Vinyasa Yoga Class, lesson plan Class 8: Lion Breath + Sun salutation B, I am fearless

by | Dec 18, 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 8: Lion Breath + Sun salutation A, I am fearless
Focus: How you practice on the mat reflect on how you live your life. Yogis are people who are investigating themselves. By getting to know yourself, you will act in a more conscious way. Bring some awareness to the places you want to change. Why are you holding back? Yoga is about seeing the obstacle and removing it. Change is ultimately an action.

Lion Breath: On the exhale, stick tongue out, roar like lion while the eyes look toward your third eye, between the eyebrows. This pose relieves tension in the neck, face, stimulates the thyroid and help to rip the body of toxins. Those who have conquered their mind see nothing as their enemy. Only ignorant believe other are their enemies. When we perform Lion Breath, we may be reminded of the fearlessness we need on the path of yoga and also be fearlessness that develops from our practice.

– Boat pose/ Navasana with Charlie angel mudra and add Knee twist
– Butterfly/ Bound angle pose/ Baddha Konasana
– Low Squat/ Malasana for a few breaths
– Cat & Cow Marjaiasana/Bitilasana
– Thread the needle/ revolved child pose/ Parsva Balasana
– Tadasana interlace hands behind back, inhale chest up

Sun Salutation A don’t jump harder, connect more into the earth and your core

Flow 1
– Crescent lunge/ Anjaneyasana: cactus arms
– Inhale reach arms up exhale lean forward thumbs up back
– Humble Warrior/ Baddha Virabhadrasana
– Low lunge/ Anjaneyasana opposite hand to the floor, reach another arm up
– Revolved low lunge/ Parivrtta anjaneyasana
Vinyasa, same sequence other side

Flow 2
– 1 leg Downward Dog, bend knee open hips
– 1 leg Downward Dog to knee to chest crossing
– Fallen Triangle/ Patita Tarasana
– Side Plank/Vasisthasana
– Wild Thing/ Camatkarasana
Vinyasa, same sequence other side

Durga Pahimam: Hey Ma Durga, Hey Ma Durga – Hey Ma Durga, Rakshamam
Hey Ma Durga, Hey Ma Durga – Hey Ma Durga, Pahimam – Om Dum Durgayei Namaha
Let us chant to warrior Goddess Durga, the fierceform of the protective mother goddess, demon-fighting form of Shiva’s wife. She manifests fearlessness, fierce compassion and patience, and never loses her sense of humour even during spiritual battles of epic proportion. She helps us to fight our demons, especially negativity.

What is equanimity of mind? Observing without judgement; staying neutral, keeping your calm, that is the real secret of healthy and happy living. Being well-balanced between the dualities: the ups and downs, the pleasure and pain, the profit and loss. Strive to maintain that. “The ability to observe without evaluating is the highest form of intelligence.” J. Krishnamurti