A vigorous vinyasa practice that features arm balances, inversions, and handstand play.

Style: Vinyasa

Duration: 120-minutes

Level: intermediate/advanced

Props: 2 blocks

Focus: arm balances, inversions, backbends, handstand.

Location: Vancouver, BC

Music: NYE 2022 Spotify Playlist

Opening:

Find a seat of choice and keep a piece of paper and a pen nearby.

When you think of the year that has passed, what shows up in your body in terms of sensation? In Hatha yoga, we tend to focus on the body, providing us with a true testament to how we feel about particular things.

If you were to summarize the feeling of 2022 in one word, what would that be? You can either hold the word in your mind or write it down on paper.

Take your awareness into either your heart or your gut. Ask that place: What kind of experience do I want to call in or cultivate for the coming year?

Pranayama

Bhastrika breath (aka, bellows breath)

• Inhale through the nose and lift the chest, sliding your hands to your hip creases.
• Exhale sharply through the nose, pressing your hands to your knees as you round your spine.
• At the end of the last exhale, engage Maha Bandha and hold your breath out.
• Repeat for rounds of 5, 7, and 9

Opening Movement:

10 Breaths— cat cow/ child’s pose/ downward dog

Tadasana (mountain pose)

Uttanasana (standing forward fold)

Anjaneyasana (lunge) back knee down

Balasana (child’s pose)

Marjaryasana (cat pose)

Ashtangasana (eight limbed pose)

Bhujangasana (cobra pose)

Adho Mukha Svanasana (downward dog)

Anjaneyasana (lunge) back knee down

Uttanasana (standing forward fold)

Ardha Uttanasana (half lift)

Urdhva Hastasana (upward salute)

Tadasana (mountain pose)

repeat other side

Wave 1:

Utkatasana (chair pose)

Uttanasana (standing forward fold)

Ardha Uttanasana (half lift)

Anjaneyasana (lunge) variation back knee lifted

Adho Mukha Svanasana (downward dog)

Phalakasana (plank pose)

Bhujangasana (cobra pose)

Adho Mukha Svanasana (downward dog)

Ajaneyasana (lunge) variation back knee lifted

Uttanasana (standing forward fold) with hands interlaced behind lower back

Roll-up to stand with hands interlaced behind back

Hip-mandalas with hands interlaced behind back

Virabhadrasana A (warrior 1)

• humble warrior variation: bow torso forward along the inside of the front thigh

Parsvottanasana (pyramid pose)

Urdhva Prasarita Eka Padasana ****(standing splits)

Parivrtta Utthita Ashwa Sanchalanasana (revolved high lunge) variation

Adho Mukha Svanasana (dowward dog)

Vasisthasana (side plank)

• lift top leg away from bottom leg and point knee up to the sky
• step top leg forward into a lunge

Uttanasana (standing forward fold)

Urdhva Hastasana (upward salute)

Tadasana (mountain pose)

repeat other side

Wave 2:

Utkatasana (chair pose)

• exhale, lower hips
• inhale, lift chest higher
• exhale, lift heels off the ground
• inhale, lower hips to heels, and come into a toe squat

Bakasana (crow pose)

Uttanasana (standing forward fold)

Adho Mukha Svanasana (downward dog)

Phalakasana (plank pose)

• right knee to right tricep
• right knee to left tricep
• the right leg extends back behind
• repeat 3x, alternate side to side

Adho Mukha Svanasana (downward dog)

Balasana (child’s pose) or Vinyasa

Virabhadrasana B (warrior 2)

Trikonasana (triangle pose) floating triangle variation with hands in prayer or hands on hips

Virabhadrasana B (warrior 2)

Eka Pada Adho Mukha Svanasana

• step your right foot to the middle of your mat
• bring your shoulders over your wrists
• take three hops with your bottom foot and play with Adho Mukha Vrksasana (handstand) OR hold standing splits

Adho Mukha Svanasana (downward dog)

Phalakasana (plank pose)

Ardha Shalabhasana (half locust pose) OR locust pose

Adho Mukha Svanasana (downward dog)

(repeat other side)

Wave 3:

Tadasana

• stand on one leg and draw your knee to the abdomen
• Parivrtta Hasta Padangusthasana (revolved hand to foot pose) variation with bent knee

Anjaneyasana (lunge) variation back knee lifted

Parivrtta Utthita Ashwa Sanchalanasana (revolved high lunge) variation

Eka Pada Koundinyasana A (one-legged sage pose)

Adho Mukha Svanasana (downward dog)

Phalakasana (plank)

Anantasana (Vishnu’s couch)

Ardha Matsyendrasana (seated spinal twist)

Navasana (boat pose) variation

• exhale with knees bent, feet off the ground
• inhale, straighten one leg
• exhale, return to center
• Alternate from side to side x4

Lolasana (pendant pose)

Adho Mukha Svanasana (downward dog)

Adho Mukha Vrksasana (handstand)

Vinyasa or Balasana (child’s pose)

Adho Mukha Svanasana (downward dog)

Uttanasana (standing forward fold)

Urdhva Hastasana (upward salute)

Tadasana (mountain pose)

repeat other side

Wave 3b

Tadasana

• stand on one leg and draw your knee to the abdomen
• Parivrtta Hasta Padangusthasana (revolved hand to foot pose) variation with bent knee

Anjaneyasana (lunge) variation back knee lifted

(revolved high lunge) variation

Eka Pada Koundinyasana A (one-legged sage pose)

Adho Mukha Svanasana (downward dog)

Phalakasana (plank)

Anantasana (Vishnu’s couch)

Ardha Matsyendrasana (seated spinal twist)

Core exercise – Forrest Yoga Abdominal Crunches (5 reps)

This exercise primarily targets the transverse abdominus and the rectus abdominus.

Lay on your back and place a block between the thighs on the second width.

Extend your heels toward the sky with your knees slightly bent.

Hug the block between your inner thighs.

Take your hands behind your head with elbows wide.

• Inhale and hug your block,
• Exhale and lift your toes and pelvis a little bit higher,
• Inhale and lift your head and shoulders from the ground,
• Exhale and hug your belly to your spine,
• Inhale and lift your heart and toes a little higher,
• Exhale and lower your head and shoulders to the ground.

Sirsasana A (headstand 1) OR inversion of your choice, such as Viparita Karani (legs up the wall)

Backbends:

Ustrasana (camel pose)

Dhanurasana (upward-facing bow pose)

Floor poses:

Agnistambhasana (fire log pose) variation with a twist

Janu Sirsasana (head-to-knee pose) supported the interpretation with a block under the forehead

Seated meditation of your choice.

Think back to the feeling you would like to create for the coming year. Ask the inner wisdom that lives in your heart and solar plexus. What can I do to generate this Bhavana (mood) in my life? What are a few actions I can take to cultivate this Bhavana?

Mantra:

Chant the bija (seed mantra) for either the heart or the solar plexus. The bija for the heart is YAM. The bija for the solar plexus is RAM. Chant the mantra as if you were chanting OM.