A playful 60-minute vinyasa class works with shoulder and back strengthening as you prepare for inversion with pincha mayurasana. This class includes leg balancing and core work with Forrest-style sit-ups using a yoga block between the thighs. Backbends bridge and wheel pose prep the body for Dwi Pada Viparita Dandasana (upward-facing two-foot staff pose) as the peak posture. This class works with the sun, specifically the solar plexus, to illuminate the light and power within.

Style: Vinyasa

Duration: 60-minutes

Level: open

Props: 2 blocks

Focus: heart and shoulder opening with pincha mayurasana as the peak pose.

Location: Vancouver, BC

Music: Power Center Spotify Playlist

Meditation and Intention Setting

Come to a tall seat using as many or few props as you prefer.

Place your palms on your solar plexus, just below the ribs and above the navel.

Close your eyes and begin to breathe deeply into your body.

Summer Solstice is a time to come out of our little cocoons and caves and move out into the world. It is a time to manifest what is inside, outward. It is the time to honor the sun and express gratitude for our life.

May we feed our flames, our own Agni (fire) so we can move forth into the world with more clarity and vitality.

Your question to sit with:

What will you choose to bring forth into the world?

Mantra

Ram = the bija seed mantra for the solar plexus.

Movement

10 breathes to move as you like:

• Balasana (child’s pose)
• Adho muka svanasana (down dog)
• Marjaiasana/Bitilasana (cat/cow)
• Uttanasana (forward fold)

Anahatasana (heart pose)

Salamba Bhujangasana (sphynx pose) with neck rolls

Bujangasana (cobra)

Adho muka svanasana (down dog)

Uttanasana (forward fold)

Tadasana (mountain)

Sun Salutations 

Tadasana (mountain pose)

Urdvha hastasana (hands to sky)

Uttanasana (forward fold)

Ardha Uttanasana (halfway lift)

Ajanayasana (lunge) variation

• Place your fingertips on the ground on either side fo the front foot
• Lift the back knee and the heel of the back foot
• Hug the inner thighs each time you exhale
• Hold here and breathe five cycles of your breath

Adho muka svanasana (down dog)

Phalakasana (plank pose)

Chaturanga

Bujangasana (cobra)

Adho muka svanasana (down dog)

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

Anjanayasana (lunge) low lunge with hands to sky

Utanasana (forward fold)

Ardha Uttanasana (halfway lift)

Urdvha hastasana (hands to sky)

Tadasana (mountain pose)

Repeat the same sequence on the other leg.

Wave 1

Utkatasana (chair pose)

• Bring your hands into prayer overhead
• Bend your elbows and take your prayer to the back of your mat
• Lift the forearms to the sky
• Hug your elbows tight to the side of your head
• Hold and breathe for five cycles of breath

Uttanasana (forward fold)

Ardha Uttanasana (halfway lift)

Ajanayasana (lunge) high crescent variation

Adho muka svanasana (down dog)

Phalakasana (plank pose)

Chaturanga

Bujangasana (cobra)

Adho muka svanasana (down dog)

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

Virabhadrasana II (warrior 2 pose) with tug-of-war

• Inhale and reach the front palm forward
• Exhale and move back
• Repeat several cycles with your breath

Trikonasana (triangle pose)

Utthita Trikonasana (extended triangle pose)

Ajanayasana (lunge) low variation

• Take one wrist in your hand and lift it up and over to one side
• Puff up the back body with your breath
• Breathe into the side waist
• Press down through the front heel and the back foot

Ardha hanumanasana (half splits)

Ajanayasana (lunge)

Utanasana (forward fold)

Ardha Uttanasana (halfway lift)

Urdvha hastasana (hands to sky)

Tadasana (mountain pose)

Repeat the same sequence on the other leg.

** After the Second Set

Anahatasana (heart pose) with a block under your elbows.

Come to lay down on your back with your knees bent:

• Take a block on the second width and place it between your inner thighs
• Point your toes and extend your legs up toward the sky
• Take your hands behind your head and elbows wide
• Inhale and lift your toes higher
• Exhale and lift your shoulders
• Inhale and lift your head and toes
• Exhale and hug your navel in toward your spine
• Inhale and lift your chest a little higher
• Exhale and lay your shoulders and head back onto the ground
• Do five cycles

Set your block aside and place your feet on the ground.

Rock up to a seat and move onto your hands and knees

Ardha pincha mayurasana (dolphin down dog)

• Draw your heart towards your thighs
• Tilt your booty towards the sky
• Option to stay in dolphin down dog, OR
• Walk your feet in and lift one leg up to the sky
• Take three little hops as you press your forearms into the ground
• Do three hops on the other side

Balasana (child’s pose)

Wave 2

Adho muka svanasana (down dog)

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

Virabhadrasana II (warrior 2 pose)

Utthita Parsvakonasana (extended side angle pose)

Ajanayasana (lunge) low variation

• Take the same arm to the front thigh
• Bend deep into your front knee
• Let the pelvis sway toward the ground
• Option to bend the back knee and work your heel toward your bum with your palm
• Breathe into the quads and hip flexor

Adho muka svanasana (down dog)

Phalakasana (plank pose)

Chaturanga

Bujangasana (cobra)

Adho muka svanasana (down dog)

Repeat the same sequence on the other leg.

Standing Poses 

Utkatasana (chair pose)

• Take eagle legs
• Cactus your arms wide to either side
• Bring your torso a quarter of the way forward
• Lift your elbows in line with your shoulders
• Take five breaths

Tadasana (mountain)

Take a chair with eagle legs on the other side.

Urdvha hastasana (hands to the sky)

Uttanasana (forward fold)

Ardha Uttanasana (halfway lift)

Phalakasana (plank pose)

Chaturanga

Bujangasana (cobra)

Adho muka svanasana (down dog)

Backbend Poses 

Come to a seat and lay down on your back

Setu Bandha Sarvangasana (bridge pose)

Urdhva Dhanurasana (wheel pose)

Dwi Pada Viparita Dandasana (upward-facing two-foot staff pose)

Cooling Poses

Ananda Balasana (happy baby pose)

Parsvottanasana (pyramid pose) with crossed legs to access the outer hips and the IT band.

Balasana (child’s pose)

An inversion of choice:

Viparita Karani (legs up the wall)

Sarvāṅgāsana (shoulder stand)

Sirsasana A (headstand)

Ananda Balasana (happy baby pose)

Savasana or seated meditation to close.