A watery class inspired by Ana Forrest Yoga, you’ll move toward Dhanurasana (bow pose) as the peak pose. This class uses a bolster to support core strengthening and resistance; by pressing into the bolster, this action brings awareness to the abdominal muscles. Back and gluteal strengthening are balanced with side body and quadricep lengthening. Move through a fluid and dynamic flow to create heat and space across the chest’s front and back.
*** If you have digestive issues (IBS), are pregnant, or on your moon, please do not press your belly against the bolster. Instead, take camel pose or cat/cows when the bolster is suggestive throughout the class. Modify as you need; we are on the belly a lot in this class, so the offering would be to lay on your stomach without the bolster or do things on your hands and knees if pressure on the abdomen doesn’t serve.
Spotify Playlist: Tend the Soil
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2UX42DelBjCdveWJ2t0UhG?si=8b2fd37776fa4b27
Style: Vinyasa
Duration: 60-minutes
Level: open-levels
Props: 2 blocks, 1 bolster
Focus: Core, back, and glute strengthening with back bending as the peak pose
Location: Lila Familia Production Studio, Vancouver, BC
Opening Sequence
This class opens with a posture from Forrest Yoga.
Create a little snail by rolling your mat up.
***If you ate in the last hour, please take child’s pose, OR make two fists and tuck your fists into the lower abdomen and then take the child’s pose. The fists create stimulating knots on the lower abdomen; it’s less pressure than the roll.
Stay on your roll or in child’s pose for 4-5 minutes.
Benefits of this pose:
Come off of your roll and lay your mat back down on the ground.
Balasana (child’s pose)
10-15 breath to move as you like, options:
Come to Tadasana at the top of your mat.
2x Sun Salutations – following the cues
Tadasana (mountain pose)
Urdhva Hastasana (hands to sky)
Uttanasana (forward fold)
Ardha Uttanasana (half lift)
Anjaneyasana (low lunge) variation
Adho mukha svanasana (down dog)
Phalakasana (plank pose)
Chaturanga
Bhujangasana (cobra pose) variation on fingertips
Phalakasana (plank pose)
Adho mukha svanasana (down dog)
Eka pada adho mukha svanasana (3-legged downward dog)
Anjaneyasana (low lunge) variation
Uttanasana (forward fold)
Urdhva Hastasana (hands to sky)
Uttanasana (forward fold)
Ardha Uttanasana (half lift)
Ashta Chandrasana (high lunge) variation with the breath of joy
Parivrtta Anjaneyasana (revolved lunge) variation with arms wide
Eka pada adho mukha svanasana (3-legged downward dog) variation
Adho mukha svanasana (down dog)
Take knees to the ground and place the bolster on the ground in front of you.
FIngerstand cobra using the bolster on the lower abdomen
Adho mukha svanasana (down dog)
Eka pada adho mukha svanasana (3-legged downward dog)
Ashta Chandrasana (high lunge) variation with the breath of joy
Parivrtta Anjaneyasana (revolved lunge) variation with arms wide
Eka pada adho mukha svanasana (3-legged downward dog) variation
Adho mukha svanasana (down dog)
Wave 1
Tadasana (mountain pose) at the back of your mat
Quadricep stretch with a heel to your bum
Take the knee to your chest of your lifted leg and extend from the heel.
Virabhadrasana III (warrior 3) variation with both knees bent.
Take the knee to your chest of your lifted leg and extend from the heel.
Virabhadrasana I (warrior 1) variation with the hands at opposite elbows
Garuda (eagle pose) variation with hands at opposite elbows
Utkatasana (chair pose)
Parivrtta Utkatasana (revolved chair pose)
Uttanasana (forward fold)
Anjaneyasana (low lunge) variation
Bharmanasana (tabletop) variation
Come to sit with your heels on your bum for 1-cycle of kapalabhati breath.
Place your bolster on your mat and come to lay down with the belly on the bolster.
Two options:
Repeat the same sequence on the other side.
Backbending Sequence
Place your bolster on your mat and come to lay down with the belly on the bolster.
Option 1:
Option 2:
Option 3:
Using the bolster, take one of the above options to backbend using the bolster to engage the abdominals. This form of resistance brings more space to the low back to support the spine as you backbend.
Take rest with the head on the hands before doing one more backbend using the bolster to assist your progression OR rest.
Cooling Sequence
Come to sit on your heels for a cooling breath meditation.
Option to also sit on a prop or take a child’s pose.
Breathing meditation:
Ardha Matsyendrasana (seated spinal twist)
Marichyasana (Sage twist pose)
Inner thigh opener of choice, options:
Savasana or seated meditation to close.