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Surya namaskar A & B

Hello, Thursday yoginis!

As all of you are familiar with my practice, we will proceed directly to the sequences that makes up surya namaskar A and B, sun salutes A and B. Remember to use your ujjayi breathing and moolah bandha. Also remember that your focus is the breath, with an eventual goal of “one breath = one movement” – but, that doesn’t have to happen right away! Take your time finding your rhythm, and, above all, respect and be kind to your body’s needs.

Surya namaskar A:

  1. Standing at front of mat, feet parallel, reach arms up with inhale.
  2. Fold at hips into forward bend with exhale.
  3. Step right leg back into lunge with inhale.
  4. Step left leg back into high plank with exhale.
  5. Lower down from high to low plank, knees on ground until you are able to lower yourself without sagging in the lower back (* see photos below)
  6. Inhale into cobra or upward facing dog (* see photos below)
  7. Exhale into downward facing dog – remain for 5 breaths.
  8. Step up between hands with right leg on inhale.
  9. Step up into forward fold with other leg on exhale.
  10. Reach forward and up (knees slightly bent for now) to stand up, arms overhead, with inhale.
  11. Arms to side or in front of your chest in namaste with exhale.
  12. Repeat with left leg going back into lunge.
High plank: arms directly under shoulders to begin, core strong.
Low plank: shift forward and lower shoulders down to level of hips while keeping core very strong. Notice that in photo at bottom, my elbows are at a 90 degree angle.
Cobra (top photo) and upward facing dog pose (bottom photo – only tops of feet on ground); both require engagement of core and release of glutes.

Surya namaskar B:

  1. Standing at front of mat, feet parallel, bend knees to utkatasana (*see photo below) and reach arms up with inhale.
  2. Fold at hips into forward bend with exhale.
  3. Step right leg back into lunge with inhale.
  4. Step left leg back into high plank with exhale.
  5. Lower down from high to low plank, knees on ground until you are able to lower yourself without sagging in the lower back.
  6. Inhale into cobra or upward facing dog.
  7. Exhale into downward facing dog.
  8. Step right leg between hands, bring back heel down, and reach arms up on inhale. Use several breath for these movements until you can do everything in one smooth inhale – that does take time to master (* see photo below).
  9. Bring hands down, heel up in back, step back into high plank and lower to low plank on exhale. Again, use as many breaths as needed until this becomes a smooth and easy transition for you.
  10. Inhale into cobra or upward facing dog.
  11. Exhale into downward facing dog.
  12. Step left leg between hands, bring back heel down, and reach arms up on inhale.
  13. Bring hands down, heel up in back, step back into high plank and lower to low plank on exhale.
  14. Inhale into cobra or upward facing dog.
  15. Exhale into downward facing dog – remain for 5 breaths.
  16. Step up between hands with right leg on inhale.
  17. Step up into forward fold with other leg on exhale.
  18. Reach forward and up, knees deeply bent in utkatasana, arms overhead, with inhale.
  19. Straighten legs, bring arms to side or in front of your chest in namaste with exhale.
  20. Repeat with left leg going back into lunge.
Utkatasana/chair or fierce pose. Place more weight in heels than in toes; keep shoulders relaxed.
Virabhadrasana I/arrior I pose: pinky see of back foot well grounded, core strong.

Do as many repetitions as feel right for you. And may the sun reward you for showing your respect! 🙂

~namaste,

Sylvia

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Movement and breath

Welcome to our Summer 2018 12-week yoga course! I usually focus on the connection between breath and movement during the first class of a series, because without it, we cannot practice yoga. The prana, or life force, is what connects mind and body, and that is the breath. Yet, many of us have never learned how to breathe well. Whether you are a beginner or seasoned practitioner, returning your attention to the breath always brings benefits.

Tuesday class practice tips are below, using selected poses from our class. Please make breathing and finding elegance and ease in each movement the primary focus, and all else will follow 🙂

Cow/Cat pose: breathe in during cow (=more space for your lungs), out during cat (= less space for your lungs). This pose warms, stretches and strengthens the spinal/back and belly muscles.

Cow/cat poses – be sure to draw the shoulders back in cow (top photo) and the bellybutton up to the spine in cat (bottom photo).

Knee to nose: Begin on your hands and knee, extending one leg back. Exhale when your knee comes in, inhale when taking the leg back. This pose is excellent for stretching the back and engaging the abdominal muscles.

Keep toe of uplifted leg pointing down (not out to the side), and push ground away with hands as you bring knee to nose or forehead.

Rag doll roll up: Breathe as many breaths as you need as you slowly roll up from a forward bend. Bend back down and repeat several times, feeling your spine release stretch and release.

Knees slightly bent, bellybutton pulled up to spine, arms and head hanging as each vertebra stacks on top of the one underneath.

Lunge with touchdown: Stepping back into a deep lunge pose with one leg, keep the knee over the ankle of the front foot, heel of that foot planted firmly. Touch the back knee down lightly, repeating 3-5x. Step up into forward fold between sides.

Keep back leg energized when straight, and touch down very lightly when bringing knee down. Keep spine extended long.

Thread the needle: cross one leg across the other at the ankle, then reach for the thigh or shin of the other leg. Keep the knee of the crossed leg open out to the side.

Keep foot of crossed leg flexed. Exhale when drawing legs in towards chest, inhale when releasing away from chest, making small pulsations of movement in time with the breath.

End lying on your back in savasana, or corpse pose, legs straight or feet on the floor if your lower back feel tight (these patterns take some time to undo), and enjoy the feeling of renewed energy flowing through you body!

Happy practicing 🙂

Sylvia

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Simple practices for breath and movement

(Follow the links in this post for additional information on each topic. Happy learning!)

How many times have you found yourself holding your breath while trying to learn something new, such a half-pass or gymnastics combination? Yes? Most of us have 🙂

One of the gifts offered by yoga is learning how to breathe well, move, and perform at the same time. Importantly, we inhale and exhale with the mouth closed in yoga. Unlike exercise, such as running or pilates, yoga teaches practitioners how to meet stress with calm by activating the parasympathetic nervous system through breath.

In the first classes of our Tuesday and Thursday Yoga for Equestrians courses, we are focusing on the importance of connecting breath (prana, the life force) with movement. We also learn how to practice Ujjayi Breathing, Victorious Breath, a form of pranayama, or breath control, most used in the Ashtanga Yoga tradition, the form of yoga with which I began my journey over 20 years ago. Here are three simple and safe ways that one can practice breathing and moving:

Wave Breathing is safe for everyone, and can be practiced by cupping the knees or holding the backs of the thighs if that is a challenge. Exhale – knees in. Inhale – knees out. 

Cat/Cow (or, for us: Cat/Sway Backed Horse!) is another good warm up for the spine and practice of connecting breath and movement. Really push the ground away and create a “Halloween Cat” with your back, including tucking the tailbone under (often, riders’ lower backs are tight and can benefit greatly from this movement). Keep elbows straight in Cow pose and draw the shoulders back. Exhale – round to Cat. Inhale – extend to Cow. 

Swan Dive to Rag Doll Rollup allows the back to stretch nicely and for the prana to really wake up (I’m embedding the link to the FB post of it, as the video is too large to upload to this blog). Engage your abdominal muscles well in all the movements. If your back bothers you, keep your knees bent even on the “dive” forward and down, and/or support yourself by putting your hands on your thighs, as is shown later in the video. Inhale – reach up. Exhale – swan dive. Inhale and exhale as you slowly stack each vertebra on the now under it and round up to standing.

Feel free to comment or ask questions below!

Happy practicing ~namaste, Sylvia