Vinyasa Yoga Class, lesson plan Class 18: Flying pigeon

by | Mar 5, 2019 | Yoga, Yoga Nanaimo

“The body tells its story. The mind supports and questions and encourage. The mind has to agree to be the compassionate listener without judgement or expectation. We want to find a deeper meaning in the asanas, to take us to a higher level of consciousness, expect depth, reflection, clarity and support for the Light within.”

I’ve been teaching yoga since 2004. Over the year my teaching style has changed a lot. I used to plan and then just improvise, have an idea for a series or peak poses. Sometime I thought I had just taught an amazing class but did not write it down and then would not be able to repeat it. I’ve also spend lot of time, researching, reading, preparing and know how much can go into planing the “perfect” class. I’ve decided to share with you some of the classes program, class 3,  I prepared for the Yoga teacher training. There are 18 lessons plans that build on each other. The first few classes are more gentle classes, until we move toward more advanced poses and sequencing. Where ever you are on your journey its important to remind yourself that it’s more important to have awareness than to do an asana perfectly. I hope you enjoy me sharing theses with you and would appreciate your feedback to keep improving them. I’ve used 2 books to help me build theses classes, they are the Golden Present book by Sri Swami Satchidananda and the Hidden Language of Hatha Yoga by Swami Sivananda Radha.

“In Hatha Yoga we confront our fears as well as our potentials by balancing attention between the body and the mind. Because human beings are so complex, various branches of yoga must be practised in proper combination to help people become harmonious being. Asanas are a discipline of the body, but they are not without an effect on the mind, and in turn the mind affects the body. We create an intuitive space for deepening our understanding about ourselves, uncovering our obstacles and potential. We are the masters of our own destiny.”

You can also have access to the recording of the classes and sequence with the Vinyasa Flow Yoga online classes bundle.

Class 18: Flying Pigeon

  • Lying down glutes stretch/Reclining Figure 4 pose/supta eka pada galavasana
  • Downward Dog/Adho Mukha Svanasana to standing
  • Side stretch standing
  • Chair lower all way to sitting into Boat, lower to Half Boat
  • Rock your Hollow Body to side to side 10 X
  • Boat
  • Chair with glute stretch
  • Stand up, side stretch
  • Flow
  • 1 leg Dog
  • Crescent Lunge
  • Cross back leg for glute stretch, go to arm balance
  • Crescent/Anjaneyasana
  • Warrior 2
  • Reverse
  • Side Angle pose with hand on the ground
  • Suck the front feet up, knees to triceps, hold
  • Vinyasa, repeat same sequence other side
  • Downward Dog, jump forward, flat back, Chair pose to Crow to vinyasa
  • 1 leg Dog to knee to triceps, bring it down to wrist to up (core work)
  • Crescent, cross back leg for glute stretch, go to arm balance, Crescent
  • Warrior 2
  • Half Moon without hand on the floor, practice side crunch
  • Warrior 2
  • Side Plank, grab big toes or release
  • Vinyasa, repeat other side
  • Bridge, Wheel

We have to take care of both + If you meditate regularly, you will have no complaints in life

The mind’s physical expression is what you call the body. It’s the mind that makes the body. Change the mind, and you can change the body., the body and mind are interconnected. Meditation is very important if you want to practice any kind of yoga. Meditation is the sustaining force. The mind can find lot of excuses not to meditate. Meditation takes care of the body and mind activities. The one and only way to keep the mind in good shape, to keep the mind clean and sharp is by meditation. So, make all the effort that’s necessary to be regular in meditation. If you meditate regularly you won’t have complaints in life. All your problems would solve themselves if you were regular in your meditation. Through meditation the mind gets the capacity to solve problems and rise above difficulties. So, make no excuses for missing that.

Lotus/padmasana, also called “Royal Posture”

“The lotus grows in muddy waters, but this flower does not show any trace of it, so we have to live in the world” (B.K.S. Iyengar)

The water of selfishness is muddy and slippery, and the flowering of Consciousness in the aspirant sometimes seems impossible to attain. For both Hindus and Buddhists, the lotus is symbolic of spiritual attainment, the flowering of human potential. It is fascinating to learn about the longevity of the seeds of the Lotus plant. Botanist recently found a lotus seed that has remained dormant for 2,000 years, and that sprouted after it was placed in water. Similarly, the spiritual seed, which is within the heart of everyone, made up of love, consideration, beauty, peace and happiness, will come to life given the right circumstances, even after being dormant for uncounted births.

Spiritual awareness will increase by continually seeking to eradicate the selfish expressions of the lower nature. When the effort requires to sit in padmasana with ease is understood as symbolic for the stilling of the monkey mind so the light of the lotus within can shine forth. Remaining clear eyed, beyond the clouds of emotion, the reward of the experience emerging in the centre of the heart lotus will be a taste of bliss never before known.

Mantra: Gayatri mantra