Class Notes for the Week

Having a baby is really affecting the amount and the quality of my blog. I dont want to totally neglect it so here are my ruff notes form the 4 classes I taught this week at Metric Yoga.

 After focusing on shoulders for the past few months we have returned to the lower body focusing on inner and outer spiral to stabilize the back in the back bends.

Tuesday:
Theme: baby grasping from birth our jobs is to learn to soften and open.
Antidote: we grasp in the low back muscles which causes ether a flat back or a hyper lordotic curves back. Both cause back pain
Poe: inner spiral and outer spiral to do backbends without pain

Supta knees bent inner/outer spiral supta tadasana
Table- Dd
Tadasana half moon side stretch
Dd
Lunge - vinyasa big cobra
Lunge - vinyasa Big cobra
On belly pec stretch
Big cobra
Active pigeon
Mod. Parsvak
Warrior 2 clasp- falling warrior
L.l forearms down block
Half moon - standing splits
 trikonasana
Handstand
Handstand partner midline
Pigeon quad block
Anjaneyasana
W1
W1
Dancer
Dancer
Cow face
Supta pada thigh bones
Hands in knees ground femurs

Thursday:
"You must do the things you think you can not do" Eleanor Roosevelt do something that scares you. One physical attribute linked with fear is thigh bones forward. We will root the thigh bones back while creating space in the si joints and strength to hold that space, with inner and outer spiral.

High runners lunge twist
Lunge
Low lunge quad
Anjaneyasana
Anjaneyasana reach arms like handstand prep
Hero blanket
Uttanasana blanket
Virasana
Camel
Camel handstand prep
Handstand backbend wall
Danurasana blanket under belly
Bridge
Urdhva danurasana
Drop back to wall partner blanket
Pigeon root femurs
Janusirasana
Supta baddha konasana 2 blankets

Saturday: open the front body without shortening the back body. Collapsing / hyper lordotic in lumbar and cervical shortens back body inner and outer spiral lengthen it while bringin the apex of the backbend curve in the  kyphotic back.
Poe: inner and outer spiral


We all face difficult times that make us want to shelter our hearts.
When people we love hurt us, it is a natural reaction to want to shield ourselves, and put protection around our hearts, to keep pain from entering.
A shut down heart makes it impossible to open up and allow in happiness, great opportunities, and good people. However, when you open your heart, you have room for growth, forgiveness, and change.
We can't selectively open our heart only letting in the good and keeping out the bad. We either open our heart for all of it or for none of it.

"In a full heart there is room for everything, and in an empty heart there is room for nothing."
-Antonio Porchia

Lunge
Lunge
Anjaneyasana
Low lunge quad
Pigeon quad - Active pigeon reach arms backbend prep
Ustrasana
Ustrasana backbend prep
Handstand L
Handstand back bend
Forearm L
Forearm backbend
Urdhva danurasana
Drop back prep to wall feet on block or roll
Partner drop back blanket block
Dd
Funky parsvotonasana
Double pigeon
Janusirsasana
Hands on knees ground femur bones twist
Egg

Fundamental Saturday
Theme:Anusara yogis often speak of the “back body” as the dwelling place of grace; the unseen, underfed, and underappreciated side of the body.  When we talk about moving from the front body, we are talking about actions that originate in the ego, that are goal-driven and purposeful.  Moving from the back body is generally slower.  It requires that you pause and listen first, then do.

Supta knees bent
Supta tadasana
Cobra
Dd- vinyasa
Tadasana - half moon
Sun a3x
Tree
Hero blanket
Uttanasana blanket
Active pigeon
Mod. PArsvak
Mod. Parsvak
Supta tree
 Tree
Tree hold hands back bend
Trikonasana
Double pigeon
Supta baddha konasana 2 blankets

Long Term Class Planning: Shoulder Focus

One of the many reasons I am in awe with my teachers Adam Ballenger is his foresight to plan long term class plans. He can summerise what he plans on teaching the next few years alignment wise. It's amazing. I use to teach something different every class. Always trying to switch it up so students wouldn't get bored. However the past few years I have really seen the benefit of teaching the same thing for longer snouts of time. We practiced all lower body alignment for months. And then I started getting lots if shoulder requests. So this is how I planned it out. I actually sat down with a journal and wrote this out.

We have been going over the complements of shoulder alignment:
First principle: side bodies long, melt heart and inner body bright
Muscle energy: arm bones, scapula, collar bone draw back.
Organic energy: extending from the focal point out in all directions.
Shoulder loop
Kidney loop
Skull loop
We looked at these aspects for 2 weeks in all forward facing poses like tadasana, dancer, other backbends, lunges, splits, hip openers.
Then for about 2 weeks we looked at applying these alignment components in side open poses. Like side plank variations, parsvakonasana, trikonasana, ardha chandrasana.
Now we are in the middle of practicing these same principles in twists. Like twist utkatasana, twist lunges, quad stretches wrh twists, arm balance with twists....

Everyonce and a while I feel like I am being repetitive and my students are getting bored. But then a student will say something like "oh my gosh. It makes sense now" or "wow I can feel my side bodies lengthening I think I was doing it wrong for the past 5 years" or "my shoulder was hurting but after practicing this shoulder stuff it doesn't hurt any more".

After this week we will continue to look at twists but focus on the lower body. Spring cleaning. Twists with shoulder focus. Next week twists with leg focus

Tuesdays class
Poe: shoulders
Thread needle
Mod. Parsvak
Twisted high runners lunge
Twist lunge
Twist anjaneyasana
Twist l.L quad
Twist both ways pigeon
Twist quad pigeon
Pincha manurasana
Headstand
Child's
Hero- twisted heros
Supta parsva bakasana
Utk twist
Parsva bakasana
Janusirsasana
Janusirsasana twist
Pachimotinasana twist strap

After coming off maternity leave and switching studios I am just so intensely grateful for my teachers, my students, my fellow yogis, my ever changing practice... I love what I do and I am so greatful that I get to do it and support my growing family. I grateful for YOU reading this blog

Tuesday and Thursday Class Notes

Thursday
Request: shoulder focus
Principle of emphasis: 1st principle
Shoulders toward ears (side bodies long. 1st principle) shoulder broad (inner body bright. 1st principle) puff then melt heart (1st principle)
Theme: Alignment based yoga puts your body in an optimal position where healing takes place. It takes discipline to align your body and hold it with stability which leads to more freedom in your mind, body and heart.
We are all injured from past experiences whether psychically it emotionally. This yoga teaches us that every moment can be an opportunity by knowing how we align in each moment.
Quote: "…feelings like disappointment, embarrassment, irritation, resentment, anger, jealousy, and fear, instead of being bad news, are actually very clear moments that teach us where it is that we’re holding back. They teach us to perk up and lean in when we feel we’d rather collapse and back away. They’re like messengers that show us, with terrifying clarity, exactly where we’re stuck. This very moment is the perfect teacher, and, lucky for us, it’s with us wherever we are."Pema Chödrön

Table shoulder movements (up and broad)
Pincha table shoulder movements- dolphin (up and broad)
Dd- Tadasana hold block shoulders up and broad s.i.t.o
Utt- Lunge (sbl, calor bones broad)
Utt- Lunge clasp hands
Dd- Low lunge quad
Dd- Anjaneyasana clasp- reach
Shoulder strap tadasana melt heart
Pincha
Handstand
Clock stretch wall
Clock stretch belly
Sphnx quad
Ustrasana
Bridge
Shoulder stand blanket
Fish twist
Janusarisasana
Wide janusirasana hold behind knees lift chest
Shavasana 2 acordian blankets




Tuesday
Theme: lean into the unknown and that what scares you to get empowered and take control of your life.
Antidote: learning to snowboard/ski. Leaning down the mountain to gain control and not fall instead of bein scared leaning back and falling
Tadasana 1/2 moon
Sun a- vinyasa -Lunge - tadasana 2x
Tree
Standing pigeon
Malasana - Crow
Active pigeon
Low lunge quad
Anjaneyasana quad
Parsvot
1/2 hanumanasana
Virasana blanket tricep stretch
Dancer
1/2 moon to far - 1/2 moon- standing pigeon
Pincha manyurasana "L"
"" kicking
Handstand "L"
"" kicking
Bridge
Twist
Root femurs

Kicking

Teaching an Anusara- Inspired class tomorrow at Metric Yoga 9-10:15. As requested we will break down kicking up to handstand. This will help you face your fear and learn to kick up or refine and make more graceful your kick up. We will continue to focus on upper body alignment so as we PLAY with this pose (and others) it will still be a restorative experience for the body.

Props: 2 blocks, 2 bolsters, strap
Principles of emphasis: 1^st, 2^nd, 5^th,, shoulder loop Heart Quality: Courage

·         L stand hands on [wall] 3x

·         [strap] Urdhva hastasana –lower hands a little behind back (work on getting elbows straight)

·         L stand handstand [wall]

·         ½ surya namaskar 3x (watch elbows get the joints straight)

·         Down dog. Hands outer shoulder distance apart index fingers facing forward. Melt heat.

·         Table shalabasana straight joints. Front hand into handstand position wrist flexed. Index finger points straight up. Don't bend bottom arm. Press index knuckle down and take weight off outer corner of wrist so weight is even in 4 corners.

·         Dd straight arms and legs. Step foot a foot in and do little kick ups don't bend elbows or top leg 3x don't kick from the  heel kick from hips. Kicking up to handstand requires straight elbows and straight legs. Often people bend the top leg when they kick. If you do this you'll lose your power.

·         Uttanasana- Lunge

·         Uttanasana- Lunge

·         Uttanasana- low lunge quad stretch

·         Uttanasana- anjaneyasana- ardha hanumanasana [2 blocks]

·         Hanumanasana [block]

·         Tadasana - urdhva hadasana look at elbows are the vertical? If you’re in handstand and your elbows aren’t vertical you'll dump in heels of wrists.

·         Cartwheels (Lift arms, plant hands, kick cartwheel)

·         Kick into handstand 5x [at wall] (lift arms, plant hands, kick handstand) I normally am against kicking up like this because you cant focus on arm alignment as well, but sometimes students need this moment to learn to kick up. Are your elbows bending? Bending in arms is loss of will power and often leads to fear.

·         If still can't get up use [2 bolsters] up the wall get a running start and through yourself up the wall with straight arms and top leg.

·         Pec stretch at wall

·         Pigeon

·         Bridge/ urdhva danurasana

·         [Strap] ground femur bone- gallopers twist

·         Shavasana

Shoulder Work + Self Love for Vday

My ruff notes from this mornings class at Metric yoga:

'Tis the week of LOVE. With valentines day being on Friday. This holiday has become very commercialized with all of the focus on your relationship (or lack there of) between you and your significant other. However I like to use valentines day as a reminder to look at all of the relationships you are in. The practice of yoga asana is a great opportunity for you to look at the relationship you have with your body and with your Self. I was talking wrh my husband the other day and we were discussing qualities that make up a good relationship. Some we said were awareness, acceptance and appreciation. Let's apply this to Anusara yoga and the work we do on the mat. First you have to be aware what's going on. Are you in a good relationship or a less then awesome relationship with your self? What is really good and what needs work? Where are your strengths and weaknesses? Based on what your awareness tells you, you implement changes. This could be something like spreading your pinky toes because your knee hurts or drawing your arm bones back because you get headaches a lot. Then you need to appreciate the heck out of yourself because no matter what is going on at your core you are spectacular and nothing can make that not so. However we can enhance our relationship with our rocking self. Lastly accept that we will not ever be perfect. And if we are waiting until the day we are perfect to fully love ourself then that will never come. One thing I dig about Anusara yoga is that there is always refinements. Give me the best yogi in the world and I will give her/him a refinement. This is because we are never perfect.

Principle of emphasis: shoulder loop. Focusing on moving collarbones, arm bones, scapulas back and pressing heart forward (melting heart)

Standing L hands on wall 3x
Strap in hands urdhva hastasana lower strap behind without bending elbows pausing at the sticky parts cone back up shorten hands on strap and lower again.
Wide leg forward fold clasp hands strap
Handstand timed 2x to warm up shoulders
Utt slide to the side (make space ad widen opst direction you slide)
L.l quad stretch
Shalabasana hands behind head
Anjaneyasana clasp hands behind head curl head into hands lift heart then stretch arms
Shalabasana hands behind head
L clasp hands behind head. Curl then stretch -vinyasa
Dolphine (sbl, mh) shoulders vertical
Pincha manyurasana lift head look forward melt heart
Child's fulancy to curve in spine. The capacity to open up the thorastic spine so we can open or heart
Danurasana 2x
Bridge.2x Use head pressing down (collar bones, arm ones, scapulas press down to lift heart)
Urdhva danurasana 2x wall (if you experience pain in low back lift heels inner spiral thighs scope tail bone lower heels back down)
Hanumanasana
Root femur bones

Discipline

Saturday classes ruff notes

Heart quality: discipline
Theme: not doing what is easy in the short term or in the moment but having disicpline to take actions to make life easier in the future
Antidote: sleeping with sage. It would be easiest to let sage sleep on me in the bed we both enjoy it so much (and this more dangerous) however having the disicpline to put him in his bassenit in the long run will make my life easier/ more enjoyable.
Second antidote: eating a warm brownie and ice cream sounds so enjoyable in the moment but won't make me feel very good in the future but havin the discipline to share or opt out on it all together will be harder take more work but in the long run make me feel better.
synonyms: control, training, teaching, instruction, regulation, direction, order, authority, rule, strictness,


Anusara- inspired
Poe:me, os

Table- cat cow
Table- toe touches- abduction
Dd- toe touches- abduction
L outer edge of foot
Active pigeon
Scandasana - 1/2 moon - w3 prep/ abduction
L stand wrist toe touches
Handstand up wall leg raises
Pec stretches at wall (clock)
Trikonasana (me, os)
Twisted trik (os)
Danurasana
Bridge
Urdhva danurasana
Baddha konasana
Janusirsasana
Parvritta janusirsasana

Fundamentals yoga class:
Sucasana- figuer 8 with chin
Sucasana- side stretches
Table- cat/cow
Table- shalabasana
Goddess hero teach chat arms
Chataranga tune up 3x
Cobra
Sphnx- quad
1/2 moon side stretch 2x
Dd-vinyasa
L
L- vinyasa
Anjaneyasana - ardha hanumanasana (2 blocks)
Bridge
Root femur bones
Shavasana on bolster


Theme: begginers mind. Open to suggestions

A better world

I like to think when I practice yoga I make the world a better place. Because after practicing yoga I act that much nicer to those around me and I like to contemplate how that sweetness ripples throughout the world in a positive way. 

 "entering the Heart is like coming into the centre of the sun. There is no more you; there is nothing except the iridescent force of that light. When you are in the centre of the sun, there is no way to block its light. It streams through you and around you. So by entering your own Heart, you make the whole world a better paradise." GURUMAYI CHIDVILASANANDA

So next time you are debating if you should practice yoga think: do I want to make the works a better place. If the answer is yes get yourself to yoga :)