Spring flow

Spring is finally here and I couldn't be more ready for some warm weather, late sunsets and the promise of change. I'm in the first week of doing a 40 day journey with two of my girlfriends. In these 40 days we practice yoga daily (something that was pretty easy for me to do), we eat clean and according to what the body needs not just what it wants, and we meditate daily. This has been a hard thing for me to get into, but I'm slowly starting to appreciate it more. I'm a true vata/pitta in doshic speaking. I like to move, I'm airy and often a little flighty, I forget to eat, and sometimes have a hot temper (OK there is a lot more to me and the doshas but you get it). Meditation has been forcing me to consciously slow down and actually stop. It's been good to show myself what I am capable of and how reinvigorating it can make me feel. While meditating and focusing on taking things back to the basics I've been thinking about what spring is to me beyond the warm weather and the flowers blooming. Spring really is about allowing change and creating space. It's the opening and beginning for so many things, but also just another part to the cycle. It will come every year, although sometimes later, we can count on it to bring the change. Spring makes me want to twist. I want to rinse out my body, clear it of the crap and get ready to invite new sensations. This flow gets my core warmed and lets me feel that lovely detox from wringing out the spine and joints while keeping me focused on continuing to let my heart shine. 

Warm up > Sun A
Chair > Flow > Crescent > Crescent twist > Crescent > Flow
Forearm plank hold 15 > Side plank hold 30 > Forearm plank hold 15 > Side plank hold 30
Childs pose > Table Top intoCat/Cow > Down Dog
Chair > Chair Twist > Flow > Crescent > Step foot in Pyramid > Step to top > Do other side
Chair > Chair twist > Revolved Crescent > Crescent > Flow
Low lunge > add in quad stretch > Low lunge > add in twist > pop back leg up

Crescent > Flow > 3 legged dog > flip dog

Chair > Crescent > Warrior 3 > Crescent > open up 1 breath > Flow
Chair > Chair twist > Side Crow
Pashimo > Janu > Bridge > Wheel > Shoulder stand > Plow > Happy BBY > Savasana

Socially Inclined

So I've been debating if I should write about it, if this is the correct platform for me to express all the stuff that's going on inside...and then I realized that's what it's here for. Since the election things have been crazy. I feel like sometimes I'm living in an episode of the Twilight Zone or maybe even Outer Limits (here's looking at you dad). People have gotten so mean and rude, they've stopped listening to reason or logic and have become so reliant on their emotions to make decisions for them. I don't need to go into the details of my own politics (you'll see where I stand soon enough...), but I feel like there have to be ways for the little folks like me to make ourselves heard, to stand up with the bigger cause even if we cannot be physically there or provide as much financial support as we wish we could.

Last week I taught on Saturday January 21st when the women's march in DC and many other state capitols happened. I was originally planning to join the march in Denver, but with class I was unable. To show my solidarity I created playlist features all bands that are all women or at least female fronted and had us do some gnarly core! Listen to the playlist here.

And here's the core section of my flow:

Toe Stand Flow

When I went through teacher training the flow that we learned included a vrksasana variation that included toe stand. I used to think folks that took the variation were nuts! How in the world would I ever balance on my little toes? Through 10 weeks of practice I finally started adding it to my own practice. Although I don't often take it in class these days, I thought it would be fun to teach class around it. 
I started with a 7-9 minute warm up including child's pose, some side stretches and light warming up of the core before a few rounds of Sun A. 
Utkatasana > Flow > Crescent lunge > Twist open > Crescent lunge > Warrior two > Reverse warrior > Flow
Eagle > Intense side stretch > Turn to right > Wide leg fold > Walk hands to the back > Flow Same side and then do the left
Crescent lunge > Humble x 3 >  Step feet together > Half lift > Come to squat, squeezing in knees with arms > Hands to heart > Squat twist > Side crow > Flow and move on to other side.
Hop to tadasana > Standing splits > Leg through > Skater pose > Janushirasana with twist > Baby wild thing > Janushirasana variation with leg up at hip > Roll back to Flow > Second side
Tree pose > Warrior three > Crescent > Warrior two > Reverse triangle > Flow
Tree pose > Intermediate > Toe stand > Tadasana > Other side.
For cool down I would do a little pigeon, some forward folds and some spinal twists. 

Dancing Warrior...Aly Style!

I've been teaching a little more in the last few weeks and lately I've been feeling like Sun A and Sun B are just getting too typical for some of my classes. I can see my regular students going into auto pilot before I've even said "half way lift." To change things up I've been working on a little dancing warrior flow that I'm integrating instead of Sun B.

Here's the break down: 
Two 1/2 Sun A followed by 2 full Sun A salutations (workshop chaturanga on the first full Sun A)
From Down Dog
Warrior 2
Extended side
Reverse warrior
Half moon (second set add bind)
Warrior 2
Reverse
Flow