Sweet Vinyasa: Quiet Mind, Open Ears: Wednesday, January 29, 2014

We used asana, pranayama and swadyaya to help quiet the mind to experience a deeper Truth.

windshield wiper

eye of the needle

sutra 1.2 meditation

cat and cow
balasana
puppy dog

easy side plank

sphinx/seal

plank
downdog

tadasana

shoulder rolls and shrugs
guitar hero

tadasana

at wall on half moon foot stretch
at wall tree

standing sequence:
tadasana
lunge
hammock
side angle prep
trikonasana
reverse trikonasana
peaceful warrior
pigeon variation

three leg dog
downdog

baby cobra
locust
locust variation

plank
downdog

repeat standing sequence

downdog
puppy dog variation
balasana

navasana play

bridge x2

twisted root

savasana
sit
OM
Namaste

Yin Yoga: Deeper Truths: Tuesday, Janauary 28, 2014

Aligning with the deeper truths requires quieting the mind. Its a lot harder to do than it seems and takes practice.

supine janushirsasana with twist using strap

sutra 1.2 meditation

butterfly

balasana
dragon
swam
repeat

sphinx/seal

twisted root

sit/savasana (15 mins)
namaste

Bhati Yoga: Mind Protection: January 28. 2014

Subbed this class for Julia

kneeling on bricks
OM
A
O
M
OM x3

cat and cow
balasana

OMG
flying dog
balasana variation
easy side plank

other side

plank
downdog

tadasana

1/2 sun salutations x3

standing sequence:
lunge
twisted lunge
hammock
warrior II dance
trikonasana
reverse trikonasana
peaceful warrior
pigeon variation

downdog

other side standing sequence

downdog
puppy dog
balasana

floor sequence:
gomukasana
ardha matsendrasana
box
paschimotadasana

repeat floor sequence
upavista konasana

sit

Gayatri mantra play
sit

savasana

sit
OM
Namaste

Yoga: Symmetry: Tuesday, January 28. 2014

A yogi in class was asking about symmetry and the curves of the spine, scoliosis, strength and such so we played in these realms allowing the breath to be our primary alignment tool to find symmetry and ease in the body even as the hips, pelvis, and spine find asymetrical and symetrical shapes.

windshield wiper

Texas star with spine symmetry meditation

apanasana
eye of the needle with internal and external hip rotation play
half happy baby
rest

cat and cow
balasana with side stretch
puppy dog

balasana variation

sphinx
seal
reverse windshield wiper

plank
downdog
uttanasana with neck rub
tadasana

1/2 sun salutations

lunge
low crescent
pigeon
supine tree
repeat other side

bridge x2

twisted root

supported heart opener over bolster

supported savasana

sit
Namaste

Sweet Vinyasa: Tasting Truth: Monday, January 27, 2014

Dirgatamas, a rishi from the Rig Veda tells us "one Truth, but there are many names for it". Yogis for a long time have told us to quiet the mind so we can see more clearly this Truth, Beauty, God, Love, Whatever Your Name For Truth Is. Effort and Surrender both are required for this seemingly paradox.

sit
RV prayer "Grant me the Peace to hear the Truth from afar"

sukasana forward fold and three way side bend

cat and cow
balasana

OMG
flying cow
balasana variation
easy side plank

plank
downdog
uttanasana
tadasana

at wall
shoulder opener
wall uttanasana
second set with SI breath
wall dog

standing sequence:
tadasana
uttanasana
lunge
warrior I
parsvatadasana
warrior III
pigeon
three leg dog with revolved dog option
downdog

baby cobra
locust
locust variation

plank
downdog
other side standing sequence

downdog
puppy dog
balasana

navasana play

happy baby
bridge
wheel or bridge

twisted root

savasana

sit
namaste

Jam Session: Mudras, the Gayatri Mantra, and the Hand-Heart Connection: Sunday, January 26, 2014

Through asana, mudra and mantra we explored touching others from the heart.

Prone rest
windshield wipers

cat and cow
barrel roll
balasana

OMG
flying dog
balasana variation
easy side plank

downdog
puppy dog variation

reclining Buddha

supine baddha konasana

eye of the needle variation with hamstring stretch
twisted root

sit

mudra play

Gayatri Mantra play

OM play with Kelsey

savasana

BREAK

circle

safe touch exercise with share
group discussion

While My Guitar Gently Weeps
OM x 3
Namaste

Jam Session: Preparation: Saturday, January 25, 2014

Some of the major themes brought forth by the sangha to address today were:

1. making the practices accessable and non-woo woo.
2. can we really teach yoga?
3. finding confidence and our voice

Our three hours today unfolded like this:

We opened with a prayer from the Katha Upanishad
OM
OM exploration
non woo-wooing of OM (lengthen the exhale, sutra 1.34)

5 minute freeform

circle
discussion of sutra 1.12 and Preparation
Camel pose preparations and possible sequencing ideas
sequencing trust

BREAK

practice
our "peak pose" was warrior III with the elements of trust, demonstrating sequencing, options and choices and finding one's voice

impressing the heart

supine janushirsasana and twist using strap

sukasana side bending
sit

freestyle 3 minute writing exercise "what my body feels like in sukasana"
share with partner
share with group

some of the poetry that came out was:
being without time
navigate teh kinds in my spine
on the verge of comfort
moving towards surrender
bubbling hot lava
air floated me up
arms like linguini
loving receptive
sweet confidence

tadasana
uttanasana

at wall
side waist stretch
uttanasana at wall
second part with c1 breath
downdog at wall

tadasana
uttanasana
lunge
low crescent
lunge
low crescent

balasana

plank
downdog

tadasana
warrior I
warrior III

malasana

bridge

twist

savasana

heart meditation with real world "peak pose"

journaling "what are the preparations I need to accomplish my personal "peak pose"

circle
homework assignements

OM
Namaste meditation
Namaste

Jam Session, Churning the Milky Ocean: Friday, January 24, 2014

This evening we used asana, mantra, and meditation as a way to churn up questions. And we then practiced listening to each other to meet who has shown up to be together this sacred and beautiful weekend for our Jam Session together.

windshield wiper

eye of the needle
half happy baby play
rest

supine meditation

butterfly

balasana
dragon
balasana

heart opener over bolster

twisted root

savasana

BREAK

circle

journal

share

OM
Namaste

Sweet Vinyasa: Truth and Toe Stand: Wednesday, January 22, 2014

We have been play in Dirgatamas' (Rig Veda) idea of one Truth, but many words for it. Looking in to see the Truth as an answer to the RV prayer "grant me the peace to hear the Truth from afar".

We tapped our listening/seeing more clearly skills and honed them in a Tree and/or Toe Stand play.

sit
RV prayer
OM

windshield wiper
eye of the needle with twist
half happy baby play


rest and sutra 1.2 meditation

malasana
uttanasana
tadasana

shoulder rolls and shrugs
uttanasana variation
tadasana

prana play with correspondance meditation

tadasana

standing sequence:
lunge
twisted lunge
hammock
horse
low crescent
downdog

other side standing sequence

downdog
baby cobra
locust
locust variation

balasana

easy side plank

plank
downdog
uttanasana

tadasana

tree

toe stand play

tadasana
uttanasana
malasana

bridge
twisted root

savasana

sit
Namaste

Right Step Treatment Center: Strength in Letting Go: Sunday, January 19, 2014

This was an all men's class. There was a very grounded sense in the room and the practice included a lot of bite-size meditations.

windshield wiper

eye of the needle
rest

sukasana side bending

sit (5 mins)

tadasana

guitar hero

tadasana
uttanasana

lunge salutes with low crescent

balasana or prone

easy twist

savasana
sit
Namaste

Right Step: Quiet the Mind to See More Clearly: Saturday, January 18, 2014

We had 40 minutes for class today and it was a brand new facility and brand new yoginis. The main point was to bring mindfulness in the body to experience the happiness that lies within. As Buddha said, "happiness is as close as your eyelash to your eyeball".

windshield wiper

apanasana
eye of the needle

rest

sukasana side bending

tadasana

guitar hero

uttanasana
malasana
cowboy negociation

twist

savasana

sit
Namaste

Yin Yoga: Kleshas and Karma: Tuesday, January 21, 2014

We dove into the kleshas which block us from seeing clearly and honed our skillset of seeing. This is a useful skill for freedom.

windshield wiper

padagustasana and twist with strap at wall

bananna

balasana
dragon

sphinx/seal
crocodile

twisted root

sit or savasana (20 mins)

Yoga: If you want ease, be ease: Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Subbed this class for Kira.

We had a request for low back ease. This area is one of two places where the parasympathetic nerves emanate.

To bring ease into our practice, our bodies and our lives, we must see more clearly. Krishnamurti says, if we see what is, what is changes. Vastness (bhirat) is one of the Truths, according to the yogis.

We also talked about karma; as we are, so we act. As we act, so we become. If we want to become ease, we must be ease.

Love is the willingness to recognize that which is real. Ease and love and peace are real.

windshield wiper

supine pada gustasana at wall

banana at wall

cat and cow
balasana with side stretch
puppy dog

plank
downdog
uttanasana
tadasana

shoulder rolls and curls

tadasana
YAM

lunge sequence:
lunge
low crescent with side bends
other side lunge sequence

tadasana

standing sequence:
lunge
warrior I
parsvatadasana
warrior III
tadasana

repeat standing sequence

tadasana
uttanasana
malasana

bridge x2

twisted root

supported savasana

sit
OM
Namaste

Yoga Blue at Temple Road Yoga: Inner Workings: Saturday, January 18, 2014

We explored some of the mechanics of the mind and seeing more clearly through the vehicle of the breath and other instruments of perception.

foot rub

supta pada gustasana with twist using strap at the wall

bananna pose at the wall

cat and cow
plank
downdog

crazy 8's

supported moving tree pose

looking experiment from the belly, heart and, mind in tadasana

standing gratitude meditation
OM

lunge salutes

seated alternative nostril breathing
breath experiment with challenging being
breath experiment with challenging being and deep breath

freestyle
savasana

BREAK

dharma talk about Sympathetic and Parasympathetic Nervous system

sutra 1.33 experiment with maitri and karuna

legs up the wall

sit
Namaste

Yoga Blue at Temple Road Yoga: Abhinivesha: 1.19.2014

We spent some time looking at the kleshas, the veils of the mind that keep us from seeing our magnificent selves. We put some emphasis on abhinevesha, fear of death, or attachment to the status quo. It is one of the spicy kleshas in working with peeps in recovery because recovery demands a dying to so many things.

dharma talk about kleshas

heart opener over rollers
rest

cat and cow
balasana

easy side plank

uttanasana
tadasana

shoulder opener at wall
supported forward fold
second set with SI joint awareness
wall dog
tadasana meditation at wall

tadasana
uttanasana
lunge
warrior I
downdog
warrior I
tadasana

warrior I teaching demo

bridge

camel play
balasana

freeform

savasana

BREAK

savasana adjustments

sit and gratitude meditation (5 mins)

Namaste

Yoga Blue at Temple Road Yoga: Meeting: Friday, January 17, 2014

A group of 15 yogis showed up for our workshop together. If you print it, they will come!

Our asana practice tonight had a few main points (but of course we'll never know what really was the point).

• to demonstrate a class sequence that would be "typical" for addicts in recovery
• to come together as a community of yogis
• to turn the mechanism of the mind inwards and quieter
• to practice looking within with eyes of love
• to become more at ease in the unknown

windshield wiper

eye of the needle

supine meditation

sukasana side bending x2

tadasana
uttanasana

tadasana

shoulder shrugs and rolls
guitar hero

cat and cow
balasana
puppy dog

sphinx
crocodile

bridge

alternative nostril breathing meditation

easy spine twist

savasana

sit
Namaste

break

circle
journal:
What have you been thinking about lately
What have you been learning?
What are three miracles that have happened in your life? Or not.
What do you want to get out of our weekend together?

introductions

OM
A
O
M
OMx3

seated meditation

Namaste

Yin Yoga: Darkness Can't Drive Out Darkness

We kept touching in to MLK Jr's quote about Darkness can't drive out Darkness, only Light can do that as we made our way in a klesha exploration.

windshield wiper

supine eye of the needle
sutra 1.2 meditation

butterfly

balasana
dragon

sphinx/seal

reclining Buddha

twisted root

savasana or sit (15 mins)

Yoga: A Widened Perspective is Required to see the Truth: Tuesday, January 14, 2014

The Rig Veda has a wonderful prayer

Give me the peace to hear the Truth from afar.

Afar is not a geographical distance, the sutra is a reference to the layers and noise of the mind that holds us back from seeing clearly.


windshield wiper

supine pada gustasana with twist using strap

sutra 1.2-1.4 meditation

cat and cow
balasana
puppy dog

easy side plank

plank
downdog
uttanasana
tadasana

shoulder rolls and shrugs

standing neck stretches

standing sequence

lunge
side angle
trikonasana
reverse trikonasana
peaceful warrior
low crescent
pigeon variation

downdog

plank
baby cobra
locust

downdog
other side standing sequence

balasana

bridge
supported bridge

twist

savasana

sit
OM
namaste

Yoga with Oak Grove High School: Truth: Tuesday, January 13, 2013

It was a lot of fun to share yoga with high school students. I've never worked in this particular population before, but when Debi asked if I'd be interested to teach a class in their yoga program, there was only one way to answer and that was YES!

Debi asked if I'd share some philosophy. Since I'm in the midst of listening to Ravi Ravindra's lecture series on the Rig Veda, it seems like a great opportunity to share some of this wonderful text. Recently I've been captivated by Dirgatamas' teaching of Ekam Sat, viprah bahudah vadanti.

One Truth, but sages call it by many names.

And the steady reminder in the RV and Upanishads and the Yoga Sutras that touching the Truth requires a quiet mind.

So we used some of the ideas of the Rig Veda for our alignment today. 

windshield wiper

apanasana
janushirsasana and twist using strap

sutra 1.2 meditation

cat
cow
balasana
puppy dog

easy side plank

balasana variation with wrist stretch

plank
downdog

uttanasana
uttithatadasana
tadasana

shoulder shrugs and rolls
uttanasana variation

tadasana
YAM

standing sequence:
lunge
hammock
warrior II dance
low crescent
pigeon variation

three leg dog

downdog

baby cobra
locust
locust II

other side standing sequence

downdog
puppy dog
balasana

yin style sphinx or seal
crocodile

twisted root or easy twist

savasana

sit
Namaste

Sweet Vinyasa: Grant Me The Peace To Hear The Truth From Afar: Monday, January 13, 2014

This is a prayer from the Rig Veda:

Grant me the peace to hear the Truth from afar. Through breath, mantra, and movement we touched into Truth within. The only thing holding us back from our experience of the bhirat, satya, ritam is the clinging  of our minds.

windshield wiper

supine janushirsanasa with twist using strap

sutra 1.2 meditation

cat and cow
balasana
puppy dog

easy side plank

plank
downdog

uttanasana

tadasana
YAM
shoulder rolls and shrugs

standing neck stretches

tadasana
OM

standing sequence #1:
lunge
side angle prep
trikonasana
peaceful warrior

pigeon variation

three leg dog
downdog

other side standing sequence #1

tadasana

standing sequence #2
lunge
side angle
triangle
ardha chandrasana
standing splits
tadasana

malasana

tadasana
standing sequence #2

tadasana
OM

malasana

bridge
supported bridge with supported shoulder stand option

shimmy

savasana

sit
OM
namaste

Sweet Vinyasa: Hip Openers and Help, Thanks and Wow: Wednesday, January 8, 2014

We playing in touching the Ekam Sat using the alignment instructions Help, Thanks, and Wow (Anne Lamott's book).

I got a little mixed up in which direction we were working in the twisty and bendy hip openers. But I think it was OK. Mainly because its not about what we do, but how we do it (as the yogis tell us), and our practice was about the willingness to recognize the Sat, which is Erich Schiffmann's definition of Love.

That's what we really practiced today.

windshield wiper

supine pada gustasana with twist and strap

Bhirat meditation
sutra 1.2
OM

cat and cow
balasana
puppy dog

easy side plank

balasana variation with wrist stretches

plank
downdog with foot exploration

tadasana

shoulder rolls and shrugs

tibetian heating breaths

tadasana
YAM

standing sequence:
lunge
hammock
warrior II
peaceful warrior
trikonasana
pigeon
three leg dog

downdog

rolling plank
rolling plank to updog

demo
rolling plank to updog
balasana
OM

other side standing sequence

downdog
puppy dog
balasana

hip opener sequence:
ardha matseydrasana
cow face pose with arm exploration
box

forward fold

other side hip opener sequence

pea pod meditation

savasana

sit
OM
Namaste

Yin Yoga: Body Prayers: Tuesday, January 7, 2014

Dirgatamas is rumored to have said that there is one truth, but many names for it. The yin practice helps slow down to experience the stillness and quiet that Patanjali speaks of so we can see the Truth. We offered ourselves to these shapes, doing our best to align with the Truth.

windshield wiper

eye of the needle
bhirat meditation
OM

butterfly 3.5 mins

swan or eye of the needle at the wall  3.5 mins each side

balasana
dragon (3 mins each side)

sphinx or seal or saddle (3.5 mins)

twisted root (3 mins each side) with Texas Star

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

Yoga: Ekam Sat: Tuesday, January 7, 2014

We played into experiencing Ekam Sat  Viprah Bahhudha Vadanti. These are the words of Dirghatamas in the Rig Veda, one truth, but there are many names for it.

Some of the names we experimented with were Vastness, Truth, and Love.

Windshield wiper

Supine pada gustasana and twist with strap

Bhirat mediation
Sutra 1.2

Cat n cow

Balasana
Puppy dog

Omg
Flying cow
Easy side plank

Sphinx

Plank
Downdog

Uttanasana
Malasana
Uttanassna
Uttitha tadasana
Tadasana

Shoulder rolls and shrugs
Standing shoulder openers with strap
Tadasana
Yam

Standing sequence:
lunge
twisted lunge
hammock
warrior II
pigeon variation
three leg dog
downdog

other side standing sequence

downdog
plank
baby cobra
locust

eye of the needle
twisted root

savasana

sit
OM
Namaste

Sweet Vinyasa: Like a Ripe Cucumber: Monday, January 6, 2014

We played in feeling the "Ekam Sat" as Dirghatamas describes in the Rig Veda and used our practice as a prayer to help us see this Truth more clearly. The practices are rumored to help us move through the blocks "Like a ripe cucumber which detaches itself effortlessly from the stem" (from the Tryambakam Mantra).


Windshield wiper

pada gustasana and twist with strap

brihat (vastness) meditation
Yoga sutra 1.2

cat and cow
childs pose
puppy dog

easy side plank

sphinx

plank
downdog
tadasana

shoulder rolls and shrugs
shoulder opener with strap

tadasana
YAM

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

downdog
baby cobra
locust

downdog
other side standing sequence

downdog
puppy dog with variation
 
reclining Buddha

twist

savasana