After a few months of teaching it, (I've been teaching yoga since 2001 but I recently started with Restorative) I feel that I am finally starting to get the hang of it. I think a mistake I was making was trying to do too many poses in one class and I was feeling rushed, something you don't want to feel in a Restorative class. And too many poses in a Restorative class can be 6 poses instead of 5.

So what I've been doing now is 5 poses in an hour and a half class. That's it.  I start with a short theme, something inspiring, and a few warm up poses (cat/cow, down dog, child's pose) and then start with a gentle first pose. I demo it, and then give a few minutes for the students to settle. We usually begin with Mountain Brook. Then after 8-10 minutes, we come out. Rest in a fetal pose for about a minute.

One thing I've been playing around with is during a pose, as we are nearing the end, we do some gentle stretching. For instance in Viparita Karani which I usually do second, when it's getting near the time to come out, we do supta baddha konasana legs. Move the bolster/blanket under the pelvis  to the side, come down to the ground and do supta padangustasana. It creates a nice stretch for the students between the poses and I chance to yet again release more tension from the physical and energetic body.

For the 3rd pose I usually do an asymetrical pose like a twist or a side stretch, and because it's two sides, I count it as two poses.

And before the last pose, savasana, we usually do another downdog or a wall hang.

And by that time the class is over and it didn't feel hurried.

And again, after every pose I give about a minute in fetal pose to help through the transitions.

I try to go one by one and give the student's adjustments. Some times in every other pose. I like to take my time with the adjustments as I feel that when you approach someone, especially in this setting, it is as if you are entering sacred space. I've been getting more and more comfortable with touching- it's amazing how much you can feel from someone's energy as you place your hands on their shoulders or under their head! I can't wait to deepen my study of massage/hands on healing; maybe next year. 

Yesterday I had my hands on someone's shoulders and we both literally felt her left shoulder drop. So much so that we looked at each other, whispering, "did you feel that? Oh my God!" So interesting how you are able to feel through someone's layers as you touch. My Restorative teacher the great Jillian Pransky was the first and only person I've ever heard in using the koshas as an illustration of how to touch someone. To literally feel like you are moving through the person's five layers. So interesting. And what a great way to learn to koshas!

Lastly, today is my birthday! Iit's been a mellow  and sweet day. 

My grandmother Abi called me at 6AM from Puerto Rico to wish me Happy Bday. 

Then my mother called me at 7. 

Then my father at 8. At that point sleep was not an option. 

I love my family! I miss them so much. 

I had so many calls and emails form friends, new friends, old friends, forgotten friends even several ex boyfriend! My goodness.

Now, I'm off to meet some friends for a pizza/pajama party.

Oh, I had a practice today and although it was small it was both centering and powerful.

Here's what we did today:

Down dog

Lunge

Parsvakonasana

Warrior 1

Warrior 2, Triangle, Half Moon, Chapasana to Handstands...

Pigeon 1  and add thigh stretch

Pigeon 2 and add thigh stretch

Virasana

Supta Virasana

Triangmukhaikapaidapashimottanasana into Krounchasana into Bharadvajasana 2

5 Ustrasanas including Eka Hasta Ustrasana and pigeon dropping

5 Urdhvas including Eka Pada and Eka Hasta Urdhva

10 dropbacks!

Full Pigeon 1

Full Pigeon 2

Scorpion

Scorpion drop over

Down Dog

Agnistambasana

Janu Sirsasana

Sit in short meditation

Wow- looking at it it sounds crazy! But I'm telling you, it was grounded and I guess it's because we really didn't do that many vinyasa, we weren't spent. 

Anusara Poster Project Pose: Warrior 1

Going through the poster, one pose at a time!