poses, so therefore it was a grand opportunity to hone in on using language to communicate. I kept the poses simple and opted for a more meditative practice. I love the suggestion of Patangeli's sutra 1.33 of friendliness. Kevin Griffen in his book 'Burning Desire' discusses the Buddhist practice of friendlines as loving kindness, as well as compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity...almost a direct parallel to sutra 1.33. I resonate with maitri as a blend of maitri and metta. I think its significant it is the very first suggestion to guide one into the Yoga.

heart opener over bolster
breath awareness
sutra 1.2, 1.33, maitri and metta
OM

windshield wiper over bolster
supine rest

eye of the needle with rest between

cat
cow
balasana
puppy dog

toe stretch

plank
downdog

uttanasana
malasana with heart opener

uttanasana
uttithatadasana

tadasana

qi kong hand warmer
meridian massage with loving kindness

1/2 salute
lunge
hammock
twisted lunge (forgot it on the other side, I think)
low lunge
low cresent
hamstring stretch with maitri meditation

lunge
downdog
other side

baby cobra
locust
cobra

locust

bow

balasana
gratitude meditation

side saddle stretch and twist

paschimotadasana
baddha konasana with forward fold yin style

twisted root with rest

supported savasana

sit
OM
Namaste

Courage and Heart have the same Latin root. Vinyasa Basics. 11.16.10

In a recent lecture Kevin Griffin pointed this out and its stuck with me. It reminds me to move with ahimsa, in its traditional translation of 'non violence', but further cultivated by ahminsa as taught by Ravi Ravindra 'not voilation of the guidance within'. I didn't overtly get to this second talking point in class today; the practice seems to teach it on its own.

Sukasana
breath awareness
muladara chakra breath
spine lengthening
Anahata
angeli mudra
OM

eye of the needle with happy baby release
rest
other side

eagle arms in virasana

cat
cow
balasana
puppy dog

easy side plank with shoulder rotation

plank
downdog

walking to uttanasana
uttitha tadasana
tadasana

lunge
hammock
low cresent
other side

Sphinx-yin style
rest

barrell roll

plank
downdog

tadasana
YAM
lunge
hammock
warrior II dance
trikonasana
lunge
twisted lunge
other side

baby cobra
locust
cobra

locust
bow

balasana

tree
malasana
other side

malasana

navasana

bridge x2

twisted root

supported savasana

sit
OM
Namaste

Yoga Blue: Welcome Home. 11.13.10

I was inspired from the amazing trip I had to Esalen for the Yoga and Recovery conference. I had a wonderful time and loved it. What else is cool is that I don't have that post-great-time vacation blues at all. It felt great to be at Esalen, and it feels great to be back in Ojai. It feels great to find a home from deep within myself.

Some of our talking points were sutra 1.12, effort and ease, practice and surrender, alignment and ahimsa, courage and the heart, anahata, seeing with the mind, not the eyes

Sukasana
twirling Buddha
spine awareness with breath
intention on the heart
OM

windshield wiper

supine padagustasana with strap

cat
cow
balasana
puppy dog

easy side plank

plank
downdog

malasana with cowboy negociation

uttithatadasana
tadasana

(meant to do shoulder openers with strap but forgot)

OM
lunge
hammock
low cresent
other side

sphinx yin-ish style
rest

baby cobra
locust
cobra

downdog
tadasana
YAM
lunge
warrior 1 dance
eagle arms
eagle
flying eagle
tadasana
other side wtih YAM in warrior I

vinyasa

supine
heart meditation

bridge
baddha konasana
bridge or wheel
gratitude meditation

twisted root
rest in Texas star
other side

supported savasana
Charles played for us

sit
OM
Namaste

Yoga Blue: Dancing in the subtle energy. 11.6.10

Lots of brand new peeps tonight. We kept it simple.

Heart opener over bolster
windshield wiper

supine rest

cat
cow
balasana
puppy dog

easy side plank

plank
downdog

uttanasana
malasana with cowboy negociation

uttitha tadasana
tadasana
OM

Shiffman swinging arm
tadasana
other side

angeli mudra
YAM

uttanasana
lunge
low cresent
downdog
other side

sphinx/seal

balasana

downdog
tadasana

lunge
hammock
warrior II prep

warrior II dance
forward fold
other side
forward fold
hammock
lunge
downdog


cobra
locust
bow

bridge
supine baddha konasana
bridge
sacrum rest

easy spine twist

supported savasana

sit
OM
Namaste

Soft Vinyasa. Dive in. 11.6.10.

Seated meditation on brick
OM

cat
cow
balasana
puppy dog

toe stretch
plank
downdog

easy side plank

balasana
downdog

malasana with heart bloom
OM

tadasana
angeli mudra

lunge
hammock
low cresent
other side

baby cobra
locust
cobra

cobra/frog spine sequence

balasana

downdog
tadasana
YAM
lunge
side angle
trikonasana
extended side angle
twisted lunge with hip opener option

vinysasa
other side

balasana

side saddle stretch and twist

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

eye of the needle
twisted root
Texas star
rest
other side

savasana

sit
Om
Namaste!

Pepperdine Executive PKE MBA. Lead with your Heart-Mind.11.5.10

When I walked into the classroom and saw the students working on a case study, Porter's 'Competitive Strategy' textbook in hand, I cracked up. I had a flashback to myself as a student in this very program 11 years ago. I cracked up again when I came back to the present and felt my heart fill with gratitude I was here as a visiting teacher...here to teach yoga. Its not that I wouldn't want to be a PKE student again, in fact I loved the program so much I wouldn't mind a second round again. Rather, I feel like I'm in my own private 'grad school', learning to follow the gentle subtle directions guided by the heart. Neither experience, by the way, is a cakewalk.

So that was the theme of my class today. I know these students had been in their head most of the day, learning theory, in case studies, etc. A little breathing, relaxation, and gentle guiding inside seemed appropriate for this group.

It was their last session of the day. After we finished practice we sat on the floor for another 20 minutes or so, talking PKE shop and getting to know each other better. Thank you Dr. Wayne Strom for inviting me to share yoga!

Supine
4 part breath
Sukasana side bending

Tadasana
Shiffman arm swing
Heart taping
Angeli Mudra

Lunge
Low cresent
Cat
Cow
Balasana
Other side

Balasana

Easy side plank
Balasana

Reverse windshield wiper

Sphinx yin style

Supine

Gratitude meditation

Savasana

Sit
Namaste

Room in the Kidneys, Wonder in the Heart. Vinysasa Basics: 11.4.10

Ravi Ravindra's teaching suggest a counterpose to fear is wonder. I've practiced for a while with finding the counterpose to fear to be faith, and that seems to work for me. Yet, as I dive into deeply held fears I notice there is a line from fear through wonder into faith. Exposing the feeling of wonder helps me loosen the grip. A considerable amount. Thank you Ravi! Thank you Kira, Thank you Shiffman blogger!

Sukasana
spine rocking
forward fold
heart to hands Ishvara Pranidad

other side

cat
cow
balasana with side stretch and nadi exploration
puppy dog

toe stretch
toe stand

downdog
lunge
hammock
low cresent

sphinx

other side

cobra
cobra/frog twist series
balasana

downdog
hammock
warrior II dance
twisted lunge

vinyasa

other side
balasana
kidney breath Taoist cycle of creativity

downdog
lunge
side angle
triangle
half moon
standing splits
pigeon

vinyasa

other side

from pigeon
supine tree

supported savasana with bolster, eye pillows and blankets

sit
OM
Namaste

Vinyasa Basics: Yoga Chitta Vrittis Nirodaha.. 11.2.10

I am intrigued with chitta, as translated as 'heart-mind'. It rings so true! We've been practicing with an internal gaze at the heart for over a year, and with the theme of the Crib as 'see with you heart', I feel at home in the teachings.

Baddha konasana

padagustasana with twist and side bend

cat
cow
balasana with side stretch
puppy dog

plank
downdog

lunge
hammock
low cresent
sphinx
other side

baby cobra
locust
cobra

downdog
uttanasana
malasana

uttithatadasana
tadasana

lunge
hammock
warrior II dance
trikonasana
extended side angle
twisted lunge

vinysasa

balasana

other side

balasana

bridge x2

eye of the needle
twisted root
rest
other side

supported savasana

sit
Namaste!

Prototypes Women's Center: Awakening. 11.1.10

There was yoga teacher interested in teaching to recovery peeps observing the class today..so I tried to demonstrate a 'typical' class, with the caveot that teaching to this population is anything but typical.

What was interesting to note was many of these patterns/teachings have been repeated in various forms many times. There was a smoothe flow today..It feels like Prototypes is becoming 'seasoned' as a culture to these practices. Observing this instills great personal faith in the magic of yoga. Yet another reason I am grateful yoga found its way to my life.

Supine
3 breaths
shoulder openers
windshield wiper

sukasana side bending
rest and observe
other side

tadasana

Shiffman catcher's arms
observe in tadasana
other side

heart tapping
anahata subtile energy

wide leg forward fold
warrior II dance
forward fold
other side W2 dance

malasana
cowboy negociation practicing kindness in hand-heart connection

little tree
tree
group tree observing how the support of others can help

supine
pranayama 4 part breathing

guided savasana

sit
Namaste

1:1 sign papers