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23rd February Rajalaxmi

Tamara Hockey

Updated: Jan 21

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The outside of the institute on Hare Krishna Mandir Road


felt it was just a tiny bit cooler today – a bit more manageable, or perhaps we are acclimatising to Pune’s early summer. I enjoyed the warmth in the air as I had my morning cuppa and of course the flexibility improves when the heat gets into your bones. Jenny is heading straight back for assessment in Manchester next week, so hoping she can hold onto that special Pune gain for just a little while once we return to a British winter.


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Was seriously tempted to airbrush the gap under my thigh!


Rajalaxmi taught a restorative class this evening, a simple no fuss approach, with very little detail or instruction so that we could just immerse ourselves in the poses. Link to full sequence below. The class was mainly forward bends using the bolster support slightly differently to the usual method. So for example in janu sirsasana or parsva upavista konasana the bolster was laid on the floor alongside the length of the extended leg – this meant that we didn’t have to rotate as much, making a softer, quieter pose where the breath could flow easily. We were told that the breathing should not only occur in the nostrils, but every cell in the entire body had to breath with you.

After the forward bends we moved to some very welcome chest opening in chair dwi pada viparita dandasana, length of spine supported on tri fold blanket and chair sarvangasana. What struck me during this class is how spending this month working intensively on my yoga practice has made me like a sponge – completely open and receptive and ready to draw in with appreciation the fragrance of each and every pose. The simplicity of a quiet restorative class with a little more time to stay and breathe was very much savoured.

I snapped this photo on my way to class – one of the things that strikes me when I’m in India is how much more relaxed men are around each other. There’s very little ‘macho posturing’ and men often display an easy affection with each other that we don’t see back home at all – walking down the street with an arm casually slung over a friend’s shoulder or sometimes holding hands.

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Enjoying the warm evening air.


Rajalaxmi – Restorative


“Not just the nostrils breathing, every cell in your body has to breathe”

X legs bend forwards, head supported, wrists supported on horizontal bolster + blanket

Parsva AM Swastikasana, rotating the trunk, head, wrists supported on the bolster.

AMVirasana – bolster

AMS – head support on bolster

Paschimottonasana – Feet a little apart. Head support

Janu Sirsasana – bolster lengthways along extended leg so that trunk and head passively supported.

Upavista Konasana – Bolster lengthways in front for complete abdomen support

Parsva upavista konasana – Bolster alongside leg that you are turning towards for passive support of trunk and head.

Janu Sirsasana – bolster lengthways along extended leg so that trunk and head  passively supported.

Paschimottonasana – Head support

Chair dwi pada viparita dandasana with tri fold blanket on seat of chair for spine, head supported on bolster (+extra if needed) legs extended but soles of feet flat on floor. Elbows folder over the head. Passive

Chair Sarvangasana – arms out wide to side, rather than catching underneath – passive

Bent leg savasana, nothing under buttocks, calves on chair, bolster against thighs, blanket under head and neck


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