Sweet Vinyasa: OM, The Heart, and Higher Vairagya: Monday, March 31, 2014

We endeavored to touch the higher surrender through the practices of samyama and the chanting of OM.

sit
silent OM meditation
OM

watery sukasana side bending

windshield wiper
half happy baby play

rest with sutra 1.2-1.4 meditation

cat and cow
balasana
balance play with monkey pose

sphinx/seal

plank
downdog

uttansana
tadasana

uttithatadasana side stretching
tadasana

OM

standing sequence:
lunge
twisted lunge
hammock
side angle prep
triangle
peaceful warrior
pigeon variation
three leg dog

baby cobra
locust

other side standing sequence

locust
locust variation

balasana

prana play in virasana

eagle arms play in virasana

uttanasana
tadasana

eagle play

windshield wiper
happy baby

supine heart opener over bolster
or savasana

sit
OM
Namaste

Sweet Vinyasa: The View from Samyama: Friday, March 28, 2014

I was delighted to sub the Friday morning class.

We played with seeing clearly through the practices of Samyama, as it is rumored (Patanjali sutra 3.5 From mastery of saṃyama comes the light of awareness and insight) and helps move us to subtler layers of non attachment. The eagle is our amimal totem.

Sit
silent OM meditation
OM

windshield wiper
half happy baby play

supine samyama meditation

cat and cow with balance play

plank
downdog
uttanasana
uttithatadasana
uttnansana variation

standing sequence:
lunge
twisted lunge
hammock
side angle prep
trikonasana
peaceful warrior
pigeon variation
three leg dog

baby cobra
locust

barrel roll

plank
downdog

standing sequence other side

sphinx/seal

plank
downdog
uttanasana
tadasana

eagle play

supine eagle play
eagle play other side

happy baby
supine upavista konasana

supported heart opener over bolster

savasana

sit
OM
namaste

Sweet Vinyasa: Embodying the Eagle: Wednesday, March 26, 2014

We played with Eagle pose and to help us see like the yogis. The call is to make more visible the invisible and touch the unknown realms with awe, curiousity, and a sense of wonder.

sit
silent OM meditation
OM

supine windshield wipers
supine half happy baby play
OM

supine twisted root

cat and cow with balance play

plank
downdog
uttanasana with hamstring stretch

uttithatadasana stretch
tadasana
OM

heart tapping with samyama looking

tadasana
OM

standing sequence:
lunge
twisted lunge
hammock
side angle prep
trikonasana
peaceful warrior
pigeon variation
three leg dog
downdog

baby cobra
locust

plank
downdog
other side standing sequence

downdog
puppy dog
balasana

seated eagle arm stretch with neck awareness

plank
downdog
uttanasana
tadasana

eagle play
supine eagle
eagle play other side

uttanasana

supported heart opener

savasana
sit
M
namaste

Yin Yoga: Everything's Gonna Be OK: Tuesday, March 24, 2014

The techniques of yoga help us see what the cosmos is telling us all the time - everything's gonna be OK. As Bob Marley said, don't worry, be happy.

We played with the mantra of OM and into the regions of the parasympathetic nervous system. As we looked deeply into the tight spots we found that loosening the grip on the mind through a practice of wonderment, and a willingness to be surprised helped a lot.

sit with silent OM meditation(5 mins)
OM

Butterfly (5 mins)

supine sacrum movement and clock rotation
neck stretches
shimmy

balasana (3 mins)
dragon (4 mins)
swan (3.5 mins)

sphinx/seal (4 mins)

twisted root (3.5 each side)

sit or savasana (13 mins)

namaste

Sweet Vinyasa: Satya and Deeper Truths: Monday, March 24, 2014

The Rig Veda has a beautiful prayer in the 7th chapter, "Grant me the Peace to hear the Truth from Afar". Yogis say we can experience these deeper Truths within, and the practices of yoga help us do that.

This is one way to play in the realm of seeing more clearly.

Sit

windshield wiper

supine half happy baby play
supine eye of the needle with internal and external rotation play

cat cow
balasana
easy side plank

sphinx/seal
crocodile

plank
downdog

uttanasana
tadasana
shoulder rollls and shrugs

tadasana
YAM

standing sequence:
lunge
warrior II
peaceful warrior
side angle
low lunge
hamstring stretch with internal and external rotation
low crescent

three leg dog
downdog

supine shoulder openers

standing sequence other side

downdog
uttanasana
tadasana

tree pose play

pigeon
supine tree
bridge

twisted root

savasana

sit
Namaste

Sweet Vinyasa: Turn Yourself Over To Something Bigger Than Your Mind: Wednesday, January 19, 2014

One of the words for the mind, manos, means to measure. There is a limited view. It clings, among other things, to the ego, or the mantra I am this, or I am that. We played with the mantra of I Am (sanscrit is So Ham) to calm the mind and turn our experience of ourselves and our lives over to a more expanded view.

seated janushirsasana with twist, ajna release, and side bend

sit
pranayama play with So Ham

cat and cow
balasana

sphinx/seal
crocodile

plank
downdog with foot play

uttanasana
malasana
tadasana
uttanasana variation
tadasana
YAM

standing sequence:
lunge
hammock
horse
warrior II
pigeon variation with monkey option
downdog

baby cobra
locust
other side standing sequence

downdog
puppy dog

plank
downdog

tree with so ham mantra

eye of the needle

easy twist

savasana

sit
OM
Namaste

Yin Yoga: Pratyahara, Prana, and Practice: Tuesday, March 18, 2014

We used the yin practice to cultivate our capacity to see our life force more clearly.

windshield wiper
eye of the needle

butterfly (5 mins)

balasana (2 mins)
dragon (3.5 mins)
swan (3.5 mins)

sphinx/seal  (4 mins)
crocodile (2 mins)

twisted root (3.5)

sit or savasana (10 mins)

namaste

Sweet Vinyasa: Clear Channel: Monday, March 17, 2014

We endeavored to unpack the klesha abbhinivesha today in our practice. This klesha is rumored to "overwhelm even the wise". We are continually asked to widen our perception of who we are. The yogis question of Ko Hum (who am I), is a quest and mystery, and best can be answered by So Hum (I am) which is said to be the sound that the breath already makes.

We used some mantra and pranayama after our asana practice to help us further quiet the mind so we could , best we can, become an open channel to the grace that is always here.

Butterfly

cat and cow
easy side plank

plank
downdog

uttanasana
malasana
uttanasana
tadasana

utttithatadasana
uttanasana
repeat

tadasana
Namaste mudra
YAM

standing sequence:
lunge
low crescent
twisted lunge
warrior I
parvatadasana
warrior III
pigeon
three leg dog
downdog

other side standing sequence:

puppy dog
balasana

seated twist
double pigeon

supine SO HAM meditation

savasana

sit
OM
Namaste

Sweet Vinyasa: Acceptance: March 12, 2014

There was a request for a practice about acceptance. The feel of acceptance is similar to santosha, one of the yamas. In the christian tradition is it mentioned as the first suggestion in how to find inner peace in the Serenity Prayer. Our asana practice emphasized having an open heart and aligning to the what is.

windshield wiper
supine pada gustasana and twist with strap

cat and cow
easy side plank

balasana
owl stretch

balasana variation with wrist stretch

plank
downdog
uttanasana
tadasana

shoulder shrugs and rolls
uttasana variation

standing sequence:
tadasana
lunge
side angle prep
trikonasana
standing trikonasana
peaceful warrior
lizard with twist and monkey option

downdog
baby cobra
locust

downdog

repeat standing sequence

tadasana
standing janushirsasana play

uttanasana

bridge or wheel

eye of the needle with hamstring stretch
twisted root

Texas Star meditation

savasana

sit
OM
Namaste

Sweet Vinyasa: Listening to the many words of the heart: Monday, March 10, 2014

Inspired by the Rumi quote:

The Heart has its own language. She knows a hundred thousand ways to speak.

Rumi and Dirgatamas were on the same page, as Dirgatamas said "there is one Truth, but many names for it".

We played with aligning to some of the Truths of the Rig Veda and trusting into feeling the support always here for our hearts.

sit
heart meditation
YAM

cat and cow
balasana
sphinx/seal

barrel roll
balasana variation with wrist stretch

plank
downdog
tipping malasana

twisted root
upside down crow

malasana
crow

uttanasana
tadasana

guitar hero

tadasana
standing sequence:
lunge
twisted lunge
hammock
horse in tippy toes
warrior II dance
pigeon variation with twist and monkey option
three leg dog
downdog

baby cobra
locust
balasana

plank
downdog

standing sequence other side with tippy toe warrior

downdog

plank
roll supine, knees to chest

bridge
reclining goddess
bridge or wheel
cosmic rest

easy spine twist

savasana

sit
OM
namaste

Sweet Vinyasa: Side Crow and Seeing Clearly: Wednesday, March 5, 2014

We played with side crow pose as a way to find Trust in the unseen forces.

Sit
seated twist
YAM

cat and cow
balasana
puppy dog with love meditation

puppy twist

plank
downdog
uttanasana

tipping malasana

uttanasana
tadasana

heart tapping
wide finger stretches
namaste
OM

standing sequence:
lunge
twisted lunge
hammock
side angle prep
extended trikonasana
peaceful warrior
lizard with twist and monkey option
downdog

plank
cobra
locust
downdog

other side standing sequence

downdog
uttanasana
tadasana
malasana

crow play

twisted root

downdog
uttanasana
side crow twist

side crow play

balasana
floor sequence:
pigeon
supine tree
bridge

downdog
repeat floor sequence other side

cosmic rest pose with tight spot meditation

restorative twist

restorative savasana

sit
OM
Namaste
pigeon

Yoga for Karen's Wedding Day: Seeing Love: Saturday, March 1, 2014

Dallas, Texas: Palamar Hotel.


Windshield wiper
Eye of needle
Rest

Cat cow
Balsasana


Easy side plank

Barrel roll




Balasana variation

Plank
Downdog

Uttanasana
uttithatadasana
Tadasana

Lunge
Warrior I
Warrior II
Low Crescent
Pigeon Variation
Downdog
other side

Puppy dog

twisted root

savasana

sit
Namaste

Restorative Yoga: Seeing The Tight Spots: Monday, March 3, 2014

Impressing the Heart (5 mins)

Supported Side Stretch with extension options (3.5 each side)
Sit (3 mins)

Supported Balasana (6 mins)

Supported Baddha Konasana (7 mins)
Side Lying Rest Pose (3 mins)

Supported Legs Up The Wall (6 mins)
Upavista at Wall
Eye of the Needle at the Wall
Baddha Konasana at the Wall

Supported Savasana

Sit
Namaste

Sweet Vinyasa: Align From The Inside Out: Monday, March 3, 2014

Yogis say if we use the mind (manos) as our reference for love and peace, it will never measure up. But we can have an experience in the body. We cultivated aligning from the inside out, tethering the breath to some of the suggested alignments of the Rig Veda.

windshield wiper

eye of the needle with twist

sukasana side bending
tipping buddha

sit (3 mins)
OM

cat and cow
balasana

sphinx/seal

plank
downdog

uttanasana
uttithatadasaan
uttanasana variation
malasana
repeat standing stretches

tadasana
YAM

standing flow sequence:
lunge
twisted lunge
hammock
warrior I
parvatadasana
warrior III
standing splits
lizard with twist and monkey variation
three leg dog
downdog
uttanasana
tadasana

repeat standing flow sequence

downdog
rolling plank
rolling plank to updog
balasana

rolling plank play second set

balasana

seated sequence:
janushirsasana variation
kneepile
seated twist with neck stretches
repeat  seated sequence

sit (3 mins)

freeform (2 mins till savasana)

choice of savasana

sit
OM
Namaste