Reflective Asana and Pranayama (2)
“Body Breath and Mind in Perfect Oneness”
Some Concepts
Limbs of classical yoga
Sutra I,2 (Yoga citta vrtta nirodha)
Sheaths of the body (koshas), involution, “meditation in action”
Reference: B.K.S Iyengar’s discussion of koshas in his commentary on Sutra
1.2 [LOS]. For more, see Mr. Iyengar’s book Light on Life [LOL] which
is organized according to the concept of koshas. See especially
Chapters 2 [“Stability-The Physical Body (Asana) and 3 [“Vitality-The Energy
Body (Prana)]
Practice (Based on Standing forward extensions)
Sitting (Supported sukhasana as in class 1)
Unsupported sukhasana (keeping actions)
Neutral sacrum, lift chest/long waist, compact hips, life spine,
Hands facing up (Jnana mudra opt.) to support outward rotation
of shoulders
Tadasana/Urdha Hastasana/Ardha Utthanasana (blocks)
Padangusthasana
(emphasize stable base, triangle of feet, lengthening of torso)
Variations (belt around metatarsals, or hand grip when possible)
Adho Mukha Svanasana (from external to internal support)
Preliminary
Supported
(partner holds belt on top thighs from behind)
Hold extension as partner slowly releases
AMS (facing wall)
Shorter dog, hands on blocks to bring thighs back
AMS (heels on wall) -> ekapada (foot up wall
Vrksasana
Utthitta Hasta Padangusthasanas
(variations: hand to wall, belt on foot; reduce wall support, and/or hold
toe, for seasoned practitioners)
Utthitta
Parsva
Vinyasa of above, attention to breath in transitions/concentration
Viparita Karana (as in class 1, support higher as possible)
Review of involution, “inverted lake” and movement from physical
sheath (annamaya kosha) to physiological sheath/energetic body
(pranamaya kosha)
Savasana (introductory pranayama set-up)
Ujayyi I
Ujayyi II (introduction)
Closing: Sukhasana/OM Shantih
Next
Concepts
Review and chanting of Sutra I, 2 (yoga citta vritti nirodha)
Use of resonance for concentration and focusing (study of OM)
Practice: Breath in Back Extensions