Liberation

Setting the theme/tone: Liberation.  Yoga chitta vritta nirodaha “Yoga is for the cessation of the fluctuations of the mind.”  Tonight’s class is about clearing away the illusions imprinted in us by the ego so we may come in close contact with our true Self, our highest potential that is, at all times completely in union with the universal One spirit.  We will be using mudras, chanting, kriyas, asanas & pranayama

to sweat our prayers for the liberation of our truest Self.

Pranayama: Starting in Original Asana (seated in a comfortable position) make a thumbs up sign & take Kapalabhati breath to bring thumbs to connect.  Press thumbs into one another for 5 breaths & then lower arms down halfway, make infinity signs with your thumbs for flow & connection to your highest potential.

Mudra: pop fingers out & take the Maha Mudra (index & thumb connect for openness/receptivity) & chant Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya (Liberation)

Asana: Child’s Pose

Sun A x 3

1. For flow: Beginning in Adho Mukha Svanasana (Down dog), drop knees to Table Top and inhale drop belly to Cow Pose, exhale drop chest & chin to Ashtanga Pranam (8-limbed pose), inhale slithering through to Cobra, exhale rolling up & back to  Balasana (Child’s Pose), inhale roll forward like a wave & splash into Urdva Mukha Svanasana (Upward Dog), exhale rolling over toes and dip low for Chatarunga Dandasana (4-limbed Stick Pose), inhale High Plank & finishing exhale back to Adho Mukha.  Do flow x3.
2. For Upper-body strength: Build up to a Double-Dip Chatarunga: Inhale High Plank & exhale Adho Mukha, inhale High Plank.  Inhale High Plank, exhale Chatarunga, inhale High Plank & exhale Adho Mukha.  Inhale High Plank, exhale Chatarunga, inhale Urdva Mukha & exhale Adho Mukha.  Inhale High Plank, exhale Chatarunga, inhale Urdva Mukha, exhale Chatarunga, inhale High Plank & exhale Adho Mukha.
3. For Balancing yin/yang: From Down dog take legs wide, reach R-hand to L-ankle & twist, reach L-hand to R-ankle & twist.  Come down onto forearms for Dolphin pose & grab R-ankle with R-hand & lift L-leg then grab L-ankle with R-hand & lift R-leg.  Then lift Right leg high & slide through to Chatarunga, drop chin down & attempt full Grasshopper by lifting both legs & balancing on hands & chin.  Press back to dolphin & try the other side.

Balancing:  From Utthanasana (Forward Fold) grab Right-big toe with R-hand, keep L-hand on L-hip & keep both legs straight, come up for big toe hold.  Bring R-leg out to R-side, release L-hand from hip & extend the arm out to the left.  Try to look over left thumb.  Bring it all back to the center & grab the outside of R-foot with the L-hand, extend R-arm behind you & look back.  Bring it all back to the center & come into Vriksasana (Tree Pose) on R-side & fold down into toe stand.  Release into Standing Splits & end in forward fold.  Do it all on the L-side.  Do Nauli Kriya (Belly Churning)

Sun B x 4: for lower-body strength & hip-opening

1. Build up a Sun B with 8 poses: From Utkatasana (Chair Pose) fold into Uttanasana & attempt Bakasana (Crow) with option for Headstand & back to Bakasana, shooting back to Chatarunga, Urdva Mukha & Adho Muhka.  Hold Anjali Asana (Cresent Lunge) for 5 breaths & move into Garudasana (Eagle) for 5 breaths & finish with Utkatasana.  Do both sides
2. Same as above but only hold Anjali Asana & Garudasana for 1 breath & then, inhaling, fling the R-side of the body open into Arda Chandrasana (Half Moon Pose) with an option for Chaprasana, holding 5 breaths.  Inhale back to Reverse Warrior & hold for 5 breaths.  Take your vinyasa back to Utkatasana & complete the L-side.
3. Same as above only hold the previous 4 poses (Anjali Asana, Garudasana, Arda Chandrasana & Reverse Warrior) for 1 breath & from Reverse Warrior add Runner’s Lunge & Malasana (Garland Pose) for 5 breaths.  Then come into a forward fold & come back through vinyasa up to Utkatasana & complete L-side.
4. Same as above only hold the previous 4 poses (Anjali Asana, Garudasana, Arda Chandrasana, Reverse Warrior, Runner’s Lunge & Malasana) for 1 breath & then add Baddha Konasana (Bound Angle Pose) & Kurmasana (Turtle Pose).  Do both sides.

Play time:  Mahamudra (The Great Seal) with option for half lotus legs, Full Lotus “pick-it-up” for 3 round of 10 breaths & then Simasana (Lion Pose, they can attempt the arm balance but they can also just sit in half/full lotus with their hands in Maha Mudra) with Lion’s breath (cross eyes & gaze through 3rd eye, stick tongue all the way out & take 10 forceful exhales).  Take legs wide & do Parvritta Janu Sirsasana (Revolved Head to Knee Pose).

Backbends:  Against the wall.  Bridge up the wall, Wheel up the Wall, Pop-ups up & down the wall & Pincha Mayurasana (Scorpion) up the wall.  From belly take Danurasana (Floor Bow) then back to Balasana & finish up with Supine Spinal Twist.

Chant Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya (Liberation) in original Asana

Meditation: Poem by Sri Aurobindo

I have thrown from me the whirling dance of mind

And stand now in the spirit's silence free,

Timeless and deathless beyond creature-kind,

The centre of my own eternity.

I have escaped and the small self is dead;

I am immortal, alone, ineffable;

I have gone out from the universe I made,

And have grown nameless and immeasurable.

My mind is hushed in a wide and endless light,

My heart a solitude of delight and peace,

My sense un snared by touch and sound and sight,

My body a point in white infinities.

I am the one Being's sole immobile Bliss:

No one I am, I who am all that is.