Day 39 and Day 40

Hopefully, you were able to remember that it was Friday today which of course means FLOW FRIDAY, and you did your groovy, flowy , asana practice even though it was quiet here. We are renting a house in Tucson, and the internet service has been eluding us. Chris just got here so now I am on his computer and it is working. Go figure.

And tomorrow is Day 40. Hard to believe. In many ways it seems like we only just began. But mostly, to me, it seems like a lifetime ago. Weird. Maybe all of the yoga and the busyness of late winter and early spring. Or perhaps just having a length of time that I am accountable for and then seeing how much I actually pack in to time. Either way, here we are. I am putting up the final sequence. I would love for updates, reflections, revelation if you would like to share. I will check back here for the next week or so. I definitely want to put up some sequences from the immersion. They will be whoppers. The perfect thing to go out on. I will put up some ramblings and reflections in the coming days too.

We rocked this practice this morning. Darren and Christina taught from the Goddesses and it was truly potent. Perfect for Spring. Full Potential, Creative Manifestation, and Sustaining Beauty. It was the most that I have stayed right at my edge for awhile. Not given in to fatigue or boredom, but really worked intelligently within the effort. And I definitely gained new insight.

Here you go.

Meditation

AMV

AMS

Uttanasana

Surya A 5x

Surya B 5x

Handstand

Pinca

Parsvakonasana

Trikonasana

Ardha Chandrasana

Ardha Chandrasana Chapasana

Parivritta Parsvakonasana

Parivritta Trikonasana

Parivritta Ardha Chandrasana

Parivritta Ardha Chandra Chapasana

Eka Pada Raja Kapotasana

Ardha Bhekasana

EPRK w/ a-b

Setu Bandasana

Urdhva Dhanurasana 5x

Dwi Pada Viparita Dandasana 5x

AMS

Uttanasana

Parsva Uttanasana

AMS

AMV

Supta Padangustasana 1

Savasana

Day 37

Wow. This has got to be like a laser beam. I am getting on a plane in 8 hours with 2 small kids to fly across the country. 2 planes actually. But it is going to be oh so worth it. I promise to fill you in more when I have time. For now:

I just came across this sequence again the other day. I think that it is a variation of something Sianna Sherman taught several years ago.

3-5 Surya Namaskar

Dog

Eka Pada AMS 2x

Parsvakonasana 2x

Ardha Chandrasana

Vira 1 backbend variation 2x

Ardha Chandra Chapasana

Dancer variation 3x

Pigeon 2x

Puppy dog 2x

Pigeon prep quad stretch 2x

Dolphin 3x

Dhanurasana 3x

Eka Hasta Ustrasana 3x

Supta padangustasana 2x

Jatara Parivartanasana

Savasana

Day 36

I thought that I should take a break from cleaning my house and packing for Tucson to share some of the highlight poses from last night's class.

Here you go.

Utkatasana 3x

Crescent pose 2x

Parivritta Balasana (twisted child) 3x

Anjaneyasana

Vira 1

Parivritta Parsvakonasana

Shalabasana

Setubandha

Parivtitta Parsvakonasana

Marichyasana 3

Malasana

Savasana

Day 35

I am under the weather. So I thought it would be a good idea to do a restorative sequence that I have had for a couple of years now that is especially good for mucous draining. I am not sure where I picked this particular sequence up from, either Yoga Journal or Noah Maze. Even though I seem to recall that any restorative sequence that I have ever gotten from Noah has had a 5 minute handstand in. Hmmmhhh.

Here the holds are more conservative. Everything is held for 5 minutes, but I think that you could do 3 minute holds and be just fine. Anyhow, the Kapha is flowing, the dam has broke and we need to take care. I hope this helps. I feel a bit better after doing it this morning, along with daily neti and tea.

Supported Childs Pose 5 min

Supported Down Dog 5 min

Prasarita Padotannasana 5 min

Supported Uttanasana 5 min

Supta Virasana 5 min

Sirsasana 5 min

Sarvangasana 5 min

Halasana 5 min

Jatara Parivartanasana 5 min

Setubandha 5 min

Savasana

This took me right around 75 minutes with a 10 minute Savasana. Shorter timings will shorten the practice considerably. This is a perfect day to turn within and take your time. The advent of Spring is so packed with energy, it is important to maintain the balance.

Day 34

Excellent Practice this morning. Long holds. Steady Effort. Lovely.

Here are some highlights:

Trikonasana 2x 90 second holds

Parsvakonasana 2x 90 sec holds

Vira 1 90 sec hold

Prasaritta Padottanasana 2x 90 sec holds

Sirsasana 5 min

Handstand

Pincamayurasana

Ustrasana

Salabasana 3x

Danurasana 3x

Parsva Danurasana 2x

Urdhva Danurasana 6x

Dwi Pada Viparita Dandasana 3x

Supta Baddha Konasana

Bharadvajasana 3x

Paschimottanasana wide leg 2x

Setubandha with the sacrum on a block

Savasana

Have at it.

Day 33

Is your day over? Have you practiced yet? Do you still need a sequence?

Well, I really do not know where the day has gone. I travelled back from Minneapolis this afternoon after 2 hours spent in Ikea. With 2 small children. By myself. 2 hours.

So, I am feeling the burn of a different sort.

I would still like to spend a little time on my mat tonight, even though tomorrow is Sunday morning. But, if you are still in the market for a practice today, here you go:

Surya Namaskar A 3x

Surya Namaskar B 1x

Parsvakonasana

Trikonasana

Ardha Chandrasana

Parsvottanasana

Pigeon

Pigeon thigh stretch

Setubandha and any fun variation that you can think of

Urdhva Dhanurasana

Supta Padangustasana

Sucirandrasana

Jatara Parivartanasana

Savasana

Day 32

Good Morning!

Welcome to another beautiful Flow Friday. This week when you set your timer to flow, let go of any idea about what a "proper" Surya Namaskar is. I really just want you to do what feels right. By now, you should have enough experience up your sleeve, that you will tell YOU what to do. As my friend Noah always says, "practice for 10 minutes, most likely at the end of that 10 minutes you will want to keep practicing." Have you found that to be true yet?

Have Fun!

Day 31

Hi Folks.

I am in Minneapolis visiting my sisters and a whole slew of cousins. Very cool. We are loving the weather and feel a lot like country mice in the big city.

The practice today is a short visiting practice. Something you could do anywhere just about any day and not have it be an imposition of any sort on your plans. Think 10 minutes. You, of course, can do more if you like. You have a month's worth of sequences now. My big sis is a city yogi, so we will hop on our mats at some point together today.

AMS

Uttanasana

Lunges

Parsvakonasana

Trikonasana

Anjaneyasana thigh stretch

AMS

Uttanasana

Savasana

Day 30

I am taking a trip up to the cities tomorrow, and I want to get this out there while I have a chance. This sequence will look a lot like todays practice and a bit like what I have lined up for my class in the morning. Basically, I am thinking about shoulderstand and poses that will really get folks ready for some enjoyment in that pose.

Here it is:

AMV

AMS

Uttanasana

Supta Padangustasana 1-4

Parsvottanasana

Parivritta Trikonasana

Parivritta Parsvakonasana

Prasaritta Padotannasana c

Ardha Bhekasana

Anjaneyasana thigh stretch

Setubandha variation sitting on hands

Setubandha

Halasana uppavista

Sarvangasana

AMS

Bharadvajasana

Savasana

Day 29

This is what I did this morning, and it was awesome. So, here you go. I hope it is as amazing for you as it was, and still is, for me. The sun is shining!

Urdhva Prasarita Padasana

Jatara Parivartanasana

AMS

Supta Padangustasana 1-4

Parsvottanasana 2x

Parivritta Trikonasana 2x

Parivritta Parsvakonasana 3x

Uttanasana

Handstand

Pinca Mayurasana

Sirsasana and variations

Urdhva Dhanurasana 3x

Bharadvajasana

Janu Sirsasana

Uppavista Konasana

Parsva Uppavista Konasana

Baddha Konasana

Malasana

Marichyasana 1

Sarvangasana and variations

Savasana

This took me around 90 minutes. But you can just do the first 8 poses for about a 40 minute practice. This is really fun and totally old school. (By old school, I mean something that I gave had around for at least 3 years). This particular sequence is from 2 different classes taught by Chris Saudek in Lacrosse. Love her.

Day 28

Whoa. This day almost got away from me. I am not sure what happened. Our rooster turned on our girl today and the rest of the day has been a pretty big wash so far. I am headed in to practice before I teach, and I am planning on doing something like this.

Again, my apologies for my brevity. Life has me in her stronghold and I am taking the ride.

Day 27

Today, lets take it easy. Daylight savings and all. I was up at 5, and on my mat by 6 (old time of course). So, now I am very sleepy, even after gallons of Black Tea. Mmmmm. So I think that if I were just about to practice right now, here is what I would do:

AMS

Uttanasana

Supta Padangustasana 1-4

Supta Virasana

Uttanasana

Jatara Parivartanasana

Paschimottanasana

Supta Baddha Konasana

Savasana

Delicious!

Day 26

This one is going to be very fun. Check it out.

AMV

AMS

Uttanasana

Surya Namaskar w/lunges

plank-chaturanga-cobra-dog

in a flow:

Uttkatasana

Parsvakonasana

Trikonasana

Vira 1

Parivritta Parsvakonasana

Anjaneyasana thigh stretch 3x

Vasistasana

Vasistasana to Wild Thing

Purvottanasana knees bent

Setubandha variations (sit on hands, toes tucked, one leg in bhekasana)

Supta Padangustasana

Jatara Parivartanasana

hugs knees to chest

Savasana

Thats all for now. Let me know how it goes.

Day 25

I think that today should be the day that we re-commit. I have certainly let my commitment here slide over the last week. But there are still 15 days left and frankly, it is never too late to start or re-affirm something amazing. So lets do it. I am here with you.

Yesterday, someone told me that when I made the suggestion to journal, that they became overwhelmed by the implications of this sort of reflection, and let go of the resolve to practice everyday. I think that this may have happened to a number of you, because you all disappeared after that post. Kind of interesting, isn't it? What is it about turning within that has us all wanting to run tail? I do not think that this is unusual in the least. But I also think that this is a path of self-inquiry and self-reflection and at some point you are going to have to ask yourself some questions that will be uncomfortable. I hope that this doesn't sound too harsh. Because here, all that I am recommending that you do is take a little bit of time to write down any insights that you might be having in your practice and through this process.

So today is FLOW FRIDAY! Time to get on your mat, set your timer for at least 20 minutes, and go for it. Breathe and move and sing the song of your heart. I love Fridays.

Day 24

I think that today would be a good day to work on some hamstring stretches. I am going to do some balancing and some twisting with the 8:30 class this morning, so if that sounds good to you come on in (I am also teaching at 4:45 and 6:30, brace yourself Eider...).

But here, I want to look at some good hamstring openers. I like to start on the front and do some thigh stretches 1st. I am thinking somewhere between 20 minutes and a half an hour.

AMV

AMS

Uttanasana

Eka Pada Bhekasana

Supta Padangustasana 1 & 2

Runner's Lunge

Lunge/twist/thigh stretch

Janu Sirsasana

Triang Muhkaikapadapaschimottanasana

Hanumanasana 2-3x

Uttanasana

AMS

AMV

Savasana

Day 23

While I have a moment..

Maybe.

I have not been able to give this site as much attention as I would like to for the last week or so. I really want to get some links up on the sidebar with dates for regional Anusara Yoga events, but I have yet to do so. And I would like to out up some pictures in a tutorial form. Keep your fingers crossed that something emerges over the weekend. This is turning out to be a very busy time for me both with family and with teaching, I am also gearing up for a big trip to Tucson again at the end of this month (coinciding nicely with the end of our 40 days).

So, lots of busyness as you can see. Oh, and I want to make a quilt. Did I mention that? And some leg warmers, and a kitty hat, and organize my seeds for the season, and, well really I better not get started down that road. It is not yet 7am.

Let's see. Today I am teaching headstand and shoulderstand in class. But here, I am thinking more along the lines of forward folds.

AMV

AMS

Uttanasana

Uppavista Konasana

Parva Uppavista Konasana

Janu Sirsasana

Baddha Konasana

Marichyasana 3

Paschimottanasana

AMV

Savasana

This is a shorter practice. However, you may really find that you want to stay in poses for longer than a minute. I think that is great, so long as you really keep your legs steadily engaged. Also, you can add some Surya Namaskar in the beginning if you are so moved.

Have Fun and stay in touch!

Day 22

My apologies for getting this up so late! If you have not done your practice yet today, I hope that you enjoy this one.

Some days I cannot drop into my practice. Today was one of those days. I can give myself any variety of reasons as to why: I am too busy, my house is too cold, I am anxious about one thing or another. But really the truth is that sometimes that is just the way that it goes. I do my best to stick with it and give myself a chance at shifting my energy. But sometimes, no dice. This is especially frustrating when everything seems lined up for a good practice, i.e. a quiet house... Oh well. In some ways, it really helps me to appreciate the times when I do so easily drop into the flow, into my body and into my breathe. Maybe even more than I would without days like today.

I did an old standby practice today, mostly because I needed to do inversions (which, by the way I will be teaching on Wednesday...), but if I weren't doing them, this practice would be fun.

AMV

AMS

Uttanasana

Uttkatasana

Vira 1

Vira 2

Garudasana

Parsvakonasana

Trikonasana

Parivritta Trikonasana

Parivritta Parsvakonasana

Ardha Chandrasana

Prasaritta Padottanasana

Uttanasana

AMS

AMV

Savasana

Standing Poses!

Day 21

Over the hump!

Here is what is inspiring me this morning. Big time.

It is Monday morning, so I will keep it short as we get going with our day and our week.

How about this...

3 Surya Namaskar

5 standing poses, you choose.

2 hip openers and thigh stretches (you choose, think low lunges and pigeon...)

3 backbends of your choice

3 forward folds

Savasana

I am curious to see how this goes for folks. Let me know if this is OK. I think you are ready.

Day 20

Well folks, this is our halfway point. 20 days past, 20 days to go. Now is the perfect time to consider: Has my life shifted in any notable ways in the last 20 days? Is who I am today different from who I was when I started out on this "project"? Do I hold the same intention, or has it changed somehow? How? I mean, we could go on and on here. I think that you get my point. Self-reflection and contemplation are central to practice. And it is my experience that the ability to stretch yourself in this way, might actually be the whole point in stretching yourself in more physical ways. Well, not the whole point. Lets not forget about doing it just for the sheer, unabashed, play-filled fun of it.

Today, I feel like thinking about all of this, and taking it easy.

Here you go:

AMS 3 minutes

Uttanasana 1 minute

Supta Virasana 5 minutes

Supta Padangustasana 1-4 1 minute each

Supta Baddha Konasana with support 5 minutes

Day 19

Attachment is suffering, and suffer I did when I could not find my sad little $3 kitchen timer yesterday as I headed out to practice. Fortunately, I used all of my tech savvy to use the timer on my phone. Not ideal, but entertaining. All of this reminded my again of central question: why have I still not purchased the Sportline timer? Procrastination aside, I cannot justify the shipping expense, which is basically 1/3 of the price of the timer. This is ridiculous really, because if you live where I do, ordering goods through the mail is virtually unavoidable. So, I am just going to put this out there, if 4 people want to order the timer ($20), the shipping cost will be waived. Let me know in the comments of you are game. (Of course, you must live in the Viroqua area...) What makes this timer so much superior to the regular kitchen timer, well, in a word, everything. It is designed for the particular use of the repeat function, so you do not need to come out of your practice to keep on re-setting your timer. Enough said.

OK. That was rather long, so I will keep it short from here.

I want to share with you the practice that I did yesterday. It may be a bit confusing in the translation, but I felt so good afterward that I had to share it here. Let me know if you have any questions and again, if you do not practice inversions, skip them.

Funky Eka Pada Adho Muhka Svanasana hip opening that we did with Sianna last weekend

AMS (1 min)

Sirsasana (5 min)

low lunge (1 min)

Uttanasana (1 min)

AMS (1 min)- lots of shins in thighs out

Standing on one leg -holding the other knee (Utthita hasta padangustasana prep)

Parsvakonasana (1 min)

Vrksasana (1 min)

Parsva Utthita Hasta Padangustasana (1 min)

Uttanasana

AMS

Setubandha

Supta Padangustasana prep

Supta Padangustasana #2

Succirandrasana (3 stages)

Supta Padangustasana #3 2x

AMS

Malasana

Janu Sirsasana b/t the legs

Baddha Konasana

AMS

Runner's lunge to lunge/twist/thigh stretch

AMS

Uttanasana

Hanumanasana

AMS

Sarvangasana (6 min)

Savasana

Rock it.

Day 18

Flow Friday

Isn't it nice to have something that you keep returning to? Sure Practice in a larger sense, but flow friday is pretty great in the immediate, right now, smaller scale sense of things.

So, get on your mat and Salute the Sun. What a good day for it! The Sun is on the rise here in SW Wisconsin, and it feels like spring is on its way more than usual for this time of year. It is bright and clear and the days are getting longer. That seems like sufficient inspiration for me this morning.

Have fun. That is always primary. And then, any variations that you like. Breathe, move, flow, let the boundary between you and this magnificent day dissolve.

Day 17

Isn't it amazing that after just a few minutes of breath and movement your whole energy can be so radically shifted? I practiced for right around 30 minutes tonight, after I put my kids to be, which is usually such a sleepy not so productive time. But it was great and I felt totally re-energized and inspired for the evening and now I am ready to hit the hay. So good. It is so siple and yet it continues to be so profound for me. I feel so good when I practice. I feel more like myself more of the time. Amen.

Enough of my personal testimonial. What about you? What is happening for you through this process?

And what about this next sequence? Are you all still using these? Or are you so comfy at this point that you know just what to do? Perhaps a bit of both I suspect.

So, for Thursday, how about some backbends?

Surya Namaskar A 3x

Surya Namaskar B 3x

-for both of these, stay in cobra for several breathes instead of just an inhale.

Handstand and Pinca Mayurasana if you practice these, if not just skip 'em.

Virabadrasana 1 with hands clasped behind your back.

Anjanyasana

Parsvottanasana

Parivritta Parsvakonasana

(look familiar?)

Anjanyasana with a thigh stretch 3x

Pigeon thigh stretch

Dhanurasana

Setubandha and any variations that you like

Urdhva Dhanurasana 3-10x (not a typo)

AMS

Uttanasana

Baddha Konasana

Janu Sirsasana

Paschimotanasana

Savasana

This looks like somewhere between 45 minutes and an hour depending on holds and time between poses. Have a blast!

Day 16

I just go through planning tomorrow morning's form class, and even though I spent the morning up in Iyengar Yoga land, I am still all flowing from the weekend with Sianna. Feels good, but definitely shifts the energy that I usually bring to Wednesday morning. Oh well. One thing that I know for sure to be true about myself is that I have to teach to what is inspiring me at the time. I am not sure if this is good or bad or confusing for my students or whatever. I just know that it is pretty much true. Hmmhh.

So, what I really want to put up here is a 20 minute practice. There is no way that I can put up what I have planned for class. Trust me. It would make no sense whatsoever. But, I think that it will prove to be rad tomorrow morning. We shall see. But here, 20 minutes. And then if you feel so good at the end of that 20 minutes that you want to keep going, grab an earlier sequence and breathe and move to your heart's delight!

3 Surya Namaskar A

3 Surya Namaskar B

(1 minute each/side)

Urdhva Hastasana

Trikonasana

Parsvakonasana

Ardha Chandrasana

Virabadrasana 1

Baddha Hasta Uttanasana (ahem, "ragdoll"- not rag-like)

Marichyasana 3, 3x

Paschimottanasana

Savasana

We are officially done with our 2nd week of practice so now would be a great time to pull out your personal journal again and reflect a bit on your experience so far. How was week 2 different from week 1? What shifts have you noticed not just in your practice, but in the way that you carry yourself, the way that you breathe, the movement of your awareness? Have you noticed any changes in your connection to your spiritual heart?

If you feel like sharing any of your personal insights, feel free.

Day 15

My idea for this morning is a short one. Telling isn't it?

3 10 minute segments. You can do 1, you can do each, you can do some now, some later. The world is your oyster.

#1

AMS 3 minutes

Uttanasana 2 minutes

Supta Virasana 5 min

#2 (1 min ea/side)

Uttkatasana

Virabadrasana 1

Virabadrasana 2

Parsvakonasana

Parsvottanasana

Urdhva Prasarita Eka Padasana

#3 (1 min ea/side)

Supta Padangustasana 1,2,3,4

Baddha Konasana

Paschimottanasana

Savasana

Day 14

Awake. And thinking about practice. For me that is sort of like the perpetual state of "pre-practice". Christina once said that preparing a theme for a class was a lot like a bird circling around something coming closer and closer, taking your time. I think that I feel like that in relationship to a lot. That there is a part of me that is always in the context of practice in one way or another. I certainly spend a lot of time thinking about it, but that is not all that I mean. I put a great deal of dedication toward my behavior being something that is supportive of my practice, something that leads me there. This is perhaps obvious and most likely a much longer conversation, but there you have it.

Those of you that went down to Madison have been sharing how fantastic your experience was over the weekend. And let me tell you, it is self-evident (but I love to hear about it too). Everyone had such a beautiful luster in their eyes and smooth richness to their voices, it was like you could see the cellular make-up of these people moving and shifting around, coming into an expanded harmony. Let's just say that the inspiration was vast. We will all continue to be affected by the Grace that Sianna brings for many days to come.

So what shall we do today?

Urdhva Hastasana with thumbs hooked

Surya Namaskar A 3x with some extended time spent in Cobra

Surya Namaskar B 1x long uttkatasana

Parsvakonasana

Handstand (find some wall space)

Vrksasana

Lunge with a thigh stretch 3x

Pigeon with a thigh stretch

Ustrasana

Setubandasana (if there are some variations that you want to do, go for it)

Urdhva Dhanurasana

and then for fun:

Uttana Padasana to Urdhva Dhanurasana

Uttanasana

AMS

AMV

Savasana

Day 13

Here is some inspiration for us this morning:

Back in 1996-97, Sianna Sherman and a group of friends committed to getting together Monday-Friday for one year, at 5 am for 30 minutes of meditation and 2 hours of silent asana practice. She said that the year changed her life, and that the friends that she did this with are still her best friends.

She shared this little gem with us this morning during practice, and I could not help thinking, How Timely! And it was more fuel toward all of my inspiration for practice as a community sanctuary and my eventual desire for us to be able to come together in person and not just through the ether's.

I actually got inspired about a great many things, one of them being the June workshop with Christins Sell that we will be hosting in Viroqua again this summer. So many people that we there this weekend from all over told me they were going to make the trip this summer. It should be a great group, it sure was this weekend.

So, when I get home later today, I am going to add a few tidbits to the sidebar. Helpful and inspiring little morsels for you.

For now. Here are a few poetic, grace infused, delights from this morning.

AMS

plank (eka pada, eka hasta)

Surya Namaskar A 3x

Surya Namaskar B 1x (long Uttkatasana)

Parsvakonasana

Garudasana to Vira 3 to Urdhva Prasarita Eka Padasana

Parsvottansana with the ball of the foot up to UPEP again

Wild thing

Pigeon to Mermaid

AMS

Uttansana

that should do for today. I will lead most of the sequence that we did this morning with Sianna at next Sunday's practice.

Day 12

Good Morning! I am at some fancy Madison hotel with my kids and fella. Eider is snoozing, Maple and Papa are swimming, and I am checking in here before getting ready to head for a day of yoga with Sianna Sherman. A day of yoga. How nice is that? I have been looking forward to this for awhile, not only because a weekend workshop in Wisconsin is not so frequent of a happening, but this is Sianna's first time teaching in our lovely state and it has been a long time coming! The lovely ladies at Main Street Yoga here in Madison have been making every effort to get her here for over 5 years at this point. Thank you so much Barbara and Iris!

So, if you are not down here already and I am not about to see you in an hour, it is still not too late to hop into your car and head down here for the afternoon session that starts at 3. It will be so great that you will want to stay the night and wake up for her 7 am practice tomorrow (which really should be old hat for those of you who have been doing that with me for the better part of a year). Then you can just check off your practice for today and tomorrow and there you have it, it is a done deal!

But if I have not succeeded in convincing you yet, or you are otherwise unavailable, how about a little something to whet your yoga whistle today? Twists anyone?

AMV (childs)

AMS (down dog)

Uttanasana

Uttkatasana

Parsvakonasana

Trikonasana

Parivritta Trikonasana

Parivritta Parvakonasana

Twisted Uttkatasana

Lunge, with a twist and a thigh stretch

Parivritta Ardha Chandrasana

Janu Sirsasana

Ardha Matseyandrasana

Marichyasana 1 twisting stage

Marichyasana 3

Bharadvajasana 2

Paschimottanasana

Savasana

1 minute each/side

feel free to repeat a pose more than once a side, especially the seated poses.

Doesn't this look like such a blast? Think around 40 minutes.

Day 11

Already?

I have a confession. I have not practiced for a couple of days. I hope that that does not kill anybody's moral. I have been pretty sick and Chris has been away extra this week and well, basically all that I want to do when I have a moment is lie down and close my eyes. If you want to think of it as me doing savasana you are welcome to, even though I most certainly I am not. Desperately praying, maybe. Savasana, not a chance. Also, I am really trying to feel better for this weekend.

Today is Flow Friday. Which I personally love as a concept. Get on your mat and go kind of a thing. Just breathe. Unwind to your breath and your body. Let loose. Love yourself. Celebrate the unique gift of you. (You get the point. I could keep going...)

So, go for it. Try to be on your mat for 20 minutes minimally. And please check in. No loss of morale!

Day 10

Can it be? Day 10 already? 1/4 of the way through the challenge?

So I am late posting this again. We spent the night down at a friends farm and I am sick as a dog and so, well, here I am late putting this up.

I am thinking something brief and something mellow today. For 2 reasons. The first being malaise, the second being that tomorrow is Friday, and Sianna's workshop starts tomorrow in Madison. I have been plugging this shamelessly, but I mean, really. If you are anywhere in Wisconsin, this workshop is well worth the trip and the time and the effort. And if you live in the sticks like me, there is the added bonus of the city weekend. And if you are doing the challenge, here are 3 days of yoga just being handed over to you. And Sianna is really and truly one of the best yoga practitioners teaching today. I could go on and on here, but I should get to today's practice.

Here you go:

Adho Muhka Svanasana

Uttanasana

Supta Padangustasana 1-4

Parsvakonasana

Trikonasana

Ardha Chandrasana

Gardudasana

Virabadrasana 3

Uttanasana

Adho Muhka Virasana

Savasana

1 minute each per usual.

Day 9

It appears that my immune system could handle only so much malaise before I too went down. So, I didn't get this up last night. I apologize to the early risers of the bunch.

At any rate, I am thinking about flowers this morning. Well, really there component parts. Especially seeds. It is the end of February, and one very useful survival tool in Wisconsin this time of year is to start turning Winter's daydream of next season's garden in to a reality. So in February, especially at the end, I think of flowers. And I begin to gather all of the seeds and make a definitive plan for the next few months. I love the energy of this time of year.

But there is another flower that I think about all year long.

The Lotus Flower.

This flower, like many, is a sacred bloom. It is revered as something that grows out of the much to become Splendor itself.

Today, lets get to lotus. This is a great sequence for doing so (and the very same one that we will be doing at my 8:30 class this morning if you want some instruction....)

Adho Muhka Svanasana

Parsvakonasana

Uttanasana

Pigeon prep

Janu Sirsasana

Uppavista Konasana

Parsva Uppavista Konasana

Baby Cradle

Agnistambasana

Bharadvajasana

Padmasana

Viola!

Day 8

Here is a sequence that I do several times a month. I love it. It is about 45 minutes if you do the inversions, 25-30 minutes if you skip them. Let me know how it goes.

AMS

Uttanasana

Sirsasana (and variations, 5-10 minutes)

1 minute each side:

Crescent Pose

Virabadrasana 1

Anjaneyasana

Parsvottanasana

Parivritta Parsvakonasana

Supta Virasana (5 minutes)

Ustrasana

Danurasana

Parsva Danurasana

Urdhva Danurasana

Dwi Pada Viparita Dandasana

Sarvangasana and variations (5-10 minutes)

Savasana

Backbend Day!

Day 7

I had really wanted to put up video, or at least some photos over the weekend, but sadly I have not had the chance to even make the said video or pictures. As I write this, I have a very croupy baby on my back. So sad. I have been vomited on 2 times in the last 3 days, by both kids. The hidden underbelly of the path of the householder.

So, I do have something great to offer you. Elsie Escobar. Check her out. She puts up a free podcast of her classes. And she has great thumbnail photos (just like the ones that I want to make!) Not to mention the leg warmers. Love the leg warmers.

This is the 7th day of the challenge. The end of one week. Something that is of great benefit to your asana practice, is self-reflection. You can dialogue with friends, you can have some quiet time for contemplation. But what I want to specifically recommend it the power of journalling. There is nothing like taking some time to write down what you are experiencing to help you get more clarity. In doing so, you will become incredibly potent in your ability to articulate what yoga really is for you.

So I would like you to journal for a little bit on each 7th day. On Mondays. You can set your timer for a realistic length of time (at least 10 minutes) and have at it. I would especially love if you could share an excerpt from your process in the comments. Yoga is a conversation that has been going on for 1000's of years and we get to be a part of that conversation. So amazing.

This is what I want to do tomorrow in the way of asana:

Supta Padangustasana 1-4 (1 min each)

Supta Virasana (5 min)

Uttanasana (3 min)

Adho Muhka Svanasana (3 min)

Setubandha with a block support under the sacrum (3 min)

Savasana

short and sweet.

Love it.

Day 6

I am tired today. Both of my kids are sick, and I am on a serious run of sleepless nights. Today I literally practiced amid sobbing. It was kind of crazy. And yet in the end it was immensely helpful. I really believe that when my children can see me tending to myself, that they are learning something vital. Not just about mama, but about all people and our basic human need for heart-centered self care. Often, when I finish, we are all settled more deeply in ourselves. Not just me. And there are days when nothing works out remotely as I had hoped and we are all punting. And that is great too because there we are practicing in another way what it means to be in the flow.

Sunday is traditionally one of my longer practice days of the week. Probably because it is the one day that I practice with other people and we hold each other there much more easily. So, I am going to give you the sequence that I will be doing in the morning. You can take it or leave it or just do some of it (or better yet come and practice the very same thing in community at 7 am in the morning.)

This is a sequence that we did at a workshop that I attended when I was pregnant with Eider. I loved it then and I love it now. But then again, the teacher was THE TEACHER and he is pretty much brilliant at all things including teaching a phenomenal class with a phenomenal sequence.

Adho Muhka Svanasana

Pigeon prep

the following poses in a Vinyasa:

Parsvakonasana

Trikonasana

Virabadrasana 2

Virabadrasana 1

Ardha Chandrasana to Trikonasana

Parivritta Trikonasana

Parivritta Parsvakonasnana

AMS

Uttanasana

Janu Sirsasana

Ardha Matseyandrasana

Triang Muhk Aikapadapaschimottanasana

Bharadvajasana 2

Uppavista Konasana

Parsva Uppavista Konasana

Hanumanasana 3x

Uttanasana

Ardha Baddha Uttanasana

Standing Kurmasana

Supta Tadasana

Supta Padangustasana 1,2,4

Yoga Dandasana 2x

Uttanasana

Savasana

Gets kind of crazy there at the end. Do what you can. Or go back and snag something from a previous day. That is the great thing. You should have a little folder building of possible practices. Love it. Rock on Yogins! And do not forget to check in.

Day 5

This is from Christina's blog. I think it pretty well suits us now, don't you?

"Abhyasa (practice) is a dedicated, unswerving, constant, and vigilant search into a chosen subject pursued against all odds in the face of repeated failures, for indefinitely long periods of time."- B.K.S. Iyengar

Pretty much sums it up. This is the much distilled story. Longer versions forthcoming.

Saturday, how about some balancing poses?

Warm up:

3 Surya Namaskar A

3 Surya Namaskar B

1 minute each:

Vrksasana

Garudasana

Ardha Chandrasana

Virabadrasana 3

Uttansana

Malasana

Marichyasana 1

Baddha Konasana

Bakasana

Uttanasana

Savasana

Sweet and Short for your Saturday. Let me know how it is going. And as always, have fun!

Day 4

This is so fun. I mean really. I cannot think of anything else that I do where when I am done I feel that good. Yoga. It really is like nothing else. But, I have drunk the kool-aid. Tons of it actually. For almost 14 years. Yum.

And as awesome as it is to eek out 10 minutes on your mat, 90 minutes is better. Not as in better or worse. Just better. I feel that much better. I guess you could say that it is all on a spectrum, and everywhere on the spectrum is good, and the further you go it is just more goodness.

Day 4. Friday. Heretofore will be known as Flow Friday. Or better yet Flow and Glow Friday.

Here's the deal; Set the timer for a minimum of 20 minutes (or set your alarm for at least 20 minutes from when you start). Then simply do Surya Namaskar A until you hear beep. It can be however fast or slow you like. Just follow your breath and have fun.

Surya Namaskar A

Tadasana

inhale to Urdhva Hastasana (arms overhead)

exhale Uttanasana

inhale Ardha Uttanasana

exhale to Plank to Chaturanga Dandasana

inhale Bhujangasana or Urdhva Muhka Svanasana

exhale Adho Muhka Svanasana

stay for 3-10 breaths

bottom of an exhale hop forward

inhale Ardha Uttanasana

exhale Uttanasana

inhale Urdhva Hastasana

exhale Tadasana (anjali mudra)

(those members of my family who are participating, ahem, please let me know what is shakin'. You know that you want to let me know that you are out there. Or at least I want you to.)

Day 3

Thursday

Even though it is Wednesday night. But I turn in soon, and I really want to make sure that this is up for any of you crazy folks up before me. That is early. Or for any friends on the East Coast.

I thought that I would put up a sequence that I use a lot in my practice with a few small changes. In fact, I just finished doing these very poses in front of my wood stove.

1 minute each:

Adho Muhka Svanasana

Uttanasana

Trikonasana

Parsvakonasana

Parivritta Trikonasana

Parivritta Parsvakonasana

Uttanasana

Supta Virasana (5 minutes- again, if you do not practice this pose, do ardha bhekasana)

1 minute each:

Pascimottanasana

Janu Sirsasana

Triang Muhkaikapadapascimottansana

Ardha Baddha Padma Paschimottanasana (or Janu Sirsasana again if you are not doing lotus)

Marichyasana 1

Pascimottanasana

Savasana

I really do this all of the time but I add in some inversions. You are welcome to do this if you practice them regularly. I put sirsasana (headstand) at the beginning anywhere from 5-10 minutes, and Sarvangasana (shoulderstand) at the end for the same amount of time. This turns a 25 minute practice into more like a 45 minute one.

Let me know how it is going. Some of you have expressed frustration at having to spend so much time looking up the poses. Hang in there. Everything will keep getting more familiar. And if you are short on time you can always do a sequence that you have all set for yourself. I am going to put up a video clip of a sequence this weekend and that should be a big help.

Leave me your comments and have fun!

Day 2

I have a confession. I did not do yesterday's practice. Every other Tuesday I am fortunate enough to travel up to Iyengar Yoga Land in Lacrosse and take classes with one of the most seasoned teachers I have ever had the pleasure of studying with, Chris Saudek. But I think that many of you are most likely happier with the sequence that you did. Not quite so crazy. And that is saying a lot!

Here is my rap on timers. When you stay in a pose for a little longer than you are comfortable, something magical begins to happen. You are asked to be steady with a part of yourself that you do not often have the opportunity to sit with. You may be familiar with this part, but in a much more adversarial or reactionary way. However, when you invite it forward in a way that is tempered with a little curiosity, you are actually developing the ability to relate to that part of yourself in the moments when it "flares up" and gives you trouble. This to me is one of the great gifts of Yoga. Through the practice, we shine the light of our awareness of the multitude of different parts that make up who we are, as complex and beautiful as that is. So stay in the pose a little longer. Get a timer.

Again, for the beginners, any effort you can make to get to a class, you are going to be served so greatly. Unfortunately, I am not at a point in my life where I have the resources to put up images of every posture, I can only refer you to some reliable resources. Such as this book. I cannot tell you the value of this text for every student of yoga. Order it right now and it will come at the same time as your timer.

Day 2:

sit quietly
Uttanasana (1 minute)
lunges (lots)
Adho Muhka Svanasana (1 min)

1 minute each side:
Virabadrasana 2
Parsvakonasana
Prasaritta Padottanasana
Anjaneyasana
Uttanasana

If you are accustomed to Supta Virasana, take the pose for 5 minutes with the arms extended overhead. If you do not practice this pose, take Ardha Bhekasana, 1 minute each side, 2 times.
Adho Muhka Svanasana
Adho Muhka Virasana
Savasana

This should land you at around 20 minutes. Have Fun!

Day 1

Welcome!

Before we get started, I want to just say, you are amazing! This is such a gift that you are giving to yourselves and I honor that completely. The regular practice of asana can be an incredibly challenging commitment to make, but I assure you, it is something that will serve you more than I could ever adequately put into words.

One of the translations for the Sanskrit word for practice, Abhyasa, is "Steady practice with devotion, over a long period of time". It is my intention that we each bring the fullest expression of our hearts to the next 40 days of practice, and beyond. So much awaits to be revealed. And, it is also my intention that we have fun. Oodles of boundless, childlike, fun.

Many of you that have expressed interest in participating are either new to yoga or have very little experience. You are all welcome. And I think that each sequence should be great for most people. I may at times put up a sequence that is geared more toward intermediate students, and on those days simply pick a previous days practice to do on that day. For everyone, but especially the beginners, I encourage you to make it to some of your local yoga classes during this event. There are so many talented teachers out there and there is really nothing like the gift of having someone watch you practice and tell you what they see. In Viroqua, Tapestry yoga has a full schedule of great classes.

How about some invigorating standing poses to start us off?

Adho Muhka Virasana (child's pose- I often begin each practice this way, or by simply sitting quietly for a few moments and connecting to the breath)
Uttanasana (1 minute)
Lunges- 5-10 each side, 3-5 breaths each
Adho Muhka Svanasana -downward facing dog pose (1 minute)

1 minute each side:
Uttkatasana
Virabadrasana 1
Virabadrasana 2
Vrksasana
Parsvakonasana
Trikonasana
Garudasana
Anjaneyasana
Anjaneyasana with a thigh stretch (back leg in ardha bhekasana)
Eka Pada Raja Kapotasana prep (pigeon)
Eka Pada Raja Kapotasana with thigh stretch (back leg ardha bhekasana)

1 minute each:
Uttanasana
Adho Muhka Svanasana
Adho Muhka Virasana

Savasana

This practice should take about 30 minutes. I can't wait to hear how it goes!

A Home Practice Initiative

This is my alternate title for the 40 day yoga challenge. I think that it sounds very Driftless region. We are all about initiatives here. For those of you not from the area, the Driftless is the home of our quaint little hamlet of Viroqua. We love it here. And we love it even more when we are doing oodles of great yoga!

So tomorrow is the last day before we begin. It is my plan to put up posts the night before so that those of you who like to wake up early to practice do not have to wait.

I want to mention a few things that you will need for these practices and some other optional items. You need a mat. If you do not already have a yoga mat, they are pretty easy to come by. even if you live here. Most health food stores stock them, and in Viroqua I am pretty sure that you can pick one up at the VMH Wellness Center. (If you are stumped on this, or on any of the other props, let me know and I can help- I have a whole studio disassembled in my living room...) It would be great to have a blanket and a strap and a block. These can also be improvised in a pinch. I am used a shirt for a strap, a towel for a blanket, and a box for a block. But if you are interested in using the real thing (and live in town) again, let me know.

One last thing. A timer. I love to time holds when I practice. It builds strength and it helps me to stay focused. This is the kind that I love. But I have been using a regular 'ol kitchen timer for years. Oh well. It works.

So many people have expressed interest in taking the challenge. I really think that the more people that get involved, the more support that we will all feel and also the more momentum we will build as a community. So please, become a "follower" and put up a picture so that we know who you are and leave a comment after you practice. Let's get connected.

An Introduction

This is so exciting! I have wanted to do a 40 day yoga challenge ever since my friend Darren told me about the one that they did at his studio in Tucson. But then I moved to the country, had babies, and a bunch of other very cool stuff that made going to a studio every day for 40 days nigh impossible. Alas. Actually, I am not exactly sure why it has taken me so long to think about doing it this way instead. I suppose that it is because I enjoy the community aspect of yoga so very much. I was brought up in the Anusara Yoga(TM) method and community is a central aspect of that school. (As a side note, I am very much aligned with Anusara and pretty much everything that I have to offer comes directly from what I have learned from the brilliant teachers in that method, many of whom I will probably mention sooner or later- see Darren above- and to each of whom I am eternally grateful.)

As it is not currently in the stars for most of us to make it in to the studio to practice every day for 40 days, we will make it in when we can, and the rest of the time we will meet here. Every day I will post a sequence, some days they will be just a brief taste and other days a longer dish. Sometimes I will put up some pics of poses and maybe even some video clips, but always a list of poses. A note about the pose list. I try to use the Sanskrit names almost exclusively. I encourage you to learn these names. It will serve you immensely. Whenever you do not know what a pose is you can find it here.

Also, any public classes that you do go to, whether you live in Viroqua or not, count as your practice for that day. You, of course, are more than welcome to do the online sequence as well, but you do not need to.

I encourage everyone to leave a comment for each practice so that we all know who is out there and that we are participating in this as a community, even tho an on-line one. It will help us all to keep going. We are building a habit of health and self care here. By having structured discipline around this intention for a large chunk of time we are bettering the odds that the habit will stick. And whenever we do anything like this in any area of our lives be it diet or parenting or learning a trade, the support of our community is always invaluable. So rock the comments!