Vinyasa Yoga Class, lesson plan Class 7: Balasana/Child pose, I am grateful

by | Dec 11, 2018 | 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 7: I am grateful, Mid chest breathing
Focus: Turn the present moment to your advantage; your real power resides in the quality of awareness you bring to each moment. See each experience as a teaching opportunity. We all have special needs, we are all unique. We have different experiences stored in our bodies and in our muscles. Our bodies are different, even our organs can be placed in slightly different places. Start moving with more fluidity, there is not a straight line in any of us. Don’t try harder, simply relax knowing that you are powerful and worthy. You are more than you think. Uncover and rediscover what is already burning inside of you. Live and be who you need to be: joy, love, happiness.

Take 3 steps through each pose: Foundation, Core, Expression, and circle back:
1. Foundation First = Activates Bandhas to give you support, power and lightness
2. Engage Core and deep muscles to relax the bigger outer superficial muscles.
3. Find your own expression.
Tree pose: Foundation, Core, Expression

Sun Salutation A Think less, feel more!
Flow 1
– Tree pose/ Vrksasana
– Standing leg extension/ hand to big toe/ Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana A
– Open to the side
– Crescent Lunge/ Anjaneyasana
– Warrior 3/ Virabhadrasana 3
– Standing split/ Urdhva Prasarita Eka Padasana
– bring leg up slowly down cross behind standing leg, sitting twist/Hald Lord of the fishes pose/ Ardha Matsyendrasana
Repeat flow other side

Flow 2
– 1 leg Downward Dog to knee to chest twist in Plank
– Fallen Triangle/ Patita Tarasana
– Pigeon and Side-bend Pigeon/ Eka Pada Rajakapotasana
Vinyasa pause in Child pose
Repeat flow and instead of pigeon, twist with straight leg

Sphinx/ Salamba Bhujangasana
Lying on belly twist/Scorpion
Hand to big toe lying down

Mantra: Sa Ta Na Ma from Tera Naam, Kirtan Kriya
SA is birth, the beginning, infinity, the totality of everything that ever was, is, or will be.
TA is life, existence, and creativity which manifests from infinity.
NA is death, change, and the transformation of consciousness.
MA is rebirth, regeneration, and resurrection which allows us to consciously experience the joy of the infinite.
Be your very thought
Your thoughts, ideas, and energy can be transferred without even seeing or touching a person. By your very thought, you can send your energy and thought forces anywhere you want. Thought forces are even more powerful than physical forces. You can use any words that are meaningful to you. Send good positive thoughts. The more you show love and concern to other people, the purer your heart becomes. Take a moment to see yourself as a child and send yourself love around you and to yourself.