Thursday 6.30p Intro — Week 31 (October 8, 2009)

No new students in class
Focus: Pinning the hips in more difficult standings, as taught by Geeta Iyengar in Pune July, 2009.

Note new poses for this week are in bold face.

1. Invocation in Swastikasana
a. Soft, slow, smooth inhalation. Soft, slow, smooth exhalation. Lift the spine. Shoulder blades down the back body.

2. Rope 1— Adho Mukha Svanasana to Urdhva Mukha Svanasana

3. Tadasana/Samasthiti

4. Urdhva Hastasana

5. Tadasana (Gomukhasana arms)

6. Tadasana (Paschima Namaskarasana)

7. Utthita Trikonasana
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. Pressing down the ball of the big toe, lift the toes to lift the inner ankle bone and inner knee prevents the knee from turning in. Reverse the mistaken tendency to allow the right hip to fall towards the right knee. This is preparation for Ardha Chandrasana.

8. Utthita Parsvakonasana
a. Same action as in Trikonasana.

9. Ardha Chandrasana
a. Same action as in Trikonasana.

10. Virabhadrasana I

11. Virabhadrasana III
a. Belt greater trochanters in to facilitate balance.

12. Parsvottanasana (hands on chair seat, head on brick on chair seat)
a. Belt greater trochanters in to facilitate greater range of motion.

13. Adho Mukha Svanasana
a. Belt greater trochanters in to soften the abdomen and take the navel back.

15. Sarvangasana Cycle
a. Salamba Sarvangasana I

b. Ekapada Sarvangasana