Vinyasa Basics: Concentration on the Heart: 2.23.12

We spent time in the feeling tones of samyama (samvrittes) of dyrana, dyana, and samadi, as well as the 5th yama aparigrapha, and played with the balance of connecting the will (through the motor organ of the feet and the sense organ of the eyes) with surrender towards the heart (through the motor organ of the hands, the sense organ of the skin).

Sit
Anahata meditation
OM

Anjali mudra
Sankalpa mudra
Matseyendra mudra
Anjali mudra

Cat
Cow
Balasana
Puppy dog

Easy side plank

Plank
Downdog

Shoulder shrugs
Shoulder rolls
Uttanasana variation

Tadasana
YAM

Lunge
Hammock
Twisted lunge
Low cresent
Other side

Plank
Baby cobra
Locust
Locust variation

Balasana

Tadasana
LAM

Lunge
Hammock
Warrior II
Trikonasana variation
side angle variation
half moon
vinysasa
other side

landing in pigeon
rolling pigeon
vinyasa
other side

exiting supine tree
bridge x2
supine tree other side

sukasana with eagle arms

seated ardha matsendrasana

savasana

sit
OM
Namaste

Seeing and Samyama: 2.21.12

From teachings baked in the yin teacher training and visiting temples in Varnasi.

We touched into the feeling tones of dyrana, dyana, and samadi. We also played with sutra 1.12, hyrdya chitta samvrittes, will and surrender, and doing so with the soft eyes of darshan.

sit
anahata meditation
OM x 3

sukasana
forward fold
two way side bend with bend and straighten

easy side plank with bend and straighten

sphinx

plank
downdog

uttanasana
uttithatadasana
tadasana

shoulder shrugs
shoulder rolls
uttanasana variation
tadasana
YAM

lunge
hammock
low crescent
hamstring stretch
other side

downdog
baby cobra
locust
locust variation
balasana

tadasana
LAM
YAM

lunge
hammock
warrior II dance
trikonasna variation
side angle
ardha chandrasana
standing splits
pigeon
vinyasa
balasana

other side

from vinyasa
roll supine
windhshield wiper

bridge x2

eye of needle
twisted root
other side

savasana

sit
OM
Namaste.

Vinyasa Basics: City Filled with Jewels: 1.24.12

With asana, breath, mantra, sutra 1.34, asteya, and aparaigraha, we connected the will to the heart and felt into the vast abundance within.

windshield wiper
side waist stretch

eye of the needle with tipping buddha
twisted root
rest
other side

cat
cow
balasana
sphinx/seal


tadasana
uttanasana

step up on brick play

lunge
twisted lunge
hammock
low crescent

vinyasa with baby cobra and locust

balasana

supine shoulder openers
heart dips

balasana
toe torture

plank
downdog

tadasana

lunge
warrior I dance
eagle arms
eagle
vinyasa
other side

pigeon

vinyasa

supine pigeon play with rock the baby

bridge x2

gratitude meditation

easy twist

savasana

sit
OM
Namaste

(there were some Yams, Rams, and lams in there too...)

Prototypes Women's Center: Gentle and Kind to ourselves: 1.23.12

Some of the talking points were about prana, svadisthana (had a request for low back mischief), kidneys and fear, taoist cycle of creativity,muladhara and grounding.

windshield wiper

eye of the needle

sukasana side bending x2

tadasana

at wall lengthen side waist and breath

uttansana at wall

Malasana at wall

tadasana

lunge

low crescent

tadasana

other side

downdog

sphinx/seal

downdog

uttansana

tadasana

crow play

navasana play

bridge

twisted root

savasana

sit

OM (!)

Namaste

Yoga Blue: Connection and Ease: 1.21.12

sutra 1.12 inspires a two fold view of connection. That of diligent, ceaseless practice and effort, and also of surrender and ease. We playing tonight in the invitation of connection with ease. If we let go, we can perhaps see we are already there.

sutra 1.14? right alignment and joy

windshield wiper

eye of the needle

sukasana side bending x2
shoulder shrugs

tadasana
uttanasana

lunge
tadasana

other side
with uttithatadasana and uttanasana variation

low crescent lunge salute
balasana
tadasana
YAM

Second side with arm variation

downdog

baby cobra
locust
locust variation
balasana

navasana play

bridge x2

gratitude meditation

twisted root or easy twist

savasana

sit
OM
Namaste

Vinyasa Basics: Choose Freedom: 1.17.12

We dove into the feeling tone of freedom so we could begin to embody what freedom feels like. We must know it before we can choose it. Yogis believe it is our thought, our mental and emotional states that hold us back from freedom. Hence the definition of yoga in sutra 1.2. We played with mantra, chin mudra, asana and (new for our practice) a story (Narada and 'How Long to Freedom').

sit
chin mudra
heart meditation
aparigrapha
OM

side bending with bend and stretch

plank
downdog
uttanasana
uttithatadasana
tadasana

lunge salutes with hammock, low crescent side bending and 3 part hamstring stretch

vinyasa with baby cobra and locust
crocodile

balasana
plank
downdog
uttanasana
tadasana
YAM

lunge
hammock
warrior II dance
peaceful warrior
trikonasana
parvatadasana
lunge
vinysana with baby cobra and locust variation
other side

from balasana
virasana or on bricks

eagle arm stretch with neck option

balasana

frog
frog with cat/cow tilt
frog with forward and back motion

uttanasana
walk about

uttanasana
malasana

twisted root with story of Narada

savasana

sit
OM
Namaste

Yoga Blue: Silencing the Small Self. 1.14.12

One of the reasons I love the practice of yoga is because it helps to cue me when I'm playing small. I've been drawn to the mantra Aham Brahma, as translated by Ravi Ravindra as 'I am vastness' as it assists me in establishing a feeling tone of spaciousness. Tonight we used asana, and pranayama to help check in the feeling tone of vastness to help prepare for the teachings of Aham Brahma.

sit
chin mudra
heart meditation
OM

sukasana
forward fold
two way side bend


cat
cow
barrell roll
balasana
puppy dog

plank
downdog
uttanasana
uttithatadasana
tadasana
YAM

simple lunge salutes with brick

shoulder rolls and uttanasana variation

lunge salues with hamstring stretch
warrior I

plank
sphinx/seal

bridge x2
cosmic rest

tipped sukasana

eye of needle
twisted root
rest
other side

supine 4 part breath
focus on exhale
savasana

sit
OM
Namaste