I got up this morning, did my pranayama and meditation, had a cup of tea and milk and the Kelly and I headed out to Focus on Form at Castle Hill. What a lovely surprise to find 22 people there for class this morning including the all-star cast of Mandy Eubanks, Jeremiah Wallace, Tabitha Halfman, Kim Schaefer and Jenn Wooten- all great teachers (and Immersion graduates.) It is really such an honor to have them in class and what a great teaching it is when teachers take time to be students. In fact, the studentship in class was really at an all time high this morning- people worked hard, watched demos, made refinements, helped each other and gave very fully to the practice.
I used the theme of Clarity and Focus. First we focused on bringing clarity to our intention for practice and then we worked to bring clarity to the foundation of the postures (This is First Principle: Open to Grace and Set the Foundation in a way that reflects the clarity of your intention) and then we worked on bringing clarity to the forms and to the actions in the forms. It was a great class.
The sequence:
- centering
- invocation
- Anjali mudra- urdhva hasatasana- uttanasana- straight leg lunge (R)- plank- chataranga dandasana- bhujangasana- AMS- uttanasaana- urdhva hasatasana- anjali mudra (foundation focus)
- anjali mudra- urdhva hastasana-uttanasana- straight leg lunge (L)- plank- chataranga dandasana- AMS-uttanasana-urdhva hastasana- anjali mudra (foundation focus)
- Anjali mudra- urdhva hastasana- uttanasana- Vira One with heel off the floor (R)- plank-chataranga dandasana- bhujangasana- AMS- uttansasana- Urdhva hastasana- anjali mudra (muscle energy focus)
- anjali mudra-urdhva hastasana- uttanasana- Vira One with heel off the floor (L)- plank- chataranga dandasana- bhujangasana-AMS- uttanasana-urdhva danurasana- AMS- Uttanasana- urdhva hastasana- anjali mudra (muscle energy focus)
- Anjali mudra- urdhva hastasana- uttanasana-straight leg lunge to one-legged down dog to wild thing prep (R)- straight leg lunge- uttanasana- urdhva hastasana- anjali mudra (Spinning the low belly focus)
- anjali mudra- urdhva hastasana- uttanasana- straight leg lunge to one-legged down dog to wild thing prep (L)- straight leg lunge- uttanasana-urdhva hastasana-anjali mudra (Spinning the low belly focus)
- parsvakonasana 2X - (first time focus on foundation and muscle energy, second time on leg spirals and turning the low belly)
- maricyasana 1- open twist stage (Same actions as Parsvakonasana carried out through this sequence)
- malasana, heels on blanket
- malasana with twist and clasp around front leg
- maricyasana 1 with twist and clasp
- maricyasana 1 with twist and clasp and forward bend
- hands clasped behind back in tadasana
- hands clasped behind back in uttanasana
- clasped parsvakonasana
- AMS
- sarvangasana
- sarvangasana with assist
- sarvangasana
- knees to chest
- savasana
The whole idea of practing with clarity and focus is about working in such a way that the clarity of one's practice brings the clarity and depth of one's heart's intention into form. Although details can sound like an endless list of do's and don'ts and can even make us a bit neurotic at times, the point is to practice clarity so that we gain clarity. To practice with focus so as to gain more of the same. We attend to the details simply as gestures that reflect our deeper intentions of practice. We cannot say, "I want to align with Grace" and then haphazardly toss ourselves around in asana. It is incongruent. Instead, we aim high and work with care. That is why we Focus on Form.
1 comment:
i love this post. perfect timing as my intention for tomorrow nights class is similar. The opportunity to practice clarity to gain clarity, i love it!
And seeing the simplicity of your class menu is helpful and enlightening. thx.
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