11th Step Meditation. Dispersions of Attention. 3.10.11

We read Sutras 1.30-1.32 and Ravi Ravindra's commentary in "The Wisdom of Patangeli's Yoga Sutras" about the hinderances to practice. We find this useful information for many reasons, one of which finding a common experience so we don't feel quite so separate and alone.

Sutra 1.30-Sickness, apathy, doubt, carlessness, laziness, indulgence, confusion, unsteadiness, and feeling stuck are the interruptions which cause dispersion of attention.
Sutra 1.31-dissatisfaction, despair, nervousness, and irregular breathing accompany this dispersion.
Sutra 1.32-dispersion is prevented by the practice of focusing on one truth (tattva)

Baddha konasana yin style

supine windshield wipers

eye of the needle with supine rock the baby pigeon

sukasana side bending

shoulder shrugs
neck rolls

sit

read

discuss

OM
Namaste!

Vinyasa Basics: Open with Willlingness not Will. 3.10.11

6th limb Dharana, Asana, 3rd limb, yama and niyama 1st and 2nd limb, with emphasis on ahimsa as traslated by Ravi Ravindra "non-violation".

Heart opener over bolster
pranayama-heart, belly, low belly
OM
shoulder openers
windshield wipers
long stretch

supine rest

eye of the needle

sukasana side bending

malasana
uttanasana
uttithatadasana
tadasana

shoulder shrugs
standing shoulder openers

tadasana
YAM

easy lunge salutes

tadasana
lunge salute with cresent pose
baby cobra
locust
cobra
other side lunge salute with cresent pose
balasana
uttanasana
utkatasana
tadasana

lunge
hammock
warrior II dance
vinyasa
other side

bridge x2

twisted root

savasana
sit
OM
Namaste!

Vinyasa Basics: Tapas and Transformation. 3.8.11

The studio was a bit chilly today, so we did a more heating practice. It seemed like a congruent time to talk about tapas and transformation, sacrifice and practice. We took time to feel the heat and movement of the subtle energy, and noticed by comparison, how cold and lifeless things can appear. Sutra 1.2, 1.12, seeing and hearing beyond the eyes, sacrifice as 'making sacred', preparing the body to receive teachings.

We also played with the elements and bija sounds of the muladara, manipura, anahata, and vishuddi as well as celebrated Shiva, God of Transformation, who dances with one foot on the demon of forgetfulness.

Tibetian heating breath
OM

heart tapping
YAM

lunge salutes
vinyasa

balasana
cat/cow

toe torture
downdog
arch torture
downdog

uttanasana
utkatasana
uttithatadasana
RAM

lunge
twisted lunge
hammock
horse
vinyasa
tadasana
LAM

other side standing sequence #1
balasana
toe stand
tadasana

standing side stretch
neck stretch
HAM

lunge
twisted lunge with quad stretch
hammock
warrior I dance
vinyasa
other side

balasana

supine windshield wipers
eye of the needle with supine pigeon pose

savasana

sit
OM
Namaste!

Yoga Blue: Alignment with Pratyahara. 3.5.11

We used the elements of the chakras to create an internal map and played with feeling our 'demons and gods', as Buddha would say, on the inside (thank you for the Buddha reference Ravi Ravindra). We played with softening ourselves and finding a more compassionate relationship with ourselves on the inside with the corresponding idea of softening ourselves to the world.

This idea of correspondance is a new way of looking at things that I am learning from Ravi Ravindra's lecture series this month at Krotona.

Kneeling on bricks
OM
A
O
M
OM

cat/cow
balasana
puppy dog

plank
downdog
uttanasana
malasana
uttithatadasana
tadasana

OM
tadasana
LAM

easy lunge salutes

utkatasana
tadasana
RAM
YAM

lunge salutes with cresent

baby cobra
locust
cobra
other side


balasana

plank
downdog
uttantasana
tadasana

lunge
hammock
warrior II dance
forward fold
warrior II dance other side
forward fold
lunge

sphinx/seal
locust
locust or bow

balasana

side saddle side stretch and twist

bridge
sacrum meditation
heart meditatation

easy spine twist

supported savasana

sit
OM
Namaste!

Vinyasa Basics: 5 elements and the 5th limb, Pratyahara.2.3.11

Pratyahara, the 5th limb of Patanjali's 8 limb path (sutra 2.54). It is usually defined as removal of the senses, but I like Kira's teaching of 'turning the senses inward". Our practice had attention to finding the elements internally, and playing with the notion espoused in the Upanishads of correspondence, as we are learning from Ravi Ravindra in his series at Krotona.

Yoga gives us new ways of seeing (vidya), and we referenced the Warrior I dance to Shiva, who dances with one foot on the demon of forgetfulness.

We chanted various seed sounds throughout the practice.

kneeling on bricks
OM
A
O
M
OM

cat
cow
balasana
puppy dog

balasana variation
plank
downdog

uttanasana
malasana with heart opener
uttithatadasana
tadasana

YAM
easy lunge salutes with bricks

baby cobra
locust
cobra

downdog

uttanasana
utkatasana
tadasana
RAM

lunge
twisted lunge
hammock

locust
locust variation
other side

balasana
toe stand
tadasana
LAM

uttanasana
walk forward downdog
lunge
warrior I
eagle
warrior III
three leg dog
pigeon
mermaid prep
three leg dog
revolved dog

vinyasa

balasana
other side

twisted root

savasana

sit
OM
Namaste!

11th Step Meditation: OM. 2.3.11

Sutra 1.27: Om is the expression of Ishvara. We didn't have very much discussion this morning, but we played with chanting the 4 parts of the OM.

Baddha konasana (butterfly) yin style

eye of the needle

sukasana side stretch

sit 20 minutes

read

share

OM
A
O
M
OM

Namaste!

Vinyasa Basics: Creating space for the Vrittis. 3.1.11

Sutra 1.2, especially chitta as 'heart mind' and nirodaha as 'mastery'. We played with the 5 elements (earth, water, fire, air, ether), and feeling into spaciousness within.

kneeling on bricks
A
O
M
OM

cat/cow
balasana
puppy dog

easy side plank

balancing tabletop with heart opener

plank
downdog

uttanasana
malasana
uttithatadasana
tadasana

lunge
twisted lunge
low cresent
downdog
baby cobra
locust
cobra
other side
uttanasana
utkatasana
uttithatadasana
tadasana

RAM
YAM
lunge
warrior I
three leg dog with hip opener
baby cobra
locust
locust variation
balasana with ajna meditation

toe torture

other side lunge/warrior sequence

tadasana
YAM
warrior I
eagle arms
eagle
warrior III
pigeon
vinyasa
other side

from pigeon
supine tree

twisted root

savasana

sit
OM
Namaste!