Greetings from YFL!!! It is “Core Power” time via the instrument of Classic Hatha practice. We will incorporate the 4 Core Challenge Poses that Deb introduced in class last week to help you continue the 30 day challenge. At the end of this week’s blog, Deb will review the core poses and their details.This week our Sanskrit focus is HAMSA, or “Release Into Being”, and our hand gesture is the beautiful LOTUS mudra. This denotes connection to the purity of nature, and the goodness that exists in all fellow human beings. Your suggested meditation focus is SIMPLICITY, and is set to the music of Kirtan Murti’s “Divine Imagination”.

The next 4-week block of Intro to Yoga will begin next Tuesday, 8/2. Please call, email, or drop-in to register. The cost is $40, and we will meet for four consecutive Tuesday evenings from 7:30-8:30 p.m.

The 15-hour YTT unit on Ayurvedic Yoga will be led this weekend, 7/29-7/31, by Sophie. It is open to the community or RYTs seeking enrichment hours. The cost is $195. Sophie will also be offering a 4-week Health and Wholeness series on Ayurvedic Transformation this Fall. The cost of this series is $99, and the details are available at YFL. Space is limited, so register ASAP. This series will be taught on Mondays from 12:30-1:30 p.m. 9/19, 9/26/, 10/3, and 10/7.

CORE POWER CHALLENGE ( 30 MINUTES FOR 30 DAYS)

A strong core, healthy spine, and strong back promote well-being, and overall good health. The following challenge is to promote these physical attributes slowly over a period of building your strength in these vital areas of the body over 30 days. Your goal is to slowly build up to 10-reps for the supine hover twist, and to sustain the remaining 3 poses for 1 minute’s duration. Here is your guide for practicing safely.

1. SUPINE INNER THIGH BLOCK SQUEEZE-1) Lie on your back in the bent leg position.2) Place the soft block lengthwise between the inner thighs. 3) Maintain the natural curves of the spine, don’t flatten the low back into the mat. 4) Raise the legs with knees bent, and flex the toes toward the shins, begin squeezing the block. Float the legs to the position where the lumbar curve is expressed, the mid back presses into the mat, neck is neutral. Sustain, gradually building up to one minute.

2. SUPINE HOVER TWIST-1) Lie on your back, and tuck bent legs toward the torso. Inner legs and feet are touching. 2) Fully engage the low back muscles and inner core, as you slowly exhale into a right twist with legs hovering just above the mat. 3) Inhale and return to center, and repeat to the left. 4) Repeat this cycle building toward 10 repetitions.

3. PLANK POSE-1) Begin in aligned table top pose, and transition into Half-Plank (arms fully extended, shins pressed into mat, extend the torso forward, align the shoulders, elbow joint, and wrists). 2) Sustain the half plank, or opt to transition into Full Plank (extend the right leg from half plank lifting out of the balls of the foot and toes, repeat to the left side), align shoulders, elbows, wrists. 3) Your third option is to lift out of fists rather than palms, or from your forearms.  With any of the variations, your energy lines should lift you toward the ceiling, preventing a weight shift down the joints into the mat. Slowly build toward sustaining the pose for 3 minutes. This week we will be working on a 45 second stay.

4. LOCUST-1) From the prone position (belly), extend through the toes to elongate the back. 2) Glue the inner thighs and feet together as a single unit. 3) Drop the chin toward the chest. 4) Initiate the backbend from the belly button, and roll toward the crown of the head. Neck and head should rise last thing. 5) Full engagement of the back muscles, inner core, and breath are imperative for a safe backbend. 6) Work toward sustaining for 1-minute. Build slowly to allow your muscles to strengthen. DON’T rush this one!!! Keep your back SAFE!!!

We will be working on these component asanas over the coming weeks at Deb’s classes.

As always, we can’t wait to see you on the mat!!!—Namaste’, Deb