Thursday 6.30p Intro — Week 1 (November 5, 2009)

1 new student in class.

Focus: Arms and legs in standings.

Discussion: Patanjali Yoga Sutra I.14, What is Yoga Practice?
Practice can be simply summarized as the effort, energy and enthusiasm to still the mind. [See Thursday 9.30a Asana I — Week 34 (October 22, 2009) for a more complete discussion.] Put the diaphragm in a position that eases breathing and effort so that the mind may remain calm.

Invocation in Swastikasana

1. Tadasana/Samasthiti

2. Urdhva Hastasana
a. Thighs back and lift the pubic plate to keep the diaphragm neutral and ease breathing.

3. Tadasana (Urdhva Baddhanguliyasana)
a. Lift the side ribs to straighten the elbows.

4. Tadasana (Gomukhasana arms)
a. Ardha Gomukhasana arms: Right arm up, bend the right elbow. Hold the right elbow with the left hand and side bend to the right to stretch the right side ribs.
b. Left arm in Paschima Namaskarasana to complete Gomukhasana arms. For rotator cuff injuries, do not do this side. Instead, concentrate on upper arm lift, as in Ardha Gomukhasana, to lift the collar bone up and externally rotate the upper arm away from the injury site.

5. Tadasana (Urdhva Baddhanguliyasana)
a. The side ribs are able to lift more after doing Gomukhasana.

6. Utthita Hasta Padasana
a. When landing from the jump, keep the knees bent and land on the toes to prevent jarring the spine.

7. Parsva Hasta Padasana
a. Align the knee cap by turning out the entire leg.

8. Utthita Trikonasana
a. Turn the right leg out more to bring the right femur more into the socket. Connecting the femur into the socket supports the pelvis and trunk.
b. Move the right buttock bone in, anteriorly, to prevent the right knee from wandering in anteriorly.

9. Virabhadrasana II
a. Turn the right leg out more to bring the right femur more into the socket. Connecting the femur into the socket supports the pelvis and trunk.
b. Move the right buttock bone in, anteriorly, to prevent the right knee from wandering in anteriorly.
c. Lift the right pelvic rim up, off of the thigh, to bring more freedom to the hip joint when bending the right knee. Keeping that up, then sit the right buttock down.

10. Utthita Parsvakonasana
a. Turn the right leg out more to bring the right femur more into the socket. Connecting the femur into the socket supports the pelvis and trunk.
b. Move the right buttock bone in, anteriorly, to prevent the right knee from wandering in anteriorly. Then, from there, turn open the chest.

11. Upper Wall Rope Urdhva Hastasana
a. Press hands into upper wall ropes to lift the pubic plate. Thighs back and lift the pubic plate to keep the diaphragm neutral and ease breathing.

12. Virabhadrasana I
a. Press the hands into imaginary upper wall ropes, as in Upper Wall Rope Urdhva Hastasana, to feel the resistance to help lift the pubic plate. This takes the pressure off of the diaphragm to help breathe.

13. Parsvottanasana (hands on wall, concave back)
a. Right foot on brick, toes up the wall to pull right hip back, left hip forward. Straighten left inner knee. Keeping the left shin back, turn the left calf from inner towards outer to bring the left hip forward.

Parsvottanasana (hands on ledge, concave back)
b. Press the side wrists down onto the ledge to take the shoulder blades down and lift the chest.

Parsvottanasana (head on brick on chair seat)
c. 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. With the elbows on the chair seat, grip the fingers over the back edge of the chair seat and pull towards you to take the shoulder blades down and lift the chest.

Parsvottanasana (hands on bricks, head up)
d. Grip the fingers over the front edge of the flat brick and pull towards you to take the shoulder blades down and lift the chest. If stiff, bend the right knee. Once the concave back action comes, pull right hip back to begin to straighten the knee.

14. Prasarita Padottanasana (hands on bricks, concave back)
a. Grip the fingers over the front edge of flat bricks and pull towards you to take the shoulder blades down towards the tail bone and lift the chest.

Prasarita Padottanasana (fingertips on floor, concave back)
b. Pull fingertips back, as above, to take the shoulder blades down towards the tail bone and lift the chest.

Prasarita Padottanasana (extended phase)
c. Head on floor.

15. Dandasana
a. Palms down, fingers facing forward, open the fingers and knuckles. Press the palms down, extending the arms into the body with the shoulders rolling back.

b. Biceps turn open and lift upward out of the elbows to straighten the arms and lift the chest.

Shoulders roll back, trapezius down towards the tail bone, clavicles widen, and armpit chest forward to lift the front body.

c. Descend the shoulder blades. Then retract the bottom tips of the shoulder blades towards each other and take the shoulder blades into the back body. Additionally, take the dorsal spine in, and the sacrum in, both towards the front body. These actions support the opening of the front body.

d. Although the buttock bones are contacting the floor, press the palms down and lift the biceps up — as in handstand — to lift the weight of the pelvis and trunk up, off of the buttock bones. Make the arms like a staff.
[Similar to Geeta Iyengar, 7-3-09 PM Advanced Class.]

16. Urdhva Hasta Dandasana
Keeping that lift of the side chest, take the arms up in Urdhva Hastasana.

17. Padangustha Dandasana
Use a belt around the soles of the feet if unable to hold the big toes. Arm and leg push/pull action. Arms pull back to take the shoulder blades down towards the tail bone. Bring the armpit chest forward.

18. Viparita Karani