Style: Slow Flow

Duration: 43-minutes

Level: open

Props: 2 blocks

Focus: twists and hip openers

Location: Vancouver, BC

Music: Winter Solstice Spotify Playlist

Meditation: Sit comfortably and make a conscious choice to deepen your breath and arrive to your practice. We are here to honor the darkness. With your eyes closed, take this opportunity to observe your internal landscape. Connect to your emotional and intuitive body and use your inner awareness to probe the landscape that is inside you.

Imagine that you are at a banquet and you are the host. All the guests are the beings and feelings that currently reside in your internal landscape. Invite them to sit at a long table in your mind. If you can, imagine that you are naming each guest.

May this practice be a feast of celebration for all those who are sitting at the table this evening.

Three sounds of Aum to open the class together.

Opening Movement:

Anahatasana (heart pose)

Salamba Bhujangasana (sphynx pose)

• From Sphynx, lower to belly and rest forehead on the backs of hands. Draw heels to bum and windshield wiper heels from side-to-side.

Bhujangasana (cobra pose) variation

• Take hands wider than the shoulders out to the sides of your mat.
• Tent the hands and come up onto the fingertips.
• Inhale and reach your chest forward.
• Exhale lower one shoulder towards the center of the mat and gaze over the opposite shoulder.
• Repeat both sides.

Sufi Grinds

Tibetan Sun Salutations:

Balasana (child’s pose)

Urdhva Hastasana (upward salute) variation from the shins

Uttana Shishosana (extended puppy pose)

Marjaryasana (cat pose)

Adho Mukha Svanasana (downward-facing dog)

Marjaryasana (cat pose)

Uttana Shishosana (extended puppy pose)

Repeat for three rounds.

Wave 1

Urdhva Hastasana (upward salute) variation from shins w/ fingers interlaced overhead

Anjaneyasana (lunge) variation w/ fingers interlaced overhead

• From low lunge, take a side-waist stretch with one hand on the hip and the opposite arm reaching up and overhead.

Anjaneyasana (lunge) variation with back knee lifted

• From high lunge, take a side-waist stretch with one hand on the hip and the opposite arm reaching up and overhead.

Parivrtta Utthita Ashwa Sanchalanasana (revolved high lunge) variation with arms stretched out wide

Ardha Matsyendrasana (Seated Spinal Twist)

Krounchasana (heron pose) variations preparation:

• From seated, interlace fingers around the outer edge of your foot and draw the arch of your foot towards your chest.
• Krounchasana (heron pose) variation
• Parivrtta Krounchasana (revolved heron pose) variation

Supta Kapotasana (reclined pigeon)

Uttanasana (standing forward fold)

Adho Mukha Svanasana (downward facing dog)

Marjaryasana (cat pose)

Anahatasana (heart pose)

Urdhva Hastasana (upward salute) variation from shins

Vajrasana (thunderbolt) sit back on heels with toes tucked under

Repeat other side

Wave 2

Urdhva Hastasana (upward salute) variation from shins w/ fingers interlaced overhead

Anjaneyasana (lunge) variation w/ fingers interlaced overhead

• From low lunge, take a side-waist stretch with one hand on the hip and the opposite arm reaching up and overhead.

Anjaneyasana (lunge) variation with back knee lifted

• From high lunge, take a side-waist stretch with one hand on the hip and the opposite arm reaching up and overhead.
• Return to center, reach arms overhead.
• Lean torso forward ¼ of the way.
• Step back foot forward and shift weight into front leg in order to lift back foot off the earth.
• Tadasana Pawanmuktasana (standing knee to chest)

Eka pada Utkatasana (one-legged chair pose) fig. 4 variation

Ardha Matsyendrasana (seated spinal twist)

Agnistambhasana (fire log Pose)

Ardha Purvottanasana (Reverse tabletop) with fig. 4 legs

Uttanasana (standing forward fold)

Repeat other side

Floor Poses

Setu Bandha Sarvangasana (bridge pose) OR Urdhva Dhanurasana (wheel pose)– hold for 5 breaths

Rest on back with hands on belly