11th Step Meditation. Sutra1.1.15 Vairagya. 6.8.11

We loved the passage

we are like...
'A bird in a cage.
its door wide open.
With no practice in flying,
sitting in the cage,
composing an ode
to Freedom.'

Baddha konasana yin style

Janu shirsasana with twist and side bend

Malasana

Uttanasana with hamstring stretch
Uttithatadasana

Shoulder shrugs
Uttanasana

Downdog
Sphinx
Balasana

Windshield wiper

Sit
Read sutra 1.15-1.16 and commentary in Ravi Ravindra's The wisdom of Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, p.21 to top of 23.

Share

Sit
OM x3
Namaste

Vinyasa Basics: A Part Of. 6.9.11

We played with feeling the five elements, with emphasis on the sacrum
and ourflow with the universal energy.

Heart opener over bolster
3 part breath

Uttithatadasana over bolster
Windshield wiper over bolster

Supine rest with heart meditation

Cat
Cow
Balasana
Puppy dog
Balasana

Plank
Downdog

Sphinx/seal

Balasana

Plank downdog
Tadadasana

1/4 sun salutes

Lunge
Low crescent
Downdog
Baby cobra
Locust
Balasana
Other side

Uttanasana
Utkatasana
Tadadana

Gratitude meditation


Uttanasana
Uttithatadasana
Tadasana

Lunge
Twisted lunge
Hammock
Warrior ii dance
Lunge
Pigeon variation
Vinyasa

Other side with twist flow and shoulder opener after hanmmock

Vinyasa with 2 breath cobra

Bridge x 2

Twisted root

Savasana

Sit
OM
Namaste!!

Vinyasa Basics: Tools for a Tranquil Mind. 6.7.11

We played with the tools of sutras 1.33, 1.34, gratitude, and the taoist cycle of creativity to calm the mind and using asana as our backdrop to practice.

sit
spine length and alignment
OM

windshield wiper

padagustasna and twist with strap

cat/cow
sphinx/seal
plank
downdog

easy side plank
toe torture variation
balancing tabletop with backbend option

plank
downdog
uttantasana
malasana with heart opener

uttithatadasana
tadasana
OM

shoulder rolls

tadasana
gratitude meditation

uttanasana
lunge
warrior I dance
vinyasa with baby cobra and locust
other side

tadasana
YAM

warrior I
eagle arms
eagle
warrior III
standing splits
lunge
pigeon
janushirsanana with twist and side stretch
vinyasa

other side

twisted root

savasana

sit

OM
Namaste!

Prototypes Women's Center: Be with Youself. 6.6.11

We had too many students today to use our usual room so we took our class outside. Because it is a more difficult space to work in, we practiced in a circle today.

Since we had just fininshed a session where we came head to head with self loathing and shame, we worked in our asana practice to soften the tight spots in the body and try to find a ilttle less sharpness to the opnion of ourselves.

sukasana

spine rocks
forward fold
other side

sukasana side bending

tadasana
forward fold

shoulder rolls
swamp monster/halleluja

guitar hero arms

warrior II dance
wide leg forward fold
other side

trikonasana
other side

tadasana

windshield wiper

eye of the needle

easy spine twist

savasana

sit
Namaste

1:1 sign papers

Prototypes Women's Center: Brain, Addiction, and Recovery. 6.6.11

The house is full and we had a packed class today. I'd thought I'd teach the kleshas, but I let what come up in the check in today be the topic for the class since there were many new faces and quite a lot going on!

Check in with one 'shiny' word in your recovery. Many routes to go here but one interesting thread was how (via Brene Brown) numbing goes both ways..towards masking pain and discomfort as well joy, happiness, serenity. Recovery is the capacitiy to hold both ends of the spectrum.

Sutra 1.12 a tranquil mind is equal parts effort and surrender.

The check in took a while and at the end the women were sleepy and slighly bored. Tough gig after lunch.

So we all stood up and did Crazy 8's.

Noticing feeling a bit more awake and alive. We talked about effort and showing up.

The we talked about the seeming opposite of surrender.

Talked about the experience of doing both at the same time.
Question of will came up, and why we practice interernal awareness because its all about how it feels.

Many times is was brought up about how bad they feel about themselves..lot of self hate and shame (not their words, but what was being expressed).

We recallted the notion of avidya and spoke how this is a case of avidya.

We closed with one positive thing about ourselves and I assigned 'homework' to make a list of 10 things to bring to class next week.

Yoga Blue: A Practice of Pratyahara

Contempletative practice checking in with the subtle energy, with particular attention on the feeling of support, grounding, ease, and spaciousness.

Impresssing the heart at wall
Shoulder openers over bricks
Rest

Pada gustasana at wall with strap

Sukasana side bending x2

Malasana

Uttithatadasana
Tadadana

Shoulder rolls
Swamp monster/halleluja
Shoulder openers with strap
Uttanasana with strap

tadasana
OM

lunge
hammock
warrior II dance
trikonasana
tadasana
other side

tadasana

tree at wall

tree with brick at wall

tadasana
shiffman pause

uttanasana
malasana

windshield wiper

bridge
easy twist
bridge easy twist

rest in neutral

Yin sphinx
crocodile

rest

supported savasana

sit
OM
Namaste!

Vinyasa Basics: The Sound of Surrender. 6.2.11

Windshield wiper

Padagustasana and twist with strap
Rest
OM

Rolling vinyasa x2

Balasana

Extended tabletop vinyasa
Easy side plank
Lunge variation
Toe stretch
Extended tabletop
Twisted tabletop variation

Vinyasa
Other side side plank variation sequence

Barell roll

Downdog
Walking feet
Tadasana
YAM

Warrior I
Parsvatadasana
Tadasana
Other side
Tadasana

Gratitude meditation
HAM

Lunge
Hammock
Warrior ii dance
Peaceful warrior
Side angle
Pigeon variation

Vinyasa with locust variations
Other side standing sequence
Balasana
Bridge
Twisted root

Savasana
OM

Sit

OM
Namaste!