Saturday, April 11, 2015

Remember You Vitality


·         Theme: Remember you vitality

·         Heart quality: Vital

a.       Adjective: full of energy; lively.

b.      Adjective: absolutely necessary or important; essential.

c.       Vibrant: full of energy and enthusiasm.

·         Antidote: I love spring time! Everything becomes so energized and lively. I see the abundance of life force energy in the flowers blooming, birds chirping, baby animals being born, and people being active outdoors. If you used time lapse photography to observe a park for a full year you would quickly see an increase in energy during the spring time.  My family goes to the park all year round and it’s very clear that during the spring season the park comes alive. Not only do I notice this aliveness around me but I feel this very present aliveness within myself. Have you heard of spring fever? This wanting to go out, play and use this vibrant energy we have inside? We are each innately full of energy, no matter what the season, although I find it easiest to tap into and notice this vital energy during the spring when it is so palpable. This energy is inside each of us at all times, just asking for us to tap into it. And when we do, I find, it unveils itself more and more. This is what we are going to work on today. Drawing deep inside our self to access this vital energy that is always present within.

                                                              i.      One of my new year’s intentions was to focus on this energy. The start of spring has been a good reminder. Have I shifted away from my intention? Or am I holding to this new perspective of seeing this aliveness in others and feeling it within myself. I have been noticing it! And as a result of this new perspective I find that when life asks for more energy from me, I can draw into myself and offer that energy to the project at hand! This has been so cool.

b.      How I am going to tie  theme and antidote in throughout class:

                                                              i.      Since shifting my focus to noticing the life force energy that is always present and pulsating within me, within all of us. I am so aware our how ALIVE I feel. I am reminded of this inner aliveness when I see people running around outside. I see them using their energy and I begin to feel the pull of energy inside of me. This vitality is always present and it’s our choice to notice it and tap into it.

                                                            ii.      “Seeing the aliveness all around me, during spring, reminds me of the ever present aliveness within my own skin. “

                                                          iii.      “during spring time the energy is so palpable it is the perfect time to draw in and connect to it” “draw your muscles to the bone and connect to this life force energy that resides at the core of your being”

                                                           iv.      “During spring time I always make new friends. Make friends, form a deep relationship with this always present vital energy that is inside of you”

                                                             v.      Vitals. We get our vital signs checked by noticing heartbeat, respiration, blood pressure and temperature. These signs show we are vital, we are living, that we have life force inside of us.

                                                           vi.      When I sit for mediation now I feel this inner buzzing of aliveness within. Since I have been looking for this inner energy it continues to reveal itself to me more and more.

                                                         vii.      When I wake up in the morning I am presented with this choice to connect with the energy inside of me or not. When I wake up and choose to live in abundance that’s what I experience, an abundance of energy as I go throughout my day.   We are actually presented with this choice in every moment.

                                                       viii.      Sometimes if I feel tired during the day, I remind myself that I am full of energy, literally, and I have the freedom to choose my experience. I choose vibrancy.

                                                          

c.       Beginning meditation: during the spring season our energy tends to spread out from us. Begin to draw your energy inside and tap in to this ever present source of energy. Notice that the more you become aware of it the more it obvious it becomes, the more it shows itself to you.

                                                              i.      Mediation on vital signs: (vital signs include: pulse, breath, blood pressure, temperature). As you become still and draw your focus into yourself notice your heart beat, notice your breath, and sense the temperature of your skin. These are you vital signs if you are observing these you can be sure that you are alive! Take a moment and treasure this life force inside of you.


d.      What it feels like when I am connected to this energy?

                                                              i.      I feel totally awake, full, connected, engaged, energized and present, peaceful and at ease.

                                                            ii.      Alive, powerful, full of life, alert, connected, energetic, vital, zestful, active, present, enthusiastic, vibrant, refreshed, centered, and wakeful.

.

·         How does it relate to chit ananda?

a.       When we connect and form a connection with this inner vitality we realize that no matter what the season or situation this energy is here and this knowing cultivates delight.



f.        When we remember (chit) that at our core resides the source of energy which is always present we expand with joy (ananda).

·         Why does this heart quality/ theme matter? We don’t have to search outside of ourselves for a connection to a bigger energy source. We only need to turn within and we will find that this energy resides inside of us, and is always present and deeply peaceful.


·         UPA focus: Muscular Energy

a.       Muscle to bone

                                                              i.      “squeeze muscles to the bone” “tone your muscles to the bone” “firm your muscles to the bone evenly on all sides”

b.      To midline

                                                              i.      “squeeze your legs together” “press your hands together” ”pull to the midline”

c.       From extremities to focal point

1.       “From your feet tone your muscles up to the focal point in your pelvis in line with the bottom of the sacrum , from your fingers engage your muscles to your pelvic floor”
 
Seated Centering
 
 
Draw awareness in
Warm up
 
Table
 
Cat/cow
Move with breath
Cat variation- one leg one arm
Move with breath
Modified knee down side plank
 
Down dog
 
Standing pec stretch
 
Standing quad stretch
 
Uttanasana- parsvotanasana
 
Surya Namaskar
 
With Lunge, one leg at a time
 
With Lunge hands clasped behind back, one leg at a time.
 
Standing Poses
 
Standing crescent
 
Tadasana
 
Utkatasana (explosions)
Pressing up and balancing on one foot to build heat in muscles
Tree
5 UPA’s“settle into your feet, engergize the legs, move your thighs back, scoop your tailbone down, and extend out in all directions.”
Tree- standing quad
 
Warrior 2- reverse warrior 2
 
Side angle- half moon- standing hip stretch
 
Hip opening
 
Pigeon
 
Lunge- eagle- warrior three prep- warrior 1
 
Warrior 1
 
Abdominals
 
On back squeeze block between thighs and ankles
Connect to midline power
Twisting core worth with blocks 2x
 
Pec stretches/ backbends
 
On bely pec stretch
 
Side plank
I demo: Energize you muscles, squeeze your legs together connecting to the vitality that is always present within. Let this inner power drive the pose and lift your hips up high.
On belly quad stretch
 
Danurasana
 
On side propped on forarm plant foot on inner thigh for tree legs, then more foot behind thigh and press into a forearm variation of wild thing
 
Wild thing
 
Apex
 
Side plank with legs in tree 2x
 
Twists and forward folds
 
Wide leg forward fold standing
 
Ardha matsyendrasana 1 prep
 
Baddha konasana
 
Supta baddha Konasana
 
Shavasana
 
Seated meditation
Notice your vital signs heart beat, breath, temperature, blood pressure… feel this vitality buzzing of energy within. We are alive. Vitality is always inside. Choose to draw into this essence of your being. 

Monday, April 6, 2015

Intentional action

Tuesday
Upa focus: inner spiral and shin loop to lengthen hamstrings
Apex: Vishvamitrasana (warm up hips, hamstrings, shoulders, side bodies)
Theme:  taking time to set up the conditions so you can open/blossom/grow what you want to wantp
Example: gardening if I just fertilize and water my garden what will grow and blossom will be weeds. So I need to move slowly and intentionally pulling weeds so I can harvest what I want.
Example: my toddler. I really want to have him share and get along with others. But if I just set him with a bunch of kids and toys. There will be lots of pushing and tears. I have to be slow and intentional and help explain and monitor the toy sharing so I get the outcome I want which is a ️toddler who is okay with playing and sharing with others.
How this applies to asana and krouchasana? If we move into this pose quickly we will often round the low back maybe hyper extend the knees both of these actions keep the hamstring short and tight. Let's move through these poses with the sit bones back and broad (inner spiral) while keeping the knee slightly bend (shin loop) pointing toward the second toe knuckle (inner spiral) this combo lengthens the hamstring. When we move through these poses with intentional actions we can participate in a way to get the results we want. In this case open hamstrings. The hamstrings are the muscles on the back of the thighs. The back of the body represents the Universal. Keeping this my mind lengthening the hamstrings can be more about the physical body but opening up emotionally to something that is bigger then ourself and that constantly supports us.

Warm up:
Half moon side stretch - 1/2 sum salutations 3x

Basic:
Hrl- standing hip stretch- uttanasana manual s.i.t.o with inner spiral and shin loop
Falling warrior w2/ams
W2- mod. Parsvak- rev warrior
W2- clasp hand bow- Parsvak - rev. Warrior
Side plank - Pigeon - widen knee pigeon
Baddha konasana block
Wide leg forward fold clasp- twist
Scandasana is/shinLoop
Trikonasana - Half moon- standing splits


Harder:
Dolphin - pincha prep
Half hanuman normal - front foot closer to midline- front foot more broad then midline- koundinyasana prep
Supta pada a- cross hands- reclined vishvamitrasana
Double pigeon
Baby cradle- compass
Mod. Vashvamitrasana

Apex:
Vashvamitrasana or modify with knee down

Cool down:
Supta pada c
Happy baby

Shavasana
Meditation

Intention and Testimonials

Testimonials & My Intention

My Intention It is my intention as a yoga teacher to help you bring more health and vibrancy to your body, ease and alertness to your mind...