Tree Yoga

This Friday, June 27 will be the final 4pm Level I class for the summer. Barbara and I are looking into options for the fall, so check back in late August for updates. Thanks to all those who have been attending!

There will not be class on Friday, May 30. I’ll be in Wisconsin for a friend’s wedding, and Barbara is teaching a course at the Monastery that afternoon.

New Class starting Friday, May 2!

Fridays, 4-5:15pm
Level I
Mountain View Studio

See the Class Schedule page for more information.

Awareness: Release tension in groins and hips; lengthen from groin to inner knee/foot and draw up from outer knee/foot to outer hip

Beginner’s sequence:

1. Svastikasana, then extend forward and to sides
2. Baddha konasana
3. Upavistha konasana
4. Malasana with heels on blanket
5. Urdhva hastasana
6. Tadasana
7. Vrksasana
8. Utkatasana
9. Ardha uttanasana with hands on blocks
10. Anjaneyasana with back knee down, hands on blocks to extend spine
11. Eka pada rajakapotasana with hip supported; hands by hips, then extend forward
12. Virabhadrasana I from Anjaneyasana
13. Utthita Trikonasana
14. Virabhadrasana II
15. Utthita Parsvakonasana with forearm on thigh
16. Tadasana
17. Supta padangusthasana I and II
18. Setu bandha sarvangasana
19. Savasana

Intermediate sequence:

1. Svastikasana, then extend forward and to sides
2. Baddha konasana
3. Upavistha konasana, extend forward
4. Malasana with heels on blanket
5. Urdhva hastasana
6. Utkatasana
7. Ardha uttanasana
8. Uttanasana
9. Adho mukha svanasana
10. Anjaneyasana 1x back knee down, take elbows to floor inside of front knee, 2x back knee up, bring hands up into Virabhadrasana I variation
11. Eka pada rajakapotasana with hip supported; hands by hips, then extend forward
12. Adho mukha svanasana
13. Tadasana
14. Utthita Trikonasana
15. Virabhadrasana II
16. Utthita Parsvakonasana with hand on hip
17. Prasarita padottanasana
18. Adho mukha svanasana
19. Hanumanasana with hands on blocks
20. Adho mukha svanasana
21. Setu bandha sarvangasana
22. Savasana

Awareness: Focus on turning from navel and lengthening from tailbone to top of head

Beginner’s Sequence:

1. Svastikasana
2. Tadasana
3. Vrksasana
4. Namaskarasana twist (Stand with hands in prayer position, legs together. Bend both knees, lengthen torso forward, place left elbow to outside of right knee, and turn torso to right. Try to keep hands at center of chest. Repeat to left side.)
5. Utthita Trikonasana with hand on chair
6. Virabhadrasana II
7. Utthita Parsvakonasana with hand on chair
8. Virabhadrasana I
9. Parsvottanasana with hands on chair
10. Parivrtta trikonasana with hand on chair
11. Adho mukha svanasana with hands on chair
12. Utthita maricyasana
13. Setu bandha sarvangasana
14. Savasana

Intermediate Sequence:

1. Svastikasana, change cross of legs and twist to right, then left
2. Adho mukha svanasana
3. Uttanasana , hold elbows
4. Tadasana
5. Vrksasana
6. Namaskarasana twist (Stand with hands in prayer position, legs together. Bend both knees, lengthen torso forward, place left elbow to outside of right knee, and turn torso to right. Try to keep hands in namaskar position at center of chest. Repeat to left side.)
7. Utthita Trikonasana
8. Virabhadrasana II
9. Utthita Parsvakonasana
10. Ardha chandrasana
11. Virabhadrasana I
12. Parivrtta parsvakonasana with back heel off floor
13. Parivrtta trikonasana
14. Parivrtta ardha chandrasana
15. Prasarita padottanasana
16. Sirsasana
17. Adho mukha svanasana
18. Salamba sarvangasana
19. Halasana
20. Savasana

Beginner’s Sequence:

1. Svastikasana on a block
2. Adho mukha virasana with torso on a bolster/blankets
3. Uttanasana
4. Tadasana
5. Virabhadrasana II on a chair (straddle chair seat; thigh of bent leg supported by blankets on chair seat)
6. Utthita parsvakonasana on chair (same set up as pose 5)
7. Utthita trikonasana on chair (same set up as poses 5 and 6, with both legs straight)
8. Virabhadrasana I on chair (sit on chair with one leg through back of chair, front knee bent and foot on a block, back leg straight with heel down)
9. Prasarita padottanasana with hands on chair
10. Adho mukha svanasana with hands on chair
11. Uttanasana with head on chair
12. Utthita maricyasana with foot on chair and both hands at wall
13. Setu bandha sarvangasana on blocks with belt around thighs
14. Viparita karani
15. Savasana

Intermediate Sequence:

1. Svastikasana on a block
2. Adho mukha virasana with torso on a bolster/blankets
3. Adho mukha svanasana with head supported
4. Uttanasana
5. Tadasana
6. Virabhadrasana II on a chair (straddle chair seat; thigh of bent leg supported by blankets on chair seat)
7. Utthita parsvakonasana on chair (same set up as pose 5)
8. Utthita trikonasana on chair (same set up as poses 5 and 6, with both legs straight)
9. Virabhadrasana I on chair (sit on chair with one leg through back of chair, front knee bent and foot on a block, back leg straight with heel down)
10. Adho mukha svanasana with hands on chair
11. Viparita dandasana on chair with belt around thighs
12. Bharadvajasana on chair
13. Sarvangasana on chair -OR- Setu bandha sarvangasana on blocks with belt around thighs
14. Viparita karani with belt around thighs
15. Savasana

Awareness: Draw tailbone toward heels/floor to lengthen lumbar spine

Beginners sequence:

1. Svastikasana
2. Adho mukha virasana with arms extended and forehead on block
3. Supine backbend over blanket roll (lie on back with rolled up blanket under shoulder blades, arms out to sides, legs straight or bent)
4. Anjaneyasana at wall with block at front knee, fingertips on wall, back knee on floor
5. Adho mukha svanasana with hands on blocks at wall
6. Tadasana
7. Utkatasana
8. Virabhadrasana I at wall with block at front knee
9. Parsvottanasana with hands on wall
10. Prasarita padottanasana
11. Sphinx
12. Bhujangasana
13. Ardha dhanurasana
14. Jathara parivartanasana
15. Savasana with knees supported on blanket roll

Intermediate sequence:

1. Svastikasana
2. Adho mukha virasana with arms extended and forehead on block
3. Adho mukha svanasana with hands on blocks at wall
4. Anjaneyasana at wall with block at front knee, fingertips on wall, back knee on floor (can repeat poses 3 and 4 multiple times, switching legs for anjaneyasana)
5. Adho mukha svanasana with hands on floor
6. Plank
7. Bhujangasana
8. Adho mukha svanasana
9. Uttanasana
10. Tadasana
11. Urdhva hastasana
12. Utkatasana
13. Virabhadrasana II
14. Virabhadrasana I (optional: at wall with block at knee)
15. Parsvottanasana
16. Prasarita padottanasana
17. Sirsasana
18. Viparita dandasana on chair
19. Bharadvajasana on chair
20. Adho mukha svanasana with hands on chair
21. Urdhva mukha svanasana with hands on chair (repeat poses 20 and 21 several times, ending in adho mukha svanasana for several breaths)
22. Savasana with legs on chair

Alternative for Intermediate sequence: poses 3 - 10 can be replaced with several rounds of Surya Namaskar (sun salutations)

Awareness: focus on drawing navel toward spine and lifting spine out of sacral region

Beginners sequence:

1. Svastikasana
2. Upavistha konasana; sit upright and twist to right, then left
3. Supta padangusthasana I with foot at wall
4. Urdhva prasarita padasana variations: 1x knees bent, 2x one leg at a time to wall, 3x both legs to wall
5. Jathara parivartanasana with bent legs; knees to left, then right, several times to each side
6. Tadasana
7. Uttanasana with hands on chair
8. Parsvottanasana with hands on chair
9. Virabhadrasana I
10. Adho mukha svanasana with hands on chair
11. Paripurna navasana with hands behind hips for support and knees bent
12. Janu sirsasana
13. Savasana

Intermediate sequence:

1. Svastikasana
2. Adho mukha virasana with torso supported on blankets
3. Adho mukha svanasana
4. Supta padangusthasana I with foot at wall
5. Supta padangusthasana II; first take leg out to right, then cross it over to left, repeat with other leg
6. Urdhva prasarita padasana; first with knees bent, then with legs straight and heels to wall
7. Jathara parivartanasana with bent legs; knees to left, then right, several times to each side
8. Tadasana
9. Urdhva hastasana
10. Uttanasana with hands on blocks
11. Parsvottanasana with hands on blocks
12. Virabhadrasana I
13. Adho mukha svanasana
14. Paripurna navasana with knees bent, 2x
15. Janu sirsasana
16. Parivrtta janu sirsasana
17. Salamba sarvangasana, add eka pada variation (one leg up and other leg parallel to floor with foot on chair)
18. Ardha halasana on chair
19. Savasana with legs on chair

Awareness: focus on engaging and externally rotating upper arms and extending arms from the back body

Beginners sequence:

1. Svastikasana; add Parvatasana (Baddhanguliyasana) arms
2. Dandasana holding block overhead between palms
3. Tadasana
4. Urdhva hastasana holding block between palms
5. Utthita hasta padasana
6. Virabhadrasana II
7. Utthita parsvakonasana with hand on chair
8. Utthita trikonasana with hand on chair
9. Parsvottanasana
10. Adho mukha svanasana with hands on chair
11. Plank with hands on chair (repeat poses 9 and 10 three times, finishing in Adho mukha svanasana)
12. Bharadvajasana on chair
13. Savasana with legs on chair seat

Intermediate sequence:

1. Svastikasana; add Parvatasana (Baddhanguliyasana) arms
2. Dandasana holding block overhead between palms
3. Adho mukha svanasana
4. Uttanasana
5. Tadasana
6. Urdhva hastasana; 1x turn upper arm out with other hand, 2x bend wrists and face palms to ceiling
7. Virabhadrasana II
8. Utthita parsvakonasana
9. Utthita trikonasana
10. Parsvottanasana on right side
11. Parivrtta trikonasana to right (repeat 10 and 11 to left side)
12. Adho mukha svanasana
13. Plank (repeat poses 12 and 13 three times, ending in Adho mukha svanasana)
14. Sirsasana
15. Adho mukha svanasana
16. Setu bandha sarvangasana on two blocks
17. Viparita karani
18. Savasana

Beginners sequence:

1. Svastikasana
2. Upavistha konasana; stay upright with hands behind hips, then add twist to right and left
3. Baddha konasana
4. Supine backbend over two blocks (one block under shoulderblades, other under head); extend arms, then hold elbows
5. Parighasana with leg bent
6. Tadasana
7. Urdhva hastasana
8. Utthita trikonasana with back at wall
9. Ardha chandrasana with back at wall
10. Uttanasana with buttocks leaning on wall
11. Sarvangasana with knees bent and feet on wall -or- Setu bandha sarvangasana with block under pelvis
12. Supta baddha konasana
13. Savasana with chest supported on blankets

Intermediate sequence:

1. Supine backbend over two blocks at middle height (one block spinewise with bottom edge at base of shoulderblades, second block under head)
2. Svastikasana
3. Upavistha konasana; upright, twist to right and left, extend forward
4. Baddha konasana
5. Adho mukha svanasana
6. Parighasana
7. Tadasana
8. Utthita trikonasana
9. Ardha chandrasana with back at wall
10. Uttanasana with buttocks at wall
11. Sirsasana
12. Adho mukha svanasana
13. Sarvangasana on chair
14. Ardha halasana resting thighs on chair
15. Supta baddha konasana
16. Savasana with chest supported on blankets