Brahmacharya class plan

Theme: Brahmacharya      

“One who sees divinity in all is a brahmachari.”  –B.K.S Iyengar

translated many ways: “To walk with God,” “To move in truth,” “To merge with the one.” “moderation” “walking in awareness of the highest reality,” “remembering the divine”

Behaving with love and integrity without selfishness or manipulation (previous yamas).

think about where we’re putting our energy – sexual or otherwise. And, if we’re expending it in useless places, to figure out how to redirect it.

brahmacharya is about allocation: using your resources effectively to achieve your aspiration… conserve and not waste energy on things that do not serve our purpose.

we always have a choice to use our energy on not-so-purposeful actions (and thoughts and worries), and directing them towards those that will serve us better and lead to more happiness, purpose, sense of union.

Theme: Brahmacharya continued

We can practice Brahmacharya in yoga by:
*Practicing focus and redirecting distractions
*Not bringing sexuality into the classroom (think about: what you’re wearing, how ego influences how you move into poses, and maintaining professional boundaries)
*Redirecting excessive energy towards something greater (intention, mantra, breath)

We can practice Brahmacharya in life by:
*Redirecting excessive energy towards something greater (intention, mantra, breath, a cause you believe in)
*Direct energy to focus on what’s important (notice how much time you’re spending online, on your mobile device, watching TV—what else could you being doing with your precious energy?)
*Noticing where in your life you could practice moderation (drinking too much? eating too much? spending too much time on social media? not doing enough yoga?)

brahmacharya is a call to use our energies mindfully, wisely, so that we may experience how exquisitely interconnected we are with all of life.

Heart Quality: mindfulness

How are you using your energy?

the practice of brahmacharya is being mindful of the highest reality, remembering the divine, or practicing the presence of God. (1^st principle, OTG)

Being mindful of the preceding yamas: practicing non-violence, non-lying/ manipulating and non-stealing we respect this one energy that precedes all form and we build up more inner energy to be used for seeking connection with the divine or a higher purpose.

Anecdote

Personalize the teaching with some connection to your own experience or insight making it relevant to your students

Judging other people.

FEAR! Being in fear about past WORRING and about future (violent, not true, stealing moment from myself, wasting my energy and not connecting to divine)

Being selfish wanting what I want and not anting what I don’t want… now I pray to remember a higher source and I try to be useful to others.

PLUGGING INTO MOTHERBOARD/ WATER PARTICALS IN OCEAN

Alignment focus

alignment element tied in through all of the poses

Foundation of feet/ hands

Connecting with the earth through the four corners of the hands and the feet.

How are you connecting with the world? Are you acting from a place of depletion or radiance? Do you have energy to give and offer up to a higher source or a purpose you believe in?

Focal points

There are three possible focal points, which one is active depends on which is most weight-bearing. The focal point in the pelvis, is active when you’re primarily weight-bearing on the legs, as in all standing and seated poses, as well as in supine poses. The heart focal point, is active when you’re more weight-bearing on the arms, as in downward-facing dog, handstand, forearm stand, and most arm balances. And the palate focal point, at the juncture where the soft and hard palate meet, is active when your weight-bearing on the head, as in headstand and shoulder stand.

Muscle Energy to a focal point

 draws together the upper and lower parts of ourselves bringing integration and stability

How do you draw into yourself to regulate your energy? How do you take the world in with moderation and boundaries to not get overwhelmed? What self-care practices do you have that cultivates your life force energy?

Organic Energy from a focal point

Organic Energy first grounds from the active focal point into the earth and then it stretches up and out toward the sky.

How do you extend your life force energy to the world? Do you deplete your outgoing energy with drama, fear, tv… or do you extend your life force energy into a bigger purpose, with deep intention?

Heart quality = Mindfulness. Can you use mindfulness on and off the mat to notice the pulsation of your energy so you can allocate your resources to up level your offering to the world?

Sequence

Mediation/ Chanting

meditation

Warm up 

Standing tad side stretch 

Utt- Ardha utt 3x 

Ardha utt- tad 3x 

Sun A 3x 

Table shalabasana 

Basic

Ams 

Active pigeon side stretch 

Prasarita padottanasana 

W2

Mod. Parsvak 

Trikonasana- half moon - trikonasana 

Harder 

Bridget's cross 

Ams 

Upright L 

L pose 

Handstand upright or modify 

Quad stretch at wall

Apex: 

Hanuman at wall 

Cool down  

Bridge 2x

Supta pada A, B, C 

Root femurs 

Shavasana/ meditation

Apex: hanumanasana 

Intelligent therapeutic sequencing building to apex

Hip/ hip flexor openers

Quad openers

Hamstring openers

Calf openers

Modifications:

Ardha hanumanasana

Blocks

Remember Action over form!