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“One of my favorite sayings of my teacher is: ‘The recognition of confusion is a form of clarity.’ If you can be clear that you’re confused about something, that’s a very powerful starting place for an inquiry. The non-recognition of confusion is Avidya … and that’s a whole other problem...” —Leslie Kaminoff, paraphrasing T.K.V. Desikachar
Please use this space to record any impressions, notes, or new thoughts you’d like to ponder from these discussions.
This is an experiential library. Please participate in the physical explorations along with the students on-screen, and use the spaces here to record notes, impressions, or new ideas you’d like to examine in your practice. We recommend gathering your tools before you begin: a yoga mat, blocks, and a blanket.
tada = mountain
“Even a pose as fundamental as tadasana can play many roles in how we balance our inner and outer experiences.” —Amy Matthews
This is an experiential library. Please participate in the physical explorations along with the students on-screen, and use the spaces here to record notes, impressions, or new ideas you’d like to examine in your practice. We recommend gathering your tools before you begin: a yoga mat, blocks, and a blanket.
Virabhadra = the name of a fierce mythical warrior
“There’s not a right and the wrong way to do this. But the way we initiate movement matters. For example, in Warrior 1, whether we’re thinking of keeping our spine lengthened at all times or starting from a neutral spine. It has an effect on our breathing and the breathing, of course, has an effect on the alignment.” —Leslie Kaminoff
This is an experiential library. Please participate in the physical explorations along with the students on-screen, and use the spaces here to record notes, impressions, or new ideas you’d like to examine in your practice. We recommend gathering your tools before you begin: a yoga mat, blocks, and a blanket.
Virabhadra = the name of a fierce mythical warrior
“There’s no law of the universe that says certain movements must be done on an inhale and other movements must be done on an exhale. You might choose an asana to experiment with. Try the opposite breathing patterns of whatever your breathing habits are and see if you learn something.” —Leslie Kaminoff
This is an experiential library. Please participate in the physical explorations along with the students on-screen, and use the spaces here to record notes, impressions, or new ideas you’d like to examine in your practice. We recommend gathering your tools before you begin: a yoga mat, blocks, and a blanket.
Virabhadra = the name of a fierce mythical warrior
“What happens if you come into the pose all at once? What about in pieces? How does that change your experience? What about your breathing?” —Leslie Kaminoff
Utthita Trikonasana / Extended Triangle PoseThis is an experiential library. Please participate in the physical explorations along with the students on-screen, and use the spaces here to record notes, impressions, or new ideas you’d like to examine in your practice. We recommend gathering your tools before you begin: a yoga mat, blocks, and a blanket.
utthita = extended
tri = three
kona = angle
“Quote” —Citation
“How do you build your Trikonasana? Do you set your feet, and then drop into it from above? Or do you build your stable base first and then build the rest of the pose on top of that foundation? Does your experience of the pose change based on how you get into it?” —Leslie Kaminoff
Prasarita Padottanasana / Wide-Stance Forward Bend
ASAnA LiBrAry: 06
Prasarita Padottanasana / Wide-Stance Forward BendThis is an experiential library. Please participate in the physical explorations along with the students on-screen, and use the spaces here to record notes, impressions, or new ideas you’d like to examine in your practice. We recommend gathering your tools before you begin: a yoga mat, blocks, and a blanket.
prasarita = spread, expanded
pada = foot
ut = intense
tan = to stretch out
“We can spend a lifetime of our yoga practice getting our breath and movement to happen together. … And then someone asks us to have them not happen together. It can be a little disorienting. But it’s actually a useful thing. As my teacher always would say, ‘Our yoga practice always has to be a little more clever than our habits,’ even our yoga habits.” —Leslie Kaminoff
This is an experiential library. Please participate in the physical explorations along with the students on-screen, and use the spaces here to record notes, impressions, or new ideas you’d like to examine in your practice. We recommend gathering your tools before you begin: a yoga mat, blocks, and a blanket.
vrksa = tree
THoUGHTS on BALAnCE:
“Balance is not static, it’s active.” —Leslie Kaminoff
“Balance is shifting state, not a fixed position.” —Amy Matthews
Vrksasana / Tree Pose
Record any thoughts or anything else that piqued your curiosity…
Paschimottanasana / Seated Forward BendThis is an experiential library. Please participate in the physical explorations along with the students on-screen, and use the spaces here to record notes, impressions, or new ideas you’d like to examine in your practice. We recommend gathering your tools before you begin: a yoga mat, blocks, and a blanket.
pascha = behind, after, later, westward
uttana = intense stretch
noTE: The back of the body is referred to as west because of the traditional practice of facing the rising sun when performing morning worship.
“When you change one little thing like what you do with your toes or where you put your hands, what effect does that have on your breath?” —Amy Matthews
Janu Sirsasana / Head-to-Knee PoseThis is an experiential library. Please participate in the physical explorations along with the students on-screen, and use the spaces here to record notes, impressions, or new ideas you’d like to examine in your practice. We recommend gathering your tools before you begin: a yoga mat, blocks, and a blanket.
janu = knee
shiras = to touch head with knee
“You never want to ignore a message that your knee is sending you. Because almost always, the message is ‘Stop! Readjust.” —Leslie Kaminoff
Ardha Matsyendrasana / Half Lord of the Fishes Pose
ASAnA LiBrAry: 10
Ardha Matsyendrasana / Half Lord of the Fishes PoseThis is an experiential library. Please participate in the physical explorations along with the students on-screen, and use the spaces here to record notes, impressions, or new ideas you’d like to examine in your practice. We recommend gathering your tools before you begin: a yoga mat, blocks, and a blanket.
ardha = half
matsya = fish
indra = ruler, lord
noTE: Sage Matsyendra was a renowned teacher of yoga who, according to legend, developed this pose.
“Changing the amount of flexion and extension in the different parts of the spine will affect how the rotation is distributed through the whole spine.” —Amy Matthews
Sukhasana and variationsThis is an experiential library. Please participate in the physical explorations along with the students on-screen, and use the spaces here to record notes, impressions, or new ideas you’d like to examine in your practice. We recommend gathering your tools before you begin: a yoga mat, blocks, and a blanket.
Bhujangasana / Cobra PoseThis is an experiential library. Please participate in the physical explorations along with the students on-screen, and use the spaces here to record notes, impressions, or new ideas you’d like to examine in your practice. We recommend gathering your tools before you begin: a yoga mat, blocks, and a blanket.
bhujanga = serpent (bhuja = arm; anga = limb)
“How does this pose relate to Camel? How about Locust? What can we learn about each of them by examining them together as a group?” —Amy Matthews
Balasana / Child’s PoseThis is an experiential library. Please participate in the physical explorations along with the students on-screen, and use the spaces here to record notes, impressions, or new ideas you’d like to examine in your practice. We recommend gathering your tools before you begin: a yoga mat, blocks, and a blanket.
bala = young, childish, not fully grown or developed
“Though Balasana is often used as a “resting” pose, there are many students for whom this pose is not restful - but it still might be interesting, and it has more to it than a place to rest. An important question to ask is if you are doing child’s pose because there’s something in it you want to illuminate, or could they do ANY recuperative position?” —Amy Matthews
Eka Pada Rajakapotasana / One-Legged Royal Pigeon Pose
ASAnA LiBrAry: 14
Eka Pada Rajakapotasana / One-Legged Royal Pigeon PoseThis is an experiential library. Please participate in the physical explorations along with the students on-screen, and use the spaces here to record notes, impressions, or new ideas you’d like to examine in your practice. We recommend gathering your tools before you begin: a yoga mat, blocks, and a blanket.
eka = one
pada = foot, leg
raja = king, royal kapota = dove, pigeon
“You can have all kinds of experiences here. You might choose to release everything down to the floor, but see if you can keep some organization in your body. You might choose to do a really dynamic variation of the pose where nothing is on the floor but your legs. Your style or teacher might dictate these choices, or you might choose them, yourself. In any case, I like to ask the question: Am I doing what I set out to do?” —Amy Matthews
Setu Bandhasana / Bridge PoseThis is an experiential library. Please participate in the physical explorations along with the students on-screen, and use the spaces here to record notes, impressions, or new ideas you’d like to examine in your practice. We recommend gathering your tools before you begin: a yoga mat, blocks, and a blanket.
setu = dam, dike, bridge
bandha = lock
setubhanda = the forming of a causeway or bridge; dam, bridge
“How much happens in the spine, and how much happens in the legs will differ from person to person, depending on what their pre-existing patterns are and how they do the pose.” —Amy Matthews
Urdhva Dhanurasana / Upward Bow Pose, Wheel PoseThis is an experiential library. Please participate in the physical explorations along with the students on-screen, and use the spaces here to record notes, impressions, or new ideas you’d like to examine in your practice. We recommend gathering your tools before you begin: a yoga mat, blocks, and a blanket.
urdhva = upward
dhanu = bownoTE: When you lift up, do you pull or push with your legs? What happens?
“I don’t care how strong your arms are. Nobody’s arms are stronger than their legs. If the action of your legs is loading pressure in the direction of the arms, then the arms not only have to do the job of lifting your body off the floor, they have to overcome the thrust that the legs are sending towards them.” —Leslie Kaminoff
Adho Mukha Svanasana / Downward-Facing Dog PoseThis is an experiential library. Please participate in the physical explorations along with the students on-screen, and use the spaces here to record notes, impressions, or new ideas you’d like to examine in your practice. We recommend gathering your tools before you begin: a yoga mat, blocks, and a blanket.
adho = downward
mukha = face
shvana = dog
An EXPEriMEnT FroM AMy:
Come in to Downward Dog. Don’t fix anything. Once you get there, just notice what adjustments you want to make, but don’t fix anything. Try to inquire in the spirit of asking why do you make the adjustments you want to make. If you can’t help but make them, notice that you made them. Then come back down.
Chaturanga Dandasana / Four-Limbed Stick PoseThis is an experiential library. Please participate in the physical explorations along with the students on-screen, and use the spaces here to record notes, impressions, or new ideas you’d like to examine in your practice. We recommend gathering your tools before you begin: a yoga mat, blocks, and a blanket.
chatur = four
anga = limb
danda = staff, stick
MoVEMEnT AnALySiS:
This is a complex action we’re asking in a relatively simple looking movement:• to shorten in the back of the shoulder, and lengthen in the front• and to shorten in the front of the elbow, and lengthen in the back• and to maintain the spine, legs and the rest of the shoulder girdle in “tadasana”
This is an experiential library. Please participate in the physical explorations along with the students on-screen, and use the spaces here to record notes, impressions, or new ideas you’d like to examine in your practice. We recommend gathering your tools before you begin: a yoga mat, blocks, and a blanket.
sa = with
alamba = that on which one rests or leans, support
sirsa = head
“There are many approaches about how to find to proper distance apart for your arms – the triangle that forms your base of support. One way we like to experiment is to find the width that helps each person feel the connection from their arms into their spine.” —Amy Matthews
Savasana / Corpse PoseThis is an experiential library. Please participate in the physical explorations along with the students on-screen, and use the spaces here to record notes, impressions, or new ideas you’d like to examine in your practice. We recommend gathering your tools before you begin: a yoga mat, blocks, and a blanket.
sava = corpse
“Sometimes, if you can’t get your body to release down all the way into the floor, you have to raise the floor up to meet your body.” —Leslie Kaminoff