In this week’s Overheard in Yoga Class, Jo Tastula reminds us that the number one rule when dealing with insomnia is don’t try too hard. You can’t try to fall asleep. When you work at it, it doesn’t happen. Sleeping happens all on its own when you let go and when you let yourself let go.
In this Pose of the Week, Jo Tastula demonstrates Side Plank Pose or Vasisthasana. She shows us how to stabilize our Plank Pose in order to transition into the perfect Side Plank Pose. She also provides a modified option of the pose.
We’re highlighting six classes in a variety of styles, levels and durations that are designed to help your body transition with the seasons.
Align with Elena Brower: We are always being guided, helped, aided in some way; our practice is a chance to align with that influence. We will start and end with a restful awareness of your foundation, using subtle alignment cues for your feet while flowing into ever-evolving alignment with the space in our bodies, in any moment. Sweet flow, inversion, hip openers, arm balances, hips and backbends, finishing twists as well as meditation. Strong and delicious.
Nurturing Flow for Life Transitions with Jason Crandell: Nurture your body and mind as you transition from one season to another. This slow, deeply grounding sequence contains head-supported forward bends, restorative postures with minimal props required, and inversions. Although this is an active practice, it is calibrated to restore your energy, calm your nerves, and support your immune system. It’s just the thing you need when you want a complete practice but don’t have any energy to spare.
Balance & Controlled Transitions with Jo Tastula: This is a lively class that focuses on standing balance postures as well as slow controlled transitions. Balance postures are physically strengthening and also develop both coordination and tempo. Sun salutations to warm up (surya namaskar a & dancing warrior) and balance poses swan (hamsasana), standing splits with hands interlaced (uttana padasana) eagle (garudasana) crow (bakasana) and inversion tripod headstand (sirsasana). The trickiest transition is probably triangle to extended hand-to-big-toe (trikonasana to supta utthita hasta padangustasana). Finishing poses are single pigeon (eka pada rajakapotasana) and forward bend (paschimottanasana).
The Power of Change with Jo Tastula and Harshada Wagner: A transformational journey with Harshada and Jo. In this joint class, meditation teacher Harshada Wagner will join with vinyasa yoga teacher Jo Tastula to explore our practice’s power to support deep change in our minds, our bodies, and our lives. In this special 90 minute class, Harshada will lead guided contemplation and meditation exercises and Jo will lead a level 2 flow concentrating on inner listening and authentic movement.
Changes, Shifts & Transformations with Steven Espinosa: One of the amazing benefits of our yoga practice is we can come to our mat feeling one way and finish feeling completely transformed. A challenging Level 1-2 class which begins with a 30 minute continuous Standing Pose Flow with Warriors 1 & 2, Extended Side Angle and Triangle. Continues with several Shoulder Openers and Hip/Thigh Stretches. Also includes both Standing, Seated and Supine Twists. Concludes Supta Padangusthasana (Reclining Hamstring Stretch) and Savasana. No Back Bends.
Arm Balance Transition Tutorial with Dice lida-Klein: Connecting arm balances can be a challenging thing to do. Transitioning from one arm balance to the other requires arm and core strength…but more importantly the willingness to try things that may seem impossible! In this short tutorial we break down the transition from Eka pada koundinyasana 1 (twisted arm balance), to dwi pada koundinyasana (two-footed arm balance) and into Eka pada koundinyasana 2 (arm balance w/ leg to the side). Variations are given using a block underneath the chest. Work your chatturanga my fellow yogis. It is the gateway to the arm balances!
Jo Tastula demonstrates Intense Side Stretch Pose or Parsvottanasana. In this standing pose, you will complete a forward bend while in Mountain Pose and work on opening your shoulders. She provides some friendly tips to help make the pose a little easier to complete.
Jo shows you how to stabilize your Plank Pose, in order to transition into the perfect Side Plank Pose (Vasisthasana). She also provides a modified option of the pose.
We’re on Day Six of our 30:30 challenge and today we’re in need of something short, sweet and focused on reducing stress. Jo’s sweet stress-reduction yoga flow with music is what we’ve been craving all day and we suspect some of you may find this a perfect way to get your yoga on today.
Class notes: Slowly peel away the layers of a stressful hard working day with this luscious flow. Very mild start with restorative Supta Badha Konasana (Reclining Cobblers Pose) and Supta Padangusthasana (Reclining Big Toe Pose). We bring some awareness to the abdominals which often get switched off from too much sitting or driving, and get into a slow flow to ring out the entire body.
How are you all doing today? We know some of you are battling the sniffles & coughs and others are trying to juggle extremely busy work schedules this week. A shorter practice (even five minutes of breath!) counts just as much as an intense 90-minutes so listen to your body, give it what it needs, fit in what you can and feel good about it. Check in and let us know what’s up.
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