Vinyasa Basics: Dancing in the Central channel. 6.30.11

We tapped into feeling prana, and explored the ida, pingala, and shushumna. We gave extra juice to the central channel by chanting the bijas of each chakra.

windshield wiper

eye of the needle
half virasana
padagustasana in half virasana
padagustsana with side stretch, stopping to explore rotation in shoulder and neck stretch
rest
other side

cat
cow
puppy dog
barrell

plank
downdog

uttananasan
malasana with hands in prayer
OM

uttanasana
uttithatadasana
tadasana
YAM

quarter sun salute
half sun salute
lunge salutes
sphinx/seal
balasana

plank
downdog

uttanasana
utkatasana
RAM

lunge
twist
hammock
low crescent

vinyasa with low cobra/locust
balasana
other side

tadasana
LAM

lunge
warrior I
warrior II
peaceful warrior
side angle

vinyasa
other side

balasana

supported heart opener over bolster
chakra mantra bath

savasana

sit
OM
Namaste

Vinyasa Basics: The effort of effortlessness. 6.28.11

We played with sutra 1.12, sutra 1.2, mandala mudra and mantra "I am safe, complete and whole just as I am" using the poses (with a shoulder request) as backdrop.

sit
heart centering
YAM

sukasana twist
pashimotadasana
other side

table top

seated xi gong body massage

cat
cow
balasana
sphinx with neck rolls
seal
reverse windshield wiper

seated anchored shoulder opener

easy side plank

mandala mudra in virasana
mandala mantra meditation

side plank variations with heart openers

eagle arms in virasana

plank
downdog
uttanasana
utkatasana
tadasana
OM

lunge
side angle
trikonasana
half moon
bound side angle
pigeon
mermaid prep

vinyasa with cobra/locust play

balasana

plank
downdog
uttanasana
tadasana

gratitude meditation

other side standing

from pigeon
supine tree

bridge
bridge/wheel

eye of needle
twisted root
texas star

other side

savasana

sit
OM
Namaste!

Prototypes Women's Center: Journey to Joy. 6.27.11

An audible 'ow' came out in the first pose which prompted a discussion
around pain, awareness, and recovery skills of listening and accessing
memories of ease and contentment (even joy!) in intensity.

Sukasana spine rocks
Forward fold
Half side bend
Full side bend
Pause
Other side

Sukasana side bend round 2

Malassna with cowboy negociation

Uttanasana
Uttitha tadadana
Tadasana

Guitar hero arms

Lunge salutes with crescent and hamstring stretch

Tadasana
Crazy 8's

Forward fold

Shimmy

Tadasana

Warrior II dancing on demon of forgetfulness
Trikonasana
Other side

Forward fold
Windshield wiper

Easy spine twist ( bridge would have been good before)

Savasana

Sit
Namaste

1:1 sign papers

Vinyasa Basics: Home in the Heart. 6.23.11

Sutra 1.2 and quieting the mind to hear the internal calings home to the heart.

Sit
Spine rolls
Forward fold
Side stretch

Paschimotadasana
Other side

Reverse tabletop

Cat
Cow
Barrell roll

Plank
Downdog

Sphinx/seal

Easy side plank sequence with balace and twist

Plank
Downdog
Uttanasana

Uttithatadasana
Tadasana
LAM

shoulder rolls
Shoulder shrugs
Uttanasana variation

Tadasana
YAM

Simple lunge salutes

Lunge
Low crescent
Side angle
Trikonasama
Half moon

Vinyasa with baby cobra and locust

Other side
Vinyasa
Balasana

Wall half moon
Forward fold at wall
Malasana at wall
Other side wall half moon

Tadasana
Uttanasana
Malasana

Windshield wiper

Eye of needle
Twisted root
Rest
Other side

Supported savasana

Sit
Om
Namaste!

Vinyasa Basics: The gracious channel and channelling grace: 6.16.11

We played with the energy of the ida, pingala, and shushumna, and breathed sutra 1.33 and some of the elements in the taoist cycle of creativity into our tight spots.


supine
breath awareness
heart meditation
OM

eye of the needle

cat
cow
balasana
puppy dog

sphinx/seal

easy side plank

plank
downdog

uttanasana
uttithatadasana
tadasana
YAM

lunge salutes
lunge salutes with crescent pose and hamstring stretch
baby cobra
locust
locust variation
other side
locust variation

balasana
plank
downdog
tadasaana
lunge
side angle prep
trikonasna
warrior II dance
lunge
twisted lunge
vinyasa
other side (almost sure i forgot twisted lunge on this side! Ooops!)
vinyasa

balasana

pigeon
supine tree
bridge x2
other side

windshield wiper

savasana

sit
OM
Namaste!

11th Step Meditation: Ego: 6.16.11

The reading and subsequent commentary of sutra 1.15 shed light on the role of 'ego' and its parallels with 12 step teachings.

windshield wiper

eye of the needle
twisted root
other side

cat/cow vinyasa

plank
downdog

easy side plank
balance
inner thigh/toe torture
balance
tabletop backbend

shoulder shrugs in virasana
eagle arms in virasana

paschimotadasana

9 OM's
sit 20 mins

read second half of Sutra 1.15 commentary in Ravi Ravidra's The Wisdom of Patangali's Yoga Sutras

share

sit
OM
Namaste!





cat/cow
other side tabletop series

Milesstones Ranch Malibu: The feeling tone of Surrender. 6.15.11

Subbing this class and the first time teaching peeps at this dual diagnosis facility, so just getting acquainted. The feeling tone of relaxation is similar to that of surrender. This is one of my most favorite internal lessons, and I thought it would be a good place to start. One hour class.

Sukasasna
Breath awareness
Spine lengthening

heart meditation

sukasana side bending x2

cat
cow
balasana
puppy dog

easy side plank

balasana

plank
downdog

plank
sphinx/seal
balasana

uttanasana
uttithatadasana
tadasana

shoulder shrugs
shoulder rolls
swamp monster/halleluja

Guitar Hero

lunge salutes with crescent

locust
locust var
balasana

plank
downdog
tadasana


warrior II dance
peaceful warrior
warrior II
side angle
lunge

vinyasa
balasana

transition to standing
other side

supine

twisted root or easy twist

savasana

sit
Namaste!

Vinyasa Basics: Savor your Wild and Precious Life. 6.14.11

Sutra 1.35 and Santosha (contentment)

supine
windshield wiper
spine neutral and breath awareness

eye of the needle
happy baby
rock the baby
rest
other side

cat
cow
balasana
puppy dog

plank
downdog

uttanasana
utthatadasana
tadasana

shoulder shrugs
shoulder rolls
uttanasana variation
tadasana

at wall
rock around the clock shoulder opener
forward fold against wall

wall sphinx
wall right angle
wall forward fold
wall malasana

tadasana
YAM
lunge
crescent
uttanasana
utkatasana
tadasana
RAM
other side

balasana
(wished I'd done a few cobra/sphinx/locust here before resting balasana..)

plank
downdog

lunge
twisted lunge
hammock
warrior II dance
peaceful warrior
side angle
vinyasa
other side

supine
bridge
twisted root

sit
OM
Namaste!

Prototypes Women's Center: Freedom from myself. 6.13.11

We followed up on our lecture about the kleshas with this practice. We paused a few times for questions and verbalizing experiences, and many more opened up today in conversation. I love to hear..."What do you mean by...?", and another question.."what does optomism in the heart mean?'. I am reminded time and time again that one of the main objectives of the yoga space we create together is a safe enough environment to dialog as well as move, breath, relax and be still.

We also drew upon the discussions about "be here now", the CNS and states of stress and relaxation.

supine windshield wiper

Eye of the Needle
rest

3 part pranayama

Tadasana
uttanasana with hamstring stretch

tadasana
Shoulder shrugs and openers

Swamp monster and halleluja

Tadasana

Warrior 11 dance

tadasana

sukasana
discussion
Prana, tapas, sutra 1.12

Shimmy (by request)

Twist

Savasana

Sit
Check in

Namaste!
1:1
sign papers

Yoga Blue: Ease Within. 6.11.11

We used many poses at the wall to play with finding ease and support within. Found newly learned techniques from SWG and Granny classes useful for our practices this evening.

windshield wiper

eye of the needle

sukasana side bending x2

tadasana
uttanasana

shoulder shrugs
shoulder rolls

shoulder and side lengthener at wall
forward fold at wall

wall splat

wall dog

tadasana
OM

1/4 sun salutes
1/2 sun salute

lunge salutes with low crescent

balasana

sphinx
baby cobra/locust

balasana

downdog
uttanasana
tadasana
OM

wall half moon
forward fold at wall
tadasana
other side
forward fold at wall
malasana at wall

easy spine twist

bridge x2
rest

supported savasana

sit
OM
Namaste!

11th Step Meditation. Sutra1.1.15 Vairagya. 6.8.11

We loved the passage

we are like...
'A bird in a cage.
its door wide open.
With no practice in flying,
sitting in the cage,
composing an ode
to Freedom.'

Baddha konasana yin style

Janu shirsasana with twist and side bend

Malasana

Uttanasana with hamstring stretch
Uttithatadasana

Shoulder shrugs
Uttanasana

Downdog
Sphinx
Balasana

Windshield wiper

Sit
Read sutra 1.15-1.16 and commentary in Ravi Ravindra's The wisdom of Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, p.21 to top of 23.

Share

Sit
OM x3
Namaste

Vinyasa Basics: A Part Of. 6.9.11

We played with feeling the five elements, with emphasis on the sacrum
and ourflow with the universal energy.

Heart opener over bolster
3 part breath

Uttithatadasana over bolster
Windshield wiper over bolster

Supine rest with heart meditation

Cat
Cow
Balasana
Puppy dog
Balasana

Plank
Downdog

Sphinx/seal

Balasana

Plank downdog
Tadadasana

1/4 sun salutes

Lunge
Low crescent
Downdog
Baby cobra
Locust
Balasana
Other side

Uttanasana
Utkatasana
Tadadana

Gratitude meditation


Uttanasana
Uttithatadasana
Tadasana

Lunge
Twisted lunge
Hammock
Warrior ii dance
Lunge
Pigeon variation
Vinyasa

Other side with twist flow and shoulder opener after hanmmock

Vinyasa with 2 breath cobra

Bridge x 2

Twisted root

Savasana

Sit
OM
Namaste!!

Vinyasa Basics: Tools for a Tranquil Mind. 6.7.11

We played with the tools of sutras 1.33, 1.34, gratitude, and the taoist cycle of creativity to calm the mind and using asana as our backdrop to practice.

sit
spine length and alignment
OM

windshield wiper

padagustasna and twist with strap

cat/cow
sphinx/seal
plank
downdog

easy side plank
toe torture variation
balancing tabletop with backbend option

plank
downdog
uttantasana
malasana with heart opener

uttithatadasana
tadasana
OM

shoulder rolls

tadasana
gratitude meditation

uttanasana
lunge
warrior I dance
vinyasa with baby cobra and locust
other side

tadasana
YAM

warrior I
eagle arms
eagle
warrior III
standing splits
lunge
pigeon
janushirsanana with twist and side stretch
vinyasa

other side

twisted root

savasana

sit

OM
Namaste!

Prototypes Women's Center: Be with Youself. 6.6.11

We had too many students today to use our usual room so we took our class outside. Because it is a more difficult space to work in, we practiced in a circle today.

Since we had just fininshed a session where we came head to head with self loathing and shame, we worked in our asana practice to soften the tight spots in the body and try to find a ilttle less sharpness to the opnion of ourselves.

sukasana

spine rocks
forward fold
other side

sukasana side bending

tadasana
forward fold

shoulder rolls
swamp monster/halleluja

guitar hero arms

warrior II dance
wide leg forward fold
other side

trikonasana
other side

tadasana

windshield wiper

eye of the needle

easy spine twist

savasana

sit
Namaste

1:1 sign papers

Prototypes Women's Center: Brain, Addiction, and Recovery. 6.6.11

The house is full and we had a packed class today. I'd thought I'd teach the kleshas, but I let what come up in the check in today be the topic for the class since there were many new faces and quite a lot going on!

Check in with one 'shiny' word in your recovery. Many routes to go here but one interesting thread was how (via Brene Brown) numbing goes both ways..towards masking pain and discomfort as well joy, happiness, serenity. Recovery is the capacitiy to hold both ends of the spectrum.

Sutra 1.12 a tranquil mind is equal parts effort and surrender.

The check in took a while and at the end the women were sleepy and slighly bored. Tough gig after lunch.

So we all stood up and did Crazy 8's.

Noticing feeling a bit more awake and alive. We talked about effort and showing up.

The we talked about the seeming opposite of surrender.

Talked about the experience of doing both at the same time.
Question of will came up, and why we practice interernal awareness because its all about how it feels.

Many times is was brought up about how bad they feel about themselves..lot of self hate and shame (not their words, but what was being expressed).

We recallted the notion of avidya and spoke how this is a case of avidya.

We closed with one positive thing about ourselves and I assigned 'homework' to make a list of 10 things to bring to class next week.

Yoga Blue: A Practice of Pratyahara

Contempletative practice checking in with the subtle energy, with particular attention on the feeling of support, grounding, ease, and spaciousness.

Impresssing the heart at wall
Shoulder openers over bricks
Rest

Pada gustasana at wall with strap

Sukasana side bending x2

Malasana

Uttithatadasana
Tadadana

Shoulder rolls
Swamp monster/halleluja
Shoulder openers with strap
Uttanasana with strap

tadasana
OM

lunge
hammock
warrior II dance
trikonasana
tadasana
other side

tadasana

tree at wall

tree with brick at wall

tadasana
shiffman pause

uttanasana
malasana

windshield wiper

bridge
easy twist
bridge easy twist

rest in neutral

Yin sphinx
crocodile

rest

supported savasana

sit
OM
Namaste!

Vinyasa Basics: The Sound of Surrender. 6.2.11

Windshield wiper

Padagustasana and twist with strap
Rest
OM

Rolling vinyasa x2

Balasana

Extended tabletop vinyasa
Easy side plank
Lunge variation
Toe stretch
Extended tabletop
Twisted tabletop variation

Vinyasa
Other side side plank variation sequence

Barell roll

Downdog
Walking feet
Tadasana
YAM

Warrior I
Parsvatadasana
Tadasana
Other side
Tadasana

Gratitude meditation
HAM

Lunge
Hammock
Warrior ii dance
Peaceful warrior
Side angle
Pigeon variation

Vinyasa with locust variations
Other side standing sequence
Balasana
Bridge
Twisted root

Savasana
OM

Sit

OM
Namaste!