Wednesday night and Thursday morning

Last nights class was very fun. It was great to see some familiar faces and also to welcome some new folks. What I have always loved about the basics is that there is such an authentic desire to really learn whenever folks come to a beginning level class. Everyone already has beginners mind so you never have to remind anyone of it. We continued with the themes of Open to Grace and Ahimsa, really focusing on how both bring us back in to the flow of the Absolute.

The sequence:

Tadasana and Urdhva Hastasana (letting the breath lead the way)

Uttanasana

Lunges

Prasarita Paddottanasana (wide-legged forward fold) 2x

Virabhadrasana 2 (warrior 2) 2x

Baddha Konasana (bound angle pose) 2x

Uppavista Konasana (wide angle pose)

Parsva Uppavista Konasana

Marichyasana 1 2x

Bharadvajasana 1

Savasana

Before this mornings level 1 class, I looked through the introduction of Light on Yoga to see what B.K.S. Iyengar has to say about Ahimsa. What really stood out to me was how he related non-violence to freedom from anger and freedom from fear. So these self imposed limitations or afflictions are really the catalyst for violence, to ourselves and others. I love this, because, as I talked about all week, the tendencies for harm really does begin in our own head. In the dialogue inside that often tells us that we are either not worthy and are bound to fail (fear based), or that it must be the fault of someone else who is holding us back or oppressing us in some way (anger based). Sound a little like Vata and Pitta imbalance?

Todays class:

Sun Salutes with some lunges, bhujangasana, and one really great twisting dog variation.

Prasarita paddottanasana

Virabhadrasana 2

Parsvakonasana

Vrksasana (tree pose)

vinyasa

Vrksasana (with arms in Garudasana)

vinyasa

Parvottanasana

Uttkatasana

vinyasa

Adho Mukha Svanasana (downward facing dog)

Sukhasana (easy pose) 2x

Uppavista Konasana

Parsva Uppavista

Janu Sirsasana 2x

Marichyasana 1

Bharadvajasana 1

Balasana (childs pose)

Savasana

Enjoy!

one last thing…. The registration forms are out for Christina Sell’s workshop the 20-22 of June. You can sign up for all or part, and there is a reduced rate if you sign up before the end of May (the exact date is on the flyer). As this is the first workshop that Align with Nature is hosting, it would just be so spectacular to be busting at the seams with folks. We will be in a different space for this event, so for those of you that may have been concerned about space in the studio, no worries.