Soft Vinyasa: Aligning the heart with Ahimsa: 6.19.12

We played in the alignment instructions of breath, mantra, and ahimsa.

upside chair at wall
pranayama with brahmari variation
OM

cat
cow
barell
balasana
sphinx

plank
downdog
uttanasana
uttithatadasaan
uttanasana variation
tadasana
YAM

uttanasana
cowboy negociation with heart opener

uttantanasana
tadasana
LAM

lunge
hammock/big dog
warrior II dance
low crescent
vinyasa with baby cobra and locust
other side with hammock variation and low lunge variation

vinyasa with locust variation
balasana

pigeon
ardha maseydrasana both sides
box or sukasana

vinyasa
other side

sit (3 mins)
gratitude meditation

twisted root

savasana

sit
OM
Namaste

Prototypes Women's Center: sutra 1.33. 6. 18.12

How do you feel?

Why did you drink/drug?

presentation of 1.33. We got stuck on friendliness as most people had some difficulty accessing it. We talked about different ways of knowing. It came up that we get to learn things anew in recovery. discovered we had people be friends right here and how prototypes was a perfect place to practice.

We got to maitri, karuna, and mudita

in the asana section we payed particular interest in turnign 1.33 inward.

breathing room at wall
sacrum/ SI joint
second set breathing room at wall wide and down

tadasana
uttanasana
shoulder shrugs
shoulder rolls
uttanasana varitaion

standing neck stretches

tadasana
utanasana

downdog

eye of the needle

sukasana side bending

maitri experiment in sukasana

discussion

bridge to open capacity of the heart

easy spine twist

savasana

sit
Namaste
papers 1:1

Sweet Vinyasa. Camel. Soft Vinyasa. 6.12.12

We used Camel to play with opening our hearts to the unknown.

supine pada gustastasana with strap and twist

meditation of 'unknowning'
OM

cat
cow
easy side plank
flying cat/cow
balasana

balasana
sphinx

balasana variation

plank
downdog
uttanasana
uttithatadasana
tadasana
shoulder rolls
uttanasana variation

tadasana
YAM

lunge
twisted lunge
hammock
warrior II
low crescent
tadasana
LAM
other side wtih hammock variation

vinyasa with baby cobra, locust, and locust variation

Camel play x2

balasana
malasana
uttantasana
tadasana
walk about

tadasana
(tree would have been fun here, in retrospect)
malasnaa

windshield wiper

eye of the needle
twist
other side

savasana

sit
OM
Namaste

Soft Vinyasa: Sit and Love. 6.5.12

Similar sequence as Monday, but more emphasis leading to sitting. I have found Meister Eckhart's " what we receive in contemplation, we give out in love"  useful for a sitting practice. Its a similar feeling to Krishnamurti's "generosity of the heart is the beginning of mediation".

Hip openers are yummy too as prep for sitting.

Legs up the wall on bolster
gratitude meditation
OM
Eye of the needle at wall
Upavista konasana at wall
cat
cow
balasana
sphinx

easy side plank with variation
plank
downdog
uttanasana
uttithatadasana
uttanasana variation
tadasana
YAM
lunge
twisted root
hammock
warrior II dance
low crescent
vinyasa with baby cobra and locust
balasana
other side
vinyasa with locust variation
downdog
pigeon
mermaid prep
ardha matseyendrasana
box or sukasana
paschimotadasana
vinyasa
other side
sit (5 mins)
sharing heart meditation
supported heart opener over bolster
savasana
sit
OM x 3
Namaste

Prototypes Women's Center. Chose Maitri, Feel Freedom.. 6.4.12

We had a 2 hour session today.

1st hour: Some Useful Tools For Freedom.

What makes you nervous?

What is the common thread?

The Am I Safe lecture, with presentation of the ANS.

Pranayama exercises with negative thoughts.

Discussion of sutras 1.12 and 1.34.

Sutra 1.33

Break

2nd hour: Practice Feeling Freedom.

supine

noticing the movement of the breath in the nostrils pranayama
discussion

Eye of the Needle

discussion

tadasana

guitar hero

tadasana

easy lunge salutes

bridge

twisted root

savasana

Sweet Vinyasa. Contemplation and love, practice and prayers. 6.4.12.

Subbing for Kira this morning.

I have been moved by this passage from Ravi Ravindra's diary-style book "Heart Without Measure", p. 19

"I have had a long-standing question about the relationship between the strength needed for action in the world and the lightness necessary for contacting the spiritual realm. In practice, in general, I am pulled either one way or the other. Somewhere I understand the need for balancing the two. I believe it was Meister Eckhart who said, 'what we receive in contemplation, we give out in love' ".

I have personally started to access this feeling tone through the doorway of a gratitude meditation practice.

These were the inspirations for class this morning.

Legs up the wall on bolster
gratitude meditation
OM

Eye of the needle at wall

Upavista konasana at wall

cat
cow
balasana
sphinx

plank
downdog
uttanasana
uttithatadasana
uttanasana variation

tadasana
YAM

lunge
twisted root
hammock
warrior II dance
low crescent

vinyasa with baby cobra and locust
balasana

other side

vinyasa with locust variation

downdog

pigeon
mermaid prep
ardha matseyendrasana
box or sukasana

paschimotadasana

vinyasa

other side

sit (5 mins)
sharing heart meditation

supported heart opener over bolster

savasana

sit
OM x 3
Namaste