May we become more present; may we choose to stay in the here and now. May we experience the poses in our body and our breath.
A rhythmic Prana Flow Vinyasa class features heart and hip opening as you progress towards the peak pose, Matsyendra Virasana (reclined fish) with hero legs. The standing series features Prana Flow-style movements in breath and body, with leg balancing and side plank variations to build heat. Enjoy each successive wave as you move towards seated postures with pranayama, meditation, and prose to close practice.
Style: Vinyasa
Duration: 90-mins
Level: open
Props: 2 blocks, 1 blanket
Focus: Hip and heart-opening as you move toward a variation of reclined fish with hero legs, Matsyendra Virasana.
Location: Lila Familia Production Studio, Vancouver, BC
Spotify Playlist: Life As Celebration (PWC)
Opening Meditation
Come to a tall seat and close your eyes. Breathe deeply into your body and attune to every inhale and exhale. This class aims to practice letting go of all expectations and goals; we are not striving to get anywhere. Instead, enjoy the wave of your breath and feel each sensation as it arises.
Stay seated for a moving meditation with flowering arms:
Opening Flow
10-15 breath to move as you like, options:
Come to Uttanasana (forward fold) at the top of your mat for 8-10 breaths.
Tadasana (mountain pose).
4x Surya Namaskars following the cues or flowing at your own pace.
Wave 1
Utkatasana (chair pose)
Uttanasana (forward fold)
Ardha Uttanasana (half lift)
Uttanasana (forward fold)
Ashta Chandrasana (lunge)
Utthan Pristhasana (lizard pose)
Eka pada adho mukha svanasana (3-legged down dog)
Adho mukha svanasana (down dog)
Phalakasana (plank pose)
Bhujangasana (cobra pose)
Adho mukha svanasana (down dog)
Virabhadrasana II (warrior 2) variation with Prana Flow arms
Ashta Chandrasana (lunge) variation with fingertips on the ground
Anjaneyasana (low lunge) variation with two 90 degree angles in your legs
Tadasana Pavanmuktasana (standing one knee to chest)
Ardha Utkatasana (standing half chair pose with number four legs)
Utkatasana (revolved chair pose)
Parivrtta Utkatasana (revolved chair pose)
Uttanasana (forward fold)
Ashta Chandrasana (lunge) variation
Eka pada adho mukha svanasana (3-legged down dog)
Vasisthasana (side plank pose)
Ashta Chandrasana (lunge) variation with fingers on the ground
Uttanasana (forward fold)
Urdhva Hastasana (hands to sky)
Tadasana (mountain pose)
Repeat the same sequence on the other side.
Wave 2
Utkatasana (chair pose)
Uttanasana (forward fold)
Ardha Uttanasana (half lift)
Uttanasana (forward fold)
Ashta Chandrasana (lunge)
Utthan Pristhasana (revolved thigh stretch)
Eka pada adho mukha svanasana (3-legged down dog)
Parsva Vasisthasana (side plank pose)
Phalakasana (plank pose)
Bhujangasana (cobra pose)
Adho mukha svanasana (down dog)
Utthan Pristhasana (lizard pose)
Parivrtta Anjaneyasana (revloved low lunge pose)
Parsvottanasana (pyramid pose)
Tadasana Pavanmuktasana (standing one knee to chest)
Utkatasana (revolved chair pose)
Parivrtta Ardha Utkatasana (revolved half chair with number four legs)
Urdhva Hastasana (hands to sky)
Uttanasana (forward fold)
Ardha Uttanasana (half lift)
Anjaneyasana (low lunge pose) variation
Option 1: Stay here and breathe into your back quadricep.
Option 2: Take one hand to the back leg and draw your heel toward your bum.
Option 3: Mermaid pose with your arms by taking your front hand to the back of your head, lift your chest and breathe into the frontline.
Eka pada adho mukha svanasana (3-legged down dog)
Adho mukha svanasana (down dog)
Uttanasana (forward fold)
Urdhva Hastasana (hands to sky)
Tadasana (mountain pose)
Peak Pose Flow
You have several options for this pose, depending on whether or not you have any knee sensitivity. Our knees take a bit of a beating in our day-to-day, so be conscious of the flexion and internal/external rotation around the knee joint to preserve longevity. Happy knees = happy people!
To set up your props:
Option 1: Supported Matsyendra Virasana (reclined fish) with hero legs
Option 2: Matsyendra Virasana (reclined fish) with legs extended
Place your legs in either hero pose OR extended down your mat as you recline with the back of your heart and head on your bocks.
Cooling Flow
Come to sit with cross legs or on your shins to allow the spine to neutralize.
Janu Sirsasana (seated head to knee pose) with kumbhaka pranayama
Kumbhaka is a form of breath retention; do not do this pranayama if you have difficulty breathing or anxiety. Breathe normally with longer inhales and exhales. If you do take kumbhaka pranayama, hold to a point where you don’t feel any discomfort.
Baddha Konasana (seated bound angle pose) supported with a block
Pavanamuktasana (wind relieving pose)
Supta Matsyendrasana (reclined spinal twist) variation
Viparita Karani (legs up the wall) OR take your legs up on your mat.
Closing Meditation
Seated meditation or a savasana to close your practice.
“Delight in these meditations, my Adored One.
Play with creation as it plays with you.
Playing, become smaller than an atom,
Travel through the expanse of space,
Drink the elixir of immortality.
Bathe in the stream of these life-giving teachings.
Flirt with the tingling sparks of vitality
Surging through your body,
Live your whole life as a festival, a celebration,
Liberated in love and work.”
— The Radiance Sutra, verse 141, translated by Lorin Roche.