Stiff White Guys Yoga, Saturday @ 10:45am

15 or so Peeps.

We start supine to open the pelvis and sacrum region.
We move through a sequence of lunges to open the leg channels and practice grounding.
We take this towards Tree Pose.
We talk a little about Sutra 1.2 and Sutra 1.33.

Need: 2 Bricks and access to a wall if you are new to balancing on one leg.

Opening
Supine
Impressing the Heart with Shoulder Work and Arm Extension
Windshield Wipers
Tailbone Awareness
Shimmy
Easy Eye of the Needle

Supta Utthita Tadasana

Transition to Sitting
Sukhasana with Side Bending

Transition to Standing
Easy Uttanasana
Roll up to Standing

Tadasana

3 Rounds of Lunge Salutes towards Crescent Moon

Using a Brick to Establish Standing Leg
Uttanasana at Wall

Little Tree Both Sides

Uttanasana

Tree Pose Both Sides

Uttanasana
Malasana

Transition to Supine

Bridge Pose x 2

Knees to Chest
Easy Spinal Twist

Savasana

Sit



We are building our new video portal.
The Sequence can be found here as well:

http://www.lulubandhas.com/yoga/video/stiff-white-guy/kira-ryder-stiff-white-guys-watering-trees-2010-03-20



The video will be posted soon.

Stiff White Guys Yoga, Saturday 10:45am

Title: The slightest Sift makes a Big Difference
Teaser: We use the wall to open towards Half Moon Pose

Sequence Short: We stretch the hamstrings, open the shoulders and practice balance towards Ardha Chandrasana.

10 Peeps


Opening
Supine with Feet @ Wall
Hamstring Stretching
Supine Extended Mountain Pose

Transition to Sitting
Easy Side Stretching

Transition to Standing
Uttanasana
Roll up

Sequence 1
Shoulder Opening @ Wall
Splat
Right Angle Pose
Uttanasana
Roll up to Standing

Tadasana
Connect with Earth and Water Elements and Ujayii Pranayama

Repeat Sequence 1 with more awareness and attention to breath
Add Leg Lift in Right Angle Pose

Triangle Sequence
Triangle at Wall Each Side
Wide Leg Forward Fold
Tadasana

Repeat Triangle Sequence

Half Moon @ Wall Both Sides
Forward Fold Roll up

Repeat Half Moon with Partners assisting in foot lift

Bridge Pose x 2
Easy Spinal Twist
Savasana

Stiff White Guys Yoga Saturday @ 10:45am

16 Peeps

We began Standing which is unusual.  And sequence was not what I expected.

Uttanasana
Roll up to Standing

Hokey Pokey Erich Schiffmann Style
Belly Tugging
Full Body Shaking

Lebowksi Arm Circles

Warrior 2 Sequence
Twisting Prasarita Padotanasana
Malasana
Uttanasana
Roll up to Standing

Tree Pose x 2

Transititon to Earth

Knee to Chest and Happy Baby Each Side
with other FOOT on wall

Repeat with Block under sacrum to get psoas stretch at same time.

Bridge Pose

Full Happy Baby

Easy Spinal Twist

Savasana

Stiff White Guys Yoga Saturday @ 10:45am

22 peeps
4 Drop Ins

We barely did a thing.  Started to bring the awareness to the nostrils.  There were some questions that allowed me to try to explain the point.

Opening
Impressing the Heart
Windshield Wipers
Tailbone Awareness
Shimmy
Eye of the Needle Both Sides

Roll up to Sitting

Sukhasana with Side Bending
Transition to Standing

Uttanasana
Roll up

Tadasana
Opening the bottom of Feet On Bricks

Attention to the Nostrils

Opening Shoulders at the Wall
Splat Pose

Little Tree Both Sides
Uttanasana
Roll up

Tree Both Sides
Uttanasana
Malasana

Transition to Earth

Roll onto Backs
Bridge Pose
Easy Spinal Twist

Savasana

Stiff White Guys Yoga, Sunday 10am

20 Peeps

Kind of off today.  I woke up disoriented.  I have been uncovering some old deep knots and it feels like i am untethered.  The focus was on grounding down through the legs to connect to the bouancy.  The talking points were at times too personal.  Focus on taking a leap.

Opening
Supine
Knees to Chest
Windsheild Wiper
Tailbone Awareness
Shimmy x 2

Hamstring Stretches with Feet Against Wall





Sukhasana with Easy Side Bending
Side Bending for Real

Transition to Uttanasana
Roll up to Standing

Tadasana

Arm Stretching @ Wall
Splat
Forward Fold @Wall

3 Rounds Easy Lunge Salutes leading towards Crescent Pose

Warrior 2 Dance Sequence

Little Tree
Tree

Uttanasana
Malasana
Transition to Earth

Bridge Pose x 2

Eye of the Needle Both Sides
and Easy SPinal Twist

Legs up the Wall as Savasana

Sit @ Wall

Stiff White Guys Yoga, Saturday 10:45am

15 Peeps

Focused on grounding through the Legs to get Light.

Opening
Supine
Knees to Chest
Windshield Wiper
Tailbone Awareness
Shimmy x 2

Hamstring Stretching with Feet Pressing Against Wall

Knees to Chest
Transition to Sitting

Dandasana with Feet Against Wall

Revolving Head to Knee Pose with Extended Foot Pressing against Wall
Marichyasana Variation
Repeat Other Side

Transition to Standing
Uttanasana with booty on wall

Roll up to Standing

Shoulder Stretching @ Wall
Splat Pose
Right Angle Pose
Uttanasana
Roll up to Standing

Tadasana
3 Rounds of Easy Lunge Salutes moving towards Crescent Moon

One Round of Easy Lunge Salute with Side Angle Blueprint

One Round of Easy Lunge Salutes with Side Angle Blueprint to Triangle

Tadasana
Little Tree Both Sides

Tree Both Sides

Uttanasana

Malasana

Transition to Earth
Bridge Pose x 2

Legs up the Wall

Seated Meditation with Back Against Wall

Stiff White Guy Yoga, Sunday 10:00am

20 Peeps
2 Drop Ins

AL Assisted.  This was totally fun.  I was so happy she was there.


The mood was light and like family.  The class was kind of funny.  We worked the arms and then we worked the legs.  Almost like 2 mini peaks.  But maybe what we did did not matter so much as the joyful and easy relaxed mood that persisted.  And everyone seemed happy.


Opening
Supine
Windshield Wiper
Tailbone Awareness
Shimmy
Eye of the Needle Both Sides


Transition tot Sitting


Sukhasana with Easy Side Bending
Side Bending for Real


Transition to Vajrasana on 2 Blocks
Shoulder Rotation Play
Arm Extension Play
Neck Stretching


Even Cow Girls Get the Blues
Solo, With Partners, Solo


Plank

Downward Facing Dog
Childs


Plank
Down Dog
Uttanasana
Roll up to Standing


Grounding the Legs with a Block Method


Little Tree Both Sides
Uttanasana
Malasana
Uttanasana
Roll up to Standing


Tadasana


Tree Both Sides
Uttanasana
Malasana


Transition onto Backs


2 Rounds Bridge
Knees to Chest


Easy Spinal Twist


Savasana

Help of Ojai Yoga Class, Thursday 11am

First Class of the New Season
14 peeps signed up.
12 came today.

Right before class got a little 'snake bite' from a new student.  This distracted me a bit and created a shrinkage, but I mostly watched it. Why the negative is so attractive is fascinating.

My hit this morning on before class was Revolving Triangle.  That felt like a little much to spring on Day 1, so I started where we left off with Warrior 3.  Using the Hamstring at the Wall Pattern to start to establish shapes and ideas. 

Opening
Impressing the Heart
Tailbone Awareness
Shimmy
Hamstring Stretching at the Wall
Extended Supine Tadasana

Transition to Standing

Lebowksi Arm Circles

Wall Work
Splat
Right Angle Pose
Uttnasana
Tadasana

Repeat with Leg lift in Right Angle (Warrior 3 at Wall)

Warrior 3 Sequence into Center of Room

Transition to Earth
Knees to Chest
Easy Spinal Twist

Savasana

Stiff White Guy Yoga, Sunday 10:00am

24 Peeps
3 Drop ins

Similar theme and talk.  The architecture of optimism, the balance of effort and ease.  Relax in the intensity and stay awake in the ease.  Moved towards Warrior 3.  Highly successful today.

Opening
Supine
Knees to Chest
Windshield Wiper
Tailbone Awareness
Shimmy
Eye of the Needle
Supine Extended Mountatin Pose

Transition to Sitting

Easy Sidebending
Sidebending "for real"

Transition to Standing
Uttanasana
Roll up to Standing

Leboswki Arm Circles
Shoulder Rotation
Shoulder Openings with a Strap
Neck Stretches

Tadasana
3 Rounds Lunge Sautes leading towards Crescent Moon

Warrior 3 Sequence with Squats

Transition to Earth
Bridge x 2
Knees to Chest

Easy Spinal Twist

Savasana

Stiff White Guys Yoga Saturday @ 10:45am

21 Peeps
6 New Drop Ins

Again, slow to start cuz of layout of mats and the numbers. Similar talk of play of effort and ease and the point of yoga. We know we are n the right path because our lives start to feel more meaningful and joyous no matter what is happening.

Opening
Impressing the Heart
Windshield Wiper
Tailbone Awareness
Shimmy
Supine Extended Mountain Pose

Transition to a Seat
Easy Side Bending
Side Bending for Real

Transition to Standing
Easy Uttanasana

Roll up to Standing

Lebowski Arm Circles
Shoulder Rotation Awareness
Shoulder Opening with Strap

Tadasana
3 Rounds Easy Lunge Salutes moving towards Crescent Moon

Warrior 3 Standing Sequence with Malasana

Transition to Earth

Bridge Pose x 2
Knees to Chest
Eye of the Needle on Both Sides

Easy Spinal Twist on Both Sides
Knees to Chest

Savasana

Sit

Sweet Vinyasa Yoga, Wednesday @ 8:30am

21 Peeps
3 Drop Ins


On the way to class, I thought of Half Moon Pose. So we moved towards it. While the class is a Level 2/3, the sequencing is simple and more elemental with Half Moon as the "peak".

Talking Points around Sutra 2.46, Sutra 1.2 and Sutra 1.12.

Opening
Hamstring Stretching against Wall with Strap
Supine Extended Mountain Pose

Transition to Sitting

Easy Side Bending
Side Bending for Real

Transition All Fours
Easy Side Plank Both Sides
Childs Pose
1/2 Dog
Rounded Back

Plank
Dog
Simple Lunge
Dog
Simple Lunge Other Side
Dog

Crescent Moon
Dog
Crescent Moon Other Side
Dog

Vinyasa 1
Plank
3 Round Dips
Baby Cobra to Locust to Cobra
Rest
Windshield Wiper
Rocket Cat
Plank
Dog

Step Forward Uttanasana
Roll up to Standing

Tadasana

Standing Sequence 1
Wide Stance
Hammock
Side Angle Blue Print
Triangle
Side Triangle
Side Angle Pose
3 Legged Dog
Dog

Step Forward Uttanasana
Roll up to Standing

Repeat Standing Sequence 1 Other Side

Side Plank Both Sides

Vinyasa 1

Step Forward Uttanasana
Roll up to Standing

Standing Sequence 2
Wide Stance
Hammock
Side Angle Blue Print
Triangle
Half Moon Pose
Standing Splits
Lunge
Pigeon
3 Legged Dog
Dog

Step Forward Uttanasana
Roll up to Standing

Repeat Standing Sequence 2 Other Side

Side Plank Variation Both Sides

Vinyasa 2
Plank
3 Rounds Chaturanga
Baby Cobra to Locust
Rest

Roll onto Back
Knees to Chest

3 Rounds Bridge

Eye of the Needle Variation
to Eagle Spinal Twist

Repeat Other Side

Savasana

Stiff White Guy Yoga, Saturday 10:45am

15 Peeps
1 Drop In

Focus on shoulders and balance, moving towards Warrior 3. Talking points around the architecture of optimism.

Opening
Impressing the Heart
Tailbone Awareness
Eye of the Needle Both Sides
Supta Uthitta Tadasana
Knees to Chest

Transition to Sitting

Sukhasana with Easy Side Bending
Side Bending "for real"

Transition to Uttanasana
Roll up to Standing

Lebowkski Arm Circles

Shoulder Stretching with a Strap

Tadasana
Ujayyi Pranayama
3 Rounds Lunge Salutes

Standing Balancing Sequence towards Warrior 3

Transition to Earth
Windshield Wiper
Bridge Pose x 2
Knees to Chest

Easy Spinal Twist

Savasana

Stiff White Guy Yoga, Saturday 10:45am

5 Peeps

Everyone was standing when it was time to start class, so we rolled with that.

Opening
Dangling bent knee Uttanasana
Malasana
Uttanasana
Roll up to Standing

Erich Schiffmann Hokey Pokey
Full Body Shaking
Heart Prana Pounding (Stage 1)

Lebowski Arm Circles

Wall Work
Sequence 1
Shoulder Opener Both Sides
Wall Slat
Right Angle
Uttanasana
Roll up to Standing
Tadasana

Repeat Wall Work Sequence 1 with Leg Lift in Right Angle


Towards Warrior 3
Sequence 1
Pyramid with Arms Overhead Both Sides
Tadasana
Uttanasana
Malasana
Uttananasa
Roll up to Standing

Sequence 2
Pyramid with Arms Overhead to Baby Lift Off Both Sides
Tadasana
Uttanasana
Malasana
Uttananasa
Roll up to Standing

Sequence 3
Parsvottanasana
Pyramid with Arms Overhead to Baby Lift
Warrior 3
Tadasana
Parsvottanasana Other Side
Pyramid with Arms Overhead to Baby Lift
Warrior 3
Tadsasana
Uttanasana
Malasana
Uttananasa
Roll up to Standing

Tadasana
2 rounds Crescent Moon Lunge Salutes
Childs Pose

Sphinx
Rest
Baby Cobra
Rest
Baby Cobra to Locust
Rest
Baby Cobra to Locust to Cobra
Rest

Roll onto Backs
Knees to Chest
Eye of the Needle Both Sides

Hamstring Stretch @ Wall with Strap

Savasana

Yoga Basics, Monday @ 5:15

Alana is back East. Luna was sick. I taught class.

3 Peeps.

Opening
Supine over bolster.
Attention to breath at Heart Center.

Transition to Sitting.
Easy Casual Side Bending
Side bending "for real"

Transition to Standing
Uttanasana
Roll up to Tadasana

Lebowski Arm Circles
Schiffmann Hokey Pokey
Ecstatic Shaking

Heart Prana Pounding
Heart Hand Extension

Tadasana
Ujayyi Pranayama

Wall Work
Shoulder Opening
Splat
Right Angle
Uttanasana
Roll up to Standing
Tadasana

Repeat Wall Work with Leg Lift

Warrior 3 Play
Set 1
Extended Pyramid Both Sides
Uttanasana
Malasana
Uttanasana
Roll up to Standing

Set 2
Extended Pyramid to "Baby Lift Off" Both Sides
Uttanasana
Malasana
Uttanasana
Roll up to Standing

Set 3
Extended Pyramid
to Parsvottansana
to baby Lift Off to
Warrior 3
Tadasana

Repeat Last Round Other Side

Uttanasana
Malasana
Uttanasana
Roll up to Standing
Tadasana

Vajrasana on 2 bricks

A-U-M Chanting

Transition to Backs
Bridge Pose x 3 with Abdominals

Restorative Spinal Twist with Bolster Under Hips
Waterfall Pose

Sit

Stiff White Guy Yoga, Saturday 10:45am

19 Peeps or so

Felt like herding cats as people kept arriving late.

Opening
Supine Hamstring Stretch at Wall
Supta Uthitta Tadasana

Transition up to Sitting
Easy Relaxed Side bending
Side bending "for real"

Transition to Standing
Easy Uttanasana

Lebowski Shoulder Circles
Hokey Pokey Schiffmann Style Shaking
Full Body Shaking
Heart Prana Pounding
Heart to Hand Prana Extension

Tadasana
Ujayyi Pranayama

Wall Sequence
Shoulder Opening @ Wall
Splat
Right Angle
Uttanasana
Roll up to Standing

Repeat Wall Sequence with Leg Lift in Right Angle

Towards Warrior 3 Sequence 1
Pyramid Stance with Arms Extending
Tadasana
Pyramid Stance with Arms Extending other side
Uttanasana
Roll up to Standing

Towards Warrior 3 Sequence 2
Pyramid Stance with Arms Extending
Baby Warrior 3
Tadasana
Pyramid Stance with Arms Extending other side
Baby Warrior 3
Uttanasana
Roll up to Standing


Towards Warrior 3 Sequence 3
Pyramid Stance with Arms Extending
Baby Warrior 3
Warrior 3
Tadasana
Pyramid Stance with Arms Extending other side
Baby Warrior 3
Warrior 3
Uttanasana
Roll up to Standing

Transition to Vajrasana on 2 blocks

A-U-M Chanting
AUM x 3

Sit

Transition onto Backs
Knees to Chest
Easy Spinal Twist Both Sides

Savasana

Help of Ojai Class, Wednesday @ 1:30pm

This is our last class of 2009 with this group.
When I arrived, everyone was already supine, lying over bolsters and resting.

Opening
Attention to the Breath
Tether awareness to heart center

Transition up to Sitting
Discussion: How do you know your practice is working? I asked the peeps what keeps them coming back to yoga.

Everyone shared. Some examples include:
- I feel more relaxed and I take that with me all day.
- I feel more at peace.
- My knee doesn't hurt anymore.
- I feel more centered in myself.
- I need to or else my back and sciatica hurt.
- I feel looser and more mobile.
- I feel happier.

This was sweet. I was inspired to ask because of our sweet time together in the Jam Session. The sharing was so cool.

Transition to a standing foreword fold.
Roll up to Standing

Hokey Pokey Schiffmann Shaking
Full Body Crazy Person Shaking and Giggling
Arm Prana Slapping
Heart prana Awakening
Heart Prana Pounding and Tarzan yelling

Heart Hand Prana Extension Play

The Big Lebowski Shoulder Circles

Shoulder Stretching at Wall to create Breathing Room
Splat
Right angle Pose
Uttanasana

Repeat About with different angle for shoulder stretch and balance on one leg in right angle pose

Return to Face into Center

Warrior 3 Sequence
Stage 1
Parsvottanasna Stance with Extended Arms to Sky Both Sides
Uttanasana

Stage 2
Parsvottasnana Stance with Extended Arms to Sky Both Sides
Lift off to "baby" Warrior 3
Return to Tadasana
Repeat Other Side

Stage 3
Parsvottasnana Stance with Extended Arms to Sky Both Sides
Lift off to "baby" Warrior 3
Dip Lower as appropriate
Return to Tadasana
Repeat Other Side

Uttanasana
Tadasana

Transition to Vajrasana and sit on 2 bricks
A-U-M Breakdown
Chanting A, then U, then M
Then 3 Rounds OM

Used this as the experience of Sutra 1.2 and 1.34.

Transition to Backs
Knees to Chest

Waterfall Pose with Bolster and Chair for Savasana

Sit

Stiff White Guys Yoga, Sunday 10am

12 Peeps

Lots of wrist issues and one woman arrived with glass in her hand that she could not get out, so down dog and such felt like a bad idea. So we emphasized the breath and i talked a lot about how yoga techniques work. I totally enjoyed this class. There was a lot of space and emphasis on staying present in the pause. Talked about becoming our own drugstore, or learning how to "take a hit" off ourselves.

Opening
Impressing the Heart
Windshield Wiper
Hamstring Stretch at Wall with Strap
Extended Supine Tadasana

Transition to sitting
Sukhasana with Side Bending

Transition to Standing Forward Fold
Roll up to Standing

Tadasana
Ujayyi Pranayama
5 Rounds of 1/2 Sun Salutations
3 Rounds Lunge Salutes

Little Tree
Uttanasana
Tree Pose
Uttanasana

Sit Vajrasana on 2 Bricks
Breakdown of A-U-M
Chanting A, then U, then M
Then 3 Rounds of OM

Led to discussion of Sutra 1.34 and the physiology of the breath and the mind.

Bridge Pose with 2 Bricks to Country Shoulder Stand (Viparitta Karani)

Supine Supported Baddha Konasana

Savasana

Sit

Sweet Vinyasa Yoga, Monday @ 8:30am

18 People
Almost equal men and women, with 8 men.

Rainy and cozy. A Lot of attention to the rotation in the hips throughout the practice. Strength worked. While we started out slow, the pace felt rushed. Almost like I was making up for the beginning...A little disjointed.

Yin Style Baddha Konasana
Roll onto Backs to Open Hips

1/2 Apanasana
Eye of the Needle with Hip Rotation Play

Repeat Other Side

Hamstring Stretching with a Strap and Hip Rotation Play

Happy Baby and Supine BK Play

(At this point I thought we might move towards a hip opener arm balance, but eventually realized that almost none of the men would be able to participate).

Roll up to Sukhasana for Forward Fold Each Side.

Roll onto All Fours
Easy Side Plank on Both Sides
Childs Pose
1/2 Dog Pose
Plank
Dog

Lunge on both sides from Dog

Vinyasa 1
Plank
3 Rounds of Dips with knees on Earth
baby Cobra to locust to Cobra
Windshield Wiper
Rocket Cat
Childs Pose
Plank
Dog

Uttanasana
Malasana
Uttanasana
Roll up to Standing

Tadasana
Ujayyi Pranayama

LAM
Sequence 1
Sun to Lunge
Twisting Lunge
Hammock
Warrior 2 Dance
Warrior 2
3 Legged Dog
Dog

Repeat Vinyasa 1

Repeat Sequence Other Side from Dog

Plank
Side Plank Both Sides (Option to keep knee on ground)

Repeat Vinaysa 1 OR do 3 rounds Chaturanga instead of Knee Dips

Plank
Dog

Uttanasna
Malasana
Uttanasana
Roll up to Standing

Tree Pose Both Sides with emphasis on Hip Rotation
Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana with Strap and Wall

Tadasana
YAM
Sequence 2
Sun to Low Lunge
Pigeon
3 Legged Dog
Revolved Dog
Dog

Repeat Vinyasa 1 or with Chaturanga replacing Knee Dips

Repeat Sequence 2 Other Side from Dog

Plank
Vajrasana

Demo of Side Plank with Tree Leg or grabbed big Toe Extension

Choice of either or none.
Dog

Vinaysa 1 or optional Chaturanga

Rest and roll onto Backs

Bridge
Wheel x 2

Rest

Easy Spinal Twist Both Sides
Rest

Savasana

Stiff White Guy Yoga, Saturday 10:45am

11 Peeps

Great group. Had so much fun today. Diligent and slow and focused on consciously relaxing the base of the skull and sacrum.

Impressing the Heart. See online Yoga Video.
Windshield Wiper.
Tailbone Awareness.
The Shimmy.
And Lengthening the Spine.
This yoga video and this yoga video show some of the actions we explored.


Shoulder rotation and a Bigger Bust. See online yoga video.
Hitchhiking Dolphin. See online Yoga Video.

Play with Plank and Down Dog x 2. In this group, we used bricks under hands to help navigate around arthritis and wrist mischief.

Uttanasna
Roll up to Standing

Playing with Brick to connect with Legs and get a sense of balance and grounding

Tadasana
Ujayyi Pranayama

2 Rounds Lunge Salutes

3 Rounds Locust

Roll onto Backs

Hamstring Stretching at the Wall with Strap

Savasana

Sweet Vinyasa, Monday 8:30

I forgot to blog the sequence out on Monday.
10 Peeps or so.

We focused on opening the hips and grounding down through the legs.
We also opened the shoulders.
We used all of this to make our way towards Half Bound Lotus Forward Fold, Ardha Baddha Padma Paschimottanasana.