Week 23

Monday 27 August

Very challenging class with long complicated sequences, but fantastic! I didn't feel terribly well balanced today (possibly something to do with the bruises on my ankles from dancing in a new pair of stilettos at the weekend????). However, I think I'm finally learning to work with whatever my limits on a given day may be and to focus on good alignment rather than achieving the full pose.

A few notes from the class:

• Warm up
• SNA variation s with lunges and vira I
• Vira I to Vira II to reverse vira II to parvakonasana back to vira II into trikonasana to Ardha Chandrasana to trik to Vira II. Vinyasa to left hand side.
• Standing splits to utthita Hasta Padagusthasana to narajasana, release to standing splits. Vinyasa to left hand side.
• Vinyasa to plank to side plank. Draw right foot to half lotus and return to plank, chaturanga, Urhdu MUkha Svanasana to AMS - with right foot remaining in half lotus! Come to left knee, opening right hip and breathe. Walk back to balance on ball of left foot. Breathe. Uncurl to Vrkasana. Release!

Wednesday, 29 August

Two for class today.  They had both been a good few times so I decided I'd push them just a little with a lot of Surya Namaskar variations, introducing Vira III (which they achieved admirably).  Both were capable of doing back bends, though maybe not a full Ardhva Dhanurasana so we tried a little wildcat sequence - one part for fun and one part to give them the sensation of a long back bend.

Finished off with another viewing of the exquisite Equinox videos - one of these days.....

Also starting to make a post-qualification plan.  I've identified a perfect city centre location and got a good response from my network of friends and family.  Just have to focus on passing the exam now!

Thursday, 30 August

Half hour practice at home where I challenged myself to repeat all of the harder sequences of Monday's class.  I find I don't hold the poses for as long when I'm alone but I do find it easier to keep my balance in an empty, silent room!

New ideas for level 1-2 classes

Sunday, 26 August: Great level 1-2 class in the Yoga Room with Eithne (who also told me of a space in town I can rent as my apartment is beginning to feel a bit crowded with the advent of our new desk and bookshelves!). Lots of great ideas for my newbies, of course I should have written the class plan down as soon as I got home, but here is a reasonable stab at it:

·         Start in sukhasana – arm stretches and twists

·         Come to all fours

·         Adho Mukha Svanasana

·         Walk to Uttanasana

·         Tadasana – focus on alignment, arm stretches

·         SNA variation: high lunge – cobra – AMS – low lunge

·         SNA variation: high lunge arms extended horizontally and into a twist.

·         Bent knee Vira III

·         Vrkasana – held for a while

·         Come to lying down – Septu Bandha Sarvangasana and Urdhva Dhanurasana.

·         Dandasana

·         Paschimottanasana – using foam block, uddiyana bandha engaged to lengthen lower back (excellent!)

·         Sukhasana twist

·         Siaasana

The Equinox videos

Everytime I watch these I feel inspired, clumsy and fat and determine to dedicate the rest of my life to becoming this woman.  Not very yogic, but if you are going to aspire to physical perfection what a model!!  

Thanks to Vicky and Aengus for discovering more exquisite videos

 

Bit of a slow week, so mostly practising at home and trying to work on the balances I find so challenging.

Totally in love with my new lululemon pants.  No chaffing for all the supine Surya Namaskars I've been practising and MOST importantly they keep everything tucked in during those upside down poses!

WEEK 22

Monday, 20 August: 
Amazing but very challenging class.  Made more so by the August mugginess, but it flowed so beautifully that I soon forgot the Monday evening tiredness - and the sweat gathering on my brow.  Longer than usual meditation, then a standing warm up: circling feet, hips and neck.  Think I prefer warming up on the floor but good for a change and it led into a pranayama in which the the three bandhas are engaged after an exhale (cannot for the life of me remember the name but I have come across some more interesting yoga sites in trying to find out see:

http://www.yoga-age.com/asanas/bandhas.html#utilizing

http://www.staryoga.com/traditional-breathing-techniques

http://www.abc-of-yoga.com/

but more anon).  As we started talking about the bandhas in my class during the week, I wonder if I can introduce a simplified version to help my students discover their bandhas.  Will trial it tomorrow.

Back to the practice and the lovely sequences.  Here are a few that I want to practise again:

• Surya Namaskar A x 3.
• S.N.A variation: stepping back into a high lunge, twist with extended arms and lower to a low reverse parvottanasana in prayer. 
• High lunge to Vira III to reverse Ardha Chandrasana. 
• Urdhva Prasarita Eka Padasana (Standing Split)

   sweeping into Utthita Hasta Padagusthasana, then taking the extended foot into Natarajasana (dancer) and back to Urdhva Prasarita Eka Padasana

• AMS to Camatkarasana (wild thing) back to a low lunge, walking with hands to face the opposite side and repeat.  Many, many times.  (definitely trying this on my class!)

• From sitting, one leg lifted on to the shoulder and worked straight into heron pose - Krounchasana.  Then moving into Astavakrasana (8-angle pose).  Here is what it's meant to look like.  I got very very nearly there and fell flat on my face!

Tired but exhilarated!

Beautiful lulemon treats from the fabulous Ms Sauder!

Tuesday, 14 August:  First resolution helped by the arrival of the excellent ‘Yoga Anatomy’ by Leslie Kaminoff and Amy Matthews and Donna Farhi’s, ‘Bringing Yoga to Life’ – which I’m hoping will help me with me mental block on all things sutra related. Both available through amazon through the Book Depository.

Week 21

First of all I can’t believe it’s been 21 weeks!  Now that I’ve recovered from module 3 and my brief hatred of my yoga mat, it’s time to make some resolutions before the final module and exams.

1.       Read more consistently and attentively, especially the stuff I don’t like.

2.       Practise the module quizzes.

3.       Learn off the important muscles and exercises to strengthen them.

4.       Do a headstand without the wall and get into Pincha Mayurasana and Adho Mukha Vrksasana without support.

5.       Buy a new mat – one without biro and highlighter stains. This may be my reward for finishing the course!

Monday, 13 August: First class back.  Would have been a lovely practice if I hadn’t pulled my triceps, hamstrings and groin having an argument with a horse on Saturday.  Vira II was agony!  But a lovely sequence and worth taking down some notes:

Started with pranayama

Came to lying on backs to stretch lengthways and towards the ceiling.  Loosened out by shaking limbs in the air – aptly described as insect stuck on its back pose.

Rock and rolled from Halasana to Dandasana several time and came to squat. Rolled up to Tadasana.

·         Unusual variations on S.N. repeated 3-4 times:

o   Arms wept out to Uktasana,

o   Uttanasana,

o   step right foot back to high lunge,

o   Chaturanga,

o   Urdhva Mukha Svanasana,

o   Adho Mukha Svanasana,

o   step left foot forward to low lunge,  

o   Step right foot to meet left, Uttanasana

o   Uktasana

·         Vira II sequence:

o   Vira II

o   Revolved Vira II

o   Vira II

o   Trikonasana

·         Balancing sequence

o   Vira I

o   Vira III

o   Pavritta Ardha Chandrasana

·         Balancing sequence II:

o   Vira I

o   Vira III

o   Sweep elevated leg forward and take hold of foot, Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana

o   Extend leg and sweep back to Natarajasana (King of the Dancers pose)

·         3 point Sirsasana (headstand) into a balance that was new to me, with one leg crossed along back of forearms. (some googling later I believe it was Eka Pada Galavasana (Flying Pigeon))  Needless to say it did not look like this when I attempted it, but I was pretty happy to do a passable 3 point Sirsasana:

Two good friends on the way to the US and Canada this month so taking advantage of them to stock up on nice yoga clothes.  My lulemon list is getting pretty long, but after a VERY tough teacher training module I feel like I need some retail reward.  Especially liking this bag to carry my may.

Also, want to invest in a new mat as my current one is decorated with ink stains and purple highlighter from the training modules.   Any recommendations?