Thursday 9.30a Asana I — Week 33 (October 15, 2009)

Focus: Refining Surya Namaskar and Ustrasana from Sequence #8 in the Preliminary Course in bold face.

Discussion: Surya Namaskar
[See See Tuesday 6.30p Intro — Week 33 (October 13, 2009)]

Invocation in Swastikasana

1. Adho Mukha Svanasana

2. Ardha Gomukhasana arms in Tadasana
a. To lengthen side chest in Adho Mukha Svanasana.

3. Adho Mukha Svanasana

4. Surya Namaskar: Urdhva Hastasana - Uttanasana (5X — fast)

5. Surya Namaskar: Urdhva Hastasana - Uttanasana - Adho Mukha Svanasana - Uttanasana - Tadasana (5X)
a. Take one step in, feet together, and then bend the knees towards the chest to jump to Uttanasana.

6. Surya Namaskar: Urdhva Hastasana - Uttanasana - Adho Mukha Svanasana - Plank - Adho Mukha Svanasana - Uttanasana - Tadasana (5X)
a. Bottom tips of the shoulder blades protract away from each other and outer shoulder blades extend towards the hands in Adho Mukha Svanasana. To come forward into Plank, raise the head up to lift the shoulders up, take the shoulder blades towards the tail bone, and retract the bottom tips of the shoulder blades towards each other.

7. Surya Namaskar: Urdhva Hastasana - Uttanasana - Adho Mukha Svanasana - Plank - Chaturanga Dandasana - Adho Mukha Svanasana - Uttanasana - Tadasana (5X)
a. Wall Utthita Chaturanga Dandasana in Tadasana
Facing a wall with forearms at the waist, as in Chaturanga, use the resisting friction of palms on the wall to pull down the shoulder blades towards the tail bone and retract the bottom tips of the shoulder blades towards each other.

b. Belt upper arms and rest ribs on belt in Chaturanga. Come into Chaturanga with the same shoulder blades towards the tail bone, etc., as in Plank. Lift inner knees and thighs, buttocks, and frontal shoulders up. Pull back with the hands and push forward with the feet.

c. Chaturanga three times without the belt.

8. Surya Namaskar: Urdhva Hastasana - Uttanasana - Adho Mukha Svanasana - Plank - Urdhva Mukha Svanasana- Adho Mukha Svanasana - Uttanasana - Tadasana (5X)
a. Leg work of Chaturanga, widen the sternum towards the frontal shoulders in Urdhva Mukha Svanasana.

9. Ustrasana
a. Pelvis at the Rope Wall, pull down the lower wall ropes to open armpit chest and lift the sternum. Shoulder blades into the back body to support and open the chest.

b. Inner knees lift up, shins down, outer shins in. Shoulder blades towards the tail bone. If the legs do not participate, it causes a heaviness in the lower back.

c. Head back, towards the vastness.

d. Head back, back chest lifting, hands on inner thighs.

e. Walk the palms back to the heels.

f. Alternate way of coming up into the pose: Sit in Virasana, palms on heels, and lift pelvis.

10. Sarvangasana Cycle
a. Salamba Sarvangasana I

b. Ekapada Sarvangasana

c. Halasana

11 Savasana