Podcast #127 - Yoga is Action, Part 1

TRANSCRIPT:
00:01
Hello. I've been a little bit delinquent in my. Posting regularities, so therefore I'm gonna post two classes for October in part to sort of make up for my delinquency and in part because I think these two classes go together well thematically they kind of I kind of compliment each other and they kind of riff on the same themes which are from the very very brilliant focus of the month, which is written by jewels for Bray this month, so.

00:38
First of all if you want some context you can go to Team Umtiogo.com and read the full focus of the month, which is what all of the G multi-teachers around the world sort of work from and get inspired by to to sort of serve as the jumping off point for classes for that month and then you can see sort of two different things that I did with that focus.

01:04
The first one is much more direct and just straightforwardly reading from the focus a month the second one as I'm reading. A piece that sort of reminds me of the themes in the focus of the month. So anyway, I just thought it would be nice to kind of put these two together and also to apologize for my infrequency of posting.

01:29
I will get back on a very regular schedule again soon. So many many things are coming up if you enjoy the podcast, please visit me on yoga stickler.com where you can either make a donation to the podcast. If you're enjoying it or you can find my zoom classes which I'm still offering I hope to continue offering some digital options for those of you that are traveling or those of you that like practicing from home on a busy day when it's hard to get to the studio.

02:02
So check out yoga.com to find out about upcoming digital classes, and I will be hosting the giving thanks retreat this year. I'll be at Ananda Ashram in New York and we have space for a few people. We're limiting. The in-person attendance, of course, but then I'm also going to offer a hybrid option so that means you can also sign up for the retreat digitally and join us from wherever you are and in terms of the digital option you can you can sign in along with us and do everything in real time or you can do a bit of a mix like you could take some classes with us live as it's happening or you can.

02:57
Watch some of the recordings on your own time just to give yourself a little extra time to kind of take in everything that we're offering. So again, you can go to yoga calm to learn more about the retreat and to sign up. And I look forward to seeing you either in person or in the ether.

03:17
So, here we go, here's your class.

03:25
So start in downward facing dog.

03:56
So just listening for a moment. When you think about your yoga practice space the perfect practice space what comes to mind? What are non-negotiable items for you? Come forward into a plank. Lower Chaturanga. Upward facing dog. And downward facing dog. And then soften the knees and start to walk the feet forward towards the hands and fold forward over the legs.

04:37
So what are some non-negotiable items is the floor need to be level and firm? Do you need walls windows? Light. And alter.

04:54
What are some things that you sort of associate with your your perfect practice space?

05:04
Jules goes on to say there's an interesting verse in the hot day yoga predicica that discusses the potential requirements for a yogis practice space. The size and features are described as well as what to avoid. And then. It says that the space should be the oh that is should be in a well governed and virtuous place meaning the like state or the you know, kingdom or whatever.

05:45
Okay separate the feet about as wide as the width of the mat and bend the knees coming into a deep squatting position hands together at the center of the chest.

05:59
Did you have as one of your requirements for the ideal yoga space that it should be situated in a country that is virtuous and well governed? Did you think about what leaders should be in government before you decide what props you need to have in your yoga space? The Hatha Yoga Pradipika was written for those who wish to go into deep retreat creating an atmosphere with as little.

06:31
So that they could tap tap into the depths of what yoga prep practice has to offer. It is often thought that a retreat is when one moves away from the problems of the world and focuses on spiritual things. Bring that hands to the floor lift the hips up and fold forward over the legs.

06:54
And then bring that feet all the way together. Bring the arms behind the back and lace the fingers together into one fist stretching the arms away from the back. Let the head hang down and let the arms kind of move away from the back. So that the weight of the arms is kind of helping the upper body to move down.

07:16
The legs.

07:24
So I'm reading from the focus of the month, which you can read in full on the team of two website and it's written by my colleague Jules and he brings up a really interesting point there. You know it I think it's not necessarily sort of part of most of our subconscious awareness.

07:46
And yet. Being in a peaceful environment is part of parcel to being able to have a yoga space to practice it. Bend the knees look forward open across the chest try to lift the arms as much away from the back as you can exhale straight in the legs and fold forward.

08:10
Inhale bend the knees open the chest look forward belly towards thighs. Exhale extend the legs to fold. Inhale bend the knees open the chest look forward. Exhale extend the legs to fold good. Bring your hands onto your waist and lift all the way up right to a standing position.

08:36
But and then interlace the hands behind your head. Oh, no. I'm sorry, let's do side bending first reach the arms of overhead. Class the hands together into one fist, as you exhale bend to the left side. Inhale lift up to the center. Exhale bend to the right. Inhale lift up to the center exhale left side.

09:01
Inhale center. Exhale right side. Inhale center. Good exhale left. One more time each side. Inhale center. And exhale, right? Good and then lift all the way up and place the hands behind the head your fingers are still interlaced your elbows are kind of opening out to the side and now imagine you want to just pull.

09:31
Away from the head so that you're kind of making space between your head. Pull the hands back as far as you can hold. So your hands are not touching your head. Now, you're trying to make as much space between your hands and your head as you can. Good and then let the hands touch the head again.

09:53
And then again, pull the hands back.

09:59
Hold.

10:04
And let the hands touch the head and then last time just pull the hands back away from the head so make as much space between your hands palms of hands and your head as you possibly can.

10:17
And release and then bring the left arm down alongside the body. So your fingers are still interlocked. The left arm is just sort of hanging the left elbow beside the body and the right elbow is bending behind the head. Try to center your head over your trunk and then push the back of your head into your right upper arm.

10:44
And then coming back through center so fingers are still interlocked just let the right arm come down alongside the body so the right elbow is just kind of hanging there the fingers are still interlocked and the weight of the right arm is just helping to pull the left arm more behind the head.

11:02
And then head is balanced over the center of the truck and you're pushing your head back into your arm.

11:14
Good and then bring that. Bring that hands back to the center and release the arms. So we'll do a soft skirt if you want to just listen you can otherwise. I've put the sunscript up on the screen for you if you want to have a look. You might already know this one.

11:37
We'll start with ohm together.

11:45
Oh.

12:16

Call and Response:
Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah, Sarve Santu Niramayah
Sarve Bhadrani Pahsyantu, Ma Kachid Dukha Bhag Bhavet

13:09
Let's do twice all together. Don't worry about stumbling on the words just you know, just come along sing along as best you can. Do suki na ha Saturday.

14:32
Means: may all be happy may all be free from sickness. May all look to the good of others and may not suffer from sorrow.

14:49
So let's begin at the top of the mat. Tadasana. Arms alongside the body exhale a breath out with an inhale reach the arms of overhead palms of hands press together look up exhale fold forward hands to the floor beside the feet. Inhale halfway lift to prepare. Exhale hop or, step back chatturanga.

15:16
Inhale upward facing dog, exhale downward facing dog, breathe in. Breathe out one. Inhale. Exhale to. Inhale. Exhale three.

15:40
Exhale four. Inhale. Exhale five, bend knees. Hop or step Step forward exhale. Inhale stand up reach the arms of overhead. Exhale release the arm. Inhale reach up pounds press together, exhale fold forward hands to the earth. Inhale halfway lift exhale hopper step back to chatturanga. Inhale upward facing dog. Exhale downward facing dog.

16:25
Breathe in. Breathe out one inhale. Exhale to. Tooth.

16:49
Exhale bend the knees. Inhale hopper step forward exhale fold forward inhale stand up reach the arms of overhead exhale release the arms one more time inhale. Exhale fold forward. Inhale look forward. Exhale. Inhale upward facing dog. Exhale downward facing dog inhale. Exhale inhale. Exhale to. Inhale. Exhale five.
Five bend the knees inhale hop or. Exhale fold inhale stand up reach the arms up. Exhale release the arms inhale hook your thumbs reach your arms forward and up arch the back exhale bend the knees swing the arms behind the back leaves to hands together and fold inhale hands to the floor step the right foot back to line exhale downward facing dog.

18:28
inhale look forward, exhale chaturanga. Inhale upward facing dog, exhale downward facing dog inhale forward into playing exhale lower the knees just ench into the floor. Inhale sliding forward into cobra, exhale tuck the toes sit back towards the feet and then extend the legs downward dog inhale step the right foot forward.

19:00
Exhale left foot next to the right foot folding over inhale bend knees hook thumbs reach up arch back straight in the legs of the top exhale bend knees swing arms behind lace the hands together and fold it inhale hands to the floors of the left foot back. Exhale downward facing dog.

19:24
Inhale forward into plank pose exhale to the runner inhale upward facing exhale downward facing inhale forward into playing exhale lower the knees the chest and the chin to the floor. Inhale slide forward into cobra breath exhale take the toes sit back towards the feet and then extend the legs down.

19:52
Inhale left foot steps forward. exhale right foot next to the left foot folding over inhale bend knees hook thumbs reach up arch back exhale stand up releasing the arms inhale deeply bend the knees reach the arms overhead. Exhale hands to the floor folding forward. Inhale halfway lift, exhale upper step back to.

20:24
The right inhale upward dog. Exhale downward dog. Inhale step the right foot forward, turn the back heel down reach up for where you're one. Exhale hands to the floor step back lower chaturanga inhale upward facing dog, exhale downward facing dog, inhale step the left foot forward right heel down reach up or you're one.

20:55
Exhale hands to the floor step back lower children inhale upward, dog, exhale downward dog, one more time, each side inhale right footsteps forward fear of address, no one. Exhale hands to the floor step back and lower. Inhale move forward exhale go back inhale left foot forward variable. Exhale hands to the floor step back and lower.

21:29
Ing inhale upward dog. Exhale downward dog and whole breathe in. Breathe out one. Inhale. Exhale to. Inhale. Exhale three. Inhale. Exhale four. In. Exhale bend the knees inhale hop or step feet to hands. Exhale fold forward inhale bend the knees reach the arms up, utkatasana, exhale stand up releasing the arms inhale deeply bend the knees reach the arms up.

22:22
Exhale hands to the floor folding forward, uttanasana. inhale head and chest lit exhale hop or step back to chaturanga. Inhale upward facing exhale downward facing dog inhale step the right foot forward turn the back heel down reach up for where you're one and hold where you're one exhale good breathe and try to face everything forward exhale try to straighten the elbows even a bit more exhale and then from the strength of the back leg being steady see if you can bend the front knee a little bit more.

23:05
Or yeah good. With an inhale. With an exhale.

23:17
Inhale reach out to the right. And exhale place the right hand down reach the left arm up. Good. Shrug the shoulders back and down three yeah nice try to straighten both arms. And. Exhale inhale lift all the way up right to a standing position, exhale bend the right knee or your two inhale.

23:48
Exhale. In.

23:55
The. Exhale. And. Exhale. Knee. Exhale inhale straighten the right leg exhale bends the right knee place the right hand down outside of the right foot reach the left arm all the way over the left ear for extended side angle in the hand. Exhale. Knee. Exhale to. Inhale. Exhale. And.

24:38
Exhale. And. Exhale inhale hands to the floor exhale start to straighten the right leg hop the back foot in a tiny bit closer inhale look forward and exhale fold forward parse knots in a chin to your shin. In. Exhale. And. Exhale three. In. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale inhale bend the right knee look forward exhale touch the left knee down to the floor.

25:29
Inhale lift the torso upright and reach the left arm up preparing for standing spinal twists exhale hands to prepare twist to the right side in he'll talk to the left toes under lift the left knee away from the floor exhale one. In him good exhale, two inhale. Exhale three in.

25:59
Exhale.

26:05
Exhale inhale both hands down to the floor, exhale step back downward facing dog. Inhale step the left foot forward right heel down reach up for your one. Exhale.

26:32
In. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale inhale straighten the front leg exhale open the hips arms to the side. Inhale reach all the way up to the left exhale place the left hand down reach the right arm up. inhale. shrug the shoulders down, try to straighten the elbows.

27:10
In you. Exhale inhale lift all the way up right to a standing position, exhale bend the right knee bureau of a drastic. Breathe out. In here. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale. And. Exhale. In him. Hag seal inhale straight in the left leg exhale bends the left knee place the left hand down outside of the left foot reach the right arm.

27:56
Over for extended side angle breathe it good, breathe out. In. Exhale two's similarly strong back leg kind of like in in warrior one like that strong back leg can sort of informed the freedom to move. Inhale both hands down to the floor exhale start to straighten the left leg.

28:25
Inhale halfway lift look forward and then exhale fold forward one. In. Exhale. In. Exhale.

28:47
In. Exhale. I have inhaled ends the left knee exhale lower the right knee down to the floor inhale reach the right arm up exhale twist to the left side. And tuck the right toes under left to right knee away from the floor standing spinal twists. And much good lift the right side just a little bit higher yes to perfect in here.

29:33
Inhale please hold hands down. Exhale step back downward facing. The feet together come forward into a plane. Exhale lower exhale onto the right hand and the outer edge of the right. Left arm reaches, ah. One in you. Next seal. Two inhale. Exhale three inhale to play exhale on to the left side left hand outer edge of left foot right on reaches up.

30:19
Exhale. Knee. Exhale inhale place the right hand out.

30:32
Inhale slide forward into cobra/bhujangasana. exhale, sit all the way back towards the feet and then extend the legs downward.

30:49
Serve in that similar vein. It was thinking about all of the other things that need to be. Yoga practice to happen. You know? The access to food..Clean access to clean water and and sort of enough piece that you can be assured that you're not going to sort of get large in on by pirates or who knows what you know.

31:20
Like I mean, I don't know why I said pirates that was kind of random. It's because I was watching a thing about Pirates today. Bend the knees look forward.

31:35
And then fold forward. And now I'm worried about pirates disturbing my yoga practice. Bend anemic history the arms up.

31:50
No, but really, I mean the fact that we don't have to think about these kinds of things is testament. A much. Goes well in order to make the practice happen, right? How steady everything kind of is right? The fact that I don't have to think about pirates before I start my practice.

32:13
Oh my gosh how funny okay? Anyway, moving on. Go ahead and turn to face the side. And step the feet wide for a wide straddle. Turn the toes a little bit intowards each other hands grab your waist. In your lift of the chest, arch back squeeze the elbows towards each other.

32:35
Exhale fold forward and place the hands onto the floor between the feet. Inhale look forward and exhale fold forward pulling the top of the head down in the direction of the floor. You know in the fact that I can joke about pirates does also come from a bit of a place of privilege, which is that which is to say that in many parts of the world, maybe there isn't enough sort of.

33:04
Peace overall governance to like have a safe and secure place to practice yoga or that there's so much conflict going on that. I can't focus my mind on practice of yoga. I have to focus my mind on. You know food water shelter or on on the active conflict whatever's happening and he'll look forward.

33:32
Exhale hands on your waist. Inhale lift all the way upright and then exhale bring the arms behind the back interlocking the fingers into one fist. Inhale lift up the chest in arch back. Exhale fold forward top of the head reaching down in the direction of the floor. Arms reaching away from the back.

34:10
Even governance in our interpersonal relationships, right like I can remember a time when I had a very. Conflicted former relationship and it was very hard to meditate and very hard to practice yoga because my mind was. Immersed and that comes. From state, right? Lift all the way up to a standing position and then bring the hands on to the waist.

34:43
Lift up the chest arch back this time the hands are gonna stay on the waist so fold all the way forward head reaching towards the floor and then the the hands are like squeezing the waist a little bit and then you're gonna squeeze the inner elbows towards each other almost like you're trying to get the tip.

35:02
To point up to. So focusing on actively using the strength of the upper back to kind of move the shoulder blades towards each other and move the elbows up towards the ceiling.

35:19
And then inhaling lift all the way upright to a standing position exhale feet together legs together now turn to face the front of the mat again. And step the left foot back about two and a half or three feet now bring the arms behind the back and you have a couple of choices here, you can either make secret prayer hands behind the back or if that's not happening like if that's causing some conflict in the wrists.

35:51
Then you could make two fists and like press the knuckles together behind the back then keeping both legs straight inhale lift up the chest and arch back and then as you exhale fold forward over the left leg for a harsh poach enough variation now for this variation. See if you can almost reach your chin towards the middle of your shin, so it's almost like you're looking towards the right toes rather than having the head go all the way down and even though we're folding forward try to roll the round part of the shoulders up and back and try to wing the elbows up away from the floor, so you're concentrating on opening the chest.

36:38
Good now bend the right knee look forward to bring the chest parallel to the floor pivot the left heel up so that all ten toes face forward and then push off the left toes to lift up into Warrior three. That same idea of almost winging the elbows away from the back to open the chest.

37:02
Yeah.

37:15
Good inhale stand all the way upright feet together, exhale release the arms for a moment. Other side. Step the right foot back. Go take the hands behind the back either secret. And press your knuckles together. With straight legs in the a lift of the chest and arch back exhale fold forward over the left leg parsvotanasana.

37:50
And again for this particular variation, let's reach the chin more towards the shin, so the the gaze is almost. And then rolling the shoulders up and back and winging the elbows up away from the back.

38:07
Good and then bending the left knee look. Wing the elbows have away from the back and then lift up warrior three, so try to lift the right leg parallel to the floor just also. Trying to be parallel to the floor, so not pitching upwards or downwards.

38:37
Good with an inhale lift all the way upright stand up feet together, exhale release the.

38:49
Inhale reach the arms up overhead. Exhale fold forward hands to the floor. Inhale halfway lift. Exhale chatturanga. Inhale upward dog. Exhale downward dog. Okay, so ten breaths for hand standing practice. So if you really need to turn towards the wall, that's fine, or you could stay right where you are.

39:20
So either ten hops or perhaps ten breaths if you're holding your handstand.

39:42
Or if you're not hopping you can always you know, hold a one-legged down dog for five breaths on one side five breaths on the other so that anyway, so you're sort of engaging with the. Principle of handstand, even if you're not coming into it.

40:20
Good. And then forearm stand. So elbows to the floor. Again, you could you could have the elbows in the floor and just you know breathing in the forearm down dog, you could lift one leg up and breathe like that or you can start to progressively move towards a forearm stand.

41:20
Good and then finally headstand sirsasana.

42:38
And then go ahead and come down and rest.

43:11
And then make your way into downward facing dog.

43:26
To go inhale plank. Exhale lower all the way to the floor keep your hands along side your chest. And point the toes pressing the feet down into the floor lift your head lift your chest and stay down for now but squeeze that elbows towards each other and back almost like you're trying to point the tip of the elbows to touch the wall behind you.

43:58
Put in them with your exhale slowly release down.

44:10
Again lift the head lift the chest. Roll the shoulders up and back squeeze the elbows towards each other press the tops of the feet down so active legs this time you have the option to it lift up on a finger tips, so you could yeah, you can press the fingertips into the floor and maybe lift up even a little bit higher.

44:39
Good and then slowly release down.

44:50
One more time lift the head lift the chest roll the shoulders up and back. Either keep hands on the floor or you can lift up under fingertips or at this time you could even hover the hands off the floor.

45:12
Good and then slowly release down.

45:18
Keep the hands alongside the chest inhale lift to upward dog. Exhale go back down, we're done. Inhale to plank. Exhale lower all the way to the floor. Keep your right hand where it is alongside your chest, but reach the left arm out to the left on the floor. And then pushing the right hand into the floor turn the chest in the hips to the right so that the weight of the body kind of moves to open the left shoulder left part of the chest.

46:21
Good and then come back to the center and go other way.

46:42
Good and then come back to the center then both knees. Reach back. Full. And then inhale lift up.

47:01
Done you're asana.

47:14
Good and then slowly release down.

47:26
Again bend the knees reach back catch hold of the ankle.

47:34
And then lift up second time down here.

47:51
Slowly release down.

47:58
Place the hands either side of the chest. Inhale lift forward and up into upward dog. Exhale go back downward dog.

48:14
Soften the knees and look towards the hands and then hop or step your knees to the floor between your hands your knees. Standing up on the knees. Tuck the toes under. Hands on your waist. Good use your hands to sort of squeeze the waist and then lift up the top of the chest squeeze the elbows towards each other keep the chest really puffed up and open as you reach back to see if you can hold on to your heels or ankles try not to collapse the center of the test down good.

48:54
So your hands can stay on your waist or? Or you can hold your heels, but then try to keep that chest lifting up.

49:12
Could hands on your waist lifts straight up point the toes sit down on the heels or you can put a block under your seat and then we'll take a little twist to the right so turn and look over the right shoulder.

50:00
Turn the face center and then stand up on your knees one more time. So you can have the feet flexed under or pointed hands on your waist lift up the chest squeeze the elbows towards each other and then start to arch back.

50:37
Where they hands to your waist lift up and then go ahead and press back downward facing dog.

50:53
The inhale forward into playing and exhale lower all the way to the floor and roll over onto your back.

51:06
Bring the feet to the floor parallel in about hip width distance of harder, so. Lift the hips up and interlace the hands behind the back into one fist.

51:33
Separate the hands release the back down to the floor.

51:40
Place the hands on the floor either side of the ears, we're praying for ord of it on your asana. And with an inhale go ahead press down to lift up. urdva dhanurasana

52:07
Slowly release down.

52:17
Second time place the hands in the feet.

52:22
Inhale lift on up.

52:42
It's into the chest. These.

52:53
Third time, here we go. Place the hands on the feet. And inhale lift on up.

53:26
And then hug the knees into the chest.

53:51
Bring the knees all the way over to the left side of the body as you look to the right.

54:26
Knees up.

55:17
To bring the knees up to the center and then come on up to a seated position. So all the way up straighten the legs forward out in front of you and fold forward. Pacchimottanasana

56:17
That lift all the way up right and then set yourself up for shoulder stand or you can set up for legs of the wall if you like.

58:00
And so you know Jules comes to the conclusion in his focus of the month that you know, practicing yoga does indeed require us. To you know, sort of handle outward affairs and sort of you know, kind of deal with. Things arising from you know, political and social climate in order to then have enough sort of stagingness and spaciousness to then.

58:30
Go inwards and do the inner work as well now, of course those two go hand in hand like you know, you come. Sometimes you're doing a little bit more outward action, sometimes you're doing a little bit more inward action but or sometimes you you know, sometimes you meditate even though all of the outward forces have yet to be sort of settled right but that these two sort of modes of practice may be like the inner work and the outer workday they go hand in hand they're not.

59:06
They're not completely separate and distinct.

59:16
So if you're in shoulder stand, go ahead and come into plow.

59:42
And then slowly start to roll down out of it.

59:55
And set up for maths, yes necron of the head to the floor.

1:00:18
And then lifting the chin to the chest. Slowly release down coming into shavasana.

1:02:48
And.

1:09:27
Too deep in the breath.

1:09:37
To bring some movement into the body.

1:09:56
Make your way up to a seated position.

1:10:29
Or into comfortable.

1:10:33
Be still. And focus on the breath or on any mantra of any kind.

1:13:05
You know. In. Exhale. In. Exhale three. In.