Wednesday 9.30a Intro — Week 4 (September 23, 2009)

Focus: Week 4 of syllabus with leg actions and controlling the breath.

Discussion: Pratyahara and Dharana - Stabilizing the mind
[See Tuesday 6.30p Intro — Week 29 (September 15, 2009)]

Note new poses for this week are in bold face.

1. Invocation in Swastikasana
a. By the body for the body: Reinforce the spine by lifting the inner buttock bones and pelvic floor.

2. Upavistha Konasana

Parsva Upavistha Konasana
a. By the mind for the body: Release the back thigh.
b. By the breath for the body: Out of fear of pain you hold the breath, which makes you stiffer.
c. By the breath for the mind: Coordinate the length of the exhalation to match the amount of time it takes the hand to reach and hold the foot.

3. Padangusthasana Dandasana

4. Baddha Konasana
a. Reinforce the spine by lifting the inner buttock bones and pelvic floor.

5. Tadasana/Samasthiti
a. Backs of the thighs away from each other. Observe the additional life and intelligence in the back thighs after Upavistha Konasana.

6. Tadasana (Urdhva Baddhanguliyasana)
a. Backs of the thighs away from each other to bring the outer elbows in.
b. Lift the outer arm and outer knee.

7. Utthita Trikonasana
a. By the breath for the mind: Where does the breath get caught? Coordinate the length of the exhalation to match the amount of time it takes the hand to reach and hold the foot.
b. By the body for the mind: Keep the femur in the socket when coming into the pose.
c. Lift the kneecap and back knee to prevent knee or right posterior ankle pain.

9. Virabhadrasana II
a. Omitted for time. Do next week.

10. Utthita Parsvakonasana
a. Extend from the outer knee towards the outer hip to engage the femur in the socket when coming into the pose. If the knee turns in, then the greater trochanter will fall out.

11. Virabhadrasana I
a. With Urdhva Hastasana arms, press wrists into Upper Wall Rope to lift the pubic plate and sternum.

12. Utkatasana
a. Omitted for time. Do next week.

13. Parsvottanasana (head on brick on chair seat)
a. Pull right hip back, left hip forward.
b. By the body, for the mind. Support the head to make the mind quiet. If there is resistance inside, support head with an additional brick to allow the stretch to come.

14. Uttanasana
a. Baddha Hasta Uttanasana
b. Omitted for time.

15. Rope 1

16. Sarvangasana Cycle
a. Wall Sarvangasana
Hold bottom rope hooks, palms up, to open shoulders. Walk the feet up the wall.

b. Cross Bolster Setubandha
For hot flash (J)

17. Paschimottanasana (forehead on chair seat)
a. Omitted for time.

18. Savasana