Yoga Themes

Fall Yoga Theme 2011

The fall equinox brings a time of balance where night and day are equal. During the time of equinox you can focus on teaching the theme of balance. And once we move into October the fall is a time of harvest and letting go. During this time you can bring attention to the ability to be grateful for all the abundance of nature. Thanksgiving week offers the opportunity to explore opening our heart to gratitude. Then as the leaves begin to fall of the trees we can focus on letting go of the sensation of tension. Like the trees releasing their leaves we can release that which no longer serves us. Halloween is known as a time that we give thanks for our ancestors, those who have come before us. We can recall the loved ones who are no longer with us and feel the love in our hearts that we still hold for them. The fall season is a wonderful time of exploring a deep connection to our hearts as the days darken and the time to go inside ripens.

Summer Yoga Theme 2011

The summer is a great time to connect to the earth, the great mother, who provides us with support and nourishment. You can remind students of their connect to divine mother earth, gaia or shakti as you practice. Also,you can focus concentration on the bones during practice, as they are the earth element or rocks of the body. You can cue bone alignment and grounding the bones into the earth, especially the tailbone and heels as they root us into the base/muladhara chakra which is ruled by the earth element. You can cue in child's pose/balasana or downward facing hero/adho mukha virasana (child pose with the knees apart) that you are bowing to the earth, surrendering to her energy. You can emphasize the drawing of shakti prana/earth energy up through the feet into the body to create inner vitality and health. In pranayama practice you can continue to emphasize connecting to the earth and drawing shakti prana in on the inhalation and surrendering into gravity on the exhalation. During the meditation practice, you can emphasize oneness of being through the 2nd or svadisthana chakra, which is the energy center that allows us to connect to the oneness of divine mother. In savasana at the end of class you can cue to feel the earth energy pulsing through your body until you merge with mother earth to receive her infinite support, unconditional love and nurturance.

Spring Yoga Theme 2011

In the spring the earth is thawing and we can explore embodying this experience in yoga.

To encourage this I have my students focus on their bodies being like the earth melting in the spring, by softening all the tight, frozen part of their bodies.

I use postures that stretch deep tension out of the muscles; such as supine big toe pose/supta padangustansana I, II and III using a strap, kneeling warrior/janu virabhadrasana and kneeling half-hero/janu ardha virasana at the wall with the knee on a bolster, camel/ushrasana, double pigeon or fire log pose/agnistambhasana and any other posture that stretches the muscles deeply, while cueing students to focus on letting the flesh of the body come to life like the earth after the winter, so that the frozen, hard energies inside the body soften and come to life again.

I use the quote by Rumi ‘melt like the snow, cleanse yourself of yourself’ and focus on releasing the old, frozen ideas and thoughts of the mind so that one can use the practice of yoga to allow the body and mind to melt like the frozen earth in the thaw of early spring, connecting to the energy of the season.

Winter 2011

Winter is such a great time to center and gather energy within as it is a time of quietude and stillness.

I thought I would include a full class with the theme of centering. This is a class that I planned and taught with a focus on the ability to center through deep physical awareness of the back lines of the body as well as awareness of the sushumna nadi or central channel of energy in the body to create a strong centering of the mind, heart and body into harmonious alignment. I never memorize cueing, I just have a remembrance of what I want to share and cue as I go, in the moment, so read over the cues and find your own way to express them in the moment.

Themes:
Physical – back lines of the body (spine and legs)
Philosophical – centering the head or mind/thoughts, heart/feelings, body or belly/action, aligning the sushumna nadi/central channel of energy, gathering/collecting energy to center, so that you are not a puppet on strings that pull you in every direction, instead you are centred; mind, heart and body aligned.

Savasana: today we are going to focus on the energy of winter, a time for inner reflection and centering, as you center your mind into your body find your breath…(silence for a while) feel the sensations of the inhale and the exhale…(silence for a while) now very gently, without forcing, lengthen your natural breath, long smooth inhale, long smooth exhale…(silence for a while) feel the breath as thread in sushumna nadi, the central channel of energy in the body, inhale the breath through the nostrils and down through the center of the body to the pelvic floor and then exhale up from the pelvic floor back out through the nostrils…(silence for a while) concentrate on the breath as a thread flowing in and out at the center of the body

From savasana, place the feet flat on floor, reach finger tips over head with thumbs clasped, feel lines the lines on either side of spine, elongate from the base of the skull to the sit-bones, sit-bones ground down and base of skull reaches up, lengthen the right side from the right base of the skull to the left base of the skull and notice how your stretch your kidney, lengthen the left side from the left base of the skull to the left sit bone stretching the left kidney, breathe, now do both sides together, stretching both kidneys, relax into savasana and center into the energy flow within, feeling the mind settling into the body

Knee to chest/ardha pavana muktasna: from savasana, draw the legs together into supine mountain/supta tadasana and draw the right knee into the chest, feel line of energy from sit bone to heel on out stretched left leg and then from sit bone to base of skull on the left side – now feel one long line from the heel to the sit-down creating a firm energy across your sacrum to create a smooth energy flow through the pelvis, now feel the sit bone of bent knee right leg draw it down towards front edge of mat, reach it forward as you reach the right base of skull up and back lengthening the right side of the spine,  now feel the lines on both sides of spine elongating from sit-bones to base of the skull, breathe, release to savasana and rest, feel the energy flow, center into it, then repeat other side

Half-belly breath pose/ardha apanasana: return to knee to chest on the right side and reach bend knee heel to ceiling stretch leg and reach arms over head on inhale, exhale bend back to knee to chest, repeat 5xs, repeat sequence other side from supine mountain, cue to feel the back lines of the legs from the sitbones to heels and the back lines of the spine from the sit bones to the base of the skull on the right side and then to feel both sides together, in between sides rest in savasana and cue to settle inwards,  gathering and drawing one’s awareness deep into the center of the body, into the sushumna nadi,
repeat on other side, then rest in savasana again for a few moments to center into breath

Bridge pose/setu bandhasana: feel line on either side of spine hugging into centerline, press them together, sandwich them, hold pose 5-7 breaths, really hugging the two lines of the spine towards one another hugging the spine deeply and then release the spine down reaching the sit bones forwards towards the heeling to lengthen the spine and draw the knees to the chest

Knees to chest/pavana muktasana: reach sitbones forwards, elongate base ofskull up stretch lines on either side of spine, stretch kidneys, repeat setu bandhasana and pavana muktasana again, then roll onto one side into fetal position and take a breath or two and come to all fours

One leg one arm table/eka pada hasta majariasana: from table extend right leg toes curled under, feel line at back of leg as heel to sit bone, keep centre of heel pointing to ceiling and Achilles tendon straight, stretched and long, lift the leg so that it is parallel to the floor and lengthen from the right base of the skull to the right sit bone and then to the heel feeling a firm energy across the sacrum, then lift the left arm and stretch both side of the spine equally as you hold the pose and breath, smooth centered breaths, hold 5
breaths, rest in child’s pose, repeat other side, rest in child’s pose

Child’s pose/balasana: with center of heels pointing to ceiling and Achilles straight, sit bones reach back to heels as you sit back, walk hands forward and elongate spine and rest forehead on floor with skin on forehead drawing from hair line to bridge of nose to open up the base of the skull, feel kidneys stretch as sit bones curl under to heels and base of skull reaches upwards to crown of head, elongating the lines on either side of the spine, 5-7 breaths

Bow pose/dhanurasana: lay down onto belly and place flat of chin on floor, fold right leg and clasp the foot, hug the right side of the spine into the left to keep the spine stratight, and then clasp the left foot and hug both sides of spine towards one another as in bridge pose, breath smoothly, and then press feet back into hands to extend, keep hugging sides of spine together sandwiching them as you hold the pose, especially the sacrum, really hug the sides of the sacrum towards one another to narrow it, 5-7 breaths, rest in reverse savasana and relax into the center deep within, feel the breath as a thread running through the center of the body, 3-5 breaths, repeat bow pose, fold left knee first and then from reverse savasana, rest a few breaths and push back to table

Down dog/adho mukha svanasana: from table curl toes under and lift sit-bones upwards lifting high onto balls of feet, lift sit bones to ceiling and lower heels only as much as possible without curling sit bones under to keep natural curve in lower back and draw back ribs off kidneys so that the breastbone draws
to the pubic bone to keep the kidneys unrestricted, hold 5-7 breaths, feeling the lines of the back body from the base of the skull to the sit-bones along the spine and from the sit-bones to the heels, sit-bones up, heels down, inhale up onto toes and lower onto all fours

Awkward balancing pose/utkatasana: roll onto balls of the feet and lift heels to balance, hand to prayer or stay on floor to balance, draw thighs together and keep center of heels pointing upwards to ceiling and you lower thighs to parallel to the floor position, elongate spine from sit bones to base of skull feel two lines of energy on either side of the spine, hold 5-7 breaths, release to uttanasana and then repeat again
Standing forward fold/uttanasana: release to uttansana, unfold back knees and elongate lines on either side of spine with sit bones tucked under and base of skull reaching to crown of head like in child’s pose, this is a good way to do forward folds if there is sensitivity in the hamstring insertions at the sit-bones, feel lines of back legs from sit bones to heels, ground center of heels, hold 5-7 breaths, hands on hips, inhale up

Warrior II/virabhadrasana II: step feet apart for warrior, feel the back lines of the legs, bend right knee and feel sit bone face the floor so from back knee to sit-bone the edge of the back line of the thigh faces the floor as if you are sitting on a chair (you could even use a chair if you have them), face the sit-bone straight down to the floor, breath, then keep that and feel the back line of the straight leg faces the back wall without disturbing the back line of the bent knee leg which is facing the floor, hold 5-7 breaths, repeat other side

Right angle pose/parsvakonasana: repeat warrior and then extend into right angle feeling the back line of the body from the heel to the base of the skull and elongate it fully, then gently rotate the whole line to the ceiling, keeping it stretched and straight, spiral the line as a whole, 5-7 breaths, repeat other side

Tree pose/vriksasana: step to mountain at the top of the mat, shift weight to left foot and lift right foot to inside of thigh, focus on the line from the heel to the base of the skull feeling it very firm as it crosses the sacrum and lengthen this back line as you hold tree 5-7 breaths, repeat other side, repeat both sides

Head to knee pose/jano sirsasana: sit down into staff, fold left leg and inhale arms up, exhale over right leg, feel back line of leg from center of the back knee to the heel, extend heel forward, then from center of knee to back sit-bone and draw sit-bone back, and then feel the whole line from heel to sit bone and lengthen back of leg, spiral the whole line of the left side of the spine to right inner leg so that your left shoulder blade rotates to the floor and your right kidneys releases to the ceiling, hold 5-7 breaths, then do twist

Half-seated twist/ardha matsyendrasana: from staff cross the right leg over the left and wrap left arm around leg and twist, focus on right side of spine hugging into centerline and left side release away from centerline on the exhale, as you twist, 5-7 breaths, release and repeat sequence of head to knee and twist other side, repeat head to knee/janu sirsasana again with full twist second time

Full-seated twist/matsyendrasana: from staff go into full twist with elbow on outside of knee, same focus as half twist, 5-7 breaths, repeat other side Head stand/sirsanasa or legs up the wall/viparita karani as inversion, 10 breaths

After head stand child pose/balasana 5 breaths

Pranayama: 5 rounds nadi shodhana left nostril to open ida nadi, then 5 rounds right nostril to open pingala nadi, then alternate nostril 5 rounds to balance nadis

Meditation: relax into your center, feel the head, heart and belly aligned, thoughts, feelings and actions in alignment and breath centered like a thread inside. Be quiet for a while and then read quote;
Happiness is when what you think, what you say and what you do are in harmony.
- Mahatma Gandhi

Savasana: with as little movement as possible, careful release into savasana, rest into the feeling of centering within…(silence for a while) feel the centering deepening…(silence for a while) so your body, mind and heart are one …(silence for a while) unified and harmonized …(silence for a while) read
quote;
At the center of your being you have the answer, you know who you are and you know what you want.
- Lao Tzu

Cue to return from savasana and to sit up and chant 3 om’s vibrating the sound up through the sushumna nadi feeling the O at the base of spine and the buzz of ‘m’ in head. Finish in namaskara head bowed to heart and affirm as you pass your namaskar/anjali mudra to your head, heart and then take hand so to belly; “healthy thoughts, pure heart, right action.” Then get everyone to do it together, repeat three times.
 

Fall 2010

Here is the class I prepared for the retreat with a theme of opening to the DIVINE FEMININE or shakti prana.

Savasana: feel the energy of the earth beneath you, relax into gravitational pull, surrender into the earth, ground down to the core of the earth and then feel her energy supporting you and energizing you Breath: breath into central channel of energy - sushumna nadi – feel breath moving from nostrils down to pelvic floor on inhale and up from pelvic floor using mula bandha/root lock and out through nostrils on exhale, then add belly lock/uddiyana belly, pulling navel to spine on exhale, release abdomen on inhale, feel the prana cleansing the inner channel like taking a shower, energizing and rejuvenating you, continue this deep yogic breath throughout class.

Ardha pavana muktasana/knee to Chest pose: start with bringing right knee to chest, breath up through left groin to left nasal passage opening the Ida nadi or lunar channel of energy in the body (always open Ida first, receptive, feminine energy), hold 5 breaths, repeat other side opening Pingala nadi, solar energy or masculine energy in the body, hold 5 breaths, rest in savasana after each side to feel energy flow.

Apanasana/belly breath pose: both knees to chest, exhale knees in and engage locks, inhale knees away elbows stretched still holding knees, release locks, cleansing the energy in the belly, the womb of being, repeat 5x’s, rest in savasana and feel energy flowing through belly – 2nd chakra/svadisthana – water element.

Mandalasana/circling pose: knees to chest, circle 5 times one way with breath and then 5 times the other ways, massaging the back of the second chakra – womb of being, rest in savasana, feel energy flow, then roll onto side and onto all fours.

Adho mukha virasana/downward facing hero or child’s pose with knees apart: feel breath through sushumna nadi, also you can do a shoulder stretch by rotating the triceps to the mat as you bend the elbows to place palms on upper back and hug the head with elbows, feeling the upper spine release towards the heart, relax groin and rest 5 breaths.

Ardha bhujangasana/half and full cobra: hands by armpits, squeeze shoulder blades together and elbows into side waist, lift pelvic floor or mula bandha and hold it as you inhale up into half cobra, no weight on handing, draw energy of the earth/shakti prana up the spine, lifting from mula bandha/pelvic floor, lift higher and higher, as you hold 5 breaths, strengthening upper back as well, rest in reverse savasana surrendering to earth, repeat full cobra, lift energy from mula bandha up to navel and then heart, drawing energy up sushumna nadi, hold 5 breaths, drawing energy up, keeping elbows into side body/waist, fronts of upper arm bones/humerus drawing back to open heart, rest in reverse savasana and surrender to divine mother.

Surya namaskar/sun salutation with warm up: create energy/heat/solar energy in body

Dog to plank yoga push-ups: lift from inner arches to groins dog, firm front thighs tailbone to pubic bone plank, then add modified chataranga with knees bent, elbows into side waist into cobra, lengthen front of spine, rest in child pose, repeat, then introduce option of full cataranga and go from up dog to down dog, then teach half forward fold/ardha uttanasana, lengthen front spine, then full uttanasana, bend one knee and then other lengthen inner thigh to groin, reverse swan dive to come up, do full sun salutation twice, then variation with warrior I, back leg lifts to ceiling, front leg engage hamstrings by bending knee over ankle and tucking sit bone to back knee, engage bandhas before coming and hold bandhas as you hold virabhadrasana/warrior I about 5 breaths, and keep holding bandhas as  you change sides, then come up to tadasana, feel breath in sushumna nadi/central channel of energy, drawing shakti prana into body up from the mother earth/shakti divine feminine energy of embodiment

Vriksasana/tree pose: open Ida channel first by standing on left leg, then pingala by standing on right leg, as you hold pose lift pelvic floor and breath from groin to nostril drawing shakti prana through nadi, left side first, then right, hold 5 breaths each side

Trikonasana/triangle: step out to side so that right leg is forward and turned out, to cleanse ida on left with shakti prana, also focus on stretching psoas by keeping outer rotation in front leg and revolving the navel to the ceiling, also back leg feel front thigh firm and inner thigh drawing to ceiling to firm outer hip/glut med/min, repeat other side to cleanse pingala nadi by breathing from groin to nostril, hold about 5 breaths each side

Prasarita padotanasana/wide angle pose: restore energy in wide angle, bow to earth, feel you energy releasing down into mother earth, hold 5 breaths, inhale up, exhale step back to mountain at top of mat and absorb shakti prana through feet.

Surya namaskar B/sun salutation B: go slow through utkatasana/thunderbolt or chair, feel groins back, lengthen front of spine, draw upper arms by ears triceps forward, then continue using bandhas in warrior I and through push through as we practiced before, after sun saluation do standing meditation to absorb solar energy - imagine you are in a cave and the sun is shining into the cave and absorbing into your body just as mother nature absorbs the suns energy to build vitality and strength and to promote growth

Parsvakonasana/right angle pose: step out to other side, right angle the same as triangle to open nadis and stretch psoas, repeat both sides, 5 breaths each then step to top of mat

Surya namaskar A/sun saluation A to go to child pose: imagine you are in a cave an absorbing moon light, to cool and calm the body and mind Parivrrta upavista konasana/revolving seated wide angle: back leg turned out to ground sitbone, front leg turned in to release psoas at insertion, torso rotates to leg that is it bending towards to stretch psoas at origin, about 5 breaths each side

Inversion: either viparita karani/legs up the wall or sarvangasana/shoulder stand with matsyasana/fish and pavana muktasana/little boat sequence to finish asana, emphasis on feeling energy and blood flow reverses, all nadis so that the internal kundalini shakti energy can flow up to third eye for pranayam and meditation (inner limbs of practice)

Pranayama: nadi shodhana/nasal passage cleansing, Ida first, use nasagra mudra to seal right nostril, inhale left nostril like you are breathing from groin, exhale lower mudra hand, take 2 gentle breaths, repeat 5 rounds, repeat other side 5 rounds

Meditation: watch breath at nasal passages, direct focus, then switch so that the breath is watching the body and mind, so that the shakti prana or divine mother energy is healing you, absorb the prana

Savanasana: with as little movement as possible to keep to avoid disturbing the flow of prana in the body, make your way to savasana and relax, feel the energy flow and surrender to mother earth, feel her supporting you and the energy flow that you share with divine mother

(Read) How hungry the human heart is for Divine Mother, an umbilical cord that connect us to the womb of being. Feel her energy, all her to restore your sense of trust, allow yourself to feel her with your deepest instincts.

Now place your hands on your lower belly, the womb of your being, and repeat your sankalpa 3 times…feel it vibrate in your lower belly,  feel yourself in the womb of the earth and that you have planted your sankalpa into the great womb to be birthed into existence. Then come back slowly at your own pace and return to seated, chant MA three times to close the class.
 

Summer 2010

The teaching theme for the summer is not so much a teaching theme as a reinforcement of the idea of yoga as a way of learning to be intrinsically focused rather than extrinsically focused.

This idea is emphasized in the YES I course and is explained in the Class Structure section of the course and manual where motivation is addressed. On January 19, 2010 the Toronto Star published an article called HOW TO MOTIVATE A CHILD that emphasized the importance of teaching children to be intrinsically motivated rather than extrinsically motivated. They refer to extrinsic approaches to motivation as being 'the
carrot and stick idea of external rewards' and stated that this Behaviour Psychology approach is not appropriate for the 21st century. New research supports the claim that true motivation comes from within and has three elements:

1. AUTONOMY,
2. MASTERY and
3. PURPOSE.

The article also emphasized that extrinsic or external motivators work for short-term results and simple things, but are not effective for longer term tasks. Teaching in a way that keep the minds of your students internally focused leads to AUTONOMY. Explaining how the body works and why you are doing what are doing in class leads to PURPOSE and keeping the awareness of your students deeply engaged in subtle adjustment to improve posture and body function leads to MASTERY.

"If...then" is terrific at getting compliance but not engagement. the pathway to engagement - whether it's doing homework or helping around the house - is self-direction not compliance.

I like to call 'engagement', absorption or samadhi and teaching engagement is part of Yoga and is the essence of Yoga practice as outlined in Patanjali's Yoga Sutras as well as in other yogic texts. The emphasis on turning awareness inwards to absorb one's attention into the sensations of breathing and asana through alignment in yoga practice develop within the practitioner intrinsic motivation or drive. This article also goes on to say that external motivators promote addiction, bad behaviour and short-term thinking. So people who are motivated to do yoga because everyone else is doing it or to achieve some kind of external ability such as doing handstands or contortionistic asana or to lose weight are externally motivated. Those who do it to connect with their interior as a way of unifying body, mind and breath which leads to absorption or engagement, well these people develop inner strength or intrinsic motivation and self-direction. Engagement or absorption is the essence of Yoga, but the practice has become polluted by the commercialization of Yoga and the emphasis on Yoga as gymnastics or contortionism.

Motivation is affected by genetics as well as environment, so some people are more predisposed to being intrinsically motivated than others, but it can be learned by anyone and Yoga class is a great place to develop a motivational approach that leads to long term fulfillment and enjoyment of life, because what is enjoyment? It is engagement or absorption which is called SAMADHI in Sanskrit.
 

Spring 2010 Theme

I feel myself learning to be more compassionate with myself and appreciate the peace and acceptance I find in treating myself with loving kindness and so I want to focus on the theme of caring for ourselves this spring.

At the start of class, once you get the breath flowing, you can focus the energy/prana of the breath into the heart. Feel it awakening the heart just as the earth awakens after winter.

Throughout the class you can focus the awareness of the posture into the heart center to release tensions and create open space in the heart.

As you reach the inner limbs of the practice focus on generating prana in the heart during pranayama and then in meditation bring awareness to all the space that has been created in the heart and then fill it with compassion/loving kindness and feel that energy towards yourself.

You can use the following quotes if you like in meditation and or savasana/relaxation:
Sometimes the smallest things can take up the most room in your heart
- Unknown
Kind words can be short, and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless.
- Mother Teresa
(With this one you can also mention to speak kindly to yourself and others, to speak from your heart)
 

Winter 2010 Theme

Winter is the perfect time to practice meditation. Open with this quote:

Do not dwell on the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.
- BUDDHA

Then teach a whole class where you keep your student's mind focused on a single point, in the present moment. Narrow the minds' of your students through the whole class and remind them to return their mind back to the point of focus if their mind wanders. Be clear about what the point of focus is by stating it, use one alignment cue, re-phrase what you are saying or repeat it in the same way over and over again so you stick to that one point of focus for at least a minute, then go to the next one and do the same throughout the whole class. Once you get to the meditation the mind will be still. Close with this quote during meditation:

To the mind that is still, the whole universe surrenders.
- LAO TZU

Then in savasana emphasize the expansion that occurs in the mind after narrowing the focus for a long time and this mind expansion is samadhi, expanded consciousness. Let them rest in samadhi in silence.
 

Winter 2009 Theme

The winter offers a sense of ‘stillness’ that no other season offers. January takes us into the depths of winter and is a great time to explore this quality. I start my class by having everyone imagine they are like a rock, STILL and GROUNDED. I have them feel their bones, like rock made out of minerals and that which provides grounding in the body. Throughout the class, I have my students focus on their bones grounding into the earth and feeling the stillness in the body. In that stillness it is very easy to sense the breath.

I have also layered in that winter is also a quiet time or a time of ‘silence’. I have had my students focus on the quietude of the breath rather than using ujjayi and to sense the breaths movement instead of sound. As I progress through the class the quality of stillness and silence deepen. I continue this theme into pranayama and meditation. In meditation I have also explored having everyone hold a rock and focus on merging with the qualities of rock which are; still, grounded, silent. 

For me the qualities of ‘stillness’ and ‘silence’ are portals into the eternal realm. I feel that I can actually soak in these qualities like soaking in a bath to find renewal and a deep connection to the essence of life or what is called ‘swaha’ in Yoga philosophy. In savasana I remind my students of this truth and have them bathe in ‘stillness’ and ‘silence’ and to allow it to soak into the depths of their being and the core of their bones.


Valentine's 2009 Theme

Since February is the month of LOVE, lets explore the divine union between Shiva and Shakti, the un-manifest and the manifest, energy and matter. The form is considered female in the philosophy of Tantric yoga and is personified as the mother goddess Shakti, the formless is male and personified as Shiva. The love affair between Shiva and Shakti is symbolic of the unification of the earthly realm with the heavenly realm in the heart of every person. The earths' bio-spheric energy rises into the body to create vitality and with gravity pulls down through the body the invisible energy of the universe that creates heaven on earth.

The metaphor of the love between Shiva and Shakti is an ancient representation of the love of the formless, the universe or God, for all that is in the form of matter in the earthly realm. This philosophy pre-dates todays religions and yet can support every faith or give meaning to those without a religious practice. Every religion has the element of an invisible God energy and the nurturing mother that births life to form. The beauty of Yoga is that it can enrich any spiritual or agnostic view of life and even the atheist can embrace the idea of above and below, the earth and sky and the merging of these two through a folkloric relationship between two characters, Shiva and Shakti. The ancient Tantric story, that even pre-dates Hinduism of Shiva coming down to meet Shakti and Shakti rising up to meet Shiva is over 5000 years old.

As you teach yoga, you can bring awareness to the the union of heaven and earth in the heart. You can cue, to connect into the earth, to ground, to root down, to give into gravity and at the same time to lift up, the lengthen upwards and to reach the heavens. As you ground into the earth you can feel the energy of the great mother earth or Shakti rising up to the centre of your heart and as you lift upwards you can feel the energy of the great father of the heavens or Shiva descending into the centre of your heart where these two energies marry or unify.

The balance of female and male, gentle and strong, grounding and uplifting merge in one's heart. This is why on the path of yoga we surrender the mind to the heart, to live from a place of love. We also find the male and female union in the breath, the inhale contracting and nourishing (the feminine aspect of the breath) and the exhale expanding and strengthening (the male aspect of the breath). The lower body is female, grounding into the earth, the upper body masculine, uplifting to the heavens. The back of the body male, with muscles that extend the body and the front of the body female, with muscles that contract or fold the body.

These two dualistic qualities that come together in oneness, exist in the asanas or yoga postures as well, with forward folds and twists offering a calming and cooling feminine quality and backbends and inversions offering a heating and energizing male quality to ones practice. The female asanas (forward fold and twists) are engaged with a masculine breath or on the exhale and the male asanas (backbends - keep in mind standing postures that are done in an upright position involve the use of the muscles that extend the spine and are considered to be like backbends - and inversions) are engaged and deepened with a feminine breath or on the inhale. In this way, there is always the feminine in the masculine and the masculine in the feminine. Even the energy of earth is solar, outside and inside at her core with a burning yellow fire, which is masculine and the energy of the universe is diamond white and feminine. One cannot exist without the other, there is a sacred union between these two dualistic qualities and each are equal in value. Shiva without Shakti is impotent, Shakti without Shiva is meaningless.

Spring 2009 Theme

Spring is the time of planting seeds. At the beginning of class, once the mind and breath are steady and the body is relaxed, I take my students into child's pose/balasana, which is alot like a prayer position of bowing down and I cue them to think of something that they want to devote the energy of their practice to. I give them time to connect to that prayer and to surrender into this devotional energy as they relax into the bowing down position of child's pose or balasana.

Then throughout the class I stop for a still meditation, (tadasana or mountain pose when standing and sukhasana or easy pose when seated and savasana or relaxation pose when lying down) where I cue the class to feel the energy they have created in asana being drawn into that which they have devoted their practice to. I do this several times throughout the class to bring greater meaning and purpose to the yoga experience. Each time that they connect to their devotion, it is like they are planting a seed of prayer and blessings will grow out of those seeds in time.

Summer 2009 Theme

The summer is filled with gifts for the senses. The color, fragrance and textures of life are rich and vibrant. Although it is the more vedic approach to yoga to withdraw from senses perception/pratyahara, the tantric approach to yoga encourages us to celebrate our embodiment as well as embracing the austere practice of turning our awareness within, balancing the male and female aspect of life.

Following the tantric path of yoga, this class focuses on opening the senses to the subtle energies of nature from within. Encourage your students to draw the energy of their brain and minds' awareness deep into the tissues of the body to increase awareness of the subtle
sensations within the body and specifically of the breath flow of the breath. The breath can be felt as the waves of energy, purifying the body, mind and soul. The inhalation draws in subtle pranic energy and the exhalation gives way to relaxation on all levels. By giving into the sensations of the breath and the body the mind merges of 'yogs' with the tissues of the body. Continue to use words like; feel, sense, experience the sensations inside as you continue through the class.

In the ancient tantric yogic texts the body is metaphorically compared to that of cow and our sadhana or practice is meant to be like milking a cow. Instead of milk we are pumping the body to awaken and uplift subtle energy. We can also draw the shakti prana up from the earth in standing postures. Pulling the biospheric energy up into your body as we inhale and giving into the gravitational pull of the earth to connect to her tectonic plates to merge our energy meridians into the energy meridians of the earth. This practice will create a deep connection to the energy of nature which is fully awake during the summer and it will make us feel more alive and receptive to the richness and juiciness of summer!

Fall 2009 Theme

The fall is a time of letting go. As the trees let go of their leaves we are reminded to unburden ourselves of unnecessary tensions. In this class, you can focus the minds of your students on releasing tension. This can be done by focusing on letting go of tension on the exhalation and cueing a long exhalation coming out of postures to release the tension of each pose. You can also focus on letting go of anything you need to let go of during child pose and take some standing meditations to do the same during the standing asanas.

This can be done by focusing on letting go of tension on the exhalation and cueing a long exhalation coming out of postures to release the tension of each pose and At the end of class by imaging the body expanding and the tensions dissolving in savasana.