The Butterfly Dream

March 7, 2013

baddhakonasana

Baddha Konasana
Butterfly

“Once upon a time, I, Chuang Chou, dreamt I was a butterfly,
fluttering hither and thither,
to all intents and purposes a butterfly.
I was conscious only of my happiness as a butterfly,
unaware that I was Chou.
Soon I awaked, and there I was, veritably myself again.
Now I do not know whether I was then a man dreaming I was a butterfly,
or whether I am now a butterfly, dreaming I am a man.
Between a man and a butterfly there is necessarily a distinction.
The transition is called the transformation of material things.”

Chuang Chou

“The butterfly dream shows that,
although in ordinary appearance there are differences between things,
in delusions or in dreams one thing can also be another.
The transformation of things proves
that the differences among things are not absolute.”

C. W. Chan

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Asanas Poster

March 4, 2013

yoga-poster

From Tadasana to Savasana
43 Basic Yoga Poses

Standing Asanas: The feet are our foundation

Tadasana – Mountain Pose
Trikonasana – Triangle
Virabhadrasana I – Warrior I
Parsvakonasana – Lateral angle pose
Virabhadrasana II – Warrior II
Utkatasana – Chair pose

Forward Bending Asanas: An experience of flexion
Uttanasana – Standing forward bend
Prasarita Padottanasana – Standing straddle forward bend
Parsvottanasana – Standing head to knee
Paschimottanasana – Double leg forward bend
Janu Sirsasana – Single leg forward bend
Upavistha Konasana – Sitting straddle forward bend
Apanasana – Double leg wind reliever
Pavanamukthasana – Wind reliever
Balasana – Child pose

Core Asanas: Activating the abdominal muscles
Ardha Navasana – Half boat
Paripurna Navasana – Full boat
Dandasana – Staff pose

Side bending Asana: Creating space
Parighasana

Back Bends: Exploring Extension
Bhujangasana – Cobra
Salabhasana – Locust
Dhanurasana – Bow
Ustrasana – Camel
Setu Bandha Sarvangasana – Bridge
Matsyasana – Fish
Supta Virasana – Supine hero
Urdhva Mukha Svanasana – Upward facing dog
Eka Pada Kapotasana – Pigeon
Anjaneyasana – Crescent moon

Twisting Asanas: Revolving the Spine
Ardha Matsyendrasana – Half spinal twist
Bharadvajasana – Hip spiral
Jathara Parivartanasana – Reclined hip roll
Parivrtta Janu Sirsasana – Revolved head to knee
Parivrtta Trikonasana – Revolved triangle

Inverted Asanas: Turning it all upside-down
Adho Mukha Svanasana – Downward facing dog
Sarvangasana – Shoulderstand
Halasana – Plow
Sirsasana – Headstand

Standing Balancing Asanas: Steadying the mind
Vrksasana – Tree
Ardha Chandrasana – Half moon
Natarajasana – Dancer
Virabhadrasana III – Warrior III

Final Asana
Savasana – Corpse

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Sukha and Sthira, Ease and effort

February 27, 2013

“Practicing yoga with strength and in a relaxed manner
gives rise to harmony with the physical body “

Patanjali

wheel

Patanjali, in the Yoga Sutras, described two qualities which must be present when doing yoga :
Sukha and Sthira

Sukha, meaning easy or happy,
refers to our ability to stay confortable in a pose without tension or strain

Sthira, meaning firm or alert,
refers to our ability to stay present.

These qualities bring a level of conscious awareness
which integrates breath and mind,
and differentiates yoga from physical exercise.
When present we learn to accept our limitations
and proceed from where we are in a balance way.

From Shambhava School of Yoga

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A flower blooms…

February 25, 2013

blooms

Thich Nhat Hanh’s key teaching is that, through mindfulness,
we can learn to live in the present moment
instead of in the past and in the future.

Mindfulness is the energy of being aware and awake
to the present moment.
It is the continuous practice of touching life deeply
in every moment of daily life.
To be mindful is to be truly alive, present and at one with those around you and with what you are doing.

“The most precious gift we can offer anyone is our attention.
When mindfulness embraces those we love, they will bloom like flowers.”

Thich Nhat Hanh

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Focus on Backbends

February 22, 2013

Iyengar Yoga Sequence n°3 inspired by Glenn Ceresoli’s teaching.

iyengar sequence3

Supta Baddha Konasana
Dandasana
Swastikasana
Adho Mukha Swastikasana
Adho Mukha Virasana
Adho Mukha Svanasana
Utkatasana
Virabhadrasana II
Virabhadrasana I
Salabhasana
Dhanurasana
Chaturanga Dandasana
Urdhva Mukha Svanasana
Ustrasana
Urdhva Dhanurasana
Gomukasana
Garudasana
Pincha Mayurasana
Adho Mukha Vrksasana
Salambha Sirsasana
Adho Mukha Svanasana
Uttanasana
Salambha Sarvangasana
Eka Pada Sarvangasana
Halasana
Karnapidasana
Setubandha SarvangasanaViparita Karani
Savasana

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Let it hurt…

February 21, 2013

letithurt

Trying to stop the pain goes against the process of transformation
and hence not in harmony with the process.
It makes you hold on instead of letting go.
Don’t try to protect yourself from the pain.
If you hold on more, the pain will be worst.
Let it go, Surrender !

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The beauty of Savasana…

February 20, 2013

savasanamood

“Savasana is being without was, being without will be. It is being without anyone who is.”
Light on Life, B.K.S. Iyengar.

Savasana, or Corpse Pose, is one of the hardest to perform
as the physical body is meant to be as still as a corpse, yet the mind is kept passively active.

As we lie in Savasana, we focus on being present
without going into dreamland,
without sleeping,
without acting,
without achieving.

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Camel’s Mood…

February 18, 2013

A camel
That walks alone
Across the desert unending
Has no pretentions.
Every camel is so.

M.D DINESH NAIR

camel

USTRASANA

Usrtra = Camel
The physical shape of Ustrasana mimics the shape of a camel.
The chest lift toward the ceiling
like the hump of the camel rises up toward the sky.
Camel pose turns your chest into a camel’s hump.

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