Sweet Vinyasa: Reversing the Habitual Flow of Me Me Me: July 14, 2013

Sutra 2.2 says the practices of yoga are to loosen the grip. The grip is holding us back from seeing more clearly to joy that is. Yogis for a long time have been trying to help us see that. But as humans we are often stuck in our habitual patterns that keep us small.

The practices of a Bodhisattva ask us to not only loosen the grip on our selves, but do it so that we can benefit others which is harder to do than it seems because it requires we break our patterns of me me me.

windshield wiper

supine hip rotation
supine twist
eye of the needle with hamstring option
half happy baby

cat and cow
sphinx seal

balasana

plank
downdog play
downdog

uttanasana
tadasana
uttithatadasana
uttanasana variation
tadasana

guitar hero

tadasana

standing sequence:
lunge
hammock
warrior II with tippe toe
downdog

baby cobra
locust

tadasana
bodhisattva prayer
YAM

other side standing sequence

boat play

bridge x2
bobhisattva prayer

twisted root with Texas star

savasana

sit
OM
Namaste

Sweet Vinyasa: Breathing Like a Bodhisattva: Wednesday, July 9, 2014

A bodhisattva is one who seeks enlightenment, freedom, love not for oneself, but for the benefit of others as a way to find freedom (as Ravi says) not for oneself, but from oneself.

We played with the alignment of sending loving breaths and thoughts to another as a way to find a release from asmita.

at wall
windshield wiper
long stretch
supine pada gustasana with strap

easy side plank at wall

cat and cow
sphinx/seal

plank
downdog

uttanasana
tadasana
uttithatadasana
uttanasana variation

easy lunge salutes with low crescent

tadasana
bodhisattva breath
YAM

standing sequence:
lunge
side angle
trikonasana
peaceful warrior
pigeon variation
three leg dog

baby cobra
locust
balasana

other side standing seqeuence

bridge x2
reclining goddess with bodhisattva breath

twisted root

savasana

sit
OM
Namaste

Yin Yoga: May You Be Happy, May You Be Free: Tuesday, July 8, 2014

We used the mantra "May You Be Happy, May You Be Free" as a way to soften our internal and external tight spots in a study of relationship and into the wisdom of Ramana Maharishi who is rumored to have said "there are no others".

Windshield wipers
Half Happy Baby Play

Butterfly (5 mins)

Swan (4 mins each side)

Half Saddle (3.5 mins each side)

Sphinx or Seal (5 mins)

Twisted Root (3.5 mins each side)

Supine Bodhisattva Prayer

Savasana

Namaste

Sweet Vinyasa: Soften the Resistance To Love: Monday, July 7, 2014

The alignment of Love is, we resist it. Which causes great suffering. One of the definitions of yoga is "breaking the bonds of suffering". The techiniques of yoga help us do that. We also leaned in on the teachings from the 37 Practices of A Bodhisattva to help us.

at Wall
windshield wiper
supine pada gustasana using strap and wall

loving kindness meditation

cat and cow
balasana
sphinx/seal
crocodile

plank
downdog

uttanasana
tadasana

shoulder shrugs and rolls
tadasana
downdog

low crecents pose with side dips

downdog
uttanasana
tadasana
bodhisattva prayer
YAM

standing sequence:
lunge
side angle
trikonasana
prayer warrior
downdog

baby cobra
locust

other side standing sequence

downdog

pigeon
side stretch

downdog
locust variation

balasana

supported heart opener
gate, gate, paragate, parasamgate, bodhi swaha

savasana

sit
OM
Namaste

Yoga: Willingness to be surprised: Thursday, July 3, 2014

Subbed a last minute class here for this one and instead of panicking, I fell into alignment with a suggestion by Ravi Ravinda ..a willingness to be surprised.

A willingness to be suprised is a willingness to let go of thinking that I know the best alignment and a willingness to show up fresh and follow along with a bigger, higher, less obvious perhaps action. Yogis are always asking us to bring more visible to the invisible, more consciousness to the unconscious, more sacredness to the unseen.

During our sit, loud ambulance sirens rang out. Erich Schiffmann suggests when we hear this unexpected noise we send love out to the person that the sirens are going to see. This is a practice of a bobhisattva..one who seeks enlightenment not for one's own sake, but for that of another being...and all beings.

This whole practice was spontaneous and fresh, and a lot of fun to share. It helped me see what the yogis talk say about being in the fresh and unknown and unplanned, dropping the "I", and experiencing directly the joy and beauty that simply is.

Sit
Siren meditation
YAM

eye of the needle
half happy baby play

cat and cow
balasana
sphinx/seal
crocodile

plank
downdog

uttanasana
tadasana

shoulder rolls and shrugs

uttanasana

standing sequence:
lunge
hammock
side angle prep
trikonasanana
extended trikonasana
lunge
twisted lunge

downdog
baby cobra
locust

other side standing sequence

easy side plank

downdog
puppy dog


reclining Buddha

bridge x 2

twisted root
bodhisattva meditation

savasana

sit
OM
Namaste

Sweet Vinyasa: A Thousand Arms and A Thousand Eyes: Wednesday, July 2, 2014

Avalokiteshvara is compassion appearing as a deity. 1000 arms to help others and a thousand eyes to see clearly. We used her to align our hearts and minds today.

Sit

Seated forward fold with two way side bend

Cat and cow
Balasana
Sphinx or seal

Downdog

Low crescent pose

Down dog
Uttanasana

Tadassna

Uttanasana variation x2

Tadassna
Heart tapping

Tadasana
Gratitude meditation
YAM

Standing sequence:
Lunge
Twisted lunge
Warrior II dance
Pigeon
Mermaid


Downdog
repeat standing sequence

Tadasana
Malasana with bodhisattva prayer

Tadasana

Dancing Avalokiteshvara pose

Malasana

Eye of the needle
Half happy baby play

Twisted root

Savasana

Sit
OM
Bodhisattva prayer
Namaste

Yin Yoga: Meeting Avalokiteshvara: Tuesday, July 1, 2014

Avalokiteshvara is the bodhisattva who embodies compassion. We used her as our guide in our practice this evening.

Sit (5 mins)

Butterfly (5 mins)

Balasana
Dragon (3.5 mins)
Swan (3 mins)

Sphinx/Seal (4 mins)

Twisted Root (3.5 mins each side)

Sit (15 mins)

Namaste