Stability

Here's a sequence from class today at Shambhala Center.

Adho mukha virasana

Adho mukha svanasana

Uttanasana

Upavistha konasana- arms up to urdhva hastasana, then keep arms up, parsva upavistha konasana

Baddha konasana

Uthitta trikonasana-2x

Uthitta parsvakonasana-2x

Uttanasana-feet together

Parivrtta trikonasana-2x

Parivrtta parsvakonasana-2x

Adho mukha svanasana

Parivrtta ardha chandrasana- we did the pose only one time during class, but go ahead and do it 2x if you want

Uttanasana-feet together

Sirsasana

Sarvangasana

Savasana

from Patanjali's Yoga Sutras:

II.46 sthira sukham asanam

Asana is perfect firmness of body, steadiness of intelligence and benevolence of spirit

When you are practicing the poses from this sequence, ask yourself "what is the foundation of this pose?" Find out how the foundation of the pose serves the rest of the pose, giving you stability, 'sthira'. Before the mind can steady, or any benevolence of spirit can be attained from the asana, stability and firmness must be established in the physical body.

Brahmin Moth

Brahmin Moth, originally uploaded by sandman1.

This is the moth that I have recently had tattooed on my throat. It is of the genus Brahmaea and lives in Indonesia

Todays thoughts

Make sure you scroll down because I have figured out how to put some photos up here. I will post a few more each time I write a post. Here is a sequence I taught at Shambhala Center yesterday, Tuesday August 18. Do this sequence with an open mind and look for connections and similarities in the poses. Ask yourself what happens if you carry the same action over from one pose to the next. Look for connections in smaller, hidden places that you do not normally look. Perhaps you always do a certain pose with the attention on a particular area or action; try focusing on a different action or spot and see how that impacts the poses that follow.

Adho Mukha Virasana

Adho Mukha Svanasana

Uttanasana

Supta Padangusthasana 1-each leg

Supta Padangusthasana 2-each leg

Parivrtta Supta padangusthasana-each leg

Adho mukha svanasana-walk hands back until heels are down, push shin bones back to challenge heels as you walk your hands forward

Uttanasana-feet together

Prasarita Padottanasana

Sirsasana

Parsva Sirsasana

Eka pada sirsasana

Tadasana

Parsvottanasana-full pose

Parivrtta trikonasana

Virabhadrasana 1

Brick Setu bandha

Chatushpadasana

Salamba sarvangasana-dropping over to Setu bandha

Savasana

Inspired 1

So, some folks have been asking me if I am teaching stuff I learned in India. What I teach always is a result of everything that happens to me. Classes I take have an impact on my personal practice, while I am practicing I think of different ways to teach certain poses, and even as I am teaching, I go by what I see and evolve from there. So, I have not gone into class and been a copy of any class or particular teaching from Pune, but it was an experience that is now a part of me, just like a movie I watched a few days ago and the smoothie I drank an hour ago, it is in me now, so it is bound to have an impact on how I teach. So there is the answer to that.

Here is a sequence of forward bends from class last week. During classes in Pune, no matter what the pose, Geeta was constantly telling us to be aware of our shoulder blades and I found myself creating more space by lifting my chest in poses where I had previously thought there was no more space to be found. There is truly no end to sadhana (practice) if we practice svadhyaya honestly and earnestly, we are always questioning ourselves and discovering new horizons, more space. So this is a sequence of forward bends is inspired by my discovery, thanks to Geeta, of inner vastness.

Lay over bricks, under head and under shoulder blades, any height

Supta Tadasana

Supta Padangusthasana I- 2x, the 2nd time bend bottom leg, pull lifted leg in, then extend bottom leg

Paschimottanasana- begin with concave back, lift chest, lift chin, lead with chin

Supta padangusthasana II-2x, same w/ bottom leg 2nd time

Janu Sirsasana- concave back to start, chin up, move sternum towards the feet

Paschimottanasana

Upavistha Konasana

Parsva Upavistha Konasana

Purvottanasana

Chatushpadasana

Adho Mukha Svanasana

Uttanasana

Sirsasana

Salamba Sarvangasana

Setu bandha- on brick

Savasana

I'm home

Well, I'm home and I think I know what time zone I am living and functioning in now. My small house in Dekalb county Georgia feels like a palace and I am living large and loving life completely. But I have to say that I definitely miss having classes with Geeta Iyengar. As a teacher, Geeta is a force of nature, both in control but always with the lurking chaotic threat of a deadly cyclone. She evokes a response of action, no matter what kind of teaching manner you think you may or may not respond to. Never before have I heard such crisp, clear and direct words, her instructions are truly like laser beams with infallible, accurate aim.

Now, as I fumble through my classes, there is almost a feeling of inadequateness, as if I cannot put 2 words together or possibly make a sensible point; I'll get over it.