Monday 9:30a Intro: Week 9 (Apr 27, 2009)

6 students; focus of class on restorative seated poses with the back at the wall for alignment guidance and support.

For most students, these poses were less than restorative as the back muscles are not accustomed to truly sitting upright - it is difficult to know (or easy to "cheat") when seated in the middle of the room. When the shoulders sag or slump forward, the chest collapses and the heart and mind are heavy, being drawn down with the chest. The shoulder blades then separate away from the spine towards the sides and therefore overstretching the muscles that keep them in, causing a "coat hanger" shape to the shoulders. This shoulder shape results in the throat to becoming strained as the head & eyes need to look forward, putting pressure on the thyroid, the trapezius muscles, and the back of the head. With the wall support we can gradually retrain the back to support the front, open the chest and bring the head to a neutral position.

1. Swastikasana (back to wall)
Seated on a bolster, blanket support under shins, thighs belted;
Small hand towel folded and placed at lumbar;
Flatten (or work towards taking) shoulder blades to the wall without throwing waist/ribs forward;
Observe feeling as KD pressed on frontal deltoids as student kept frontal ribs moving back;

2. Calf stretch on inverted chair seat
Fold mat in half, place chair upside down on mat with the bottom side of seat facing up;
Place heels inside "lip" of chair seat on sticky mat, parallel outer edges of feet;
Keep thighs lifted to stretch calves and not hyper-extend into backs of knees;
Hold lower ropes for support;

3. Parsvottanasana
2x;
1st: hands to chair seat, concave back;
2nd: head to chair seat or additional support on seat (bricks, blanket, etc.)

4. Baddha Konasana (back to wall)
Seated on a bolster, brick support under shins/knees;
Small hand towel folded and placed at lumbar;
Flatten (or work towards taking) shoulder blades to the wall without throwing waist/ribs forward;

5. Baddha Konasana (forward)
From prior pose, take chest forward & head to chair seat (w/prop support if necessary);

6. Savasana
Calves on chair seat.