A vigorous vinyasa practice features twists, outer hip-opening and leg balancing postures. This class moves through sun salutations and several waves from the back of the mat. Inner and other hip stretches complement leg and glute strengthening. Twists stimulate the digestive fires, and backbends express the front body. This class closes with neck stretches and seated visualization practice.

Style: Vinyasa

Duration: 60-minutes

Level: open

Props: 1-block

Focus: twists, outer hips, leg balancing.

Location: Vancouver, BC

Music: Side Crow Spotify Playlist

Opening Meditation

Come to a seat of your choice and close your eyes.

Take a couple of deep breaths to allow your body and mind to align.

Bring your hands to your heart for the sound of Aum to bring our voices to the room.

Mantra – call and response 

Lokah Samastah Sukinho Bhavantu

Meaning: May All Beings Everywhere Be Happy and Free,

Movement

10-15 breath to move as you like, options:

• Balasana (child’s pose)
• Adho Mukha Shvanasana (down dog)
• Uttanasana (forward fold)
• Bidalasana (cat pose)
• Bitilasana (cow pose)

Come to Uttanasana (forward fold) at the back of your mat for five breaths.

Sun Salutations

Tadasana (mountain pose)

Urdvha Hastasana (hands to sky)

Uttanasana (forward fold)

Ardha Uttanasana (half lift)

Phalakasana (plank pose)

Chaturanga

Bhujangasana (cobra pose) OR Urdhva Mukha Shvanasana (upward facing dog)

Adho mukha svanasana (down dog)

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

Anjaneyasana (lunge) variation with the back knee on the ground

Adho mukha svanasana (down dog)

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

Anjaneyasana (lunge) variation with the back knee on the ground

Phalakasana (plank pose)

Chaturanga

Bhujangasana (cobra pose) OR Urdhva Mukha Shvanasana (upward facing dog)

Adho mukha svanasana (down dog)

Uttanasana (forward fold) at the back of your mat

Urdvha Hastasana (hands to sky)

Tadasana (mountain pose)

Repeat the same sequence on the other leg.

Wave 1 

Tadasana (mountain)

Utkatasana (chair)

Uttanasana (forward fold)

Ardha Uttanasana (half lift)

Phalakasana (plank pose)

Chaturanga

Bhujangasana (cobra pose) OR Urdhva Mukha Shvanasana (upward facing dog)

Adho mukha svanasana (down dog)

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

Anjaneyasana (lunge) with the back knee off the ground

• Inhale and lift the arms overhead
• Exhale and bring your palms to prayer at your heart as you lower your back knee to touch the ground
• Repeat several cycles

Parivrtta Utthita Ashwa Sanchalanasana (revolved lunge)

• Hug your inner thighs towards each other
• Option to keep back knee on the ground or extend it

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

Phalakasana (plank pose) variation with your knee to nose

• Place the back knee on the ground if this is too intense.
• Round the spine and press the ground away with your hands.
• Hold and breathe here for several breaths.

Patita Tarasana (fallen triangle)

Ardha Purvottanasana (reverse tabletop) flowing variation

• Inhale and bend your knees as you lift your hips to be in line with your shoulders
• Exhale and straighten your legs, so your hips hover between your hands
• Repeat several cycles

Dhandasana (staff pose) variation with hands clasped overhead

• Inhale and take your arms overhead and clasp your palms
• Khumbhaka pranayama, breath retention: take your chin to your chest and hold for five seconds
• Exhale and sweep the arms wide and down to the ground

Bhujangasana (cobra pose) OR Urdhva Mukha Shvanasana (upward facing dog)

Adho mukha svanasana (down dog)

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

Anjaneyasana (lunge) with the back knee off the ground

• Inhale and lift the arms overhead
• Exhale and bring your palms to prayer at your heart as you lower your back knee to touch the ground
• Repeat several cycles

Parivrtta Utthita Ashwa Sanchalanasana (revolved lunge)

• Hug your inner thighs towards each other
• Option to keep back knee on the ground or extend it

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

Phalakasana (plank pose) variation with your knee to nose

• Option to place the back knee on the ground if this is too intense.
• Round the spine and press the ground away with your hands.
• Hold and breathe here for several breaths.

Patita Tarasana (fallen triangle)

Ardha Purvottanasana (reverse tabletop) flowing variation

• Inhale and bend your knees as you lift your hips to be in line with your shoulders
• Exhale and straighten your legs, so your hips hover between your hands
• Repeat several cycles

Dhandasana (staff pose) variation with hands clasped overhead

• Inhale and take your arms overhead and clasp your palms
• Khumbhaka pranayama, breath retention: take your chin to your chest and hold for five seconds
• Exhale and sweep the arms wide and down to the ground

Bhujangasana (cobra pose) OR Urdhva Mukha Shvanasana (upward facing dog)

Adho mukha svanasana (down dog)

Uttanasana (forward fold) at the back of your mat

Urdvha Hastasana (hands to sky)

Tadasana (mountain pose)

Wave 2

Tadasana (mountain)

Utkatasana (chair)

Uttanasana (forward fold)

Ardha Uttanasana (half lift)

Phalakasana (plank pose)

Chaturanga

Bhujangasana (cobra pose) OR Urdhva Mukha Shvanasana (upward facing dog)

Adho mukha svanasana (down dog)

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

Virabhadrasana I (warrior 1) variation

• Bring your hands to prayer at your chest
• Lift your back heel
• Draw your chest about a quarter of the way forward
• Hug your inner thighs towards each other

Virabhadrasana III (warrior 3) variation with hands in prayer

Virabhadrasana I (warrior 1) variation with torso on a diagonal

Parivrtta Viparita Virabhadrasana (revolved warrior 1)

Virabhadrasana III (warrior 3) variation with hands on the ground or your block

Parivrtta Ardha Chandrasana (revolved half moon pose)

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

Phalakasana (plank pose) variation with your knee to nose

• Place the back knee on the ground if this is too intense.
• Round the spine and press the ground away with your hands.
• Hold and breathe here for several breaths.

Patita Tarasana (fallen triangle) variation with extended leg hovering from the ground

Bhujangasana (cobra pose) OR Urdhva Mukha Shvanasana (upward facing dog)

Adho mukha svanasana (down dog)

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

Virabhadrasana I (warrior 1) variation

• Bring your hands to prayer at your chest
• Lift your back heel
• Draw your chest about a quarter of the way forward
• Hug your inner thighs towards each other

Virabhadrasana III (warrior 3) variation with hands in prayer

Virabhadrasana I (warrior 1) variation with torso on a diagonal

Parivrtta Viparita Virabhadrasana (revolved warrior 1)

Virabhadrasana III (warrior 3) variation with hands on the ground or your block

Parivrtta Ardha Chandrasana (revolved half moon pose)

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

Phalakasana (plank pose) variation with your knee to nose

• Option to place the back knee on the ground if this is too intense.
• GRound the spine and press the ground away with your hands.
• Hold and breathe here for several breaths.

Patita Tarasana (fallen triangle) variation with extended leg hovering from the ground

Bhujangasana (cobra pose) OR Urdhva Mukha Shvanasana (upward facing dog)

Adho mukha svanasana (down dog)

Uttanasana (forward fold) at the back of your mat

Urdvha Hastasana (hands to sky)

Tadasana (mountain pose)

Balancing Flow 

Tadasana Janu Hastasana (standing hand to knee pose)

Parivrtta hasta padangusthasana (revolved hand to foot pose) with a bent knee or straight

Standing quad stretch with the opposite hand to foot

• Option to take the same hand to the heel if you cannot do the opposite hand to the leg.

Tadasana Janu Hastasana (standing hand to knee pose)

Eka Pada Parivrtta Tadasana (standing twist with the opposite hand to knee pose)

Tadasana (mountain pose)

Repeat the same sequence on the other leg.

Backbend Flow

Tadasana (mountain)

Utkatasana (chair)

Uttanasana (forward fold)

Ardha Uttanasana (half lift)

Phalakasana (plank pose)

Chaturanga

Bhujangasana (cobra pose) OR Urdhva Mukha Shvanasana (upward facing dog)

Adho mukha svanasana (down dog)

Ustrasana (camel pose)

Setu Bandha Sarvangasana (bridge pose) with or without a block

Urdhva Dhanurasana (wheel pose)

Cooling Flow 

Adho mukha svanasana (down dog)

Parsvottanasana (pyramid pose) variation with crisscrossed legs

• Take your front foot to the opposite side of your mat
• Place your hands on the outer edge of your foot
• Use the block if you need it
• Gently hug the inner thighs
• Breathe into your outer hips and IT band
• Hold and breathe for several cycles
• Repeat on the other leg.

Come to sit on your shins with your toes tucked to release the soles of the feet.

• Option to untuck the toes, sit on a block, or bolster if needed.

Seated neck release

• Take one hand behind you and grab the upper arm
• Release your ear towards your shoulder
• Breathe into the scalenes, the muscles at the side of the neck
• Hold here and switch sides.

Seated meditation and visualization practice to close.