Mantra for class: with cohesion, there is harmony; with harmony, there is grace.
Style: Vinyasa
Duration: 20-minutes
Level: open
Props: 1-block
Focus: a full-body flow.
Location: Vancouver, BC
Music: Cohesion
Meditation
Come to a seat and close your eyes.
Take a couple of deep breaths to align in your body.
Set an intention to anchor your practice or simply breathe into how you feel.
Seated pranayama flow
Flow 1
Bharmanasana (table top)
Marjaiasana/Bitilasana(cat, cow)
Adho muka svanasana (down dog)
Uttanasana (forward fold) at the back of your mat
Tadasana (mountain) variation
Uttanasana (forward fold)
Ardha Uttanasana (halfway lift)
Phalakasana (plank pose) variation
Phalakasana (plank pose)
Balasana (child’s pose) variation
** The second set, you’ll take anahatasana (heart pose)
Come to your shins with hands in prayer
Seated Kapalbhati for 45-seconds
Kapalabhati translates from Sanskrit as Kapal, meaning the forehead, and Bhati, meaning light or knowledge. Kapalabhati is energizing pranayama, also known as Skull Shining Breath, which clears the lungs. This pranayama brings lightness and clarity to mind and frontal cortex of the brain.
This style of pranayama involves sharp, active exhales through the nose to stimulate the clearing of the lungs by clearing the stagnant air that collects around the sides of the lung cavity. The sharp exhale pulls the stale air toward the center of the lungs and pushes it out. Energetically, we’re drawing the air upwards to revitalize the mind and body. The inhale is passive, and as kapalabhati breath is performed, the abdomen repeatedly contracts on the exhale and releases on the inhale. This pranayama is best done on an empty stomach during the earlier partition of the day as its excitatory and stimulates the digestive fire.
Benefits include:
Uttanasana (forward fold) at the back of your mat
Tadasana (mountain) with Maha Bandha – the great seal
Read more about Maha Bandha in this article.
Tadasana (mountain)
Repeat the same sequence for a second round.
Flow 2
Tadasana (mountain) variation
Uttanasana (forward fold)
Ardha Uttanasana (halfway lift)
Phalakasana (plank pose) variation
Chaturanga
Shalabasana (locust pose)
Pranayama – Nadi Shodhana, aka alternate nostril breathing
Nadi Shodhana set up:
Nadhi Shodhana how-to:
Nadhi Shodhana benefits:
This pranayama carries more oxygen to the blood than regular breathing; it also soothes the nervous system, helps create calm in the body and mind, and balances the subtle body. Nadi Shodhana lowers the heart rate and reduces stress and anxiety as it purifies the subtle energy channels so the Prana (breath, life force) can flow easily.
Sushumna is the body’s central channel and largest energy line. It is the home to the seven chakras. Two energy lines traverse Shusumna—the spine—called Ida and Pingala. Ida and Pingala represent the other two main energy lines that move from the base of the spine to the crown of the head. These two energy lines refer to the right and left sides of the brain; through these energy lines, or Nadis, we create balance in the body and connect the two hemispheres through the breath.
Savasana or seated meditation to close.