Saturday 10:30a Intro: Week 5 (Jan 31, 2009)

14 students

1.) Adho Mukha Virasana (5 min.)
Adho = downward, Mukha = face, Vira = hero, Asana = pose

— Take blanket support under shins, sit on heels & take torso forward to rest forehead on floor or brick; extend arms forward to lengthen side body;

— Several students with knee problems, unable to kneel on shins and/or plantar flex ankles;

Student with arthritis in both knees — BR addressed pain in the front of the knee in Virasana as a result of hamstrings “invading” or hardening at the back of the knee (“congestion”) & how to pacify/soften hamstrings:

2.) Virasana (2x, 10 min ea.)

— First time, folded sticky mat placed firmly behind back of both knees, either with assistance or using both hands, head on floor to balance; sit back between heels, taking support under buttocks as needed;

— Students unable to plantar flex at ankles support with blankets under shins where shin/ankle joint hangs over edge of blanket stack;

— Second time, roll sticky mat tightly and again place behind knees; bulk of mat will “smash” the calves and create more space at the knee joints;

3.) Dandasana
Danda = staff, stick

— Used to open up the knees after Virasana;

4.) Supta Baddha Konasana (20 min.)
Supta = supine or sleeping; Baddha = bound, Kona = angle

— Bolster set at an incline over two bricks, one under the head, the other under the chest;

— Blankets underneath head, arms and buttocks;

— Soles of feet together, knees out to the sides supported with bricks; recline back over bolster leaving small amount of space between lower back/buttocks and end of the bolster;

— Variations: belt to hold ankles in towards perineum, or for stiffer students bolster under knees;

5.) Savasana (10 min.)

— From Supta Baddha Konasana, use hands to bring knees together, then extend legs out straight, remaining reclined on bolster;

— Rest with eyes closed; breathe normally.