Guruji once said that it is easier for us to observe that which is more tangible. Seen as the mind is more elusive, it makes sense to start with the body; by understanding the body, we begin to understand the mind. And, since everything is interconnected, by achieving evenness in our physical actions, we can start to bring peace and quiet to the mind.
This is a class for advanced students, in which we will go through a wide variety of seated forward bends and observe the actions required to make the most out of each pose. The class will be broken down into four distinct segments.
First comes the warm-up with some standing forward bends and heating inversions.
Then, we will move deeper into the hips with some standing hip-openers, such as Vrksasana and Standing Ardha Bhekasana.
The third and longest part will be dedicated to the seated forward bends themselves. We will be looking at some advanced poses such as Urdhva Mukha Paschimottanasana and Krounchasana and we will go through some motions that can help you prepare for these poses. Especially when we reach the more strenuous poses, it’s important to keep in mind that yoga is not just about exercise; it’s about our mind, where we choose to focus our attention, and where we allow ourselves to let go.
After a brief cool-down with Salamba Sarvangasana and Viparita Karani, we will go for our final relaxation in Savasana.
Video stills from this sequence
