Friday 6:00a Asana 1: Week 1 (May 1, 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.

4 students, new session. Focus of class: Discussion of the gunas: rajas (firey or active, also refers to instability or nervousness), tamas (lazy or passive, also stability), & sattva (clarity or lightness). Get 'em moving to work out the tamasic nature of the early, slow-moving morning and bring clarity to the body and mind.

1 minute per side, per pose timings except where noted.

1. Arch stretch
Toe mounds down, big toes touching;
Knees resting on brick, sit back towards raised heels;

2. Tadasana
Observe effects of pose #1 on stability;
Take "inventory" of parts, comparing/contrasting sides;

3. Utthita Trikonasana
Into...

4. Virabhadrasana 2
Repeat #'s 3 & 4 on 2nd side

5. Virabhadrasana 2
Into...

6. Utthita Parsva Konasana
Repeat #'s 5 & 6 on 2nd side;

7. Parsvottanasana
Hands to bricks;

8. Virbhadrasana 1
Keep side chest, arms extended upwards when turning;

9. Uttanasana
Center hips over heels;
Hands to bricks;

10. Virabhadrasana 3
3x; from Vira 1, 30 sec. timings;
1st in middle of room; students dropping back leg (tamasic), not taking chest to thigh in Vira 1;
2nd & 3rd @ wall, hands in rope holes, press down to extend;
Level pelvis, hit outer standing leg hip inwards to bring hip into the socket;
Back leg extend through heel, keep from lifting leg from upper buttock;

11. Parvritta Trikonasana
2x; hand to brick;

12. Uttanasana
Baddha hasta arms, hang to extend side chest;

13. Adho Mukha Svanasana
2x;

14. Chatushpadasana
2x; 30 sec. timings;
Blanket under shoulders, head on floor;
1st time, belt around ankles to pull shoulders under;
2nd time, stand heels on upward palms, thumbs out, roll upper arms out;
Students tend to turn toes out and grip from upper buttocks which takes knees apart;
Keep toes in, heels out;
Work towards keeping knees together/close, extend tailbone towards backs of knees;

15. Viparita Karani
5 min.

16. Savasana