A dynamic vinyasa practice with Crazy Eights moving from Koundinyasana II (flying splits), Astavakrasana (eight angle), and Surya Yantrasana (compass) as the peak postures. This class includes several waves with hamstring and hip opening, core and inner thigh strengthening, and leg balancing poses to prepare you for the peak poses. Supported fish pose using a bolster or blocks under the back body concludes the class.
Poem from The Radiance Sutras
Worship does not mean offering flowers
It means offering your heart
To the vast mystery
Of the universe.
It means to let your heart pulse
With the life of the universe
Without thought and without reservation.
It means being so in love
That you are
Willing to dissolve
And be recreated in every moment.
— translation by Lorin Roche.
Style: Vinyasa
Duration: 60-min
Level: Open
Props: 2 blocks, 1 bolster
Focus: arm balancing and hamstring lengthening.
Location: Vancouver, BC.
Music: Crazy Eights Spotify Playlist
Meditation
This class opens with an excerpt from the Radiance Sutras translation by Lorin Roche.
Pranayama
Three cycles of kapalabhati breath (45-seconds each) with Kundalini kriyas.
Kriyas to perform with pranayama:
Kapalabhati translates from Sanskrit as Kapal, meaning the forehead, and Bhati, meaning light or knowledge. Kapalabhati is an energizing pranayama, also known as Skull Shining Breath, that clears the lungs. This pranayama brings lightness and clarity to the 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 in 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:
Movement
Eight breaths to move as you like, options:
Come to stand at the top of your mat.
Wave 1
Tadasana (mountain pose)
Urdvha Hastasana (hands to sky)
Uttanasana (forward fold)
Ardha Uttanasana (half lift)
Anjaneyasana (lunge) variation
Phalakasana (plank pose) variation
Balasana (child’s pose)
Upavistha Bitilasana Marjaryasana (seated cat/cow)
Adho mukha svanasana (down dog)
Eka pada adho mukha svanasana (3-legged downward dog)
Utthan Pristhasana (lizard pose) variation
Anjaneyasana (lunge)
Prasarita Padottanasana (standing wide-legged forward bend)
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)
Virabhadrasana II (warrior 2) variation with tug-of-war
Trikonasana (triangle pose)
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
Tadasana (mountain pose)
Urdvha Hastasana (hands to sky)
Uttanasana (forward fold)
Ardha Uttanasana (half lift)
Utthan Pristhasana (lizard pose) variation
Malasana (yogic squat)
Surya Yantrasana (compass) variation with no hands
Astavakrasana (eight angle) with your butt on the ground
Uttanasana (forward fold)
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)
Virabhadrasana II (warrior 2)
Utthita Parsvakonasana (side angle pose)
Baddha Utthita Parsvakonasana (bound or half-bound angle)
Ardha Chandrasana (half moon pose) option to stay bound
Tadasana (mountain pose)
Repeat the same sequence on the other leg.
Peak Flow
Tadasana (mountain pose)
Urdvha Hastasana (hands to sky)
Uttanasana (forward fold)
Ardha Uttanasana (half lift)
Adho mukha svanasana (down dog)
Eka pada adho mukha svanasana (3-legged downward dog)
Eka Pada Phalakasana (one-legged plank pose)
Utthan Pristhasana (lizard pose)
Crazy Eights: move through two arm balancing postures
Koundinyasana II (flying splits pose)
Surya Yantrasana (compass)
Astavakrasana (eight angle)
Adho mukha svanasana (down dog)
Balasana (child’s pose)
Uttanasana (forward fold)
Repeat the same sequence on the other leg.
*** Second set:
Move from Koundinyasana II (flying splits pose) to Astavakrasana (eight angle).
Floor Sequence
Pada Hastasana (standing forward bend hands under feet)
Tadasana (mountain pose)
Urdvha Hastasana (hands to sky)
Uttanasana (forward fold)
Ardha Uttanasana (half lift)
Adho mukha svanasana (down dog)
Phalakasana (plank)
Chatarunga
Bhujangasana (cobra pose) variation from fingertips
Matsyasana (fish pose) supported with blocks behind the head and shoulders.