Inversion

Sugar space
Principles of emphasis: muscle energy, inner spiral, outer spiral
Apex: eka pada galavasana
Theme: connecting to our center Is one of the gifts we get from the practice. The longer we go with out practicing the more we might experience a feeling of muck, heaviness, and just unhealthy. When we get on out mat after a break there is more work that needs to be done. But after we practice we feel so fresh, clear, healthy and connected to our center+core. It's like the inversion. When we go a long time without rain or snow all the pollution builds up and gets trapped it the valley. We quite literally live in a haze and it feels unhealthy and dirty. However when it does rain or snow we get those few days of crisp freshness. What would be nice is if people and companies made changes so less pollution is being produced so their is less that builds up between storms. Just like in our body the more we maintain some alignment in our life with our higher intentions physically (maybe you don't want to be in pain so you maintain better posture) mentally (Maybe not gossiping or talking bad about yourself...) spiritually (maybe taking a few minutes at the beggining and end of your day to sit quietly and notice your breath....) if we can maintain little actions to keep us connected then when we get back to the mat we will have less to clean up, we can connect to our center more quickly and we can keep that connection longer.

Heart quality: disicpline. To connect to our center.
Antidote: the inversion

resting in citi

I am reading The Splendor of Recognition an exploration of the Prayabhinja-hrdayam. The past few weeks I have been contemplating citi, which is the power to know and perceive. Citi is often translated as Consciousness. This profound text is all about Supreme Consciousness/Reality and consciousness is really just awareness.  This book purposes that "f you want to understand Supreme Consciousness "you must first understand yourself. You yourself are your doorway to Reality. It is through your consciousness that you can know Supreme Consiousness."

One way of turning into your awareness= consciousness is asking questions for example: who is thinking right now? who is reading? you answer the mind. Who is experiencing the mind? This answer takes you citi.  When I answer this question I feel like my awareness draws deep into my skull to a dark spacious place where I rest in that presence that is beyond my name and the identification I have with my name.

This practice is a way of experiencing an identity beyond the mind. This deeper sense of "I" is never changing. It is citi. The more I practice this the more I get to know my inner nature. I have really enjoyed taking little breaks through out the day these past few weeks to rest in this citi space. Baba Muktananda said this is the best spiritual practice, turning your attention inward... To become aware of yourself.

Hip Openers with Discipline

Location: Sugar space

Time: 9-10:30am

Class: Anusara-Inspired
Principles of emphasis: muscle energy, inner spiral, outer spiral
Theme: connecting to our center Is one of the gifts we get from the practice. The longer we go without practicing the more we might experience a feeling of muck, heaviness, and just unhealthy. When we get on out mat after a break there is more work that needs to be done. But after we practice we feel so fresh, clear, healthy and connected to our center+core. It's like the inversion. When we go a long time without rain or snow all the pollution builds up and gets trapped it the valley. We quite literally live in a haze and it feels unhealthy and dirty. However when it does rain or snow we get those few days of crisp freshness. What would be nice is if people and companies made changes so less pollution is being produced so their is less that builds up between storms. Just like in our body the more we maintain some alignment in our life with our higher intentions physically (maybe you don't want to be in pain so you maintain better posture) mentally (Maybe not gossiping or talking bad about yourself...) spiritually (maybe taking a few minutes at the beginning and end of your day to sit quietly and notice your breath....) if we can maintain little actions to keep us connected then when we get back to the mat we will have less to clean up, we can connect to our center more quickly and we can keep that connection longer.

Heart quality: discipline.

Apex: eka pada galavasana
Antidote: the inversion
 

*Lunge - eagle - lunge
*Lunge twist - W2
*Mod parsvak - Half moon - Standing figure 4
*Pigeon quad
*Kick up handstand with garudasana legs
*Lunge outer edge front foot- forearms - forehead to floor inside front food clasp hands behind back -3LDD- Bridget's cross forearms- (back heel stacks over toes in these poses) forearm plank- dolphin
*Fish twist sitting on sole of back foot hook front hand over outer edge front foot clasp back hand around hip (plant hands hop switch)
*Eagle on shin eagle point toes straight back - arms in garudasana then cow face arms (plant hands hop switch)
*gomukhasana
*Baby cradle- akarna dhanurasana 1- ashtavakrasana
*Eka pada galavasana prep hands on floor bottom leg bends parallel with from wrap arm fit over knee first then arm pit over front of ankle wrap toes around ankle plan hands first activate first index knuckle finger
*Repeat above then hop back to dd variation then float leg high eka pada galavasana then take leg lower for more advanced versions. Maybe hope back vinyasana
*hanamanasana
*Danurasana
*Root femur bones

Some Changes to My Schedule

Hey wonderful yogis and yoginis!

For those of you I haven’t seen since maternity leave I have missed you and cant wait to see you again. For those of you I have been seeing in Saturdays class I have been enjoying our time together so much and look forward to seeing you more.  

Some changes (same great classes, adjusted times, new location and a new class!):

Schedule:

Tuesday 9:00-10:15 Anusara Yoga @ Metric Yoga

Thursday 9:00-10:15 Anusara Yoga @ Metric Yoga

Saturday 9:00-10:30 Anusara Yoga @ Metric Yoga
Saturday 10:45-12:00 FUNdamentals @ Metric Yoga

 

New Location:
Metric Yoga (NEW STUDIO)
88 Q
SLC, UT 84106

 

Class descriptions

Anusara: This mixed levels class is a playful practice offering a full range of postures. Offering structural awareness which will build flexibility and strength and is heart-centered to cultivate ease and joy. We will explore a different aspect of the Anusara Universal Principle of Alignment to promote harmony in our bodies, minds and hearts.

FUNdamental: This is a fun and welcoming class teaching basic alignment. This is appropriate for the brand new beginner and the more experienced yogi wanting to refine their practice and get back to the basics.

Live Your Yoga Off The Mat

Teaching Anusara-inspired yoga class at sugar space. 9-10:30am. By donation. Strong low body alignment and hip Openers as we practice expanding (inner spiral) ourself with yogic teachings and find the strength (outer spiral) and commitment it take to carry what we learn on the mat (physically, spiritually and attitudinally) off the mat and into the "real world"

Do you ever feel like you learn all this good alignment, good virtues, good attitude in yoga class but then when you are in the "real world" you forget all of that and act from your habitual patterns. In India yoga seekers are recruits they go dwell in caves and leave all their worldly responsibilities behind to fully live their yoga. In America that's normally not our path our. We are "house holder yogis" we have to live in the "real world" wth responsibility: families, jobs, taxes... It's easy to practice yoga and be all "yogic" in the class room. But how can we continue to embody these qualities when we roll up our mat and go into the world? In this class we are going to connect this yoga view with inner spiral. Yoga teaches us so much it expands us and so does inner spiral. For a moment think of some of your favorite teachings that expand you. For me it's:
 -rememberence of something bigger
-good posture that takes my body out of pain and prevents future pain
-to slow down and be patient
-to treat myself compassionately

We will work on holding inner spiral as we perform outer spiral. Outer spiral creates stability and strength holding the expansion creating in inner spiral. We will connect the strength + commitment it takes to carry what we learn on the mat it meditation cushion off the mat.

The cool thing about this is. The longer and more consistently you practice yoga and these alignment principles the easier it is. Just like the longer you practice yoga the easier it becomes to live your yoga off your mat.



-inner spiral to find cat outer spiral to find cow
-High runners lunge twist - warrior 2
-modified parsvakonasana
-ardha chandrasana
-cradle spread pinky toe towards outer heal notice that it rolls groins toward earth = inner spiral
-Pigeon (on front foot spread pinky toe for inner spiral broaden back thigh now scope front sit bone down and anchor through front knee shin and foot. feel psoas lift up. Front outer hip skin should flow back, to midline and to earth if it flows up your likely hood to tweak flexor is high. Front hip flexed and externally rotated when done passively created tension, tightens and can tweak iliipsoas.)
-low lunge twist quad
-L twist - Parsva ardha chandrasana-Eagle elbows touch below knees hip flexion flow - uttitha pada b prep
-trikonasana
-Uttitha pada B
-Handstand at wall
-hanumanasana (I've bee taking a ton of public classes lately and no teacher has taught hanuman. With proper alignment this pose is freaking awesome. Creates so much flexibility, is a backbend, is a forward fold, can root the femurs...)
-Warrior 1
-supta pada B
-Matsendrasana fish twist. Hug in. Back inner thigh broadens and widen. Fire bottom leg pinky toe to create inner spiral. Scoop tail bone pull front hip down. Twist from back body and  lift front psoas up.
-Janu. Hug midline.  Move back sitting bone laterally toward knee, top of sacrum moves in and lift belly twisting toward front knee. Scope front hip down, belly will rise. Use breath and extend leg bones longer.
-Baddha konasana pinky toes spread toward outer heels. Heels might lift away from floor a title to help till ground toward floor. Inner spiral. Notice which way the inner body is turning and do more inner spiral on that leg. Once the inner body is lined up scope tail bone and forward  fold
-fish prep
-shavasana

More Happiness

With a new born baby it is hard to find the time to write more thorough blog posts. Here are my notes from this mornings class.

Location: Sugar space
Principles of emphasis: 1st side bodies long + inner body bright  2nd muscle energy to the Midline. Shoulder loop + Skull loop
Apex poses: back bends
Heart quality: JOY
Theme; why practice yoga? I practice yoga to experience more happiness. I have learned through yoga that when I hold my body in certain postures I experience more joyful energy or sadder energy. We chant this in out Anusara invocation when we sing chit ananda. Chit = knowledge Ananda = happiness. Through self knowledge of body mechanics we can cultivate more happiness.

-1/2 sun 3x
-skull loop exercises 1st take to peace fingers to chin. Apply pressure to chin and slide throat straight back while pressing tounge to top of mouth hold for 5 seconds. Repeat 10x 2nd. Repeat action sliding throat back while pressing first two fingers into chin. Then tip chin up and keep pressing with fingers looking up toward sky hold 5 seconds repeat 10x
-tricep stretch - half moon skull loop repeat
-sun a 3x (cobra for a few breaths)
- table shalabasana - dancer
-low lunge quad
-High runner lunge twist - Warrior 2
-Parsvakonasana mod.
- parsvakonasana - Ardha chandrasana - eagle
-pigeon quad
-Trikonasana
- pec stretch at wall
-L handstand at wall
-cow face
-Pigeon mermaid
-Heart opener over chair (mr.ingyer does this for 10 mins a day. He says it fools his body into thinking he is young. He also does head stand for 45 mins a day. He is 93) first plug arm bones in and reach fingers to mat then bend elbows and grab the side rails of chair work biceps and squeeze arm bones back curl back more. Then start to move one vertebrae at a time over edge of chair moving head toward floor. Optional urdhva danurasana
-twist on chair
-root thigh bones symmetrically


We've never experienced this moment before and the next moment will not be the same as the be you are in now ~pema chodron