Elsie's Yoga Class

My fantastic intro music Vic Hennegan 'Movin' Charity post link, please go there and write down your passions, what do you believe in? Take action! Write a post there or you can send me a voice feedback at 206 666 4439 Chris Arcucci's mighty blog link to the post I spoke about in class The Sequence: hands and knees Downward Facing Dog Eka Pada Downward Facing Dog high lunge Downward Facing Dog Uttanasana Tadasana Arm Salutations x 4 More warm ups! Sun Salutations x 2 Crescent Pose L Pose at the wall on forearms x 2

child's pose Parsvakonasana Prasarita Padotanasana Vira II Prasarita Padotanasana Tadasana Tree Pose Uttanasana deep lunge pigeon Balasana Ardha Bhekasana Dhanurasana x 3 Balasana Supta Padangustasana sequence Savasana

Happy December! my intro music, 'Movin' by Vic Hennegan. The link to the charity post so you can post your charity passion: http://elsieyogakula.wordpress.com/2006/11/30/looking-for-a-charity/ Lululemon Athletica Lululemon Ambassador program

Sequence:

Downward Facing Dog

Eka Pada Downward Facing Dog into high lunge into a hamstring stretch

Uttanasana into Ardha Uttanasana x 3

Surya Namaskar x 3

Parsvakonasana

Trikonasana

Crescent Pose into Lunge Twist

Down Dog Twist

Ardha Chandrasana

Anjane Asana (shoulder alignment work)

Salabasana with arms interlaced behind the back

Uttanasana with arms interlaced behind the back

Pincha Mayurasana Prep (L pose at the wall on the forearms with a block in between the hands)

Pincha Mayurasana

Standing Hip Stretch (shrub pose) x 2

Hasta Padangustasana with both hands

Deep Hip Stretch on Forearms

Vashistasana

Eka Pada Rajakapotasana prep

Lunge with thigh Stretch

Eka Pada Rajakapotasana Prep with thigh stretch (mermaid variation if you want)

Setu Bandha Sarvangasana

Urdhva Dhanurasana x 2

Downward Facing Dog

Parsvotanasana

Uttanasana

Downward Facing Dog

Supine Twist

Savasana

Update! I had to rerecord my intro cause of some technical dificulties, so if you happen to have gotten the old file, obviously there are no markers (if you don't know what I'm talking about, no worries, not important)

My intro music: Vic Hennegan

the picture in the file, the dish that I made for Thanksgiving. I just thought it looked sooooo pretty :)

This is the first episode that i edited in Garage Band and I was able to put in markers/chapters, so for those of you who have an ipod (honestly, i don't know if it works on other mp3 players) or you play the file on your computer you will be able to see the poses marked on the file! I'm hoping to insert photos along with the markers also, very very soon! Let me know how this new format works for you guys :) Now you can skip the intro all together and just go straight to the class!

The Sequence

warm ups

Crescent Pose vinyasa X 3

Parsvakonasana

Parsvakonasana with arms interlaced behind the back (I've heard this called humble warrior, as your head is bowed forward toward your ankle)

Trikonasana

Downward Facing Dog twist

Upward Facing Dog on Ridgetops

Parsvakonasana Bound preparation, working shoulders behind the knee

Hanstand Preparation and demo with Melissa

Handstands

Uttanasana into Ardha Chandrasana into Trikonasana with top arm behind the back

Parsvakonasana Bound

Malasana and some yummy variations

Baby Bakasana (on forearms) prep and Bakasana

Bakasana with a block

Pigeon Prep

Pigeon Prep with thigh stretch

Vashistasana variations (hanes commercial)

Setu Bandha or urdhva dhanurasana x3

Easy Supine Twist

Agnistambasana

Marychiasana III

Baddha Konasana

Savasana

I got a new Macbook! I am so excited! I didn't edit my podcast on my new Macbook, I'll try to figure it out next week, but I'm certainly so very happy!!! Just to let you all know, especially for those who will be in Los Angeles for the Thanksgiving Holiday weekend, I'm going to be teaching one class on Thanksgiving day, 10:30am- 12pm (all levels) at Bala Yoga and on Friday, my usual class at 12-1:30pm (all levels) at Bala Yoga and at 2:30-4pm (Level 1) at Yoga Works the Center for YogaIf you are around I would love to see you!The Sequence:Downward Facing Doghigh lungePlank Vinyasa (moving 3" to the ground) x 3UttanasanaSun Salutations x 3Crescent PoseParsvakonasanaVira IITrikonasana/Ardha Chandrasana/Standing Splits with hips squared variationUttanasanaL-Pose at the wall or HandstandTree Pose/Vira III/Standing Splits with hips squared variation/deep lunge with forearms on the groundDownward Facing dogPigeon Lunge with thigh stretchUrdhva Dhanurasana or Setu Bandha Sarvangasana x 3Ardha MatsyendrasanaBaddha KonasanaSupine Easy TwistSavasana

Just a short little notice telling y'all that I don't have a computer! She is in the hospital with a 50/50 chance to live. I do hope to be able to get a class out by next weekend, with my sweet old computer or maybe a fancy new one, who knows!

Much gratitude to all of you who are listening out there!

Just to share: My friend Victor Cajiao, from the typical pc user, typical mac user and immigration tales podcast is truly and angel. He has been helping me diagnose the problem with my computer. He talked me through all the steps that I needed to take to make sure that all my info was backed up. He gave me hints as to what software to buy and also what kind of external hardrive. After giving him an update of what was going on with me he offered to record me on skype telling you all what's up (which is what you hear on this weeks update). He added the music and edited it for me! Tell me that's not the sweetest thing ever! I have thanked him so much already and I guess I just ask for some of you to check out some of his podcasts. He does some incredible work. I'm an avid listener to his Typical PC User Podcast. I've learned so much from him. I often write in to comment and to ask questions. I never feel like a 'dummy'. He always takes the time to explain things so that they do make sense to me, and to all out there that may be a bit 'typical' in our computer world. He also has a truly phenomenal podcast called Immigration Tales, which I refer to in my update. I find it so informative and truly inspirational as I get to hear stories from people migrating. It's a subject that deserves to be addressed. The way Victor has addressed the subject makes it so very human and personal. It really is worth a listen. Check out some of Victor's stuff, as a thank you to him. He really is an angel!

It's the first time that I've done a class like this one, especially for Level 1, it's a bit harder, as seated postures tend to be a bit more difficult for beginners, and yet they do give you just another opportunity to experience the depth of this practice. Please have a bolster, blanket, towel, hard cushion, or meditation bench, close by while you practice to sit on while practicing pranayama and meditation!

Lots of focusing on the breath and a sweet meditation at the end. Please guys, let me know what you think!

Links: to buy Douglas's CD about the yoga sutras! http://www.matrikayoga.com/Results.cfm?category=4

Have fun :)

THE SEQUENCE:

table top pose

downward facing dog into one legged down dog into a high lunge

plank into baby chattarunga dandasana (only bending the elbows 3") X 3

surya namaskar x 2

Parsavakonasana with vinyasa (plank, chattarunga dandasana, cobra)

Balasana

Downward Facing Dog

Vira 2 with vinyasa

Crescent Pose with vinyasa

Balasana

Sitting to breathe

Downward Facing Dog

Straight legged hamstring stretch into Deep lunge on the elbows

Trikonasana with vinyasa

Pigeon

Sitting to breathe (Ujjayi Pranayama)

Deep lunge on the elbows (again) into runner's hamstring stretch

Uttanasana

Janu Sirsasana

Baddha Konasana

Upavishta Konasana

Parsva Upavishta Konasana

Paschimottanasana

Sukhasana twist

Sitting to breathe (Ujjayi Pranayama)

Savasana

Very excited to hear from some of you guys, and looking forward to more :) The theme is all about the kula, whoooopeeee!

Links:

fitness rocks (y'all must listen to the interview I did with Dr. Monte, it was a blast to do)

Victor's Podcasts: typical pc user, typical mac user, immigration tales

My student Kim's blog

feedback! 206 666 4439

please write me a review in itunes, I would oh so appreciate it!

The Sequence:

Adho Mukha Svanasana into Eka Pada Adho Mukha Svanasana/Downward Facing Dog into one legged Downward Facing Dog

Uttanasana into Ardha Uttanasana x 3

Half Sun Salutations x 2

Sun Salutations x 2

Straight legged lunge then straightening the leg

Sun Salutation

Parsvakonasana

Vira II

Demo of Pincha Mayurasana Prep

Pincha Mayurasana or Pincha Mayurasana Prep

Tree Pose

Trikonasana into Ardha Chandrasana into twisting lunge pose

Vashistasana

Pigeon Prep

Hanumanasana

Pigeon with a thigh stretch

Plank on the fronts of the toes into Chattarunga on the fronts of the toes

High cobra on fingertips

Raja Kapotasana

Downward Facing Dog

Uttanasana

easy twist

savasana

My great intro and outro music, 'Movin' by Vic Hennegan

Links:

Joshua Yuchasz 'This I Believe' Essay

About 'This I Believe'

Asperger Syndrome links (so we can be more educated, i think) http://www.aspergers.com/ , http://www.udel.edu/bkirby/asperger/aswhatisit.html

Blocks: http://www.yoga.com/store/Subcategory.asp?Category_ID=246, http://www.yogaaccessories.com/YogaBlock4.asp?gclid=CLLIkOCmjYgCFQvlYAodCDAeBg

My Space Page!

THE SEQUENCE:

Downward facing dog

Straight legged lunge

uttanasana into ardha uttanasana

Parvatasana arms/arms interlaced above the head

1/2 Sun Salutations

Vinyasa working on lunges and plank

Tadasana (inner body bright)

Sun Salutation working on plank shoulder alignment

Tadasana (shoulder alignment discussion)

Sun Salutation working on shoulder principles

Downward facing dog working on shoulder principles

Crescent Pose

Child's pose

Demo: (shoulder alignment work from all fours into downward facing dog)

Uttanasana with arms interlaced behind the back

Deep lunge (forearms to the floor)

Pigeon Prep

Ardha Bhekasana

Dhanurasana

Setu Bandha Sarvangasana

Demo: (at the wall, learning how to plug into the heart)

Demo: (using the blocks, and moving into Urdhva Dhanurasana in stages)

PLEASE CLICK ON THE PICS TO SEE THEM MORE FULLY :)

Urdhva Dhanurasana with blocks x 2

Downward facing dog

Uttanasana

Twist

Savasana

I'm back in Los Angeles! Happy to be back and at the same time wanting just as much to be back with my family. I came back to my incredible students whose faces and passion make it all worth it :)

My theme this week had to do with one of my favorite podcasts, "The Bitterest Pill." If you want to hear the whole thing, which I truly suggest you do, you must go to thebitterestpill.com and check out episode #85, it's amazing.

Another podcast that I mention is Fitness Rocks. This podcast is by Dr. Monte, who is sooooo passionate about health and wellness it's really worth listening to. He gives you the facts about physiology, nutrition, studies that are being conducted or have been conducted about fat, food, diseases, you name it. Be informed! Fitness truly rocks.

Oh yes, the yoga blankets, check out some of these sites:

http://www.yogaaccessories.com/YogaBlankets.asp

http://www.yogaprops.net/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=yp&Category_Code=1_3_blankets

The Sequence

hands and knees

Adho Mukha Svanasana/Downward Facing Dog

Eka Pada Adho Mukha Svanasana into lunge/one legged down dog into lunge

Uttanasana

Ardha Uttanasana into Uttanasana x 3/ Lengthening forward and bowing back into forward bend

Arm Salutations x 3

Half Sun Salutes x 3

Sun Salutation with lunge

Sun Salutation with Crescent Pose

Child's Pose

Downward Facing Dog exercise with the blanket x 2

Sun Salutation with muscular energy focus

Tree Pose x 2 (the 2nd time is with eyes closed)

Malasana/Squat

Pigeon Prep

Ardha Bhekasana

Setu Bandha Sarvangasana x 2 /Bridge Pose

Eka Pada Setu Bandha Sarvangasana/One legged Bridge Pose

Supta Padangustasana

easy twist

Savasana

I'm still in El Salvador so this is a class that I had recorded on August 25. A basic Level 1-2 class which runs about 50 min, with the theme of Faith, in sanskrit Shraddha :)

Links:

http://www.lululemon.com/beverlyhills/northbeverly

[email protected] (the email address to rsvp to for the Lululemon Opening Party on October 12th from 6-10pm)

Also the living Sun Salutation Project on Santa Monica Blvd: Gather at the North Beverly Store, 334 N. Beverly Dr. Beverly Hills, 90211, at 4:30pm. We will do the Salutations from about 5-6pm. Please wear black clothes, top and bottom!

Sequence:

Warm ups

1/2 sunsalutes x 3

Sun Salutations x 3

Crescent Pose, jump switch

Vira II into Reverse Vira

Vira I

Trikonasana/Ardha Chandrasana/Urdhva Prasarita Ekapadasana with squared hips/Deep lunge on forearms

Pigeon

Ardha Bhekasana

Lunge with thigh stretch

Cobra on fingertips x 2

Child's Pose

Ardha Matsyendrasana

Hasta Padangustasana

easy twist