Welcome to Yoga Live

2024-01-29 Stand Strong – Welcome to Yoga Strong! This first class in the series invites you into deep engagement (yoga) as you mindfully activate the structures of your body, cultivate discernment of your awareness, and attune to your breath. We begin with seated centering, warm up with sun salutations, and work hard in standing poses. Props: mat, blanket, strap. Read more

2023-10-23 Keep on Rolling: In the words of Jimmy Buffett, “I’m inspired by people who keep on rolling, no matter their age.” Begin slowly and ease into your practice, open your heart and expand your breath. Explore supine sun salutation variations to fire up your core, explore plank variations for dynamic stabilization of shoulders and deep core, weave inversions with forward folds and hip openers, and plenty of rolling around on the floor (for all ages!?). Props: 2 blocks, mat. Read more

2023-10-18 Breath-by-Breath Side-to-Side Flow: Ride the waves of your breath in sets of Surya Namaskar A & B, weave a side-to-side pattern of breath (Nadi Shodhana Pranayama) and standing poses, and weave a tapstry of continuous awareness, breath and movement. Props: mat, block. Read more

2023-10-17 Stability Instability Flow: Familiar, repeated movement patterns in a controlled environment with rhythmic breathing feels calming and soothing. Decreased surface stability and decreased predictability, using sliders under feet and/or hands, changes the environment of practice and urges the body/mind into heightened alertness and activation. This practice, like life, utilizes both strategies, as we juxtapose the comparative stability of predictive movement on the sticky mat, with dynamic sliding transitions and less stable poses, to increase our ability to create stability in instability, both on and off the mat. Props: mat, sliders. Read more

2023-10-16 Breath Balance Flow: Attune to the intrinsic rhythms of your breath and heart as you move with awareness through progressive sun salutations and cultivate dynamic homeostasis in single leg balance poses. Props: mat. Read more

2023-10-03 Slow Flow: Ease into movement, expand your breath, and enjoy moment to moment awareness in this slow flow of hip openers, sun salutations, seated poses and inversions. Props: mat, 2 blocks. Read more

2023-10-02 Open Heart Flow: Open your shoulders, thoracic spine, and hip flexors in this slow to moderately paced backbendy vinyasa practice. If you’ve been sitting a lot, gardening, moving house, or anytime you want to open your front body, this practice is for you. Props: mat, strap, 2 blankets. Read more

2023-09-28 Strong Arm Flow: This strong upper body/shoulder focused practice features pushing actions in Plank Pose, Chaturanga Dandasana, and slide throughs to sitting (and back). Ease in with some opening stretches and breathing, and get Vinyasa Strong arms in Surya Namaskar A and B variations, standing poses and hip openers, then use sliders in seated poses and vinyasa transitions. Props: 2 blocks, sliders (disks, hand towels, socks…). Read more

2023-09-27 Spacious Flow: This slow to moderately paced hip-opening flow invites ease and spaciousness in body, awareness, and breath. Focus less on the destination, and more on enjoying the journey as you explore where you are moment_to_moment and breath_by_breath, as you open and strengthen your lower body and stabilize your core. Props: mat, towel. Read more

2023-09-26 Vinyasa Strong: Welcome back! This slow build practice eases you in, synchronizes awareness with breath and body, builds heat in sun salutations, interweaving dynamic movement and isometric holds in standing poses, plank and side plank variations. Props: mat, towel. Read more

2023-07-19 Yoga is Skillfulness in Actions: Invest in and grow your awareness (buddhi) in this foot focused class, inspired by one of the Bhagavadgita’s definitions of yoga; yogaha karmasu kaushalam, “yoga is skillfullness in actions” (2.50). Begin with contemplation and centering, then put your legs up the wall in Viparita Karani and articulate/awaken your ankles, feet, and toes. Come up to standing and practice dynamic ankle stabilization drills in weightbearing poses, and connect and integrate the kinetic chain from your feet to your pelvis in standing poses. Props: mat, wall, blanket, bolster, 2 blocks, optional extra mat. Read more

2023-07-17 Stand in Yoga: In this first class of our July Yoga Strong series, we begin with contemplation of the Bhagavadgita’s teachings on yogasthaha, “Stand in yoga” (2.48), then warm up with Surya Namaskar A and B, progressively load and strengthen your legs in longer duration standing poses, invert in Sirsasasana I (Headstand) and Sarvangasana (Shoulderstand), then rest in Shavasana (Corpse Pose). Props: mat, 3+ blankets for shouderstand, strap (optional). Read more

2023-07-31 Yoga of Renunciation: This class explores themes and meanings of the Bhagavadgita’s theme of renunciation in chapter 6, with a parallel reading of the German poet Rainer Maria Rilke’s “Letters to a Young Poet.” Make time and room for self-reflection, self-value, self-creativity and artistry in your life and in this slow-and-steady sequence of forward folds, inversions, and pranayama. Props: mat, 2 blocks, strap, and blankets for shoulderstand. Read more

2023-07-29 Strategies for Resilience: Consider Krishna’s triadic strategies for yogic resilience (ignore/live with it, internalize, engage/actualize) and his encouragement that we are up to the task of becoming more and more skillful, “No effort is lost, nor reversal will happen, even just a little bit of this truth protects from extended exposure.” ~BG 2.41). Embody the teachings in a sequence that starts slowly with supine shoulder activations and leg stretches, then builds heat in standing poses with vinyasa transitions, and burns brightly with handstand transitions. Props: mat, strap, wall, blanket. Read more

2023-07-27 Krishna’s Nine Stances: Join Noah and Oliver to consider the nine ways that Krishna stands (yogasthaha) with Arjuna (with, beside, along, behind, around, in front, before, inside, beyond) in the Bhagavadgita and Mahabharata, then activate and strengthen your legs/hips/pelvis in every direction in a progression of skills and prop drills and standing poses. Props: blanket, mat, block, strap, wall, resistance band. Read more

2023-07-26 Stand in Wisdom: Arjuna asks, “How to describe standing in wisdom (sthitaprajnasya)? What of being steadfast in composure, Krishna? How does one of steady mind speak? How does one sit? How does one move?” (BH 2.54) – Join Noah and Oliver to take up these queries and consider Krishna’s response, then apply/embody your awareness and stand in wisdom in sun salutation progressions, lunge variations, handstands, headstands, twisting standing poses, then rest with your legs up the wall. Props: mat, wall, 2 blocks, 2 blankets or a bolster. Read more

2023-07-25 Adhikara: The concept and meanings of adhikara, literally “with respect to action” (also “privilege, entitlement, authority”) informs and inspires this practice of receiving and assessing your capacity and cultivating your potential in a sequence of supine leg & hip mobility and proprioception drills, supported standing balancing poses, and inversions with leg variations. “Your privilege (adhikara) extends only to the act, never at any time to the outcome.” (BG 2.47) Props: mat, light weight block or other object, wall, strap, 2 blocks, 3 blankets. Read more

2023-07-24 Dynamic Equanimity: Join Noah and Oliver as we explore further the Bhagavadgita’s themes of emotional restraint/discipline in a practice of up-tempo sun salutations interspersed with standing steadily (on a block), single leg balancing poses (on a block), linked standing poses with vinyasa transitions, and timed handstands. “But when the objects engaging the senses neither want nor hate, are under one’s control and one is under control, one attains an equanimity (prasadam; tranquility, peace).” (BG 2.64) Props: mat, blanket, block, wall. Read more

2023-07-21 Empowered Resilience: Building on previous themes, we again take up Bhagavadgita’s 2nd chapter teachings on physical/emotional/mental/spiritual resilience to meet life’s circumstances (the pairs of opposites), with consideration of complementary principles in “The Emperor’s Handbook” of Marcus Aurelius (Roman emperor from 161 to 180 CE). Embody these teachings of resilience in Surya Namaskar A variations with changing asymmetries (block under 1 hand), step back lunges to Virabhadrasana I and Parsvottanasana variations, dynamic sliding drills to increase your control, deep hamstring stretching, and upside-down time in Halasana (Plow Pose). “Wherever life is possible, it is possible to live in the right way. Nothing ever happens to a person that they are not equipped by nature to endure.” ~The Emperor’s Handbook (Book 5, comments 16 & 18). Props: mat, block, sliders, props for Halasana. Read more

2023-07-20 Steady in Fluctuations of Opposites: Inspired by the Bhagavadgita’s teachings in the second chapter about being steady in the experiences of the pairs of opposites, we cultivate resilience and steadfast awareness and engagement in this leg focused class of Surya Namaskar variations, Sirsasana (Headstand), standing poses, and Sarvangasana (Shoulderstand). “But physical experiences, Son of Kunti (Arjuna), causing us to feel cold, hot, pleasure, and pain, they are transient, they come and go. Withstand them, Bharata (Arjuna). The wise person whom they do not oppress, steady in pain and pleasure (sama-dukha-sukham), Bull Among People (purusharshabha; epithet of Arjuna), is prepared for immortality.” (BG 2.14-2.15) Props: mat, block, strap, props for shoulderstand. Read more

2023-06-14 Press Up: Put it all together in this culminating Inversion Strong class - get centered, warm up, strengthen your core, and progressively work on pressing up to headstand (lifting both legs at the same time) cycle with leg variations, and handstand press ups at the wall with a bolster. Then open your front body structures and work on more backbendy versions of forearm balance, and leg variations in shoulderstand. Props: mat, wall, sliders, bolster, chair, 2 blocks, 3+ blankets. Read more

2023-06-13 Steadfastness in Inversions: Cultivate steadiness and steadfastness of mind, body, and heart in this practice of longer duration inversions. Use props for support in seated meditation, head-supported forward folds, 3+ minute headstand at the wall, 2-minute handstand & forearm balance, and variations of supported bridge pose. Props: wall, strap, 2 blocks, 3+ blankets, bolster. Read more

2023-06-12 Dynamic Balance: Find center in seated meditation and Nadi Shodhana pranayama (alternate nostril breathing), then warm up, activate and engage all parts of yourself in service of cultivating dynamic balance in Sirsasana (Headstand), with or without the wall, Adho Mukha Vrkshasana (Handstand), Pincha Mayurasana (Forearm Balance), and Sarvangasana (Shoulderstand) cycle. Props: mat, wall, block, strap, 3 blankets. Read more

2023-06-10 World Upside-Down: Building upon previous practices, this class adds further inversion skills & drills to strengthen and open your shoulders for Adho Mukha Vrkshasana (Handstand) and Pincha Mayurasana (Forearm Balance), incorporates leg movements and twists into Sirsasana (Headstand) cycle, and explores using a dowel rod for Halasana (Plow Pose) and Sarvangasana (Shoulderstand). Props: mat, wall, sliders, 3+ blankets, strap, dowel rod, bolster. Read more