A Lila Flow yoga class featuring arm balancing as you build toward Eka Pada Koundinyasana A (flying splits) as the peak pose. Move through twists, core strengthening from variations in plank pose, hamstring lengthening, arm balances, and backbends. This class is great for yogis of all levels and creates a full-body experience through the fluidity of movement and breath.

Style: Lila Flow Yoga

Duration: 34-minutes

Level: open

Props: 2 blocks

Focus: arm balances with Eka Pada Koundinyasana A (flying splits) as the peak.

Location: Vancouver, BC

Music: Spotify Playlist – New Chapter

Meditation

Come to stand at the top of your mat and close your eyes or connect to a gaze point out in front of you. Create ujjayi breath, gently constricting the back of the throat as you breathe through the nose. Ujjayi creates the sound of the ocean as you breathe, so listen to this sound as you move through your practice.

Today we will work with the element of water. Water is the only element that can be in three forms. It can be a solid, a liquid or a gas. Envision that you are beside a body of water: a beach, a lake, a river, a waterfall. May we embody the strength, fluidity, and ephemeral quality of water as we move on our mat.

Wave 1

Tadasana (mountain pose)

Urdvha Hastasana (hands to sky)

Uttanasana (forward fold)

Ardha Uttanasana (half lift)

Anjaneyasana (lunge) variation

• Take your hands on either side of your front foot, option to use the blocks
• Inhale and bend into your front knee and lift your chest
• Exhale and straighten both legs as you lift your hips
• Repeat several cycles with your breath

Dandayamana Bharmanasana (balancing tabletop) variation

• Inhale and extend the opposite arm and leg
• Exhale and round the spine, taking elbow and knee to chest

Bharmanasana Knees Up (hovering tabletop) – hold for 10 breaths

Adho mukha svanasana (down dog)

Phalakasana (plank pose)

Chatarunga

Bhujangasana (cobra pose)

Adho mukha svanasana (down dog)

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

Anjaneyasana (lunge)

Tadasana Janu Hastasana (knee to hand pose) and roll up to stand

Vrikshasana (tree pose) variation

• Fountain of youth from tree pose
• Inhale and take your prayer palms overhead
• Exhale and take your arms wide and down
• Repeat several cycles with your breath

Anjaneyasana (lunge) variation

• Take your hands to Anjali Mudra at your chest
• Inhale and lift your heart to your hands
• Exhale and twist your torso to the side
• Repeat several cycles with your breath

Parivrtta Ashtachandrasana (revolved lunge) with the back knee on or off the ground.

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

Urdhva Prasarita Ekapadasana (standing splits) at the back of your mat

Rollerskating pose and lower onto your bum

Marichyasana (seated spinal twist)

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.

**After the second side:

Bakasana (crow pose)

• Learn how to do crow pose in this 5-min tutorial.

Benefits include:

• Tones the abdominals, deep core stabilizers, and adductors, to alleviate and help with lower back pain
• Strengthens the wrists, hands, arms, shoulders, and upper back
• Stretches the upper back and inner groins
• Improves mental clarity and focus

Peak Wave

** 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. 

Uttanasana (forward fold)

Ardha Uttanasana (half lift)

Uttanasana (forward fold)

Adho mukha svanasana (down dog)

Phalakasana (plank pose)

Chatarunga

Bhujangasana (cobra pose)

Adho mukha svanasana (down dog)

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

Virabhadrasana II (warrior 2 pose)

Viparita Virabhadrasana (peaceful warrior)

Anjaneyasana (lunge) variation into an arm balance:

Take crow pose OR move towards Eka Pada Koundinyasana A (flying splits pose).

Repeat the same sequence on the other leg.

Cooling Sequence 

Virasana (hero’s pose) OR Utthan Pristhasana (lizard pose) – hold for 16 breaths total.

A backbend of choice for 10 breaths.

• Setu Bandha Sarvāṅgāsana (bridge pose)
• Urdhva Dhanurasana (wheel pose)

Supta Baddha Konasana (reclined bound angle pose)

Savasana to close.