Sweet Vinyasa: So Ham and Swetukatu: Wednesday, May 28, 2014

Why do we practice yoga? Patanjali says so we can experience the Truth of who we are (sutra 1.3). We used the yogis question of Ko Hum (who am I) tether our inquiry, and the yogis answer of So Hum (the sound the breath already makes) assist us in our journey.

windshield wiper

eye of the needle with twist
supine pada gustasana

seated So Hum pranayama
sit

cat and cow

OMG with inner thigh stretch and flying cow

plank
downdog

easy lunge salutes with low crescent

uttanasana
tadasana

shoulder rolls and shrugs

at wall
standing side stretch with lung awareness
standing side stretch with low back awareness
wall uttanasana

tadasana
OM

standing sequence:
lunge
warrior I dance
parvatadasana
warrior III
pigeon
supine tree
bridge

other side standing sequence

bridge
twisted root with Swetukatu story

savasana

sit
OM
Namaste

Yin Yoga: Surrender to Shiva: Tuesday, May 27. 2014

We played in the techniques of pranayama and mantra to help us experience a deeper Truth.

Impressing the Heart

Eye of the Needle

Om Namah Shivaya Pranayama

Balasana (3 mins)
Dragon (3.5 mins)
Swan (2.5 mins)

Twisted Root (3.5 mins)

Sit (15 mins)
Namaste

Sweet Vinyasa: Memories of Ease: May 26, 2014

In celebration of Memorial Day we spent our time together cultivating memories of ease. Yogis have been telling us for a long time to relax so we can see more clearly. Through asana and pranayama, and qi gong we remembered deeper layers of self, which the yogis say is our Truth.

Foot massage

windshield wiper

supine half happy baby play
sutra meditation

cat and cow
balasana

sphinx or seal

downdog

tadasana
uttithadasana stretch x2

lunge
twisted lunge
hammock
warrior II tippie toe style

uttanasana
tadasana

standing meridian massage

uttansana
downdog

plank play

baby cobra
locust

bridge

restorative bridge
restorative upavista konasana

easy spine twist

savasana

sit
Namaste

Sweet Vinyasa: Quiet Heart, Divine Eyes: Saturday, May 24, 2014

The first suggestion on how we might see more clearly is to quiet the mind. We cultivated looking not from our usual eyes, but more through our "third eye".


Windshield wiper

Half happy baby

Sutra meditation

Cat and cow
Balasana
Puppy dog

Balasana variation with wrist stretch

Reverse windshield wiper
Sphinx or baby cobra

Plank
Downdog

Uttanasana
Tadasana

Guitar hero with "divine eyes"

Tadasana
YAM

Standing sequence #1
Lunge
Twusted lunge
Hammock
Warrior II dance

Baby cobra
locust


other side stand sequence #1

Tadasana

Standing Meridian Massage

standing sequence #2
Lunge
Warrior II
Trikonasana
Peaceful warrior
Pigeon variation

Downdog
Puppy dog variation
Balasana with Ajna rest

Bridge

Restorative baddha konasana
Restorative upavista konasana

Easy twist

Supported Savasana

sit
OM
Namaste

Sweet Vinyasa: Humility and Handstands: Wedesday, May 21, 2014

Gentleness is not usually the first thing that comes to mind for a handstand.  Yet it is the play of opposites, and hanging out in the stream of awe where we can learn the most. We let the ease of what is be our base as things got spicier. Santosha was our main alignment today.

Reclining Buddha

cat and cow with heavy hand emphasis
balasana with side stretch

easy side plank

seated on brick
halleluja and swamp monster arms
pec press

even cowgirls get the blues
adding dolphin possibility

downdog

uttanasana with neck relaxation
tadasana

lunge salutes with hamstring stretch

baby cobra
locust

side plank play

brick step up play

plank
downdog

puppy dog

at wall
back of heart meditation

downdog
half handstand

handstand play

legs up the wall

eye of the needle at wall

supine alternative lung breathing
supine "I am love" and "love" pranayama

savasana

sit
OM
Namaste

Yin Yoga: The Fine Details: Tuesday, May 20, 2014

We practiced seeing the fine details of our life from the perspective of a quiet mind.

Windshield wiper
Supta Pada Gustasana using strap

Supine Alternative Nostril Breathing

Swan (4 mins each side)

Balasana (2 mins)
Dragon (3.5 mins)

Sphinx/Seal (4 mins)
Crocodile (2 mins)

Twisted Root (4 mins each side)

Sit or Savasana (10 mins)

Restorative Yoga: What Are You Restoring? Monday, May 19, 2014

The mind works via memories. The practices of yoga help us remember we are Love.

Side Lying Rest Pose over bolster

Supported Childs Pose

Supta Baddha Konasana

Legs Up The Wall
Upavista Konasana

Supported Forward Twist Over Bolster

Supported Savasana

Namaste

Sweet Vinyasa: OM, I, and Grace: Monday, June 19, 2014

The sages say we can only see in others what we see in ourselves. We cultivated a quiet mind today so we could see more clearly the love, grace and beauty that is here which always has been, and always will.

OM on bricks
A
O
M
OM x3

supine pada gustasana with strap

cat and cow

easy side plank

plank
downdog
uttanasana
tadasana
OM

shoulder opener with strap
uttanasana with strap

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

baby cobra
locust
swimming locust

other side standing sequence

tree=tree play

twisted root

OM meditation

Savasana

Sit
OM
Namaste

Sweet Vinyasa: Room In The Heart For The Unimaginable": Tuesday, May 14, 2014

Inspired by the Mary Oliver suggestion to "Keep some room in your heart for the unimaginable" we played in the midst of the yogi's heart in a willingness to be surprised.

Impressing the Heart

cat and cow
balasana

sphinx

easy side plank

plank
downdog

uttanasana
tadasana

sequence #1
lunge
low crescent

downdog

sequence #2
lunge
warrior I
parvatadasana
warrior III
pigeon
supine tree
bridge

bridge, wheel or supported bridge play with supported shoulderstand option

cosmic rest pose

long stretch

savasana

sit
OM
namaste

Yin Yoga: What Mahavakya Are You Chanting? Tuesday, May 13, 2014

We experimented with the mahavakya Aham Brahman for the purpose of noticing if it really does make a difference in what we're thinking about.

Impressing the Heart

Butterfly

Balasana
Dragon
Swan

Reclining Buddha

Windshield wiper
sit or Savasana

Namaste

Sweet Vinyasa: Love is here, now and everywhere: May 12, 2014

Inspired for heart openers today with the Rig Veda 10.129. 4 "In the Beginning Was Love".
Love is the very quality of the cosmos. Its always been here and always  will.

Heart opener over bricks

Cat cow
Balasana

Sphinx

Downdog

Uttanassna
Tadassma
YAM

Guitar hero

Supine half happy baby play

Low lunges w crescent moon and hamstring stretch

Downdog

Baby cobra and locust

Tadasana
YAM

Dancing Shiva Play

Camel Play

Easy twist

Savasana

Sit
Namaste

Sweet Vinyasa: What's Going On Here? Wednesday, May 7, 2014

The mind usually runs in the past and future and she moves quickly. Our asana and breathing practices were slow and towards the interior realm for the purpose to observe what's going on inside for real. The focus wasn't so much on what we are doing, but how we are doing it.

We found that moving with awe and fascination of the present moment and truth, felt really quite lovely in our hearts, minds, and bodies.

windshield wiper

eye of the needle with twist

cat and cow
barrel roll

easy side plank

balasana variation with wrist stretch

plank
downdog
uttanasana
tadasana

shouder rolls and shrugs

guitar hero

lunge
low crescent with side stretch

sphinx/seal

tadasana

eka pada tadasana on bricks

lunge
warrior II dance

downdog

plank
side plank play

baby cobra
locust
balasana

bridge

supported shoulderstand
supported heart opener

sit (5 mins)

sit or savasana

sit
OM
Namaste

Yin Yoga: loosen the grip on knowledge: Tuesday, May 6, 2014

I can't remember verbatim the quote from the rishes, but something like one suffer in ignorance, but one addicted to knowledge suffers more.

We played in the space of freedom from knowledge.

windshield wiper
half happy baby play

butterfly

swan

balasana
dragon

sphinx

twisted root

sit or savasana

sit
OM
Namaste

Sweet Vinyasa: Satya and Shoulderstand: May 5, 2014

We practiced aligning with Satya in both or seated and movement practice as a way to help us align in our daily lives, noticing it gets harder to do when there are moving parts.

Satya is rumored to be governed in the vishuddhi chakra in the throat. To get used to having this area exposed we played in shoulderstand.

The key to aligning with Truth is listening.

sit
silent OM
OM

winshield wiper
half happy baby play

easy side plank

cat and cow
puppy dog

plank
downdog play

uttanasana
tadasana
YAM

standing sequence:
lunge
twisted lunge
side angle
triangle
standing triangle
peaceful warrior
pigeon play
downdog

other side standing sequence

balasana

plank
downdog

tadasana
OM

standing dancing Shiva play

uttanasana
malasana

bridge

shoulderstand play

supported heart opener
sit

easy twist

savasana

sit
OM
Namaste