To the magic we create through our breath in this practice.
A dynamic Lila Flow class that features leg balancing, side waist stretching, and heart-opening, with 30-minutes of breathwork to close. This class includes 30-minutes of asana, followed by 30-minutes of pranayamas with a bit of mantra to bring your focus to the subtle body. This class invites you to slow down, breathe deep, and consider the main energy lines of the body, Sushumna, Ida, and Pingala, to balance over-stimulation and create harmony through movement and breath.
Take the condensed Lila Flow of this class, here.
Style: Lila Flow Yoga & Pranayama
Duration: 60-minutes
Level: open
Props: 2 Blocks, 1 Bolster.
Focus: a dynamic yoga class followed by 30-minutes of pranayama and meditation.
Location: Vancouver, BC
Music: Spotify playlist
Opening Flow
Tadasana (mountain pose)
Urdvha Hastasana (hands to sky)
Uttanasana (forward fold)
Ardha Uttanasana (half lift)
Anjaneyasana (lunge)
Anahatasana (heart pose)
Adho mukha svanasana (down dog)
Eka pada adho mukha svanasana (3-legged downward dog)
Anjaneyasana (lunge)
Parivrtta Anjaneyasana (revolved lunge) variation with arms wide
Skandasana (wide-legged squat over one leg pose)
Spin toward the back of your mat
Anjaneyasana (lunge) variation with fingertips on the ground
Phalakasana (plank pose)
Chaturanga
Bhujangasana (cobra pose)
Adho mukha svanasana (down dog)
Eka pada adho mukha svanasana (3-legged downward dog)
Vasisthasana (side plank pose)
Eka pada adho mukha svanasana (3-legged downward dog)
Anjaneyasana (lunge) variation with fingertips on the ground
Uttanasana (forward fold)
Urdvha Hastasana (hands to sky)
Uttanasana (forward fold)
Repeat the same sequence on the other leg.
Wave 1
Tadasana (mountain pose)
Utkatasana (chair pose)
Urdvha Hastasana (hands to sky)
Uttanasana (forward fold)
Ardha Uttanasana (half lift)
Anjaneyasana (lunge)
Anahatasana (heart pose) variation with palms on your blocks
Adho mukha svanasana (down dog) variation with palms on your blocks
Eka pada adho mukha svanasana (3-legged downward dog) variation with palms on your blocks
Anjaneyasana (lunge) variation with palms on your blocks
Virabhadrasana III (warrior 3) variation with palms on blocks
Tadasana Pavanmuktasana (standing knee to chest pose)
Vrksasana (tree pose) variation within a side waist stretch
Rollerskating pose→ come down to a little squat
Ardha Matsyendrasana (seated spinal twist)
Navasana (boat pose)
Halasana (plough pose)
Utkatasana (chair pose)
Uttanasana (forward fold)
Phalakasana (plank pose)
Chaturanga
Bhujangasana (cobra pose) OR Urdhva Mukha Shvanasana (upward facing dog)
Adho mukha svanasana (down dog)
Eka pada adho mukha svanasana (3-legged downward dog)
Vasisthasana (side plank pose) variation
Eka pada adho mukha svanasana (3-legged downward dog)
Virabhadrasana II (warrior 2)
Trikonasana (triangle pose)
Anjaneyasana (lunge) variation with fingertips on the ground
Uttanasana (forward fold)
Urdvha Hastasana (hands to sky)
Tadasana (mountain pose)
Repeat the same sequence on the other leg
Cooling Flow
Take one backbend of your choice for 8 breaths:
Baddha Konasana (seated bound angle pose) variation
Come to sit on your mat for pranayamas; you can use your bolster, blocks, or any other props you prefer. The other option is to recline with your legs up the wall or on the bolster down the length of your mat.
Simple pranayama:
Nadi Shodhana Variation:
Breath through each nostril by plugging one side and inhaling and exhaling exclusively on the other side.
Nadhi Shodhana benefits:
This style of pranayama carries more oxygen to the blood than regular breathing; it also soothes the nervous system, helps create calm in the body and mind, and balances the subtle body. Nadi Shodhana lowers the heart rate and reduces stress and anxiety as it purifies the subtle energy channels so the Prana (breath, life-force) can flow with ease.
Two energy lines traverse Shusumna—the spine—called Ida and Pingala. Sushumna is the body’s central channel and largest energy line. It is the home to the seven chakras. Ida and Pingala represent the other two main energy lines that move from the base of the spine to the crown of the head. These two energy lines refer to the right and left sides of the brain; through these energy lines, or Nadis, we create balance in the body and connect the two hemispheres through the breath.
Pingala represents solar energy, masculine, extroverted, bright, left hemisphere.
Ida represents lunar energy, feminine, introverted, dark, right hemisphere.
We need both energies to be whole. We need both energies to feel balanced in body and mind. When we connect such dualistic expressions, we create our reality. Without the opposition of the other, there is no creation story.
Ida and Pingala may also be seen as forms of Shiva and Shakti.
The final portion of the class will be chanting the sound of Om.
Bring your awareness to the central channel, Sushumna.
We’ll express all three parts of the Om: Ah – O – Um.
Seated meditation to close.