DSC00715, originally uploaded by deweesescience.

My dogs never miss a chance to practice restorative poses.

Restoratives Maybe in Order

Whenever you are feeling out of sorts, stressed out or even sick, a restorative practice can be of great benefit to you. All too often I hear students tell me how they did no practice during a sickness. It is important to note that Patanjali puts disease (vyadhi) at the top of the list of obstacles in sutra 1.30. Vyadhi will be acompanied by alasya and styana(physical and mental laziness).
When dealing with a nasty cold or bronchial distress, inversions and supported backbends help us expel the unwanted mucus. For stomach and digestive ailments, nothing beats supine poses. Supported forward bends can alleviate a headache.
The most effort you have to expend for a restorative practice is folding blankets for your set up. It's well worth it. Even if you do not have time to devote to an entire restorative practice, 15 minutes in a supine pose or Viparita Karani can leave you feeling refreshed and rejuvenated.
There is no need to return to your practice stiff and rigid after a sickness. While restorative poses are not as physically demanding as other asanas, they are still poses that open and extend our physical bodies. The restorative poses also allow you to relax and cultivate smoother breathing.
This is a general restorative sequence. Leave out the inversions if you are menstruating or don't feel that they will benefit you at the particular time.

Supta Baddha Konasana
Supta Virasana
Adho Mukha Virasana
Adho Mukha Svanasana
Uttanasana
Sirsasana
Salamba Sarvangasana on a chair if you have one
Paschimottanasana-use as much support as needed
Janu Sirsasana-supported
Upavistha Konasana- support front torso and forehead, use as much as needed, even a chair
Setu Bandha Sarvangasana- use blankets or bolsters
Viparita Karani (legs up the wall)
Savasana

Please do not ever hesitate to contact me with questions about your practice, poses or set ups for props. Remember I have added a link to a pose index to help you. It's under Links over there down to the right.

Pose Index

I have added the link to the Pose Index that Yoga Journal has up and running. Just scroll down to the right and you'll find it.

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About the last post... I failed to mention that after my pranayama practice, after  cleaning up the below mentioned, I went outside and stepped in some more. It was a rainy day and none of the animals wanted to go outside, that's how I translated that shitty morning anyway.
On another note, here's a sequence.

Adho Mukha Virasana
Adho Mukha Svanasana
Uttanasana
Jathara Parivartanasana
Supta Padangusthasana I
Parivritta Supta Padangusthasana
Supta Padangusthasana III
Uttanasana- feet together
Parivritta Trikonasana- 2x
Vimanasana
Parivritta Parsvakonasana-2x
Marichyasana III- 2x, wrap arms
Sirsasana- Parsva Sirsasana
Salamba Sarvangasana
Setu Bandha Sarvangasana -on a brick
Savasana

Now I have an offer for all of you. From now until Christmas if you bring to me a hand written sequence of poses that you practiced, I will give you a big chocolate chip cookie. Here are the requirements:

The sequence must be hand written.

The sequence should have a minimum of 10 poses.

The poses should be written in the order performed.

At least 5 of the poses should be written in Sanskrit.

Be prepared to answer one question, asked by me, about your sequence.

This is a chance for you to discipline yourself both in your asana practice and your learning of the pose names. This is also a chance for you to learn how to make a sequence. Think about poses that seem to naturally fit together. Look at some of the sequences on this blog to get ideas. If you do not have a book, please consider getting one. Until then, the Yoga Journal website has an asana index that maybe of help to you. Don't worry about making errors, just have fun with it.

om symbol, originally uploaded by useitinfo.

Shitty Day (literally)

I woke up this morning to the sweet smell of cat shit. Found 3 piles NOT in the liter box. Cleaned 'em up. About 5 minutes later one of my dogs pissed on the floor, cleaned it up. About 5 minutes later I found that one of the cats had pissed all over my desk during the night, cleaned it up.
Finally. All piss and shit cleared out.
I settled in to a pranayama practice.  About 20 minutes in, one of the cats took a good crap about 5 feet away from me. Did not clean it up, kept practicing.
Forgot about the cat crap, inhaled, didn't smell it. No problem. Exhale.
Forgot about the cat crap, inhaled, didn't smell it. No problem. Exhale.
Remembered the cat crap, inhaled, agh, good God, smelled it, what a problem.
Interesting. If I did not focus on it, I could not smell it. Good, no problem, keep practicing.