Finding the MAGIC in the MUNDANE

Special shout out to Elisabeth Stich's dance class who took this class via fortefit.com I hope you learn alignment actions in this class to help your body stay healthy and safe while moving on and off the dance floor!

Special shout out to Heather Skies who celebrate her birthday with friends in this yoga class, such an honor to be able to celebrate with you! Thank you for demoing and letting us celebrate you with our voice!

Theme: Finding the magic in the mundane. When we are present we get the opportunity to ground our self in the magic that is constantly unfolding within the present moment. This awareness of the here and now allows us to align our body, mind and hearts in a healing way.
Anecdote: When I move through my life and I get bored, or worst irritated, and everything feels so dull I normally have fallen into a habitual collapse. Whether its in my mind, my emotions or in my body. For me nothing good comes from staying in a habitual collapsed pattern. Its like when I drive home and I arrive without clearly remembering how I drove home. Thank goodness I didn't crash! Compared to when I am present and I pay attention to my drive and I consciously keep myself and others safe. Most regular moments could be considered boring but with attention, alignment actions and attitude all moments can become magical.
Universal Principle of Alignment Emphasis: shin loop, thigh loop. pelvic loop

Sequence:

Warm up 

Tadasana (align legs with shin loops aka slight bend in knees, thigh loop aka slight bend in hips, pelvic loop belly in. This is the alignment we are training in all the poses avoiding hyperextension in knees, hips and low backs so we can ground ours self in the magic contained in the mundane) 
Uttanasana- Ardha uttanasana 3x (watch those knees! are they bending backwards during the transition?)
Ardha uttanasana- tadasana 3x (keeping the same alignment in the legs use the power of the hips to bring yourself up to standing with a flat back and without losing the alignment of the legs. Check when you come up to standing if the head of the thigh bones press forward.)
Uttanasana- tadasana 3x 

Basic 

Tree (whats the bottom leg doing? Is the knee bending backwards? Keep the top of the shin forward, top of thigh back, belly in) - Eagle 

Uttanasana- parsvotanasa 2-3 blocks (use props to get the best action instead of sacrificing action for depth) - lunge - vinyasa- uttanasana- repeat on second side 
Warrior 2 (watch the back leg again you can hinge forward at hips to work the back leg: top of shin forward, top of thigh back, then use the actions of the hips to bring the torso up and the action of the glutes can help align the front knee over the ankle in line with the second toes (that's outer spiral))
Mod Parsvak- Parsvak (same actions as above) 

Harder 

Prasarita padottonasana (this is starting to sound repetitive, but same actions use a block to take the bend out of the spine, shines forward, thighs back, tone the belly stretch down through the feet and through the spine)- trikonasana ( start with block inside of foot hinge slight forward, set up lower loops, then use pelvis to lengthen spine forward and possibly moving block to outside edge of foot if you can maintain stability in lower loops and length in spine) block
Half moon- utthita padangusthasana B prep ( watch the bottom leg same set up as in tadasana, knee forward, thigh back (you can even lean forward to help with this action) then lift belly and use glutes aka pelvic loop to bring chest upright similar to the transition between Ardha utt and tadasana)
Low lunge quad (active feet, hinge forward, thighs back! then use pelvis to get torso up)
Half hanuman regular (watch front knee it often bends backwards, the stretch should be felt in the hamstring not the back of the knee, to stretch the hamstring lift the top of the shin while dragging the sit bone backwards and rooting the femur bone back)- take front foot wider to stretch the medial hamstrings - eka pada kindenyasana 2 (optional)
On side (I call this super model pose) grab top foot uttitha pada b
On block psoas stretch (block goes under low back, on leg straight heal on the floor other knee toward belly, then take knee out wide with hand you can use other hand to hold opposite pelvis for stability. Watch alignment! Tendency is for lower thigh to pop forward and externally rotate and knee possibly hyperextend. Tone leg, heal down, shin up, thigh down, medial leg internally rotates) 
Supta padangusthasana B 

Apex

utthita padangusthasana B 2x (grab pinky edge of foot in hand, hinge forward (similar to Ardha uttanasana) active legs tip bottom/ standing knee forward thigh BACK, extend foot into resistance of hand out to the side (like a ninja) the leg doesn't have to straighten the alignment actions are more important then the depth of the pose, keep the alignment of that bottom leg and use the actions of the hips to bring the torso upright. If your extra modbil and you get upright and your lifted leg hip is higher then your standing leg hip scoop the hip of the lifted leg under more and lift your belly. Root down through the earth and rise up through the spine)

Cool down 
Double pigeon 
upavista konasana root femurs (active legs, push heals into floor drag them towards hips this action should lift the top of the shins up, keep the shins lifting up while rooting the sit bones down and thighs down. IF you hips are really mobil tone belly in and up)
Dandasana (I think this pose is so difficult, its like Ardha uttanasana but the floor is unforgiving, same actions, active legs, press heals down drag them toward hips until top of shin lift root femurs down, create a lumbar curve and extend spine up.)

Shavasana