A slow flow class to stretch the hips includes glute and inner thigh strengthening as you work toward low-flying Dekasana II (low-flying airplane) and Ardha Chandrasana (half moon pose). The peak poses for this class are Tarasana (star pose) and Kurmasana (turtle pose).
Style: Slow Flow
Duration: 60-minutes
Level: intermediate/advanced
Props: 2 blocks
Focus: hip flexors, hip openers
Location: Vancouver, BC
Music: Earth and Ether Spotify Playlist
Meditation
Come to a seat of your choice, using as many or few props as you prefer. Take a few deep breaths to arrive in your body, here and now. Take stock of how your body feels. Observe the quality of your breath and what you are naturally tending toward.
Mantra for practice:
“Relax and turn off your mind; relax and float downstream.”
May we take the focus out of the business and into a more quiet place within ourselves. May we soften into the flow and move into the current together.
Three sounds of Aum open the class together.
10-15 breath to move as you like, options:
Come to Tadasana at the front of your mat.
2x Sun Salutations
Tadasana (mountain pose)
Urdvha Hastasana (hands to sky)
Uttanasana (forward fold)
Ardha Uttanasana (half lift)
Anjaneyasana (lunge)
Adho mukha svanasana (down dog)
Phalakasana (plank pose)
Chaturanga
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 on the other leg.
Wave 1
Tadasana (mountain)
Utkatasana (chair)
Uttanasana (forward fold)
Ardha Uttanasana (half lift)
Ashta Chandrasana (high crescent lunge) variation
Ashta Chandrasana (high crescent lunge) variation with Venus Mudra
Anjaneyasana (low lunge)
Utthan Pristhasana (lizard pose) variation
Adho mukha svanasana (down dog)
Phalakasana (plank pose)
Chaturanga
Bhujangasana (cobra pose)
Adho mukha svanasana (down dog)
Eka pada adho mukha svanasana (3-legged downward dog)
Virabhadrasana II (warrior 2) variation
Trikonasana (trianlge pose)
Anjaneyasana (low lunge)
Malasana (yogic squat) variation with a hand behind the head
*Option to sit on a block or the ground
Uttanasana (forward fold)
Tadasana (mountain)
Repeat the same sequence on the other leg
Wave 2
Tadasana (mountain)
Utkatasana (chair)
Uttanasana (forward fold)
Ardha Uttanasana (half lift)
Anjaneyasana (low lunge)
Utthan Pristhasana (lizard pose) variation
*Krama 1: straighten the back knee
**Krama 2: low-flying airplane – take both arms up away from the ground and extend them wide to either side
***Krama 3: take the bind – hands bound by your booty under the front thigh
Eka pada adho mukha svanasana (3-legged downward dog)
Adho mukha svanasana (down dog)
Phalakasana (plank pose)
**Option to lower the knee of the extended leg and do these oblique tucks from a tabletop.
Phalakasana (plank pose)
Chaturanga
Bhujangasana (cobra pose)
Adho mukha svanasana (down dog)
Eka pada adho mukha svanasana (3-legged downward dog)
Virabhadrasana II (warrior 2) variation with half or full cow face arms
Shanti Virabhadrasana (peaceful warrior)
Ardha Chandrasana (half moon pose)
Uttanasana (forward fold)
Tadasana (mountain)
Repeat the same sequence on the other leg.
Floor Poses
Tarasana (star pose)
Kurmsana (turtle pose)
Supported variations of either:
Matsyasana (fish pose) OR Setu Bandha Sarvangasana (bridge pose)
Viloma Pranayama
Viloma breath, aka interrupted breath, is the offering while in supported fish or bridge pose.
This technique includes a bit of kumbhaka (breath retention) after each inhale; hold lightly. This pranayama helps to expand the length of the breath and the lung capacity.
To do this pranayama:
Repeat this several times or breathe naturally
Savasana or seated meditation to close your practice.