Vinyasa Basics: Befriending the unknown. 3.29.12

Breath, mantra, and asana practices today to befriend the unknown.

Sukasana
pranayama alignment
heart meditation
OM

sukasana forward fold
sukasana side bending

easy side plank

sphinx

plank
downdog

uttithatadasana with side bending
tadasana
YAM

Tapping the Anahata

tadasana
YAM
lunge
twisted lunge
hammock
low crescent
other side

vinyasa with baby cobra, locust, and locust variation
other side

tadasana
LAM

lunge
hammock
warrior II dance
anahata qi gong
vinyasa

other side

pigeon
three leg dog
revolved dog option
vinyasa
other side

supine windshield wiper

twisted root
rest
other side
OM

savasana

sit
OM
Namaste

Vinyasa Basics: No learning can happen without love. 3.27.12

We discussed that the practices of yoga help us see aspects of ourselves that perhaps have been hidden from our view and practiced looking within through the eyes of the heart. As Krishna said to Arjuna 'no learning can happen without love'

We used a chakra map to tune to subtle energies, particularly the muladara, manipura, anahata, and ajna.

baddha konasana yin style

pada gustasana with twist and side bend

sukasana heart meditation
OM

cat
cow
balasana
puppy dog

plank
downdog

tadasana
YAM
lunge
twisted lunge
hammock
low crescent
hamstring stretch

downdog
plank
spinx
reverse windshield wiper
plank
downdog
other side

utkatasana
tadasana

shoulder opener with strap
uttanasana with strap

tadasana

lunge
hammock
warrior II dance
three leg dog
vinyasa with cobra variation
other side

balasana with ajna meditation

bridge x2
cosmic rest

twisted root

savasana

sit
OM
Namaste

Prototypes Women's Center: Freedom. 3. 26.12

Our first hour together we picked up on our discussion of Freedom. Since the word gets kicked around recovery circles often, we found it useful to ask the question, 'freedom from what?'. Some of the answers were guilt, fear, the past, drugs, low self esteem. One woman also said 'ourself'. Which was precisely the point I was headed for. As Ravi Ravindra puts it, not freedom for ourselves, freedom from ourselves".

Recovery as an inside job, meaning these aspects we are seeking freedom from are generated from the inside out. Echos what yogi's say that the answers, and peace are found within.

discussion of 'new freedom' and 'new happiness'..one of the promises of AA.

discussion of the western model of freedom and the eastern model, and some recovery models offering a blend of the two.

The invitation today was to see all aspects of ourself and make room for it all. As Swami Sita puts it , it is a freedom that 'liberates us from repeating the same things over again that caused us pain in the first place.

presentation of the chakras as internal maps to guide us in recovery.

BREAK

The second hour was cut a little short due to some Prototypes house business. We had about 30 minutes so we used a gentle practice to become more intimate with the feeling tone of freedom as well as tether the teaching of freedom as an inside job.

supine
breathing into the low belly pranayama
svadisthana information

shimmy

eye of the needle

sukasana side bending

sit (about 3 mins!!)
OM

Namaste

Prototypes Women's Center: Subtle Anatomy. 3.19.12

This is a new attempt to share the chakras. Instead of a 'lecture' with handouts, we pulled way back at first to talk about western and eastern maps, and tried to point of similarities and differences along with way with real world examples (many coming from the women themselves). It was lively and interesting, and I think useful to pull the covers back from the 'mysteriousness' of the subtle anatomy.

These ideas help women feel more grounded and present, as addiction to drugs and alcohol mask any true connection to subtle anatomy. Many describe feeling particularly wierd, and uncomfortable in their own skin, especially in early recovery. This road map seemed useful and inviting to explore the new and strange sensation often described by the women.

Acupressure points practice and discussion.
Eastern and Western medicine, Nerves, Nadis, Meridians, and Subtle anatomy discussion.
Wrist and hand fascia stretch a la Patricia Sullivan and discussion.
So often the word 'Freedom' is associated with recovery. What does Freedom really feel like? Pain as 'stuck' prana.
Chakra map and discussion

Vinyasa Basics: Enjoy your Life! 3. 20.12

We played in the paradox of making an effort to find ease in the flavor of sutra 2.24, 1.12. We used a gratitude practice, sutra 1.33 cues and the taoist cycle of creativity as inspiration for the anahata.

supine

windshield wiper
apenasana
supine para gustasana and twist with strap
other side

(meant to work with alternate nostril breathing but forgot!)

easy side plank

plank
downdog

uttansana with gentle side to side
uttatadasana with side bend
tadasana
YAM

shoulder rolls
uttanasana variation
tadasana

gratitude meditation

tadasana
lunge
hammock
low crescent
other side with shoulder opener

downdog
sphinx
crocodile
balasana with ajna meditation

plank
downdog

tadasana
shoulder/neck opener
wrist stretch a la Patricia Sullivan

tadasana
lunge
side angle prep
trikonasana
half moon
standing splits
tadasana
other side

supine windshield wiper
bridge x2

twisted root

savasana

sit
OM
Namaste

Prototypes Women's Center: Can the Thoughts effect our feelings? 3.5. 12

This is a combined blog of two hour long back to back classes at Prototypes.

We had many new women at the center and I taught again about the Central Nervous System and Recovery. It was exiting to hear some of the women who have been there for a while say and answer some often-posed questions during the "lecture" like 'parasympathetic" and 'Am I Safe'. This all is highly useful information for peeps in recovery. We then moved on to the kleshas.

It was one of those days where it seemed like I had audience 'plants', but I assure you I did not! The questions the women raised played exactly into where I was headed in the lecture, so the material flowed. One of the favorite questions which really lead the classes today was 'can the thoughts change the way I feel'.

Our practices today played with this and it was powerful medicine.


CNS, ANS, PNS, SNS lecture
Am I safe?

Discussion of Thoughts

Presentation of Kleshas

Practice:

Nadi Sodhana following the movement of the breath with movement of mind

So Hum meditation

Hum So meditation
discussion, if a simple mantra can do this, what do you think happens when we have thoughts like "I hate myself", "I am not worth it", I'm a loser, There is not hope for me...etc. This provoked a massive quiet and stillness in the room. Followed by much liberated discussion. It was very exciting to hear the women talk about this concept in their own words.

windshield wiper

eye of the needle

sukasana side bending

tadasana
uttanasana

shoulder rolls and shurgs

lunge salutes

cobra
locust play

bridge

easy twist

savasana

sit
Namaste

Vinyasa Basics: Sat Chit Ananda. 3.6.12

We used the asana practice to learn about sutra 2.3, the koshas and the feeling tone of sat chit ananda.

legs up wall
Sat Chit Ananda

supine rest

pada gustasana with strap

shimmy

sukasana side bending

cat
cow
barrel roll

child's pose play

plank
downdog

uttanasana
uttithatadasana
tadasana

shoulder shrugs
shoulder rolls
uttanasana variation

tadasana
YAM

lunge
low crescent
hammock
twisted lunge
other side with hammock shoulder stretch

balasana
gratitude meditation

plank
downdog

uttanasana
malasana
utkatasana
tadasana
OM

tree

uttansana
malasana

bridge
cosmic rest

eye of needle
twisted root
rest

other side

savasana

sit
sat chit ananda
you are the beloved meditation

namaste