A strong vinyasa yoga class strengthens the core, back body, and torso as you work towards Kapotasana (a wheel with forearms on the ground) as the peak pose. Expect to build heat with forearm plank pose, lunges, warrior 3, and leg balancing pose. Side waist and chest opening prepare the body for deep backbends, including Ustrasana (camel). Your class opens with a brief meditation and mantra and closes with Nadi Shodhana pranayama.
Poem read in class:
“I’m happy even before I have a reason
I’m full of Light even before the sky
Can greet the sun or the moon.
Dear companions, we have been in love with God
For so very, very long.
What can we now do but forever Dance!”—Hafiz.
Style: Vinyasa
Duration: 60-minutes
Level: open
Props: 2 Blocks.
Focus: core and back strengthening with Kapotasana (wheel on forearms) as the peak pose.
Location: Vancouver, BC
Music: Spotify playlist:
Opening Meditation
Come to a seat at the top of your mat and close your eyes.
Consider your relationship to joy—where does it live in your body? How does it feel? What does joy make you think of?
Chant joy 3x to open your practice.
Opening Flow
10-15 breaths to move as you like, options:
Adho Mukha Shvanasana (down dog)
Bharmanasana (tabletop pose)
Adho Mukha Shvanasana (down dog) with blocks under palms
Anjaneyasana (lunge) variation with the back knee on the ground
Anahatasana (heart pose)
Adho Mukha Shvanasana (down dog) with blocks under palms
Anjaneyasana (lunge) variation with the back knee on the ground
Anahatasana (heart pose)
Salamba Bhujangasana (sphinx pose) variation with neck rolls
Adho Mukha Shvanasana (down dog)
Uttanasana (forward fold)
Roll up to stand.
Standing Flow
Tadasana (mountain pose)
Urdvha Hastasana (hands to sky)
Uttanasana (forward fold)
Ardha Uttanasana (half lift)
Anjaneyasana (lunge) variation
Adho Mukha Shvanasana (down dog)
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)
Anjaneyasana (lunge)
Parivrtta Anjaneyasana (revolved lunge) variation
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
Utkatasana (chair pose)
Uttanasana (forward fold)
Ardha Uttanasana (half lift)
Anjaneyasana (lunge) variation
Adho Mukha Shvanasana (down dog)
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)
Virabhadrasana I (warrior 1 pose) variation
Parsvottanasana (pyramid pose) variation
Parsvottanasana (pyramid pose) with hands on the ground
Adho Mukha Shvanasana (down dog)
Phalakasana (plank pose)
Lower to the ground
Salamba Bhujangasana (sphinx pose) variation with cat/cows
Bhujangasana (cobra pose) OR Urdhva Mukha Shvanasana (upward facing dog)
Adho mukha svanasana (down dog)
Eka pada adho mukha svanasana (3-legged downward dog)
Virabhadrasana I (warrior 1 pose) variation with a block
Lift your torso upright and bring your hands to your heart with the block between the palms
Virabhadrasana III (warrior 3 pose) variation
Tadasana Pavanmuktasana (standing knee to chest pose)
Urdvha Hastasana (hands to the sky) variation with the block between your palms
Uttanasana (forward fold) and set the block aside
Ardha Uttanasana (half lift)
Take a half vinyasa, child’s pose, or downward dog
Uttanasana (forward fold)
Ardha Uttanasana (half lift)
Urdvha Hastasana (hands to the sky)
Tadasana (mountain pose)
Repeat the same sequence on the other leg.
Peak Flow
Adho Mukha Shvanasana (down dog)
Anjaneyasana (lunge) variation
Take a seat on your shins and breathe before shifting to the same pose on the other side.
Anahatasana (heart pose) variation with elbows on the blocks.
Adho Mukha Shvanasana (down dog)
The Pump: this pose strengthens the legs—specifically, the quads—for the peak pose.
Ustrasana (camel pose)
Supta Virasana (reclined hero pose) variation
Kapotasana (wheel pose with forearms on the ground)
Cooling Flow
Come to lay on your back and draw your knees into your chest. Roll around on your back or rock side to side.
Pavanamuktasana (wind releiving pose)
Ardha Ananda Balasana (half happy baby pose)
Supta Matsyendrasana (reclined spinal twist pose)
Repeat the same sequence on the other leg.
Supta Baddha Konasana (reclined bound angle pose) variation
Nadi Shodhana with no hands is the closing pranayama for this class.
Meditation or savasana to close.