Monday, August 25, 2014

Anti SStress restorative and Pranayama Sequence

To the best of my recollection, this was the sequence we did in Pranayama/Restoratives yesterday, in response to the request for anti stress. 1. kappalabhati, Chandra bedhana, and sitali pranayama, 1-3 minutes each 2. bridge with 2 bolsters or block and bolster - luxurious bridge - envelop yourself in prana, inhale up front of boddy and exhale down back 3. viparita karani with 4-8 breathing, working to it gradually 4. wide leg supported forward fold 5. side stretch over bolster 6. roll into big bolster backbend 7. bridge w/ bolster under hips, just for a minute or so 8. supta baddha konasana with feet elevated on bolster 9.* ascension breathing 10. savasana 2, 3, and 8 were held for about seven minutes each. Ascension Breathing: toes to crown, crown to toes, toes to crown, crown to ankles, ankles to crown, crown to knees, knees to crown, crown to hips, hips to crown, crown to waist, waist to crown, crown to chest, chest to crown, crown to throat, throat to crown, crown to eyebrows, eyebrows to crown, then work your way back down, ending with crown to toes. This is delicious, and it was a part of our yoga nidra program later that evening. Sat Nam!

Tuesday, August 19, 2014

Reed Salute Sequence for a Change of Paace on a Warm Day

My favorite vinyasa is a reed salute, and I haven't done them since last summer. This practice uses the reed salute, the foundation being: REED - inhale reach up, ex right, in up, ex left, in up, ex back, in up, ex bent knee clasped for-bend, in utka, ex uttana, then come up any way you choose. Thought it isn't necessarily cooling, it's a refreshing change from standard sun salutes. Eliminate #'s 2, 3, and 4, to tone it down further. Enjoy! Pranayama: 1 minute kapplabhati, 3 minutes sitali, 1 minute steady, slow, even breathing 1. Reed Salute, crescent moon, twist, lean back for hamstring stretch, vinyasa (chat, up dog, down dog) other side 2. Second reed salute, crescent moon, twist, side crane, lean back, vinyasa, other side 3. Third reed salute, vira 1, straighten up, twisting triangle, pyramid, 1/2 pyramid, vinyasa 4. Fourth reed salute, crescent moon, lean back into the splits, possibly lifting back leg and catching foot in crook of elbow 5. Fifth reed salute, crescent moon to pigeon 6. Sixth reed salute, from uttana, sit down to squat and roll to navasana, ardha navasana, bridge, shoulderstand and plow, roll down, supta padangusthasana, apanasana, savasana

Thursday, August 14, 2014

Morning Practice

Inspired by sutra 1.34 (again): prachardana vidharana bhyam va pranasya - quieting of the mind can be achieved by exhalation and suspension of the breath 1. child's pose 2. bridge 3 ways - up on inhale and down on exhale, up on inhale, stay on exhale, lower on kumbhaka - breath suspension, up on inhale, stay on exhale, roll uddiyana bandha up as you roll spine down - 3 each way 3. reclining twist beginning in fetal pose, then exhale roll open to twist, inhale and close the pose x3, then suspend breath after exhale x3 breaths 4. shoulder thread through - inhale follow arm up, exhale thread through x3, then stay 5. chakravakasana 3 ways, inhale/exhale, in/exhale,/stay with suspension, inhale/exhale/uddiyana bandha 6. down dog 7. uttanasana 8. Standing uddiyana bandha form a baseball stance 9. reed 10. deep squat 11. janu sirsasana twist 12. maha mudra 13. janu sirsasana 14. paschimottanasana 15. bridge 3 ways as before 16. goddess 17. savasana 18. meditation - hang in the space after exhale without expanding it

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

Some Asana as Pranayama

This is a workout using my favorite technique of bayha kumbhaka, suspension of breath after exhale. I find great inner peace with this technique, which sets me up for meditation. It also builds the inhalation to balance energy on a sluggish day. But the best reason for practice is expressed in sutra 1.43: prachardhana vidharana bhyam va pranasya - by suspension of breath the thought waves in the mind are quieted. This is my exact experience. Enjoy the practice! Yoga is the cessation of thought waves in the consciousness. then the yogi dwells in her own true splendor. Otherwise there is identification with the modifications of the mind. Practice and detachment are the means to still the modifications. Or by exhalation and suspension of breath. (sutras 1.2, 3, 4, 12, and 34) 1. seated side stretch with 3 count breath suspension per exhale x8 2. wide leg upright twist and wide leg upright with hands behind hips too lift heart 3. baddha konasana upright with hand sbehind hips 4. wide leg forward fold - 1/4, 1/2, 3/4, and then into your comfortable max of the moment, maybe 3-5 breaths each 5. baddha konasana same as #4 6. down dog - lift leg and open hip, heel to opposite fanny cheek inhale, knee to opposite armpit exhale, then step into ardha matsyendrasana - inhale halfway out of twist, exhale go back in x3, then hold 3 breaths with 3 count suspension after exhale 7. chat/up dog/down dog x5-10 8. warrior 1, 1/2 pyramid inhale, exhale twist triangle with 3 count (or less) suspension 3-5 breaths, pyramid 9. bound extended right angle pose to bound triangle to regular triangle 10. wide leg standing forward fold 11. 1 leg bow, full bow 12. beginning cobra, intermediate cobra, up dog, full straight armed cobra, roll down to beginning, crocodile rest 13. bridge up on inhale, stay up on exhale, roll down on suspension 14. apanasana 15. seated forward fold with 3 count (or less) breath suspension 16. seated 6-3-6-3 breathing, then restful breathing, allowing space between if it comes 17. nada sanchalana - inhale up front of body, aware of each chakra, exhale OM down back body, aware of each chakra 18. savasana

Saturday, August 2, 2014

Saturday Morning Practice After having a BIG Italian Dinner the Night Before

Sat Nam. We will do a version of this in class this morning. This was my practice: 1. kappalabhati-2 min. and nadi sodhana -5 min. 2. seated shoulder stretches (interlace in, press palms forward ex, lift arms in, press hands behind head ex, lift arms in, release ex 3. baddha konasana crunches - regular, just lift elbows and knees toward each other, then add straightening the legs 4. mermaid sequence - side plank on forearm, mermaid 1, mermaid 2 - 20 each 5. locust sequence - 1 leg, both legs, arms and legs 6. down dog 7. chest expansion 8. forward bend with gomukhasana arms 9. headstand 10. handstand 11. v1, twist triko, pyramid 12. triko, ardha chandrasana, chappasana, back to triko 13. prasarita padottanasana 14. bow sequence - 1 leg, other, both 15. 3 camels 16. supta padangusthasana sequence 17. shoulderstand and plow 18. savasana