Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Granny Yoga: Sweet Sutra 2.1: 9.14.12

Sutra 2.1 continues to hold my curiosity and attention. We used a gentle asana practice as a backdrop the sharing of the sutra.

supine chair at the wall
brahmari variation breathing
RAM

sukasana side bending

cat
cow
barrel roll
balasana

leaning tower of piza

tadasana

lunge with low crescent using bricks and blankets

balasana

navasana play

windshield wiper

restorative heart opener using blankets
pranayama a la Ravi

savasana

sit
OM
Namaste

Sweet Vinyasa: Swadyaya, Sutra 2.1, and Stillness: 9.14.12

We're continuing our study of sutra 2.1 "Tapas, Swadyaya, Ishvara Pranidad kriya yoga". We made note today of the quiet resulting from these practices.

sit (5 mins or so)
2 oms

sukasana forward fold
two way side bend
other side

gratitude meditation

OM

cat
cow
barrel roll
balasana

balasana variation
toe torture option

plank
downdog

uttanasana with twist
uttanasana
tadasana with side stretch
tadasana
YAM

shoulder shrug
shoulder rolls

guitar hero

tadasana
lunge
twisted lunge
low crescent
downdog
baby cobra
locust
reverse windshield wiper
other side
with baby cobra and locust variations

leaning tower of piza

tadasana
uttanasana

downdog
plank
baby cobra
locust

balasana

navasana play

bridge
supported bridge

supported baddha konasana

windshield wiper with happy baby option and play

savasana

sit
Manipura meditation
OM
Namaste

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Sweet Vinyasa: Surrender and Sutra 2.1: 11.7.11

We used asana, mantra, and pranayama to explore Sutra 2.1, with special emphasis on Ishvara Pranidad.

supine chair at wall
brahmari breathing variation a la patricia sullivan
manipura meditation
RAM

cat
cow
balasana
puppy dog

easy side plank

virasana variation

plank
downdog play

uttanasana
tadasana
uttanasana variation
tadasana

YAM

step on brick play

tadasana
YAM

lunge
twisted lunge
hammock
hand stretch in horse
horse
wide leg forward fold
lunge
uttanasana
tadasana

YAM
other side with twist and dip in horse, and chinese splits after horse

downdog

baby cobra
locust
locust variation

balasansa

navasana play

eye of needle
twist
other side

savasana

sit
OM
Namaste

Monday, November 5, 2012

Sweet Vinyasa: Sutra 2.1. 11.5.12

Tapas, Swadyaya, Ishvara Pranidad Kriya Yoga.

Our practice endeavored to draw our attention the region of the manipura, and playing in the elements and motor organs here and surrendering to the anahata while maintaining connection.

supine chair at the wall
breath awareness
brahmari breathing a la patricia sullivan

manipura medition
RAM

cat
cow
balasana
puppy dog

easy side plank

balasana/virasana variation

downdog play

uttanasanasa

uttitha tadasana
tadasana

eka pada tadasana on brick

tadasana
YAM

lunge
twisted lunge
hammock
horse
horse dance with hand stretch
wide forward fold
lunge
low crescent
lunge
uttanasana
tadasana
YAM
other side with wide leg splits after horse

downdog
plank
baby cobra
locust
balasana

navasana play

eye of the needle
twist
other side

supported savasana with blanket

sit
OM
Namaste


Monday, October 22, 2012

Sweet Vinyasa: Intimacy with what is. 10.22.12

Inspired by our upcoming Crib event, the theme today was intimacy. We nourished ourselves with the feeling tones of willingness and wonder, and tried to loosen our grip on what we "know".

We endeavored to touch Freedom as taught by Ravi Ravindra "freedom not for ourselves, but freedom from ourselves", and playing to find our centers as THE center.

windshield wiper

supine side waist stretch

eye of the needle with hip rotation play
twisted root
other side

supine gratitude meditation
OM for abundance

supported reclining Buddha over bolster

sukasana

malasana
cowboy negociation with heart opener

uttanasana with hamstring stretch
tadasana

shoulder shrugs and rolls
uttansana variation

lunge salutes with blanket support

downdog
plank
baby cobra
locust locust variation

downdog
lunge
warrior I
pyramid
warrior III
pigeon
three leg dog
other side

balasana

windshield wiper

savasana

sit
OM
Namaste



Monday, October 15, 2012

Sweet Vinyasa: Holy Waters Within. 10.15.2012

We've been playing in the manipura and using practices to notice, feel, and connect to the jewels within. Riffing off this, there is a particularly striking example of tuning to the magnificence within in the Darshana Upanishad 4.53 (as brought to me by Ravi in his book 'the Spiritual Roots of Yoga', p. 55). We used this verse as the inspiration for the class today and used the swadisthana as our main area of focus:

"the tirthas of your body
infinitely surpass those of the world,
and the tirtha-of-the-soul is the greatest of them:
the others are nothing beside it."

windshield wiper
supine pada gustasana and twist with strap

easy side plank

cat/cow
balasana

balasana variation

plank
downdog play
uttanasana
uttithatadasana
tadasana
VAM

lunge
twisted lunge
hammock
low crescent
other side
vinyasa with baby cobra, locust, and locust variation

crocodile

all fours pelvis rotation

plank
downdog

lunge
hammock
exhalted warrior
warrior II
trikonasana
pigeon
three leg dog with revolved dog option
other side

vinyasa with locust and locust varation

supine windshield wiper

bridge
heart meditation

twisted root

savasana

sit
OM
Namaste


Monday, October 8, 2012

Sweet Vinyasa: Practicing Surrender: 10.8.12

In my recent practice of surrender and closer looking I have come to love Ojai and Lulu Bandhas more than ever. And I'm learning to enjoy my life for real.

windshield wiper

cosmic rest with gratitude meditation

eye of the needle with internal and external rotation

happy baby
supine wide angle stretch

cat/cow

easy side plank

balasana with earth offering
OM

plank

downdog play

uttanasana
uttithatadasana
tadasana

YAM

lunge
warrior I
pyramid
lunge
three leg dog
plank
sphinx
downdog
other side with baby cobra and locust

downdog
uttanasana
gorilla
uttithatadasana

shoulder shrugs
shoulder rotation
standing neck stretches

tadasana
LAM

lunge
warrior I
eagle arms
eagle
warrior III
standing splits
pigeon
vinyasa with locust variation
other side

supine
happy baby

twisted root

savasana

sit
OM
namaste