Yin and Meditation: Vulnerability, Surrender and Grace.

Found out I got to teach 5 minutes before class! What came out was what is fresh for me in my practice, which is playing with the yin qualities of being vulnerable, and how it relates to surrender, and how it opens a space to experience grace.

Vulnerability and Surrender are powerful practices for me because I have layers of fear buried within. But some tight spots melt, if I'm lucky (or perhaps it is Grace).

Baddha konasana
rest

Swan, sleeping swan or box
rest
cat/cow release
other side

windshield wiper

sphinx/seal (it faced peeps in 'other direction', not sure best transition)
rest

balasana with taoist 'gentleness and kindness' meditation

lunge/high lunge

twisted root
rest
other side
rest

sit
sit/savasana

Namaste!

Yoga Blue: Let Go and Let God. 10.9.10

Some of the talking points were anahata, heart to hand connection, sutra 1.2, sutra 1.12, sutra 1.34. I think I forgot twisted lunge on the second side in the second standing series. When I discovered this during savasana, instead of freaking out, I prayed that each of the peeps in class got the yoga they were looking for in coming to class tonight. I don't get wound up over such things anymore and I've learned how to do that by spending some time teaching. One of the many many many blessings in this path and every day I am grateful people show up and I have a lovely studio where I get to try to communicate this thing called yoga.

Supine

Three part pranayama breath
OM

supine shoulder openers

eye of the needle

cat
cow
balasana
puppy dog

easy side plank

balasana

downdog

uttanasana
malasana with heart opener

uttithatadasana
tadasana

angeli mudra
YAM

lunge
hammock
cresent
other side
downdog

sphinx/seal
windshield wiper

downdog
uttanasana

tadasana

lunge
hammock
warrior II dance
twisted lunge
pigeon
three leg dog

vinyasa

other side with horse added before warrior II

vinyasa

balasana

ardha matseyendrasana
cow face with eagle arms
paschimotadasana

other side

supported savasana

sit
OM
Namaste!

Vinyasa Basics: Making room for ourselves. 10.7.10

Late post for Oct 7

Sukasama
Heart to hand
Gratitude med
Om

Windshield
Eye with straight leg
Hip med

Cat cow etc

Toe stretch
Toe stand

Uttithatadasana
Forward fold

Yam
Lunge
Hammock
Low cresent

Cob
Loc
locust Var

Bal
toe stand
Tad

Lam
Lunge
Hammonk
Shushumna pose
Warrior 11
Twisted lunge
Vin

Ardha
Cow tip
Support sav

Vinyasa Basics: breathing into Grace. 10.7.10

Sukasama
Heart to hand
Gratitude med
Om

Windshield wiper
Eye with straight leg
Hip meditation

Cat
Cow
Balasana
Puppy dog

Toe stretch
Toestand

Uttithatadasana
Tadasana

Yam
Lunge
Hammock
Low cresent

Cobra
Locust
Locust Variation

Balasana
Toe stand
Tadasana

Lam
Lunge
Hammock
Shushumna pose
Warrior 11
Twisted lunge
Vinyasa
Other side

Ardha matseyendrasana
Cow face with eagle arm stretch
Cow tipping


Supported savasana

Vinyasa Basics: Sweet Surrender. 10.5.10

Sutra 1.12 says the vrittis are mastered through equal parts practice and surrender/non attachment. For most my adult life I've been only concerned with practice and effort. It wasn't until I learned surrender that i began to feel some sense of internal aligment. I am grateful for the teachings of yoga.

Today we practiced with a special emphasis on vairagya.

Baddha konasana yin style
seated baddha konasana with heart meditation and OM

padagustasana with twist and side bend
sukasana with spine rocking
forward fold
seated baby back bend
other side

table top
paschimotadasana

uttanasana

lunge
high lunge
twisted lunge
low cresent
hamstring stretch

downdog
rounded plank
downdog

other side

from downdog
baby cobra
locust
cobra

barrell roll

downdog
uttanasana
uttithatadasana with 3 breaths
tadasana

YAM

lunge
warrior I dance
eagle arms
eagle
lunge
twisted lunge
pigeon

three leg dog/revolved dog
vinyasa

other side

after vinyasa roll to backs

eye of the needle
eagle wrap twist
other side

supported savasana

sit
OM
Namaste!

Prototypes Women's Center. The attack of the vrittis. 10.4.10

We were going on one direction when, at the first forward fold I heard, "I can't do this. I'm FAT". Then someone said, "I wish I could be happy and have white teeth like you". I stopped the asana practice and asked them to take a comfortable seat.

When I asked what other people were thinking, everything from pending court cases to hating yoga class to what's for dinner came up. it was a teachable moment to introduce the vrittis, and sutra 1.2. We've come at it before, but today, perhaps because it came from them, it felt like it took on a new understanding. After a discussion, we did a bit more moving, and by the end of class, everybody sat in a 3 minute meditation...absolutely silent and still, and, as one woman, put it, "a little less freaked out by the vrittis".

supine belly tug and internal organ map

tadasana
(it was chilly in the room)
tibetan HA breath

crazy eights

tadasana
1/2 sun salute
lunge

sukasana (discussion)

sukasana side extension with side bending
other side

tadasana
hip/pelvis rotation

warrior II
forward fold
malasana with cowboy negociation
trikonasana

tree

sit-3 min

Namaste!
1:1 sign papers

Yoga Blue: Keep it Simple: Breathe! 10.02.10

Swooping Baddha Konasana

Baddha konasana yin style

pada gustasana with twist and side bend
sukasana forward fold
table top
paschimotadasana
other side

uttanasna with hamstring stretch
lunge
hammock
low cresent
tiger pose
other side

sphinx
seal

balasana

even cowgirls get the blues

eagle arm play in virasana

plank
downdog
uttanasana
uttitha tadasana
lunge
side angle prep
trikonasana
half moon with block
pigeon

vinyasa

other side
from pigeon
supine tree
bridge
baddha konasana
self supported bridge

supine spine twist with block x2

supported baddha konasna
supported savasana

sit
namaste