Standing Sequence (Groin Work)

“We cannot expect that millions are practicing real yoga just because millions of people claim to be doing yoga all over the globe. What has spread all over the world is not yoga. It is not even non-yoga; it is un-yoga.” The undue emphasis, particularly in the West, on asana as the crux of Yoga dilutes the essence of the spiritual practice and its ultimate goal of moksha"
-- Prashant Iyengar

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Books by Prashant Iyengar

Supta Swastikasana
Prone
Bring legs into torso

Supta Padangusthasana I
One leg in Marichyasana
Concentrate on alignment
Repeat for extension

Supta Padangusthasana II
One leg in Marichyasana
Concentrate on alignment
Repeat for extension

Supta Padangusthasana III
Ankle & shin resting on bolster to the side

Uttanasana

Prasarita Ardha Chandrasana
Foot on wall
Block for hand

Uttanasana
Concave back

Utkatasana into Uttanasana
bring ribs out of thighs
hug legs around knees
straighten the legs
make sure thighs and ribs are touching

Uttanasana/Virbrahdrasana III
Leg parallel to ground

Dandasana
Face wall with heels pressing into wall
Bolster behind butt
One leg in Tadasana
Other leg brought parallel to torso
Move bent knee away from torso
Bring ankle toward ear

Swastikasana
Head down

Swastikasana
Torso resting on left thigh
Torso resting on right thigh

Marichyasana
One leg in Upvista Konasana

Savasana

Menstruation Sequence

Supta Padangusthasana II
foot resting on bolster
belt arch

Adho Mukha Virasana
seated on doubled folded blanket
navel of bolster against navel
forehead on bolster

Utkatasana
abdomen soft

Adho Mukha Svanasana
hands on slanted blocks against wall, tall height

Adho Mukha Svanasana
hands blocks on the floor horizontal to mat

Rope Wall
hands thru ropes opening chest

Utthita Trikonasana
width distance between feet

Urdhva Dhanurasana
soles of feet on wall with heels resting on upright bolster
top of head resting on bolster

Setu Bandha

Upvista Konasana
bolster horizontal with forearms resting

Upvista Konasana
bolster vertical against navel forehead resting

Savasana

Wednesday: Back bend Sequence

Virasana
Sitting on folded blanket, small fold

Bhaliguilasana in Virasana
Arms overhead keeping the buttocks down
Arms moving backwards

Barvadrasana?

Tadasana 
Move things back
Keep buttocks down
Pelvis up
Abdomen inward

Utkatasana

Bhaliguasana in Tadasana
Arms overhead keeping the buttocks down
Arms moving backwards

Adho Mukha Svanasana
Hands on slanted blocks (highest height) against the wall

Adho Mukha Svanasana
w/o blocks, butterfly hands on floor
Thumb and pointer tips flush against wall
Head rests on floor

Pincha Mayurasana
Hands alongside 2 blocks – one highest height thin side next to block at shortest height
Bring legs into AMS making sure shoulders don’t go past elbows
Bring legs up moving buttocks upward and abdomen back

Dhanurasana 
Lie prone
Belt below elbows
 Lift torso and extend arms backward
Keep legs on floor

Urdhva Dhanurasana
Chair few inches away from wall, facing away
Quarter folded mat over back rest
Bolster upright on back rest
Feet pressing into legs of chair
Move into asana bringing hands down on wall

Eka Pada Supta Virasana
One leg in Virasana, other in Marichyasana
Move buttocks toward heels

Adho Mukha Virasana
Bring bolster against abdomen

Adho Mukha Virasana
Moving bolster and torso parallel with both left then right thigh

Marichyasana w/ Upvista Konasana
One leg in Marichyasana, other in Upvista Konasana

Cross Bolsters
2 blocks next to each other mid-height flush against wall
Bolster horizontal to mat
3 folded blankets perpendicular to mat on top of bolster
One block shortest height wide side next to bolster near wall side
Sit on top of folded blankets which are resting on block
Two blankets few inches away from bolster for head
Shoulders rest on floor

Supta Swastikasana
Legs in airLegs on bolster from cross bolsters asana

Savasana

Standing Sequence Uttanasana Focused

Supta Padangusthasana Variation
- one leg bent
- belt above heel straight leg perpendicular to floor
- other leg bent into 90 degree angle
- leg straight holding onto both sides of foot

Adho Mukha Virasana
- torso in line with knee variation on both sides

Uttanasana
- fingertips on floor, concave back

Padahastasana
- concave back

Uttanasana
- holding onto big toes, head down

Padahastasana
- head down

Utkatasana

- bend and move ribs away so abdomen rests on top of thighs

- bent and wrap arms around legs

- slowly straighten legs into Uttanasana keeping abdomen on thighs

 Salmaba Sirasana
- two blocks at back
- variation both feet at both sides
- arms in tripod variation

Marichyasana I

Baddha Konasana
- sitting on rolled mat
- lift legs and feet
- Navasana
- feet on rolled mat

Heels on Rolled mat squatting
Kakasana

Setu Bandha
- tailbone on block
- one foot straight up
- both feet up » Viparina Karani

Sirsasana

Groin Opener Sequence

Sthira Sukham Asanam
- Yoga Sutra 2.46

The asana for Yoga meditation should be be steady, stable, and motionless, as well as comfortable, and this is the third of the eight rungs of Yoga.

Supine Twist with bent leg on bolster

Virbradrasana II
back heel against wall

Utthita Prasvokonasana
front foot on block
back heel against wall

Ardha Chandrasana
middle of room

Ardha Chandrasana
back foot on wall

Uttanasana in Virbradasana II

Uttanasana

Prasarita Padottanasana
facing wall
feet 3" away from wall
back on wall

Viparita Dandasana 
2 blocks, highest height block with lowest height block on top
stay in Adho Mukha Svanasana

Viparina Dandasana
no support for head

Maricyasana
one leg in Upvista Konasana

Baddha Konoasana
forward extension

Salamba Sarvangasana
one leg down variation
one leg in Upvista Konasana

Halasana

Supta Swastikasana

Restorative Asana Week

Child's Pose
bolster up and against abdomen

Supine Twist w/ bolster
Lying facing floor twist, thigh on bolster

Supta Padangusthasana

Padotanasana

Utanasana

Viparina Karani

Supta Baddha Konasana

Above in Savasana

Wednesday: Groin Opening Sequence

Adho Mukha Virasana
center
torso on the left side
and then on the right side

Marichyasana
one leg in Virasana, one leg in Upvista Konasana

Upvista Konasana

Uthitta Parsvokonasana
hand inside of bent leg
mimicking prior asana - bent leg and elbow moving towards each other

Supta Padangusthasana
one leg in Virasana
one leg in Virasana, other leg bent, knee toward armpit
one leg in Virasana, bent leg perpendicular to torso, holding onto other shin

Viparita Dandasana
with one leg bent over head of chair
mimicking prior asana

Salamba Sarvagasana in Baddha Konasana

Padmasana
forward bend over bolster

Adho Mukha Virasana

Adho Mukha Virasana
with bent legs together
hands, palms facing up, along torso

Wednesdays: Forward Bend Sequence

Supta Padangusthasana

Asana
Sit on shins w/blanket at knees w/o blanket

Parsvotonasana

Pravritta Parsvotonasana

Utthitta Parsvokoasna

Adho Mukha Svanasana
hand on angled blocks at wall
feet on blocks medium height
feet on blocks highest
height hands together at wall, feet together (butterfly)

Sirsasana 
2 blocks at wall; one highest height, other lowest height
downward dog with blocks at shoulders

Bhujangasana

Baddha Konasana
no suppport
lift legs up

Upvista Konasana in Baddha Konasana
bring legs in air

Janu Sirsasana 

Salamaba Sarvangasana 

Halasana 

Supta Swastikasana

Wednesday: Standing Sequence

After taking a hiatus from weekly yoga classes, I finally made my way over to Yoga Tree at Lake Street Church in Evanston with Bob. I’ve gone to Evanston for classes with Patrina before, but the times were conflicting with my schedule. Luckily, Bob offers Wednesday night classes at 7:15 and I remember him being a great teacher from a handful of classes I took awhile ago. Bob’s a great teacher and my third Iyengar yoga teacher. He’s certified, knowledgeable and taps into asanas and aspects of the asana I haven’t heard before. Everyone has their own particular style of teaching and now that I’ve gone through teacher training, I’m more attentive to teacher’s vocabulary, tone, humor, sequencing, prop usage and style. Last Wednesday’s class is as follows:

Supta Padangusthasana
w/ foot on block again wall

Marichyasana
w/ one leg in Upvista Konasana

Utthita Trikonasana
feet on outside edges of mat

Utthita Parsvolonasana
feet on outside edges of mat

Pravritta Ardha Chandrasana 

Ardha Chandrasana
foot on the wall hand on block

Pravritta Ardha Chandrasana
foot on the wall hand on block

Adho Mukha Vrksasana

Urdhva Mukha Svanasana
standing at rope wall

Urdhva Dhanurasana 
with chair

Upvista Konasana 

Savasana

First Yoga Class Taught

It's been a long, enlightening journey teaching yoga. Or at least, attempting to teach yoga. I spent a lot of time sequencing classes and practicing the exact words I'd use to explain the asanas. My first class 8 weeks ago is written below. I used a simple sequence from the Iyengar Institute in New York. Much has changed since my first class - the way I sequence, the poses I select, the way I teach, and talk.

Class 1 
Have students bring two blankets and 2 blocks to their mat. Introduce yourself Ask about students experience Ask if anyone has pain or body issues

Namaskarasna
Bending the elbows bring the palms together in front of the sternum
Place the thumb side near the sternum
Have an equal contact between the base of the palm, the middle of the palm, and the length of all fingers. 

Tadasana
Stand upright in the middle of your mat
Keep feet together, toes, ankles and heels touching
See that the body weight is spread evenly over the feet
Tighten the kneecaps and lift the knees up
Press the front of the thighs back
Keep the spine erect and the chest lifted
Place your arms down by the sides, in line with the hips
Roll the shoulders back and tuck the shoulder-blades in
Keep neck and head straight
Look straight ahead

Urdhva Hastasana
Stand in Tadasana
Exhale and extend the arms straight forward and above the head
Keep the upper arms in line with the ears
Bring the palms to face each other
Extend the wrists and fingers
Look up and check that the palms are facing each other and exactly parallel
Look straight ahead

Urdhva Baddhanguliyasna
Stand in Tadasana
Interlock the fingers
Rotate the palms of the hands & wrists away from you
Keep thumbs pointing towards the floor
Straighten the elbows
Extend the arms toward the ceiling keeping the upper arms in line with the ears
Have the entire surface of the both palms equally facing the ceiling
Bring the hands forward
Release the interlock, lower the arms down
Change the interlock

Vrksasana
Bring short end of the mall to the wall
Stand in Tadasana
Bend the right knee and catch hold of the right ankle
Take the knee out to the right side
Place the sole of the right foot high on the inside of the left thigh, toes pointing down
Keep the left leg straight and steady
Extend the arms straight over the head
Keep palms together
To Exit » Exhale, lower right foot to the floor
Take arms down and repeat on other side

Utthita Trikonasana
Inhale and jump the feet 4ft apart
Keep the feet parallel and point forwards
Extend the arms out at shoulder level
Open the palms face them down
Lift the knees, trunk and chest
Turn the right leg and foot 90 to the right
Turn the left foot, slightly in
Keep the head and chest aligned
Exhale and extend the trunk to the right
Place the right hand down on the block next to the shin
Stretch the left arm in line with the left shoulder
Turn the head and look up
Keep both arms and legs straight
Inhale to come up

Utthita Parsvakonasana
Stand in Tadasana Inhale and jump the feet 4ft apart
Keep the feet parallel and point forwards
Extend the arms out at shoulder level
Turn the right leg and foot 90 to the right
Turn the left foot, slightly in
Bend the right leg to a right angle
Take the right hand down to the block next to the leg
Keep the chest facing the front
Extend the left arm up toward the ceiling
Turn the head to look up at the hand

Parsvottanasana
Place two block on the right side of mat
Stand in Tadasana Inhale and jump the feet 3ft apart
Keep the feet parallel and pointing forward
Place hands on the waist
Turn the right leg 90 to the right
Turn the left leg in and torso to face the right Inhale and lift the chest
Exhale and bend at the waist to bring the torso parallel to the floor
Place the hands on the blocks
Straighten the legs
Concave the back
Raise the head and look up

Prasarita Padottanasana
Place two blocks in front of the mat
Stand in Tadasana
Inhale and jump the feet 4ft. apart
Keep the feet parallel and pointing forward
Exhale, extend the trunk forward from the hips
Place the fingertips on the blocks shoulder width apart
Keep the legs straight
Concave the back
Lift the chest and sternum
Raise the head and look up

Adho Mukha Svanasana
Keep the hands should width apart
Keep the feet in line with the palms
Open the palms, spread the fingers and press them evenly on the floor
Exhale and lengthen the spine up towards the hips
Keep the elbows and legs straight
Lift the thighs up and push them back
Lift the hips
Move the trunk towards the thighs
Take the heels towards the floor

Teaching Yoga

I have been enrolled in an advanced yoga studies program and teacher training for the past 2 years. I need 10 hours of teaching a class in order to register for yoga alliance teaching certification. I've been procrastinating this portion of the program since I am terrified of standing in front of class to explain and guide students in an asana practice. Terrified. I can happily say that I have finished teaching 2 classes as of Friday night. One of the teacher's in the training program asked me months ago if I would be interested in teaching a class at the space she teaches at, Mystical Sciences Institute. I'm glad I'm there. What I like about teaching there is that it is not a gym or fitness center since I regard yoga as a spiritual discipline and not a form of physical fitness. MSI isn't a yoga studio which is nice. Students come to me because they want to learn and there's not many yoga teachers there. I'm learning a lot thru teaching. All I know of yoga is from my personal practice. While in classes we use props and I could never explain what I physically was doing, I just...did it. Now I have to verbalize this practice which is an educational experience because I'm approaching the asana practice with words and not just my body and personal insight. I feel like I'm not just going back to the basics, but approaching the basic with a new light. I'm learning about how to approach the practice to students that do know. For example, I'm noticing that the classes I taught were focused on asanas and sequencing. When I construct my next class I want to integrate more Iyengar / props into specific actions I want them to experience. Like:

• The four corners of the feet
• Rolling the thighs inward
• Pressing the front of the thighs to the back of the thighs

I feel so silly that I forgot to demonstrate with props all these helpful aspects of the asanas. Ah well. I love approaching from this aspect. It keeps me on my toes so that I can fully understand the practice.