Yoga: What is the Breath Aligned With? December 31, 2013

We tapped the wisdom of Patanjali, Anne Lamott, and Erich Schiffmann to assist us in aligning our breath as we said goodbye and thanks to 2013, and hello to 2014.

windshield wiper

anahata pranayama and meditation
OM

pada gustasana with strap

cat and cow
balasana
puppy dog

balance play with flying dog
easy side plank

balasana

plank
downdog
uttanasana
tadasana

YAM

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

plank
sphinx/seal

other side standing sequence

downdog
puppy dog variation

baby cobra
locust

bridge
cosmic rest
bridge or wheel
supine baddha konasana

twisted root

savasana

sit
OM
Namaste

Sweet Vinyasa: Help, Thanks, Wow: Monday, December 30. 2013

I recently read a sweet book by Anne Lamott who suggested the only three prayers we need are Help, Thanks, and Wow. We practiced these to help us find a deeper alignment with our tight spots so, as the yogis suggest, we can see more clearly.

windshield wiper

supine pada gustasana and twist with strap
OM

cat and cow
balasana

seal yin style
crocodile

flying cow with easy side plank

balasana variation
plank
downdog

uttanasana

uttithatadasna

tadasana
shoulder rolls
standing neck stretches
tadasana
YAM

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

three leg dog

other side standing sequence

downdog
puppy dog variation
balasana

plank
downdog

side plank play

downdog
uttanasana
tadasana

standing pada gustasana play

uttansana
malasana

bridge
cosmic rest pose
bridge/wheel

twisted root

savasana

sit
OM
Namaste

Sweet Vinyasa: Dancing on the head of ignorance: Sunday, December 22, 2013

Shiva, the god of yoga and of transformation is rumored to dance with one foot on the head of ignorance (avidya). We cultivated our skills of seeing more clearly through the mechanism of the breath and practicing Maitri (friendliness) within.
After class today, I received a card which had the following quote from Peter (1 Peter 1:2; 4:8, 9)
Above all hold
unfailing love for one another,

Practice hospitality
ungrudgingly to one another,

And may grace and peace
be multiplied to you.

Windshield wiper

Eye of needle
Half happy baby play

Cat cow
Balasana
Puppy dog

Plank
Downdog
Uttanasana
Tadasana

Shoulder shrugs And rolls

Guitar hero with freeform

Simple lunge salutes

Tadasana
Yam

Lunge
Twisted lunge
Hammonk
Warrior II dance
Low crescent
Pigeon variation

Os

Downdog
Plank
Sphinx
Crocodile

Happy baby
Bridge x2

Easy spine twist

Supported Savasana

Sit
Om
Namaste

Sweet Vinyasa: Where is your Heart Aligned? Wednesday, December 18, 2013

It wasn't until after this class that it came to me this is the point I was trying to make!

What is the heart aligned to? One must relax to see this more clearly.


Heart opener over bolster
Bolster stretch and windshield wiper

Supine pada gustasana with strap

Cat
Cow
Balasana with side stretch
Puppy dog

Balasana variation

Plank
Downdog

Uttanasana
Gorilla pose

Tadasana

Shoulder shrugs
Shoulder opener w strap
Uttanasana w strap

Tadasana
Yam

Lunge
Twisted lunge
Hammock
Horse
Warrior Ii dance
Downdog

Plank

Sphinx yin style

Balasana

Downdog

Os

Downdog

Pigeon
Revolved janushirsasana

Downdog

Baby cobra
Locust

Easy twist

Savasana

Sit
Om

Namaste

Yin Yoga: Abhinivesha: Tuesday, December 17, 2013

Sit (10 mins)

sphinx/seal 4.5 mins

balasana (2 mins)
Dragon (3.5 mins)
Swan (2.5 mins)

Twisted Root (3.5 each side)

Anahata meditation "All there is - is Krishna"

Supported Baddha Konasana

Savasana or Sit

Namaste

Sweet Vinyasa: Inviting Grace: Wednesday, December 11, 2013

For inner peace Buddha suggests mindfulness in the body. Patanjali recommends quieting the mind. These practices can be hard to do when a lot is happening in the life. Next door, for most of the class we had a bulldozer plowing. It was a perfect opportunity to deepen our practice.

We also experimented chin mudra and how considered how friendliness (maitri) might be a useful alignment for holding our heart to prepare, best we can, for the flow of grace.

windshield wiper

apanasana
half happy baby
rock the baby

sukasana
hand stretches
side bending

chin mudra play

malasana

uttanasansa
tadasana

guitar hero

tadasana

standing sequence:
lunge
twisted lunge
hammock
side angle
pigeon variation
three leg dog
downdog

baby cobra
locust

other side standing sequence

downdog

pigeon
mermaid  play

bridge

twisted root

savasana

sit
YAM
Namaste

Yin Yoga: The practice is Love: Tuesday, December 10, 2013

windshield wiper

eye of the needle

butterfly

swan

pranayama breathing experiment "Love"

balasana
lunge

catepillar

twisted root

heart opener over bolster

savasana

Sweet Vinyasa: Chin Mudra: Monday, December 9, 2013

We let the questions of "does it really matter how I walk in this world" and "does it really matter how I hold my heart" guide our pratice today while exploring pigeon in many different views.

Windshield wiper

half happy baby
supine pigeon

sukasana hand stretches

supported heart opener with chin mudra play

sukasana side bending

malasana
uttanasana

tadasana

guitar hero

standing sequence:
lunge
twisted lunge
hammock
side  angle prep
trikonasana
lunge
pigeon
mermaid play

three leg  dog

baby cobra
locust
balasana

other side standing sequence

tree with mudra play

uttanasana
malasana

bridge

twisted root

supported savasana

sit
OM
Namaste

other side standing sequence

Sweet Vinyasa: The Skill isn't Bakasana: December 6, 2013

Freedom from the mind, as the texts put it, the kleshas, helps us see the love of who we really are. We practiced pulling the vrittis from the head and into the body where the wisdom is to experience ourselves outside the realm of the usual distractions caused by the fluxuations of the mind.

Patanjali's YS 1.2 = Yoga Chitta Vrittis Nirodaha.

Windshield wiper with twist

supine neck and ajna release

tailbone awareness

shimmy

easy side plank

plank
downdog

uttanasana
malasana
tadasana

at wall on half moon with balance play and supported stretch

walkabout

tadasana

standing sequence:
lunge
prayer lunge
warrior II dance
pigeon
downdog

other side standing sequence

downdog
rolling plank
rolling updog

balasana

wrist play

downdog
uttanasana
malasana

crow play

bridge

easy spine twist with So Ham meditation

supported savasana

sit
OM
Namaste

Yin Yoga: Brihat: Tuesday, December 3, 2013

We tuned in to brihat, translated as vastness, for our alignment tonight to help us counterpose the "usual" grip of the mind.

impressing the heart at the wall

half happy baby

butterfly

swan or eye of the needle at the wall

balasana
dragon

sphinx or saddle

twisted root

sit (5 min)

namaste

Sweet Vinyasa: Surrender and Santosha. Monday, November 2, 2013

It is said by those in Chinese medicine that the kidneys hold our fear. We spent a lot of time making more room in this region and in the heart to help us increase our capacity for surrender.

I didn't intend class to be about surrender and death, but the mention of fear tethered me to it. Oh well. Its not the most crowd pleasing of topics, but on the other hand it is one of the skills absolutely necessary on the path of yoga, according to the sages.

I lost a little track on the second standing series and forgot some poses. I get to practice surrender today by not letting it bother me and instead learn from what happened so it can be better next time.

supported reclining Buddha

sukasana with hand and wrist movements

cat and cow
balasana
puppy dog

OMG
flying cow
easy side plank

plank play with  wrist exploration

plank
downdog
uttanasana

cowboy negociation

tadasana

heart tapping and prana play

tadasana
YAM

standing sequence #1
lunge
twisted lunge
triangle
warrior II dance
lunge
downdog
other side

downdog

sphinx/seal
crocodile

plank
downdog
uttanasana
tadasana

shoulder rolls and stretches
uttanasana variation x2

tadasana
YAM

sequence #2
lunge
twisted lunge
side plank
downdog

pigeon

baby cobra
locust
locust variation

balasana with ajna rest

janu shirsasana
seated twist

bridge

long stretch

savasana

sit
OM
Namaste