Foundations of Yoga with Arin Trook

Explore the roots of yoga practice and theory in this unique three-part yoga series.

Foundations One: Breath

Wednesday, December 8^th, 6:00-7:15

• Yoga and breathing (yogic breath, pranayama)
• Standing postures (Tadasana, Eagle, Uttkatasana)
• Brief history of yoga: Patanjali to Lululemon

Foundations Two: Balance

Monday, December 13^th, 5:45-7:00

• Balancing postures (arm balances, inversions)
• Types of yoga (Hatha, Bhakti, Karma)

Foundations Three: Bandhas and beyond

Monday, December 20^th, 5:45-7:00

• Hips and Heart (backbends/chest-openers)
• Introduction to bandhas (energetic locks)
• Developing a home practice: taking yoga off the mat

These are all-levels classes, and appropriate and engaging for beginning to advanced students. Optional handouts and “homework assignments” are available, with a focus on developing your own home practice. You are welcome to drop-in to any of the three classes, although you are encouraged to attend all three for consistent progression.

This is a great opportunity to explore or return to the foundations of your practice, work towards developing a regular practice of your own, and learning to take your yoga off the mat and into other aspects of your life. We will begin with the basics of all yoga practice—correct breathing and anatomical alignment, moving into the playful and creative edge of inversions and arm balances, as well as exploring the subtle body aspects of prana and bandhas.

December 2010 El Portal Community Yoga Schedule

Wednesday, December 1^st 6:00-7:15 pm Schuyler Greenleaf

Monday, December 6^th 5:45-7:00 pm Foundations 1 w/ Arin Trook

Wednesday, December 8^th 6:00-7:15 pm Jennie Wheeler

Monday, December 13^th 5:45-7:00 pm Foundations 2 w/ Arin Trook

Wednesday, December 15^th 6:00-7:15 pm School Program, No Class

Monday, December 20^th 5:45-7:00 pm Foundations 3 w/ Arin Trook

Wednesday, December 22^nd 6:00-7:15 pm Liesa Scholze

Monday, December 27^th 5:45-7:00 pm Teaching Holiday

Wednesday, December 29^th 6:00-7:15 pm Erik Sloan

Krishnamacharaya and the Roots of Yoga

T. Krishnamacharaya was perhaps the most influential yoga teacher of the 20^th century. When traced back, most the wonderful yoga styles, teachers, and forms we know today trace their roots back to this Indian yoga teacher, healer, and scholarship. His students include some of the most well known and influential yoga teachers today--B.K.S. Iyengar, the late K. Pattabhi Jois, the late Indra Devi, Srivatsa Ramaswami, A.G. Mohan, and Krishnamacharya’s son T.K.V. Desikachar.

This video is an amazing view back in our yoga history and heritage. This is B.K.S. Iyengar, at age 20, moving with grace through his asana practice. The voice of Krishnamacharaya chants Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras over the video. Just listening to the resonant sound of Krishnamacharya’s Sanskrit is a yoga practice in itself.

The Uncarved Block of Tadasana

Tadasana, or the mountain pose, is the “uncarved block” of your yoga asana practice. It is from this posture that all other poses and actions arise and return. Perhaps second only to shavasana in importance, it is critically important that you find your tadasana, strong and rooted, and disturb this posture as little as possible.

Yes, we are speaking somewhat metaphorically here, but there is also an element of practicality—no matter what shape or form your body takes, look for aspects of your tadasana there, and breathe into this. You may be engaged in your most beautiful pinky-finger handstand with scorpion legs, and yet even here, you are working to maintain as many elements of your tadasana as possible (soles of the feet, the smooth breath).

Physically, tadasana begins with the rooting of the feet. Lift the toes, spreading them wide and replacing them mindfully on the mat. Engage the legs, hugging the muscles of the upper and lower leg to the bones. Strengthen the abdomen, focusing specifically on the lowest part of the belly, creating a slight and subtle uddiyanda bandha. Drop the tail bone as you draw the pelvic floor up, engaging, as always mulabanha. Chest and shoulders are open and broad, with the chin tucked slightly in and down to elongate the very top of the spinal column. Relax the jaw, the tongue, and the forehead, and invite the breath to lengthen.

During your standing asana practice, try returning to tadasana as smoothly and fully as possible after each posture. Can you resume tadasana and take one or two full breaths before readjusting, shaking out legs or arms, or wiggling? This is an excellent way to efficiently relax and restore you body and energy, cultivating your ability to move from complete engagement to complete relaxation effortlessly.

Finally, can you bring tadasana off the mat and into your everyday life? What is the difference between standing in tadasana in the yoga studio and standing in line at the market? Can you bring this level of consciousness to all your “standing postures” in life?

Virabhadrasana, The Warrior

The warrior. This can be an intensely energetic pose as we inhabit the fierceness, the strength, the determination of the warrior. I try to begin this pose with the question, “What would I fight for, as a warrior?” Even, or perhaps especially, for us devout non-violent pacifists, this is a powerful examination of our deepest beliefs and ethics.

Virabhadra was one of Shiva’s most fierce warriors. He was born in a fit of rage, as Shiva tore one of his matted dreadlocks off and threw it to the ground. From the impact, Virabhadra and Bhadrakali arose, and were ordered to kill Shiva’s father-in-law and everyone in his company. A blood-drinking, party-crashing Rasta-born soldier, Virabhdra takes to towards our wild, unleashed potential-self.

This pose, in its two most common variations, is rooted strongly through the outer edge of the back foot. Take time to set the foundation here, grounding through both feet, again trying to “disturb tadasana as little as possible.” Externally rotate the inner thighs, opening the groin and dropping a bit deeper in the pelvic floor. The front leg bends at 90 degrees, keeping knee and foot in alignment. Drop the tailbone and engage the lowest abdomen, inviting uddiyana bandha (abdominal lock).

If you tend to mostly practice the first variation of this pose (arms and hands overhead), I encourage you to drop your arms into Virabhadrasana B to further establish your lower body foundation. With the arms spread wide at shoulder height, the strong backbend of the posture is reduced, and here, again dropping the tailbone, you can work on engaging the feet, drawing muscular energy up through the legs with each breath.