In this class, we won’t be going through any particularly challenging poses, instead paying some extra attention to several of the more “basic” poses and trying to observe the little actions involved in performing them. Throughout the class, we will pay attention to the engagement of our legs to our hips: how these two parts are interconnected and how they come into play in standing poses.
Begin in Supta Virasana, then shift into Virasana Forward.
During the invocation, spread through the collarbones. Prepare yourself for the practice by setting the intention to observe the finer points and be present within them.
Stand up in Tadasana. Pay attention to your feet. See if you can feel them without looking at them. Then, check to see how you placed them: are they parallel? are they in line with your hips? Then, come up to the wall and do Half Uttanasana. Focus on the feet, legs, and hips. Notice the line that runs through all these points. Feel the connection. We will be exploring this today.
As a warmup, we will go through a Mini Sun Salutation first, beginning in Tadasana with the arms up in Urdhva Hastasana, then Uttanasana, stepping back into Adho Mukha Svanasana, and releasing in Virasana Forward. Straight from there, shift back into Adho Mukha Svanasana and come into Virasana Forward again.
Now stand up. Take Vrksasana with your arms up in Urdhva Namaskarasana. Then, come back into Tadasana and lift your arms into Urdhva Namaskarasana again. How does the position of the legs affect the stretch and opening in the shoulders and collarbones?
Come up to the wall. Take Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana 1 and Parivritta Hasta Padangusthasana 1 (like the first variation but revolving the torso to the side). In both these variations, keep your outstretched foot pressed against the wall. Then, come up into Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana 2 with the arms spread out to the sides.
The, do two repetitions of Utthita Trikonasana: once free-standing, then again but with the heel against the wall. Come up into Ardha Chandrasana, then down into Parsvottanasana, and finally Prasarita Padottanasana, engaging the hips to help you fold deeper. Finish the standing pose sequence with Half Uttanasana with the hands against the wall. See how this pose feels different now after the standing poses. Where is the different felt? How would you describe the difference?
We’ll finish with the usual inversion sequence: Adho Mukha Vrksasana followed by Pincha Mayurasana. Then, come up into Tadasana with the arms in Sirsasana. Feel the arms, feel the subtle actions in the shoulders, prepare yourself mentally. Now go up into Sirsasana, several variations: the full pose, Eka Pada Sirsasana, and Baddha Konasana in Sirsasana. Release in Virasana Forward.
Come up into Adho Mukha Svanasana. Glide forward and go into Vasisthasana 1. Then, back into Adho Mukha Svanasana to then glide forward into the second variation (with the leg raised up). Release that in Virasana Forward.
Finally, release the hips in Supta Padangusthasana 1 and 2 without a belt.
Flip over into Halasana. Lift yourself up into Sarvangasana, then do the single-legged variation. Come back down into Halasana, bring your knees to your ears in Karna Pidasana, and lie down for your final relaxation in Savasana.
Video stills from this sequence
