Sunday at Noon - Level One Yoga - Starseed Yoga in Montclair

1-9-11 Alert yet relaxed.

Patanjali Yoga Sutra 2.46 sthirasukhamasanam -  The pose is steady and comfortable.  Asana must have dual qualities:  alertness and relaxation.  Alertness without tension and relaxation without dullness.  Cultivate a posture that leaves us free to focus the mind and breath without the interference of aches, pains, or restlessness.  Postures were invented thousands of years ago by sages who were teaching students meditation.  The poses were created to aid in concentration and the ability to sit for extended periods of time.  As you change form, you change the flow of energy. 

Class began with breath awareness in Viparita Karani (legs up the wall) and then seated in Sukhasana (easy seat) Nadi Suddhi Pranayama (alternate nostril breathing).

Chant three ways, first solo by teacher, then call and response line by line, and final all together.

OMkaaram Bindu Samyuktam                                       OM, united with the source
Nityam Dhayaaynti Yoginaha                                          On which the yogis ever dwell.
Kaamadam Mokshadam Chaiva                                     Grants desires and liberation
Omkaaraya Namo Namaha                                            Salutations to the OMKaram.

Sequence:  table, cat/cow, Adho Mukha Svanasana (downward facing dog), Balasana (child's pose).  Vinyasa (moving with the breath) table - dog - table - child - table 3x.  Adho Mukha Svanasana > lunge > high lunge > high lunge with side prayer twist > plank, dolphin pose/forearm dog, Uttanasana (standing forward bend), Tadasana (mountain pose), Trikonasana (triangle pose), Ardha Chandrasana (half moon pose), Parsarita Padottanasana (standing wide leg forward bend), Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana (extended hand to big toe pose), Vrksasana (tree pose), Dandasana (staff pose), Paschimottanasana (west back stretch), Janu Sirsasana (head to knee pose), Bharavajdrasana (twisting sage pose), Apanasana (knees to chest pose), Anadabalasana (happy baby pose), Savasana (corpse pose) with guided relaxation.

Played the sixth chakra crystal singing bowl (A) coming out of Savasana.  Reading in fetal pose:

"The Yoga Sutra refers to a beautiful image from Indian mythology to illustrate the concept of sthirasukha.  The story tells of Ananta, the King of Snakes, floating on the ocean, his long snake body coiled to form a comfortable couch on which the God Vishnu lies.  The snake's thousand heads reach up and out like a protective umbrella over Vishnu.  On the umbrella rests our earth.  The snake's body is soft and gentle (sukha) to serve as a couch for a god and at the same time firm and steady (sthira) to support the whole earth.  We should endeavor to bring those same qualities of gentleness and steadiness to our asana practice."
- T.K.V. Deskichar, The Heart of Yoga, p. 25

Ending peace chants:

Asato Maa Sad Gamaya
Tamaso Maa Jyotir Gamaya
Mrityor Maa Amritam Gamaya

Lead us from unreal to Real,
Lead us from darkness to the light.
Lead us from the fear of death
To the knowledge of Immortality.

Om Shanti, Shanti, Shanti.
Lokaah Samastaah Sukhino Bhavantu
May all beings everywhere be filled with Peace and Joy, Love and Light.
Namaste.