Yoga Basics, Monday at 5:15

after class alain made a comment about the importance of learning the sanskrit words for the poses. i totally agree with him.
obviously, some of the poses and movements we do in class, like "the shimmy" or "cactus arms" do not have formal sanskrit names. the asana practice (which literally means "sitting comfortable in one's own being") was made up by ancient yogi scientist thousands of years ago. at lulu's we are continuing the tradition of investigation by morphing the practice to meet people where they are. below i've written the poses in both sanskrit and english.

supine (lying down with the face up) with 2 blocks:
1 in between the shoulder blades/back of the heart
1 under the head- begin with the tallest side to help create a sense of jalandhara bandha, and lower the block gradually over the course of 10 minutes. "bring your awareness towards the breath!"

remove blocks
easy windshield wipers
supine baddha konasana with arms overhead and hands holding elbows
arch and curl
"shimmy"
knees into chest and rock

transition onto all fours
pelvic tilt and spinal movement
balasana (childs pose)
side stretch on both sides
vajrasana
roll up

demo childs into half dog

childs
half dog
plank
adho mukha svanasana (down dog)
uttanasana (standing forward fold)
roll up to standing

shoulder rolls and shrugs

shoulder opening at the wall (on both sides)
wall splat
wall dog aka right angle
uttanasana
roll up to standing

tadasana with the block in between the thighs
interlace fingers overhead with palms turning up
ujayyi breath
uttanasana
roll up to standing

sequence 1:
lounge salute with 2 blocks
tadasana
sun salute to lounge
lower knee towards crescent with option of arms overhead or in "cactus"
lounge
step forward
uttanasana
roll up

repeat pattern on the second side

sequence 2:
sun salute to lounge
blue print side angle
utthita trikonasana (triangle pose)
utthita parsvakonasana (extended side angle pose)- sweep arm in front of the face and overhead
lounge

vinyasa sequence:
dog
plank
lower to belly
sphinx
reverse windshield wipers
salabhasana (locust)
childs
plank
dog
uttanasana
roll up to standing

repeat sequence 2 and vinyasa on the second side

vajrasana
baddha konasana
pavritta janu sirsasana (revolved head to knee pose) on both sides

demo

setu bandha sarvangasana (supported bridge pose) with a folded blankets under shoulders
and 1 to 2 blocks under the sacrum (stacked on the shortest and widest side)

knee into chest and extend (one at the time)
play towards viparita karani (both legs up, like in "legs up the wall")
release and lower one block at a time

heart opener with blanket under the shoulder blades
knees into chest and rock
spinal twist on both sides

starfish savasana