A slow and fiery vinyasa practice that works with creating strength in the core stabilizers. This class features core strengthening from the back with exercises targeting the transverse abdominals and obliques to assist SI stability. Leg balancing poses, twists, heart-opening, and Natarajasana (dancing Shiva) stoke the heat and build strength in the body. Bridge pose is featured as a bookend for class, and Mula Bandha is repeated to ignite the root lock and maintain engagement at the stabilizing muscles around the spine to protect the low back. Close practice with a longer meditation and visualization practice.
May this practice remind us of our inner strength on a physical and energetic level.
Style: Vinyasa
Duration: 60-mins
Level: open
Props: 1 block, 1 resistance band
Focus: core strengthening, twists, and heart-opening
Location: Lila Familia Production Studio, Vancouver, BC
Music: Kurmasana Spotify Playlist
Opening Core Series
Come to lay on your back and bend your knees.
Place the resistance band around your feet at the tops of the feet and the soles.
Press your feet on the ground and take five deep belly breaths.
Mula Bandha is the pelvic floor in physiological terms.
Mula = root
Bandha = seal / lock
When we inhale and exhale by drawing the navel in like this, we engage Mula Bandha.
When the lower abdominals engage, it stabilizes the pelvis and engages the core stabilizes that attach to the low spine. The more we engage the muscles around the lower spine and the pelvis, the better we have to support the low back and decrease the risk of injury.
Mula Bandha, on an energetic level, sustains the energy in the spine and prevents it from leaking out.
Core exercise 1
Setu Bandha Sarvāṅgāsana (bridge pose) variation with the resistance band at your feet
Core exercise 2
Take your feet up off the ground, so they are in line with your knees.
Press your feet outwards into the resistance band.
Take your hands behind your head.
Core exercise 3
Bicycle legs
Core exercise 4
Slide the resistance band to your thighs above the knees
Come into bridge pose with hands by your sides.
Begin to press the knees outwards against the band, find a pace that serves.
This activates the glute med, the outer buttock muscles.
Strengthening the gluteal muscles also helps to support the low back and the front of the pelvis.
Keep breathing and move your knees outwards in little pulses for 6-seconds.
2x Sun Salutations
Tadasana (mountain pose)
Urdvha Hastasana (hands to sky)
Uttanasana (forward fold)
Ardha Uttanasana (half lift)
Anjaneyasana (lunge)
Balasana (child’s pose)
Marjaryasana (cat pose)
Bitilasana (cow pose)
Marjaryasana (cat pose)
Ashtangasana (eigth pointed pose)
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 starting on the opposite leg.
Wave 1
Tadasana (mountain pose)
Urdvha Hastasana (hands to sky)
Uttanasana (forward fold)
Ardha Uttanasana (half lift)
Anjaneyasana (lunge) variation
Anjaneyasana (lunge) variation
Parvrtta Anjaneyasana (revolved lunge) variation with wide arms
Phalakasana (plank pose) variation
Come to lay on your belly
Shalabasana (locust pose) variation
Rest on your abdomen with your forehead on your hands
Bhujangasana (cobra pose)
Adho mukha svanasana (down dog)
Eka pada adho mukha svanasana (3-legged downward dog)
Virabhadrasana II (warrior 2) variation
Trikonasana (triangle pose) variation
Garudasana (eagle pose) variation
Uttanasana (forward fold)
Tasasana (mountain pose)
Urdvha Hastasana (hands to sky) variation
Tadasana (mountain pose)
Repeat the same sequence starting on the opposite leg.
Pranayama with Maha Bandha
Maha Bandha is the great seal.
Wave 2
Tadasana (mountain pose)
Urdvha Hastasana (hands to sky)
Uttanasana (forward fold)
Anjaneyasana (lunge) variation
Anjaneyasana (lunge) variation with hands clasped behind your back
Garudasana (eagle pose) variation with hands clasped behind your back
Natarajasana (dancers pose) variation with one hand to heel and the other hand to the back of your head.
Tadasana Janu Hastasana (standing hand to knee pose) variation with one hand to knee and the other to the back of your head.
Urdvha Hastasana (hands to sky) variation
Tadasana (mountain pose)
Repeat the same sequence starting on the opposite leg.
Floor Series
Setu Bandha Sarvāṅgāsana (bridge pose) variation with the resistance band at your feet
Setu Bandha Sarvāṅgāsana (bridge pose) variation with the resistance band at your feet
Come to recline on your back and bend your knees.
Come to Savasana or a seated meditation for a guided meditation.
Body Scan
Start at the top of the head and begin to scan the body taking your inner gaze from the crown down the torso, arms, and legs. Explore each body part to see if you have any tension and as you exhale, imagine releasing the tension from your body.
Resources on Mindful Meditation
This practice may help you feel more aware of the sensations of your body. It also provides a means to examine how you feel and respond accordingly.
In this 2017 study on mindful meditation and chronic pain, meditation is shown to lessen the effect of chronic pain on the body.
In this 2014 study on meditation and the effect on stress, meditation is explored to show the effects on anxiety, depression, stress/distress, positive mood, mental health-related quality of life, attention, substance use, eating habits, sleep, pain, and weight.
Visualization
Imagine two balls of light at the ball of each foot. The light is a soft glow; it is the colour of the dawn. Warm and reassuring. Envision these balls of light moving up your legs to your torso, arms, and head. As the balls of light move, they heat the body.
Professional athletes have discovered the power of visualization practices and use visualization to enhance performance.
Visualization in meditation practice also helps with slowing the nervous system to aid in self-regulation and relaxation.