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:

• Balasana (child’s pose)
• Adho Mukha Shvanasana (down dog)
• Uttanasana (forward fold)
• Bidalasana (cat pose)
• Bitilasana (cow pose)

Adho Mukha Shvanasana (down dog)

Bharmanasana (tabletop pose)

• Set your blocks under your palms on the widest width

Adho Mukha Shvanasana (down dog) with blocks under palms

Anjaneyasana (lunge) variation with the back knee on the ground

• Keep the blocks under your hands
• Inhale and lift the chest
• Exhale and straighten both legs and round your back
• Repeat several cycles

Anahatasana (heart pose)

Adho Mukha Shvanasana (down dog) with blocks under palms

Anjaneyasana (lunge) variation with the back knee on the ground

• Keep the blocks under your hands
• Inhale and lift the chest
• Exhale and straighten both legs and round your back
• Repeat several cycles

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

• Inhale and reach your arms to the sky
• Exhale and take your arms behind you and down to the ground
• Make big arm circles as you breathe

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

• Keep on palm on the ground
• Reach the opposite hand to the sky
• Inhale and sweep the palm upwards
• Exhale and take your palm forward and out to the side
• Draw half circles with the extended arm as you breather

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

• Interlace your fingers and take your hands to the back of your head
• Spread your elbows wide
• Draw the tailbone toward the ground
• Lift your sternum, the breast bone, upwards toward the sky
• Take 5 breaths in this shape

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

• Take your hands behind you and clasp them at your back
• Humble warrior: bow your torso inside the front leg
• Take your clasped hands to the sky
• Hug your front knee towards your shoulder
• Take 5 breaths

Parsvottanasana (pyramid pose) variation

• Press your heels into the ground
• Reach your hands over your head
• Half cow face arms: draw your top elbow forward and up
• Lower your torso a quarter of the way forward
• Take 5 breaths

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

• Inhale and lift your chest as you root your pelvis into the ground
• Exhale and round your back, press your toes down, and lift your pelvis

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

• Press the block length-wise between your hands
• Take your hands above your head
• Straighten both legs
• Lower your torso a quarter of the way forward
• Option to bring your hands to your heart with the block=

Lift your torso upright and bring your hands to your heart with the block between the palms

Virabhadrasana III (warrior 3 pose) variation

• Press the block between your palms at your heart
• Widen your elbows
• Hug your shoulders on your back
• Take 5 breaths

Tadasana Pavanmuktasana (standing knee to chest pose)

• Cross your lifted leg over your standing leg for eagle legs
• Squeeze your legs together
• Press your block and extend your hands to the sky
• Stay as you are, or, lower the torso a quarter of the way down
• Take 5 breaths

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

• Place your legs at two 90 degree angles
• Lace your fingers and take your hands to the back of your head, OR
• Bring one hand to the back heel and the other hand to your heart
• Breath into your palm at the heart and lift your chest
• Take 5 breaths

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.

• Come to your shins and lift your hips from your heels.
• Tuck the toes and bring your hands to clasp in front of your chest.
• Inhale and lift your chest, shrug the shoulders onto your back.
• Exhale and lean back with your torso, but stay on a diagonal and don’t stick your bum out.
• Inhale and lift up.
• Exhale and lower.
• Repeat 5 cycles.

Ustrasana (camel pose)

Supta Virasana (reclined hero pose) variation

• Option to place blocks under the head and the shoulders with the legs extended, OR
• Take the full variation with your shins on the ground

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

• Option to place the palms on the belly, on the ground, or over your head.

Nadi Shodhana with no hands is the closing pranayama for this class.

Meditation or savasana to close.