Podcast #143 - Swami Nirmalananda & Mauna

The theme of the podcast is as always, derived from the Jivamukti Yoga Focus of the Month, which can be read in full here:
https://jivamuktiyoga.com/fotm/enjoy-the-silence/

I used this playlist for the live class:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0lbwd6c33zTBt9nPADtCua?si=fcccd0b8b2964137

Please follow me on all the socials! @yogastickler

Jessica Stickler in Eka Pada Koundinyasana at Little Park NYC, Photo by Derek Goodwin

OM.

When was the last time you listened to what happens between the oms? So what I find is when it's time to own, After that first ohm ends. Oftentimes, I'm already like gasping for the second breath. I'm already like, okay, ready to go. Right? And I'm readying myself for the next one before. The first one has really, Marinated, right? So let's really take our time this morning. So between ohms Give yourself and each other that sort of spaciousness.

OM. OM. OM. OM. OM. OM.

03:30

Quietly listening. Both. Literally and metaphysically to the sort of whatever, whatever the ohm leaves behind, like maybe there's some sort of subtle Feeling or perception or even just that. Even just feeling that sense of spaciousness after the end of the ohm, And then and then we'll take like a a generous amount of time to just listen and be and then we'll like home again eventually, right? Promise.

05:42

Um, A lot of us tend to Put a lot more emphasis on the O part. Let's try a few more, but let's try to put a little more emphasis on the part, right? So at least halfway At least halfway. Yeah. And just see if that changes, the sort of inner experience that inner silence.
OM. OM. OM.
Just noticing what you are aware of in your experience, either physical changes, or Changes in the mind. Even I can still feel actually a little bit of The ghost of the vibration of, on my lips. From making all that sound. If you didn't feel any difference at all, that's okay to the

08:27

is to sit in relationship to our experience. So, in this case, there's no, right? Or wrong experience, there's us in relationship. To that experience. Swami nirmalananda, is a main teacher of Sharon Gannon and David life who are the co-founders of Gene mukta yoga and Swami near Melinda lived by himself in Southern India in a little Hut with a deer named Bambi, That's the short version. And that's That's the elevator pitch. He also PR, he also The reason that lokah samastah sukhino bhavantu is the sort of main Mantra. Of to yoga. And he practiced a spiritual practice of Silence.

09:26

Uh, in Sanskrit, it's called Mauna. He practiced silence for 11 years, meaning No speaking. Yeah, so I'll just read a little snip from his uh book here. It is wonderful to watch everything in nature. Establishing our right relationship with all. The beauty of the land, the flowing river, the high mountains, the beautiful, valleys the thick Forest the stretching Meadows varieties of birds trees, plants animals, and human beings. Such a variety. But such a delightful vision of beauty. A sense of wonder and exhilarating, Joy can be felt only When we see things with the heart behind our eyes,

10:29

When the mind is totally silent and the self or the will is absent. A mind which is suppressed and controlled will not be silent and peaceful. It would be like forcibly opening a flower bud to just and destroying the texture and fragrance. By means of self-awareness alone, the mind should be merged in perfect silence. So, He's said a lot there, and we'll handle it. But The idea, right? Like when we're, when we are in relationship with I think nature is a great example, right? Because when you're sort of watching a sunset or when you're in some sort of beautiful moment of nature,

11:24

I think most of our natural inclinations is to just quietly take it in and be in a relationship with that moment, right? And so there are many ways to sort of like practice Mauna or practice silence. In our lives. And

11:41

I would say, you know, one place to start is just to start investigating our relationship with the opposite of Silence, right? Like I was thinking about it on the way here this morning. I was thinking about how even as A meditator and a yoga teacher and Whatever I was thinking about how much of my day, I automatically fill with sound right if Eating maybe I turn on the news when I'm washing dishes. I maybe turn on a podcast. When I'm, you know, I'm, you know, I'm always kind of filling that space with something and I'm not saying that watching TV is bad or podcast or bad or Tick, Tock is bad. If not, please don't read read it that way. But but I guess the

12:34

Ask the question becomes. Whenever I'm taking up sort of any activity, is it? Is it turning me sort of away from my experience? Or is it turning me more towards my inner experience? Like to, to what extent is my podcast addiction? Um, Moving me away from or like, helping me to avoid or distance myself from my own thoughts and experience, right? And, and he even says this interesting thing here, A mind which is suppressed, and controlled will not be silent and peaceful meaning that even Even if we are using meditation. To control or suppress or avoid our relationship with our thoughts. That's also not

13:32

Turning us towards an experience of the self, right? So, You know, even at the surface level, it's not It's not the action itself is, is this action? Making me more attuned to my experience. Or is it helping me? Move away. Yeah. Anyway. Let's come into downward facing dog. I was thinking about also how much I love the silence when I go snorkeling and when my ears are under the water and I'm just The fish. And nothing else? No other Distractions, just me. Under the Sea. So maybe you can also think of A good experience of Silence, like a positive experience of Silence.

14:51

How that can actually bring us to be more present, more in tune with ourselves. You could turn up the sound of the breath, increase the volume. Of the sound of the breath. In order to kind of Bring that. Silence right, maybe, maybe the sound of the breath. Can even help to kind of quiet the noise of the mind a little bit With your inhale. Come on forward to a plank. Exhale lower, the knees chest, and Chin to the floor. Inhale, slide forward into Cobra. Exhale. Tuck the toes. Sit all the way back towards the feet and then extend the legs downward dog. Inhale forward into a plank. Exhale lower halfway down chaturanga.

16:39

Inhale upward facing dog. Exhale downward facing dog. Walk the feet forward towards the hands. And fold forward over the legs. There are other ways to practice Mauna one, doesn't have to take an 11-year vow of Silence in order to practice it, right? You could designate. Certain quiet times in your day, whether it be meditation or, you know, even even yoga class, right? Because we're kind of away from our phones away from the other sort of Demands on On our mind. I have a strict.

17:34

phone vow when I'm eating a meal with someone else. I don't impose it on them. I'm just saying for myself. I don't check my phone when I'm taking a meal with other people. Walk the feet wider. Bend the knees come into a deep squatting position hands together at the center of the chest. So, those are just little ways that I've constructed to set some like, You know, boundaries around my sort of in intake of communication. But you could kind of construct your own around that idea.

18:24

the hands down to the floor, raise the hips up and fold forward. Bring the feet and legs all the way together. Bring the hands onto the waist. And lift all the way upright to a standing position. Arms, alongside the body. Inhale, reach the arms up. Overhead hands pressed together. Look up. Exhale, fold all the way forward hands to the Earth. Inhale, halfway lift to prepare. Exhale hop, stepper walk back to chatranga Inhale upward facing dog. Exhale downward facing dog breathing. Breathe out one. Exhale for Exhale, three breathe in. And breathe out for four, inhale. Exhale, bend the knees. Inhale, hover step feet to hands.

19:35

Exhale to fold forward. Inhale stand up. Reach the arms up. Exhale, release the arms again. Inhale reach up. Exhale. Fold all the way forward. Inhale, prepare look forward. Exhale hop or step back chaturanga. Inhale upward facing. Exhale, downward facing breathe. Breathe out. Exhale to breathing. Breathe out, three. Inhale. Exhale. Breathe. Breathe out. Bend the knees. Inhale feet to hands, exhale to fold forward. Inhale, stand up reach the arms up. Exhale release the arms. One more. Inhale, reach up. Exhale fold forward. Inhale prepare. Exhale Hopper step back. Inhale upward dog. Exhale downward dog breathing. Breathe out.

21:09

Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale, three. Breathe. Breathe out. Inhale. Exhale, bend the knees. Look forward. Inhale, Hopper step feet to hands. Exhale to fold forward. Inhale stand up. Reach the arms all the way up. Exhale release the arms, inhale hook thumbs, reach arms forward and up Arch back. Exhale, Bend knees. Swing arms behind lace, the hands together and fold, inhale hands to the floor. Step the right foot back to Lunge. Exhale downward facing dog. Inhale plank. Exhale, chaturanga. Inhale upward facing, dog. Exhale downward facing dog, inhale to plank, exhale, knees, chest, and Chin. To the floor.

22:21

Inhale slide forward Cobra exhale tuck the toes, sit all the way back towards the feet and then extend the legs. Inhale right foot steps forward Exhale, left foot next to right foot fold forward. Inhale, bend knees, hook thumbs reach up Arch back. Exhale, Bend knees, swing arms behind lace, the hands together and fold. Inhale, hands touch down. Step the left foot back. Exhale downward facing dog. Inhale plank. Exhale chaturanga. Inhale upward facing dog. Exhale downward facing dog. Inhale to plank, exhale, lower, knees, chest, and Chin. To the floor. Inhale, slide forward Cobra, exhale tuck the toes, sit back towards the feet and then extend the legs inhale left foot steps forward

23:26

Exhale, right foot next to left foot, fold forward. Inhale, Bend knees, hook thumbs reach up Arch back. Exhale, stand up and release the arms. Inhale deeply. Bend the knees. Reach the arms overhead utkatasana. Exhale hands to the floor, fold forward. Inhale, halfway lift, exhale, hop step or walk back. Inhale upward facing dog. Exhale downward, dog. Inhale, right foot forward. Left heel down. Reach up. Warrior one. Exhale hands down. Step back chaturanga. Inhale upward face. Exhale downward face. Inhale left foot forward. Vera bhadrasana one. Exhale hands down step back. Inhale upward dog. Exhale downward facing dog again. Both sides. Inhale, right foot steps forward virabadrasana one.

24:42

Exhale hands down step back and lower chaturanga. Inhale upward facing, exhale, downward facing inhale. Step the left foot forward. Reach up, Vera one, Exhale hands to the floor, slowly lower. Inhale, move forward. Exhale, go back. Hold breathe in Breathe out. Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale. Breathe in. And breathe out. Four. Inhale. Exhale, bend the knees. Look forward. Inhale, Hopper step feet to hands. Exhale to fold forward, inhale deeply, bend, the knees, reach the arms up. Exhale stand up and release the arms, separate the feet. Just a few inches apart, only hands on your waist. Inhale lift up the chest and Arch back.

26:02

Exhale fold all the way forward reach down. Grab hold of the big toes with the piece sign. Fingers of the hands, inhale a breath. Exhale fold forward. Pull the face more towards the space between the knees.

26:24

Good. Baby. Inhale look forward. Lift the head in the chest. Slide the palms of the hands underneath the soles of the feet. And as you, exhale fold forward. Again. Head goes down, if the knees are still bent. Okay, so be it, keep breathing, three.

27:05

with your inhale. Look forward. Release the hands out from under the feet, heel toe the feet about as wide as the width of the mat or so more or less, depending on the length of your legs. Bend the knees come back into a deep squatting position hands together at the center of the chest. Now, this time, I'm gonna reach my left arm in front of my left leg, but watch what I do first. I'm going to slide from the elbow. I'm going to slide the knee higher up towards the back of the upper arm. Yes. So the back of the knee is as close to the back, crease of the armpit as possible. Press that left hand down. Reach the right arm up and back, gazing towards right hand.

27:51

You're welcome to stay just like this otherwise you could bend the right arm around behind the back. You're welcome to stay like this one arm behind the back or you could wrap the left arm around behind and make a bind here. Good. Okay. Press the left hand down, right arm reaches up, back tracking, and then exhale hands together at the center. Same thing. On the right side, we're going to slide the knee from approximately, where the elbow is, more up towards the armpit, left arm reaches up and back. Good either, stay like this or take the left arm behind the back.

28:35

Either stay like this or both arms behind the back to bind. good back tracking now, right hand down, left arm up. Exhale, hands together at the center of the chest, bring the hands down to the floor, raise the hips up and fold forward. Let your head hang down for a moment. Bring the feet about halfway closer together from where they are now. Walk the hands forward maybe 10 or 12 inches. Press the hands, all the way flat down into the floor. Even if it means bending your knees to make it happen. Now keep your hands pressing down. Lift your heels as high up as you possibly can. Now bring both knees to touch the back corners of both armpits. Yes.

29:38

as high up the back of the upper arm, as you possibly can start to shift the weight forward into the hands. Your feet may stay on the floor today or you may pick up one foot at a time or maybe both feet at a time for Crow pose. Could feed on the floor. Sit on the floor and then lay down on your back.

Shavasana.

30:20

We have a bit more to do but anyway, bend both knees into the chest. Reach both arms straight up to the ceiling and extend your wrists back. So you can see the tops of your hands and fingernails. That's it spread the fingers out. Bring your knees as high up the backs of the upper arms as possible. That's it now, lift your head and lift your shoulder blades off the floor. Push your hands up to the ceiling. Like you're trying to do a crow pose on the ceiling, bring the big toes towards each other and try to squeeze the heels closer to your buttocks and feel all the muscles that are happening right now.

31:02

This is it, this is your Crow pose. Okay. Hug your knees into your chest. Rock forward on the spine. And rock all the way back. And rock forward. And rock back. And as you rock forward brings so much weight into your feet that you could lift your butt slightly off the floor, and then rock so much back that you can touch the floor with your toes. Good, keep going. Until you can rock yourself all the way into a standing forward fold. Yeah. And then once again, let's try Crow pose. So hands flat on the floor. Wrap the knees around the outer creases of the armpits even as high up the backs of the upper arms, as you can.

31:52

Using that same experience that we just experienced on her back. See if you could squeeze your heels towards your buttocks. Yeah. Toes together heels towards buttocks. Head is lifting. Yeah. Head should be lifting somewhat. Yeah, here we go. Yeah. And then wherever you are hop, stepper walk back to chaturanga.

32:19

Inhale upward facing dog. Exhale, downward facing dog. Inhale, step the right foot forward. Turn the back heel down. Reach up. Warrior one. Exhale, open to the side. Inhale straighten the right leg. Exhale. Reach to the right for triangle treatment Asana. Right hand down. Left arm up for one. Two. Good breathing. Breathe out.

33:04

inhale, lift all the way up, right to a standing position. Exhale, bend the right knee Warrior. A lot of us could stand to move the feet, a little farther apart. So your Warrior, Two stance is a little longer than the triangle good and then try to get that right thigh to become even more parallel to the floor for. Yeah,

33:40

your inhale cartwheel. The hands to the floor frame, the front foot Exhale straighten the front leg. You could inch the back foot in a small bit, if you need to inhale, look forward, exhale to fold forward. Head goes down, one, Good push the right foot forward and down, like you're trying to leave a footprint indent in your yoga mat. Inhale, bend the right knee hands to the floor. Step. Right into a plank pose. Exhale chaturanga. Inhale upward facing dog. Exhale, downward facing dog. Inhale. Step the left foot forward, virabadrasana, one, Warrior one. Exhale, open hips and arms to the side.

34:45

Inhale straighten left leg. Exhale, reach to the left. Triconasana one. Too good. Go for two straight legs here. Three.

35:07

stand all the way upright, exhale, bend the left knee. Virabadrasana two, stay good. Hover the right knee directly left knee directly over the left ankle stretch the arms. Lengthen the arms three

35:31

your inhale, extend the left leg. Exhale, bend the left knee cartwheel, the hands to the floor, either side of your left foot straighten. The left leg, adjust the back foot a little bit. If you need to inhale look forward and exhale, fold forward pars for tanasana one good, that's it. Yeah, a little bit more. You can do it. Straight straight, straight straight. No, yes. Good inhale. Bend the left. Knee hands to the floor plank. Exhale chaturanga. Inhale upward facing dog. Exhale downward facing dog. Inhale, step the right foot forward. Warrior one. Exhale, open hips and arms to the side.

36:31

straighten the right leg for a moment. Exhale, bend the right knee Warrior two inhale, reverse Warrior. Reach the right arm up and back. Stay there. See that the right knee stayed over the right ankle. Sometimes it wants to kind of travel back there with you. Good almost no weight. In the back hand, the left hand lightly touches the leg for Good with your inhale straighten. The right leg. Keep reaching to the back of the room. Exhale, bend the right knee. Place the right hand outside of the right foot and reach the left arm all the way over the left ear for extended side angle one.

37:19

To keep turning the middle of your chest towards the middle of the wall, we're facing inhale. Both hands down, plank. Inhale upward facing. Exhale, downward facing inhale, step the left foot forward, reach up variable draws. No one Exhale, open to the side. Inhale, straighten the left leg, scooch the feet a little bit wider. Exhale, bend the left knee. So, Warrior two in the legs. And then, inhale, reach up and back. Reversing the warrior stay here. Keep breathing, two, good. That's it. Deep breathing. Exaggerate the breath. Good for Again, the breath has a sound to it, so the breath's sort of taking over the, um, oral sense. Inhale, straighten the left leg, keep reaching back. Exhale, bend the left knee, set. The left hand outside of the left foot, right? Arm reaches over right ear, extended angle one.

38:57

both hands touch down plank. Exhale chaturanga. Inhale upward facing, exhale downward facing Inhale, step the right foot forward Warrior one. Exhale, open to the side. Inhale, straighten the right leg. Exhale, bend the right knee. This time Place right hand on the InStep side of the right foot. Left arm reaches straight up for this one. That's it. Good. Lean the right shoulder back against the right knee. So you're almost pushing the right knee, like a millimeter more towards the blanket side of the room.

39:50

Good with your next inhale, bring the left hand down to the floor. Next to the right hand spin the left heel away from the floor. So that the toes face forward look forward, spread the chest. You can walk the hands one whole hand print or even two, whole entire hand prints more forward. And then you can either stay on straight arms or you can start to bend the elbows in the direction of the floor, or you could be anywhere in between straight elbows and elbows touching the floor. For this one. Lift your head. Try to look somewhat forward. Stretch the back leg as much as possible and squeeze the right knee. More towards the right shoulder

Walk the hands back under the shoulders. now, we're going to reset the right foot, right behind the right hand. So, my toes are kind of touching behind my wrist. Yeah. Now, keep your right knee, touching your right upper arm. See if by pushing your hands down so much, you could lift the right foot up and squeeze your right heel towards your right buttock. One, Try to keep the arms as straight as you can. They might bend a little bit try. And then set your foot back down. Where it came from right behind the right wrist. Don't worry, we'll try it again. Okay, lift the right foot up and squeeze the right heel towards the right buttocks. Squeeze squeeze, especially feel the energy of the heel moving towards the glute.

41:51

Good. And then set the right foot back down, where it came from? Last times lift the foot up. Squeeze squeeze, squeeze arms as straight as you can make them this time. Take it all the way back to downward, dog. Whoo, other side inhale, step the left foot forward. Virabadrasana one. Exhale, open to the side.

42:20

straighten the left leg for a moment. Exhale! Bend the left knee. Left hand goes inside of left foot, right? Arm reaches straight up one. Lean the back of the left arm into the left, knee too.

42:48

the right hand down. Next to the left hand, spin the right heel up away from the floor. Look forward, walk the hands one or even two whole hand prints forward. You can stay on straight arms or you can start to bend the elbows in the direction of the floor.

43:09

variation. Let's practice looking slightly forward like at least towards the fingertips, if not more. For this version, try to open up the back of the right knee, even higher to the ceiling. Keep squeezing that left shoulder in towards the uh no left knee into left shoulder, rather. Okay, hands to the floor. Walk the hands back under the shoulders. Move the left foot back, replace it so that it's right behind the left hand. And then try to keep the arms straight. They might bend a little bit try and then lift the left foot away from the floor and hold.

43:50

And, And hold, and then try to set the foot right back down, where it came from. Okay, here we go. Again, lift the foot up and hold and squeeze. And squeeze. And squeeze and then set the foot back down. Where it came from? Last times, here we go. Lift your foot up and hold. This time. Go all the way back to downward facing dog. I'm afraid. It's going to get a little harder before it gets easier. Okay. Bring the right knee to the floor between the hands, the knee. Uh,

44:39

we're gonna set up for we're gonna do something a little weird. So I found in the course of practicing. This, I found that if I turn my hands a little bit backwards and walk them a little wider, then I have a better. Success rate here. Head down. Try to now start with your left toes. Tucked under, you'll have a better. Uh, Head Start there and then see if you could lift your left leg up, hold it there for a moment and then slowly bring it back down to the floor. Good. Lift your leg, hold and squeeze squeeze at the top. Squeeze at the top. Squeeze at the top, and then slowly release down, do that three more times on this side, lift and squeeze?

45:28

Squeeze. No, don't tuck your toast, leave your toes there. And then when you're done reset your legs for a regular pigeon, So walk the left foot back a little and fold forward. Give yourself a little break here.

46:24

walk the hands back under the shoulders, step all the way back downward facing dog. Bring the left, knee. Forward between the hands. And then I like to turn my hands around. Now, you can sit more back though. Yeah. Not so high and then uh, forehead towards the floor, forehead towards the floor, bend your elbows, you can take them wider, but go forward but your hips were too high on the first side. Yeah okay so try it here. Tuck your right toes under lift your right leg as high as you can squeeze it. I know you see. It's so much harder.

47:09

Squeeze, that's it. And then slowly release it down, lift and squeeze. And slowly release down. Lift. And

47:24

And do two more on your own. And then when you're done with your five on this side, reset for a regular, Relaxed pigeon, a nice pigeon.

48:05

Okay, walk the hands back under the shoulders, step all the way back downward facing dog.

48:20

Showtime Showtime, here we go. Bring the knees to the floor. Set the right foot behind the right hand. Just like we practiced a moment ago. Then. Same thing, you're gonna lift your right foot up. Squeeze your right knee, towards your right elbow, and then bend the elbows, bend the elbows, a lot like chaturanga. And look to the right. Bend the elbows like 90 degrees. And then straighten the arms. Again, bend the elbows Lean Forward into it. And straighten the arms. Third time's a charm. Make sure that that right knee is staying touching the right. Upper arm. Even weight is going into the right upper arm and straighten.

49:09

And come back to hands and knees. Don't worry. That's what learning is all about, right? Like It's, you know, it can't possibly come out perfectly. Every single time. Okay. Step the left foot right behind the left wrist. The back knee is going to stay comfortably down for a moment. Lift

49:36

left heel up as you bend the elbows shift, the weight forward forward forward forward, let the weight of the left leg, rest against the left arm and then straighten your arms. Two more times Bend. And straighten. And bent. And straighten hands and knees. Okay. Right foot behind the right hand again. Same start same way to start. So lift your right foot up. Bend the elbows to carry your chest forward like a chaturanga this time. Tuck the left toes under start by lifting the left knee away from the floor and then lean so far forward that you can lift the left foot away from the floor.

50:31

That's it. Squeeze squeeze. Squeeze. Squeeze you got it. You got it. Okay, relax. Relax. Oh goodness. Don't Panic. Online. Folks, I'm having some trouble with the second camera so I'm going to do my best With the camera we've got. Hope we can work it together, so, The first thing. The first thing I notice, Is that when you go to bend, When you go to bend your elbows,

51:11

you're simply bending. The chest. You see how the chest goes straight down? If that's happening, I will never get enough weight out of my back leg to be able to float it off the floor. So watch how forward my chest has to go. Actually, My chest is so forward and then even more forward to start to get the back foot off the floor. Second thing. I don't think there's any scenario when where I could convince myself to go as forward as I need to go. While looking straight down at the floor. Because all my brain because my brain just goes into survival mode and it's like, no, you can't go any farther forward you. Then your nose will hit the floor. So

52:02

I do find it helpful to look towards the forward leg. So, if that's the left leg, I'm going to look towards. Where the left leg is pointing Instead of looking straight down and having a staring match with the floor. Other questions that I didn't already cover. Before we do the other side. Perfectly clear and transparent. Okay. Wonderful. What are the chances? So Go ahead and come into hands and knees. Okay, step the left foot behind the left wrist. Pick up your foot off the floor. Squeeze your leg into your arm. Look to the left. Look to the left. Bring the chest forward. Forward, forward forward, forward forward. When the chest comes far enough forward, you can tuck the right toes under and practice lifting the right knee off the floor first and then maybe the foot lifts off the floor.

53:12

The only thing harder than doing this one is saying it. eka pada koundinyasana. Okay, if you feel like you're on the verge of a breakthrough and you need like a few extra seconds to explore that by all means. Feel free to do that. If you're like totally over it and you hope we never have to look at that ever again. Then come into downward, dog.

53:47

Good, bending the knees look forward. Hop or step feet to hands. Don't worry, take your time, take your time. Exhale fold forward. Inhale, bend the knees, reach the arms up. Exhale, stand up release the arms. Bend the knees, reach the arms up. Exhale hands to prayer twist to the right side hook, your left arm. Outside of your right leg twisting erases all It's a yoga joke, never mind. Not funny. Jessica, okay, bend the knees even more deeply, reach the left hand down. Try to press the left hand either into the floor, or into a block and reach the right arm up.

54:39

Then start to slowly peel the left heel away from the floor and step the left foot back for standing spinal, twist If you find that you're having better balance and better twisting with the hands in prayer, then by all means go back to a hands in prayer. Otherwise the arms could be open. Stay in your twist. Step forward feet together. Stay in your twist palms of hands pressed together.

55:21

knees bent reach the arms up to the center. Exhale stand up and release the arms. Inhale, bend the knees. Reach the arms up. Exhale hands to prayer, twist to the left side. Good one. Knees together, knees side by side together. Good notice. If the kneecaps start to swivel to the left, keep them pointing straight Ahead, front and center. Bend the knees even more. Now, reach down with the right hand to touch the floor or a block left arm reaches up. Start to peel the right heel away from the floor and step back. Standing spinal twist. So, again, your choice. You could move the hands back into a prayer or keep the arms open.

56:25

Good. Stay in your twist. Step forward feet together. Stay in your twist hands together. Keep the knees. Bent inhale, reach up to the center. Exhale, stand up and release the arms. Step the left foot back. Right. Foot is forward both legs. Straight. Both heels down. Reach the left arm up. Place, the left hand all the way across to the right side of the right foot for rotated. Triangle. Right, hand could be on your waist or you could reach the right arm up one. Good. Do it. Inhale. Lift all the way up, right? Exhale step forward feet together.

57:31

Step the right foot back. Now. Right, arm reaches up. Other side. Exhale, take the right hand. All the way forward and down. Rotated. Triangle one. Good with an inhale, lift all the way up. Exhale step. Forward feet together. Inhale, reach the arms up. Exhale fold forward. Inhale to prepare. Exhale chaturanga. Inhale upward dog. Exhale downward dog. Knees to the floor child's pose. So, we've reached the portion of the practice. Devoted to inversion practice. For today, you're welcome to practice any combination of Handstand. Forearm stand. Headstand, or even a little bit of all three. Since we've been on our hands.

59:00

An extra amount today. It might be my like personal choice to start on either Forum stand or headstand, just to give my hands and wrists a little break. But That's between you and your wrists. If you're not sure what to do or if you're not sure how to do, let me know. We'll get you started on something. Yeah you can move to the wall. Sure. You could go like right here between.

01:00:38

injured? Oh yeah. Take it easy. Yeah, maybe don't yeah, maybe skip things if it's spazzing. How are you doing? You want to try something? Are you good to like chill for today? Not sure. Yeah. So, Often. If that's the case, then oftentimes we're not pushing hard enough with the arms. So, For example, see if you can see it when I do it, right? If I put my head down and I let my shoulders sink down, that's what's gonna hurt my head. So instead, I've got to concentrate on pushing the arms down so much that it actually gives me more space.

01:01:37

In my neck. So even if you were to keep the feet down today and just work on, Making the arms really strong. That could be a good place to start. Yeah. And if you're like, When you're resting, if you're coming down because you're head and your neck hurt. That's what we don't want. But if you're coming down to rest because your arms are getting a little fatigued, that's a sign. We're on the right track. Yeah, of course. Yeah. Actually, I would even start higher up on your head, like, put like, if you were a unicorn and you had a unicorn horn,

01:02:19

Put this part of the head, instead of this. Yes. Okay, keep your feet right there. Lift your knees up. Amazing straighten your legs a little bit more. Yep. And then see if you can push your arms down so hard that your shoulders start to lift. Oh, but not so hard that your head comes up. Yeah. Can you make your elbows a little narrower? Yeah, perfect. It's yeah, it should be like 97% arms and then like a little just a little pressure on the crown of the head. Yeah. If you're still working on something. Strategize. You're way out of it. So like if you have something with two sides, of course finish In a symmetrical way. And then eventually finding your way back to child's pose.

And then lay down on the abdomen. Bring the arms, behind the back and Lace the fingers together into one fist. Press the feet down, lift the head chest and arms up. Good and exhale release on down. Let's do that one again, clasp. The fingers together. Inhale lift on up, head chest and legs.

Bend the knees, reach back catch, hold of the ankles, inhale lift on up, head chest, knees for done your Asana. Three good. Exhale release on down. Good. One more like that. Bend the knees, reach back catch, hold of the ankles. Inhale lift on up. Head chest knees, one.

Good Alice. See if you can lift your knees up a little higher. Yes. And slowly release down turn all the way over onto the back.

01:06:09

Feet on the floor. Lift the hips up and interlock the hands behind the back into one fist.

01:06:47

Separate the hands, release the back down to the floor. You can of course, continue with the one we've just done otherwise if you'd like to move it into a full. Back, bend or vidanyorasana, place the hands in the floor, either side of the head. And then with the inhale, go ahead lift up. Either of the two back bends.

01:07:28

head chin to the chest slowly release on down. Keep the feet on the ground for now. Again, place the hands and feet. Everybody lift up either of the two back bends.

Good

chin to the chest slowly. Come on down feet, stay grounded. One more. Place hands and feet. And lift on up.

01:08:45

Chin to the chest. Slowly come down, hug the knees into the chest. Bring both knees all the way over to the left side of the body. Good. Bring the knees on up to the center. And then go the other way, knees, all the way to the right side. Bring the knees up to the center. Come on up to a seated position. Sit upright, you could stay facing the direction, you're facing just straighten, both legs out. Flex the feet and fold forward. Lift all the way up, right? To a seated position, bend the left knee into the chest. Open the left, knee to the side, reach for the right foot. Janusirsasana. Lift all the way. Upright switch the legs. And fold other side. lift all the way. Upright straighten, both legs out in front of you bend both knees into the chest, open the knees out to the sides feet together. Hold on, to the ankles and go forward. Badakonasana.

01:13:20

Lift all the way upright. And then, Go ahead and lay down on your back. You can keep the shape of the legs the same for now. So, you could stay like this, you could stay in badakunasana, Or you could practice shoulder. Stand salamba servangasana. If you're not sure what to do or how to do it again, let me know.

01:15:33

If you're in shoulder, stands start to come into plow. Halasana. And then rolling. Onto the back. If you were practicing shoulder stand come into fish Matsyasana.

01:16:33

chin to the chest and release down. And then go ahead and roll to one side and come on up to a seated position. There will be an opportunity for shavasana, I promise. But for today, we'll start in meditation. So, Swami. Nirmalananda, says, A very interesting thing here. He he uh, Likens trying to control the mind. Uh, to this metaphor of like trying to forcibly. Open a flower bud. Right. Doesn't, it's not the natural order of things. It's, you know, it's pushing something before it's ready to Um, to happen. So similarly with meditation, you really can't Kind of expect to force the Uh, into it. It's Another metaphor that could be used is like, you can You can like make your bed and you can turn off the lights and you can close the blinds. And you can set everything up well for sleep. But then, you can't like, Will yourself to sleep, it happens, or it doesn't, right? If we set the right conditions, So setting up a good seat is part of the process. And then, uh, Do your best to relax. Be still. So, at first, we're we're looking for The natural. Moment. Where there? A suspension of thought. Or a little space between one thought and the next. Look for those spontaneous moments of Silence in the And, Cultivation and practice and experience. It will. Those spaces will naturally get longer in duration. And be easier to sort of drop into. You're welcome to stay in meditation. If you're choosing to move into shavasana, Try to do it as Quietly and deliberately as you can. So as to not disrupt those who are staying in meditation,

01:29:25

If you're in shavasana, slowly. Quietly Make your way. Take the time to wake the body up but then make your way into a seated position.

OM. OM. OM.

01:31:21

Thank you all so much for making time for practice on this beautiful February day. Thanks everyone. Ruth is teaching this coming Sunday. So definitely come to class. And then I'll be back the Sunday after. So definitely come to class. Thanks.