Restorative 2.21.08

Rainy evening Restorative
8 peeps showed up tonight.
several new peeps.

began supine like we usually do.

supta baddha konassana with a bolster- 15 mins.
full body scan, emphasizing the sensations in the body
begining with the crown of the head and moving all the way down to the
soles of the feet and toes.

supported swan/pigeon with a bolster (both sides)5 min.

gentle yoga- stretching out the back of the knees.
tuning into the energy and movement around the tailbone and spine.
cat/cow coordinating your movement with your breath...

supported brdige pose with bolster
strap around the thighs.
powerful chest opener
i was a little weary about introducing this pose because there were
new peeps that came to class, but i also wanted to offer something a bit "deeper" for the regulars. this felt like the right shape to offer, and everyone went into it smoothly without discomfort. it helps to clearly demonstrate where to properly place the bolster- at the bottom of the shoulder blades/scapula. 12 to 15min.

counter pose

supported childs pose 12 to 15min.

supported spinal twist (both sides) 5 min.
by the time we get to forward supported spinal twists the class has completely dropped in. i can feel the energy in the room shift. there's is deep sedative quality.

savasana- final resting pose 15 min.
bolster with rolled up blanket under the knees

sit
namaste

the flavor of my teaching tonight-
farmer and the cook chai- corriander, cardamom, clove, ginger root, anise, cinnamon, black tea (10 min steep)water...soy creamer and honey
pungency
complexity
energetic
spicy, not too sweet
from the heart
full

i picked up stephen levine's book A Gradual Awakening.
He offers profound insight that is clear and simple to understand.
His word jump out at me...they deeply resonate with me, vibrating truths- some that i learning again and again, others that trigger new awareness, deep into the core of my being. tugging on wires of conditioning, patterns that no longer serve me.

On being in the present moment, he expresses, "...When awareness is open in the body, we tend not to get so lost in our head, we don't get so confused by the flux of mental conditions and states of mind. Staying at the level of sensation in the body allow us to see everything much more clearly within the field of awareness. It's the perfect backdrop. It's a non-verbal level of awareness which is available all the time." pg 124

drawing from my earlier reading