The layout of this series is up to the students in it. Before class starts, we send out a questionnaire to help define what the class will be in accordance with what the students want. Classes will include pranayama, alignment, philosophy and advanced asana postures. Get to know other people in the class while we work together to deepen our yoga practice.

Pre-requisites: We ask that you be comfortable with about half (at least 3 out of 6) of the following poses before signing up:

Urdva dhanurasana (full wheel)
Headstand (can be against a wall)
Handstand kick-up (at a wall or free-standing)
Ardha chandrasana (balancing half-moon)
Bird of paradise
Be comfortable with basic arm balances like bakasana (crow)

Register Here!

This short yoga video walks you through how to do the more advanced yoga posture eka pada bakasana, also known as one legged crow. This is a fun posture, but to do it you really need to engage in the core and hug energy to the midline.
As a technique for overcoming the fear of falling on your head (which is a valid fear!) I stack up a couple blankets and then get into bakasana with my head on the blanket. Then, with strong engagement to the midline of the body, I slowly straighten one leg and lift my head off the blanket and lengthen forward. It’s a rush! Then, when you get comfortable with that you can start in bakasana and extend the leg back as you reach the head forward. I’ve actually found starting from bakasana can be easier, but it’s a little more scary.
So, either way, have fun with it and post on my website or on my John McConnell Yoga facebook page how it goes for you. Take care – John

My favorite sutra of Sutras of Patanjali has always been the first one, “Now, begin the practice of yoga.”  It just is so inviting, isn’t it? There is nothing about any prerequisites or any kind of state you need to be in, physically our otherwise, to practice yoga.  Also, and more importantly, I think of it in terms of all of life.  With any venture I think this sutra is giving permission to go ahead and just start.  Go ahead and be the person you want to be.

So many times in my life I’ve thought about things that I wanted to do, and instead of doing them I created all these barriers about why I needed to do a bunch of other stuff first.  So much so that I’d end up not doing the thing I wanted to do. This sutra, to me, is saying it’s ok to just start the thing that we feel will be of benefit to us.  Don’t worry about it being perfect.  Don’t worry that you might not be the best.  Just go ahead and start.

Another thing I recently learned was the whole tantric concept of  ”now”.  In the tantric view, “now” is setup from the past to benefit the future.  And when you think about it, that makes a lot of sense.  What we do right now, in this moment, is being done because actions from the past got us to this point.  At the same time, if we really use the now to it’s fullest potential (like, possibly, practicing yoga in the now sometimes) it will be of benefit to our future.  It’s just cool to think about how every single now that comes along we can consciously decide to use to moment be make our future more inline with the light of our True Self.

I hope you enjoy this free video yoga class I included about this idea.

John

To me, this pose evokes or reminds me of grounding and connecting with the earth in order to open, lengthen and renew the body to make room for new growth. Evoking or stirring things up for yoga students is essential to do every now and then. We all need to acknowledge and honor where we came from, what we have been through, and things we hold on to, in order to let them go and open ourselves up to positive transformation. The yoga practice helps us do this and the coming spring season provides a natural stimulus to support these changes.

~ Michele

From a wide legged seated position, bend one knee as you place your foot against your thigh. Lift out of your pelvis and waist, lengthening your ribcage and spine. Then reach with both hands towards the toes of your extended leg, rotating your heart center upwards. Continue to press the sitting bones equally down, while reaching the crown of your towards your toes.  The hamstrings and spine stretch well in this posture, as do the shoulders, armpits and groins. Thus alleviating some backaches, fatigue and headaches as well as promoting digestion. Surrender to this sweet, seated opening in class this month as you create more space within.

To work into this arm variation, raise one arm overhead and bend the elbow reaching it towards the sky, and let your opposite arm assist in bringing the top elbow towards or past the center line of the body. Another suggestion, try this clasp by holding on to a strap or towel (with both arms behind the back), gradually working on moving the hands closer together.

Feel this arm opening stretch not only in your chest and shoulders, but also in your triceps and armpits.

In this workshop, we will open the front body gradually and persistently by stretching front thighs and groins. Warming up will include plenty of time for opening shoulders and loosening spinal muscles. We will practice backbending actions with bolsters and chairs, and finally work on pushing up from the ground. The class will finish with gentle twisting poses to release spinal muscles and restorative poses to balance, calm and soothe the nervous system. Props will be used.

Please wear comfortable clothing, and pants or tights to show the alignment of your knees. Saturday, February 5th, 2011 from 2 pm to 5 pm ($25)