Vinyasa Basics: Whose Will? 1.25.11

Sutra 1.33, 1.35, and attention on the anahata and manipura chakras

Hand heat
Baddha konadana hand/heart/feet/Manipur
Forward fold yin style
Rest

Padagustasana with twist and side bend
Shoulder shrugs
Other side

Maladana
Uttanasana with hamstring stretch

uttithatadasana
tadasana

shoulder shruggs

catcher's arms (we renamed this airport pose because it feels really good between long flights and you don't get too many wierd looks)
shoulder opener with strap
uttanasana variation with strap

tadasana
YAM
lunge
hammock
twisted lunge
other side
downdog
plank
baby cobra
locust
cobra
windshield wiper
rounded fours
plank
downdog
three leg dog
lunge
other side

uttanasana
utkatasana
ittithatadasana
tadasana
RAM

lunge
side angle
trikonasna
extended side angle
twist
other side

exit pigeon
supine tree

bridge x2

pigeon other side
supine tree

twisted root
rest
other side

supported savasana with bolster and neck roll
release neck roll savasana

sit
OM
Namaste

Yoga Blue: Generous Heart, Quiet Mind. 1.22.10

Sutra 1.2, 1.27, 28.

Played with a new shoulder opener and supported Camel play for the first time. We didn't get off the floor very much!

Kneeling on 2 bricks:
OM
A
O
M
OM

Sutra 1.27-28

cat
cow
balasana with side stretch
puppy dog

even cowgirls get the blues x2

plank
downdog

uttithatadasana
tadasana
YAM

simple lunge salutes
cobra
locust

uttanasana
utkatasana
tadasana
RAM

lunge
hammock
twisted lunge
low cresent

vinyasa
other side with low cresent variation

cobra
bow

recling Buddha
half bow
other side

supported bow

eye of the needle

sit-10 min

twisted root
rest
other side

savasana
sutra 1.1

sit
OM
Namaste!

11th Step Meditation. Tracking the Vrittis. 1.20.11

We read the second part of the commentary by Ravi Ravindra on Sutra 1.12. We loved "continuous care and attention in seeing ourselves more and more impartially, suffering ourselves as we are, and being compassionate t ourselves, slowly establishes in us a stillness of the mind and heart". Ravindra, The Wisdom of Patangali's Yoga Sutras, p.21.

Foot rub
Baddha konadana yin style

Pada gustasana with twist and side bend
Shoulder rolls
other side

windshield wiper

Eye of the needle

Neck stretch in sukasana

Sit
Read
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Vinyasa Basics: Generosity of the Heart. 1.20.11

Inspired by Krishnamurti's quote "Generosity of the Heart is the beginning of meditation". I didn't understand this concept until recently even though its been around Lulu's for a few years. Today I think it is one of the most useful tools for practice, sitting, and living.

We concluded with a 5 minute sit to give the idea a test run!

Krishna Foot rub
Baddha konadana yin style
Pada gustadana with twist and side bend
Shoulder rolls
other side

Malasana with heart opener

Uttithatadadana
tadasana
YAM

Lunge
low crescent w side stretch
Hamstring stretch
other side

Sphinx/Seal

Uttanasana
Utkatasana
Tadadana
RAM
YAM

lunge
low cresent with heart opener variation
other side

Cobra with 2 long breaths

Balasana with ajna meditation

Tadasana
Generosity of the Heart meditation
Lunge
Hammock
Warrior II
Trikonasana
Extended side angle
Twisted lunge
Low cresent with hand to foot variation

vinyasa
balasana
other side standing sequence

balasana
toe stand
tadasana

Tree
Warrior III
uttanasana
malasana
other side

exit standing splits

vinyasa

balasana

sit 5 min

savasana

sit
OM
Namaste!

Yoga Blue: Tranqil Mind: Quiet Heart. 1.15.10

Touched on sutra 1.2, sutra 1.35, muladara chakra, anahata chakra, Dr. Bob's 'perpetual quietness of the heart'.

Kneeling on Bricks
OM
A
O
M
OM

cat/cow
balasana with side stretch
puppy dog

supine pada gustasana with strap

plank
downdog
malasana

malasana foot placement experiment

tadasana stance experiment

tadasana
LAM

lunge salutes

tadasana
YAM
lunge salutes with low cresent

sphinx

downdog
tadasana
uttithatadasana with LAM

shoulder shrugs
shoulder rolls

lunge
side angle
trikonasana
extended side angle
low cresent
tiger

balasana

other side

bridge
bridge with sacrum and heart meditation

twist

ajna meditation with silent OM
savasana

sit
OM
Namaste!

11th Step Meditation: Practice. 1.13.11

Sutra 1.12 was our focus today, and we discussed abhyasa (practice). Finding Ravi Ravindra's book 'The Wisdom of Patangali's Yoga Sutras" is user-friendly!

Standing
catchers arms
shoulder shrugs
forward fold with strap

malasana

eye of the needle

body tapping
rest

sit

read

share

Namaste!

Vinyasa Basics: Earth Energy, Heart Speaking. 1.13.11

Sutra 1.35; Ravi Ravindra "We see things of the flesh with eyes of the flesh. We see things of the spirit with eyes of the spirit".

Seated on bricks
OM
A
O
M
OM

Cat/cow
Balasana with side stretch

supine pada gustasana with twist using strap

Plank
Downdog
uttanasana
Malasana
uttithatadasana
tadasana

catcher's arms
shoulder shrugs
forward fold with strap

uttithatadasana
LAM
uttanasana
lunge
hammock
other side

sphix/seal

balasana with ajna rest

tadasana
YAM
lunge
side angle prep
trikonasana
side angle
lunge
twisted lunge
twisted ardha chadrasana

vinyasa

balasana

(demo)

other side

standing splits
vinyasa

balasana

pigeon
supine tree

bridge
other side pigeon

windshield wiper

savasana

sit
OM
Namaste!

Vinyasa Basics: Sutra 1.35. 1.11.11

I've learned to practice sutra 1.35 (steady attention to the subtle sensations) in yin class. Its fun to play with it and apply it to a vinyasa practice.

Went 5 mins too long...got carried away...

Knealing on 2 bricks
OM
A
O
M

cat
cow
balasana with side stretch

plank
downdog

balasana
seated qi gong body tapping
rest
seated qi gong skull/face/throat tapping
rest

pada gustasana with twist using strap

malasana
uttanasana
uttithatadasana
tadasana

LAM
lunge salutes

utkatasana
tadasana
RAM

lunge
twist
hammock
other side

downdog
sphinx/seal

balasana
ajna with gratitude meditation

tadasana
YAM
lunge
side angle prep
trikonasana
side angle
low cresent

vinyasa

other side

locust
locust or bow

bridge
bridge/wheel

eye of needle

spine twist

savasana

sit
OM
Namaste!

Peaceful, Easy Feeling. Prototypes Women's Center. 1.10.11

There were many new faces in the room today and a distinct feeling of nervous anxiety and a lot of subtle, but certain 'who are you? and, are you safe?' looks. Two would not even come down to the mat to start. I lost a few more in the standing poses, but then they all came to the mat when we returned down to the floor. It took a while to establish trust but we got there eventually! Using words like 'you perhaps may feel', 'its possible that', 'breath into where you feel it', 'you may notice..or not'....really helps, as does not engaging in negative energy when 'tested' or pushing back.

Sutra 1.2 was introduced. We played with noticing vrittis, and that there were less of them after class, and why that was significant as a recovering person. There were many offerings of 'choice of ease' during our session. They took their time gathering their things after class and calmly departed the room.

Supine legs straight
supine bent knees

choose the most comfortable
3 breaths

eye of the needle

sukasana side bending

tadasana

catcher's arms

warrior II
wide leg forward fold
warrior II other side

forward fold

malasana (one of the vrittis shouted out by one of the women...my jeans are too tight!!!!)
we laughed!!!

trikonasana with forward fold sequence

little tree
tree variation

supine windshield wiper

twist

spine 4 part breath exercise
focus on bottom of exhale

savasana

sit
Namaste

1:1 sign out papers

Vinyasa Basics: Joy of a Yogi. 1.6.10

Sutra 1.35 (In reference and regard to Sutra 1.2) A clear and tranquil mind results from steady attention to subtler levels of sensation". We did a little chanting, movement, Qi Gong, breathing, and played with 'steady attention' to the effects.

Sit on brick
spine lengthen
OM
A
O
M
OM

cat cow
balasana with side stretch

QiGong tapping legs, kidneys, abdominal, arms, lymph, heart
rest
QiGong tapping skull and face, ending at vissudi
rest

windshield wiper
supine pada gustasana and twist with strap

malasana
uttanasana
uttitatadasana
tadasana

catcher's arm
standing heart opener with strap
forward fold with strap
tadasana
LAM

lunge salutes
downdog
sphinx/seal

tadasana
YAM
lunge
hammock
side angle prep
trikonasansa
extended side angle
low cresent

vinyasa

balasana with gratitude meditation and back of heart opening
toe stretch
top foot tapping

other side standing sequence

locust
locust variation

bridge
sacrum rest/belly soft/heart open meditation
bridge

easy spine twist

savasana

sit
OM
Namaste

11th Step Meditation. Detachment from two sides. 1.6.10

We are reading Ravi Ravindras translation of the Yoga Sutras (The Wisdom of Patanjali's Yoga Sutras).

Freeform

sit

Reading Sutras and Ravi's commentary:
1.15 Viaragya is the mastery over the craving for what has been seen or heard.
2.6 Asmita is is the misidentification of the power of seeing with what is seen.

discussion

Namaste