A playful and dynamic Lila Flow yoga class features mandala circles to challenge your perspective. This class works toward Adho Mukha Vrksasana (handstand) as the peak pose. Move forward and back on your mat through lunges, warriors, and twists as you the side waist and strengthen the abdomen. This class invites you to soften the reins of control to allow the river of the breath and practice to flow through you. Pranayama opens and closes your practice.

Style: Lila Flow

Duration: 30-minutes

Level: open

Props: 2 Blocks

Focus: back strengthening, leg balancing, backbends.

Location: Vancouver, BC

Music: Earth Mandala Spotify Playlist

Opening Flow

Come to stand in the middle of your mat with your legs wide.

• Inhale and take your arms wide and high
• Exhale and take your hands through your heart to the ground

Release your hands and stand tall. Root down through your feet and feel your connection to the earth. As you inhale, draw energy upwards from the earth. As you exhale, root down and observe how you feel.

Wave 1

Tadasana (mountain pose)

Urdvha Hastasana (hands to sky)

Uttanasana (forward fold)

Ardha Uttanasana (half lift)

Anjaneyasana (lunge) variation on fingertips

Phalakasana

Chaturanga

Bhujangasana (cobra pose)

Adho mukha svanasana (down dog)

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

Anjaneyasana (lunge) variation on fingertips

Uttanasana (forward fold)

Urdvha Hastasana (hands to sky)

Uttanasana (forward fold)

Repeat the same sequence on the other side.

Wave 2

Utkatasana (chair pose)

Uttanasana (forward fold)

Ardha Uttanasana (half lift)

Phalakasana

Chaturanga

Bhujangasana (cobra pose)

Adho mukha svanasana (down dog)

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

Anjaneyasana (lunge) variation

• Inhale your arms wide and high
• Exhale and bring your hands through prayer at your heart
• Repeat several cycles

Parsvottanasana (pyramid pose)

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

Urdhva Prasarita Eka Padasana (standing splits) OR Adho Mukha Vrksasana (handstand) hopping variation

Adho mukha svanasana (down dog)

Phalakasana

Chaturanga

Anantasana (sleeping Vishnu)

Ardha Matsyendrasana (seated spinal twist)

Adho mukha svanasana (down dog)

Virabhadrasana II (warrior 2 pose)

• Inhale and bring your back arm forward
• Exhale and bring it up toward the sky and over your head
• Repeat several cycles

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

Urdhva Prasarita Eka Padasana (standing splits) OR Adho Mukha Vrksasana (handstand) hopping variation

Uttanasana (forward fold)

Urdvha Hastasana (hands to sky)

Tadasana (mountain pose)

Repeat the same sequence on the other leg. 

Wave 2

Utkatasana (chair pose)

Uttanasana (forward fold)

Ardha Uttanasana (half lift)

Phalakasana

Chaturanga

Bhujangasana (cobra pose)

Adho mukha svanasana (down dog)

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

Anjaneyasana (lunge) variation

• Inhale your arms wide and high
• Exhale and bring your hands through prayer at your heart
• Repeat several cycles

Parsvottanasana (pyramid pose)

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

Urdhva Prasarita Eka Padasana (standing splits) OR Adho Mukha Vrksasana (handstand) hopping variation

Adho mukha svanasana (down dog)

Phalakasana

Chaturanga

Anantasana (sleeping Vishnu)

Ardha Matsyendrasana (seated spinal twist)

Virabhadrasana II (warrior 2 pose)

• Inhale and bring your back arm forward
• Exhale and bring it up toward the sky and over your head
• Repeat several cycles

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

Urdhva Prasarita Eka Padasana (standing splits) OR Adho Mukha Vrksasana (handstand) hopping variation

Uttanasana (forward fold)

Urdvha Hastasana (hands to sky)

Tadasana (mountain pose)

Utkatasana (chair pose)

Uttanasana (forward fold)

Ardha Uttanasana (half lift)

• Inhale your arms wide and high
• Exhale and bring your hands through prayer at your heart
• Repeat several cycles

Parsvottanasana (pyramid pose)

Adho mukha svanasana (down dog)

Phalakasana

Chaturanga

Anantasana (sleeping Vishnu)

Ardha Matsyendrasana (seated spinal twist)

Virabhadrasana II (warrior 2 pose)

Utthita Parsvakonasana (extended side angle pose)

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.

Cooling Sequence

Peck stretch from the abdomen

• Lay on your belly
• Cactus one arm out to the side
• Roll onto that side
• Place your head to a block or the earth
• Roll your chest open to the side and slightly upwards
• Option to take a reclined spinal twist

Recline on your belly and rest one cheek to your mat or rest your forehead on a block.

Balasana (child’s pose) 

Sukhasana (easy sitting pose)