Alano Club: Step One: Stop Thinking So Much: Monday, September 9, 2013

We played in Patanjali's Yoga Sutras 1.1-1.14 with a backdrop of gentle poses. We allowed kindness, ease, surrender, and a willingness to be surprised as our alignment cues.

windshield wiper

eye of the needle

sukasana side bending

sit (4 mins)

low lunge
low crescent
balasana

reclining Buddha

sit or savasana (10 mins)
sit or savasana (5 mins)

sit
Namaste

Sweet Vinyasa: Avidya, Amazement, and Wonder: Monday, September 9, 2013

We let Einstein's quote "there are two ways to live your life. One as if there are no miracles, and the other as if everything is a miracle" inspire the way we look at things to help loosen the bonds of avidya.

Sit

windshield wiper
eye of the needle with twist

cat/cow/balasana/barell roll

easy side plank

plank
downdog

uttanasana
tadasana

guitar hero

tadasana
YAM

standing sequence:
lunge
high lunge
twisted lunge
warrior II
pigeon variation
downdog
rolling plank
rolling updog
downdog
puppy dog
balasana

other side standing sequence

bridge x2

twisted root

savasana

sit
OM
Namaste

Ashtanga Play: Reversing the flow with Handstand: Thursday, September 5, 2013

Subbed this class of Ashtanga play for Adam, which was fun and challenging since Ashtanga is not my primary practice. It was a great way to look at the series freshly and I'm grateful for the opportunity.

Windshield wiper

supine padagustasana and twist with strap
half happy baby
padagustasana variation

uttanasana
tadasana

Surya Namiskar A x3
Surya Namiskar A freeform

Surya Namiskar B x3
Surya Namiskar B freeform

tadasana

Triangle

Revolved Triangle

Side Angle

Prasarita Pada Tadasana A
Prasarita Pada Tadasana B
Prasarita Pada Tadasana A or Headstand

Guitar Hero
Parsvottonasana

Warrior Flow:
Tadasana
Lunge
Warrior I
Warrior II
Lunge
Downdog
Rolling Plank
Rolling Bridge
Downdog
Revolved dog
Downdog

Other side Warrior Flow

Puppy Dog
Balasana with Ajna rest

Hand and Wrist awareness play

Handstand in Doorway

Handstand at Wall

Handstand with Bolster (yogi L offered this!)

Janushirsasnana stretch
Half virasana stretch
Janushirsasana with side stretch

Twisted Root

Savasana

Sit
Namaste

Yoga: Attitudes of a Yogi: September 5, 2013

We used the attitude of compassion (karuna) as our primary alignment today, and sprinkled it with gentleness, kindness, and a willing to be surprised to tap in to feeling the inner illumination that's always there.

Sit
karuna meditation
YAM

windshield wiper

eye of the needle with twist

cat/cow
barell roll
balasana
puppy dog

toe torture with karuna meditation

plank
downdog play
downdog

uttanasana
uttithatadasana
tadasana

YAM

standing sequence:
lunge
twisted lunge
hammock
karuna warrior II
pigeon variation

three leg dog
downdog

other side standing sequence

balasana

sphinx/seal
crocodile

reclining Buddha
bridge
reclining Buddha

savasana

sit
OM
Namaste

Sweet Vinyasa: Courage and Karuna: Wednesday, September 5, 2013

We have been talking a lot about Karuna (compassion) lately, and brought a special interest today in using Karuna to find a more satisfying alignment with what is. We are finding courage to be a dance partner to karuna as we hone our skills of seeing more clearly the whole self, not just the parts we 'want' to see.

Savasana

YAM

eye of the needle with twist

cat/cow
puppy dog

balasana
toe torture

plank
downdog

uttansana
tadasana

guitar hero

tadasana

standing sequence:
lunge
twisted lunge
hammock
warrior II dance
pigeon variation
three leg dog

repeat standing sequence

downdog
rolling plank
rolling updog

balasana
OM

bridge x2

twisted root

supported savasana

sit
namaste

Alano Club: Tuning In: Monday, September 2, 2013

We practiced the skills of compassion, tenderness, and vulnerability as we explored our interior landscape. We let the mantra of WOW! and the element of surprise guide us into the depths and navigate through the sticky spots.

sit (5 mins)

windshield wiper
eye of the needle with twist

sukasana side bending

cat/cow
balasana

sphinx/seal
balasana

sit (12 mins)

namaste

Sweet Vinyasa: Karuna: Monday, September 2, 2013

We used the breath in the back of the heart as an alignment cue today to assist us in finding more room through the yogis suggestion of karuna (sutra 1.33).

We also honed our skills in seeing more clearly...making the invisible more visible.

Sit
Karuna meditation
YAM

eye of the needle with twist

cat/cow/barell roll
plank
downdog
uttanasana

standing pattern:
lunge
prayer lunge
warrior II dance
low lunge
three leg dog

rolling plank
rolling updog

other side standing pattern

reverse windshield wipers

bridge

cosmic rest

reclining Buddha

savasana

sit
OM
Namaste