A powerful class to honor Shiva and the powers of transformation with mantra, core strengthening, and arm balancing to build toward Eka Pada Koundinyasana I (flying splits) as the peak pose. A mantra to honor Shiva, Lord of Destruction and Transformation, opens the class. Expect lots of lunges, warriors, twists, and arm balancing, and leg balancing to build heat. Backbending, hip opening, and forward folds close your practice before taking an extended seated meditation or savasana.

Spotify Playlist: Shiva’s Gift Online

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5v2sQxYfT7nday5Cswsq8h?si=d52ab9e1beac4e65

Style: Vinyasa

Duration: 90-minutes

Level: open-levels

Props: 1 Block

Focus: core strengthening as we work towards handstand

Location: Lila Familia Production Studio, Vancouver, BC

Opening Meditation 

Come to a tall seat and close your eyes. Take a couple of deep breaths to arrive in the here and now. This practice asks that you connect to your Agni, your spiritual and digestive fire. The fire lives in the solar plexus, above the belly button, and below the ribcage at Manipura, the third chakra.

Fire transforms everything it touches; nothing is the same once it’s been touched by fire. Fire is mutable, and its energy presents itself in many forms. The embers at the base of the fire, the flames at the center feeding on the wood, and the heat we feel in the space surrounding the flame.

Change is inevitable; transformation is a choice. Change is always happening; transformation is what we do with the change and how we interact with change. Transformation is a conscious choice.

Visualize a ball of light, your inner flame, around the solar plexus. Each time you breathe, imagine stoking the fire with whatever it is you’d like to change and transform in your life. Stay present for your breath, feel each inhale and exhale, and breathe into the light inside.

Opening Mantra to Shiva 

Three sounds of Aum together.

Take the following mantra as call and response and then several times together with Clara.

Shiva Shiva Shiva Shambo, Shiva Shiva Shiva Shambo.

Mahadeva Shambo, Mahadeva Shambo.

Shiva: Lord of Transformation, Lord of the cosmic dance of Destruction.

Shambho: Another name for Shiva is the simple or aesthetic one.

Mahadeva: Great Lord, Great One, another name for Shiva.

This mantra invokes Shiva as the great one, the auspicious one. Shiva is part of the Trimurti with Brahma, Lord of Creation, and Vishnu, Lord of Preservation.

Opening Flow

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)

2x Sun Salutations opening to your breath.

Follow Clara’s cues or move at your own rhythm.

We’ll meet in a mountain pose.

Wave 1

Tadasana (mountain pose)

Urdhva Hastasana (hands to sky)

Utkatasana (chair pose)

Uttanasana (forward fold)

Ardha Uttanasana (half lift)

Ashta Chandrasana (high lunge)

Parivrtta Utthita Ashwa Sanchalanasana (revolved low lunge variation

• Take your top arm across your ear to the front of the room, bend the elbow, and breathe into your side waist.

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

Adho mukha svanasana (down dog)

Phalakasana (plank pose)

Chaturanga

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

Adho mukha svanasana (down dog)

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

Virabhadrasana II (warrior 2)

Urdhva Virabhadrasana (peaceful warrior)

Utthita Parsvakonasana (extended side angle pose)

Trikonasana (triangle pose)

Utthan Pristhasana (lizard pose) variation

• Take one hip to the ground or a block,
• Take the hands behind you and spread the chest to the back of your mat.

Anantasana (Vishnu’s couch)

Bhujangasana (cobra pose) variation on fingertips

Phalakasana (plank pose)

Adho mukha svanasana (down dog)

Uttanasana (forward fold)

Ardha Uttanasana (half lift)

Uttanasana (forward fold)

Urdhva Hastasana (hands to sky)

Tadasana (mountain pose)

Repeat the same sequence on the other leg.

Wave 2

Tadasana (mountain pose)

Utkatasana (chair pose)

Parivrtta Utkatasana (revolved chair pose) variation with heel lifted from the ground.

• Keep hands in prayer, OR
• Spread your wings and stretch your hands to the top and bottom of the room.

Parivrtta Anjaneyasana (revolved lunge pose)

Hanumanasana (splits pose)

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

Patita Tarasana (fallen triangle pose)

Phalakasana (plank pose) variation

• Keep the leg that was extended to the side of your mat on the ground where it is as you come into plank, stay here, or take chaturanga.

Adho mukha svanasana (down dog) OR Balasana (child’s pose)

Urdhva Prasarita Eka Padasana (standing splits)

Parivrtta Ardha Chandrasana (revolved half moon pose)

Uttanasana (forward fold)

Peak Flow 1

We’ll take the peak pose twice, once after each wave on either leg, so there’s plenty of opportunities to practice!

Parsva Bakasana (side crow pose)

*** If you’re not arm balancing, option to take:

• Malasana (yogic squat)
• Balasana (child’s pose)
• Prapadasana (squatting toe balance pose)

From side crow, transition into Eka Pada Koundinyasana I (flying splits)

Come to fold at the top of your mat when you’re done.

Make your way up to mountain pose.

Repeat the same sequence on the other leg.

Peak Flow 2

Tadasana (mountain pose)

Urdhva Hastasana (hands to sky)

Uttanasana (forward fold)

Ardha Uttanasana (half lift)

Uttanasana (forward fold)

Phalakasana (plank pose)

Chaturanga

Bhujangasana (cobra pose) variation from fingertips

Adho mukha svanasana (down dog) OR Balasana (child’s pose)

We’ll come into Eka Pada Koundinyasana I (flying splits) from a low lunge variation for you to try the different ways to get into our peak pose. 

Cooling Flow

Balasana (child’s pose)

Setu Bandha Sarvāṅgāsana (bridge pose) for ten breaths in a variation of your choice

• Take a supported bridge with a block under your bum, OR
• Full bridge pose, OR
• A backbend of your choice from the ground.

Urdhva Dhanurasana (wheel pose)

Sucirandhrasana (reclined pigeon pose) OR Urdhva Mukha Pasasana (thread the needle)

Ardha Ananda Balasana (half happy baby pose)

Baddha Konasana (seated bound angle pose)

Closing Meditation

Come to a seat OR savasana for meditation.