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

Restorative Sequence

Supta Tadasana

Supta Padangustasana I

Supta Padangustasana II
rolled blanket at side

Adho Mukha Svanasana 
forehead resting on bolster
hands touching ends of bolster

Uttanasana
start seated on chair
bend down keeping ribs on thighs

Prasarita Padottanasana
head on bolster
arms extended like AMS
ribs - keep key points in previous asana

Salamba Sirsasana

Supta Baddha Konasana
2 belts at shins & things
bolster for torso
blanket for head

Supta Tadasana
torso on bolster like SBK
1 belt at shins
1 belt at upper thighs
simple Pranayama practice

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

Article
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