New Year, New Challenges and Goals…
It’s been a while since I have written in my blog. I’ve been off mostly during the holidays and less inspired to write. Celebrating with friends and family…now back to my love of movement and flow. I have been looking through my notebook of yoga flows that I’ve created and last week, I focused on Bakasana. I lead the class through Surya Namaskar B and we opened up through the hips, worked on building core and arm strength. At the end, we did crow pose.
At the end of class, a participant came up to me and said “I’ve never been able to get low in a wide squat like that — and today, I was able to. Thank you!” Practice may never bring perfection, but it may bring peace. So today may not be your day to go further. But look for opportunities.
Opening Meditation
Seated (Easy Sukasana)
Lateral side bends
Lift chest to sky, hands walk back on earth
All Fours
Cat/Cow (find breath)
Spinal Balance x 2
Surya Namaskar C (arms up) x 2
Surya Namaskar C (variation) – High lunge / Full chatarunga x 2
Uttanasana (grab big toes with peace fingers)
Lunge Right leg – Lizard Pose
Lunge Left leg – Lizard Pose
Vinyasa
Three-legged dog
Bend leg, hip opener
Step thru, back to lizard, knee on ground
Shift weight back, hamstring stretch
(complete this on both sides)
Balance – Big Toe Extension (start off with a high knee lift)
Back to knee lift
Warrior 3
(both sides)
Revolved Hand to Big Toe Extension (Parivrrta Hasta Padangusthasana)
Twist (Grab outside of right foot with left hand, extend right hand back, lift chest)
(both sides)
Vinyasa
Three legged dog
High lunge into balancing stick
(both sides)
Pigeon on both sides (sleeping pigeon)
chaturunga challenge (3 legged) x 2
Downdog (breath)
Balasana
Core
Baddha Konosana
Grab toes with peace fingers, lift heart and extend legs (V)
Legs lifted, hands together
Grab toes
Archer’s pose right
Center
Archer’s pose left
Navasana
Obliques (palms together, shift hands to right then left)
Svanasana
A short entry today…as I hit mid-afternoon with many things to do on my list! This morning was filled with tons of energy for a cardio-based class. I love teaching on Friday mornings, it is invigorating and leaves me looking forward to a fun-filled weekend. I’m looking to make my class a little more unique and creative.
Today, was a great day to experiment with over 50 students in class. We danced a little and smiled a lot. I feel very blessed to bring fitness and health into peoples’ lives.
Oh what a beautiful and creative Vinyasa flow inspired by Shiva Rea! Tonight’s class based on my inspiration from Shiva, a circular flow. We started with opening meditation and then went into Mandala Namaskar 1. Here is a partial version of the flow:
Mandala Namaskar 1
Then we went into Mandala Namaskar 2
The class flowed quite beautifully…breath and movement exquisite. Then we had a small 10 second earthquake in class, but it was small 3.8 on the richter scale (I believe).
We ended in quiet mediation and ready for the evening…
Thank you, Shiva for such a wonderful flow!
While this pose may not be often seen, it is another wonderfully delicious pose that increases spinal and hip extension. As you extend the opposite arm, the torso lengthens and as you breathe into the entire back body, the stretch feels amazing. This is another pose that inspires my yoga flows. An article that bests explains the pose is through the Yoga Journal.
Enjoy!
If you wondered about the pose I did in class today, it is called “Fallen Warrior” — wonderful for the I.T. Band. I’d like to share with you some pictures of the pose. Kira Ryder is a wonderful yoga instructor and I just love the way she teaches and explains the poses. Here is her pictorial explanation on this pose:
http://teachingyoga.blogspot.com/2007/09/fallen-warrior.html
This is a wonderfully delicious pose!
