Yoga with your bike

Chris and I took a bike ride into town today.

The river had recently jumped its banks and, crossing over a bridge, we took a second to sit and look at the water. After a bit, Chris says, "Wait... are those apples?" (You may remember, he is an apple man, through and through). No, they weren't apples, but upon further inspection, we realized that large quantities of onions were making their way down the river. White onions, purple onions, skinned and whole. More onions then we could count, rolling down the river. I wish I had my camera then, but I didn't. Our hypothesis is that the river flooded the farm fields and was now receding, bring last year's left-over crop with it. Truly, it was odd enough to be difficult to describe in the right way.

When we got back, I was feeling a bit silly and sore, so I did a sequence with my beloved Surly Long Haul Trucker (um, my bike). For those enjoying the turning of the seasons by getting out there on their bicis, here is a new way to connect to your favorite mode of transport.

Yoga with your bike

Back Stretch

Leg stretch

Forward Fold

Heart Opener


Twists

Hip stretch

Now get out and ride!

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Off the Mat and at the Desk: an eCollegeFinder post

Last week, I was asked to contribute a short sequence for eCollegeFinder.org, to help students who sit at their desks all day. Today, my sequence, along with about ten other yogis (including Sir Paul McCartney!) is posted on the site. Okay... isn't it a little odd to get two Beatles-related posts one after the other? I didn't know the article was going to come out today; it's just, as my pops says, a co-ink-ee-dink.

Off the Mat and at the Desk

Here's my sequence for poor, hunched over e-learners. To check out all of the other thoughts bloggers and ex-Beatles came up with, check out this article.

"The real issue for people who sit at the computer for hours every day, and believe me I count myself in there, is that it's basically one long forward bend. Actually, most everything we do during the course of a normal day is a forward bend. Tying our shoes, washing the dishes, folding the laundry... all these things require a forward bend at the stomach or hips (usually the stomach). The best thing you can do to help your body, and restart your brain, is to do a small, gentle back-bend."

1. Scoot all the way forward in your seat (a hard seat is better).
   
2. Take both hands, fingers facing forward behind your sitting bones.
   
3. Pushing your stomach as far forward as you can, inhale and try and drop your head back to rest on the top of the chair. You might not to able to reach, but the idea is to open your chest as much as possible.
   
4. Hold for 5-10 breaths. As you come back to a normal seated position, exhale. If this hurts your neck, you can drop your chin towards you chest, and just focus on pushing the chest forward and up.

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April News and Schedule of the Ashtanga Yoga Club Durham

New to Ashtanga Practice and/or need to ask which class is appropriate for you?
Email any questions to vs.tanner@yahoo.com or suzyruth2@yahoo.com

Also for all level practitioners, including beginners, you may be interested in attending the May 14 & 15 Bobbi Misiti workshop. Details coming soon.

All regular classes are by donation!
Most yogis leave us $8 - 15, some more, some less. Come practice often.

Which classes are right for you? Read below:

Guided Primary Series Classes: Instruction on the postures themselves will be limited in guided classes, but questions are welcome before or after. If you are not yet completely familiar with the entire series, you are still welcome to attend and practice as is appropriate, then sit and observe. It is recommended that you have attended regular Ashtanga classes or practiced consistently for at least 6 months to a year.

All levels welcomed at our mysore classes, including complete beginners.

Ongoing Level 1 classes cover the fundamentals of Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga and direct students into the mysore classes - However, complete beginners can also start in mysore classes, in fact we'd prefer that!

AYCD Schedule for April

• Sunday Mysore 8:30-11 AM
• Mondays & Thursdays Mysore 5-8 PM
• Wednesdays Level 1 5:45-7:15 PM
• Saturdays Guided Primary 9-10:45 AM (ms. gaddis)

Please note: Self practice Monday April 5th & Sunday self practice April 18th. Readmore »»

Hey Jude

Best moment: 1 minute, 23-24 seconds.

This just made me so incredibly happy and, well, this is the Joy of Yoga, so I figured, why not bring on the joy?

Hey Jude

And any time you feel the pain, Hey Jude, refrain
Don't carry the world upon your shoulders
For well you know that it's a fool who plays it cool
By making his world a little colder

-The Beatles

1. Sukhasana (Easy Pose)
   
2. Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog Pose). Hold for 5 breaths; bend knees, other movements, etc.
   
3. Chaturanga Dandasana (Plank Pose)
   
4. Knee into Chest Plank. Hold for 5 Breaths.
5. Urdhva Mukha Svanasana (Upward Facing Dog Pose)
   
6. Adho Mukha Svanasana
   
7. Repeat steps 2-5
8. Utkattasana (Chair Pose)
9. Parivrtta Utkattasana (Twist in Chair Pose)
10. Step opposite to twisting side leg back
11. High lunge twist
12. Ardha Chandrasana (Balancing Half Moon Pose)
13. Trikonasana (Triangle Pose)
14. Parsvottanasana (Intense Side Stretch Pose)
    
15. Parivrtta Ardha Chandrasana (Twist in Balancing Half Moon Pose)
16. Parivrtta Trikonasana (Revolved Triangle Pose)
    
17. Parsvottanasana
18. High Lunge
19. Chaturanga Dandasana
    
20. Urdhva Mukha Svanasana
21. Adho Mukha Svanasana
22. Repeat steps 8-21
23. Come down onto stomach
24. Sphinx Pose. Engage the forearms by isometrically pulling backwards on them to work the core muscle
25. Ardha Navasana (Boat Pose). Repeat on other side, without releasing. Flow between sides.
26. Release and relax
27. Come onto back
28. Supta Dandasana (Reclined Staff Pose), on back, legs directly towards sky. Hold for 1-2 minutes, engaging core
29. Bring one leg towards chest for hamstring stretch. Repeat other side
30. Supta Matsyendrasana (Reclined Twist). Repeat other side
31. Savasana

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Save the Rosendale Theatre!

Today, I volunteered at a benefit for the Rosendale Theatre Collective. This group was formed last year to help preserve a community institution: the Rosendale Theatre. Founded in 1949, this theatre has a lot of history, but is in danger of being sold, and ceasing its existence. Rosendale is a small town, Wikipedia has it in the 6,000s, and it seems like the whole of it has banded together to try and save the theatre. So, for art and community lovers everywhere, this may not be your theatre, but check out the site, and see if it calls on you to donate.

In the meantime, here's a heart opening sequence. Maybe it will inspire you!

Save the Rosendale Theatre!

What community organizations do you like to get involved in? Where do you donate your time? Practicing yoga of action can be more powerful than yoga of asana... what cause calls you to action?

1. Sukhasana (Easy Pose)
   
2. Metta meditation. Meditate thoughts of loving kindess towards self and others. Dedicate your practice to someone else
   
3. Taking hands to knee, open chest in slight backbend. Exhale, cave chest backwards. Move with the breath
   
4. One hand above head, other to floor. Stretch arm above head and over for side stretch. Repeat other side
   
5. Move between alternating side stretches
   
6. Cat/cow in table pose
   
7. Knee-down Tadasana (Mountain Pose)
   
8. Parighasana (Gate Pose)
9. Repeat steps 7 and 8 with other leg
   
10. One armed Ustrasana (Camel Pose)
11. Repeat other side
12. Flow between alternating sides of One-Armed Camel
    
13. Ustrasana. Imagine the chest lifting with each breath, the heart pressing towards the ceiling
    
14. Sarvangasana (Rabbit Pose)
    
15. Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog)
16. Tadasana
    
17. Warrior lunges: from Tadasana step forward into Virabhadrasana I, hold for a complete breath, and step back to Tadasana. On next step, come forward with opposite leg
    
18. Repeat 10-16x
    
19. Pause in Virabhadrasana I
    
20. Interlock hands behind back for gentle chest opener
    
21. Repeat steps 16-20 with other leg
    
22. Sun Saluations 4-6x. Feel as though the heart is literally leading you through each posture into the next. The upper chest is the first point of movement.
    
23. Vinyasa to floor
    
24. Paripurna Navasana (Upward Boat Pose)
    
25. Ardha Navasana (Half Boat Pose)
    
26. Upavishta Konasana (Seated Wide Angle Pose)
    
27. Matsyendrasana (Seated Twist Pose), repeat other side
    
28. Setu Bandhasana (Bridge Pose)
    
29. Either repeat Setu Bandhasana or move into Urdhva Dhanurasana (Upward Bow Pose)
30. Repeat 2x
    
31. Savasana (Corpse Pose)

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Yoga for Flight

There is a difference between yoga for flight and yoga for flying. The latter refers to good yoga postures for when you're stuck on a long flight; the former refers to the kind of postures that make you feel light on your feet, like you yourself can soar.

Chris and I saw the first robin of the year today. He got terrifically excited and said it was the true sign that spring had arrived. Disagreeing, I said that seeing the first colorful heads of crocus popping up through the ground was my indicator. "Pssh," he said, "plants are stupid. They'll come up on the first warm day. Birds only show up when they know the good weather is going to stay around." I don't know if I'm going to cede my stance yet, but, in the honor of the first robin of the year, may this spring bring you lightness and light!

Yoga for Flight

One of the best ways to feel a sense of lightness in your practice is to smile. If you get too serious, it can make you heavy. Remember: there's a difference between being grounded and being heavy. You can be both grounded and light.

1. Sukhasana (Easy Pose)
2. Imagine the arms as wings, breathing the arms up, exhaling the arms down. Repeat 12x
3. Baddha Konasana (Cobbler's Pose). Butterfly knees. Pretend you're 8 years old if you have to. 
4. Tarasana (Star Pose)
5. Twists in Star Pose, taking opposite arms to knee or thigh, other hand behind hips. Repeat other side.
6. Taking hands behind torso, gentle chest opener
7. Taking hands to thighs, shins or feet, forward fold
8. Move with breath between steps 6 and 7
9. Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog)
10. Tadasana (Mountain Pose)
11. Garundasana (Eagle Pose)
12. Virabhadrasana III (Warrior III Pose)
13. Virabhadrasana I (Warrior I). Pulse back knee towards ground and straighten, warming up legs. 
14. Virabhadrasana II (Warrior II)
15. Parsva Konasana (Side Angle Pose)
16. Bind the arms around the front leg, bring the weight onto the back leg
17. Lift front leg into Svarga Djivasana (Bird of Paradise Pose). Feel light in this pose, able to fly
18. Trikonasana (Triangle Pose)
19. Uttihita Tadasana (Five Pointed Star Pose)
20. Repeat steps 10-19 on other side
21. Tadasana
22. Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog Pose). Jog knees in place to warm up legs and hips. Hold for approximately 6 breaths
23. Kapotasana (Pigeon Pose). Taking the hands to either side of the knee, move the torso like a wave over the knee to work the hips open
24. Supta Kapotanasana (Reclined Pigeon Pose)
25. Repeat steps 22-24
26. Adho Mukha Svanasana
27. Bakasana (Crow Pose)
28. Parsva Bakasana (Side Crow Pose). You don't necessarily need to lift off, but try. Repeat on other side.
29. Supta Matsyendrasana (Reclined Twist). Repeat other side. 
30. Lying onto back, any last leg stretches
31. Savasana

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Hula Hoop Yoga

Here's a new game.

Type in any hobby, more or less *any* hobby, and the word yoga into Google search. See what comes up? Surprised to discover that someone has "invented" new kind of yoga to go with their very favorite other hobby?

Take, for example, this article in the Metro Santa Cruz Weekly, entitled "Hula Hoop Yoga and You." The hula hooping yogini is an "official" hula hoop yoga instructor. The author writes,

"I immediately learned that this eccentric activity mostly focuses on using the hoop for balance and to intensify stretching by holding it at certain angles around the body. The session began with a few basic stretches with the hoop as support. "Now take a deep breath from your nose and exhale with a loud sigh," Christopher whispered soothingly. "Ahhhhhhhhhhh," we all sighed." 

 There's a few studio websites offering hula hoop yoga (mostly in California where, it seems, they drink an entirely different type of Kool-Aid). Now, a good question might be, why are you the shmo looking into Google for hula hoops and yoga? The answer is that visiting Kripalu recently, I saw yogis on the lawns hooping it up, and had a suspicion that a new craze might be somewhere around a very long corner. 

Now, readers might know that I am a bit supporter of seeing yoga in everything. Even hula hooping. I just get a little twitchy when people start to brand it. 

Hula Hoop Yoga

So go to your closets. Get out your old, dusty hoops. See how you can do traditional (and untraditional) poses with your hoop. Just don't go calling yourself "official."

Dance Hoop Workout DVD Trailer

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Yoga for Sacroiliac (SI) Joint Pain

About a month ago, I linked to an article about SI joint pain. In that post, I wrote that I had been meaning to write a sequence about this for awhile, and would get on it.

Fast forward one month. Karen of of No Food Left Behind requests a sequence on this, catches my lapse. Sorry, Karen. Sorry, folks.

Here, then, is a belated but important sequence. SI pain is common among women. This can be related to menstruation, pregnancy, and just having more estrogen in the system. It may also be because, frankly, yoga postures were initially developed by skinny-hipped men. Either way, if you have serious and consistent SI joint issues, see a doctor. To, perhaps, help prevent future pain, this is a good sequence. Also, for those who love to read online articles, this is a great article by Judith Lasater about this issue.

Yoga for SI Joint Pain

One change, which is noted in the article I previously linked to, to help women in their yoga practice is the distance in width between the feet. You may find that it helps to keep the feet hip width distance apart (approximately two fists). Widening the stance stabilizes the pelvis and is better for ladies (generally) wider hips. 

1. Tadasana (Mountain Pose). Feet hip distance apart. Hold for 1-2 minutes. Take the hands to the hips, and play around with the tilt of the pelvic bowl. Imagine drawing an arc over the floor with the tailbone. Continue this motion until you ultimately come to rest in proper alignment. 
2. Uttanasana (Standing Forward Fold). Be careful to bend at the hips and not at the stomach
3. Trikonasana (Triangle Pose)
4. Utthita Parsvokonasana (Extended Side Angle Pose)
5. Virabhadrasana II (Warrior II)
6. Utthita Tadasana (Five Pointed Star Pose)
7. Repeat steps 3-6 on other side
8. Supta Kapotasana (Reclined Pigeon). Use bolsters, if needed, to keep hips aligned
9. Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog Pose)
10. Repeat steps 8 and 9 on other side
11. Come forward and onto stomach
12. Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose)
13. Release and relax
14. Salabhasana (Locust Pose)
15. Release and relax
16. Dhanurasana (Bow Pose)
17. Release and relax
18. Come up to Vajrasana (Diamond Pose)
19. Gomukhasana (Face of Light Pose). Repeat other side
20. Ardha Matsyendrasana (Half Seated Twist Pose). Allow pelvis to twist in pose; repeat other side
21. Janu Sirsasana (Seated Head to Knee Pose). For this pose, bring the inside of the foot to the opposite knee instead of the upper inner thigh. Repeat other side
22. Savasana

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Welcome Spring! with Melina Meza

Our guest blogger today is Melina Meza, a whirlwind of sequencing know-how. Check this bio:

Melina Meza, BS Nutrition, 500-RYT, has been exploring the art and science of yoga and nutrition for over 16 years. She combines her knowledge of Hatha Yoga, Ayurveda, whole foods nutrition and healthy living into a unique style called Seasonal Vinyasa Yoga. Melina’s Seasonal Vinyasa Yoga classes, workshops and DVDs emphasize the healing teachings of the ancient yogis and inspires students to adapt their asana practice, diet and lifestyle routines to better harmonize with the seasonal changes occurring in nature. Melina is the lead teacher at Seattle’s 8 Limbs Yoga Centers and is also the author of Art of Sequencing an innovative book that includes 34 unique yoga sequences and over 1,500 photos offering creative inspiration for experienced yoga teachers as well as fresh instructional ideas to jump start a home practice. More information about Melina and her offerings can be found athttp://www.melinameza.com/

What a background, right? It is appropriate, then, that Melina helps welcome us into spring with a sequence specifically designed for the turning of seasons. For more information on her and her book (which, hello, sounds right up my alley) check out her website. If you're lucky enough to be in rainy, but wonderful Seattle, you can check out her classes, too. In the meantime, enjoy yoga and enjoy spring!

Welcome Spring!

Tips and ideas how to adapt your yoga asana practice and diet to accommodate the beauty unfolding in spring.

--By Melina Meza, RYT-500, BS Nutrition

Although some parts of the country are still blanketed in snow, spring has officially arrived! It’s time to consider shifting your diet and yoga practice to compliment the season.

 

Lighten your load

It makes sense that many of us are drawn to the idea of cleansing and purging this time of year—it’s time to lighten our load. Spring is really a time to THRIVE and it’s difficult to thrive if you feel weighted down by your inner or outer world. In order to feel your best, perhaps a little cleanse is in order to get rid of any extra winter weight, household clutter, or material possessions that keep you in the past or limit your freedom in the moment.

Here are a few diet adaptations that will help prepare your body and mind for spring:

• Decrease heavy, oily, cold, fatty foods.
• Increase spicy, bitter, and astringent foods (arugula, mustard greens, kale, strawberries, blueberries, and sprouts).
• Increase your vitamin, nutrient and chlorophyll intake with early dark green vegetables and sprouts.
• In general, eat light and eat local.

Spring cleaning through asana

Over the winter months, we recommend practicing yoga sequences that emphasize Sun Salutations to promote circulation, extra twists to strengthen metabolic fire, and dynamic forward and backbends to tonify the kidneys and urinary bladder, which regulate water in the body as well as our emotions.

Now that winter has passed, it's time to start sending some TLC to the liver and gallbladder, which may have been working overtime during the winter with diets heavy in fat, protein, caffeine, alcohol or sugar. Springtime invites cleansing the liver and gallbladder, which do many helpful things for our health including: filtering toxins from the external environment and food, aiding in the metabolism of carbohydrates, fat, and protein, helping to break down fats in the body, and processing our anger. These organs tend to get overloaded in the winter with extra socializing, large meals, decreased exercise, and not enough rest.

In regards to asana, the inner legs and outer leg lines correlate to the meridian lines that feed into the liver (inner legs) and gallbladder (outer legs). Spring is a great time to deepen your relationship to poses such as Eka Pada Rajakapotasana (pigeon), Garudasana (eagle), Prasaritta Padottanasana (wide leg forward bends and Gomukasana (cow face), as these poses help you connect to and activate the liver and gallbladder meridians.

Following are two asana sequences specifically geared for spring.

Yin/restorative class sequence for spring:

Lying on your back:

Supta Baddha Konasana, Happy Baby Pose, Wide Leg Splits (while supported by the floor)

Easy Twist with bent legs, “Thread the Needle”

On the knees or seated:

Wide Leg Child’s Pose, Sphinx, Pigeon, Ardha Matysendrasana, Gomukasana, Upavista Konasana, Padmasana

Seasonal Vinyasa Yoga Spring class sequence:

Supta Baddha Konasana, Happy Baby Pose, Wide Leg Split, Supta Padangusthasana (standard and twist), Abdominal work with Twists, Abdominal work with legs in Garudasana, Lion’s Breath, Fire Hydrant, Spinal Rolls, Uddiyana Bandha, Agni Sara

Sun Salutes with Salabhasana, Squats, Surya Namaskar B, Garudasana, Prasaritta Padottanasana Series, Sirsasana, Bakasana, Eka Pada Rajakapotasana (pigeon), Gomukasana, Double Pigeon, Pursvottanasana, Mayurasana (peacock), Bharadvajasana, Maha Mudra, Janu Sirsasana, Setu Bandha, Halasana with Padmasana…finishing poses.

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Yoga for Patience

I find that the more expectations I have around a certain thing or, in this case, a certain day, the more likely it is that the universe will contrive some way to kill those expectations. With a lightning bolt.

Last night, Chris set off to get secret birthday dinner supplies and make one of his lovely (although sometimes extravagant) meals. I told him to surprise me, but had all sorts of glamorous ideas about what I might be putting in my mouth.

Instead, Chris arrives back about 30 minutes later, announcing that, by accident, he may have driven over some train tracks instead of the road in some car-breakingly awkward way. And now the car is making a terrible noise. And it's getting worse. As it was pouring rain and dark as anything, we couldn't check out the cause of the noise, but by Chris' estimation, it was probably a broken axle. Needlessly to say, neither of us were in extravagant dinner mode.

Birthday dinner was a bowl of cereal, followed by a bowl of popcorn.

Seriously.

Of course, in the morning (after a night of being sad and stressed about expensive car parts) we wake up to find the back tire is flat. I feel like if I had saved my stress for what actually was a problem as opposed to what we thought might be a problem that might be a better idea. Or maybe not stressing at all about things as stupid as a broken car.

Yoga for Patience

Either way, it's probably a better idea to allow for all possibilities at any time, make no assumptions about how days will turn out, and set aside vast quantities of patience for when everything, in fact, never goes according to plan. Whose plan is it, anyway? This practice is slow, with long holds. Don't think about what is coming next. Be patient and exist in the beautiful, unpredictable moment. 

1. Sukhasana (Easy Pose)
2. Nadi Shodna (Alternate Nostril Breathing)
3. Anuloma Viloma (Alternate Nostril with Breath Retention)
4. Seated Sun Breaths (12x)
5. Cat/cow in table
6. Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog). Hold for 5-10 breaths, warming up the body
7. Tadasana (Mountain Pose). Hold for 1-2 minutes, noticing the play of balance in the feet and movement in the body
8. Kripalu Ardha Chandrasana (Kripalu Style Half Moon Pose). Repeat on both side
9. Urdhva Hastasana (Upward Arm Pose)
10. Uttanasana (Standing Forward Fold Pose). Hold for 2-3 minute
11. Roll up very slowly. Note: Do not roll up if you have back problems or osteoporosis, just come up slowly hinging from the waist
12. Adho Mukha Svanasana
13. Supta Kapotanasna (Reclined Pigeon's Pose). Hold for 2-3 minutes (use props if needed or desired)
14. Repeat steps 12 and 13
15. Adho Mukha Svanasana
16. Malasana (Garland Pose)
17. Bharadvajasana (Bharadvaja's Twist). Repeat other side
18. Setu Bandhasana (Bridge Pose). Hold for 1-3 minutes
19. Savasana

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It's my party...

... and I'll send you to a different site if I want to.

I wrote a guest post for one of my favoritest human beings in the blogosphere, Rachel of Suburban Yogini, and she published it today. She very recently revamped her website and changed it's address (to suburbanyogini.com) and, my my my, it is looking shnazzy. It's not a sequence, but today's my birthday, so I'm going to go hit the town instead of transcribing. If you're desperate to know what sequence I did in my living room this morning (Anyone? Bueller?), you can wait until tomorrow.

In the meantime, I wrote about how to balance being a yoga teacher with a yoga student. Here 'tis. Readmore »»

YogaYak YouTube Videos

There are hundreds of videos on YouTube for yoga sequences. One of the more profligate posters is YogaYak. On YouTube and on their website they alone have dozens of complete asana and meditation practices that you can watch for free. If it's hard, monetarily or time wise, to get to yoga classes, this is a great option in lieu of a class. If you have any "channels" that you frequent, let me know and I can share them here.


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Yoga for Springtime

On the year I was born, my birthday was the first day of spring (March 22). This year, however, today is the first day of spring. And what a beautiful, glorious day it is. In honor of the beauty of the day and the season, this sequence should be done entirely outdoors, using the earth and nature as yoga props. If it’s daytime, log off, and get outside.

Yoga for Spring

Find a vista. Sit in a comfortable seated position overlooking the view. As you inhale imagine your body as a plant reaching towards the sky, and you exhale, grow roots deep into the earth below you. Eyes can either be closed or gently open. Repeat for 3-5 minutes, feeling both grounded and light.

1. Tadasana (Mountain Pose)
2. Vrksasana (Tree Pose). Repeat on other side, feeling feet planting firmly into the earth
3. Tadasana, inhale raise arms above head
4. Urdhva Hastasana (Upward Hand Pose)
5. Kaliasana (Goddess Pose)
6. Inhale to return to Urdhva Hastasana, exhale to Goddess. Continue until very warm
7. Kaliasana. Hold for 3-5 breaths
8. Virabhadrasana I (Warrior I)
9. Inhale to come forward into Virabhadrasana III holding a tree for balance
10. Standing splits, using tree to come deeper
11. Virabhadrasana III
12. Tadasana
13. Repeat steps 8-12 on other side
14. Utkatasana (Chair Pose), back against tree
15. Uttanasana (Forward Fold)
16. Ardha Uttanasana (Half Forward Fold), hands on low rock/boulder to stretch out back (like holding onto a table). Hold for 5-10 breaths
17. Still holding rock with one hand, take other arm towards sky for gentle twist. Repeat in other direction.
18. Uttanasana
19. Low lunge
20. Ardha Chandrasana (Half Moon), balancing back leg on rock or pushing back foot into rock wall
21. Virabhadrasana III
22. Tadasana
23. Urdhava Hastasana
24. Repeat steps 18-23
25. Handstand against a tree, hold for 1-3 minutes
26. Padmasana or Ardha Padmasana (Lotus or Half Lotus). Enjoy seated meditation.

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Yoga for Sore Knees

After a long day walking on the pavement, visiting friends and enjoying spring in New York City, the knees can't help but feel a bit sore. I take a weekly walk with my sister Rachel around town, too. This week, we took a break walking around the town to loop around a track field. We both immediately noticed the difference between walking on cement and walking on the track. I couldn't help but think: how in goodness gracious do folks take runs around city streets? How do they all not need knee replacements? If walking makes me feel sore, I think running would lead to me early crutches. 

Yoga for Sore Knees

After a long day that is hard on the knees, it's so important to stretch afterwards. 5-10 minutes of stretching can help mobility later in life and stave off the chance of knee surgery (becoming more and more common with expanding sidewalk jungles). So, drink a lot of water, take some time to elevate the legs, and stretch a bit. Your knees will give you a big, wet kiss. 

1. Begin by lying on back
2. Supta Padangustasana (Reclined Big Toe Pose)
3. Supta Trivikramasana (Reclined Vishnu Pose)
4. Urdhva Mukha Paschimottanasana (Upward Facing Fold Pose)
5. Repeat steps 2-4 on other side
6. Supta Pavanmuktasana (Reclined Wind Relieving Pose). Repeat on other side
7. Vajrasana (Diamond Pose)
8. Gomukhasana (Face of Light Pose). Repeat on other side. 
9. Virasana (Heroes Pose)
10. Supta Virasana (Reclined Heroes Pose)
11. Gentle twist to one direction. Repeat to other. 
12. Take hands behind hips for gentle chest opener
13. Supta Kapotanasana (Reclined Pigeon Pose)
14. Kapotanasana (Pigeon Pose)
15. Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog)
16. Repeat steps 12-15 on other side
17. Tadasana (Mountain Pose)
18. Uttanasana (Forward Fold Pose)
19. Urdhva Hastasana (Upward Hands Pose)
20. Parsvottanasana (Intense Stretch). Repeat other side
21. Urdhva Hastasana
22. Tadasana
23. Natarajasana (Dancer's Pose). Repeat other side
24. Prasarita Padottanasana (Wide Legged Forward Fold). Interlock fingers behind back to get a back and shoulder stretch as well. 
25. Janu Sirsasana (Seated Head to Knee Pose)
26. Upavistha Konasana (Seated Wide Angle Pose)
27. Repeat steps 25 and 26 on other side
28. Supta Matsyendrasana (Reclined Twist). Repeat other side
29. Savasana

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Free Pilates and Yoga at Body in Balance!

Jules and I will be teaching a free class that offers 45 minutes of Pilates and 45 minutes of gentle Hatha Yoga sometime soon at Body in Balance. I'll post dates and send out an email soon -- but feel free to give me a call for more details if you're interested! Readmore »»

Moving through my Vinyasa Blog

Another guest post from a yogini who studies with John Friend, founder of Anusara yoga. Maria Cristina, like last week's guest post, also took a workshop with Friend recently, and wrote down a sequence from there. There aren't many Anusara classes outside of cities (although it is certainly growing in popularity), so for those who have interest but can't get to classes, enjoy this sequence! Readmore »»

Yogini Confluence

Yesterday’s post was about anger. After reading it, I started tooling around the blogosphere and came across another post about anger, recently written on the Everything Yoga Blog. Afterwards, Rachel on Suburban Yogini mentions she also just wrote a post on the subject (you can see her comment below). Maybe there’s something in all this spring weather that is creating this, maybe it’s the way the planets are aligning, or maybe something is happening with the poles. Who knows. I do find, however, that sometimes, for whatever reason, things just seem to be “in the air.”

Ever walk into a yoga class 10 minutes early, start doing a brief personal warm-up, and then find that the instructor follows the exact sequence of what you were just practicing, without having actually closely observed you? Or even just taught a class based off what you were hoping they would lead? Or, maybe, you go to class one evening with one instructor, and the next morning an entirely different instructor leads almost the same class?

When I lived at Kripalu, and often took two classes a day, this phenomenon constantly surprised me. I would go to a class in the morning with a focus on, say, hamstrings. Then, going to a different teacher in the afternoon, they would announce a focus of hamstrings. It got to the point where I became wary of multiple classes a day, because I’d overdo one part of the body.  I’m feeling sort of the same way about all of these yoginis posting about the relationship between anger and yoga. For whatever reason we’re all on the same mental path, but, again, who knows why?

Yogini Confluence

If you check in the thesaurus, a synonym of confluence is union. The root of yoga is yug, or, union. Therefore, another title of this post could be: Those who seek union unite.

1. Sukhasana (Easy Pose)
2. Take the hands together in front of the heart in prayer position. Chant Om three times
3. Seated Sun Breaths (for how to do this breath see this post)
4. Tadasana (Mountain Pose). Inhale arms up above head
5. Step back to Virabhadrasana I (Warrior I) with “Ha!” exhaling, taking hands in fist to the side
6. Move between steps 4 and 5, alternating legs, continuing with “Ha!” on exhale, inhaling back to Mountain pose
7. Tadasana. Feel sense of grounding into the earth, receiving energy from the source
8. Surya Namaskar repeat 12x (alternating sides). Face the sun and use the repetitions to connect to the sun, energy, the universe (whatever helps you feel connection).
9. Tadasana
10. Natarajasana (Dancer’s Pose), opening the heart forward and up
11. Puvana Muktasana (Standing Wind Relieving Pose)
12. Tadasana
13. Repeat steps 10-12 on other side
14. Uttanasana (Forward Fold)
15. Step back to low lunge
16. Anjaneasana (Crescent Pose)
17. Sun Breaths in Crescent lunge
18. Vinyasa to repeat steps 15-17 on other side
19. Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog Pose)
20. Navasana (Boat Pose)
21. Dhanurasana (Bow Pose)
22. Salabasana (Locust Pose)
23. Garbasana (Child’s Pose)
24. Come down onto back
25. Setu Bandhasana (Bridge Pose)
26. Urdhva Dhanurasana (Upward Bow Pose or Wheel Pose). Use this pose as a tremendous heart opener.
27. Repeat Bridge or Upward Bow
28.  Supta Matsyendrasana (Supine Twist). Repeat on other side
29. Savasana

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Yoga for Anger

Today I felt very, very angry. Pissed off, mad, whatever you want to call it, it was there. What do we do, as yogis, with red, fiery anger? My current thought runs along this vein: think of anger like thoughts that pass through the mind during meditation. Don't react, or overact, to it/them. Acknowledge and let them pass.

I think about this topic on and off in my practice and how I feel about it changes. If anyone would like to weigh in, I appreciate knowledge and perspective.

If, for whatever reason, anger finds its way into your day, here is a brief sequence to reduce stress and re-balance.

Yoga for Anger

One of the best ways to reduce anger is by focusing on deep, slow breaths. Without using the breath as a distraction of what is bothering you, use your breath to view the situation in a different light. When you breathe, everything changes.

1. Sukhasana (Easy Pose)
2. Nadi Shodna (Alternate Nostril Breathing). Practice for 5-15 minutes.
3. Begin head and neck rolls
4. Bring head to one side, walk the hand out in the opposite direction to stretch side of neck
5. Stretch other side of neck
6. Simhasana (Lion's Pose/Breath)
7. Cat/cow in table, moving with the breath
8. Thread the needle in table, taking one arm under the other to twist. Repeat other side.
9. Come forward onto stomach
10. Gentle Ardha Navasana (Half Boat Pose). Repeat other side
11. Ardha Salabasana (Half Locust Pose). Repeat other side
12. Salabasana (Locust Pose)
13. Garbasana (Child's Pose). Hold for 1-3 minutes
14. Viparita Karani (Legs up the Wall Pose). Hold for 5-15 minutes
15. Savasana

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Standing against the wind

Visited family in the glorious state of New Jersey yesterday and today (including 95 year old Grandpa Manny). The day before there had been hurricane-level winds and intense rains; driving through, the damage was everywhere. A billboard, huge trees (some falling into houses), and power lines were down. Apparently, half a million folks are without power.

This sequence is for you, Jersey. It's still raining, still flooding, and, frankly, still Jersey. So, take the cats onto the second floor and hold tight. In the meantime, here's some yoga to be performed by candlelight.

Standing against the wind

Begin the class in Tadasana (Mountain Pose). Imagine the four corners of the feet grounding down into the mat or floor. Closing your eyes, try to find perfect balance in the feet without the sensation of swaying. As you exhale your feet to ground deeper past the floor, growing roots, inhale to extend the spine and gain length. Come back to this Tadasana throughout the sequence, noticing if the swaying sensation comes and goes or improves throughout the practice.

1. Vrksasana (Tree Pose). Remember that if trees didn't sway in the wind, they would all break (and not just in New Jersey). Allow this pose to be fluid.
2. Tadasana
3. Vrksasana on other leg
4. Uttanasana (Forward Fold Pose)
5. Urdhva Hastasana (Upward Hand Pose)
6. Kripalu Ardha Chandrasana (Kripalu-style Half Moon), arms above head to bend to the side for a deep side stretch
7. Inhale through center to repeat on other side
8. Tadasana
9. Step forward to Virabhadrasana I (Warrior I)
10. Inhale to raise the arms and straighten the back leg, exhale to lower arms and gentle bend back leg. Repeat 10-12x
11. Hold Virabhadrasana I 
12. Virabhadrasana II
13. Trikonasana (Triangle Pose)
14. Utthita Tadasana (Five Pointed Star Pose)
15. Prasarita Padottanasana (Standing Forward Fold)
16. Repeat steps 9-15 on other side
17. Utthita Tadasana
18. Tadasana. Again notice balance in feet. 
19. Sukhasana (Easy Pose)
20. Fold forward in easy pose, extending arms
21. Change cross of legs and extend out again
22. Setu Bandhasana (Bridge Pose)
23. Hold Bridge for 2-3 minutes. Notice what part of the body seems to be working hardest in this pose and how that might shift as you hold the pose
24. Supta Matsyendrasana (Reclined Twist). Repeat other side
25. Savasana

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Yoga for... Pole dancers?

This one is for you, Maendy!

I'd read on Maendy's blog about taking pole dancing classses for physical fitness. She has a video in that post; it is really and truly unbelievable what the woman in the video (I believe she is called "Felix") can do. Her thighs could probably crush a canteloupe (how's that for imagery?). Then Maendy wrote a comment on the post below, which got me thinking about how, really, you can see yoga in everything, and yoga asana in a lot more things than I might previously have gone for.

Think, for example, about the breath work, balance, and focus necessary to accomplish what Felix can do with just her body, some high heels, and a pole. Darn right, she's a yogini. This is a different video than Maendy posted on her blog, but it's where I got my sequence for today (skip the first minute, there's nothing there except a taping of the stage).

Yoga for... Pole dancers?

Do this sequence on the ground, and then consider, for a moment, doing it in midair, with only a pole to hold onto. The poses below are not in the exact order I caught them on the clip, but I saw them all there. Watch the clip, and feel grateful and humble.

1. Sukhasana (Easy Pose)
2. Janu Sirsasana (Head to Knee Pose)
3. Parivrtta Janu Sirsasana (Revolved Head to Knee Pose)
4. Dandasana (Staff Pose)
5. Repeat steps 2 and 3 on other side
6. Upavistha Konasana (Seated Wide Angle Pose)
7. Supta Kapotanasana (Reclined Pigeon Pose)
8. Kapotanasana (Pigeon Pose)
9. Hanumanasana (Splits)
10. Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog Pose)
11. Repeat steps 7-10 on other side
12. Jump through to seated
13. Ustrasana (Camel Pose)
14. Virasana (Heroes Pose)
15. Garbasana (Child's Pose)
16. Adho Mukha Svanasana
17. Tadasana (Mountain Pose)
18. Natarajasana (Dancer's Pose)
19. Allow torso to fall forward into Standing Splits
20. Step back to lunge
21. Vinyasa to Adho Mukha Svanasana
22. Repeat steps 17-21
23. Jump up to Handstand (using wall-- or pole-- if necessary)
24. Upavistha Paschimottanasana (Upward Forward Fold)
25. Roll back to Halasana (Plow Pose)
26. Savasana

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Yoga that Looks like Break-dancing

Okay, first let's lay down the law: yoga is not about looking cool. Now, that being said, there are some poses that look pretty cool. My friend Lucinda, in her bluntest fashion, once asked me what the coolest looking pose I could do was. After demonstrating, she exclaimed "You look like a break-dancer!"

Now, my friend Lucinda is a wonderful, brilliant lady. I, however, do not looking anything like a break-dancer. This guy looks like a break-dancer.

 Yoga that Looks like Break-dancing

Going through his magnificent moves, I saw some things that definitely looked like yoga poses. It's funny how yoga can sneak into everything, yes? This sequence comprises the poses I saw my Gumby-like friend wiggle into, with some transitions in between.  Any poses you find yourself in, and then think, man, I must look like a break-dancer?

1. Tadasana (Mountain Pose)
2. Plank pose
3. One legged plank
4. Lower in one legged Chaturanga Dandasana (Four Limbed Staff Pose)
5. One legged Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog Pose)
6. Adho Mukha Svanasana
7. Repeat steps 1-6 on other side
8. Jump through feet to outside of hands
9. Bhujapidasana prep (Elbow Pressure Pose)
10. Bhujapidasana
11. Setu Bandhasana (Bridge Pose). Lift and lower hips until coming up to full expression of Bridge
12. Supta Virasana (Reclined Heroes Pose)
13. Virasana (Heroes Pose)
14. Sarasangasana (Rabbit's Pose)
15. Matsyendrasana (Seated Twist). Repeat other side
16. Savasana

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Anusara practice with Christina Sell

During my recent tour-de-blog, I came across a few sequences on Christina Sell's blog. Christina is an Anusara teacher and has studied extensively with John Friend. After a recent intensive with Friend, she posted these sequences on her blog. For translations into English for the poses, I recommended checking out the Dharma Mittra resource on the sidebar. He's got them all.

These are fiery, advanced sequences. If you are long time Anusara lover, Christina provides inspriration and guidance. She is a senior teacher who knows her stuff. Readmore »»

Long sequence.3: Moving from the Core

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.

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.

1. Begin practice by lying facing down on the ground
2. Inhale pushing yourself up to Plank
3. In Plank, imagine your heels pushing back towards the ground
4. Inhale, in Plank, coming onto tiptoes, shoulders forward of hands
5. Move heels hack and forth, engaging core to keep torso in one plane
6. Exhale to Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog Pose)
7. Pedal heels, warm up legs and hips
8. Tadasana (Mountain Pose)
9. Uttanasana (Standing Forward Fold)
10. Step back to low lunge
11. High lunge
12. 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
13. Ardha Chandrasana (Balancing Half Moon)
14. Virabhadrasana III (Warrior III)
15. Parivrtta Ardha Chandrasana (Revolved Balancing Half Moon)
16. Move between Half Moon and Revolved Half Moon, using the core to pivot
17. Step back to Low Lunge
18. High lunge
19. Interlock fingers behind torso for chest opener
20. Parsvottanasana (Intense Stretch)
21. Trikonasana (Triangle Pose)
22. Parsvottanasana
23. Parivrtta Trikonasana (Revolved Triangle Pose)
24. Move between Triangle and Revolved Triangle, using the core to pivot
25. Virabhadrasana II (Warrior II)
26. Vinyasa to Tadasana
27. Repeat steps 9-26
28. Come down to seated
29. Janu Sirsasana (Seated Head to Knee Pose)
30. Upavishta Konasana (Seated Wide Angle Pose)
31. Repeat steps 29 and 30 on other side
32. Paschimottanasana (Seated Forward Fold)
33. Halasana (Plow Pose)
34. Setu Bandhasana (Bridge Pose)
35. Supta Matsyendrasana (Reclined Twist). Repeat other side
36. Savasana

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Yoga video

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.

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