Help of Ojai 7.3.08

i taught tucker's help of ojai, level 2 class this morning at lulu's.
7 peeps showed up for class. it has been a true gift to have worked with this group for over a year now, once a week for 6 weeks at time. As a teacher, offering classes as a "series" really gives you a chance to meet people's bodies and understand what their needs are and how to best support them. In return, they feel a sense of progress and body awareness.

today was a super hot and muggy day.

opener: supta baddha konasana with bolster lengthwise behind spine.
I really enjoy opening class with a supported heart opener. breath work: bring hands to lower abdominal, guiding the breath towards the low belly.

virasana with block (some peeps used 2 blocks)
round and arch the spine (5 breaths)

shoulders: sit in virasana, inhale and circle arms over the top of the head. Exhale, slowly release arm back down by your side (5 breaths, moving the arms with the breath).

strap work: in virasana, cow face pose with strap variation (hold 5 breaths)repeat other side. shoulder rolls forward and back.

all fours:
cat/dog tilt
rest in childs
all fours (core strengthening) lift right arm and left leg, hold for 5 breaths, repeat left left arm and right leg, hold for 5 breaths. we did this 6 times.
rest in childs

come to standing:
right angle at wall (aka "wall splat) x2.
cactus arms, draw forearms together so that they are parallel, interlace fingers and draw the arms up over head, like in headstand. draw the elbows toward each other and lengthen the underarms and side waste. we took this shape and applied it to right angle at the wall, this time with the forearms on the wall and fingers interlaced.

tadasana

chairs at the wall:
down dog with chairs
lounge sequence: vira 1, alternating right and leg foot, pause in between each side in down dog

seated spinal twist in chair (both sides)

wide leg forward fold with hand on chair. lean it from right to left to wake up the inner groins. bring feet together and come back up to standing.

down dog lounge sequence moving into extended side angle with hand on chair or block (hold 5 breaths). release back to down dog. second side.
i demonstrated tracking the front knee over the ankle and externally rotating the femur bone in the hip socket.

trikonasana (triangle pose) with hand on chair x2 (both sides).

tadasana

from here, i had "planned" to lead up to ardha chandrasana (half moon) with the chair, but the grouped seemed tired from the standing poses and the heat, so we did tree pose instead. they always seem to enjoy tree pose. they grew their branches (arms) tall and balanced beautifully in the center of the room x2 (both sides).

coming onto backs:
knees to chest, rock from side to side.
bridge pose x2
windshield wiper pose with arms over head.
knees to chest
hamstring stretch with strap. leg out the side (both sides).

savasana
namaste