Advanced Practice Sequence for Today

We'll  do  this  PW  backbend sequence  notes courtesy of  Susan Wong

Patricia in Durango 7/23/13 Day 3
Sutra 1.41, relationship w/sutra 1.3
Mind like a transparent jewel when in state of yoga

Element of water in intercostals and ribs

From stability of back ribs, intercostals, frontal ribs, sternum lift & spread

Sidewalls of chest are a storehouse of energy; side body moves forward and lifts

How the knees are in swastikasana affects the groins; when to use blankets

Swastikasana directly on floor

AMS
hands to wall, for arms, median line of leg by inner/outer heel down & outer calf back

Then heels to wall, use wrists and hands for legs

Paryankasana
2 blocks (under each shoulder blade), belt for legs, blanket under neck (3rd block if available) if needed, reach thru hands press metatarsals

Place hands on feet to come up

Then w/1 block in thoracic spine

Urdhva baddha guliasana

AMS
Thoracic spine in, inner upper arms lifting (so arms don't collapse)

Then head on block, can grasp front of mat to move thoracic spine further in

UH
Uttanasana
AMS
(One leg forward, Paschima namaskar)
Parsvottanasana
VB 1
VB 2
Eka pada AMS
AMS

Pincha mayurasana
Palms face each other, press sharp line betw elbow and wrist, lift spine thru inner ankles

Sirsasana
Don't take tailbone up, turn thighs in, thigh above knee back, calves up

UMS
First w/no blocks, prep by turning back thighs out, straighten toes back and lengthen, turn heels out

Then on 2 blocks
Area between shoulder blades form a valley, press blocks w/palms, raise chin, lift chest and straighten arms in 3 stages

Length inner calves, broaden back muscles of legs, bring side chest forward between arms, lift upper abdomen toward chest, let lower abdomen move toward feet

Ustrasana
Remember action in back betw shoulder blades from UMS, keep feet intelligized, elongate shins thru feet, inner heel to outer heel

Start in vajrasana, then lift chin/chest, then take hands to waist, arch back, then take hands to feet, sternum parallel to floor

Tadasana w/hands interlaced behind palms face floor w/pinkies closer to buttocks, this is 3rd arm position for ustrasana

Repeat ustrasana w/3rd hand position before bringing hands to feet, feel effect on chest and shoulder blades

Backbend in chair
come in backwards thru chair
Sticky mat on chair with blanket(s), tips of shoulder blades to edge of chairseat

modified chatoosh padasana
Then reach thru chair legs and grasp ankles, heels stay on floor w/inner heels pressing, thighs stay parallel(can use belt looped around feet if you can't reach ankles) feel the length in front groins (iliacus) above thighs, tailbone towards front chairseat, turn knees in any amount, shins back

Backbend in chair
Traditional way step into chair, do the pose from the eyes, hold chair legs once legs straight, go up/down 2-3 times from eyes to see what freedom comes to spine

Urdhva danurasana
Feet to chairseat, chair at wall, mat on floor, keep buttocks moving towards chair/wall, pressurize palms and heels and lift armpit chest and tailbone

Carolyn demonstrates transition to tadasana, walk in and take legs over together

Urdhva danurasana
Feet onto 2 low blocks @wall, stay w/your foundation, especially when repeating, don't get careless - injury can come.
Buttocks close to blocks, toes up wall, knees touch wall when coming up but stay near/move towards wall once up in pose, walk in with arms

Then hands to wall
(Use blocks for tight shouders)
Come up towards leg side, lift thighs and buttocks maximally then swing towards arm side until arms perpendicular, lift hips to height of ribs

repeat for restriction in armpits, take forehead to wall and walk in

Backbends stimulate udana vayu, but can also leave you feeling agitated if overdone or not done skillfully

Then repeat away from wall

Prone savasana

Halasana
Feet hip-width apart
Sarvangasana - come up w/bent legs
Halasana, arms overhead

Savasana
Slide off the foot end of blankets and rest w/head and part of torso on sarvangasana blanket stack, rest there

Then slide off until only head is supported, important to rest the anterior spine after backbends, leave feeling integrated and not overstimulated