Tag: Mary

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Eka Pada Sirsasana sequence

Here’s what I remember of Mary’s lovely hip opening sequence to prepare for Eka Pada Sirsasana. My hips feel so happy now!

Swastikasana
Swastikasana forward
Adho Mukha Virasana
Adho Mukha Svanasna
Adho Mukha Virasana – feet apart
Uttanasana
Adho Mukha Svanasana
Supta Baddha Konasana – flat, begin by holding ankles, then release hands and turn palms up as in Savasana
Supta Tadasana
Supta Padangusthasana I, II, III – without arm behind head in III
parter work in Supta Padangusthasana III – partner helped by manually turning the bent leg thigh out and moved outer ankle toward opposite armpit
Supta Padangustasana I, I classic with lift of trunk, III with arm behind head, II
Malasana – looped belt around waist to hold if clasp isn’t attainable
Parivrtta Janu Sirsasana
Parivrtta Paschimottanasana – 1st time legs together, 2nd time with legs hips’ width apart
Kurmasana – arms back with palms up
Akarna Dhanurasana I, II
Eka Pada Sirsasana
Supta Eka Pada Sirsana – bolster sideways under upper thoracic spine
Purvottanasana – hands on blocks
Setu Bandha Sarvangasana – block under sacrum
Supta Swastikasana

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Padmasana (lotus pose) work

This is the Padmasana preparation sequence Mary Heath taught Friday. Enjoy!

Swastikasana
Swastikasana forward – feet under knees, lengthen trunk forward
Upavistha Konasana – extend inner foot as if to bulge the arch away
Baddha Konasana – keeping trunk upright, head directly above pelvis, press hands down and lift buttocks off floor; descend outer thigh and buttocks as you lower back down to floor; open soles of feet to ceiling
Baddha Konasana forward – deepen crease behind knee into the joint as if pulled by ropes; keep length of front body as you bring your chin toward the floor
Adho Mukha Virasana – deepen crease behind knee into the joint as the skin of the calf and hamstring moves away from the knee toward the hip; broaden and descend back groin
Adho Mukha Svanasana – open back groins
Uttanasana – walk hands back from AMS to Uttanasana to keep action and length of legs
Tadasana
Jumpings a la Surya Namaskarasana:
    •Tadasana
    •Urdhva Hastasana
    •Uttanasana
    •Adho Mukha Svanasana
    •Urdhva Mukha Svanasana ↔ Adho Mukha Svanasana
    •Chaturanga Dandasana ↔ Adho Mukha Svanasana
    •Utthita Trikonasana – lift the back leg hip to increase length of front leg
    •Virabhadrasana II
    •Utthita Parsvakonasana → Utthita Trikonasana – straighten the knee by pulling the thigh up and firming the femur head into the socket
Gomukhasana arms
Adho Mukha Vrksasana
Vrksasana – keep standing leg vertical by firming outer thigh to mid-line
Ardha Baddha Padmottanasana – keep standing leg vertical by firming outer thigh to mid-line; broaden back groin of the Padmasana leg from inside out
Janu Sirsasana – keep the back groin of the bent leg broad to soften the outer knee
Ardha Baddha Padma Paschimottanasana – from Janu Sirsasana sneak outer ankle to opposite groin
Upavistha Konasana
Sirsasana
Parivrttaikapada Sirsasana – legs like scissors, don’t let either leg cross mid-line
Salamba Sarvangasana
Urdhva Padmasana in Sarvangasana – legs up, tailbone in
Savasana