Makeup: Philosophy

It’s difficult to choose just one favorite sutra, as there are so many that are wonderful and applicable to everyday life. Perhaps the best choice is the beginning – Atha Yoga Anusasanam: The practice of yoga begins now.

I keep coming back to this sutra because it is a reminder that yoga encompasses far more than simply an asana practice. Yoga is something we can practice every day, in every moment of our lives, and this practice can bring peace and joy to our lives if we just allow it to do so.

While it’s difficult to weigh the true value of this yoga teacher training, I think it’s safe to say that this concept is definitely one of the most important things I have learned during YTT. I have never delved so deeply into yoga philosophy – in 13 years of practice the only sutras I’d read were those printed in Yoga Journal. And honestly I just skimmed the philosophic topics for the most part. It just wasn’t what I was seeking at that time for my yoga practice. For years my yoga has been about healing and injury prevention.

YTT has brought my understanding of yoga to a deeper level, which is invaluable to me not only as I start the journey to becoming a yoga teacher, but in my daily life as well. I have a long way to go, but already the effects of concentrating on the sutras, 1:1 in particular, have had an impact on my life and interactions with the people around me. Asana is a wonderful practice to draw people into yoga, but the philosophy has so much to offer us that it seems a shame to stop for too long with just one limb of Patanjali’s eight.

Week 12: Teaching Script

Transition from Vira I to Vira II

In adho muhka svanasana, inhale and elongate your spine from neck to tailbone, exhale and let go of any tension in your neck. From the inner right heel, lift your right leg to hip level and bring it forward between your hands, making sure your knee is directly above your ankle and not extending in front of your foot. Let your back foot drop to the floor, angling the toes toward the front of your mat. Look at your feet – they should be in heel to heel alignment for Virabhadrasana I, and your right knee should be in line with your second toe. If you are pregnant or have any low back problems, take a moment to adjust your feet to a wider stance for more stability.

On your next inhale, lift up from your core, sweeping the arms overhead until the palms come together lightly. Allow your gaze to follow your hands. Hold the pose as we work from the ground up to square the hips to the front of the room. Press down strongly through both heels, especially the outer edge of your back heel. Exhale and sink deeper into the pose, bringing your right thigh parallel to the floor. Engage the quadriceps on your back leg and spiral the inner thigh toward the back of the room. Exhale and bring your hands to your hips.

To prepare for Virabhadrasana II, we need to adjust our foundation. Heel-toe your front foot to the left until your front heel is aligned with your back arch. Adjust your back foot if necessary – it may be more comfortable if you shift your toes back slightly – they should still angled toward the front of your mat, but a wider angle for the back foot will give your more stability in Virabhadrasana II and allow your front leg to open into external rotation. Adjust the position of your pelvis – it should no longer be squared to the front of the room, but open to the side wall. Look at your right knee and ensure it is in line with your second toe.

Inhale, get length through your waist, and lift your arms to come parallel to the floor as you turn your face to the front of the room (over the right arm). Lift your sternum, widen across your collarbones, and press your shoulder blades forward into your chest. Exhale and sink a little deeper, bringing the right thigh parallel to the floor if you can. Soften the face and let the shoulders drop away from the ears, finding stability and ease in the pose as you hold here for another breath. On your next exhale, windmill the arms to the floor and come through a vinyasa – chaturanga, urdhva mukha svanasana, and finish in adho mukha svanasana.

Week 12: Sequencing

Level 2 class with Urdhva Dhanurasana (UD) as peak, component part (CP) poses noted: Tadasana, Adho Mukha Svanasana, Utkatasana, Setu Bandha

1.        Opening

a.        Sukhasana (Easy Cross-Legged Seat) – set intention

b.       Marjaryasana/Bitilasana (Cat/Cow) – to warm the spine

c.        Balasana (Child’s Pose) – still the mind

d.       Adho Mukha Svanasana (Down Dog) – lengthen the spine

2.        Surya Namascara (Sun Saluatation) – warm the entire body

a.        SNA x3 – lengthen spine, extend through heels in Chaturanga

b.       SNB x2 – shoulder girdle mantra

3.        Standing Poses – open the hips and prepare for peak pose

a.        Adho Mukha Svanasana (Down Dog) – CP for UD: Press firmly into hands, esp. thumb and bases of index finger thumb. Shoulder girdle mantra esp. shoulder blade moving in toward chest

b.       Balasana (Child’s Pose) – hold for 3 breaths to rest and reenergize for standing poses

c.        Adho Mukha Svanasana (Down Dog) – CP for UD: Press firmly into hands, esp. thumb and bases of index finger thumb. Shoulder girdle mantra esp. shoulder blade moving in toward chest. Soften front ribs to protect lower back.

d.       Virabhadrasana II (Warrior II) – open hips, shoulder girdle mantra, focusing on the use of shoulder muscles to lift arms. Spend time here doing a moving warrior with the breath to really get into the hips and warm them.

e.        Utthita Trikonasana (Triangle Pose) – shoulder girdle mantra, extension of arms toward sky and earth, upward rotation of shoulder blades

f.        Tadasana (Mountain Pose) – CP for UD: ground evenly through all found corners of each foot, softening of lower ribs to protect low back and spiraling inner thighs back (use block to reinforce the inner thigh action)

g.       Utkatasana (Chair Pose) – CP for UD: external rotation of the arm, focus on creating the backbend in upper spine by pressing shoulder blades forward toward the chest and widening from the spine

h.       Prasarita Padottanasana (Wide-Legged Forward Bend) – counterpose to backbend, let neck release

i.         Tadasana (Mountain Pose) – CP for UD: instruct softening of lower ribs to protect low back and spiraling inner thighs back

j.         Parivrtta Utkatansana (Twisting Chair Pose) – hands to anjali mudra, twist to balance the forward bend, focus on keeping the neck long

k.       Adho Mukha Svanasana (Down Dog) – CP for UD: Press firmly into hands, esp. thumb and bases of index finger thumb. Shoulder girdle mantra esp. shoulder blade moving in toward chest

l.         Dolphin – draw lower front ribs toward frontal hipbones, press down the length of the forearm, stacking the inner wrist on top of the outer wrist

m.     Sirsasana II (Headstand) – press down the length of the forearm, stacking the inner wrist on top of the outer wrist, extend lower ribs toward frontal hipbones

4.       Peak

a.        Setu Bandha (Bridge Pose) – to enter peak pose – CP for UD: shoulder blades in to chest to bring backbend into thoracic spine, spiral inner thighs to floor.

b.       Urdhva Dhanurasana – build on component parts from previous poses: Press firmly into hands, esp. thumb and bases of index finger thumb. Ground evenly through all found corners of each foot. Shoulder girdle mantra esp. shoulder blade moving in toward chest and widening away from spine, external rotation of the upper arm. Softening of lower ribs to protect low back. Spiral inner thighs to floor to prevent overarching in the lumbar spine.

5.        Cooldown

a.        Reclining Twist – feet wise as the mat, take knees to each side of the mat and return to center with the breath

b.       Happy Baby – release spine

c.        Setu Bandha (Bridge Pose) – prepare for Sarvangasana

d.       Sarvangasana (Shoulderstand)

e.        Matsyasana – release upper back

f.        Apanasana (come off blankets) – roll gently side to side, make circles with knees

6.       Savasana (Corpse Pose)

Week 11: Teaching Script

Next we’re going to do Ardha Chandrasana, half-moon pose. Turn to face the prop wall and come to the center of your mat. Open into a wide legged stance, bend your right knee and rotate the leg open from the hip, making sure your knee is in line with your second toe. Turn your left foot in slightly and straighten your right leg.

Place your block to the outside of your right foot. On an inhale, extend your arms to the sides and shift your hips to the left as your reach your right arm out over your right leg. Reach as far as you can forward, feeling length in both sides of your waist, then place your hand on the block or floor, allowing your left hand to come to your hip.

Bend your right knee and slide your left foot forward as you move your block about 12 to 18 inches in front of your leg. On an exhale, press firmly into your right hand and all four corners of your right foot, straighten your right leg, and lift your back leg until it comes parallel with the floor.

Extend actively through your left heel, feeling the strength and lightness through the left leg. As you root into the floor with your right foot, feel the energy rebound into your leg, keeping it strong and stable. Inhale and lengthen both sides of the waist evenly. Exhale and soften the front ribs toward the frontal hip bones, finding the strength and the ease in the pose. Gaze up toward your hand if you can.

Slowly lower the left leg to the floor, bending the right leg. Rise up firmly through your core and return to a standing position. Breathe.

Bend your left knee and rotate the leg open from the hip, making sure your knee is in line with your second toe. Turn your right foot in slightly and straighten your left leg.

Place your block to the outside of your left foot. On an inhale, extend your arms to the sides and shift your hips to the right as your reach your left arm out over your left leg. Reach as far as you can forward, feeling length in both sides of your waist, then place your hand on the block or floor, allowing your right hand to come to your hip.

Bend your left knee and slide your right foot forward as you move your block about 12 to 18 inches in front of your foot. On an exhale, press firmly into your right hand and all four corners of your right foot, straighten your right leg, and lift your back leg until it comes parallel with the floor.

Extend actively through your right heel. Root into the floor with your left foot and feel the energy rebound into your leg. Inhale and lengthen both sides of the waist evenly. Exhale and release your shoulders away from the ears, drawing the blades into your chest as you widen across the collarbones. Soften the front ribs toward the frontal hip bones. Gaze up toward your hand if you can.

Slowly lower the right leg to the floor, bending the left leg. Rise up firmly through your core and return to a standing position.

Week 10: Teaching Script

Virabhadrasana 3

Come to the top of your mat, into Tadasana. Root down into the ground, feeling your connection to the earth through all four corners of each foot. As you take a few long, slow breaths, consider this quote about santosa: “Contentment is a dynamic and constructive attitude that brings us to look at things in a new way.” You have the power to choose how you react to your practice of Virabhadrasana 3 today. Will you become frustrated and struggle to maintain your balance? Or will you find a way to move with the flow of your body and accept the results without judgment?

Step your left foot back into position for Virabhadrasana 1, bending your right leg. Ground through your feet again, especially the outside edge of your left foot and the big toe mound of your right foot. Inhale your arms up toward the sun, bringing your palms together as you gaze to the ceiling. Exhale and soften the lower ribs to the frontal hip bones. Lower your torso over your right leg, extending your arms in front of you. Inhale and get longer through the spine, feeling all four sides of your waist lengthen. Hold here through your exhale. On your next inhale, press strongly into your right foot and lift your torso, raising your arms to the ceiling. Exhale and come to Tadasana.

As you take a few breaths here, notice how your body feels. Are you feeling strong and grounded? Or is something in your body uncomfortable and telling you to take it easy during today’s practice? There is no need for judgment. As we repeat Virabhadrasana 3 and come into the full pose, do what feels best for your body. If the modification feels better for you, just remain there. If you need blocks, place them in front of your mat so they will be available.

Step your left foot back into position for Virabhadrasana 1, bending your right leg. Ground through your feet again, especially the outside edge of your left foot and the big toe mound of your right foot. Inhale your arms up toward the sun, bringing your palms together as you gaze to the ceiling. Exhale and soften the lower ribs to the frontal hip bones. Lower your torso over your right leg, extending your arms in front of you. Inhale and get longer through the spine, feeling all four sides of your waist lengthen. Press strongly into your right foot, firming the muscles on the front of your thigh. Exhale and straighten your right leg as you lift your left leg, extending it to the back of the room. Flex the foot strongly and work to bring your left hip parallel to the floor by spiraling your inner thigh to the ceiling. Hold here for one breath. On your next inhale, root into the floor with your right foot and lift your torso, raising your arms to the ceiling and you slowly lower your left foot to the floor. Exhale and come to Tadasana.

Choosing to remain content in our hearts and minds despite what happens in our environment is a powerful tool that allows us to create a peaceful life for ourselves. Make contentment a conscious choice. If we do not learn to be as flexible in mind as we seek to be in body through asana, our mental inflexibility becomes a weakness. To resist nature is to create suffering, for prakriti is ever flowing, ever changing. Move with the of nature and you can bring santosa into your life.

Week 9: Philosophy

“Contentment is a dynamic and constructive attitude that brings us to look at things in a new way.”

Is Santosa an attitude we bring to our activities or is it an effect of our actions?

As one of the niyamas, santosa is one method we can use to reduce our suffering by not struggling with things over which we have no control. I agree with Bouchard’s quote that contentment is an attitude. We have a choice in how we see the world: accept that which we cannot change or struggle and fight things outside of our control. However, choosing the struggle simply creates suffering. There is so much suffering already in the world one has to wonder why anyone would intentionally choose to create more. Often I think it is because we do not realize that the power to avoid suffering lies within us.

Choosing to remain content in our hearts and minds despite what happens in our environment is an amazing and powerful tool that allows us to create a peaceful life for ourselves, which in turn creates a more peaceful life for those around us. It may seem an alien idea to many Westerners, contentment as a conscious choice. And yet, when put into practice, the act of choosing to remain content in the the hustle of daily life – or even during a crisis – is so powerful that it proliferates almost on its own. When you face a difficult situation calmly, with no attachment to the outcome, things go more smoothly and the peace within your heart and mind is maintained. Our focus on the end result makes santosa a challenge to continually apply, which is precisely the point of Bouchard’s quote.

Santosa is dynamic and ever changing, just like prakriti. If we do not learn to be as flexible in mind as many seek to be in body through asana, our mental stiffness will be a weakness. Ultimately we will find that our mental inflexibility causes us more suffering, although the intent was to reduce suffering by resisting change. But to resist nature is simply to create suffering, for prakriti is ever flowing, ever changing. When we find a way to move with the flow, we bring santosa into our lives by our own choices and actions.

Week 8: Teaching Script

Savasana + Yoga Philosophy

Before we get into savasana, gather any props you may need: a bolster for under your knees, a blanket for under your head, an eye pillow. Ensure anything you need is within reach, and then lie on your back, placing the props where you need them. Extend your legs fully, softening your thighs and letting your legs fall open to whatever point is comfortable. Inhale and feel the length in your spine from tailbone to neck. Exhale and feel your neck and jaw soften as your arms open on the floor, palms facing the ceiling. Close your eyes and gently bring your focus to your breath. Let your mind be still as you focus on how soft your breath is, inhaling and exhaling slowly and softly. Take a moment to notice if there is any tension or discomfort in your body, and adjust your position if necessary so you may come fully to rest in comfort. Exhale and feel the tension melt away from your body, letting go of any worries or frustration that arose during your practice today. Inhale and feel a warm white light enter your heart, as if your breath could move the light inside of you. Exhale, and let the light flow through your body, up your throat and out the crown of your head; down your arms and out your hands, down your spine and each leg to exit through each foot. Repeat this image, letting the light flow into your heart and throughout your body with each breath, as you relax more deeply into your savasana. Feel the work of your practice today – your body is but one part of you just as asana, the physical practice of yoga, is but one part of yoga. Asana has an impact on your mind as well – as you learn to align your body in each pose, you are focusing your mind and learning to concentrate fully. During such concentration, your mind is undisturbed by the myriad of negative thoughts that may interfere with your practice. When you notice your focus is broken and your attention begins to wander during your practice, take a moment to return your concentration to your breath. Allow it to be your center, your touchstone. Focus on your breath and then return to the pose, refocused and reenergized.