Yoga Source - audio recorded classes

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Sunday Class Series

I am hearing from students in my virtual classes that the top physical complaint these days is happening in the neck, shoulders and upper back. Whether the root cause is taking on stress, staring at the computer screen, sitting in unhelpful postures, or feeling the physical burden of overwhelming emotional congestion. I decided for my Sunday class in September to offer an explorational therapeutic practice to create space, relief, soft opening and ease. We will address stiffness in the upper back, the emotional posture of a closed chest, strain in the eyes, tension in the muscle fibers of the neck and shoulders, as we return to fullness of breath, relaxation in the body, and tranquility for the mind.

My hope is to offer a space to welcome embodied awareness, self-care and community support amidst the Pandemic, stay-at-home and Social Revolution. We will use movement, breath, stillness, flow, chakra explorations and guided meditations, adapted for students of all levels.

(I forgot to press record for the shoulder and neck massage on the first side- i’ll try to add that soon. When you listen to this one, begin back at the beginning to replay for the second side.)

Supta Padangusthasana - therapeutic variations

One of my favorite postures (and sequence of postures) is the Supta Padangusthasana Series. It has been a consistent pose in my home practice, one that i can easily practice everyday, even if i only have a short amount of time to get on my yoga mat. It has a significant purpose for me- it has been a good friend throughout years of working with sacro-iliac, lower back and hip pain- and has been an essential place of exploration to bring my pelvis and lower into balance and stability. It is not a sleepy pose, although it is practiced while lying on your back.

Throughout the past 19 years of teaching, i have enjoyed playing with subtle nuances and interesting variations- where every change of engagement transforms the effect of the pose as a whole. Even if i teach this same pose every day for a month, with slight changes in detail, with tiny shifts of focus, the pose will feel entirely different. I believe my regular students can attest to these variations as an ever-evolving experience. i finally decided to record these variations- which you will find (slowly) added to this page for your enjoyment. i have provided pictures of myself in these variations, if you are a visual learner, and appreciate my demonstration of the posture. Otherwise, choose a variation and press play, and i will guide you through. Know that these variations exist, because of the willingness of my students to play and evolve with me.

Supta Padangusthasana - Variation 1

Supta Padangusthasana - Variation 2