A strong vinyasa, this class features leg balancing, glute strengthening, and backbends to create a full-bodied and well-rounded experience. Core work, psoas release, and shoulder opening are featured to prepare the body for bridge and wheel pose.

Mantra for class – may you connect to the wisdom that is not seen; may you connect to the wisdom of what is felt.

Style: Vinyasa

Duration: 60-minutes

Level: intermediate/advanced

Props: 2 blocks

Focus: core, leg balancing, backbends, shoulder opening

Location: Vancouver, BC

Music: Our Raft Spotify Playlist 

Meditation

Come to a seat of your choice and close your eyes. Notice what you are arriving to your mat with. How can you honor what is felt over what is seen?

Questions to sit with:

• What is it your time for? Rest, reflection, renewal?
• What word would describe how you feel?
• What word would describe what you want to move into?

Three sounds of Aum open the class together.

Bharmanasana (tabletop) variations

• Stay on all fours and take arm circles
• Sufi grinds (torso circles)

Adho Mukha Shvanasana (down dog) variation

• Take both heels to one side and breathe into your side waist
• Repeat on the other side for several breaths

Uttanasana (forward fold)

Tadasana (mountain pose)

Wave 1

Tadasana (mountain pose)

Urdvha Hastasana (hands to sky)

Uttanasana (forward fold)

Ardha Uttanasana (half lift)

Anjaneyasana (lunge)

Balasana (child’s pose)

Bidalasana (cat pose)

Bitilasana (cow pose)

Adho mukha svanasana (down dog)

Phalakasana (plank pose)

Ashtangasana (eight-pointed pose)

Bhujangasana (cobra pose)

Adho mukha svanasana (down dog)

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

Anjaneyasana (lunge)

Parivrtta Utthita Ashwa Sanchalanasana (revolved lunge) variation

• Keep one palm on the ground
• Extend the opposite hand to the sky
• Draw half circles with the extended arm
• Move with your breath

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)

Utkatasana (chair pose) variation

• Take eagle arms OR hands to shoulders
• Inhale and lift your elbows toward the sky
• Exhale and take your elbows to your navel
• Repeat several times

Urdvha Hastasana (hands to sky)

Uttanasana (forward fold)

Ardha Uttanasana (half lift)

Anjaneyasana (lunge) variation

• Clasp your palms overhead and flip the center of each palm to the sky
• Hold this shape and breathe into your side body

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

• Keep your extended leg facing the ground so your hips are level
• Draw circles with your ankle in both directions

Eka Pada Phalakasana (one-legged plank) variation

• Hug your knee to your nose
• Round your back body
• Press the ground away from you with both palms
• Option to bring your opposite palm to your heart

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 Durgas sword

• Inhale and draw your back arm forward to your front arm
• Exhale and take the same arm up over your head and back
• Repeat several times

Trikonasana (triangle pose)

Anjaneyasana (lunge) variation

• Create a diagonal from the back heel to the top of your head
• Put your hands on blocks, or on your hips
• Squeeze your inner thighs and lengthen from crown to tail

Virabhadrasana III (warrior 3) variation

• Keep your standing leg bent
• Press down through the heel
• Keep hands on hips or fly them wide to either side

Vrikshasana (tree pose) variation

• Take eagle arms and hold tree for several breaths
• Lower your lifted foot to the ground so your feet are crisscrossed
• Keep your arms in eagle or hands to shoulders
• Inhale and lift the elbows a little higher
• Exhale and take your elbows to your navel
• Repeat several times

Uttanasana (forward fold) variation with toes crisscrossed

Uttanasana (forward fold) with your feet side by side

Ardha Uttanasana (half lift)

Phalakasana (plank pose) – hold for 5-8 breaths

** The second set take Utthita Vasisthasana (side plank) 

Chaturanga

Bhujangasana (cobra pose)

Adho mukha svanasana (down dog)

Uttanasana (forward fold)

Urdvha Hastasana (hands to sky)

Tadasana (mountain pose)

Repeat the same sequence on the other leg.

Backbends  

Salambasana (locust pose)

One more backbend of choice for 8 breaths, options:

• Ustrasana (camel)
• Setu Bhandasana (bridge pose)
• Urdhva Dhanurasana (wheel pose) 
• Or any other heart-opener you prefer.

Floor Poses

6 breaths to move as you like to release the backbend:

• Knees to chest
• Windshield wipe your knees from side to side
• Child’s pose
• Happy baby

A hip opener of your choice for 12 breaths:

• Kapotasana (pigeon)
• Agnistambhasana (double pigeon)
• ​Supta Kapotasana (reclined pigeon)
• ​​Gomukhasana (cow face)

An inversion of choice for 2 mins:

• Viparita Karani (legs up the wall)
• Sarvangasana (shoulder stand)
• Shirshasana (headstand)

Savasana or seated meditation to close.