Yoga Blue: Attachments. 8.13.11

We continued our discussion of the kleshas and played with losening attachments.

Heart opener over bolster
breath awareness
gratitude meditation
OM

cat
cow
balasana
sphinx

plank
downdog

uttanasana
uttithatadasana
tadasana

shoulder shrugs
shoulder rolls
shoulder opener with strap

tadasana

lunge salutes with low crescent and hamstring stretch

vinyasa with baby cobra, locust, and locust variation

balasana

plank
downdog

uttanasana

tadasana

lunge
twisted lunge
hammock
warrior II dance
vinyasa
other side

texas star

bridge x2

eye of needle
twisted root
texas star
other side

supported savasana

sit
Loka Samastha Sukhino Bhavantu
OM
Namaste!

Vinyasa Basics: Patanjali and the Tight Spots. 8.11.11

!Ha Ha! This class title sounds like a new age rock and roll group!)

Thorugh movement and mantra we practiced kinder relationships with our selves. We ventured in sutra 1.33, 2.3, and into the first yama in the first limb, ahimsa.

Heart opener over bolster
breath awareness
gratitude meditation
OM

rest

sukasana side bending

cat
cow
balasana
sphinx/seal

barrell roll

plank
downdog

uttanasana
uttithatadasana
tadasana

YAM

lunge salute with low crescent
vinyasa with baby cobra and locust
other side

uttanasana
utkatasana
tadasana
HAM

lunge
twisted lunge
hammock
warrior II dance
vinyasa with cobra and locust
balasana

cobra/frog sequence

balasana

plank
downdog
tadasana

lunge
warrior II
peaceful warrior
side angle
lunge
warrior I
tree
tadasana
forward fold

tadasana
other side

vinyasa

texas star

eye of the needle
twisted root
other side

supported savasana

sit
OM
Namaste!

Sweet Vinyasa: Loka Samatha Sukhino Bhavantu. 8.10.11

Subbing for Kira today. We played with Sutra 1.12 and the concept of viragia as freedom.

Heart opener over bolster
breath awareness
gratitude meditation
OM

rest

sukasana side bending

cat/cow vinyasa
balasana
sphinx
crocodile pose

barrell roll

plank
downdog
uttanasana
uttitha tadasana
tadasana

YAM

lunge
low lunge
crescent
other side with arm variation
plank
downdog

vinyasa with baby cobra, locust, and locust variation

balasana

toe torture

plank
downdog
uttanasana
gorilla

uttithatadasana
uttanasana variation
tadasana

lunge
twisted lunge
hammock
warrior II dance
other side

vinyasa with cobra and locust variation

balasana

plank
downdog

uttanasana
tadasana

lunge
warrior II
peaceful warrior
extended side angle pose
lunge
warrior I
tree

tadasana
uttanasana
tadasana
other side

vinyasa with breathing cobra

balasana

chanting Loka Samastha Sukhino Bhavantu on supported virasana
tonglen style meditation

windshield wiper
eye of the needle
twistd root
other side

Savasana

sit
OM
Namaste!

Vinyasa Basics: Detaching attachments: 8.9.11

We continued our discussion of the the attachments and kleshas (sutra 2.3) and practiced viragia (sutra 1.12) though the breath and softening the thoughts.

windshield wiper

padagustasana and twist with strap

cat
cow
balasana
sphinx with neck rolls

barrell roll

child's pose variation

plank
downdog

uttanasana
malasana
uttanasana
uttithatadasana
tadasana

shoulder shrugs
shoulder rolls
uttanasana variation
tadasana

standing neck stretches

YAM

lunge
low lunge with top of foot stretch
low crescent with side bend
hamstring stretch

baby cobra
locust

balasana
other side

utkatasana
tadasana
YAM

tadasana
lunge
twisted lunge
hammock
high lunge
high lunge twist
vinyasa
other side

balasana

tadasana

downdog

leg lifts to pigeon

pigeon variation

janushirsasana

rolling to downdog
other side

bridge

twisted root

supported savasana
sutra 1.1

sit
Loka Samasta Sukhino Bhavantu
Namaste!

Prototypes Women's Center. Oooh! Aahhh! and Ow. 8.8.11

We had a group today all new at Prototypes, first time to yoga ever in life, and all new faces to me. Our only introduction had been our group class together just previous to yoga on 'Brain, Addiction, and Recovery", where the jist of our lesson was the suggestion that our thoughts really do matter. It was an interesting session in many ways, one of which is that for some reason a rather instant rapport had been established. This made my job teaching yoga much easier that just going in cold.

One of my greatest joys in life is working with beginners, especially brand new ones, and especially those who are in early recovery. There is almost nothing finer than witnessing the first steps of exploring the internal space. There is an immediacy in each and every 'Oooh, Ahhh, and even the occasional ow, that are cues for intimate sharing of the teachings of yoga, especially as it relates to recovery from self destructive behaviors.

These classes are anything but quiet. Comments and questions arise from their bodies and right out of their mouths. As long as it is relevant and on topic, I even encourage verbalization of their experience. Part of teaching here at Prototypes is about holding a safe space and practice, listening with all the senses, while simulaneously having boundaries and discipline. The chatter quiets down about 30 minutues into our practice, and eventually the room grows silent and we all move and breath and do our own work together breath by breath. Its one of the most interesting experiences of my whole life and I am filled with gratitude each and every time I get to be with these women.



Supine
Yogi scientist experiment with 3 positions of the legs.

Windshield wiper

Eye of the needle
Rest
Other side

Sukasana side bending

Sukasana with yogi scientist experiment with 2 hand positions

Tadasana

Warrior 11 dance
Warrior 11
Tadasana
Other side

uttanasana
malasana

Windshield wiper

Bridge

Easy spine twist

Sit
Namaste

Sweet Vinyasa. The feeling of Freedom. 8.8.11

Subbed this class for Kira. Sutra 2.3-the kleshas and feeling the flow of freedom through mantra, breath and posture.

Sukasana
breath awareness, spine lengthening
heart meditation
OM

shoulder shrugs

sukasana spine rocking
forward fold and side bending

cat/cow
balasana
sphinx
windshield wiper

plank
downdog
uttantasana
uttithatadasana
tadasana
YAM

guitar hero

tadasana
YAM

lunge salute
lunge salute vinyasa with top of foot stretch and low crescent
baby cobra
locust
other side
balasana

vinyasa with shoulder opener and twist

balasana
plank
downdog
uttanasana
malasana

tadasana
YAM

lunge
twisted lunge
hammock
warrior II dance
vinyasa
other side

balasana

downdog
leg extension vinyasa
pigeon
pigeon variation
vinyasa
other side

windshield wiper

savasana

sit
Loka Samasta Sukhino Bhavantu
OM
Namaste

Vinyasa Basics: Feeling the Kleshas. 8.2.11

We played in some of the feeling tones of the kleshas (sutra 2.30). We are finding it useful to find feeing tones of these teachings to help us better understand and appreciate the immense wisdom of Patanjail.

sukasana
muladhara awareness
spine awareness and breath
anahata meditation
OM

sukasana twist

sukasana spine rock and 3 way forward fold

plank
downdog
uttithatadasana
tadasana
YAM

shoulder shrugs
standing guitar hero

simple lunges
malasana

lunge with top of foot stretch, crescent option, and hamstring stretch

sphinx/seal
balasana

barell roll

plank
downdog

lunge
hammock
side angle
triangle
exended triangle

vinyasa with baby cobra and locust
other side

vinyasa with shoulder opener and twist
balasana

virasana variaton

vinyasa

pigeon
pigeon variation
other side

vinysasna

Texas star

windshield wiper

savasana

sit
OM
Namaste!