Sweet Vinyasa: Of the Earth and the Heavens: Wednesday, July 24, 2013

The Rig Veda tells us we are "children of both the Earth and the Heavens". One significant feature of the mantra is a reminder to do our work here and now in this life. Its easy to get caught up in thinking what it should look like in this life, and key, according to the sages, is to widen your perception. This is harder than it sounds because it requires we drop into the unknown.

We were playing towards Hanumanasana and the spirit of devotion to the quiet within, but we didn't make it to the full splits because the temperature wasn't correct.

windshield wiper

pada gustasana with twist using strap

cat
cow

easy side plank with twist

downdog with hamstring play

uttanasana
tadasana

shoulder rolls and shrugs
shoulder opener with strap

standing neck stretches

tadasana

standing sequence:
lunge
twisted lunge
triangle
standing Texas star
hammock
low crescent with three part hamstring stretch

vinyasa with baby cobra and locust

repeat standing sequence

roll supine

rolling bridge x3

eye of the needle
twisted root
repeat

savasana

sit
OM
Namaste

Alano Club: Let the feeling of ease be your guide: Monday, July 22, 2013

One of the definitions of yoga is "breaking the bonds of suffering" (Bhagavad Gita). This is harder than it sounds because it requires we let go of the small self and what we 'know'.

windshield wiper

eye of the needle

supine three part breath exploration

sukasana side bending x2
gratitude meditation

cat/cow/barrel roll

low crescent
balasana with ajna meditation

twisted root

sit or savasana (10 mins)
sit or savasana (5 mins)

Namaste

Sweet Vinyasa: Shrada: Monday, July 22, 2013

Hanuman continues to hold my attention so we played with Hanumanasana at the wall. We touched in on ahimsa as our tether to Shrada, or faith. Not a blind faith, but faith based on an experience of feeling safe and spacious in the unknown.

We started in waterfall pose as a tribute to the glorious rainshowers in Ojai this morning.

This sequence is longer than is optimal for a 90 minute class.

Waterfall (legs up the wall with bolster)

Eye of the needle at wall

Upavista Konasana at wall

cat/cow

floor sequence #1
OMG
easy side plank
table twist
downdog

repeating  floor sequence #1

balasana with arch torture

downdog

lunge with pyramid

uttanasana
uttithatadasana
tadasana
YAM

gratitude meditation

standing sequence #1
lunge
low crescent
hamstring stretch
twisted lunge
triangle

downdog

baby cobra
locust
locust variation

barrel roll

plank
downdog
repeat standing sequence #1

tadasana
shoulder shrugs
shoulder rolls

standing neck stretches

at wall
hanumanasana play

tadasana
lunge
warrior I
parvatadasana
standing pada gustasanasa play

tadasana
uttanasana
malasana

bridge x2 (with wheel option)

twisted root

savasana

sit
OM
Namaste

Sweet Vinyasa: Jai Hanuman! Wednesday, July 17, 2013

A sequence inspired by Hanuman which required a letting go in the hamstrings as well as a letting go of how it should all look. It is a leap of love.

ajna support on bricks
sit (2 mins)
YAM

supine pada gustasana with twist using strap

cat/cow
easy side plank with reverse twist

balasana variation

plank
downdog
uttanasana
tadasana
OM

lunge using bricks with side bending

downdog
plank
baby cobra
locust

downdog
vasistasana

downdog
standing sequence:
lunge
twisted lunge
triangle
downdog
repeat standing sequence other side

balasana
prayer to the Earth
OM

hanumanasana play

bridge
twisted root

watery baddha konasana using bricks

savasana

sit
OM
Namaste

Yin Yoga: Peace, Prana and Practice: Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Buddha reportedly said that peace and quiet and wisdom can only be found through mindfulness in the body. We used the yin shapes to see our prana, vital life force more clearly, observing deep within the peace resulting from a quiet mind.

We also observed it takes practice because the mind tends towards distraction. The practices help us tether deeper down and in. Tonight our practices included some suggestions found in sutra 1.34 and 1.12.

windshield wiper

eye of the needle play

butterfly

swan or eye of the needle at wall

dragon
balasana

reverse windshield wiper
sphinx/seal

twisted root

savasana or sit (we only had 5 mins!)

namaste

Alano Club: Connection: Monday, July 15, 2012

The fluxuations of the mind, the vrittis, are the chief cause of not seeing the connection that already is, always has been and will be forever. We practiced logging some time in feeling connected, which is harder than it sounds because it requires we relax what we "know". In the present and in the unknown, appears to be the most quiet.

windshield wiper

supine hamstring stretch

pranayama practice three part breathing
heart meditation

sukasana side bending
sit (2 mins)

tadasana

shoulder rolls
swamp monster
halleluja

prana play

tadasana with anjali mudra

uttanasna

lunge with low crescent

twist with knee alignment constraint

sit or savasana (13 mins)
sit or savasana (3 mins)

namaste

Sweet Vinyasa: Letting Go of What You Know to See More Clearly: Monday, July 15, 2013

It seems counterintuitive to play in the space of the unknown, especially in the middle of a teacher training. But this is a practice the yogis continually invite us to dance in. We leaned into the support of sutras 1.1-1.4, and into three of the five kleshas, avidya, asmita, and abbenivesha.

We used the sama (same) breath as our primary alignment

We also did some new (to me) poses and sequences in an effort to practice the unknown as a teaching skill for myself. It is seeming ahimsa (non violation) is the alignment of being comfortable in the unknown.

watering the heart (or supporting the heart)
pranayama play holding our attention in the bottom of the exhale

supine hamstring stretch

cat/cow
easy side plank
twist
downdog
other side

downdog

uttanasana
malasana with twist
uttanasana
tadasana

uttitadasana with sama breath play

standing sequence #1
lunge
low crescent with sama breath play
downdog
baby cobra or locust

downdog
uttanasana
tadasana
gratitude meditation
YAM

standing sequence #2
lunge
warrior I
parvatadasana
warrior III with sama breath
standing splits
pigeon
supine tree
bridge

rolling to downdog

repeat standing sequence #2
with OM in supine tree

from bridge
twisted root

supported savasana

sit
OM
Namaste

Sweet Vinyasa: Brahma is where I am not: Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Leaning in to the Upanishads, we took the OM slowly and studied the different levels according to the Mandukya Upanishad, then did our best to move into action with a quiet mind which is the first suggestion on how to tap into the yoga that already is, according to Patanjali.

Some of the yogic definitions and descriptions of a silent mind are Brahma, Samadi, Delight, Quiet, God, among others.

Or, this class also can be simply called "hip openers"!

On bricks OM
A
O
M
OM x3

cat/cow
balasana with side stretch
earth OM prayer
puppy dog

plank
downdog
uttanasana
malasana with twist
uttanasana
tadasana
OM

guitar hero

standing sequence #1
lunge
twisted lunge
triangle
standing Texas star
hammock
low crescent
high crescent
tadasana
LAM

repeat standing sequence #2

from high crescent
downdog

rolling plank
rolling updog x2

downdog

standing sequence #2
 three leg dog with knee to nose, and elbow play
lunge
warrior I
parvatadasana
warrior III
standing splits with balance option
lunge
pigeon
supine tree with gratitude meditation
bridge

rolling to downdog
repeat standing sequence #2

from bridge

gomukasana
box

twisted root

savasana

sit
OM
Namaste

Yin Yoga: Self Study and Self Care: Tuesday July 9, 2013

Not a strict yin class in the classic sense, but in alignment with who showed up and in counterpose to the heat.

windshield wiper

eye of the needle

sukasana side bending

butterfly yin style
savasana

lunge yin style
balasana

reverse windshield wiper
sphinx yin style

reclining buddha

supported twist on bolster

savasana

sit
Namaste

Sweet Vinyasa: Feel the Yoga: Wednesday, July 3, 2013

Supported reclining Buddha

Sit (5 mins)

Cat/cow/Barrel roll freeform

Balasana
Puppy dog

Balasana play

Plank
Downdog

Uttanasana
Malassna with twist

Uttanasana
Shoulder rolls and shrugs

Guitar hero

Tadasana
Effortless effort

Standing sequence #1:
Lunge
Twist
Triangle
Standing Texas star
Hammock
Low crescent

Downdog

Other side Standing Sequence #1
Tadasana
YAM

Standing Sequence #2
Lunge
Warrior 1
Parsvatadasana
Warrior III
Standing splits
lunge
Pigeon
Supine tree
Bridge

rolling to downdog
repeat Standing Sequence #2

eye of the needle
twisted root

savasana

sit
OM
Namaste

Alano Club: In exploration of Brahma: Monday, July 8 2013

A sequence to assist in differentiating the skills of thinking and feeling. We also touched on effort and grace, practice and surrender, and began to explore the space between the apparent opposites, sometimes refered in the texts as Brahma.

Sit

Windshield wiper
Half happy baby
Eye of the needle

Supine gratitude meditation
Thinking/feeling gratitude study

Guitar hero
Uttanasana

Downdog

Easy side plank with cat cow

Barrel roll

Balasana with gratitude prayer

Bridge pose x2

Twisted root

Savasana/ sit
Savasana/ sit

Prototypes Women's Center: change is an inside job: Monday, July 8, 2013

Most of the women can track the events in their lives that led to the desire to get sober. Many women have a harder time tracking the feeling tone of making a change or transition.  We used an exercise of shoulder rotation exploration to assist in tracking what it feels like to navigate through the tight spots and the feeling tone of freedom on the other side.

then,

on belly
windshield wipers

sphinx/seal

knees to chest
eye of the needle

cat/cow/barrel

balasana

standing guitar hero
Schiffmann hokey pokey

uttanasana

downdog
puppy dog
balasana

bridge

easy twist

savasana

sit
namaste

Sweet Vinyasa: Explorations into Brahma: Monday, July 8, 2013

We used 2 of the four mahavakyas as contemplative alignments, both of which have Brahma in them. Truth is Brahma, and Aham Brahma (Brahman, Brahmasmi). Since the mind tends towards distraction, this is harder than it sounds.

sit (5 mins)

sukasana forward fold with two way side bend
sit (2 mins)
YAM

cat/cow/barrel roll

plank
downdog

uttanasana
malasana with twist variaton

uttanasana
tadasana
shoulder rolls and shrugs
uttansana variation
tadasana
YAM

standing sequence #1
lunge
twisted lunge
triangle
standing Texas star
hammock
low lunge
high crescent
tadasana

gratitude meditation
YAM
other side standing sequence #1

downdog
rolling plank
rolling updog x2

standing sequence #2
three leg dog with three way rounding play
lunge
warrior I
parvatadasana
warrior III
pigeon
supine tree
bridge

rolling to downdog
repeat standing sequence #2

from bridge
twisted root

savasana

sit
OM
Namaste

Yin Yoga: Expansion and Tapas: Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Since the heat outside is what a lot of people are talking about, it seemed tapas was a nice place to start. We talked about tapas, often translated as discipline, as an effort to stay in a place of expansion or yoga. Quieting the mind is key to tapas.

Sit (6 mins)
expansion meditation

Butterfly (4 mins)

cat/cow/barrel roll freeform (2 mins)

Dragon (3.5 mins)
Swan (3 mins)
supine rest

reverse windshield wiper
sphinx/seal/saddle (3.5 mins0

twisted root (3.5 mins)

sit/savasana (12 mins)
sit/savasana (3 mins)

Namaste

Alano Club: Tapas: Monday, July 1, 2013

It has been very hot in Ojai this week so we tailored both the practice and the theme to cooperate with the bigger flow of what's happening. We worked with the definition of tapas as "discipline to stay in alignment with the deeper rivers within".

modified legs up the wall (on bench)
eye of the needle on bench
rolling bridge on bench

cat/cow/barrel roll

Rainbow

sphinx/seal

downdog

tadasana
shoulder rolls and shrugs

Swamp Monster
Halleluja

Neck stretches

tadasana

uttanasana
malasana with twist

rolling bridge pose

easy spine twist with Texas Star

sit/savasana (13 mins)
sit/savasana (2 mins)
Namaste