Theme: Talk about what role we play in the universe. Lila or divine creative play is why we are embodied. We thank our mothers for giving us the gift of embodiment.
Comfortable Seat on blanket, widen pelvis
Inhale arms up to anjali mudra, reverse
Cactus Arms, in/out, rotate, in out
Overhead, clasp fingers and stretch, roll, bend, pull, shake
Garudhasana arms/tea gloves
All Fours, forearms, lift hands drop head
Cat/Cow, alternating arms, then arms & legs
All Fours, twist and thread
Google Hips, kneeling Pvakon, iguana low squat
Downdog, knees down and wide, reach forward
Uttanasna
Warrior II, pvakon, archer
Google Hips standing, then WLFB, root and rise
Goddess Squat, turn open to each side
Warrior II bend knees root and rise
WLFB Seated
Janu Sirsasana
Hand on back/elbow
Firelog
Lay on side
Monday, May 9, 2011
Monday, May 2, 2011
Matsyendara - When Inauspicious Things are a Gateway to the Divine
Matsyendra is a legendary tantric sage. The legend of his life is
that he was cast into the sea at birth because of inauspicious birth
and lived in the belly of a fish that swallowed him. While in the
belly he overheard Shiva and Parvati in their undersea base practicing
yoga so he learned it over the next 12 years. Eventually he escaped
when he mastered yoga. So there are a lot of layers here, but
basically the message is about transformation.
Matsyendra's inauspicious birth was a gateway to his later becoming a founding tantra yogi. Talk about Tantra meaning weaving, leading with the heart through life.
Focus on side body long and skull loop
Cat/Cow/Lion
Surya Namaskar (LL Twist/HL Twist/Rev Trikon)
Chaturanga Vinyasa x12 (for the 12 years Mastyendra spent in the fish's belly)
Bakasana
Ardha Bakasana (level 2 Koundinyasana)
Dolphin with block Headstand prep (level 2 headstand)
Parighasana
Downdog Twist
Cross pose (fallen warrior)
Gomukhasana
Ardha Matsyendrasana
Sarvangasana
Plow
Matsyasana
Setubanda Sarvangasana supported with Block
Sivasana
that he was cast into the sea at birth because of inauspicious birth
and lived in the belly of a fish that swallowed him. While in the
belly he overheard Shiva and Parvati in their undersea base practicing
yoga so he learned it over the next 12 years. Eventually he escaped
when he mastered yoga. So there are a lot of layers here, but
basically the message is about transformation.
Matsyendra's inauspicious birth was a gateway to his later becoming a founding tantra yogi. Talk about Tantra meaning weaving, leading with the heart through life.
Focus on side body long and skull loop
Cat/Cow/Lion
Surya Namaskar (LL Twist/HL Twist/Rev Trikon)
Chaturanga Vinyasa x12 (for the 12 years Mastyendra spent in the fish's belly)
Bakasana
Ardha Bakasana (level 2 Koundinyasana)
Dolphin with block Headstand prep (level 2 headstand)
Parighasana
Downdog Twist
Cross pose (fallen warrior)
Gomukhasana
Ardha Matsyendrasana
Sarvangasana
Plow
Matsyasana
Setubanda Sarvangasana supported with Block
Sivasana
Monday, April 25, 2011
Easter
Centering
Focus - open heart (review from last week), start to work with skull
loop a little (revisit next week in Matsyasana)
Surya Namaskar x3 (locust, flying cobra, dhanurasana)
Handstand prep at the wall (hop like a bunny)
Handstand in L at the wall (lift your rabbit ears up one at a time)
Partner opening heart in dolphin
Dolphin pressing head into block for headstand prep
Pincha Mayurasana with block at the wall
Headstand for those its appropriate for
Thigh Stretch at the wall (goddess Ostra?, Anglo Saxon Goddess of the
Dawn and Love).
Hanumanasana to Iguana and bow forward at the wall
Urdhava Dhanurasana holding partners ankles
Urdhava Dhanurasana with palms on the wall
Urdhava Dhanurasana with toes on the wall (level 2 step up, level 3
over to Uttanasana)
Partner stretch spa dog
Bridge, Shoulderstand
Seated in Circle - Ohm Meditation
Focus - open heart (review from last week), start to work with skull
loop a little (revisit next week in Matsyasana)
Surya Namaskar x3 (locust, flying cobra, dhanurasana)
Handstand prep at the wall (hop like a bunny)
Handstand in L at the wall (lift your rabbit ears up one at a time)
Partner opening heart in dolphin
Dolphin pressing head into block for headstand prep
Pincha Mayurasana with block at the wall
Headstand for those its appropriate for
Thigh Stretch at the wall (goddess Ostra?, Anglo Saxon Goddess of the
Dawn and Love).
Hanumanasana to Iguana and bow forward at the wall
Urdhava Dhanurasana holding partners ankles
Urdhava Dhanurasana with palms on the wall
Urdhava Dhanurasana with toes on the wall (level 2 step up, level 3
over to Uttanasana)
Partner stretch spa dog
Bridge, Shoulderstand
Seated in Circle - Ohm Meditation
Monday, April 18, 2011
Hanuman: The Diving Supporting Us
Theme: Hanuman
Action: Heart Opening
Talked about divine manifesting as Hanuman, a supporting character. Hanuman forgets divinity until he is reminded of his power, much like us in our yoga practice. The divine is never not supporting us, referencing invocation.
Surya Namaskar x4
Handstand Prep
Handstand at wall
Dolphin, partner opening heart
Pincha Mayurasana
WLFB - Trikonasana - Pvakon - Ardha Chandrasana
Iguana
Pigeon
Hanumanasana
WLFB
Navasana
Sivasana
Action: Heart Opening
Talked about divine manifesting as Hanuman, a supporting character. Hanuman forgets divinity until he is reminded of his power, much like us in our yoga practice. The divine is never not supporting us, referencing invocation.
Surya Namaskar x4
Handstand Prep
Handstand at wall
Dolphin, partner opening heart
Pincha Mayurasana
WLFB - Trikonasana - Pvakon - Ardha Chandrasana
Iguana
Pigeon
Hanumanasana
WLFB
Navasana
Sivasana
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Shiva Nataraja
Shiva's dance of bliss, ring of fire around him is Shakti, the universe as manifest energy. He dances blissfully through all adversity and difficulty. Shakti is the universe in motion, wild and dynamic. Shiva is the universe in balance, poised, and peaceful.
Surya Namaskar x3 - focus on opening to grace, finding the bliss in the fire
Practice Kicking up to handstand
Handstand
Pincha Mayurasana
dolpin partner pose with knees in back of partners heart
spadog
Thigh Stretch at the Wall...shoulder stretch at the wall
Vasisthasana/Wild Thing
Virasana
Virasana bowing forward
Natarajasana with Partner, then Urdhva demo
Setubanda Sarvangasana
Urdhva Dhanurasana x3
Uttanasana
Surya Namaskar x3 - focus on opening to grace, finding the bliss in the fire
Practice Kicking up to handstand
Handstand
Pincha Mayurasana
dolpin partner pose with knees in back of partners heart
spadog
Thigh Stretch at the Wall...shoulder stretch at the wall
Vasisthasana/Wild Thing
Virasana
Virasana bowing forward
Natarajasana with Partner, then Urdhva demo
Setubanda Sarvangasana
Urdhva Dhanurasana x3
Uttanasana
Monday, April 4, 2011
Brahama, Vishnu, and Shiva
One year anniversary of my first class taught, so revisiting the theme of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva
Story of how what we want to create in our lives and what we want to preserve are sometimes apparently in opposition to one another. When we bring the heat and fire of our breath and practice we can mold the two together, forging a stronger self. The story of Brahma and Vishnu also reminds us that even gods are not all powerful. Only Shiva who realizes that he is one with all things and thus cannot be better than
others (as he is in essence contained and embodied in all things) has the power to manifest immeasurable power as the pillar of fire.
Heating Warrior Breath
Child’s pose (knees/quads) – Downdog (hips) – Uttanasna (calves/thighs) – Volcano (side stretch)
Surya Namaskar (lift leg open hips, step to HL, Pvakon, Trikon, AC) press into friends palm for Pvakon
Surya Namaskar (lift leg open hips, step to War I, Pvottanasana, PTrik, PAC) support friends in Pvottan
Surya Namaskar (lift leg open hips, step to LL twist, HL,
Warrior III, Standing Splits) support friends in Warrior III
Star (hold), Padottanasana, forward bend
Volcano - half moon - bend back and bow forward
Vrksasana (supporting friends) Padangusthasana lift leg in front and hold 30 seconds, then out to side
Handstand with friends
Spa Dog
Hanumanasana, press into friends foot then pigeon
Firelog - Nadi Shodana
Supta Padangustasana
Eye of Needle
Happy Baby
Story of how what we want to create in our lives and what we want to preserve are sometimes apparently in opposition to one another. When we bring the heat and fire of our breath and practice we can mold the two together, forging a stronger self. The story of Brahma and Vishnu also reminds us that even gods are not all powerful. Only Shiva who realizes that he is one with all things and thus cannot be better than
others (as he is in essence contained and embodied in all things) has the power to manifest immeasurable power as the pillar of fire.
Heating Warrior Breath
Child’s pose (knees/quads) – Downdog (hips) – Uttanasna (calves/thighs) – Volcano (side stretch)
Surya Namaskar (lift leg open hips, step to HL, Pvakon, Trikon, AC) press into friends palm for Pvakon
Surya Namaskar (lift leg open hips, step to War I, Pvottanasana, PTrik, PAC) support friends in Pvottan
Surya Namaskar (lift leg open hips, step to LL twist, HL,
Warrior III, Standing Splits) support friends in Warrior III
Star (hold), Padottanasana, forward bend
Volcano - half moon - bend back and bow forward
Vrksasana (supporting friends) Padangusthasana lift leg in front and hold 30 seconds, then out to side
Handstand with friends
Spa Dog
Hanumanasana, press into friends foot then pigeon
Firelog - Nadi Shodana
Supta Padangustasana
Eye of Needle
Happy Baby
Monday, March 21, 2011
Durga: Uniting the Power of the Divine
1. Myths are stories with underlying truth
2. The story of shiva we talked about last week is a prehistoric story, probably not describing a real person, but likely based on some real group of people or describing a spiritual archetype. When we interpret myths we imagine we are all the characters in the story (clarifying this for a student who asked last week when Shiva lived historically).
3. Tantric philosophy dates to around 8-12th century CE, though the myth of Shiva is much older (shiva is a prehistoric proto-typical diety).
4. In the story of Durga, Mahishasura was a powerful demon who conquered Indra's army of gods in heaven. Since he couldn't be defeated by any man, the only thing that could save them was a woman who would fight him. The gods asked Shakti to manifest in a powerful form using all of their weapons and arms to fight Mahishasura. So she united all of their powers
5. In a modern context this relates to the idea of Kula. When we come together as a community we share our experience and ideas and are stronger and more intelligent. Also we take all of the great philosophical ideas and teachings we come across and integrate what works for us to create a stronger durga in ourselves. We use this invincible power to clear away the dust on the mirror of the demons who obscure our highest and best intentions (heaven) from us.
6. Durga is also a great example for discussion because our modern yoga practice is alot like her. Ancient yogis just had stories of Shiva and rituals, then around 8-9th century someone got around to writing down the tantric nterpretation and documenting some of the breathing and meditation exercises that were being practiced (also the idea of women practicing and teaching was common among the Tantric Shaivists). In the last hundred years the spiritual traditions of Hatha Yoga merged with popular gymnastics and other forms of exercise propagated throughout the world by the YMCA and other similar movements. Today what we call Yoga is a sort of Durga, a playful
expression of the divine, more powerful than any of its previous forms.
7. Students asked for twists so we're doing twists focusing on the principles we learned all this month and integrating them with the final principle, organic extension. Rooting to rise. Lengthening the spine to twist deeper.
Tadasana through vinyasa focusing on organic extension Cat/Cow then
tiger twisting stretches holding back leg, lion's breath (Durga rides
a tiger or lion, the shakti is powerful don't fall off the tiger)
Also focus in centering exercise on softening the back body, return to this throughout the class.
Surya Namaskar - High Lunge, turn to front leg, twist to other side,back to center standing splits...low cobra
Surya Namaskar - Low Lunge, twist and come up to high lunge, open arms out to sky and floor...drunken cobra
Surya Namaskar - Pvakonasana, rise up to warrior II, reverse then bow and bind...wide armed cobra
Surya Namaskar - Warrior I, pvottanasana, parivrtta trikonasana, parivrtta ardha chandrasana...updog
Shiva Twists
Utkatasana chair twists
Bird of Paradise
Malasana, Bakasana, Ardha Bakasana (talk about diversity and shri as strength of the community and each person having an individual expression of the pose)
Revolved Downward facing dog
Threading the needle sucirandrasana
Ardha Matsyendrasana - half lord of the fishes
Jathara Parivartanasana bent legs/straight legs
Supta Matsyendrasana - knee down twists
Closing: Like Durga, we combine all of the best qualities in the people we admire. We bring together all the strengths we share as individuals in the community. When we come together with other like-minded beings there's nothing we can't accomplish.
2. The story of shiva we talked about last week is a prehistoric story, probably not describing a real person, but likely based on some real group of people or describing a spiritual archetype. When we interpret myths we imagine we are all the characters in the story (clarifying this for a student who asked last week when Shiva lived historically).
3. Tantric philosophy dates to around 8-12th century CE, though the myth of Shiva is much older (shiva is a prehistoric proto-typical diety).
4. In the story of Durga, Mahishasura was a powerful demon who conquered Indra's army of gods in heaven. Since he couldn't be defeated by any man, the only thing that could save them was a woman who would fight him. The gods asked Shakti to manifest in a powerful form using all of their weapons and arms to fight Mahishasura. So she united all of their powers
5. In a modern context this relates to the idea of Kula. When we come together as a community we share our experience and ideas and are stronger and more intelligent. Also we take all of the great philosophical ideas and teachings we come across and integrate what works for us to create a stronger durga in ourselves. We use this invincible power to clear away the dust on the mirror of the demons who obscure our highest and best intentions (heaven) from us.
6. Durga is also a great example for discussion because our modern yoga practice is alot like her. Ancient yogis just had stories of Shiva and rituals, then around 8-9th century someone got around to writing down the tantric nterpretation and documenting some of the breathing and meditation exercises that were being practiced (also the idea of women practicing and teaching was common among the Tantric Shaivists). In the last hundred years the spiritual traditions of Hatha Yoga merged with popular gymnastics and other forms of exercise propagated throughout the world by the YMCA and other similar movements. Today what we call Yoga is a sort of Durga, a playful
expression of the divine, more powerful than any of its previous forms.
7. Students asked for twists so we're doing twists focusing on the principles we learned all this month and integrating them with the final principle, organic extension. Rooting to rise. Lengthening the spine to twist deeper.
Tadasana through vinyasa focusing on organic extension Cat/Cow then
tiger twisting stretches holding back leg, lion's breath (Durga rides
a tiger or lion, the shakti is powerful don't fall off the tiger)
Also focus in centering exercise on softening the back body, return to this throughout the class.
Surya Namaskar - High Lunge, turn to front leg, twist to other side,back to center standing splits...low cobra
Surya Namaskar - Low Lunge, twist and come up to high lunge, open arms out to sky and floor...drunken cobra
Surya Namaskar - Pvakonasana, rise up to warrior II, reverse then bow and bind...wide armed cobra
Surya Namaskar - Warrior I, pvottanasana, parivrtta trikonasana, parivrtta ardha chandrasana...updog
Shiva Twists
Utkatasana chair twists
Bird of Paradise
Malasana, Bakasana, Ardha Bakasana (talk about diversity and shri as strength of the community and each person having an individual expression of the pose)
Revolved Downward facing dog
Threading the needle sucirandrasana
Ardha Matsyendrasana - half lord of the fishes
Jathara Parivartanasana bent legs/straight legs
Supta Matsyendrasana - knee down twists
Closing: Like Durga, we combine all of the best qualities in the people we admire. We bring together all the strengths we share as individuals in the community. When we come together with other like-minded beings there's nothing we can't accomplish.
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