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Part 1: A Yoga Practice: Level 3 Postures and Concentration Now, keep your arm straight, or you can have a slight bend in the elbow—whatever feels comfortable for you. Then, reaching forward, inhale, making a big circle out to the right side, tilting back, and exhaling forward. Try to keep the spine nice and long as you go, tilting back as far as feels comfortable. Try to stay with your breathing. Then, coming forward and then reversing, just maintain an even rhythm with your breath. Make as big a circle as you feel comfortable with. Keep the shoulders relaxed and the spine long. One more round, and coming back, bringing the hands behind you, sit comfortably. Come back to your breathing, taking deep breaths. Feel the warmth in the abdomen and the softness around the hips and the back. Let’s come to sit at the back of the mat in Vajrāsana. We’ll begin our level 3 postures this morning with Vyagrāsana, the tiger stretch posture. Just sit comfortably, bringing the hands onto the thighs, and then try to lift tall through the whole length of the spine, keeping the shoulders relaxed. Find your breathing rhythm. As we inhale, start to bring the arms up to shoulder height, and then lift up onto the knees. As we exhale, bring the hands under the shoulders, arch through the spine, and bring the right knee towards the chest. Try to maintain an even weight through both arms. As you breathe in, take the right leg behind, allow the back to concave, bring the chest forward, and extend the leg up and away from you. Again, just check that you’re not leaning onto one side more than the other. As you exhale, start to swing the knee through, trying to tuck the tailbone under, bring the chin down towards the chest, and be strong through your arms. Kumbha Mela, Kumbha Mela... Siddha Purījī, Siddha Purījī... Just allowing your body to relax, noticing the full effect of Vyagrāsana, the tiger stretch posture. Slide off your heels and come to lie flat on your back for Skandhāra Āsana, the shoulder pose. Bend the knees and place the feet as close to your buttocks as feels comfortable, with the heels turning out and the outside edge of your feet running parallel with your yoga mat. The knees and feet are hip-width apart. If you have any problems with your lower back, or you’re working just a little more gently today, your feet can be a little bit wider. Reach down to wrap the hands around the front of the ankles, if you can. If you can’t, just bring the hands as close to the side of the body as you feel comfortable. Start to press the feet down into the ground and the shoulders. Gently press the back of the head into the mat. Then, as you inhale, lift the hips off the ground as though you’re peeling your spine off the mat. Keep pressing down with the feet, try to point the knees away from you, and bring the chest towards the chin. With your exhalation, roll back down onto the mat as smoothly as you came up. Take a deep breath in, and as you breathe out, relax. As you exhale, slowly roll down. Take a deep inhalation and breathe out, relaxing. Just one more round. Get an even pressure through the feet and shoulders. Moving on your inhalation, start to lift the hips into the air. Keep pressing down through the feet. Lift the hips as high as you can, trying to scoop the tailbone under. Imagine you’re pointing your knees away from you. With your exhalation, roll gently back down onto the mat. Bend both knees to the chest and gently rock from side to side, relieving any tension or tightness. Let’s come back to the middle. Place the feet on the mat and straighten the legs. Our next posture is Viparīt Karanī Mudrā, an inverted posture. It has all the contraindications of inverted postures: neck and shoulder problems, high blood pressure, any discomfort with a lot of blood moving to the head. Menstruation is also a contraindication for this posture. If you’re not doing this posture this morning, then come back to a gentle twist or a knees-to-chest movement. As we move into this posture, bring both legs together and the hands close into the side of the body, with the palms facing downwards. Take a deep inhalation, and as you breathe out, start to bend the knees to the chest with enough momentum that the hips roll off the ground. Bend the elbows and bring the hands to rest at the top of the buttocks or the lowest part of the back. Feel that you are supporting your buttocks with your hands, and then start to extend your heels toward the sky. See if you can bring both legs toward the front of the room. Keep working strongly through your elbows and shoulders. Feel the breath in the throat. Try to become as still as you can as we come down now. Come down just as gently as you went into the form, bending the knees, using your hands as much as you can to support yourself as you roll back down onto the ground, keeping the head back on the mat. Come back to your breathing. This posture is known for the renewal of energy. Try to feel that renewal of energy. Vajrāsana. Vajrāsana. Kamal Posture. Come to our first variation. We’re bringing the arms up to shoulder height and then lifting up onto the knees. Have a little bit of a space between the knees so the hips feel comfortable, and tuck the toes under if you need to shorten the distance when leaning back. We’ll raise the right arm up into the air. As you raise the right upper arm into the air, reach up as long as you can. Let the left arm come back down, feel the hips moving forward, and then reach back for the left heel. Have the palm facing inwards, and if it feels comfortable, look up to your hand or look straight ahead. Keep the hips moving forward, try to open up the chest towards the sky. Very gently draw the belly button back towards the spine, bring both arms out in front, and then lower back down onto the heels. Take a full deep yogic breath. We’ll come up onto the other side. We’re bringing the arms up, coming up onto the knees, toes tucked under, reaching the left arm up into the air, palm facing inwards, and then the right arm lowers back. As you start to lean back, bring the hips forward and take hold of the right ankle. Hips move forward, chest opens up towards the sky. Look up if that feels comfortable around the neck and shoulders. Keep your breathing soft and steady. Then we’ll breathe in, bringing both hands back out in front, and breathing out, coming back down onto the heels. Take full yogic breaths. Just notice how your back feels after that first round. Come to our next variation, Twisting Camel. We’re bringing the arms up to shoulder height, coming up onto the knees, toes tucked under, and we’re reaching the right arm up into the air. This time, as we bring the left arm behind, we’re turning and taking the left hand to the right heel. If that feels too uncomfortable, or it’s not feeling good for your back, then come back to our first variation. Look up towards the hand. Just try to bring the twist into the very upper part of the spine. The hips are still moving forward to create the curve in the back. Coming out as you breathe in, back to the centre with the arms, and breathing out, bringing the hands back down onto the thighs. Take a deep breath. As you breathe in, try to draw the breath deep into the body. Feel your back move as you breathe. Try to soften through the back with your breath. Moving to the other side, we’re bringing the arms up, coming up onto the knees, toes tucked under, and we’re lifting the left arm into the air. Try to stay long through that side of the body, and then, as you bring the right arm behind, twist and turn to take hold of the left heel. Keep the hips moving forward; the twist is in the very upper part of the back. Look up towards the hands or look straight ahead, whatever feels most comfortable for you today. Come back to your breathing, full yogic breath, feeling the belly expand, creating a little pressure and opening into your back. Come to our third variation, bringing the arms up to shoulder height, coming up onto the knees, toes tucked under if the knees need to be a little bit, or heels need to be a little bit higher. Take a deep breath slowly by lifting the head first, bringing the arms forward, then coming back down onto the heels. Take deep breaths, just noticing the effects from our camel posture, Uṣṭrāsana, this morning. We’ll come into Garuḍāsana, so we’re standing up. Get an even weight through both feet, and the feet are quite close together, with a little bit of space. Find a point to focus on in front of you or at the end of your mat, a dṛṣṭi point, and let your gaze soften on that point. Allow your breathing to also soften. Throughout the posture, keep your concentration on your point of focus and on your breathing. We’ll bring the arms out to the side with an inhalation, and as you breathe out, bring the hands in front, crossing the right arm over the left. Follow your breathing, keeping your focus on your point. Try not to grip the mat with your toes. Coming out, stay with your breathing. Unwrap the leg, unwrap the arms as you take a deep in-breath, bringing the arms out to the side. And as you breathe out, bring the arms slowly back to the sides of the body, bringing your concentration with it. Find your breathing once again. With our inhalation, bring the arms out to the side; with exhalation, bring the arms out in front, crossing the left arm over the right. Bring the hands together, taking hold of your wrist or taking hold of the thumb, and let the elbows soften down onto the chest. Bend the knees, and now feel your right leg supporting the whole of your body. Try to feel the right foot from your toes to your heel on the ground, and lift the left leg and wrap the left leg around the right leg. Wrap the left leg around the right leg, and lift the left leg. Wrap the left leg around the right leg, and lift the left leg... Wrap the left leg around the right leg. And lift the left leg and wrap the left leg around the right. Bring the arms out to the side, and as you breathe out, bring the arms into the side of the body. Follow your concentration. Come back to your breathing. We’ll do one more round. As we breathe in, raising the arms, breathing out, bringing the arms forward, wrapping the right arm over the left, hands together or taking hold of the wrist, a small bend in the knees, and feel strong through the left leg now. Lift the right leg off the mat, wrap the right leg around, keep the spine tall, maintain your awareness on your focal point, and then follow your breathing as you start to bend forward, bringing the elbows toward the knee. Maintain concentration on your point and a steadiness in your breathing as we come up slowly, unwrapping the leg, unwrapping the arms, breathing in deep and breathing out. Just maintain your focus and your concentration here, noticing the effects of Garuḍāsana, the eagle posture. We’ll come to sitting Vajrāsana in the middle of our mat for our next posture, Vīrarāsana, the hero posture. Hands on the thighs. Try to keep a tall spine. Shoulders relaxed, and find your breathing. We’ll come up onto the knees and bring the right foot forward, placing the right foot next to the left knee, and then sit back down onto the heel. Right elbow on the knee, and back toes tucked under. Rest the chin in the hand. Rest the left hand on the left thigh and look straight ahead. Find a point in the distance to focus on, and stay with your breathing. Just allow your concentration to develop. We’ll come out of that side, coming back down onto the heels. Take a deep breath. We’ll come up onto the knees, tucking the toes under, bringing the left foot forward, and sitting back down onto the heel. Bring the left elbow onto the knee, rest the chin in the hand, and place the right hand on the thigh. Just leaning a little bit forward can take some effort out of the stretch. Aim to have the spine as tall as you can. Find a point in front to focus on. Maintain your breathing. Continue to focus. It’s deepening your concentration. We’ll come out, sitting back onto the heels. Try to keep your concentration with you. Maintain steadiness in your breathing. We’ll do one more round. We’re coming up onto the knees, tucking the toes under. As we sit back down, bring the right knee forward, resting the elbow on the knee, chin in the hand, left hand on the thigh. Keep a tall, long spine. Follow your breathing, your concentration. Coming up, sitting back down onto the heels. Stay with your breath. Coming up onto the knees again, toes tucked under, and left foot forward. Try to bring the left foot beside the right knee, left elbow on the knee. Sit chin in the hand, right hand on the thigh, tall spine. Just find a point to focus on, deepen your breath, deepen your concentration. Coming forward, sitting back down onto the heels, and taking deep breaths. We’ll come up into standing and practice Trikoṇāsana, the triangle posture. We’ll stand with the legs wide apart, and the feet turn out slightly. Use the strength in your legs as well as the muscles of the back to come up as you breathe in, and then, breathing out, slide down the other side. Letting the right hand slide up along the ribs, soften through the shoulder, and if it’s comfortable, look up to your elbow and see where it is. Part 2: A Guided Yoga Practice: Variations and Flow With strong legs, breathe in and come back to the middle. Breathe out to the other side. As you slide down, check that you are not leaning forward or pushing into your lower back to go deeper. Breathe in, coming up, and breathe out. Take a deep in-breath back to the centre, and then complete one more round to each side. Follow your own breathing rhythm, then bring the legs together and come to a still standing posture. Come back to your breathing and notice the effects of our first variation. Sit anywhere on your leg that feels comfortable, and place the top arm sitting on the top of the shoulder, palm facing forward. Keep the spine long. Imagine that the front of the chest is facing the front of the room. Both hips are square to the front. Use your legs to help you come up as you breathe in, coming back up to the center, and breathing out, bringing the hands back down to the side of the body. Let’s take a breath, breathing in, bringing the arms up to shoulder height. Take a moment to check in on shoulder height, and as you breathe out, tilt over to the left side, bringing the left hand onto the leg, the right arm in the air, palm facing forward. See if you can get your top arm to nestle into your shoulder joint. Use the strength in your legs as you breathe in, coming back to the middle, and then breathing out, bringing the arms down. Let’s come back to your breathing, keeping the body still and steady. Deep in breath, bringing the arms to shoulder height. Breathing out, tilting over to the right side. As you bring the top arm into the air, lengthen through that side of the body. Keep the legs strong, as though you are standing up tall. Breathing in, back to the middle. Breathing out, lowering the arms. Deep in breath, raising the arms. And breathing out to the left side, breathing in back to the middle, and breathing out. Complete one more round of this variation as we bring the arms up to shoulder height, breathing out, tilting over to the right side, top arm into the air. Reach up to your fingertips as though you are broadening across the chest. Keep the tailbone moving under as though that is making the spine long. Breathe in, coming back to the centre, and breathing out. Breathe in, and breathing out. Keep reaching up, deep in-breath, and breathing out. Step the legs back together, and come to a still, standing posture. Feel the effects of that triangle posture on your breathing, on your body, on your concentration, and on your thinking. Third variation: extended triangle posture. Bring the legs again as wide apart as you feel comfortable. Deep breath in, come back to the middle, bringing the arms up to shoulder height with our inhalation, and as we exhale, tilting over to the right side, bringing the right hand onto the leg, and then let the left arm float over the head. It does not matter where the top arm is; try to have the top arm straight from fingertip to shoulder. Feel strong through the legs, especially the back leg. As you breathe in, come back to the middle; breathing out, lowering down. Breathe here, breathing in, bringing the arms up. Have a look at shoulder high, breathing out, we are tilting over to the left side, left hand on the leg, and then let the right arm float above the head. Palm faces down. Try to roll the top shoulder back. Stand strong on both legs. Breathing in, coming back to the centre. And breathing out, lowering down. Left side, keep the spine long. Let the arm come over the head, palm facing down. Just gently roll the top shoulder back. Keep strength and steadiness through both legs. Stretch from fingertip into your back leg. Breathe in, coming up, and breathe out. Slow deep breath, and one more round as we breathe in, coming up with the arms, breathing out, tilting over to the side, top arm rolls over. Palms face down, top shoulder rolls back, keep the tailbone moving under to keep the spine long. Breathe in, coming back up and breathing out, bringing the arms to the side of the body. Deep in breath and breathing out, maintain an evenness through both legs. Chest opens to the front of the room, breathing in, coming up, breathing out, bringing the arms down. Bring both feet together, still standing posture. Fourth variation: twisting triangle. We will bring the legs as wide apart. Go slowly here in this movement, bringing the arms up to shoulder height. Take a gentle in-breath. And as you breathe out, turn the whole upper body to the right side. Then, coming forward, bring the left hand onto the right leg. And take the right arm up into the air, with the palm facing outwards. Mahāprabhujī kā ratā, Mahāprabhujī kā ratā... Try to keep your body in the middle of your legs. Turn back to the centre. You can have a little bend in the knees as you roll up from the spine, bringing the arms back down. Nice deep breath, breathing in, bringing the arms up. Try to really broaden out across the chest, put the tailbone down, keep the spine long, then turn to the right side, then lean forward, bringing the left hand onto the right leg, top arm up into the air. Keep turning the top shoulder up towards the ceiling. Let your body come back between your legs, looking up to the hand only if that feels comfortable. Turn back to the center, breathing in, coming up, and breathing out. Breathing in, raising the arms, broaden across the chest, breathing out, turning to the left side, then leaning forward, bringing the right hand onto the left leg. It can be anywhere on the leg. Top arm into the air. Again, try to nestle your arm into your shoulder joint. Coming back to the middle, breathing in, coming up, and breathing out. Bring both legs together into a still standing position. It is the final triangle variation. Bring the legs apart and turn the right foot forward, so that we are all facing this way, and then bring the hands behind the back, lifting up tall. Take a deep in-breath, and as you breathe out, bend the front knee. Tilt forward from the hips, bringing the chest onto the thigh and bringing the nose down toward the knee. Try to keep the shoulders and hips square. Strong legs as you breathe in, coming back up to the centre, and breathing out, coming back to the middle. We will change sides. Turn the left foot forward, and the back foot turns in. Turn to square up your hips to the front leg. Keep the spine long. Just take a deep in-breath, and as you breathe out, bend the front knee. Just keep bending the front knee until it comes down to a right angle. And tilting forward from the hips, lay the chest on the thigh, bringing the nose towards the knee. Keep your back foot rolling out, as though the whole back foot is flat to the mat. Front leg strong. Breathing in, coming back up, and breathing out to the middle. We will bring both legs together and find a comfortable standing position for Ekapāduttānāsana, the one-legged balancing posture. Find a point to focus on, a dṛṣṭi point. Let your gaze soften on that point. Connect back into your breathing and allow your breathing to soften. Allow your whole body to be relaxed. Feel the right leg supporting the whole of your body, lifting your body up. Then, bending the left knee and placing the left foot on the top of the thigh. Bring the arms out to the sides of the body, then raise the arms above the head with the palms together. Bring the hands in front of the chest, shoulders relaxed, and keep the spine long. Feel the left foot pushing the right thigh back. Take a deep in-breath, and as you breathe out, follow your breathing as you tilt forward from the hips. Purījī, Purījī... Mahāprabhujī kī Karatā Mahāprabhujī kī Karatā... Lift the top arm into the air. Keep the hips nice and square, shoulders relaxed, breathing steady. Take a deep breath in, coming back up, and breathe out, lowering the arm and lowering the leg. Feel the left leg strong and supporting the whole body. And bend the right leg behind, take hold of the right foot. Keep both knees together, point the knee down, and then bring the left arm forward. Shoulders relaxed, reach up as tall as you can. Sūrya Namaha, Salute to the Sun. Hands together in front of the chest. Find your breathing rhythm. As we breathe in, raise the arms above the head. With the hands together, look up towards the hands. Keep your tailbone moving under, spine long and tall, bringing the hands apart, and as we breathe out, roll forward from the hips, folding forward. As we inhale, take a big step back with the right leg, bringing the right knee to the mat. Chest forward, looking ahead. Breathe out, lift the right knee, and walk back into mountain posture, Sūmāru āsana. Fingers wide, press back towards your heels. As you inhale, come forward onto the knees, bending the elbows, chin and chest to the ground into a caterpillar. Holding the breath, slide forward onto the hips, lifting the chest, looking up into a cobra. As we breathe out, toes under, press up and back into mountain, looking ahead, bend the knees. And as we breathe in, big step, right foot forward, chest forward, looking down as we exhale, stepping the left foot forward, breathing in. Raise the arms out in front, bring the hands together looking up, and as we breathe out, bring the hands back in front of the chest. Deep breath, long, slow breath. Deep inhalation, raising the arms, look up. Bring the hands apart as we breathe out, roll forward over your hips, folding into a forward bend. Breathing in, big step back, left leg into a sprinter posture. Bring the chest forward, look ahead, breathing out, lift the left knee, walk the right foot back into mountain, try to bring the heels towards the ground as you lengthen along the spine. Breathing in, coming onto the knees, tilting the hips up, elbows to the ground, caterpillar, hold the breath. As you slide forward into a cobra, shoulders down, chest forward, look up, breathing out, lifting the hips up and back into mountain, bend the knees, look between the hands, and take a big step, left foot forward, right knee to the mat, chest forward, looking ahead, look down as you step the right foot in. Deep in-breath, raise the arms out in front, hands together. And breathing out, hands in front of the chest. Deep breath, breathe in, raising the arms, look up, hands apart. Breathe out, fold forward. Look towards the knees. Breathing in, step back with the right leg, right knee to the ground. Chest forward, looking up. Breathing out, lifting the right leg, walk the left leg back to mountain. Kumbha Melā, Jadān, Oṁ Śrī Akhāṛā, Nāhaṁ Karatā Prabhu Dīpa Karatā Mahāprabhujī Dīpa Karatā He Kevalaṁ. Breathing in, looking up, hands apart. As you breathe out, soft shoulders. Breathing in, left foot back, and breathing out, lifting the left knee, walk the right foot back. You breathe in, come onto the knees, breathe in, chest to the ground, holding the breath now, cobra, and breathe out, back to mountain. Look between the hands as you breathe in. Big step, left foot forward, looking down, right foot forward. Deep in breath, reaching up, hands together, and breathing out, hands in front of the chest. Deep breath. Just maintain your breathing. Just feeling the effects from our rounds of Sūrya Namaskār, salute to the sun. Notice the effects on your breathing, on your body, and on your awareness, on your consciousness. We will lower the arms, and we will come to lie down for a short relaxation. Meditation. Find a comfortable lying posture, having the legs a little bit wider than your hips. Letting the feet roll out to the sides. Have your arms a little bit wider than your shoulders. And with the palms facing upwards, allow your shoulders to drop out to the edges of your mat. Feel your body in a comfortable, straight line. And take your awareness to both feet. Purījī, Purījī... Kumbha Mela, Kumbha Mela,... Kumbha Mela. Bring your awareness to your arms, to all the muscles of your forearms and upper arms. Long inhalation, and as you breathe out, allow your arms to relax. Bring your awareness to the whole area around your neck and shoulders. As you breathe in, imagine you are drawing the breath into that area, and as you breathe out, feel the whole neck and shoulders relax. Purījī, Purījī... To your whole body. Deep inhalation. Allow your whole body to completely relax. Feel your whole body completely relaxed. Your whole body is relaxed. Slowly start to bring some movement back to your body. Move just the toes and the fingers. And then start to make some bigger movements with your feet and hands. Bend the elbows and bend the knees. Roll your head from side to side and bend the knees to the chest. Taking hold of the knees and holding the knees against the chest. Then, as smoothly and as quietly as you can, roll onto your right side and come up into a comfortable sitting position for our prāṇāyāma practice. Allow the spine to be tall and long. Rest the hands on the thighs or knees, with the hands in chin mudra, the thumb and forefinger joined. Our level three prānāyāma practice, alternate nostril breathing. We will start by singing oṁ together three times, allowing the sound of the oṁ to focus and deepen our concentration. Let’s take a deep in-breath. Śānti, Śānti, Śānti