Alano Club: The Whole Self: Monday, September 30, 2013

Yoga and Recovery are about seeing our whole selves, not just the idealized versions. We endeavored to see aspects, internal and external, visible and invisible, of ourselves in our gentle yoga and meditation practices this evening.

windshield wiper with side stretch

half happy baby play

supine alternative nostril breathing

sukasana side bending x2

cat/cow
balasana
puppy dog
barrel roll

low lunge to low crescent

sphinx
crocodile

twisted root

sit or savasana (10 mins)

sit
namaste

Sweet Vinyasa: What Lies Within: Wednesday, September 18, 2013

To set us us for practice we contemplated a few words from Ralph Waldo Emerson:
"What lies behinds us and what lies beyond us is small compared to what likes within us"

And we used the story of Svetaketu from the 6th Chapter of the Chandogya Upanishad to help us better understand the magnificence of our being.

windshield wiper
long stretch

at wall
supine hasta pada gustasana with twist using strap

cat
cow
balasana
puppy dog

easy side plank with fancy feet and flying cow

plank
downdog

uttanasana
tadasana

shoulder shrugs
shoulder opener with strap
uttanasana with strap

standing sequence:
tadasana
lunge
high lunge
prayer twist
warrior II dance
downdog

other side standing sequence

downdog
baby cobra
locust
cobra

cobra variation

dhanurasana with tilt

floor sequence:
eye of the needle
half happy baby
supine pigeon

repeat floor sequence

sit (5 mins)

twisted root

savasana

sit
OM
Namaste

Yin Yoga: Stillness, Svetaketu, and Alignment with the deepest self: Tuesday, September 17, 2013

We played in the feeling tone of aligning with the deepest self, what the yogis call ahimsa. We let the practice and the story of Svetaketu (6th Chapter of the Chandogya Upanishad) assist us in finding stillness.

Heart opener over bolster (7 mins)

Butterfly (4.5 mins)

Swan or Eye of the Needle at the wall (4 mins each side)

balasana
Dragon (3.5 mins)

reverse windshield wipers

twisted root or easy twist (3.5 mins)

sit or savasana (15 mins)
sit or savasana (5 mins)

Namaste

Sweet Vinyasa: Ustrasana: Monday, September 16, 2013

Camel pose is a wonderful heart opener. We prepared for this deep opening with the feeling tones of courage and vulnerability, and the willingness to see more clearly.

Impressing the Heart
So Ham meditation
windshield wiper on bricks
rest

cat
cow
barrell roll

balasana with side stretch
puppy dog

plank
downdog

uttanasana
tadasana
shoulder shrugs

at wall:
side lengthening with shoulder opener. Breath in side ribs
side lengthening with shoulder opener. Breath in sacrum
wall uttanasana

standing sequence:
tadasana
lunge
hammock
horse
twist and dip
lunge
low crescent with dips
downdog

other side standing sequence

downdog
plank
baby cobra
locust
cobra
reverse windshield wiper

swimming cobra
dhanurasana with tilt play

balasana

on knees
half camel play
YAM
camel play

balasana
malasana
uttanasana
malasana

twisted root

savasana

sit
Namaste

Yoga For Addicts Teacher Training: Preparation: Sunday, September 15, 2013

Sages say to facilitate an experience of yoga, there is a combination of human effort and Divine grace. Einstein is rumored to have said that creativity ultimately was up to grace, and grace seems to favor the prepared.

Our job as yoga teacher is to facilitate, prepare, and share the techniques of yoga so yogis who show up might possibly have an experience of yoga. Yoga is always happening, but sometimes we don't see it clearly.

We used this as a background for sequencing. As a model for a class sequence we used vulnerability, courage and being comfortable in the unknown as our primary alignment cues towards camel pose.

Sit (10 mins)
So Ham meditation

Partner savasana adjustments

Savasana

BREAK

Circle:
comments and questions

sequencing lesson

sequencing lesson model class: towards camel (1 hour class model)

Opening:
Impressing the heart


Warm Up:
Cat/Cow
Barrell roll
balasana
puppy dog

tadasana

at wall:
Side lengthening with breath in side waist
Side lengthening with breath in sacrum

Sun Salutes/Standing Poses:
tadasana
lunge
high lunge
hammock
horse
wide leg forward fold
lunge
low crescent
downdog

repeat standing sequence other side

downdog
plank
lower to ground
baby cobra
baby cobra/locust/cobra
balasana

Peak pose:
Camel Demo

half camel
half camelbalasana
Camel

Cool Down:
balasana
malasana
uttanasana
malasana

twisted root

savasana

Circle
Gratitude meditation
Camel totem blessing

Kosha chanting

Namaste

Teaching Yoga to Addicts: The Voice of Ahmisa: Saturday, September 14, 2013

Building on our first evening when we discussed showing up with authenticity, our day today was a practice the cultivate the courage and trust to move and speak from a deep self. Such a practice demands we break the bond of addiction to what we think it should all look like. Our primary tool of alignment was the breath.

Sit (3 mins)

Sit with OM mantra
A
O
M
OM x3

At Wall:
Windshield wiper

Tailbone awareness
Cervical Spine awareness
Shimmy

Padagustasana at wall with strap

Alternative nostril breathing pranayama

Cat and cow

Easy side plank

Balasana with Ajna Chakra rest

Tadasana

Foot massage on bricks with partners

Tadasana
Hand awareness and Prana Play
Tadasana

Downdog

Balasana

Nadi and Chakra map model

Parvatadasana demo

Parvatadasana play

Freedom Style (5 mins)

Savasana

BREAK

Circle
Discussion: working with emotion
Bliss Bunnies

Kosha Model and discussion

Writing exercise
Qualities of a Yogi
How do you know if your practice is working?
Qualities of a Yoga Teacher

Demo:  Teaching with feeling tones

Kosha Chanting
sit (3 mins)
Namaste

Teaching Yoga to Addicts: Showing Up: Friday, September 13, 2013

We began to tap into the many layers of the self with the help of yogi Einstein who said, 'you can't solve a problem with the same mind that created it', and from Svetukatu's story of learning to see the unseen and hear the unheard as told in the 6th Chapter of the Chandogya Upanishad.
Habits live in the unseen, the unconscious, which is one reason yogis are asking us to see more clearly. The invitation is to show up freshly.
We spent our evening tapping the unknown, which required we quiet the mind, and dive deeper than the manos (measuring mind).  This not only takes practice, but as we discovered together tonight, courage, vulnerability, and self trust.

Sit 7 mins
Windshield wiper
Tailbone awareness
Shimmy
Long stretch
Eye of the needle with tailbone awareness
Alternative nostril breathing
Breath circles
Sukasana side bending
What's coming up for you to share?
Plank
Downdog
Downdog play
Uttanasana
Tadasana
Shoulder shrugs
Guitar Hero
Standing Sequence:
Lunge
Hammock
Warrior II play with nostril breath awareness
Downdog
Sphinx
Crocodile
Reclining Buddha
Easy twist or twisted root
Savasana

Sit
OM
Namaste
Circle and Journal
Meet and Share
Sit (3 min)
YAM
Namaste

Sweet Vinyasa: Expansion: Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Asmita (Ego) translates "I am this, I am that" and is a grip of the known. Its useful, but the call of the yogi is to be comfortable in the unknown, and let bigger, unseen forces guide us.

Windshield wiper
Supine pada gustasana and twist w strap at wall

Cat and cow
Balasana
Puppy dog

Easy side plank

Balasana variation

Plank
Downdog

Uttanasana
Tadasana

Guitar hero

Standing shoulder opener with strap
Uttanasana with strap

Tadasana
Uttanasana

standing sequence:
Lunge
High lunge
Twisted lunge
Warrior II
Pigeon variation
three leg dog
downdog

other side standing sequence

Cobra
Cobra variation

Rolling bridge play

Eye of the needle
Twist

Supported savasana with alternative nostril pranayama.

Sit
Namaste

Yin Yoga: Aparigrapha and Abhinnivesha: Tuesday, September 10. 2013

We played with feeling an expansive view as Brahma. Only if the mind is quiet can we touch in vastness and illumination of Brahma. Some of the alignment instructions we leaned in on from Patanjali were aparigrapha and abhinnivesha.

Heart opener over bolster (8 mins)

Baddha konasana (5 mins)

Swan (4 mins each side)

balasana
Dragon (3.5 mins each side)

Twisted Root (4 mins each side)

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

Alano Club: Step One: Stop Thinking So Much: Monday, September 9, 2013

We played in Patanjali's Yoga Sutras 1.1-1.14 with a backdrop of gentle poses. We allowed kindness, ease, surrender, and a willingness to be surprised as our alignment cues.

windshield wiper

eye of the needle

sukasana side bending

sit (4 mins)

low lunge
low crescent
balasana

reclining Buddha

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

sit
Namaste

Sweet Vinyasa: Avidya, Amazement, and Wonder: Monday, September 9, 2013

We let Einstein's quote "there are two ways to live your life. One as if there are no miracles, and the other as if everything is a miracle" inspire the way we look at things to help loosen the bonds of avidya.

Sit

windshield wiper
eye of the needle with twist

cat/cow/balasana/barell roll

easy side plank

plank
downdog

uttanasana
tadasana

guitar hero

tadasana
YAM

standing sequence:
lunge
high lunge
twisted lunge
warrior II
pigeon variation
downdog
rolling plank
rolling updog
downdog
puppy dog
balasana

other side standing sequence

bridge x2

twisted root

savasana

sit
OM
Namaste

Ashtanga Play: Reversing the flow with Handstand: Thursday, September 5, 2013

Subbed this class of Ashtanga play for Adam, which was fun and challenging since Ashtanga is not my primary practice. It was a great way to look at the series freshly and I'm grateful for the opportunity.

Windshield wiper

supine padagustasana and twist with strap
half happy baby
padagustasana variation

uttanasana
tadasana

Surya Namiskar A x3
Surya Namiskar A freeform

Surya Namiskar B x3
Surya Namiskar B freeform

tadasana

Triangle

Revolved Triangle

Side Angle

Prasarita Pada Tadasana A
Prasarita Pada Tadasana B
Prasarita Pada Tadasana A or Headstand

Guitar Hero
Parsvottonasana

Warrior Flow:
Tadasana
Lunge
Warrior I
Warrior II
Lunge
Downdog
Rolling Plank
Rolling Bridge
Downdog
Revolved dog
Downdog

Other side Warrior Flow

Puppy Dog
Balasana with Ajna rest

Hand and Wrist awareness play

Handstand in Doorway

Handstand at Wall

Handstand with Bolster (yogi L offered this!)

Janushirsasnana stretch
Half virasana stretch
Janushirsasana with side stretch

Twisted Root

Savasana

Sit
Namaste

Yoga: Attitudes of a Yogi: September 5, 2013

We used the attitude of compassion (karuna) as our primary alignment today, and sprinkled it with gentleness, kindness, and a willing to be surprised to tap in to feeling the inner illumination that's always there.

Sit
karuna meditation
YAM

windshield wiper

eye of the needle with twist

cat/cow
barell roll
balasana
puppy dog

toe torture with karuna meditation

plank
downdog play
downdog

uttanasana
uttithatadasana
tadasana

YAM

standing sequence:
lunge
twisted lunge
hammock
karuna warrior II
pigeon variation

three leg dog
downdog

other side standing sequence

balasana

sphinx/seal
crocodile

reclining Buddha
bridge
reclining Buddha

savasana

sit
OM
Namaste

Sweet Vinyasa: Courage and Karuna: Wednesday, September 5, 2013

We have been talking a lot about Karuna (compassion) lately, and brought a special interest today in using Karuna to find a more satisfying alignment with what is. We are finding courage to be a dance partner to karuna as we hone our skills of seeing more clearly the whole self, not just the parts we 'want' to see.

Savasana

YAM

eye of the needle with twist

cat/cow
puppy dog

balasana
toe torture

plank
downdog

uttansana
tadasana

guitar hero

tadasana

standing sequence:
lunge
twisted lunge
hammock
warrior II dance
pigeon variation
three leg dog

repeat standing sequence

downdog
rolling plank
rolling updog

balasana
OM

bridge x2

twisted root

supported savasana

sit
namaste

Alano Club: Tuning In: Monday, September 2, 2013

We practiced the skills of compassion, tenderness, and vulnerability as we explored our interior landscape. We let the mantra of WOW! and the element of surprise guide us into the depths and navigate through the sticky spots.

sit (5 mins)

windshield wiper
eye of the needle with twist

sukasana side bending

cat/cow
balasana

sphinx/seal
balasana

sit (12 mins)

namaste

Sweet Vinyasa: Karuna: Monday, September 2, 2013

We used the breath in the back of the heart as an alignment cue today to assist us in finding more room through the yogis suggestion of karuna (sutra 1.33).

We also honed our skills in seeing more clearly...making the invisible more visible.

Sit
Karuna meditation
YAM

eye of the needle with twist

cat/cow/barell roll
plank
downdog
uttanasana

standing pattern:
lunge
prayer lunge
warrior II dance
low lunge
three leg dog

rolling plank
rolling updog

other side standing pattern

reverse windshield wipers

bridge

cosmic rest

reclining Buddha

savasana

sit
OM
Namaste