It’s restorative week here at the Balmain Iyengar Yoga Studio. So, today’s advanced class will revolve around the theme of balance and awareness.
Pranayama often becomes more accessible after we prepare our bodies with a short asana practice. Today, we will modify some of the preparatory poses at the beginning. We will start with Uttanasana, then move on to Adho Mukha Svanasana done three ways (feet apart, feet together, and hands together). Then, Prasarita Padottanasana with our backs against the wall.
One of the main reasons for incorporating these variations into our asana practice is to help us become more aware of the effect each pose has on the body. We often get used to performing an asana a certain way. So, adding little changes every once in a while can add perspective and bring about a deeper sense of understanding.
During the restorative part of the session — both in seated and supine meditation — our aim is to find a balance between attentiveness and serenity.
