Standing Series

“Exercises are like prose, whereas yoga is the poetry of movements. Once you understand the grammar of yoga; you can write your poetry of movements.” 
― Amit Ray, Yoga and Vipassana: An Integrated Life Style

Step your left foot back, at a smaller stance. Point all ten toes forward. Place your hands at your hips.

Inhale, micro backbend.

Exhale, Pyramid Pose (Parsvottansana). Hinge at your hips. Lower with a flat spine and release your hands to the outsides of your feet.

-Root down firmly through the back foot

-Draw your right hip crease up and back, your left hip crease down and forward

-Inhale and open your chest to lengthen your spine

-Exhale and draw your nose to your knee

Inhale, bring your hands to your hips and rise to stand.

Exhale, Warrior III w/Airplane Arms (Virabhadrasana III w/Airplane Arms or Dekasana). Shift your weight into your right foot. Hinge forward at the hips. Lift your left heel towards the sky. Create one line of energy from the lifted heel out through the crown of your head. Sweep your arms back behind you.

-Root down into your right leg, keep a slight bend in the knee

-Square your hips so they are in line

-Dorsiflex your lifted foot

-Press your palms energetically together

-Squeeze your shoulder blades

-Spread your collarbone

Inhale, Mountain Pose (Tadasana)

-Repeat on the other side-

Exhale, Eagle Pose (Garudasana). Wrap your right elbow underneath your left. Grab for your opposite shoulder, or bring your palms to touch. Sit low in your hips. Bring your right leg up, over and around your left. You can either use your toes as a kickstand or wrap them around your ankle or calf.

-Align your knees to the midline

-Squeeze your thighs together       

-Sit tall through your spine

-Squeeze your forearms and lift your elbows

Exhale, Release.

Inhale, Mountain Pose (Tadasana).

-Repeat on other side-

Exhale, Standing at Attention (Samasthiti).

Inhale, Tree Pose (Vrksasana). Ground into the left foot. Butterfly your right knee open. Leave your heel there or place your heel on your shin or inner thigh. Careful to avoid your knee joint.

            -Press the bottom of your right foot into your leg and your leg into your foot

            -Externally rotate your knee

            -Lengthen your torso out of your hips

            *Option to raise your hands towards the sky or any other variations of the pose

Exhale, Release.

Inhale, Mountain Pose (Tadasana).

Exhale, Samasthiti.

-Repeat on other side-

Inhale, Mountain Pose (Tadasana).

Exhale, Dancer’s Pose (Natarajasana). Lower your right elbow to your ribcage, your palm face up. Kick up your right foot towards your glutes. Reach for the inside of your right foot.

            -Zip your thighs together and find stability

            -Reach energetically towards the sky with your left arm

*You have reached Dancer’s Pose. If you would like to mover deeper into the posture:

            -Kick into your back leg to bring it away from your body

            -Lift and open your chest, draw your shoulder blade together

Exhale, Release.

Inhale, windmill your right arm high and bring your left arm to your ribcage.

-Repeat on the other side-

Inhale, Mountain Pose (Tadasana)

Exhale, Forward Fold (Uttanasana).

Inhale, Halfway Lift (Arha Uttanasana).

Exhale, Tuck, Curl and Round. Come onto the ball mounds of your feet. Tuck into a ball.

            -Draw your forehead to your chest

            -Push the earth away with your fingertips

            -Stretch your shoulder blades apart

Inhale, look forward.

Exhale, High-to-Low Plank (Chaturanga Dandasana).

Inhale, Upward Facing Dog (Urdhva Mukha Svanasana).

Exhale, Downward Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana).

Reflection: Gratitude

With Thanksgiving approaching at a phenomenal speed, it seems that everywhere you go, someone is talking about gratitude. This happens to be a topic I've thought about a lot in the past few months. There have been a lot of things going on in my life and when I think about what I am most thankful for, apart from my support system of friends and family, it is yoga. 

In the madness we call life, at a job I find less than enjoyable, in a city I know very few people, in the middle of moving (again), yoga has given me a grounded place. A place that I can call home. Yoga made working out enjoyable for me. It has made me stronger, more flexible and given this clumsy fool some balance. Yoga has made me appreciate my body. Yoga has made my body better. Yoga is making me a teacher. Yoga means I will always be a student. Yoga has given me an outlet to express my emotions, a place to be vulnerable. Yoga pushes me physically and mentally. Yoga asks nothing of me but to be myself. Yoga is therapy. 

The amount of support and encouragement I have received through this has been incredible. I can't express enough the gratitude I feel in my heart for every single kind word, every compliment. I especially love when people tell me they tried or want to try yoga because of me. 

Yoga has also put in my path a bunch of beautiful souls that are on this journey also. When you find someone with the same passions are you, you connect on a whole other level. I am beyond thankful. Happy Thanksgiving! 

Twisting Series

“Yoga is the cessation of the movements of the mind. Then there is abiding in the Seer's own form.” 
― Patañjali, The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali

Exhale, Downward Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana).

Inhale, One-Legged Downward Facing Dog (Eka Pada Adho Mukha Svanasana).

Exhale, Low Lunge. 

Inhale, Crescent Lunge (Anjaneyasana). Engage your abdominal muscles. Reach your arms high.

-Align your front knee over your ankle

-Strengthen through your back leg

-Retract your shoulders away from your ears

Exhale, Revolved Crescent (Parivrtta Anjaneyasana). Draw your palms at heart center. Twist your torso and hook your outer elbow to opposite knee. Gaze straight ahead or, if comfortable, over your shoulder.

-Lift your belly away from your thighs

- Create one line of energy from elbow to elbow

-Lengthen your spine on the inhale, twist from the spine on the exhale

-Hold for 3-5 breaths-

Exhale, Release

Inhale, Runner’s Lunge. Lower your hands to the inside of your front foot. Shuffle your front foot towards the upper and outer corner of your mat. Lower your back knee and untuck your toes.

-Press back into the front heel to draw your hips downward

-Pull your shoulders down your spine

-Remain on your palms or lower to your forearms if comfortable

-Hold for 3-5 breaths-

Inhale, High Plank (Dandasana).Come back onto your palms and bring your front foot to meet your back. Exhale.

Inhale, Side Plank (Vasisthasana). Shift your weight into one hand (you will open up the side you twisted on). Stack your ankles. Reach the opposite hand high.

-Dorisflex your feet

-Engage your oblique muscles to lift your hips away from the earth

-Create one line of energy from hand to hand

-Hold for 3-5 breaths-

*Modifications: Lower the bottom knee like a kickstand and lift at the hips. Or, scissor cross your legs so the toes of your top foot aligns with the heel of the bottom foot.*

Inhale, High Plank (Dandasana).

Exhale,High-to-Low Plank (Chaturanga Dandasana).

Inhale, Upward Facing Dog (Urdhva Mukha Svanasana).

Exhale, Downward Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana).

-Repeat entire series on the other side-

Inhale, gaze forward

Exhale, step to the top of your mat.

Inhale, Halfway Lift (Ardha Uttanasana).

Exhale, Forward Fold (Uttanasana).

Inhale, Chair Pose (Utkatasana).

Exhale, Prayer Twist (Parivrtta Utkatasana). Draw your palms at heart center. Twist your torso and hook your outer elbow to opposite knee. Gaze straight ahead or, if comfortable, over your shoulder.

-Zip your inner thighs together and align your knees

- Create one line of energy from elbow to elbow

-Lengthen your spine on the inhale, twist from the spine on the exhale

-Hold for 3-5 breaths-

Exhale, Forward Fold (Uttanasana).

Inhale, Halfway Lift (Ardha Uttanasana)

Exhale, Forward Fold (Uttanasana).

-Repeat from Chair Pose on the other side-

Exhale, Gorilla Pose (Padahastasana). Step your feet hips width distance apart. Hinge forward at the hips, bend your knees generously. Slide your hands, palms up, underneath your feet until your toes massage your wrist creases.

-Shift your weight forward and stack your hips over your ankles

-Bow your elbows and use your arms to pull your torso closer to your thighs

-Allow your head to hang heavy

-Hold for 3-5 breaths-

Inhale, Release.

Exhale, Garland Pose (Malasana). Toe-heel your feet to the edges of your mat or wider. Squat to lower your tailbone, keep your heels on the mat. With palms in prayer, use your elbows to press against the insides of your knees.

-Point your toes outward and heels inward

-Keep your weight on your heels and extend your spine

-Open your chest

-Hold for 3-5 breaths-

Exhale, Release. Lift your hips high. Toe-heel your feet to touch.

Inhale, Halfway Lift (Ardha Uttanasana)

Exhale, Forward Fold (Uttanasana)

Inhale, Mountain Pose (Tadasana).

Surya Namaskar B - Sun Salutation B

“You are saluting the outside sun for providing life to the planet, and your internal sun 
for providing consciousness.” - yoga teacher Richard Rosen, author of Original Yoga: Rediscovering Traditional Practices of Hatha Yoga.

-From the end of Sun Salutation A at Downward Facing Dog-

Inhale, gaze forward, and step to the top of your mat.

Exhale, Forward Fold (Uttanasana).

Inhale, Halfway Lift (Ardha Uttanasana).

Exhale, Forward Fold (Uttanasana).

Inhale, Chair Pose (Utkatasana). Reach your arms toward the sky. Sit low in your hips.

-Shift your weight onto your heels

-Squeeze your inner thighs together

-Draw your lower belly up and in

Exhale, Airplane Arms (Chair w/Airplane Arms). Sweep arms behind you.

-Sink low into your hips

-Energetically press your palms closer together

-Squeeze your shoulder blades together

Inhale, Mountain Pose (Tadasana).

Exhale, Micro Backbend (Tadasana). Bend slightly backward. Allow your elbows to bend so your palms face outward.

-Tone through your thighs

-Push your hips forward

-Squeeze shoulder blades together

Inhale, Mountain Pose (Tadasana).

Exhale, Forward Fold (Uttanasana).

Inhale Halfway Lift (Ardha Uttanasana).

Exhale, High-to-Low Plank (Chaturanga Dandasana).

Inhale, Upward Facing Dog (Urdhva Mukha Svanasana).

Exhale, Downward Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana).

*Inhale, One-Legged Downward Facing Dog (Eka Pada Adho Mukha Svanasana). Lift your (right/left) leg high.

-Flex your toes and press into your heels

-Square your hips

-Lengthen your torso

Exhale, Low Lunge. Sweep your foot through and set in between your palms.

-Come onto the ball mound of your back foot

-Stack your front knee over your anke

-Broaden across your chest

Inhale. Modified Crescent Lunge (Anjaneyasana). Lower your back knee and untuck your toes. Reach your arms high.

-Press into your shin and draw in through your inner thighs

-Activate your core

-Retract your shoulders away from your ears

Exhale, Open Twist. Sweep your (right/left) arm open towards the bent knee.

-Twist from your spine

-Lengthen through the crown of your head

-Reach actively through both arms

Inhale, Modified Crescent Lunge (Anjaneyasana).

Exhale, Low Lunge.

Inhale, Warrior II (Virabhadrasana II). Turn your back foot flat. Open your arms like wings.

-Power into your front foot and the knife-edge of your back foot

-Point your tailbone down and squeeze your inner thighs

-Maintain strength in your arms

Exhale, Extended Side Angle (Utthita Parsvakonasana). Reach your front arm forward and down. Sweep the back arm high.

-Create a long line of energy from your back heel to the crown of your head

-Rotate your chest open towards the sky

-Gaze upward

Option: for half or full bind

Inhale, Reverse Warrior (Pavirtta Virabhadrasana). Sweep front arm up and back. Allow back hand to slide down the back leg.

-Maintain the bend in the front knee, power through both quadriceps

-Extend your torso out of the hip

-Turn your top palm downward

Exhale, High-To-Low Plank (Chaturanga Dandasana).

Inhale, Upward Facing Dog (Urdhva Mukha Svanasana).

Exhale, Downward Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana).

-Repeat from One-Legged Downward Facing Dog on other side to complete Sun Salutation B-

*Repeat entire series from beginning, breath and posture only. At the end of second round, the third round begins at One-Legged Downward Facing Dog again.

Inhale, gaze forward

Exhale, Hero’s Pose (Virasana). Lower your knees to the mat. Send your heels wide, knees together.

-Draw your thighs to touch

-Sink your tailbone towards the earth

-Extend a line of energy through the crown of your head

Eat. Yoga. Sleep. Repeat.

Ugh. I am sore today. Hours of doing the same postures over and over (particularly balancing ones) has done a number on my joints. My knees and shoulders don’t want to be moved unless they absolutely have to. My quads feel like I’ve been running up and down stairs endlessly. I'm actually dying to go pee as we speak, but the walk across the hall seems like a mile. I’m even having dreams about being in yoga class… "Inhale, Upward-Facing Dog, Exhale, Downward-Facing Dog."

But, boy, do I feel good. 

(Mini-photoshoot yesterday with some of the girls from class)

Reflection - Commitment

We have reflection sessions where we are asked questions and we write about it in our journals. Then we share our responses and discuss what we've written. Not only do we learn a lot about each other (we are in this together, right?), but we learn a lot about ourselves. 

A little over a week ago we were asked, "How are you feeling up to this point in training? What worries or difficulties are you having? How does the word 'commitment' apply to your training?" 

At this point in training, I am feeling pretty good about what I've learned. I have spent quite a bit of time practicing on my own, breaking down the postures and remembering the sequences. Still a little nervous about being able to fluidly teach in front of others, but's it’s coming. The only thing that I would say I have "worries" about is learning all of the sequences in the remaining 6 weeks. Time is moving rather quickly and I had to miss a few classes last week. I worry that I won't be able to stay on pace with what we are learning. 

I do have a concern on the effect that this training has on my personal practice. Since I began this training, I actually practice yoga LESS than I did before. Between a full-time job, 15-20 hours a week at the studio in training, and my personal life, I don't feel like I have any time to actually practice! I went from 4 classes a week, a few sessions at home, and a couple of hours at the gym to MAYBE two workouts a week. That is really a downer for me. In the last two weeks, my sister has gotten married, my mother was in town for a week, and I flew home for my best friend's baby shower. My boyfriend and I are in a long distance relationship, so when we've seen one another these last couple of weeks (he flew here last week and I there last weekend), we spent a lot of time trying to make time with our family and friends. I was also mysteriously sick for two days that knocked me on my ass. Needless to say, I am exhausted!! 

I know that I am not the only one taking this training that is feeling this way. We all have a life and are on our own journey. In April, I committed to this practice for my physical and mental health. It’s changed my life in so many ways for the better, I look forward to the time on my mat. With everything going on around me, I really have to keep that promise to myself and not let anything stand in the way. Committed to my practice, to my health, committed to this training, committed to myself. I am definitely being tested. 

I was so tired last night, and looking for a way out of the gym. I ask Jaime for motivation to which he responds, “Strength to do handstands!” Below is a photo from last night's handstand prep. Thanks, Amor. 

Surya Namaskar A: Sun Salutation A

 “One is offering salutation to the Divine, represented by the sun, as a source of light removing the darkness of a clouded mind and as a source of vitality removing the diseases of the body.” - Ganesh Mohan, yoga scholar  

-From Standing at Attention (Samasthiti) broken down with cues to set up for breath-to-movement-

Inhale, Mountain Pose (Tadasana). Sweep your arms towards the sky.

-Ground down through all four corners of your feet

-Strengthen through your legs

-Pull your shoulders away from your ears

Exhale, Forward Fold (Uttanasana). Melt your hands through heart center. Hinge at your hips, folding your body towards the earth.

-Shift your weight forward

-Draw your navel in

-Allow your head to hang heavy

Inhale, Halfway Lift (Ardha Uttanasana). Press your palms into your shins.  Create one line of energy from your tailbone through the crown of your head.

-Push your tailbone out behind you, create a long spine.

-Pull your navel into your spine

-Draw your shoulders away from your ears

Exhale, Forward Fold

Inhale, High Plank (Dandasana). Plant your palms shoulder width distance apart. Step back into the top of a push-up.

-Tone through your legs

-Engage your core

-Push away from the earth, to puff the back of your heart space

Exhale, High-To-Low Plank (Chaturanga Dandasana). Shift your weight forward, so your shoulders are past your wrists. Squeeze your elbows into your body and lower halfway.

-Strengthen through the core

-Lead with your chest

-Keep your head in line with your spine

Inhale, Upward Facing Dog (Urdhva Mukha Svanasana). Press the tops of your feet into the mat. Lift chest away from the ground.

-Engage your thighs, so they lift away from the earth

-Draw your shoulders back

-Lengthen your spine

Exhale, Downward Facing Dog (Ardha Mukha Svanasana). Tuck your toes. Pike your hips up and back.

-Melt your heels down towards the mat

-Draw your navel in

-Ground into your palms and all ten fingers

-Take 3 cycles of breath, at the bottom of 4th inhalation, gaze forward. Exhale and step or float to the top of your space into Forward Fold (Uttanasana).-

Inhale, Halfway Lift (Ardha Uttanasana).

Exhale, Forward Fold (Uttanasana).

-Repeat Sun Salutation A as many times as desired-