The seas of change and stress can rough us up in life, but it’s in those times that it is so important to remain anchored. Anchors help us maintain our stability even in the roughest and toughest seas of life. Whether we realize it or not, all living things yearn for stability. We are constantly seeking to establish harmonious and balanced relationships with ourselves and our environment. But how to do we achieve stability in this unstable and unpredictable world? Yoga can help. This week’s featured classes will help us recognize that we have the power to create anchors of stability in our lives and in ourselves.
- Stability Practice with Jo Tastula:Take a few minutes to relax and set the tone for the type of practice that you’d like to have today. Need some healing? Inspiration? Strengthening? Centering? Practice can be what ever you set your mind and heart to. In class we play with poses that are internally rotated in the legs which create stability in the pelvis and spine. From simple 3 legged downward facing dog (adho mukha svanasana), crescent, wide legged forward bend (prasarita parsvottonasana), eagle (garudasana), swan (hamsasana), side plank (vasistasana) and a few variations of head to knee pose (janu sirsasana). Try to follow on with my infamous ‘around the world’ transition (I have trouble with that one myself).Savasana to finish.
- Stability and Flexibility with Steven Espinosa: Strong Level 1 challenging enough for beginners and intermediate students. Steady opening warm up leads into an energetic Standing Pose flow with Warriors 1, 2 & 3 for strength and endurance. Focus is on establishing stability to create greater flexibility. Continues with Utkatsasana (Chair) and Parivrtta Utkatasana (Twisting Chair). Followed by Hip Opener in Agnistambhasana (Firelog) also includes brief tutorial to safely engage hamstring stretch in Hanumanasana (Monkey). Continues with Back Bends in Bridge and/or Upward Facing Bow, Spinal Twist and brief Savasana.
- Boost Your Stability, Find Positivity with Stephanie Snyder: Boost your stability and power to express yourself in a meaningful and positive way. This is a midline practice that will fortify your connection to center and balance. It is a strong and flowing practice that includes heart, shoulder, quad openers (low lunges, wild thing, anjaneyasana, dhanurasana, etc) twists and standing balance poses. This practice will clear your inner vision.
- Turn Your Fear into Stability with Elena Brower: With this practice we transmute any “heavy” energy – sadness, grief or fear – into grounding stability. Through this sweet flow sequence, with interesting use of the back foot leading into anjaneyasana, even forearm stand, we will address the musculature of your legs and groundedness of your feet in order to transmute what’s weighing us down energetically into a strong and steady foundational energy.
- Find Stability with Kathryn Budig: A simple, grounding flow meant to help us feel stability both in our body and in our life. Great if you want a mellow practice with elements of strength. Sun salutations followed by a few standing poses and a headstand hold.
- Strength & Stability with Felicia Tomasko: This practice begins with bridge pose moving with the breath to both strengthen and stretch the muscles along the spine before moving into an abdominal strengthening series and gentle backbends. This balanced group of postures can be done at any time of day to encourage strength and stability.
