A Lila Flow yoga class strengthens the shoulders, upper back, and core to prepare you for an inversion as the peak pose. You’ll build strength in the erectors (the muscles attached to the spine) and abdominals as you prepare to go upside down in Catur Svanasana (dolphin pose). This class creates length in the hamstrings, side body, and shoulders and concludes with classic backbends, twists, and forward folds.

Quote to anchor the class:

“Our word ‘sacrifice’ comes from the same root as sacred, and sacrifice has to do with making something holy. The worldly and the spiritual are interconnected. And what is the connection across those domains? It is the act of sacrifice. Through sacrifice, we acknowledge the connection. Sacrifice starts to give credence to the reality of the living spirit. It starts to give recognition in our daily lives to the awareness of [the divine].”

—Ram Das, Paths To God

Style: Lila Flow

Duration: 30-minutes

Level: open

Props: 2 Blocks

Focus: Inversions with dolphin pose aka forearm stand as the peak pose.

Location: Vancouver, BC

Music: Rock the Boat Spotify Playlist

Opening Meditation

Sacrifice: giving up something you cherish or care for, in the name of the practice.

May your practice be an offering to the greater good.

One sound of Om.

Sun Salutation ‘C’

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)

Tadasana (mountain pose)

Repeat the same sequence on the other leg.

Sun Salutation ‘B’

Utkatasana (chair pose)

Uttanasana (forward fold)

Ardha Uttanasana (half lift)

Phalakasana (plank pose)

Chaturanga

Bhujangasana (cobra pose)

Adho mukha svanasana (down dog)

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

Virabhadrasana | (warrior 1)

Phalakasana (plank pose)

Chaturanga

Bhujangasana (cobra pose)

Adho mukha svanasana (down dog)

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

Virabhadrasana | (warrior 1)

Phalakasana (plank pose)

Chaturanga

Bhujangasana (cobra pose)

Adho mukha svanasana (down dog) – hold for 5 breaths

Uttanasana (forward fold)

Utkatasana (chair pose)

Repeat the same sequence.

Wave 1

Tadasana (mountain pose)

Utkatasana (chair pose) variation

• Take your hands to prayer at the center of your chest
• Hover one foot off the ground several inches
• Root down through the foot on the ground

Anjaneyasana (lunge) variation with prayer hands

• Lift your pubic bone towards your belly
• Take your arms above your head
• Draw the elbows towards the sky and tight to your head
• Take your prayer to the back of your head
• Hold for 5 breaths

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)

Virabhadrasana | (warrior 1) variation

• Take a block and press it between your palms
• Extend your elbows to the sky and hug them in toward the side of your face
• Extend your hands to the wall behind you
• Hold for 5 breaths

Urdhva Prasarita Eka Padasana (standing splits) with the blocks under palms

Virabhadrasana ||| (warrior 3) with the blocks under palms

Parivrtta Anjaneyasana (revolved lunge)

Ardha Hanumanasana (half split pose)

Uttanasana (forward fold)

Urdvha Hastasana (hands to sky)

Tadasana (mountain pose)

Repeat the same sequence on the other leg.

Peak Pose Flow

Adho mukha svanasana (down dog)

Catur Svanasana (dolphin pose/ down dog with forearms on the ground)

• Walk your feet in as you press the forearms into the ground
• Lift one leg off of the ground and take three little hops
• Balasana (child’s pose) to rest
• Do the same thing on the other leg

Backbend Flow

Ustrasana (camel pose)

• Take hands to blocks, OR
• Place your hands on your heels
• Lift the chest towards the sky
• Hold and breathe 5-8 breaths

Cooling Flow

Ardha Matsyendrasana (seated spinal twist)

Marichyasana (seated bound forward bend)

Repeat on either side.

Seated meditation or savasana to close.