Friday 6:00a Asana 1: Week 4 (Jan 23, 2009)

NOTE: This is an Asana 1 class and not for beginners. All students have been attending classes at Yoga St. Louis for at least one year.

5 students. Class based from the post-menstrual sequence from Lois Steinberg’s book, Geeta S. Iyengar’s Guide to a Woman’s Yoga Practice (Volume 1). This sequence is not only ideal for the week just after the period ends but also for changes in the weather and, according to Lois re-balancing all the systems of the body, especially the hormonal system.

1.) Adho Mukha Virasana (5 minutes)
Adho = downward, Mukha = face, Vira = hero

— Bolster over brick support under torso, blanket under shins;

— Folded blanket under abdomen and another under buttocks if they don’t touch the heels;

— Option to keep chin lifted or head down;

2.) Adho Mukha Svanasana (2 – 3x; 5 min.)
Svana = dog

— Support under head (bolster or blanket);

— Optional, hold sides of mat to open & extend arms;

3.) Adho Mukha Svanasana (2x)

— Variation with feet on sticky mat on edge of chair seat;

4.) Uttanasana (2 – 3 min.)
Uttan = extended

— Head supported on chair or brick(s) per capability;

5.) Parsvottanasana (5 min. per side)
Parsva = side, Uttan = extended

— Arms folded on bolster on chair seat, head resting on arms;

6.) Prasarita Padottanasana (3 – 5 min.)
Prasarita = wide spread, Pada = foot, Uttan = extended

— Head on bricks or floor;

— Lift inner knees; press palms to lift shoulders towards buttocks;

— Variation, holding ankles to widen and lift shoulders;

7.) Sirsasana (1 – 5 min.)
Sirsa = head

— At wall, 4-brick “house” to support upper back and take shoulder blades in;

— Student with neck/cervical problems to do between 2 porter stools to get length in cervical spine;

8.) Halasana
Hala = plough

— Optional chair support for feet; move into…

9.) Salamba Sarvangasana (5 – 10 min.)
Salamba = with support, Sarvanga = entire body

10.) Eka Pada Sarvangasana
Eka = one, Pada = foot

11.) Halasana

12.) Setubandha Sarvangasana (5 min.)
Setu = bridge, Bandha = formation

— Roll out of Halasana, slide upper body off blanket stack, keep buttocks and thighs on; tuck shoulders under to keep chest open; close eyes and rest;

13.) Savasana (5 min.)
Sava = corpse