A mo for slo

There are a ton of colds going around at the moment, it’s that time of year. I tend to feel like the cold I have right now is slowing me down and stopping me getting to all the stuff I need to do. That is until I change my perspective around it a little.

If I believe in Anusara yoga then I need to figure out what it means at any situation:

Anusara - [a-nu-sar-a] means “to be in the flow”, “flowing with Grace”, “the soul in the flow with the Universe”, “following your heart”
Anusara Teacher Training Manual, John Friend

Honestly, when I first heard this, it felt a little passive. Like I didn’t have a lot to do with it and that made me feel disempowered, which is definitely not why I do yoga. However, what I’ve learnt and continue to learn every day is that there is a huge difference in being swept along with events and truly knowing, then following what is in your heart. Again, following the “heart”, as in the energetic centre of your body as opposed to the internal organ, is definitely something I had to learn. It sounded very esoteric and intangible when I first heard it.

What I have learnt, through many hours on my mat and listening to some really fabulous teachers is that my heart is where my true knowledge lies, what we call Cit. As yogis what we get to do is tune into this, become more skilled in recognising it and then follow it. It comes from way inside yourself and in truth, may look kinda crazy to the outside world. Yoga is, as the Bhagavad Gita tells us, skill in action... and that’s empowering.

So what does all of this have to do with my cold? My cold is a message, a pretty strong one, to take it easy. It is officially winter now, all around us nature is slowing down and I need to align to that, to flow with it. My heart knows that and rather than assume that I know best, like the adverts which say “take this remedy and don’t miss a single day”, remember that this is the time to rest, look after myself and turn inwards, to attune to the bigger pulsation of nature. I think I'm going to enjoy my slightly involuntary break!

Couldn't resist... Harry Potter yoga

When I saw this article: Harry Potter and yoga are evil', says Catholic Church exorcist I admit I smirked. I smirked because the sprite in me met with the yoga teacher in me and I asked myself the question: what about Harry Potter yoga, is that double evil or do two negatives make a positive?...

...because I’m a Tantrika and make it my business to see intrinsic goodness in every situation (no matter how H.A.R.D. that may be), I’m going to say it’s positive.

So, since it’s positive and yoga is all about seeing the good, what would a Harry Potter yoga class look like?

One of the few things I know about Harry Potter (I know, I must be the only one on the planet) is the Dementors who pray on the positive emotions of their victims (yep, I got that from Wikipedia). Of course, and hurray, the Tantrikas got there first, sorry JK... they call this the Malas.  It’s ok, you don’t have to boo, remember, there is good in Dementors too. The Malas are a film which clouds your heart of your super-naturalness (allow me that one pun...). It’s what stops you seeing how miraculous you really are.

Now, because the Tantrikas were so wicked they knew that the film of Malas is - because everything is - a good thing. Wait, how can something which clouds your heart be a good thing? Because, get out my wizard’s wand, wave it, cast a spell: if it wasn’t there you would have no contrast. If you didn’t go to wizarding school and have bewitching teachers, how would you get to be such a great wizard? If you didn’t have sticky situations to conjure yourself out of, how would you learn? If you had nothing as comparison, how would you know?


Abracadabra, one Harry Potter yoga class!

For the geeks (note: late at night with a cold, please refine - oops, there’s my Malas, Anava if we’re going technical):

Key Actions - Hugging to the midline and full extension from the core to finger/toenails
Heart qualities - super-natural power and magic sparkles
Apex - um, oooh let’s go Eka Pada Galavasana I, or pretty much any arm balance/hip opener combo

Go, do magic...

Tiger's growing up...

Next installment of Tiger practice build up, four hours worth, officically in the Zone!!!

15  minutes Sun salutations    
5 x Surya Namaskar A
5 x Surya Namaskar B


Handstand and Pinca...
7.5 minute handstand
7.5 Pinca mayurasana

Staying upside down...
15 minutes Sirsasana I, in 2 installments
5 minutes Sirsasana II


On your feet... 1 minute holds or 1 minute per side
Uttansana
Low Lunge
High Lunge
Parsva Uttansana
Parsvattonasana
Virabhadrasana II
Reverse Virabhadrasana II
Trikonasana
Ardha Chandrasana
Parsva Trikonasana
Utthita Hasta Padagustasana, bent knee
Utthita Hasta Padagustasana, leg straight
Utthita Hasta Padagustasana, leg to the side
Vrksasana
Vrkshasana (half lotus)
Garudasana
Twisting lunge pose - knee on floor
Prasarita Padattonasana

Open them hips... 1 minute holds or 1 minute per side
Baddha Konasana
Eka Pada Rajakapotasana prep - torso lifted)
Triangmukhaipada Paschimottanasana
Baby cradle
Ardha Padmasana
Krounchasana
Agnistambasana

Crunch time... 2 minutes each, yep, 2 minutes
Abdominals 
Navasana
Navasana to Ardha Navasana
Bridget crunches
Frog crunches
Twisting straight legs

Flip onto hands... 1 minute holds or 1 minute per side
Kickstand Vascistasana
Lolasana
Vasisthasana straight legs
Bakasana
Vasisthasana leg in tree
Vasisthasana hold foot
Eka Pada Bakasana
Wild thing
Parsva Bakasana
Tulasana
Eka Hasta Bhujasana
Dwi Hasta Bhujasana
Tittibhasana
Astravakrasana

Luscious backbend time... 1 minute holds or 1 minute per side
Salabasana (torso elevated only)
Salabasana (torso & legs elevated)
Bhujangasana
Eka Pada Bhekasana
Urdva Mukka Svanasana
Dhanurasana
Eka Pada Dhanurasana (holding opposite foot)
Eka Pada Rajakapotasana I prep, 1 leg bekasana
Eka Pada Rajakapotasana II prep, 1 leg bekasan
Purvottanasana
Ustrasana
Setubandha Sarvangasana
Urdva Dhanurasana
Ardha Salabhasana
Viparita Salabhasana prep
Mermaid pose 1
Paryankasana
Supta Virasana

Best foot forward... 1 minute holds or 1 minute per side
Virasana
Gomukhasanana (forward fold)
Janu Sirsasaana
Marichyasana I
Upavista Konasana
Parsva Upavista Konasana
Eka pada gomukha paschimottanasana
Eka pada rajakapotasana prep
Vajrasana
Paschimottanasana
Longhorn pose
Ardha Padmasana
Padmasana
Siddhasana
Baddha Konasana with forward bend
Malasana - arms in front

Home stretch...
10 minute Shoulderstand
5 minute Sharvangasana II - arms clasped
5 minute Sharvangasana II - arms straight
5 minute Halasana

Here we go...
10 minute meditation
15 minutes Savasan

Awesome, aswesome, yoga is awesome :)

Breathe in... breathe out...

What have I learnt on my mat this week? I’ve learnt, yet again, to pause, soften and be lead by my breath. Something I’m trying hard to cultivate in as I frantically search for a document I spent an hour working which has disappeared...

I’ve learnt that I can engage my adductors even more, yes, that much, so they’re firing on all cylinders and interestingly that the right doesn’t like to play as much as the left. This is more than a physical action, it’s grit and determination to stick to what I believe in no matter what...

I’ve learnt to find room for my femininity, to giggle and be playful, to dance. That makes life just that little bit sweeter...

I’ve learnt that playfulness needs to be appropriate to the situation and that having an open heart means to keep listening...

I’ve learnt to shine out in my poses with unabashed joy in all directions and without reservation, to be vulnerable and open...

Yet again, I’ve learnt the lesson of Spanda, pulsation, where everything in the universe expands and contracts and to find equanimity wherever I am in that cycle. Breathe in, expand, breathe out, contract, I will never get tired of that...

Whatever next?!!!

A little update on my 365 day yoga challenge: in summary, the very cool think about yoga is it doesn’t burn you out. Well, it might for a couple of days as your muscles screech at you but in general, you’re revitalised. That’s how come I can get up early, do my practice and get through my day relatively unscathed. I feel more tired when I don’t practice in the morning, which, honestly hasn’t really happened this year... so far. The 365 day yoga challenge isn’t really a thing anymore, it just is. I practice yoga every day. Somehow I find a way.

This is really why I felt like: hmmm, what would happened if I leapt for the stars and built up to a full blown tiger’s practice as a little Christmas present to myself (follow the blog if you want to see what this entails, they’re not just words, I’m really doing these practices and they are so awesome). It’s pretty amazing to me the effects that three hours of practice have on my body and mind. Sure, I’ve practiced that much but never alone, just with some music and some poses in my head. They say that every time you step onto your mat something shifts. That definitely happens and I’m just finding that when I shift if up a gear, like right now, it’s tectonic. I really can’t wait to see where this journey goes next...

Almost crazy enough to be true...

For the last couple of months I’ve been cultivating the idea of intuition, or, well, let me just put it out there - psychic ability... OK, so all those still with me, yes, that might sound a little off the wall. However, I deeply believe that we can tune into that part of ourselves that just knows, how many times have you thought: “dammit, I knew that was going to happen?” or “I had that feeling”. Guys, that’s being psychic, it’s true and you know it!

So, the first step is the open up to the possibility that this might be possible and you may be a magical, psychic being. Seriously, you are, own it, strut it, walk it. Take a huge breath, get big inside, find spaciousness and say (you may whisper quietly), “yeah, I want some of that, I want to know”.

That’s a huge step and you get to totally have an awesome party, do the dance, clap and jump up and down like a little kid. However, there’s always more, when you’re turning inside and listening and you know your heart’s desire, what then?

Then you get to act on that intuition, on that feeling, let your heart lead the way. It will guide you. Onto the fullness of your inner body, let the heads of your armbones move back as a natural continuation of having a massive, bright heart.

That’s when you get to move from a place of deep intuition out into your life, to flow through each moment. Even when your intuition is warning you, forewarned is forearmed. A life lived from the heart is a life lived in fullness. And I for one want more of that!

Tiger Tiger

Still going strong, more tigers a-coming... this one's about 3 and a half hours... oh my goodness, that's halfway!!!

15  minutes  Sun salutations...
5 x Surya Namaskar A
5 x Surya Namaskar B



7.5 minutes (you can go up and down !)
Handstand 
Pinca mayurasana   

10 minutes Sirsasana I
5 minutes Sirsasana II

1 minute...
Tadasana
Uttansana

1 minute each side...
Low Lunge
High Lunge
Parsva Uttansana
Parsvattonasana
Virabhadrasana II
Trikonasana
Ardha Chandrasana
Parsva Trikonasana
Utthita Hasta Padagustasana, bent knee
Utthita Hasta Padagustasana, leg straight
Utthita Hasta Padagustasana, leg to the side
Vrksasana
Twisting lunge pose - knee on floor
Prasarita Padattonasana

Sit down...
Sukkhasana

Baddha Konasana

One minute each side...
Eka Pada Rajakapotasana prep - torso lifted
Triangmukhaipada Paschimottanasana
Baby cradle
Ardha Padmasana
Agnistambasana
Krounchasana

Here come the abs... two minutes per pose people!
Navasana
Navasana to Ardha Navasana
Bridget crunches
Frog crunches
Twisting straight legs

On to the hands... one minute hold per side... spot the odd ones out
Kickstand Vascistasana
Lolasana
Vasisthasana straight legs
Vasisthasana leg in tree
Vasisthasana hold foot
Wild thing
Bakasana
Parsva Bakasana
Eka Hasta Bhujasana
Astravakrasana
Tittibhasana

Now the back... one minute holds
Salabasana (torso elevated only)
Salabasana (torso & legs elevated)
Bhujangasana
Eka Pada Bhekasana
Urdva Mukka Svanasana
Dhanurasana
Eka Pada Rajakapotasana I prep, 1 leg bekasana
Eka Pada Rajakapotasana II prep, 1 leg bekasan
Purvottanasana
Ustrasana
Setubandha Sarvangasana
Urdva Dhanurasana
Ardha Salabhasana
Viparita Salabhasana prep
Eka Pada Dhanurasana (holding opposite foot)
Mermaid pose 1
Paryankasana
Supta Virasana

Final stretches... one minute holds
Virasana
Gomukhasanana (forward fold)
Janu Sirsasaana
Marichyasana I
Upavista Konasana
Parsva Upavista Konasana
Eka pada gomukha paschimottanasana
Eka pada rajakapotasana prep
Vajrasana
Paschimottanasana
Longhorn pose
Ardha Padmasana
Padmasana
Siddhasana


Turn it all upside down...
10 minute Shoulderstand   
5 minute Sharvangasana II - arms clasped
5 minute Sharvangasana II - arms straight
5 minute Halasana

We made it!
10 minute Meditation  
10 minute Savasana

Tentative tiger practice...

Buckle up, it's the next instalment of the Tiger's practice build up... this is a couple of hours worth :)

Surya Namaskar   

5 x Surya Namaskar A
2 x Surya Namaskar B

'ish

5 minute handstand & Pinca Mayurasana 

15 minute Headstand   

One minute holds...

Tadasana
Uttansana

One minute holds per side...

Parsva Uttansana
Sukkhasana
Virasana

One minute holds...

Navasana x 2
Bridget crunches
Twisting straight legs

One minute hold each side...

Kickstand Vascistasana
Vasisthasana

One minute holds...

Salabasana (torso elevated only)
Salabasana (torso & legs elevated)
Bhujangasana
Urdva Mukka Svanasana

One minute holds...

Eka Pada Bhekasana
Gomukhasanana (forward fold)
Janu Sirsasaana
Paschimottanasana

15 minute shoulderstand

5 minute Halasana

...and relax
 10 minute Meditation
15 minute Savasana

Making Space