Sweet Vinyasa: Let your Light Shine: 9.26.12

We used attachments to guide us towards freedom.

windshield wiper

janushirsasana with twist using strap at wall

cat/cow freeform

easy side plank with flying dog

plank
downdog
uttanasana with twist

uttithatadasana
tadasana
RAM

shoulder rotations
uttanasana variation

standing neck stretches

tadasana
YAM

lunge
low crescent
twisted lunge
hammock
trikonasana
extended trikonasana
side angle
lunge
uttanasana
tadasana
standing ganesha

downdog
plank
baby cobra
downdog
other side with skandasana

vinyasa (out of order but I think it was OK)
standing ganesha

vinysasa with locust variation

eye of the needle
twisted root

other side

savasana

sit
OM
Namaste

Sweet Vinyasa: Asmita, Attachments, and Freedom: 9.24.12

Attachments get a bad wrap. As Ravi Ravindra has said, Asmita is a good servant, but a terrible master. We played in the realm of feeling asmita and used movement, breath, and mantra to make our way to freedom, just on the other side!

Some of the physical landmarks were the feet (motor organ of the will), the hands (motor organ of the heart), the manipura, and the anahata.

windshield wiper
at wall janushirsasana and twist using strap

easy side plank with flying dog

balasana
sphinx

balasana variation

plank
downdog

downdog play

uttanasana
uttanasana w twist

uttithatadasana
tadasaana

shoulder shrugs
shoulder openers with strap

tadasana
angeli mudra
YAM

lunge
twisted lunge
hammock
triangle
extended triangle
extended side angle
lunge
low crescent
lunge
uttanasana
tadasana

standing balance pose
tadasana
uttanasana
downdog
plank
baby cobra
locust variation
all fours
other side

from vinyasa

downdog
curling dog landing in pigeon
seated twist
cow face with tilt
 
other side

paschimotadasana

supported heart opener over bolster

savasana

sit
OM
Namaste

Sweet Vinyasa: Jewels Within: 9.19.12

The manipura translates as "city filled with jewels". We used the practice of breath, movement, and mantra to connect to our internal jewels.

chair at wall
Patricia Sullivan brahmari pranayama
manipura meditation
RAM

cat
cow
balasana
sphinx

easy side plank with flying dog

downdog with heels play

uttanasana
utttithatadasana
tadasana
OM

shoulder shrugs
shoulder rolls
swamp monster/halleluja

standing neck stretches

tadasana
YAM

lunge
hammock
triangle
extended trikonasana
side angle
lunge
low crescent
lunge
uttanasana
tadasana
other side with squirt pose from hammock

downdog
plank
baby cobra
locust
locust variation
balasana

navasana play

pea pod

eye of the needle
twist
other side

savasana

sit
OM
Namaste

Prototypes Women's Center: Please breathe. 9.17.12

True or False?

“The process of breathing is the most accurate metaphor we have for the way that we personally approach life, how we live our lives, and how we react to the inevitable changes that life brings us.”

-------- Donna Farhi “The Breathing Book”

Discussion of Farhi's quote and review of 'homework' (next time you are in a state of 'crisis' or 'tight spot')

Some popular references to the breath:

“A breath of fresh air”

“You take my breath away”

“I couldn’t catch my breath”

“Simply breathtaking!”

“She was breathing down my neck”

“I need some breathing room”

“I breathed a sign of relief”

“’I’m taking a breather”

Breath as Spirit/Soul and some examples from other cultures:

Greek – psychie pneuma = breath/spirit/soul

Latin – anima spiritus = breath/soul

Japanese – ki = air/spirit

Sanscrit – prana = vital life force

Chinese – “of the conscious self or heart”

Breathing Exercise at Wall - finding more breathing room. What it actually feels like. We also touched on the primary and secondary muscles of respiration.

 

Breathing meditation - notice the breath, the length of the inhale and exhale, the texture of the breath, the qualites of your breath.

 

“Since it is naturally inside you, you do not have to seek outside for it”

----Master Great Nothing of Sung-Shan, Taoist Canon on Breathing

Sweet Vinyasa: You are Enough. 9.17.12

We practiced with attention on the manipura, the seat of the will, translated as 'city filled with jewels'.

upside down chair at wall
grounding breath
snake breath pranayama
manipura meditation
RAM

freeform cat/cow/barell

easy side plank with inner thigh and soul of foot stretch
flying dog
other side

plank
downdog, left, right, center
sphinx

uttanasana
uttithatadasana
tadasana
YAM

shouder shrugs
shoulder rolls
uttanasana variation

standing neck stretches

tadasana prana play on brick
tadasana

lunge
twisted lunge
hammock
triangle
extended triangle
extended side angle
low crescent
lunge
uttanasana
tadasana
other side

downdog
plank
cobra variation
locust variation

balasana

navasana play

pea pod

bridge
supported bridge
cosmic rest

"Enough" by David Whyte

windshield wiper

savasana

sit
OM
Namaste

Sweet Vinyasa: See and Surrender to the beauty within. 9.12.12

We used the practice to tap into our internal 'city filled with jewels', with special attention to the exhale breath.

supine chair at wall
snake hissing pranayama
manipura meditation
OM

cat
cow

easy side plank with flying dog

balasana

sphinx

plank
downdog

uttanasana
utttithatadasana with side stretch
utanasana variation
other side

tadasana
YAM

lunge
warrior I
pyramid
lunge
downdog
plank
cobra
locust variation
plank
downdog
other side

uttanasana variation
gorilla pose
tadasana

meridian massage

tadasana

lunge
warrior I
parvatadasana with arm variation
lunge
pigeon
three leg dog
revolved dog
vinyasa with baby cobra and locust variation
balasana

repeat other side

supine
happy baby

bridge

twisted root

savasana

sit
OM
Namaste

Prototypes Women's Center: What thoughts are stealing your peace? 9.10.12

Intros with name and favorite flower

What thoughts have you in your grip?

Alternate nostril breathing exploration

"Latest worry" breath exploration

Deep breathing with "lastest worry" exploration

Sutra 1.2

Asteya - what thoughts are stealing your peace

Gratitude list

Gratitude breath exploration

BREAK

Asana practice:

supine 3 deep breaths

eye of the needle

sukasana side bending

cat
cow
balasana
puppy dog

easy side plank

plank
downdog

uttanasana

tadasana

uttithatadasana with shoulder/heart support

tadasana

guitar hero

lunge salutes with low crescent

balasana

bridge x2

easy twist/twisted root

savasana

sit
namaste

Sweet Vinyasa: Abundance and Asteya. 9.10.12

Our practice today helped touch the abundance within.

Heart opener over bolster with manipura meditation
Om
Windshield wiper

Supine rest with abundance meditation

Cat
Cow
Balasana
Puppy dog

Easy side plank with flying dog

Plank
Downdog

Uttanasana
Uttitha tadasana w shoulder support
Tadasana

Tadasana play on brick

Tadasana
Lunge
Twisted lunge
Hammock
Horse
Lunge
Low crescent

uttanasana
tadasana
other side with squirt pose after hammock

guitar hero

balance pose at wall

tadasana

uttanasana

downdog

plank
cobra
cobra/locust variation

eye of needle
twisted root
other side

savasana

sit
OM
Namaste

Sweet Vinyasa: moving with attention: 9.5.12

We spent our practice noticing the effects of moving, and noticing the effects of stillness, noting the mind is sometimes harder to 'still'. We used the technique of the breath and the mantra of OM to help find quiet in the heart.

 I tried to teach some new poses today. Didn't feel the talking points were as connected. 'new' sharings came up spontaneously, as often do, but today suprised me more than normal. Yoga seems to work/get communicated just fine anyway....and I'm always grateful for the opportunity to be in a practice.

windshield wiper

supta pada gustasana with twist using strap

gratitude meditation

cat
cow
balasana
puppy dog

easy side plank with flying dog

plank
downdog
uttanasana
tadasana

shoulder shrugs
guitar hero
sliding shoulders
standing twist
uttanasana variation
tadasana
YAM

lunge
warrior I
parvatadasana
lunge
downdog
baby cobra
locust
downdog
other side

tadasana
OM

lunge
warrior I
revolved triangle
parvatadasana
lunge
pigeon
seated janushirsasana
vinyasa with baby cobra, and cobra
other side

supine
windshield wiper
bridge
supported bridge with supported shoulderstand option

easy spine twist

savasana

sit
Om
Namaste

Sweet Vinyasa: Santosha, sutra 1.12, and breath: 9.3.12

I riffed off the idea of it being a holiday to invite in a feeling tone of leisure. We talked about (sutra 2.42), sutra 1.12, and sutra 1.34


Reclining Buddha with quad stretch and heart opener

gratitude meditation
OM

cat
cow
balasana
sphinx

balasana variation

plank
downdog
uttananasana
cowboy negociation

uttithatadasana with side stretch
uttanasana variation
tadasana

YAM

lunge
hammock
warrior II prep with elvis hips
warrior II dance
low crescent
other side

vinyasa with baby cobra
locust variation

supine shoulder openers

balasana

downdog

vinyasa with baby cobra and cobra

downdog

pigeon
revolved head to knee
other side

sukasana sit (4 mins)
OM

windshield wiper
easy spine twist

savasana

sit
OM
Namaste

Soft Vinyasa: Seasons and Sutra 1.12. 8.18.12

About timing of seasons, timing wisdom of body. sutra 1.12, Rumi tripping over joy.


Legs up  the wall
Eye of the needle at wall
Baddha konasana at wall

Easy side plank
Barrell roll
Sphinx
Plank
Downdog
Uttanasana
Gorilla

Tadasana
YAM
Lunge
Twisted lunge
Hammock
Low crescent
Hamstring play
Downdog
other side with skandasana
Vinyasa with
Cobra
Locust
Locust variation
Balasana

Plank
Downdog
uttanasana
tadasana
Standing Neck stretches
Tadasana
HAM
Downdog
Vinyasa with baby cobra and locust
Balasana
Hanamunasana play
Eye of the needle
Twisted root
Other side
Savasana

sit
OM
Namaste