Focus: Study of embodiment through body - mind - breath taught by Prashant Iyengar in Pune July, 2009.
Discussion: Body - mind - breath
See [Monday 6.30p Asana I — Week 35 (September 21, 2009)]
By the body for the body
By the body for the mind
By the body for the breath, etc.
1. Invocation in Swastikasana
a. By the body for the body: Reinforce the spine with the paraspinal muscles... back ribs, shoulder blades, latissimus dorsi.
b. By the body for the body: Reinforce the spine by lifting the inner buttock bones and pelvic floor. It removes the heaviness. Navel back.
c. By the breath for the body: apanic cycles with mulabandha and uddiyana kriya to reinforce the spine at the root.
d. By the breath for the mind: uddiyana and udanic kriya quiet the mind and take it inwards.
2. Upavistha Konasana
a. mulabandha and uddiyana kriya
3. Parsva Upavistha Konasana
a. By the mind for the body: When stiff, the willpower gives up first.
b. By the breath for the body: Don’t hold your breath. Fear of pain makes 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. To relieve the fear, reach and hold more quickly.
d. By the breath for the body: Turn more by adding mulabandha and uddiyana kriya .
e. By the breath for the body: At the termination of exhalation, there is a slight bahya, pause. Extend into that vastness. It brings space in the body as well as the mind.
f. By the body for the mind: When you learn from prakrti there is less struggle; the mind becomes more sattvic.
4. Baddha Konasana
a. Reinforce the spine by lifting the inner buttock bones and pelvic floor.
5. Padangusthasana Dandasana
a. By the body for the body: Outer ankles extend back towards outer hips and then pin the hips in to relieve the lower back and bring length to the spine. Move the femur towards the back thigh and press the heels down to free the spine.
b. By the body for the body: Holding the big toes, push them, with the inner heels, slightly away from you to pull the upper back into concavity.
c. By the breath for the body: At the termination of exhalation, pull the upper back into more concavity. Extend into that vastness.
By the breath for the mind: Then, because there is no struggle, the mind becomes serene. It is transformed from parinama citta to divya citta. Until that point there is an aggressiveness in the pose and the mind and body remain stiff.
6. Adho Mukha Svanasana
a. By the body for the body: Pin the hips and outer deltoids in. This increases strength and elongation.
b. By the body for the mind: When you learn from prakrti there is less struggle; the mind becomes more sattvic.
c. By the body for the breath: It is easier to breath. “Find out if the shoulder blade can contribute, if the sternum can contribute, if the floating ribs can contribute... Find out how any part can contribute... to improve [the mind’s] willingness to exercise..., the power to exercise. Exhalative kriya. Retentive kriya. Inhalative kriya. It’s not just exhaling, inhaling, or retaining. Understand the kriyas there. Understand that you are commencing the study of embodiment.”
d. At the termination of exhalation, there is a slight bahya pause. Extend into that vastness.
7. Sarvangasana Cycle
a. Salamba Sarvangasana
b. Halasana
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Thursday, September 24, 2009
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
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
Tuesday 6.30p Intro — Week 30 (September 22, 2009)
Focus: the fear complex
Discussion: Body - mind - breath
See [Monday 6.30p Asana I — Week 35 (September 21, 2009)]
By the body for the body
By the body for the mind
By the body for the breath, etc.
1. Invocation in Swastikasana
a. By the body for the body: Reinforce the spine with the paraspinal muscles... back ribs, shoulder blades, latissimus dorsi.
b. By the breath for the body: apanic cycles with mulabandha and uddiyana kriya to reinforce the spine at the root.
2. Upavistha Konasana
a. mulabandha and uddiyana kriya
3. Parsva Upavistha Konasana
a. By the mind for the body: When stiff, the willpower gives up first.
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: Reverse the pattern to keep calm. Add mulabandha and uddiyana kriya .
4. Padangusthasana Dandasana
5. Baddha Konasana
a. mulabandha and uddiyana kriya
6. Adho Mukha Svanasana
a. By the body for the body: Pin the hips, and outer deltoids in. This increases strength and elongation.
b. By the body for the mind: When you learn from prakrti there is less struggle; the mind becomes more sattvic.
c. By the body for the breath: It is easier to breath. “Understand that you are commencing the study of embodiment.”
7. Adho Mukha Vrksasana
a. Palms on slanting plank
8. Viparita Karani (20 min)
a. Staggered double-fold blankets.
b. By the body for the mind
Discussion: Body - mind - breath
See [Monday 6.30p Asana I — Week 35 (September 21, 2009)]
By the body for the body
By the body for the mind
By the body for the breath, etc.
1. Invocation in Swastikasana
a. By the body for the body: Reinforce the spine with the paraspinal muscles... back ribs, shoulder blades, latissimus dorsi.
b. By the breath for the body: apanic cycles with mulabandha and uddiyana kriya to reinforce the spine at the root.
2. Upavistha Konasana
a. mulabandha and uddiyana kriya
3. Parsva Upavistha Konasana
a. By the mind for the body: When stiff, the willpower gives up first.
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: Reverse the pattern to keep calm. Add mulabandha and uddiyana kriya .
4. Padangusthasana Dandasana
5. Baddha Konasana
a. mulabandha and uddiyana kriya
6. Adho Mukha Svanasana
a. By the body for the body: Pin the hips, and outer deltoids in. This increases strength and elongation.
b. By the body for the mind: When you learn from prakrti there is less struggle; the mind becomes more sattvic.
c. By the body for the breath: It is easier to breath. “Understand that you are commencing the study of embodiment.”
7. Adho Mukha Vrksasana
a. Palms on slanting plank
8. Viparita Karani (20 min)
a. Staggered double-fold blankets.
b. By the body for the mind
Tuesday 4.30p MS — Week 4 (September 22, 2009)
Focus: Shoulder and upper back to relieve neck strain and open the chest.
Note new poses for this week are in bold face.
Invocation in Swastikasana
1. Urdhva Hastasana in Swastikasana
a. Hold the upper wall ropes while sitting on a bolster in Swastikasana to lift collar bones and open armpit chest.
2. Urdhva Baddhanguliyasana in Chair Tadasana (2X)
a. Sitting erect in a chair, same actions as if standing in Tadasana.
3. Gomukhasana arms in Chair Tadasana (3X)
a. Ardha Gomukhasana arms: Sitting erect in a chair, take the right arm up, bend the right elbow. Hold the right elbow with the left hand and bring the elbow behind the head. Open the armpit.
4. Urdhva Baddhanguliyasana in Chair Tadasana
a. Repeat to feel the effect of Gomukhasana.
5. Rope Shoulder Harness in Chair Tadasana
a. Assisted to take the trapezius down, lift the chest, and free the neck.
6. Back Arch in Chair Tadasana
a. With chair back just below shoulder blades, Assistant helps Student back arch to open chest. Hold the back rung of the chair.
7. Virabhadrasana II
a. Omitted for time. Do next time.
8. Utthita Trikonasana
a. Omitted for time. Do next time. Did only with LL.
9. Utthita Parsvakonasana
a. Omitted for time. Do next time.
10. Parsvottanasana (hands on wall ledge) 2X
a. Push on wall ledge to take right hip back. Lift from back of the right knee up to the buttock bone and then lift the kneecap with the quadriceps.
b. Right hip back, left hip forward.
c. Outer hips in.
11. Chair Pavanmuktasana
a. Omitted for time.
12. Supta Baddha Konasana
a. Knees on a second bolster if hips are stiff.
13. Viparita Karani (15 min)
a. Omitted for time. Did with LL and for phlebitis [AP].
Note new poses for this week are in bold face.
Invocation in Swastikasana
1. Urdhva Hastasana in Swastikasana
a. Hold the upper wall ropes while sitting on a bolster in Swastikasana to lift collar bones and open armpit chest.
2. Urdhva Baddhanguliyasana in Chair Tadasana (2X)
a. Sitting erect in a chair, same actions as if standing in Tadasana.
3. Gomukhasana arms in Chair Tadasana (3X)
a. Ardha Gomukhasana arms: Sitting erect in a chair, take the right arm up, bend the right elbow. Hold the right elbow with the left hand and bring the elbow behind the head. Open the armpit.
4. Urdhva Baddhanguliyasana in Chair Tadasana
a. Repeat to feel the effect of Gomukhasana.
5. Rope Shoulder Harness in Chair Tadasana
a. Assisted to take the trapezius down, lift the chest, and free the neck.
6. Back Arch in Chair Tadasana
a. With chair back just below shoulder blades, Assistant helps Student back arch to open chest. Hold the back rung of the chair.
7. Virabhadrasana II
a. Omitted for time. Do next time.
8. Utthita Trikonasana
a. Omitted for time. Do next time. Did only with LL.
9. Utthita Parsvakonasana
a. Omitted for time. Do next time.
10. Parsvottanasana (hands on wall ledge) 2X
a. Push on wall ledge to take right hip back. Lift from back of the right knee up to the buttock bone and then lift the kneecap with the quadriceps.
b. Right hip back, left hip forward.
c. Outer hips in.
11. Chair Pavanmuktasana
a. Omitted for time.
12. Supta Baddha Konasana
a. Knees on a second bolster if hips are stiff.
13. Viparita Karani (15 min)
a. Omitted for time. Did with LL and for phlebitis [AP].
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