Sweet Vinyasa: What's stealing your peace? Monday, May 20, 2013.

The yama asteya, non-stealing, has come to my attention in part as a result of Kira's workshop this weekend involving the study of the first two rungs of Patanjali's 8 limb path. I'd always breezed over asteya, as my understanding of non-stealing has been in the outermost levels and the  obviousness of non-stealing made this yama "boring ". But, like any relationship, the closer you pay attention and have interest, the more interesting it becomes. The invitation of the yoga practice is to look deeper, into the more subtle. I found myself asking "what's actually stealing my peace? What's blocking my willingness to see more clearly? Its less about the 'things' and 'people', or life and situations, and all about my thoughts and my relationship to the awesomeness that's clearly right here and now.

windshield wiper
supine pada gustasana and twist with strap at wall
manipura meditation
RAM

cat
cow
puppy dog

rainbow with OMG variations
flying cow

plank
downdog with foot play

uttanasana
uttithatadasana
shoulder roll
uttanasana variation
tadasana
shoulder rolls and shrugs

tadasana on brick play
(noticing how hands help balance)

tadasana
RAM

lunge
warrior I dance
parvatadasana
warrior III aligning with asteya
pigeon
three leg dog
wild thing option
downdog
plank
baby cobra
locust
balasana
other side (fresh)

from downdog
plank
locust variation

balasana
paschimotadasana

foot rub and observation

seated twist

savasana

sit
OM
Namaste

Sweet Vinyasa: From the perspective of the breath: Wednesday, May 16. 2013

Asmita, translates as 'I am this, I am that'. So Ham, the sound of the breath, translates as simply I Am. We played today in the wider perspective of the breath.

 Windshield wiper
Wall supine pada gustasana w strap
Gratitude meditation
YAM bath


Cat
Cow
Barrel roll

Plank
Downdog
Uttanasana
Uttithatadasana
Tadasana
Repeat

Tadasana
OM

Lunge
Warrior 11 dance
Standing Texas star
Standing upavista konasana
Hammock
Low crescent with side dips
Downdog
Uttanasana
Tadasana
Other side with standing twist in hammock

Downdog
Plank
Baby cobra
Locust

Reclining Buddha

Bridge x2

Twisted root

Savasana

Sit
OM
Namaste

Yin Yoga and Meditation: The experience of the radiant self: Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Our discussion revolved around the practice suggested by Buddha of "mindfulness in the body", the measuring manos mind, and the experience of the inner radiance as described by Patanjali in sutra 1.36.

sit 5 mins

butterfly 4.5 mins

swan or supine eye of the needle 3.5 each side with 2 min or so rest

balasana 2 mins
lunge 3.5 mins each side

sphinx/seal 3.5 mins

twisted root 3 mins each side

sit/savasana 13 mins
sit/savasana 4 mins

namaste

Prototypes Women's Center: Maitri and meditation: Monday, May 13, 2013

Discussion: What is yoga?
some of the answers were:
relaxation
meditation
peace
feeling better

We explored the definition of yoga found in the Bhagavad Gita as "yoga is breaking the bonds of suffering"

at wall:
breath into extended side
round two, breath into low back and sacrum

we explored sutra 1.34 (taking a deep breath to calm the mind)

we explored a maitri meditation to calm the mind. We emphasized the idea of practicing friendliness..it is a tool. This is difficult for many women. We found finding a safe place (ie beach, mountains, etc) usually was easier than a person or pet.

Does it matter what we're thinking

Alternate nostril breath experiement

BREAK

yoga practice

supine back of heart meditation

eye of the needle

tadasana
shoulder rolls and shrugs

guitar hero

crazy eights

uttanasana

lunge
low crescent
balasana
other side lunge

bridge x2

twisted root or easy spine twist

savasana

sit
Namaste

Alano Club: Breath, Expansion and You: Monday, May 13, 2013

The yogis of ayurveda say to move slowly during the heat to conserve energy. We used the practice tonight to practice moving slowly and pay closer attention to what is really happening.

windshield wiper with side bend

experiment with supine legs

three part breath awareness

all fours wrist exercise

easy side plank with courtesy

barrel roll

low lunge
pigeon variation
low crescent
balasana
other side

twisted root or easy spine twist

sit or savasana 13 mins
namaste

Sweet Vinyasa: Slow Down and Notice: Monday, May 13, 2013

The weather in Ojai has been hot tamale lately. Ayurvedic practitioners suggest we slow down in the heat to conserve our energy. We took our practice this morning to slow down and take notice of our magnificent selves. Sutra 1.36 came to visit us.

supported reclining Buddha

sit (2 mins)
gratitude meditation
OM

all fours wrist exploration
spread fingers wide shoulder circles
turn wrists  fingers out to the side and shoulder circles
turn wrists fingers towards knees with balasana

easy side plank
plank variation
plank variation with balasana
flying cow
other side

plank
downdog
uttanasana
gorilla

uttithatadasana
uttanasana variation
repeat

tadasana with sama breath play
YAM

lunge
warrior II dance
trikonasana
standing Texas Star
hammock
low crescent

plank
downdog
baby cobra
swimming locust
plank
downdog
other side

tadasana
YAM

Dancing Shiva play

uttanasana
downdog
plank
heart support rest
supine heart support rest

eye of needle
half happy baby

YAM heart bath
other side

supported savasana

sit
OM
Namaste

Sweet Vinyasa: Radiance Free From Sorrow: 5.8.13

We used Sutra 1.36 "experience inner radiance free from sorrow" as our primary alignment today.

Sit

Sukasana forward fold and two way side bend

Sit

Malasana with twist option

Uttanasana
Uttitha tadasana
Tadadana

Shoulder rolls
Uttanasana variation

Tadasana

Lunge salutes

Lunge
Warrior 11 dance
Triangles
StandingTexas star
Hammock

Lunge
Downdog
Plank
Baby cobra

Barrel roll
Other side

Twist on all fours

Pigeon
Supine tree

Bridge x2

Twisted root

Savasana


Sit
Namaste

Yin Yoga: YIn and Restorative similar and different: 5.7.13

The question came up about different styles of yoga so we used that as some talking points. And making the general observation that the yoga asanas are, in part, about self study (swadyaya) and seeing more clearly.

impressing the heart

butterfly

swan
half gomukasana

lunge

saddle

restorative twist over bolster

sit
sit/savasana

Sweet Vinyasa: Aligning with Ananda: 5.6.13

The yogis say there are three properties of each and everyone of us..Sat, Chit and Ananda. We played in the realm of ananda whilst we used breath, mantra, and movement in our practice of self study (swadyaya).

windshield wiper with side length

supine pada gustasana and twist with strap

cat
cow
puppy dog with arm variation

plank
downdog

arch torture play

downdog

uttanasana
uttithatadasana
tadasana
YAM

lunge
twisted lunge
hammock
horse
prasrita pada gustasana
downdog
baby cobra
locust
locust play
other side with skandasana and chinese splits play

downdog
rolling plank
rolling to updog x2

supine knees to chest
twisted root

sit
OM
Namaste

Teaching Yoga to Addicts: Relationship: 5.5.13

We worked with the definition of yoga from the Bhagavad Gita as 'breaking the bonds of suffering', and the unconscious relationship with our addictions, is suffering because it holds us back from our Sat Chit Ananda. The body in some way knows we are Divine and it is very painful to not see it clearly. So we practice, practice, and practice. And remember.

Opening question/comment: Which comes first the chicken or the egg? (the freedom or the klesha?). This question will continue to draw me in. Thank you.

Practice: (I believe it went something like this..)

windshield wiper variation
eye of the needle variation
cat/cow barrel roll

reclining buddha

plank
downdog
uttanasana
malasana
tadasana

at wall
side stretch
tadasana with breath
breath in lower back/sacrum awareness
side stretch variation
wall uttanasana
wall malasana

uttanasana
tadasana

downdog
sphinx
baby cobra
locust
locust variation
balasana

seated practice and discussion with sutra 1.33
Maitri
Karuna

bridge
bridge/wheel

supported twist over bolster
savasana

BREAK

circle and share
comments and questions

safe touch exercise
discussion

mini break

circle
Loka Samastha Sukhino Bhavantu
Namaste

Teaching Yoga To Addicts: Parasympathetic and Sympathatic, Squirrel and Klesha:

We examined a wider view of addiction,  riffing off the Tibetian mantra ' already healed, already whole'. A loose, working definition become something like 'that which holds us back from not seeing our divine self clearly.'

We played in the practices of sutra 1.34 (the breath) and sutra 1.12 (abhyasa and surrender) and in the model of how the mind works as described by the kleshas (sutra  2.3).


Opening hello and gathering:
Notice who is here and showing up. Practicing ease in learning names and  "please tell me again, what's your name?'

Asana Practice:
windshield wiper

supine knee to chest with "soccer kick" noticing effects of grip
supine pada gustasana and twist using strap
rest
"naming the feeling"

into to parasympathetic nervous system
tailbone awareness
cervical spine awareness

shimmy

cat/cow
barrel roll
balasana
puppy dog

plank
downdog
uttanasana
tadasana
shoulder rolls and shrugs

standing shoulder opener with strap

Crazy 8's

(this lead to a wonderful discussion of shaking off traumatic stress aka "Squirrel")

tadasana
1/4 sun salutes x3

lunge
low crescent or hanamunasana
other side

balasana

with chairs
pranayama practice with the thoughts experiment

twisted root

waterfall

sit
OM
Namaste

break

circle
Autonomic Nervous System discussion and demonstration.  Sutra 1.34
Klesha and tree imagery discussion

Homework assignment:
notice the kleshas and breath into them
begin to notice what has you in its grip the most, As you begin to see it more clearly allow it to be the juice of your class. Begin to think about what this might look like
Read Schiffmann article and Joel Kramer article
Watch Gil Hedleys videos

A yogi asked 'who is Gil Hedley?'. After much swooning from Lulu peeps we read one of his poems from our manual.

heart opener over bolster with 3 part pranayama

sit
OM
Namaste

Teaching Yoga to Addicts: Teacher Training Friday Evening: Meeting. 5.3.13

This evening we made a beginning to meet some of the yogic practices useful for teaching this population. And then we met each other with discussions about how the practices meet us for self care and care for others.

Welcome and Yoga Sutra 1.1
Atha Yoga Anushasanam.
Here and Now, if all the conditions are correct, the teachings of yoga will begin.

Practice:

Windshield wiper

Eye of the Needle

Sukasana side bending

Tadasana
Uttanasana
Uttithatadasana
Tadasana

Shoulder rolls and shrugs

Guitar Hero

Tadasana

Lunge
Low Crescent
Tadasana
other side

Balasana

Easy spine twist

Supported savasana

Sit
Namaste

Break

Circle
Journal sessions:
What are you thinking about/what has you in its grip?
What are you learning lately? On and off the mat.
Why are you here?
What are you hoping to learn this weekend?

Share and meet

Some of the themes that our weaving our group:
Yoga and Self Care
Service
Breathwork
The many levels and flavors of addiction
Sharing practices of yoga and sharing ourselves

Homework:
write out the names and something you remember about each person here
write out the yoga practice sequence
Read "The Effort Effect"

The Four Parts of OM
Sit

Namaste

Yin Yoga: OM and Asmita: 5.1.13

sit
OM

baddha konasana

pigeon or eye at wall

balasana
lunge

sphinx/seal

twisted root

sit 15 mins
sit/savasana 5 mins

namaste

Sweet Vinyasa: Where "I" am not. 5.1.13

Samadi is where I am not. The I gets in the way of seeing our awesomeness. We used breath, mantra and movement to find the Sat Chit Ananda just waiting for us to see.
 
OM on bricks with states of Iness

cat
cow
balasana

arch torture with downdog

balasana
puppy dog with variation

plank
downdog

uttanasana with hamstring stretch

tadasana

at Wall
relationships can help side breath awareness
tatoo spot awareness

tadasana
forward fold
lunge
warrior I
parvatadasana
warrior III
standing splits
pigeon
wild thing
tadasana
YAM
other side

baby cobra
locust
swimming locust

bridge
twisted root

savasana

sit
OM
Namaste