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I did it! I did it! I came up with a ridiculously long sequence (that would need to be repeated on the other side of the body... see earlier posts for more info on this goal) that doesn't have its backbone in the Warriors. Huzzah! Challenge: complete.
If I do say so myself, this sequence is fantabulous. The focus is on moving from the core between poses. It creates an amazing core workout and also a lot of stabilization in the poses themselves. I balance better and the lower back doesn't get sore. Overall, I loved this guy.
If I do say so myself, this sequence is fantabulous. The focus is on moving from the core between poses. It creates an amazing core workout and also a lot of stabilization in the poses themselves. I balance better and the lower back doesn't get sore. Overall, I loved this guy.
Long sequence. 3: Moving from the Core
As you move from the core, imagine a string attached to your belly button. The string will pull you in the direction you are moving. For example, moving in Plank, the string pulls forward and backward. In the balancing postures, imagine your core being pulled in an arc, like a pendulum. This can help the movements be smoother, and less jerky. If at any point you find yourself substituting the core work for the lower back, take a Child's pose, and then come back into it when you can depend on core strength.
- Begin practice by lying facing down on the ground
- Inhale pushing yourself up to Plank
- In Plank, imagine your heels pushing back towards the ground
- Inhale, in Plank, coming onto tiptoes, shoulders forward of hands
- Move heels hack and forth, engaging core to keep torso in one plane
- Exhale to Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog Pose)
- Pedal heels, warm up legs and hips
- Tadasana (Mountain Pose)
- Uttanasana (Standing Forward Fold)
- Step back to low lunge
- High lunge
- Inhale, raising arms up above head, exhale to lower. Continue with breath. Note: instead of holding the arms up by using the over-worked lower back, imagine that the core is being used to keep the arms moving and above head
- Ardha Chandrasana (Balancing Half Moon)
- Virabhadrasana III (Warrior III)
- Parivrtta Ardha Chandrasana (Revolved Balancing Half Moon)
- Move between Half Moon and Revolved Half Moon, using the core to pivot
- Step back to Low Lunge
- High lunge
- Interlock fingers behind torso for chest opener
- Parsvottanasana (Intense Stretch)
- Trikonasana (Triangle Pose)
- Parsvottanasana
- Parivrtta Trikonasana (Revolved Triangle Pose)
- Move between Triangle and Revolved Triangle, using the core to pivot
- Virabhadrasana II (Warrior II)
- Vinyasa to Tadasana
- Repeat steps 9-26
- Come down to seated
- Janu Sirsasana (Seated Head to Knee Pose)
- Upavishta Konasana (Seated Wide Angle Pose)
- Repeat steps 29 and 30 on other side
- Paschimottanasana (Seated Forward Fold)
- Halasana (Plow Pose)
- Setu Bandhasana (Bridge Pose)
- Supta Matsyendrasana (Reclined Twist). Repeat other side
- Savasana
There are some limitations to what I try and do here. There are practices that are wonderful and felt great, but aren't even worth trying to explain in words without visuals. Of course, the solution should probably be a combination of text and video. I, however, definitely do not have the time to write a sequence and make a video to post every day. Plus, I'm sort of technologically illiterate. Sorry, folks.
To ameliorate that, I'm going to start posting a yoga sequence video of the week. I'll trawl the blogs (which I do anyway) and YouTube (which I have been intending to do more often anyway) and post the gems that I come across. If you have any videos or YouTube channels that you like (or produce) let me know and I'll do my part to get the word out about good things.
The video today comes from the Being with Yoga blog. This dual creation is a multimedia gem. They have skills. So, consider the video below a teaser... if you enjoy this sequence, I recommend checking out the others they have posted.
To ameliorate that, I'm going to start posting a yoga sequence video of the week. I'll trawl the blogs (which I do anyway) and YouTube (which I have been intending to do more often anyway) and post the gems that I come across. If you have any videos or YouTube channels that you like (or produce) let me know and I'll do my part to get the word out about good things.
The video today comes from the Being with Yoga blog. This dual creation is a multimedia gem. They have skills. So, consider the video below a teaser... if you enjoy this sequence, I recommend checking out the others they have posted.
Yoga gives me the bravery to try new things. Something that can seem terrifying or impossible when initially presented (see Tree Pose backbends in sequence, for example), are so much fun that I wonder what else I'm not giving a shot at that would end up being something I love/benefit from. Even when I try, try again, and don't exactly "succeed" per se (um, handstands off the wall?), the joy is in the journey. This lesson comes so often, with such compelling force, in the studio, that I'm being forced to take it home with me. It's a good kind of being forced. I feel more confident, less scared, and, as mentioned, braver.
Try something new
So here's my prompt for the day: Try something new. Whether it be something in this sequence, or walking up the stairs using a different foot first, teach your brain a new trick. This sequence is full of poses and sequencing that I hadn't done before, but am so so glad I did. The quick succession Upward Bows, the Boat/Inversion mixes, the backbends. It was great for me, and the day feels good.
- Sukhasana (Easy Pose)
- Fold forward over bent legs
- Change cross of legs, fold forward again
- Taking hands behind you on floor, chest opener
- Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog Pose)
- Downward Dog hip openers, lifting one leg and then the other
- Step through to low lunge
- Parsvottanasana (Intense Stretch Pose)
- Virabhadrasana I (Warrior I Pose)
- Parivrtta Virabhadrasana I (Revolved Warrior Pose). Gentle twist until warmed up
- Virabhadrasana I
- Vinyasa to repeat steps 5-11 on other side
- 4 Sun Salutations, A or B (or a mix)
- Step through to low lunge
- Taking both hands to inside of foot for Yajnasana (Cross Pose) prep
- Come down onto forearms for deeper hip stretch
- Pivot body to Utthita Parsvakonasana (Extended Side Angle Pose)
- Baddha Parsvakonasana (Bound Side Angle), trying to interlace fingers around torso, or grab wrists
- Baddha Trikonasana (Bound Triangle)
- Trikonasana (Triangle Pose)
- Virabhadrasana II (Warrior II)
- Vinyasa to repeat steps 14-21 on other side
- Bring your back about a foot from the wall
- Vrksasana (Tree Pose)
- Inhaling in Tree, take your arms up in the air, exhale to slight backbend, bringing your hands to the wall to use it as a support for your backbend. Hold for 3-5 breaths
- Tadasana (Mountain Pose)
- Baddha Vrksasana (Bound Tree Pose)
- Repeat step 25 for Bound Tree Pose, accentuating the feeling of stretch and lengthening in the side body
- Tadasana
- Repeat steps 24-29 on other side
- Urdhva Prasarita Eka Padasana (Standing Splits), using the wall to come deeper
- Uttanasana (Forward Fold), using wall to come deeper
- Repeat steps 31 and 32 on other side
- Still using wall if needed, come into Adho Mukha Vrksasana (Handstand). Hold for 5 breaths
- Come down, going quickly into Urdhva Navasana (Upward Boat), holding for 5 breaths
- From Boat, going into Forearm Stand
- Repeat step 35
- From Boat, going into Sirsasana (Headstand)
- Repeat step 35
- Garbasana (Child's Pose)
- Inhale up to Urdhva Dhanurasana (Upward Bow). Hold for three breaths. Come out, hold for one breath. Come back in bow for three breaths, out for one. Repeat one more time
- Ananda Balasana (Happy Baby Pose)
- Savasana
I've mentioned a few times that I am a member of an email listserve about yoga. It's great: I get ideas for postings and learn something new every day. Every once and awhile, I also see a fine sequence come through.
After a recent discussion on balancing postures, Sandra from Breathe Yoga Studio of Pensacola, Florida sent out a sequence she does entirely on a block. This is something I've never done, never thought to have done, but am excited to try out. It sounds like I'd probably fall off more than a few times, although I'd learn a lot about balance and have a darn tootin' good time on the way. After teaching kiddos, I've learned that sometimes, there's nothing quite as fun as falling.
If anyone is a snowbird or a permanent Floridian, I recommend checking out Sandra's studio. She is a frequent and appreciated contributor to the listserve and, now, happily, a contributor here as well. Thank you, Sandra!
Sandra from Breathe Yoga Studio
Sandra writes, "I have a whole balancing sequence using a block (has to be the big, thick ones)…tadasana, tree, warrior 3, standing squat (ukatasana), forward bend and, depending on the level class I’m teaching, we might even move into crow! The blocks are really surprisingly stable…the reluctance/trepidation is mostly the mental stuff…so we begin w/ gentle reminders that tadasana is our foundational posture and very familiar, we are just adding 4 little inches under our feet…like a pair of platform shoes! We spend a bit of time in tadasana on the block, then slowly, w/ great ahimsa and awareness…we begin to scooch around, getting reacquainted w/ our balancing points…and slowly begin to play/explore postures. The space is sooo quiet and concentration intense…very present moment. Great opportunity to talk about trying new things, facing/conquering fears, being willing to fall off the block and trying again, noticing emotions that arise…can you be comfortable here and here, always giving yourself permission to stay where you’re comfortable, or use the wall or come off the block if you prefer. Eventually we come back to the beginning of the balancing sequence, tadasana, close our eyes, move into dirgha breath….and then complete our balancing journey by jumping off the block! I love the look of students eyes and faces filled w/ amazement and satisfaction. So beautiful!"
Continuing, now, to play around with long sequences that need to be repeated on the other side. Something I see happening, here, is that these long sequences have an anchor and base in the Warriors, and then have variations off of that. This maybe is just how my practice is flowing, but I have a hard time wrapping my mind around other possibilities that would have the same effect, but not tire one body part out. It seems like doing a seated sequence all on one side before moving to the other would cause cramping. Balancing all on one side *definitely* will cause cramping (for me).
I'm having instructor-block. Can anyone think of another way to have a really long sequence that needs to be repeated on the other side of the body (see step 19, for an example of what I'm talking about)?
I'm having instructor-block. Can anyone think of another way to have a really long sequence that needs to be repeated on the other side of the body (see step 19, for an example of what I'm talking about)?
Long sequence.2
I'll keep up in my mad scientist's lab for this one (i.e. my bedroom with the yoga mat on the floor, very feng shui). In the future, there may be some posts with sequences that I deem as not so much for me, but interesting experiments. We'll see...
- Sukhasana (Easy Pose)
- Ajna Chakra (Third Eye) Meditation
- Supta Kapotanasana (Gentle Reclined Pigeon)
- Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog Pose)
- Repeat steps 3 and 4 on the other side
- Sun Salutations, 3 or 4 times
- Utkatasana (Chair Pose)
- Garundasana (Eagle Pose)
- Virabhadrasana III (Warrior III)
- Virabhadrasana I (Warrior I)
- Virabhadrasana II (Warrior II)
- Parivrtta Virabhadrasana (Revolved Warrior)
- Trikonasana (Triangle Pose)
- Parivrtta Trikonasana (Revolved Triangle Pose)
- Parsvottanasana (Intense Side Stretch Pose)
- Urdhva Prasarita Eka Padasana (Standing Split Pose)
- Matsyendrasana (Seated Twist Pose)
- Jump to Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog Pose)
- Repeat steps 7 through 18 on other side
- Prasarita Padottanasana (Standing Forward Fold)
- Come into different variations of Prasarita Padottanasana: Hands interlocked behind back, hands around shins or toe-locked, hands in between feet
- Baddha Trikonasana (Bound Triangle Pose)
- Svarga Djivasana (Bird of Paradise Pose)
- Come out through Baddha Trikonasana and Trikonasana
- Virabhadrasana II
- Repeat steps 22 through 25 other side
- Vinyasa to floor
- Setu Bandhasana (Bridge Pose)
- Either repeat bridge pose twice, or come into Urdhva Dhanurasana (Upward Bow Pose)
- Paschimottanasana (Seated Foward Fold)
- Supta Matsyendrasana (Reclined Twist Pose). Repeat other side
- Savasana
In fact, one might even go so far to say, "It is not opposite day."
Opposite Day, Part Two
Check out the notes from yesterday, re: not overtwisting the back. Otherwise, Parivrtta your yogi-toe socks off.
- Sukhasana (Easy Pose)
- Uttanasana (Forward Fold)
- Parivrtta Uttanasana (Revolved forward fold). Repeat other direction
- Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog)
- Low lunge
- Virabhadrasana I (Warrior I). Hold for 1-2 minutes
- Virabhadrasana II (Warrior II). Hold for 1-2 minutes
- Vinyasa (slow flow) to repeat on other side
- Low lunge
- Revolved low lunge: take hands in prayer position to twist, raising back knee of straightened leg if that's part of your practice
- High lunge or Virabhadrasana I
- Vinyasa to repeat steps 9-11 on the other side
- Prasarita Padottanasana (Standing Forward Fold)
- Repeat 3 Forward Fold versions
- Parivrtta Prasarita Padottanasana (Revolved Standing Forward Fold)
- Move to repeat on other side
- Vinyasa
- Adho Mukha Svanasana
- "Wild Thing," or Flipping the Dog
- Adho Mukha Svanasana
- Supta Kapotasana (Reclined Pigeon)
- Eka Pada Kapotasana (One legged Pigeon)
- Adho Mukha Svanasana
- Repeat steps 18-23 on other side
- Baddha Konasana (Bound Angle Pose)
- Gentle twists in Bound Angle
- Gomukhasana (Face of Light Pose)
- Matsyendrasana (Seated Twists)
- Repeat steps 27 and 28 on other side
- Savasana
It'sssssss opposite day! I don't like you! Hahaha!
Anyway, enough with the manicness. Could you imagine if I drank coffee? Goodness.
The Sanskrit word Parivrtta means to turn around or revolve. The poses in today's sequence will be Parivrtt-ing. The revolving or turned around versions of poses tend not be a counter-pose, just a good twist. If over twisting irritates your back, be mindful. Otherwise, twists and opposites are a great way to reinvigorate the nervous system. Actually, you might even say that they're kind of like cups of coffee.
I guess that explains a lot.
Anyway, enough with the manicness. Could you imagine if I drank coffee? Goodness.
The Sanskrit word Parivrtta means to turn around or revolve. The poses in today's sequence will be Parivrtt-ing. The revolving or turned around versions of poses tend not be a counter-pose, just a good twist. If over twisting irritates your back, be mindful. Otherwise, twists and opposites are a great way to reinvigorate the nervous system. Actually, you might even say that they're kind of like cups of coffee.
It's Opposite Day!!! Yippee!!!
I guess that explains a lot.
- Vajrasana (Diamond Pose)
- Yoga Mudra (Seal of Yoga)
- Paschimottanasana (Seated Forward Fold)
- Parivrtta Paschimottanasana (Revolved Seated Forward Fold)
- Repeat steps 3 and 4 on other side
- Janu Sirasana (Head to Knee Pose)
- Parivrtta Janu Sirasana (Revolved Head to Knee Pose)
- Repeat steps 6 and 7 on other side
- Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog Pose)
- Grounding down with one hand, take other hand to opposite leg or ankle
- Repeat other side
- Utkasana (Chair Pose)
- Garundasana (Eagle Pose)
- Virabhadrasana III (Warrior III Pose)
- Virabhadrasana I (Warrior I Pose)
- Virabhadrasana II (Warrior II Pose)
- Trikonasana (Triangle Pose)
- Virabhadrasana II
- Parivrtta Parsvottanasana (Revolved Extended Side Angle)
- Parsvottanasana (Extended Side Angle)
- Parivrtta Ardha Chandrasana (Revolved Balancing Half Moon)
- Ardha Chandrasana (Balancing Half Moon)
- Virabhadrasana II
- Vinyasa to repeat repeat steps 12-23 on other side
- Vinyasa to Adho Mukha Svanasana
- Slowly lower to stomach
- Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose)
- Rest
- Dhanurasana (Bow Pose)
- Rest
- Salabasana (Locust Pose)
- Rest
- Garbasana (Child's Pose)
- Sirsasana (Headstand Pose)
- Parivrttaikapada (Revolving One Leg Head Stand Pose)
- Garbasana
- Savasana
Today's guest blogger is again my significant other making his second appearance on the blog. His regular blog is about apples, but he has some things to say about yoga too!
Listening
Listing is a very powerful action, which can take many forms. In yoga practice, listening means being responsive to the signals your body is sending you, knowing when to go further into a stretch or when to back off. It can also mean knowing when to attempt a pose you are not very comfortable in or when to just say "no, maybe tomorrow, that is not what my body needs right now." Listening to your body can feel especially difficult when you are in a class surrounded by 10 or 20 others all doing a pose and a teacher telling you to go deeper or just stay for one more breath. Teachers are there as guides and there instructions are really only suggestions. One should never see going into child's pose as a weakness, you are the one who knows your body best.
Listening to your body can also mean getting in touch with that inner intuition in your daily practice, maybe when you are at home and you don't have the reassuring voice of the teacher telling you to drop your shoulders and engage your legs. In this case listing can also take the form of an awareness of your body and it's dynamic aspects. Realizing that a small adjustment in one part of you body may allow another part to go deeper into a pose, or a breath to feel more relaxed and fluid. Truly knowing your body is the most important thing and in my opinion will get you farther in your practice than any amount of crazy twisting, balancing and pretzeling.
I am speaking to myself as much as anyone else. My own ego often temps me turn a deaf ear to my own intuition and look over at the person next to me in class who seems to be much deeper in the pose than I and thus must be getting a greater benefit from the asana. The truth of it is, spending my energy trying to be somewhere my body is not ready to be, will not only crush my self image, but could more importantly injure my body. Like most things in life, listing to your body entails maintaining a delicate balance. If you always push your limit, one time or another you will hurt yourself, maybe seriously. If you always come out of a pose as soon as your legs start shaking or your arms feel like they want to give out, you will not grow into the pose. The key to listening is finding a balance between those two, and not an arbitrary one, but one that truly reflects what your body is telling you. This can change on a day to day basis. You may have felt an amazing stretch in Bow one day and then when you put your hands under your shoulders the next day there might be something telling you to just stay in bridge. Listen to that voice, our bodies are dynamic and effected by so many aspects of our daily lives, we can never expect our practice to be a continuous progression to something better, but a moment to moment awareness and response to our deepest needs.
What I give to you today is not a specific sequence, but rather an exercise which can be performed at home in a personal practice or in a class. If you are practicing alone, choose a sequence that feels familiar to you and has a good balance of poses you are comfortable with and some that feel more challenging. In all aspects of this practice the goal is to have a keen awareness of what your body needs and how each part relates to all the others. In the poses that feel easy, try to make some small adjustments that might allow you to go deeper, always listening. In the more challenging poses, really pay attention to whether your body is even ready to go into them, don't think with your ego or your head, but with your heart. If your body says no, save it for another day. For challenging poses you do attempt, don't go into them with any expectations, do not tell yourself you are going to hold for a certain number of breaths and then release. If you are counting your breaths, you are not feeling the pose.
If you are in a class make your intention to be open to your body's voice. Focus your eyes on points around the room, but not on other people. If a pose puts you in the position to look at another person, keep your eyes soft and focus inward. When you are in poses, especially ones you may be less comfortable with, concentrate on how the pose feels and not the image of what you think it should look like. If you are in a pose that is opening you like you wouldn't believe, stay in it even if the rest of the class comes out, then come out when YOU are ready. Attempt challenging poses only to the extent that if feels right. Never be afraid to ask an instructor for other variations of a pose, or strike your own. Never stay in a pose longer than feels right to you. A good class allows you to experience a balance of personal awareness and group energy. Remember that yoga is not about trying to prove anything to anyone, most of all yourself.
During long balancing sequences on my right foot, the foot often cramps up. My educated guess is that this happens because I am desperately gripping the floor to not fall over, as opposed to actually achieving a balance and equal-standing in that foot. I also, however, have been hearing about students whose feet cramp up during long seated meditations, especially at the beginning of class. One thought as to why this is occurring for students who are seated in Easy Pose is that, coming in from the cold weather, their circulation is compromised, leading to foot cramps. An email list-serve I'm on has been talking, also, about cramping in the feet during class (at different times) and came up with some basic solutions, and possible reasons. In this post, I'll explore some good foot stretches, as will avoid poses that might cause cramping.
Foot cramping during class
One email on the list-serve had this interesting council: "Pinch between the nose and upper lip to relieve cramps in the foot. Works for most people." Never heard it before myself, but interested to know if it works.
- Sukhasana (Easy Pose)
- In Easy Pose, massage both feet to warm up and decrease chance of foot cramps. Take a good minute per foot, getting in between the toes, working on the arches, etc.
- Prapadasana (Tiptoe Pose)
- Uttanasana (Standing forward fold)
- Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog). Pedal the feet in Downward Dog, continuing to warm up
- Plank
- Move between Downward Dog and Plank until very warm
- Vasistasana (Side Plank)
- Move through Plank to repeat on other side
- Plank
- Lower to stomach
- Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose)
- Release and relax
- Ardha Bhekasana (Half Frog Pose). Repeat other side
- Bhekasana (Frog Pose)
- Setu Bandhasana (Bridge Pose)
- Repeat 2x to come to full expression
- Eka Pada Setu Bandhasana (One Legged Bridge Pose)
- Lower leg, and repeat on other side
- Setu Bandhasana
- Release to ground, taking fingers and interlocking behind neck. Use hand support to direct rolling of neck
- Matsyasana (Fish Pose)
- Savasana
Ever participate in a yoga class, the teacher goes through a sequence, and you think: "How the heck can they remember that for the other side?" I'm going to experiment with putting some 10+ poses in a row that need to be repeated and see if, in my personal practice, it works.
Incredibly long yoga sequences
Every so often, these long sequences are going to pop up as I work with them. Consider it a new science project. If it seems like all too much fancy-show-off-itude, I'll drop it. For now, though, it's still fun.
- Sukhasana (Easy Pose)
- Janu Sirsasana (Head to Knee Pose)
- Upavishta Konasana (Seated Wide Angle Pose)
- Repeat steps 2 and 3 on other side
- Roll forward onto stomach
- Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose)
- Garbasana (Child's Pose)
- Flow between 6 and 7, warming up the arms and back, moving the body in a snake-like fashion
- Adho Mukha Svanasana
- Tadasana (Mountain Pose)
- Virabhadrasana I (Warrior I Pose)
- Bend back knee towards ground, letting it hover right over floor, and return to straighten. Move between the two locations.
- Virabhadrasana III (Warrior III Pose)
- Patanvrkshasana (Toppling Tree Pose)
- Ardha Chandrasna (Balancing Half Moon Pose)
- Urdhva Prasarita Eka Padasana (Standing Splits)
- Move between steps 15 and 16 "opening" and "closing" the hips
- Matsyendrasana (Seated Twist)
- Jump back to Plank
- Vinyasa to repeat steps 9-19 on other side
- Plank
- Come onto stomach
- Navasana (Boat Pose; this version is on stomach, lifting arms and legs simultaneously)
- Release and relax
- Dhanurasana (Bow Pose)
- Release
- Back bend on stomach of choice, or just stay relaxed on stomach
- Roll onto back
- Supta Padangusthasana (Reclined Head to Big Toe Pose)
- Take leg out to the side, while taking head to the opposite direction
- Supta Padangusthasana
- Supta Pavanmuktasana (Reclined Wind Relieving Pose)
- Repeat steps 29-32 on other side
- Savasana
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