A short vinyasa class featuring Mandala Namaskars to open the hips and heart. This class features oblique and inner thigh strengthening with side plank and eagle pose variations.

Style: Vinyasa

Duration: 22-minutes

Level: intermediate/advanced

Props: none

Focus: hip openers, twists, core strengthening

Location: Vancouver, BC

Music: Ganeshas Universe Spotify Playlist

Meditation

This class opens with a story about Ganesha and invites you to consider who is the center of your universe. Come to stand at the top of your mat and bring your hands to your heart. Close your eyes and take a couple of deep breaths.

Questions to consider:

• Who would you walk around right now? Who is your universe?

Wave 1

Tadasana (mountain pose)

Urdhva Hastasana (hands to sky)

Uttanasana (forward fold)

Ardha Uttanasana (half lift)

Anjaneyasana (low lunge)

Skandasana (half squat)

Anjaneyasana (low lunge) facing the back of your mat

Skandasana (half squat) on the other leg

Prasarita Padottanasana (wide-legged standing forward fold)

• Option to alternate bending each knee and shifting the hips from side to side as you inhale and exhale.

Adho mukha svanasana (down dog) facing the front of the mat

Phalakasana (plank pose)

Chaturanga

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

Adho mukha svanasana (down dog)

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

Parivrtta Utthita Ashwa Sanchalanasana (revolved lunge) variation

• Keep your arms wide and spread like wings
• Inhale and take your top arm to the sky
• Exhale and bring your top palm to sweep under the bottom armpit
• Inhale and extend
• Exhale and draw the arm down toward the earth and under your opposite arm
• Repeat several times

Skandasana (half squat)

Parivrtta Utthita Ashwa Sanchalanasana (revolved lunge) variation facing the BACK of your mat

• Keep your arms wide and spread like wings
• Inhale and take your top arm to the sky
• Exhale and bring your top palm to sweep under the bottom armpit
• Inhale and extend
• Exhale and draw the arm down toward the earth and under your opposite arm
• Repeat several times

Skandasana (half squat) on the other leg

Prasarita Padottanasana (wide-legged standing forward fold)

Utkata Konasana (goddess pose) variation

• Inhale and sweep your palms wide and to the sky
• Exhale and draw your hands through a prayer toward the ground
• Repeat several cycles

Prasarita Padottanasana (wide-legged standing forward fold) variation with hands clasped at your lower back and extended to the sky.

Anjaneyasana (low lunge) facing the FRONT of your mat.

Uttanasana (forward fold)

Urdhva Hastasana (hands to sky)

Tadasana (mountain pose)

Wave 2

Tadasana (mountain pose)

Urdhva Hastasana (hands to sky)

Uttanasana (forward fold)

Ardha Uttanasana (half lift)

Ashta Chandrasana (high crescent lunge)

Utthan Pristhasana (lizard) lounging variation with the hips facing the side of the mat.

Utthita Parsvakonasana (side angle pose) variation

• All ten toes face the side of your mat
• Keep your bottom arm on your thigh
• Bring your top arm towards the back of your mat with the palm down
• Take your bottom ear toward your shoulder for a neck release

Do the SAME POSE on the other leg – Utthita Parsvakonasana (side angle pose) variation

Utthan Pristhasana (lizard) lounging variation on the opposite leg.

Ashta Chandrasana (high crescent lunge) facing the BACK of your mat.

Adho mukha svanasana (down dog) facing the front of the mat

Phalakasana (plank pose)

Chaturanga

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

Adho mukha svanasana (down dog)

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

Virabhadrasana II (warrior 2)

Utthita Parsvakonasana (side angle pose)

Trikonasana (triangle pose)

Utthan Pristhasana (lizard) lounging variation.

Utthan Pristhasana (lizard) lounging variation on the opposite leg.

Virabhadrasana II (warrior 2) at the FRONT of your mat.

Utthita Parsvakonasana (side angle pose)

Trikonasana (triangle pose)

Skandasana (half squat) variation from Prana Flow Yoga with Shiva Rea.

• Bend either leg and shift/sway your weight side to side

Anjaneyasana (low lunge) facing the FRONT of your mat.

Uttanasana (forward fold)

Urdhva Hastasana (hands to sky)

Tadasana (mountain pose)

Wave 3

Utkatasana (chair pose)

Garudasana (eagle) variation

• Take eagle arms with arms laced and palms in prayer
• Lift one heel and hook it over your other thigh in a number four shape
• Lower your bum and lift your elbows
• Stay as you are or round your upper spine as you take your elbows to your shin.

Ashta Chandrasana (high crescent lunge) variation with eagle arms

Parivrtta Utthita Ashwa Sanchalanasana (revolved lunge) variation

• Lower your back knee to the ground
• Take your eagle arms and hook them outside your front knee
• Unravel your arms and take one palm to your heart and the other to the sky

Utthita Vasisthasana (side plank pose) spin around, so you’re at the BACK of your mat.

Utthita Vasisthasana (side plank pose) variation with a floating tree OR extend the leg.

Parsva Vasisthasana (supported side plank)

Adho mukha svanasana (down dog) facing the BACK of the mat

Phalakasana (plank pose)

Chaturanga

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

Adho mukha svanasana (down dog)

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

Virabhadrasana II (warrior 2)

Baddha Virabhadrasana II (warrior 2)

Anjaneyasana (low lunge) with palms interlaced at the low back and chest lifted.

Tadasana Pavanmuktasana (standing knee to chest) with palms interlaced.

Repeat the same sequence on the other leg.

Seated meditation or savasana (corpse) to close.