Backbend Sequence

Invocation

Discussion on judging body through the thinking mind. 

Ardha Pardva Hastasana

- standing with hand on wall

- rotate wrist so fingers point behind you

Pardva Hastasana

Utthita Trikonasana

- lift from inner wrist

- side up

- deltoid moving down

- mimick same actions from Ardha Pardva Hastasana

Adho Mukha Virasana

- hands on angled block slanted on wall

- roll triceps under

Sun Salutations x10

Urdva Hastasana

Concave Uttanasana

Adho Mukha Svanasana

Uttanasana

Urdvha Hastasana

Dwi Pada Dandasana

- regular 

- arms outstretched then crossed with back of head resting on them

Ardha Urva Danurasana x3

- bolster long resting on back of chair

- hold chair

- feet angled and pressing on bottom of chair legs 

- lift up buttocks

- legs stay parallel

- move into asana then place hands on wall with elbows bent and moving towards each other

- straighten arms and move hands closer to the floor

Removing lethargy 

Cross Bolsters

(combination of Viparita Dandasana & Setu Bandha)

- Rolled blanket under neck which gives a backbend effect 

Viparita Karini

Adho Mukha Virasana

- over lengthwise bolster with abdomen resting on bolster

- turn left

- turn right

Adho Mukha Virasana

- bolster widthwise on ground with forehead resting

- hands touching opposite ends of bolster

Restorative Sequence

The Yoga Sutras provides yoga with a thorough and consistent philosophical basis and clarify many important esoteric concepts. In the Sutras, Patanjali prescribes adherence to eight "limbs" or steps (the sum of which constitute "Ashtanga Yoga," the title of the second chapter) to quiet one's mind and achieve kaivalya, "detachment" and "solitude."

Patanjali divided his Yoga Sutras into four chapters or books (pada), containing in all 196 aphorisms.

1. Samadhi Pada
Samadhi refers to a blissful state where the yogi is absorbed into the One.

2. Sadhana Pada
Sadhana is the Sanskrit word for "practice" or "discipline."
Act without attachment to the results or fruit of action and activity.

3. Vibhuti Pada
Vibhuti is the Sanskrit word for "power" or "manifestation." The temptation of powers should be avoided and the attention should be fixed only on liberation.

4. Kaivalya Pada
Kaivalya means "isolation" and stands for emancipation. Describes the process of liberation and the reality of the transcendental ego.

Person seeing
Thing being seen
Act of seeing
All unified in samadhi

Practice in not only in what the body is doing, also add recuperative practice for the mind and soul.

Iyengar practice is a yoga practice you can grow old with, get sick, and change with.


Supta Padangusthasana
- strap bottom of the shoulderblades, just under the armpit
- right arm alongside torso with fist under outer femur pointing toward body
- strap on metatarsals of right foot

Uttanasana w/ Concave Back
- 2 blocks highest height

Uttanasana 
- palms resting 2 blocks highest height, fingers pointing toward body

Uttanasana 
- 1 or 2 blocks for head support
- hold unto ankles
- hips wide apart
- then bend elbows

Ardha Sirsasana
- 2 blocks in T-shape

Uttanasana
- wide legs, feet to edges of mat

Halasana

Upvista Konasana in Halasana 

Supta Baddha Konasana

Forward bends enhance pratyahara since the head is typically down and there's nothing to see and distract your attention inward.

Swastikasana
- seated on bolster with back against wall
- bend down and move buttocks flesh against wall
- triple fold blanket for legs
- change interlace of feet

Savasana
- lie face down on bolster
- rest forehead on double folded blanket

Adho Mukha Virasana
- forehead on bolster

Sequence

Supta Padangusthasana

- working backwards

- grounded leg bent in Marichyasana

- active leg bent into chest

- hold unto leg

Supta Padangusthasana I

- keep grounded leg bent in Marichyasana

Marichyasana I

- heel of grounded leg outside of mat

Utthita Parsvakonasana

- keep same movement of arm pressing into leg in Supta Padangusthasana

- feet at opposite ends of mat

- move the back thigh back

- tuck the front buttocks in

Uttanasana

Vrksasana II

- buttocks resting on wall

- feet few inches away from wall

- 2 blocks for hands

Adho Mukha Vrksasana

- keep abdomen moving inward

- move buttocks towards heels (should not be resting on wall)

Viparita Dandasana

Padmasana in Viparita Dandasana

- highest height of blocks

Setu Bandha 

- long thin fold blanket

Eka Pada Setu Bandha

Ardha Padmasana in Setu Bandha

Viparita Karani in Setu Bandha

Baddha Konasana

- legs resting on wall

Padmasana in Baddha Konasana

Ardha Padmasana in Baddha Konasana

Yoga Mudras

Swastikasana

- bend forward

- rest forehead on bolster

- rest hand on ends of bolster

- move buttocks downward

- extend through heels

Adho Mukha Virasana

- bend forward

- rest forehead on bolster

- rest hands on ends of bolster, lengthwise

Adho Mukha Virasana

- rest head on floor

- rest hands besides body with palms up

Groin & Hip Sequence

Supine Sequence

Supta Baddha Konasana
- 1 long fold blanket
- strap at ankles or hold unto ankles

Supta Padangusthasana I
- resting leg in Marichyasana
- bend active leg and belt at knee

Adho Mukha Virasana

Invocation

Baddha Konasana

Work towards Eka Pada Rajakapotasana

 in Hanumanasana

- front leg in Janu Sirasana

Parsvotanasana
- same relation in groins

Uttanasana
- Legs width of mat

Urdhva Eka Pada splits
- splits on wall
- start in Adho Mukha Virasana on thin rolled blanket

Uttanasana

Sirasana

Viparita Dandasana
- right leg into chest
- then right leg up

Sarvangasana
- Eka Pada Sarvangasana
- Paritas Pada Sarvangasana

Marichasana III
- one leg in Virasana
- straighten leg
- hold leg
- left holding right
- right holding left Virasana foot

Savasana

Supine Sequence

Supta Padangusthasana I
- w/resting leg bent in Marichyasana
- highlights stability in lower back

Supta Padangusthasana II
- slight movement to the side

Supta Padangusthasana III
- slight movement to the side

Supta Padangusthasana II
- knee bent w/ sole of foot face ceiling
- moving knee toward armpit

Supta Padangusthasana III
- bent legs, one leg's ankle resting on other leg's knee
- bring legs toward chest
- arms wrap around Marichyasana leg off the floor

Ardha Padmasana in Supta Padangusthasana 
- holding unto foot w/o belt
- different guna being highlighted

Virasana
- w/o props

Virasana
- knees on bolster

Virasana
- knees apart on bolster
- forward bend, head resting on bolster

Uttanasana

Baddha Konasana
- elbows on thighs

Akarna Dhanurasana

Upvista Konasana
- then elbows on thighs

Padangustasansa

Viparita Dandasana
- arms extending straight
- hold onto elbows with head resting

Wide Leg Twist
- on chair

Malasana
- on chair

Dwi Hasta Bhujasana
- hand on blocks

Viparita Karani

Restorative Sequence

Supta Baddha Konasana
- no strap
- arms overhead clasping unto elbows

Swastikasana
- seated on bolster
- blanket for legs

Adho Mukha Virasana
- 2 folded blankets on top of bolster
- knees up, toes down
- bend forward with forehead on bolster

Uttanasana
- concave back with fingertips on bolster
- head down

Sirsasana

Halasana
- chair for feet
- Eka Pada Halasasana
- individual feet off to the sides
- Karnapidasana

Malasana
- seated on chair
- rest top of head on bolster

Uttanasana
- fold over seated part of chair
- hands clasping elbows
- forehead resting on forearms

Viparita Karani Asana
- legs in Swastikasana on bolster

Adho Mukha Swastikasana
- forehead resting on bolster
- hands to the end of bolster

Adho Mukha Virasana
- forehead resting on bolster
- hands to the end of bolster

Swastikasana
- seated on bolster

Seated, Backbends & Twists

10/18/13 Class

Swastikasana
- trifold blankets, longer & thinner for under armpits
- double fold for head & thighs

Invocation

Virasana
- two double fold blankets for knees
- tops of feet on floor

- then tuck toes under

Bhadrasana

Concave Uttanasana

Supta Padangustasana
- one leg in Mariychasana
- then straight leg

Uttanasana
- hands on blocks/ concave back
- original pose

Vibradrasana III
- start asana from Uttanasana
- do not extend arms, leave fingers touching ground

Ardha Sirasana
- w/ 2 blocks T-shaped against wall

Vipraita Dandasana

Twist on chair

Supta Padangusthasana in Vipraita Dandasana
- one leg bent over back of chair
- belt that foot then straighten overhead
- hold unto belt above head

Wide legged twist on chair

Cross Bolsters
- bolster widthwise on mat
- 2 folded blankets lenghtwise crossing on top of bolsters
- block under blankets, sit on top
- blanket for head

Twist Lying on Floor
- bolster at side resting that sides' bent leg
- twist without bolster

Standing Sequence Class

Supta Baddha Konasana
- arms to the side
- arms overhead

Adho Mukha Virasana
- forehead on bolster

Invocation to Sage Patanjali

Marichyasana
- one leg in Upvista Konasana

Utthita Trikonasana

Prasarita Padottanasana
- second attempt, arms in AMS

Repeat Utthita Trikonasana

Repeat Parsirta Paddotanasana

Byliguasana

Adho Mukha Virasana
- slanted blocks fingers pointing out
- slanted blocks fingers straight

Repeat Byli

Repeat Adho Mukha Virasana

Gomukhasana

Sirasana
- with Gomukhasana rotation

Gomukhasana

Setu Bandasana
- 2 blankets folded long
- block under tailbone

Ardha Sarvangasana
- feet on wall

Upvista Konasana
- seated on 4 blankets from Ardha Sarvangasana
- bring ab and organs inward

Baddha Konasana
- pubis upward
- butt bone downward

Savasana

Restorative Sequence: Utilizing 3 Stages of Posture

Prashant Iyengar
Bob introduces most classes with some inspirational message like introducing and explaining a yoga sutra. This class and a few before it, he's mentioned BKS Iyengar's son Prashant. Normally followers of Iyengar yoga are fans of BKS Iyengar (of course) and/or his daughter, Geeta. Bob tells us that Prashant doesn't gain as much popularity. However, whenever he either sees him or reads about him, his mind explodes. Apparently, the last time Bob was in India, he was really moved by Prashant's teachings which are very different from Iyengar and Geeta. In this class, Bob talked about Prashant's three ways of working with postures. Posture, then Asana and finally Yogasana.

Posture - Upon entering the posture, the work starts as mechanical and instructional. Learning takes place on the understanding of the posture and your body.

Asana - As the understanding of the posture is improved, then you can move the energy deeply. Less bodily action, more mental, I believe.

Yogasana - This seems to be the last stage after posture and asana which is rarely occurring in your practice. It's the pathway to the soul.

Supta Tadasana II
- Urdhva Hastasana, palms facing up
- 2 thin long rolled blankets at sides of hips
- strap, tiny loop for heel, holding from the inside
- weight on grounded leg ankle

Prasarita Padottanasana
- back of legs and buttocks against wall
- forehead on bolster
- arms extended

Viparita Dandasana
- heels rested on bolster (mid height)
- no support for head or shoulders

Salamba Sirsasana
- chair 6" away from wall
- Baddha Konasana
- Upvista Konasana (in air)

Supta Baddha Konasana
- full setup
- blankets not rolled, double folded instead
- working with Pranayama

Pranayama
- inhaling the breath deeply, moving centrally
- when the breath reaches the collarbone, expanding it upward
- exhaling down the sides of the ribs
- move the breath like a fountain

Savasana

Backbend Week

Sutra 3.11
sarvarathata ekagrata ksaya udaya chittasya samadhi-parinamah

The mastery called samadhi-parinamah is the transition whereby the tendency to all-pointedness subsides, while the tendency to one-pointedness arises.

Gomukhasana

Pascimaskar

Parsvottanasana

Adho Mukha Svanasana
- slanted block
- hands to the sides
- hands forward
- no block, shoulders pulled in

Pincha Mayurasana

Sirsasana

Chatush Padasana

Salabhasana
- distance of strap to Pincha

Viparina Dandasana

Setu Bandasana
- on block

Bharadvajasana I

Supta Virasana

Bharadvajasana I

Adho Mukha Virasana
- short end of bolster close to abs

Savasana
- 2 long thin roll blankets

Standing Asana Week

Supta Padagusthasana I

Supta Padagusthasana II

Bhujasana

Marichyasana III

Parsvakonasana
- Uttanasana
- Parvritta Trikonasana

Uttanasana
- wide legs

Vibradrasana III
- like Supta Padagusthasana upside down

Parvritta Ardha Chandrasana
- blocks
- foot at wall

Ardha Sirsasana
- 2 blocks
- legs off to side

Eka Pada Viparita Dandasana
- 2 blocks
- chair
- into Supta Padagusthasana I w/ strap

Uttanasana 
- with chair
- then wide leg twist

Viparita Karani
- Baddha Konasana

Ardha  Padmasana III
- forward bend

Setu Bandha Sarvangasana
- block
- thin folded blanket for shoulders
- Eka Pada Badd
- Ardha Padmasana
- other leg bent

Yoga Mudras