'tis the season to be Kapha
I have been deeply inspired by Ayurveda's take on entering Kapha season, and the challenges a lot of us face by having the earth and water elements go a bit out of balance. When we enter Spring a lot of us can feel lethargic, congested, and even depressed. So I have been teaching mostly twists, chest openers and inversions. Ayurveda's wisdome suits me so incredibly since I don't like to teach exactly the same way all the time. I like to change it up, attuning my teaching to Nature, to what is going on outside.
In the last few classes, I've been doing Kapalabhati pranayama, which is an energizing breathing exercise.
I have also brought eucalyptus oil to my classes because it helps open up the sinuses.
For my restorative class, have been spraying it on hand towels and giving it to the students to use as an eye pillow.
I have also placed the Kleenex front and center and boy have people been using it!
So- Here's a sequence from this week:
I've been starting class on the floor, connecting the students to the earth with a few supine poses including:
apanasana, supta padangusthasana
Then move to hands and knees: cat/cow, twisted child's pose, one leg forward one arm forward...
Then:
Down Dog, Uttanasana,
Few suryas
Warrior 2, Reverse Warrior 2
Parsvakonasana
Trikonasana
Prasarita Padottanasana
Parsvottanasana
Parivrtta Trikonasana
Dolphin
Pinca Mayurasana
Half Moon
Reverse Half Moon
Malasana
Bakasana
Uttanasana
Parsva Bakasana
Pigeon
Twisting Pigeon
Galava prep
Dragonfly
Ardha Baddha Padmattanasana
Vatanasana (horse pose- crazy!)
Ardha Gomukha Paschimottanasana
Back to the floor for a grounding finishing sequence:
Restorative Bridge with the block at the lowest setting
Then lift the legs up do supported shoulderstand
Then move block to the second setting, and lift legs up.
Lastly move block to highest setting and stay there for a few breaths...
Release the block
Apanasana
Jathara Parivartanasana
Savasana
What I liked from doing this sequence is that it starts slow and on the ground.
Then we get more watery, more flowy, but again nothing too hard.
Then it gets fiery but never too crazy because I'll add twisting variations of familiar poses (twisting down dog, twisting cobra). Also have been adding more forward bends in between challenging sequences.
I think students appreciate learning about Ayurveda's wisdom and today in class we had fun talking about the three doshas and seeing which one they thought was more prevalent in them.
I've been challenging my students more but I also feel that there is such a nice winding down to the class, and so many moments to connect with their breaths, that I think it never gets too hard or agitating.
I have been blessed with really great classes lately, students seem very into it and are so sweet. I have also at Black Dog been having Teacher Trainers coming to assisting me and they all have been doing such a lovely job.
And in the midst of telling the students about transitions, I keep reminding them that we are now in Spring which is the time of manifestation and blooming!
I wonder how my classes are going to change for next week. Can't wait.
Anusara Poster Pose Project: Doing all the supine poses of the Level 1 Syllabi.
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