Saturday 10:30a Intro: Week 2 (May 9, 2009)

7 students. One student as well as teacher (me, KD) taking antibiotics for UTI infection. Discussion on how medications and illness can affect practice, the body and the mind. The antibiotics caused tamas or sluggishness in my body and a fuzziness in my head making it difficult to muster the energy to both speak and demonstrate the poses. When Bruce took over teaching Utthita Trikonasana I was able to demonstrate without speaking and focus my energies on the pose. Focus of the class: using the legs to charge the spine to combat tamas or heaviness in the poses.

Sit in Swastikasana for the invocation to Patanjali;

1. Tadasana

2. Utthita Trikonasana

3. Utthita Parsvakonasana

4. Utthita Trikonasana

5. Supta Trikonasana
Supta = supine/reclined
Trikonasana performed lying on the floor with feet on the wall, head supported on a blanket;

6. Supta Padangusthasana 1
Supta = supine/reclined, Pada = foot, Angustha = big toe;
Use two belts: one around upper thigh of raised leg to foot of lower leg; other to hold raised leg @ heel;
Extend raised leg upward into belt at 90 degree angle to the floor;
Extend lower leg into wall & belt; keep top of thigh pressed down;
Keep shoulder blades on the floor as arms extend up to hold belt;

7. Supta Padangusthasana 2
Bolster support touching outer hip;
Hold raised leg's belt with same hand, other hand to top of lower leg's thigh or extended out to the side, palm up;
From Supta Padangusthasana 1, take raised leg out to the side to rest outer thigh on bolster;
Extend from groin to inner heel; draw in from outer heel to outer hip, pulling the femur into the socket;
Keep lower leg on the floor; do not let opposite hip roll with the action of the raised leg;

8. Supta Padangusthasana 3 Hold raised leg's belt with opposite hand, other hand/arm out to the side;
From Supta Padangusthasana 1, cross raised leg over to opposite side;
Keep both buttocks on the floor;

9. Supta Tadasana

10. Baddha Konasana facing the wall
Baddha = bound, Kona = angle;
(See above image)
Seated on bolster facing the wall; folded blanket support under each knee;
Wall rope around upper back chest, pull with arms to lift up through the chest;
Note: when Bruce pressed & spread on my sacrum with his feet the abdomen softened and the heaviness of the bladder ceased to exist.

11. Viparita Karani
Viparita = reverse, Karani = process;
"Legs-up-the-wall" pose; hips supported on bolster, shoudlers on the floor;

12. Savasana

Saturday 10:30a Intro: Week 1 (May 2, 2009)

9 students, all returning from prior session. Focus of class: standings and brief discussion of the gunas: rajas (firey or active, also refers to instability or nervousness), tamas (lazy or passive, also stability), & sattva (clarity or lightness).

Please note: The pose names are provided here in both Sanskrit and their English translation the first time they are listed in a session, and the first time taught in class. Ex: If Utthita Trikonasana is taught twice in one class, the definition is given after the first listing (see #3 & 5). If taught the following week, the definition will not be provided again to encourage students to follow along from Week 1 and begin to learn the Sanskrit names of the poses.

1. Swastikasana
Swastika = Cross; Asana = Pose
We begin each class in cross-legged pose, seated on a bolster with blankets supporting under the feet and knees to level the height of the knees;
Observe and make it so the buttock bones are balanced;
Lift the sternum, the side chest & bring the shoulders back, shoulder blades into the back body;
Bring the palms together, elbows down, chest broad & head level for chanting the Invocation to Patanjali;

2. Tadasana / Samasthiti
Tada = Mountain / Sama = Same, Sthiti = Stable;
Compare/contrast sides, stability, ability, etc.

3. Utthita Trikonasana
Utthita = Extended, Tri = Three, Kona = Angle
In triangle pose, both legs are straight, both arms are straight;
Lift knee caps up, 4 points of feet press firmly down;
Back foot turns in about 30 degrees;
Front foot, knee & thigh turn out so inner edge of foot is parallel to front edge of mat;
Move from hip joint to take hand to shin or brick; other hand/arm extend toward ceiling;
Move Into...

4. Virabhadrasana 2
Virabhadra = Warrior
3x;
Bend front knee to a right angle over the ankle, open inner thigh;
Back leg straight, inner knee lifted;
4 points of each foot planted firmly;
Lift evenly the sides of waist & chest;

One student with pain/compression in forward ankle (left side) in Trikonasana and Virabhadrasana 2. She is hyper-extending or falling in the back of the knee in Trikonasana. Instruct on how to straighten the knee by lifting front and back of thighs to "pull" the compression out of the ankle. Repeat Trikonasana at the wall, foot angled up on brick to bring a more natural angle to the ankle, providing more power or ability to lift.

5. Utthita Trikonasana
@ the wall, toe mounds up on brick;
3-4x;
1st time addressing ankle pain;
2nd time addressing pain in lower back on back leg side (different student), and showing how similar compression happens in back when back thigh is forward (and/or knee bends);
3rd & 4th times work on keeping front leg stable, hitting outer hip in at the same time taking upper thigh of back leg towards the hamstring; making the hips compact to bring stability;

6. Parsvottanasana
Parsva = Side, Uttana = Intense;
2x; front heel up on 2 bricks;

7. Utthita Trikonasana
Compare after Parsvottanasana;
Into...

8. Virabhadrasana 2
Into...

9. Utthita Parsvakonasana
Utthita = Extended, Parsva = Side, Kona = Angle
From Virabhadrasana 2, reach front arm out and down, hand to brick;
Extend side waist over bent thigh;
Back leg straight, knee firm;
Upper arm extend towards ceiling;

10. Dandasana
Danda = Staff or Rod
Seated up on 2 blankets, folded into 3rds; one blanket under knees;
Feet hip width apart;
Extend arms up to open side chest;
From hips move forward to hold ankles or feet, extend chest forward, concave back;

11. Janu Sirsasana
Janu = Knee, Sirsa = Head
From Dandasana, keep one leg straight, with hand pacify back of other knee as leg bends & turns to side;
Support bent knee with blanket or brick if raised off of floor;
Extend arms up to open side chest;
From hips move forward to hold ankles or feet, extend chest forward, concave back;

12. Savasana
Sava = Corpse
Rest with head on folded blanket;
Arms & legs extend out straight;
Eyes closed, breath soft & regular;
Relax everything.

Saturday 10:30a Intro: Week 9 (Apr 25, 2009)

Focus on timings, or maintaining poses for longer and longer times. Which gives up first, the body or the ego?

1. Adho Mukha Virasana
Arms extended, prepare for...

2. Adho Mukha Svanasana
2-3x; middle of the room;
Several students with neck/shoulder issues;

3. Brick Tadasana
Learn/remember action of legs to transfer to Dogpose;

4. Adho Mukha Svanasana
3-4x;
1st & 2nd times: w/heels at the wall;
3rd & 4th: hands at wall, brick between upper thighs to emphasize work of legs;
Compare feet/hands and legs/arms (knees/elbows, etc.)

5. Rope 1
Open chest; one student shaking in Dogpose, shoulders belted to open more;

6. Adho Mukha Svanasana
Repeat to compare after Rope work;

7. Chair Sarvangasana

8. Savasana

Saturday 10:30a Intro: Week 6 (Apr 11, 2009)

Focus of class on keeping weight evenly distributed on the feet, the legs and keeping the torso centered and lifted and/or long.

1. Tadasana

2. Virabhadrasana 2
3x;
3rd time move into...

3. Utthita Parsva Konasana
2x;
2nd time move into...

4. Utthita Trikonasana
Then back to Parsva Konasana;

5. Uttanasana
2x;
1st: Hold elbows and hang;
Most students hanging buttocks back behind line of heels - take weight into toe mounds to even weight distribution;
2nd: Hands down to bricks;

6. Utthita Trikonasana
2x;

7. Padangusthasana
2x; use belt around big toes to pull up;
1st: concave back;
2nd: head down, elbows out to sides to lengthen side chest down;

8. Adho Mukha Svanasana
3x; hands/thumbs & index fingers at wall;
2nd: bricks between upper thighs to get leg action;

9. Halasana
Feet to chair seat;

10. Salamba Sarvangasana

11. Savasana

Saturday 10:30a Intro: Week 4 (Mar 28, 2009)

Focus: Supported poses to stabilize the mind. Stabilize the breath to stabilize the body. When the body becomes stable, the mind is pacified. When the mind is pacified, the pain of stretching lessens. Inversions directly pacify the mind and take the consciousness towards the vastness within.

Note new poses for this week are in bold face.

Discussion: Patanjali Yoga Sutras II.46-48, the definition and effects of asana.
See Tuesday 4.30p MS: Week 3 (Mar 17, 2009), Tuesday 6.30p Intro: Week 3 (Mar 17, 2009), Thursday 6.30p Intro: Week 3 (Mar 19, 2009), Tuesday 6.30p Intro: Week 4 (Mar 24, 2009), and Thursday 6.30p Intro: Week 4 (Mar 26, 2009) for a five part discussion.

Invocation in Swastikasana

1. Parsvottanasana (hands on chair seat, head on brick on chair seat)
a. Pull right hip back, left hip forward.
b. Straighten left inner knee. Keeping the left shin back, turn the left calf from inner towards outer to bring the left hip forward.

2. Chair Sarvangasana

3. Bolster Setubandha Sarvangasana (feet on chair seat)
a. Pacify the consciousness by elevating the sub-conscious mind, which resides in the heart. Open the chest to go the vastness.

4. Savasana
a. Trifold blanket beneath head. Feet and calves on chair seat.

Saturday 10.30a Intro: Week 7 (Feb 14, 2009)

Since the session 75% over, and we will not admit any new students, we continue to work on arm work in preparation for Sarvangasana, and basic standings.

Word-by-word explanation of Bhojaraja’s Patanjali Invocation

Discussion: Patanjali Yoga Sutra II.31, Yoga is universally applicable regardless of class, time or place, even though yoga has been appropriated through the ages to accomplish the needs of various religions and cultures.

Invocation in Swastikasana

1. Tadasana/Samasthiti

2. Urdhva Hastasana
a. Navel back, stretch the armpits up

3. Tadasana (Urdhva Baddhanguliyasana)

4. Tadasana (Namaskarasana)
a. Omitted for lack of time.

5. Tadasana (Paschima Baddha Hasta arms)
a. Holding elbows, press floating ribs back into the arm to free the diaphragm. Then roll open from the sternum to the frontal shoulders.
b. If unable to hold elbows, Baddha - bind - the arms with a belt. (not done in this class)

6. 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.

7. Tadasana (Paschima Namaskarasana)

8. Utkatasana

9. Vrksasana (bend right knee first)

10. Utthita Hasta Padasana
11. Parsva Hasta Padasana
12. Utthita Trikonasana

13. Virabhadrasana II
a. Lift pubic plate.

14. Utthita Parsvakonasana

15. Vimanasana
a. Arms to the side are like the poles of a palanquin. On top of these poles rested a cabin with seating. This ancient conveyance was shouldered by servants to carry their lord. In modern times “vimana” is used to denote an airplane.
b. Variation: Bend the right knee to 90 degrees, as in Virabhadrasana I, but allow the left heel to come up as little as possible. Then, keeping the left foot turned in 60 degrees, extend the calf to take the left heel to the floor
c. Perform classic pose without lifting the left heel.

16. Virabhadrasana I
a. As in Vimanasana, keep the right hip back to turn in the left foot.
b. Lift pubic plate.
c. Beginners unable to do Urdhva Hastasana, should use the Vimanasana arms position.

17. Ardha Chandrasana
a. Keeping the front knee bent, and the right inner foot pressed down, lift up the left leg.

18. Parsvottanasana (hands on bricks, head down)
a. Turn back leg in; right hip back; left hip forward
b. Preparation for Adho Mukha Svanasana.

19. Baddha Hasta Uttanasana
a. Substituted for Uttanasana (concave back feet apart and feet together)

20. Padangusthasana
a. Pull belt looped around feet to get concave back.

21. Adho Mukha Svanasana

22. Sarvangasana Cycle
a. Salamba Sarvangasana at wall
b. Holding rope hooks or, if shoulders too stiff, belts tied to the rope hooks, walk the feet up the wall. With the left foot on the wall, straighten the right leg vertically towards the ceiling. Then repeat on the other side.
c. Omitted for lack of time.

23. Forward Extensions
a. Substituted Urdhva Hasta Dandasana & Padangustha Dandasana for Paschimottanasana.
b. Urdhva Hasta Dandasana: Sit on a folded blanket or bolster.
c. Padangustha Dandasana: Use a belt around the soles of the feet if unable to hold the big toes. Arm and leg push/pull action.
d. Omitted for lack of time. Will do next week.

24. Savasana
a. Prone for lower back pain

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.

Saturday 10:30a Intro: Week 4 (Jan 24, 2009)

9 students – one new student

1.) Tadasana / Samasthiti
Tada = mountain, asana = posture
Sama = same, sthiti = stable

2.) Urdhva Baddhanguilyasana
Urdhva = upward, Baddha = bound, Guily = fingers

3.) Utthita Trikonasana
Utthita = extended, Tri = three, Kona = angle

— In middle of room; not getting hip action;

— Move mats parallel to wall to take support/balance;

4.) Utthita Trikonasana (several times)

— Work on hip drawing away from outer knee;

— Student with ankle pain: stress importance of the lift of the front thigh/quadriceps to support lengthening of back of thigh/hamstring to pull pain out of ankle;

— Other student unable to keep weight in the back leg when taking hand down to ankle/brick;

5.) Brick Tadasana

— Brick at inner upper thigh, then also above inner knee to prompt & feel lift of whole inner thigh; use that lift on both legs in…

6.) Utthita Trikonasana

— Back outer heel grounds, feels weighted when inner thigh lifts/supports;

— Toe mounds up on edge of brick, keep knee slightly bent to move the skin & flesh at the back of the thigh – relieves ankle pain;

— Front leg stronger, stable when entire thigh, front & back, are lifted;

7.) Uttanasana (2x)
Uttan = extended

— First time, Baddha Hasta (Baddha = bound, Hasta = hands/arms), hold elbows & bend forward; feel difficulties in pose to compare to…

— Second time, buttocks at wall, upper thighs belted tightly to the wall so thighs do not come away when extending forward to take head to bolster on chair seat;

8.) Savasana (5 min.)
Sava = corpse

— Modified with lower legs on chair seat, bolster on shins, blanket under head.

Saturday 10:30a Intro: Week 3 (Jan 17, 2009)

13 students – one on her menstrual period.

1.) Tadasana / Samasthiti
Tada = mountain, asana = posture
Sama = same, sthiti = stable

— Foam brick at inner knee to awaken thighs & learn lift;

2.) Urdhva Hastasana
Urdhva = upward, Hasta = hand

— In brick Tadasana;

3.) Virabhadrasana 2 (2x)
Virabhadra = warrior

— In middle of room; second time into…

4.) Utthita Parsvakonasana (several times)
Utthita = extended, Parsva = side, Kona = angle

— Emphasize back leg action: lift inner knee where brick was in Tadasana; extend outer heel down;

— Take short ends of mats to wall for repeated work on Parsvakonasana with back heel at wall so students can get the lift of inner back knee;

— Work on lift of frontal hip of the bent leg, to “levelize” pelvic “bowl”; sit the top of the thigh down; buttock bone moves towards the back of the knee to sit;

5.) Rope Utkatasana
Utkata = mighty, powerful

— Hold ropes, straighten arms dropping bottom towards floor in a “seated” position to give traction stretch to side body and armpits; roll upper arms from outside in (external rotation) to spread at upper back;

6.) Utkatasana

— With sacrum at the wall; learn to keep pelvis level with lift of pubic plate;

7.) Parsvottanasana (2x)
Parsva = side, Uttan = extended

— Front heel up on two bricks: one on wide flat side, short end 2 – 3 inches from wall; the other propped at an angle on edge of long side;

— Bring both hips parallel to wall; front leg: draw hip away from wall, stretch back and side of leg; back leg: hip draws towards wall & calf stretches; lift both knees;

— First time, hands on wall & lift chest;

— Second time, hands move down wall towards bricks;

8.) Viparita Karani (10 min.)
Viparita = reverse; Karani = process

— “Legs up the wall” pose; buttocks & lower back supported with bolster; blanket under shoulders & another under head (optional);

— Menstruating student take Supta Baddha Konasana (Supta = supine, Baddha = bound, Kona = angle);

9.) Savasana (5 min.)
Sava = corpse

— Sliding off bolster from Viparita Karani, rest back chest & buttocks on floor; cross legs or extend straight; eyes closed.

Saturday 10:30a Intro: Week 2 (Jan 10, 2009)

13 students – no new students; two with headaches:

— Sinus headache, put in Adho Mukha Virasana (Adho = downward, Mukha = face, Vira = hero, otherwise known as child’s pose) with bolster support under chest until pain subsided (most of class), later in Baddha Konasana (Baddha = bound, Kona = angle) with back at the wall;

— Tension headache, fell on her front stairs the week earlier, bruising shoulder; didn’t have pain until we began arm work in class, then in Adho Mukha Virasana for the rest of class;

1.) Tadasana / Samasthiti
Tada = mountain, Asana = posture
Sama = same, Sthiti = stable

2.) Urdhva Hastasana
Urdhva = upward, Hasta = hand

— Take arms up in stages: first at shoulder height, palms up, widen at neck/trapezium by extending from armpit to fingers; raise arms to a “V” and repeat until arms are above head;

— Arm actions: bicep extends towards shoulder AND tricep extends towards back of hand; both pull in to “hug” the humerus (upper arm bone);

3.) Supine Urdhva Hastasana (students in groups of 3)

— “The rack” traction: partner #1 supine on mat, buttocks near end of mat; arms extended over head, fingers interlaced around partner #2’s lower calf/upper ankle; partner #3 stands over #1, straddling waist just above hip bones to “block” pelvis from moving with arms; partner #2 moves foot away from #1’s head, dragging forefoot on sticky mat to extend their arms more and stretch sides;

4.) Urdhva Hastasana

— Repeat to feel effects of supine stretch;

5.) Namaskarasana
Namaskar = prayer, greeting

— Palms together at center of chest;

6.) Urdhva Namaskarasana (4x)
from Urdhva Hastasana

— Feet together;
— Feet apart;
— Upper arms belted together across forehead;
— Student’s choice;

7.) Utthita Hasta Padasana
Utthita = extended, Hasta = hand, Pada = foot

8.) Parsva Hasta Padasana
Parsva = side, Hasta = hand, Pada = foot

Utthita Hasta Padasana and Parsva Hasta Padasana are poses in and of themselves, but they are also a means to get into the side-to-side poses; their importance is not to be minimized and it should be understood that they usually precede the side-to-side poses unless otherwise noted, even if their listing is not repeated.

9.) Utthita Trikonasana (2x)
Utthita = extended, Tri = three, Kona = angle

10.) Virabhadrasana 2
Virabhadra = warrior

11.) Utthita Parsvakonasana
Utthita = extended, Parsva = side, Kona = angle

— Actions of upper arm are the same in Utthita Trikonasana and Virabhadrasana 2 as in the first stage of first Urdhva Hastasana with arms shoulder-height;

— The upper arm in Utthita Parsvakonasana has the same action as both arms in full Urdhva Hastasana;

12.) Dandasana (4x)
Danda = staff or stick

— Feet together;
— Feet apart;
— Urdhva Hasta Dandasana, take arms up;
— Padangustha (= big toe) Dandasana;

13.) Savasana
Sava = corpse

— Rest on back, blanket supporting head; palms up, arms & legs relaxed; eyes closed.

Saturday 10:30a Intro: Week 1 (Jan 3, 2009)

Please note: to maintain anonymity, no names are given but rather lower case letters [ex. (a.)] are used to indicate conditions and the modifications made in class.

Twelve students - all returning, none brand new - attended class on Saturday. Several came up before class to discuss their conditions which were addressed in class. They included the following:

(a.) arthritis pain in both knees, worse on right
(b.) bruised/torn muscles in right ribcage and strained hamstring due to falling in sports injury
(c.) rotator cuff pain & stiffness in hips due to prior stroke
(d.) recently diagnosed enlarged heart
(e.) recently diagnosed high blood pressure
(f.) back pain due to previously diagnosed compressed vertebrae, worse during menstrual cycle

Bruce (BR) and I (KD) decided to have everyone put their mats at the wall for standing poses.

1.) Tadasana (Tada-asana; tada=mountain) / Samasthiti (Sama-sthiti; sama=same, sthiti=stability)

— Extend & spread toes without hardening or overworking shins; leg muscles are pulled up; press down evenly the mounds of the toes/forefoot;

— Lift inner knees, spread backs of thighs from inside out;

— Extend & spread fingers without hardening the hand to maintain even extension in entire arm;

When fingers and/or wrists are hardened, fingers stretched to their maximum, the arm overworks, tension and exhaustion comes quickly. Conversely, if the hands and wrists are dull the arm is also dull and the shoulder cannot open;

Everyone to move ribcage back so no pressure on heart, diaphragm, internal organs;

(a.): arthritis in knees, bowed legs, collapsed arches & inner knees; couldn't lift inner knee in Tadasana
standing at the wall BR belted widest part of shins together, brick between heels & behind upper thighs;

(b.): feet apart and brick between legs to get inner knee lift; push thighs back;

2.) Urdhva Hastasana (Urdhva Hasta-asana; urdhva=upward, hasta=hand)

— Away from wall: everyone pushing thighs, waist & ribcage forward to take arms up;

— At wall using ropes: Tadasana leg action; press pinky-side edge of palm into rope, palms facing, arms shoulder width apart; roll upper arms from outside in (external rotation);

Student difficulties:
— Pain in upper back - compressing or "scrunching" too much in trapezium; roll arms from outside inwards to spread upper back & make space at neck

— Pain in lower back - overarching in lumbar spine; move ribcage back, lift from the pubic plate & open from armpits

3.) Tadasana / Samasthiti

— Students instructed to take arms back further than sides to "sharpen" and lift the side chest; focus only on arm and upper back action results in tension in neck/head due to overdoing.

(a.) & (e.) to demo, looking at their backs:

(e.) questioned the position of the shoulder blades, "don't they move together?"' (e.)'s are already close together with anterior thoracic spine; (e.) to spread first both at upper back & at sternum, then extend arms down to take shoulder blades down;

whereas (a.) has a rounded upper back, shoulder blades apart/ "winging out", needing inner edges to come in, then down to open chest/sternum; when arms were taken back neck scrunched up; (a.)'s elbows were belted & instructed to "break" the belt to widen at upper back, elbows also bent to roll upper arms from inside out

Discussion of dharana and dhyana in asana.

Dharana: concentration, focus on single point, imbalance of effort & energy throughout the pose. Dhyana: Diffusion of consciousness, engulfs the whole body, completeness, integration, steady flow of effort & energy where the self awareness is lost. In Tadasana with arms back there was dharana in the upper arms & side chest, but no dhyana. Learn to bring evenness of effort by degree to achieve the steady flow of energy and a completeness in the pose. Then the self blends with the soul.

4.) Urdhva Baddhanguliyasana

— Fingers intertwined, arms out in front half way to teach taking the outer shoulder down (no hunching); keep upper back & shoulder blades in (no humping); (note: (b.) & (c.) did not do);

5.) Rope Utkatasana

— Holding ropes, extend arms straight to open side chest; buttocks "seated" back & down;

(b.): roll upper arm from outside in, no pain at ribcage/site of inury;

(c.): in shoulder rope harness held by BR to bring trapezium down; roll upper arm from outside in (external rotation); sit in chair to use body as traction;

6.) Utthita Trikonasana

— Back/hip against wall for support;

(c.): right leg belted, BR pulling to open hip, pushing left thigh back to stabilize;

(f.): more difficulty on right side due to compressed vertebrae; took right hand to higher brick & pressed front of left thigh towards wall to alleviate pain in right sacroiliac joint

7.) Savasana

— Blanket under head for support;

(b.): seated in chair, head on blanket on trestle;

(d.) and (e.): add'l folded blanket spine-wise under back chest to support heart;

(f.): bolster under knees, hips belted to alleviate pain/numbness in right lower back & leg