A Lila Flow yoga class opens the chest, shoulders, and hamstrings to create space in the muscles strained by sitting for long periods. The use of a strap opens the shoulders and front line of the body. Simple sun salutations create heat and a connection to breath before a sequence with revolved lunge, dolphin plank pose, and leg balancing. Hip-opening and a supported backbend in fish pose using blocks complete the class.

Style: Lila Flow

Duration: 17-minutes

Level: open

Props: 1 strap and 1 block

Focus: side body, chest, shoulder, and hamstring lengthening

Location: Vancouver, BC

Music: Spotify Playlist, Dark and Stormy

Opening Flow

Take your strap into your hands and reach your arms overhead.

Take your hands wider than shoulder distance, so there is lots of room between your palms along the strap.

• Inhale and take your arms up and over your head
• Exhale and extend your arms back behind you and pull the strap taut
• Repeat several cycles.

Place the strap aside, stand tall, and draw arm circles with your hands.

Take several circles in one direction and then switch.

Breathe deeply as you rotate the arms.

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

Tadasana (mountain pose)

Urdvha Hastasana (hands to sky)

Uttanasana (forward fold)

Ardha Uttanasana (half lift)

Anjaneyasana (lunge)

Makara Adho Mukha Svanasana (dolphin plank pose) variation

• Inhale and rock forward to the tips of your toes
• Exhale and press back by rooting your elbows into the ground

Salamba Bhujangasana (sphynx pose) variation

• Inhale and reach the heart forward, taking the chin off of the chest
• Exhale and round our back as you press your forearms down

Bhujangasana (cobra pose)

Adho mukha svanasana (down dog)

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

Anjaneyasana (lunge) variation

• Take your hands to prayer in front of your heart
• Inhale at center
• Exhale and twist

Parivrtta Utthita Ashwa Sanchalanasana (revolved low lunge pose) variation

• Take your top hand to the back of your head

Tadasana Janu Hastasana (standing hand to knee pose) variation

• Take your hands to your hips
• Inhale and point your toes as you bend your knee
• Exhale and extend the leg straight out in front of you
• Repeat several cycles

Virabhadrasana I (warrior 1) variation

• Take one hand behind your head
• Half or full cow face arms
• Option to use your strap if you need it between the palms
• Reach your torso forward so that you are on a diagonal line from heel to hand
• Bring your hands to prayer in front of the heart
• Inhale and reach the spine long
• Exhale and twist

Viparita Virabhadrasana (revolved warrior 1)

Tadasana Janu Hastasana (standing hand to knee pose) variation

Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana (standing hand to big toes pose) variation

• Keep your hands at your waist as you extend your leg forward

Tadasana (mountain pose)

Kriya to clear

• Come up to your tiptoes and reach your arms up overhead
• Inhale and get long from heels to palms
• Exhale and bend the knees as you forward fold, sweeping your arms back and down
• Inhale and come to your tiptoes, sweeping your arms up to the sky
• Exhale out the mouth and fold, sweeping your hands down
• Repeat several cycles

Tadasana (mountain pose)

Repeat the same sequence on the other side.

Floor Series

Kapotasana (pigeon pose) variation from your seat

Virasana (hero pose) half variation OR Baddha Konasana (bound angle pose)

• Keep your chest reaching forward or add a twist
• Tilt your ear toward your shoulder to express the side of the neck
• Take a half bind with your back arm
• Breathe into your side body

Matsyasana (supported fish pose) wish baddha konasana legs

• Take your blocks behind the head and the spine
• Bring your feet together and your knees wide
• Take your arms wide to either side

Savasana or seated meditation to close.