Tuesday, April 18, 2017

PITTA BALANCING HATHA CLASS


The mood of the class is relaxed and meditative. The room is candlelight with the lights dimmed.  The class takes place in the evening after work.  I am wear navy blue flowing loose yoga pants and top. The music is soft and calm.  I have selected a combination of Mantras, New Age, Blues, and Soul. My tone of voice is calm and steady.  My key teaching words are:  Cooling, Relaxing, Surrendering, Forgiving, Gentle, and Diffusive. I encourage the students to practice with eyes closed when possible, internalizing their drishti.  The pace of the class will be steady and slow. As a teacher, I will be aware of the Pitta’s need to turn their practice into a strong workout and let the practice be strong but balanced with cooling asanas and pranayama.

EDUCATIONAL THEME: BALANCING PITTA DOSHA
- This class will work on breathing and effortlessness in the poses. We will focus on summoning lunar energy for non-doing, self-reflection, and surrender.

MUDRA AND AFFIRMATION
- Seated in Easy Pose holding Ida Mudra
- Affirmation aloud or silently: “Bathing in soft moonlight energy, I flow with the rhythms of life more easily”

OPENING BREATHING EXERCISES
- Seated Abdominal Breathing with hands on abdomen to feel the belly rise on the inhale and on the exhale belly fall on the exhale

WARM UPS
- Joint Freeing Series as taught by Mukunda Stiles, 1-7, 16-21

STANDING ASANAS
- Tadasana with setting of an intention
- Standing Uddiyana Bandha
- Moon Salutations - Satyananda Style – 3 rounds with Mantras
- Ardha Chandrasana  (½ Gentle Moon Pose - One hand by the side as other rises to the side)
- Gentle Standing Back bend hands on back
- Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend grabbing opposite elbows)
- Standing Forward bend Twist (one hand on the ground one hand rises to the sky, opposite knee can bend if necessary)
- Prasarita Padottanasana (Wide legged Forward Bend) - 3 arm variations - hands on Hips, Hands on Floor, Arms overhead
- Parivritta Prasarita Padottansana (Wide Legged Forward Bend Twist)
- Triangle
- Tula Ardha Chandrasana (Balancing ½ Moon with a Block or Against the Wall)
- Parsvottanasana (hands over head or in reverse prayer)
- Vrikshana (Tree Pose)
- Malasana


FLOOR ASANAS
- Apanasana – Single Leg and Double Leg
- Makarasana
- Bhujangasana  – Gentle Movement and then Holding
- Dhanurusana
- Vajrasana/Virasana – with Joint Freeing Series 9-15
- Ekapada Supta Virasana if available
- Shashangasana or Balasana
- Janushirshasana
- Paschimottasasana
- Setubandhasana
- Shoulder stand or Viparita Karani
- Fish
- Supta Badha Konasana  – Gentle Movement and then Holding
- Ardha Matsyendrasana
- Yoga Mudra
- Savasana

PRANAYAMA
- Shitali/Shitkari

GUIDED METTA (LOVING KINDNESS) MEDITATION in SAVASANA WITH RESTORATIVE PROPS  - Time Permitting
- May I be happy
- May I be safe
- May I be at ease
- (continue exchanging “I” for: Guru/Teacher, Dear Friend, Neutral Person, Difficult Person and All Beings Everywhere)

CLOSING
- Seated in Ida Mudra repetition of affirmation: “Bathing in soft moonlight energy, I flow with the rhythms of life more easily”
- Chanting AUM three times

END OF PRACTICE
- At the end of practice Pittas should feel cool, content and calm with tension released from the mid-abdomen. Ideally, their minds and emotions should will be relaxed , clear and at rest.   The natural Pitta tendency  toward feelings of competitiveness and/or irritation will have eased. Optimally, their awareness will have shifted to contemplative and meditative states

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