Shelly meditates

I took all three classes into “Sukha” land today. Sukha in Sanskrit means “sweet” or “easy.”

Sukhasana is the easy, crossed-legged seated posture that most people take when they start to practice, or when they meditate.

Because yesterday’s practice was so intense,  I wanted to take it down a notch today. Actually, I wound up taking it down many notches. It might have even been considered a totally notch-less practice.

Here’s the sequence: (I am inspired by Emily’s post about her home practice space and I know she, and Monarchmuse would have loved tonight’s class.)

Start with some slow, sensuous cat/cow stretches on hands and knees. Melt into Child and stay there until the brain quiets.

In Child’s pose, stretch through the fingers and lengthen the spine and then rise up for a bent knee Downward Dog. Lift right leg and stretch it out. Lift left leg. (No hangovers.)

Return to Child and reflect on the effect of that Dog.

Transition onto your back. (Hava a strap and a block nearby)

Hug knees to chest for a while and then move into Wind Reliever with the right knee drawn in.

Loop the strap around the right foot and stretch the hammies with the strap. Circle the whole leg a few times then extend it out to the right. Take it across the body to the left. Bring it back to center and draw the nose to the knee and hold.

(repeat this whole sequence, from Wind Reliever, on the other side)

Come into Supta Baddha Konasana, and seque into Happy Baby. Back to Baddha Konasana and then loop the index and second fingers around the big toes and extend the legs up to the ceiling. Take them out to a wide V. Back to Baddha Konasana.

Take a Bridge prep and lift up just to stretch the quads (about 2 to 3 inches for most people.) Hold for a long time. Lower. Come up again, only a  little higher this second time. Hold. This should feel like a great quad stretch, not a back bend.

Stay lifted and place a block between the knees and engage the adductors (inner thighs). Hold for 5 breaths, or longer.

Lower to back. Remove block.

Come up into Full Bridge, then place the block underneath to support you. Relax into the supported backbend forever. Come down when you are ready.

Rock up to seated.

Back to hands and knees for a few more cat/cows, then up into Down Dog again.

From DD walk the hands to the front of the mat and the feet to the back of the mat into a weird plank, and hold.

Melt onto the belly, pillow the arms, and rest.

Grab the right foot with the right hand for Half Bow pose. Stretch the quad, lift the quad and hold for 3 breaths.

Repeat on the other side.

Take full Bow and hold for 3 Breaths.

Come down and rest for a long time (until heart stops pounding.)

Transition to all 4′s for cat/cow.

Up to Down Dog with bent knees to stretch back.

Back to Child.

Savasana.

I played Wah’s Savasana for this sequence and it was perfect. Everyone left happy and soft.