A fluid vinyasa practice that works towards leg balancing poses with Ardha Chandrasana (Halfmoon pose). This class opens with Brahmari breathing (bees breath) and a short visualization practice to ground the body and calm the nervous system. Twists, lunges, variations in balancing tabletop, side plank pose, shalabasana (locust pose) create length, strength, and space in the body. This class includes a little bit of everything; it’s great for those who sit all day. Backbends, hip and inner thigh opening conclude the practice before savasana or seated meditation.

Style: Vinyasa

Duration: 60-minutes

Level: open

Props: 2 Blocks

Focus: side body & inner thigh lengthening, Halfmoon pose.

Location: Vancouver, BC

Music: Side Crow (PWC) Spotify Playlist

Moving Meditation 

Come up to stand at the top of your mat.

Close your eyes and breathe deep.

Spread your feet wider than hip-distance.

Inhale and take your arms up over your head, exhale and spread your arms down to the ground.

Bhramari Breath

Imagine a blue ball of light at your collar bones. Imagine with each inhale how this light gets brighter. Take your hands and place them on either side of your neck. Take three cycles of brahmari breath, aka bees breath. This style of pranayama has a calming effect on the mind and body. Brahmari is also known as bees breath, as it sounds like a bee humming when performed. This pranayama grounds the body to calm the nervous system and helps relieve stress, anxiety, or anger.

2x Sun Salutations – flow on your own or follow the cues

Tadasana (mountain pose)

Urdvha Hastasana (hands to sky)

Uttanasana (forward fold)

Ardha Uttanasana (half lift)

Anjaneyasana (lunge)

Adho mukha svanasana (down dog)

Phalakasana (plank pose)

Chaturanga

Bhujangasana (cobra pose)

Adho mukha svanasana (down dog)

Eka pada adho mukha svanasana (3-legged downward dog)

Anjaneyasana (lunge)

Uttanasana (forward fold)

Ardha Uttanasana (half lift)

Uttanasana (forward fold)

Urdvha Hastasana (hands to sky)

Uttanasana (forward fold)

Repeat the same sequence on the other leg.

Wave 1

Utkatasana (chair pose)

Uttanasana (forward fold)

Ardha Uttanasana (half lift)

Anjaneyasana (lunge) variation

• Keep your back knee off of the ground.
• Bend your elbows and take your fingertips to your shoulders
• Inhale and take your elbows back and up to the sky
• Exhale and take your elbows forward and down
• Allow your upper body and arms to move with the fluidity of your breath
• Repeat several cycles

Anjaneyasana (lunge) variation

• Lower your back knee to the ground
• Take one arm to your front thigh
• Extend the opposite arm overhead
• Send your breath into your front thigh and pelvis

Utthan Pristhasana (lizard pose) variation

• Lower your bottom hip to the ground
• Look over your shoulder for a little twist
• Breathe into your side waist

Adho mukha svanasana (down dog)

Phalakasana (plank pose)

Chaturanga

Shalabasana (locust pose) variation

• Extend one arm in front of you
• Take the opposite arm behind you
• Lift one leg off of the ground
• Root the other toes to the earth
• Lift the arm that’s in front of you off of the ground
• Take a few breaths here

Bhujangasana (cobra pose) OR Urdhva Mukha Shvanasana (upward facing dog)

Chaturanga

Phalakasana

Adho mukha svanasana (down dog)

Eka Pada Adho Mukha Svanasana (3-legged down dog)

Virabhadrasana II (warrior 2) variation

• Inhale and straighten your arms out in front of you
• Exhale and take your arms out to a T-shape
• Inhale and cactus your arms
• Exhale and bring your elbows and palms to touch

Trikonasana (triangle pose) floating variation

• Option to take your bottom hand down to the ground or a block

Trikonasana (triangle pose)

Parivrtta Ashtachandrasana (revolved lunge) variation

• Take your bottom hand to the ground
• Take the top hand to the back of your head

Uttanasana (forward fold)

Ardha Uttanasana (half lift)

Uttanasana (forward fold)

Urdvha Hastasana (hands to sky)

Tadasana (mountain pose)

Repeat the same sequence on the other leg.

Wave 2

Utkatasana (chair pose)

Uttanasana (forward fold)

Ardha Uttanasana (half lift)

Anjaneyasana (lunge) variation

• Keep your back knee off of the ground.
• Bend your elbows and take your fingertips to your shoulders
• Take one elbow up towards the sky
• Bring your torso about a quarter of the way forward
• Option to extend your hands toward the sky and ground
• Hold and breathe

Anjaneyasana (lunge) variation with the back knee on the ground

Bharmanasana (tabletop) balancing variation

• Lift one leg, so the heel is in line with your hip
• Extend the opposite arm toward the front of your mat

Vasisthasana (side plank pose) variation

• Keep your bottom knee on the ground
• Option to lift the back leg from the ground

Adho mukha svanasana (down dog)

Phalakasana (plank pose)

Chaturanga

Shalabasana (locust pose) variation

• Extend one arm in front of you
• Take the opposite arm behind you
• Lift one leg off of the ground
• Root the other toes to the earth
• Lift the arm that’s in front of you off of the ground
• Take a few breaths here

Bhujangasana (cobra pose) OR Urdhva Mukha Shvanasana (upward facing dog)

Chaturanga

Phalakasana

Adho mukha svanasana (down dog)

Eka Pada Adho Mukha Svanasana (3-legged down dog)

Virabhadrasana II (warrior 2) variation with hands on the ground

Ardha Chandrasana (half moon pose)

• Option to extend the top hand to the sky
• Option to take your bottom hand to your heart

Virabhadrasana II (warrior 2)

Viparita Virabhadrasana (peaceful warrior pose)

• Option to take half or full cow face arms

Uttanasana (forward fold)

Ardha Uttanasana (half lift)

Uttanasana (forward fold)

Urdvha Hastasana (hands to sky)

Tadasana (mountain pose)

Repeat the same sequence on the other leg.

Cooling Flow 

Ustrasana (camel pose)

One more backbend of your choice, hold for 8 breaths:

• Camel pose
• Bridge pose
• Wheel pose
• Bow pose
• Supported bridge pose

Gomukhasana (cowface) variation

• Keep your fingertips on the ground or blocks
• Neck stretches to release tension around the scalenes, the neck muscles

Seated side waist stretch with wide legs

• Option to use a block to support your arm/elbow

Baddha Konasana (seated bound angle pose)

• Option to use blocks to support your head and arms

Savasana or seated meditation to close.