Prototypes Women's Center: OM and the layers of the Self: Monday, June 10, 2013

We played with the 4 sounds of OM as a practice to explore the layers of the self and a light asana practice to begin to tap into the wisdom of Chandogya Upanishad 3.13.7.

What is mantra and do you think "Protection of your own mind" can be useful?

Discussion of OM

A
O
M

OM x3

discussion of results

guitar hero
Prototypes Hokey Pokey

Chandogya Upanishad 3.13.7

Now the light which shines above the Heavens, above all, above everything, in the highest worlds, beyond which there is no higher, verily this is the same as the light which is here within a person.

discussion

homework: write you own personal mantra

Sweet Vinyasa: Tapping into the light of the Heart: Monday, June 10, 2013.

This mantra from the Chandogya Upanishad continues to play for me. So we used this as a way to consider a deeper relationship to self.

Chandogya Upanishad 3.13.7. Now the light which shines above the Heavens, above all, above everything, in the highest worlds, beyond which there is no higher, verily this is the same as the light which is here within a person.

roll supine
side waist stretch
knees to chest
windshield wiper

eye of the needle
half happy baby

cat/cow
OMG variations
easy side plank variation

plank
downdog

uttanasana
uttithatadasana

shoulder rolls and shrugs

tadasana
OM

lunge
low crescent with side bending

downdog

baby cobra
locust

downdog
tadasana

heart tapping and prana play

tadasana
YAM

lunge
warrior II
ardha chandrasana
pigeon
supine tree
bridge

rolling to downdog
other side

from bridge
cosmic rest
OM
twisted root

savasana

sit
OM
Namaste

Strong Vinyasa: standing in your light: Sunday, June 9, 2013

I haven't taught strong vinyasa for over four years. To my surprise I had a lot of fun prepping for this class and found it in many ways closer to my own personal practice style, as I often take the stretch of simpler poses into deeper places that what I normally offer to a 2/3 class. Then at 3:30 AM, mantra 7 from the 3rd chapter, 13th verse of the Chandogya Upanishad litterally woke me out of a sound sleep. So I wanted to share it because I love it so much. This was the inspiration for a 'strong' class.


Chandogya Upanishad 3:13:7 (translation by Ravi Ravindra in his 2012 course on the Upanishads, Ojai, CA at Krotona.

Now the light which shines above the Heavens, above all, above everything, in the highest worlds, beyond which there is no higher, verily this is the same as the light which is here within a person.

Since the mind tends towards dispersion and distraction, it seems to me the strong practice is about staying centered and in the "light" described in the Chandogya Upanishad 3.13.7 even as things appear more complicated. Here is our sequence:

sit (3 mins)

sukasana or box forward fold and two way side bend

cat/cow/barrel roll
balasana/puppy dog

OMG variations with flying cow (forgot easy side plank transition..)

toe torture
toe stand

plank
downdog

downdog play to lunge
low crescent with side stretches
hamstring stretch with hanamunasana offering
other side

downdog

uttanasana
tadasana

shoulder shrugs and rolls with uttithatadasana stretch and uttanasana variation

tadasana
YAM

heart tapping and anahata stretches
prana play

lunge
hammock
warrior II dance
warrior II with heart tapping
ardha chandrasana with heart tapping
standing splits
lunge
three leg dog with wild thing or wheel offering

downdog
uttithatadasana
tadasana

other side
lunge
hammock with skandasana
headstand play
warrior II with dance and heart tapping
ardha chandrasana with heart tapping
standing splits
lunge
wild thing/wheel

side plank

downdog
pigeon
mermaid
seated twist
box with forward fold
bridge or wheel
other side pigeon or seated sequence

twisted root

savasana

sit
Namaste

Sweet Vinyasa: Sutra 1.2 Yoga Chitta Vrittis Nirodaha. Wednesday June 5, 2013.

One of the definitions of yoga is offered by Patanjali as "the quieting of the mind". Our practice today was a play of staying quiet. Buddha assisted us with his wisdom of aligning with "mindfulness in the body", and Patanjali's reference to inner radiance in sutras 1.36 and  1.37.

We also practices several "happy baby" poses because I just became an aunt again yesterday and lots of joy for this new gift of life in my family is front and center on my mind!

windshield wiper with side stretch
happy baby

supine janushirsasana and twist with strap

supine spaciousness meditation in legs, heart and mind

cat n cow
balasana
puppy dog

arch torture
downdog

uttanasana
uttithatadasana
tadasana

shoulder shrugs

guitar hero

shoulder openers and uttanasana variation with strap

tadasana
YAM

lunge
twisted lunge
hammock
warrior II dance
low crescent with dips
tadasana
other side with skandasana in hammock

downdog
baby cobra
locust
balasana

eye of the needle and twist

savasana

sit
OM
Namaste

Yin Yoga: Practice looking with Divine Eyes: 6.4.13

We practice seeing more clearly by cultivating the elements of water and fire.

Sit (5 mins)

Butterfly

Swan
windshield wiper with side stretch

Dragon
balasana

Sphinx
reverse windshield wiper

twisted root

sit/savasana 10 mins
sit/savasana 5 mins

Namaste

Alano Club: Comfortable in the Unknown: 6.3.13

We used St. Paul's "the body is the temple of the spirit" and Buddha's "mindfulness in the body" wisdom to assist us tonight in our practice of feeling safe in the unknown.

sit (5 mins)

janushirsasana with twist and side bend
YAM
sit (2 mins)

eye of the needle

manipura meditation

cat/cow play

low crescent

sit (11 mins)
sit/savasana (3 mins)

Namaste

Sweet Vinyasa: Body is the Temple of the Spirit: 6.3.13

We used St. Paul's wisdom "the Body is the Temple of the Spirit" as our primary alignment tool today, and leaned in on Patanjali's play of avidya and asteya to help guide our way.

sit
OM

gentle cat/cow

OMG variation x2
flying cow

plank
downdog
uttanasana
uttithatadasana
tadasana

shoulder shrugs and rolls
tadasana

uttithatadasana variations
uttanasana variation
tadasana
YAM

lunge
low lunge with windmill

puppy dog
barrell roll

downdog
plank
baby cobra
locust

downdog
uttanasana
tadasana

standing neck stretches

tadasana
lunge
warrior I
parsvatadasana
warrior III
pigeon
wild thing

baby cobra
locust variation
other side

supine knees to chest
twisted root

(wanted to do heart opener at wall but ran out of time)

savasana

sit
OM
Namaste