Thursday, March 25, 2010

11th Step Meditation 3.25.10

Full body stretch before meditation this morning. There is a lot of wisdom and authenticity in this group and I love this practice.

Sukasana
3 landing breaths
angeli mudra
3rd step prayer

Sukasana side stretch
other side

cat
cow
balasana with side stretch
puppy dog

all fours twist

malasana
uttanasana

downdog

sphinx/cobra

supine windshield wiper

sit

read

share

sit
OM

Namaste

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

1:1

By far my most difficult case yet. My boyfriend. I didn't force this on him..its only been four years together with promises he'll start soon. So we started.. In Nashville, TN, on the floor of the hotel gym.

I heard it all in our session.."I"m fat, I"m out of shape, I want my hips to open today, this is a waste of time, this hurts, I'll never be able to do it"..an incessant ranting for about 20 minutes. Then the yoga started to sink in and he quieted down. After it was all over, he said, 'I feel great. Let's do this everyday.' It was mostly the post yoga bliss talking I think.

After our workout I ordered us a nice salad for lunch. The lettuce came fried (no kidding) and covered with bacon and maytag blue cheese crumbles. Oh well, it was a nice try for a healthy post yoga meal. Don't you love the south?

windshield wiper

easy sukasana side bending

wall eye of the needle
wall inner thigh stretch
other side eye of the needle
wall baddha konasana

wall shoulder opener with easy lunge
wall dog
wall shoulder opener with easy lunge other side
wall uttanasana

tandem supported dog pose

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Vinyasa Basics 3.16.10

Lovely group of women regulars today. I so enjoy them!

I am coming down with a cold so my head feels heavy. Twisting felt really good in my practice today so I offered more twists than usual. Offered twisting ardha chandrasana as a 'peak' pose of sort, and encouraged to have fun with it (it feels so weird the first few times you do it!). Wanted to end with a supported twist but ran out of time.

Sukasana
breath awareness
angeli mudra prayer
OM

eye of the needle with twist

uttanasana
tadasana

shoulder shrugs
shoulder rotation with swamp monster and halleluja
uttita tadasana
uttanasana with arm variation

second set with finger extensions and forearm stretch

flowing lunge salutes with easy twist
sphinx/seal
other side
cobra

tadasana
OM
lunge
side angle
trikonasana
warrior II with eagle arms
peaceful warrior

vinyasa

other side

balasana

tadasana
OM
lunge
warrior II dance with eagle arms
peaceful warrior
ardha chandrasana
twisted ardha chandrasana
standing splits

vinyasa

other side

exit to pigeon
ardha matseyendra
bridge
spine roll
baddha konasana

other side

sacrum/back of the heart rest

savasana

sit
OM
Namaste

Prototypes Treatment Center 3.15.10

I find check-ins are good at the beginning of sessions. It is a technique used in most of the group counseling sessions and I like it for two reasons. One, it is a good practice for the women to touch down with what they are feeling as well as verbalize what's happening on the inside and out, and second it is a good barometer for how to structure the practice and what to talk about. Kinda like a cheat sheet to guide me to what to teach.

Today before check in a few women were NOT into being there. Arms crossed, no eye contact, I'm becoming familiar with resistance in its many forms from this group. I thought it would be good to roll with resistace today so I asked in check in to say how they were feeling and what they did or did NOT like about yoga. I think giving a 'permission' to NOT like yoga was useful. The exercise confirmed my hunch that they don't like the practice primarly because they don't like their bodies on a physical plane. This is a tricky but key issue in recovery, especially with issues such as eating disorders, physical and sexual abuse, nutrition and self care.

Some of the girls who have been coming for a while said they used to hate yoga but they were now starting to like it because they liked feeling from the inside out. On those days when I want to give up because I think, 'what's the use?', I will remember this.

We did a more flow-y vinyasa that we've done in a long time today. Moving felt good today.

Sukasana
Check in

supine
supine uttita tadasana shoulder awareness

sukasana
teeter totter side bending

tabletop
forward fold

other side

tadasana
shoulder rotation
uttita tadasana

easy lunge salutes

warrior II dance both sides

warrior II
trikonasana
side angle

vinyasa

tadasana
other side

bridge x2

easy spine twist

savasana

sign out 1:1

Saturday, March 13, 2010

Yoga for Recovery 3.13.10

I am working on a new playlist for songs but didn't have a chance to practice to it myself so I opted to save it for next week.

I am influenced by Kira's introducing the elements of the energy centers, particularly the water of the svadisana and the air of the anahata. Some of that language slipped into the practice tonight...I didn't plan it but the qualities feel very alive for me. I feel particurily tuned to the chakras in my own body; Sean Johnson had a powerful chanting session last weekend and Kira has been teaching them for a while. I like the work Caroline Myss teaches about the chakras and am looking forward to hearing what Doug Keller has to say about yoga and the emotions.

First step for me as a practitioner and as a teacher, however, is to stay out of my head and in my body.

We started slow, yin-ish, standing series was a bit challenging, and ended yin-ish/restorative. Don't know what got into me.

Heart opener over bolster
OM
windshield wiper

supine rest

eye of the needle

sukasana
spine rocks
forward fold
table top
paschimotadasana
other side

janushirsasana with twist

uttanasana
tadasana
uttitatadasana with breath

lunge salutes with cobra, locust, locust variation

tadasana
angeli mudra

lunge
twisted lunge
hammock
horse
eagle
warrior III

vinyasa

other side

lower to backs
starfish rest pose

bridge
baddha konasana
bridge
sacrum rest with gratitude meditation

twisted root
starfish
twisted root
starfish

savasana

sit
OM
Namaste

Thursday, March 11, 2010

Vinyasa Basics 3.11.10

Sukasana
anahata meditation
OM

windshield wiper
eye of the needle

cat
cow
balasana with side stretch
puppy dog

tadasana
YAM
simple lunge salutes

lunge salutes with sphinx/seal
OM

tadasana

lunge
warrior I
wide leg forward fold
warrior III
standing splits

vinysana

other side

balasana

side saddle with stretch and twist

even cowgirls get the blues

bridge
supine baddha konasana
bridge
sacrum rest with anahata meditation

twisted root

savasana

sit
OM
Namaste

11th step Meditation 3.11.10

We have a regular group that shows up. It is a great group to practice flowing with the energy in the room; it is less intimidating than in a room of peeps who I don't know.

Our sharing is deepening. Powerful insights.

Baddha konasana

windshield wiper

eye of the needle with twist

standing forward fold with hamstring stretch

side bending
forward fold with variation
other side

malasana

sukasana
3rd step prayer
OM

sit

read

share

sukasana
3 OM's

Namaste