Open and Listen is a short Lila Flow yoga class that opens the neck, shoulders, and chest as you flow through a mandala sequence towards Ustrasana (camel pose). This class includes quad strengthening, inner thigh stretching, and chaturanga push-ups to activate the core, chest, and upper back muscles. This class opens with ujjayi pranayama and closes with Nadi Shodhana to soothe the nervous system.
The shoulders and neck are the links between the mind and the heart. When there’s a constriction in this area, this points to a blockage in the communication between the intuition/deep knowing and the rational/logical mind. When these two areas are cohesive, when the rational and intuitive are communicating, we can make decisions that connect and align with our integrity.
Style: Lila Flow
Duration: 32-minutes
Level: open-levels
Props: 2 blocks, 1 strap
Focus: shoulder and chest opening with ustrasana (camel)
Location: Lila Familia Production Studio, Vancouver, BC
Spotify Playlist: Open and Listen
Seated Meditation
Come to a seat of your choice. Close your eyes and begin to inhale and exhale through the nose. Begin to cultivate Ujjayi Pranayama.
Ujjayi breath translates from Sanskrit as ‘victorious breath’ and is used in vinyasa yoga to build heat, connect the body to the breath, and create a rhythmic quality to the flow of the class. When we build heat from the inside with our breath, we massage the internal organs as we begin to move. Ujjayi is sustained for the duration of the solar portion of the class and released as we enter the softer, lunar part of the class, where the exhales lengthen to help the body cool down.
This style of pranayam stimulates the nadis (energy channels) to enhance mental clarity and focus.
Benefits include:
See how to do Ujjayi breath in this short tutorial.
Opening Mantra
Chant the bija seed mantra twice for the heart – YAM
1x – with hands stacked over the heart center.
2x – with hands at the forehead and back of the head.
Opening Movement
From your seat, interlace your hands overhead and press each palm to the sky
Come to stand at the top of your mat for tadasana (mountain pose).
Opening Wave
Tadasana (mountain pose)
Urdvha Hastasana (hands to sky)
Uttanasana (forward fold)
Ardha Uttanasana (half lift)
Anjaneyasana (lunge) variation
Adho mukha svanasana (down dog)
Phalakasana (plank pose)
Chaturanga
Bhujangasana (cobra pose) variation
Bhujangasana (cobra pose)
Adho mukha svanasana (down dog)
Eka pada adho mukha svanasana (three-legged downward dog)
Parivrtta Anjaneyasana (revolved lunge) variation
Uttanasana (forward fold)
Ardha Uttanasana (half lift)
Urdvha Hastasana (hands to sky)
Tadasana (mountain pose)
Repeat the same sequence on the other leg.
Wave 2
Tadasana (mountain pose)
Utkatasana (chair pose)
Uttanasana (forward fold)
Ardha Uttanasana (half lift)
Anjaneyasana (lunge) variation
Adho mukha svanasana (down dog)
Phalakasana (plank pose) variation
Adho mukha svanasana (down dog)
Eka pada adho mukha svanasana (3-legged downward dog)
Virabhadrasana II (warrior 2 pose)
Parivrtta Parsvakonasana (side angle pose) variation
Virabhadrasana II (warrior 2 pose)
Prasarita Padottanasana (wide legged fold) variation
Prasarita Padottanasana (wide legged fold)
Virabhadrasana II (warrior 2 pose) to the back of your mat
Parivrtta Parsvakonasana (side angle pose) variation
Virabhadrasana II (warrior 2 pose)
Utkata Konasana (goddess pose) variation
Prasarita Padottanasana (wide legged fold)
Adho mukha svanasana (down dog) facing the front of your mat
Phalakasana (plank pose) variation
Balasana (child’s pose)
Adho mukha svanasana (down dog)
Eka pada adho mukha svanasana (three-legged downward dog)
Parivrtta Anjaneyasana (revolved lunge) variation
Cooling Sequence
Ustrasana (camel pose)
Upavistha Bitilasana Marjaryasana (seated cat/cow)
Marichyasana (seated spinal twist)
Closing Pranayama
Nadi Shodhana
This style of pranayama carries more oxygen to the blood than regular breathing; it also soothes the nervous system, helps create calm in the body and mind, and balances the subtle body. Nadi Shodhana lowers the heart rate and reduces stress and anxiety as it purifies the subtle energy channels so the Prana (breath, life-force) can flow with ease.
Sushumna is the body’s central channel and largest energy line. It is the home to the seven chakras. Two energy lines traverse Sushumna called Ida and Pingala. These two energy lines refer to the right and left sides of the brain; through these energy lines, or Nadis, we create balance in the body and connect the two hemispheres through the breath. Ida and Pingala represent the other two main energy lines that move from the base of the spine to the crown of the head.
Pingala represents solar energy, masculine, extroverted, bright, left hemisphere.
Ida represents lunar energy, feminine, introverted, dark, right hemisphere.
We need both energies to be whole. We need both energies to feel balanced in body and mind. When we connect such dualistic expressions, we create our reality. Without the opposition of the other, there is no creation story.
Nadi Shodhana set up:
Nadhi Shodhana how-to:
Seated meditation or savasana to close.