
Early start today for Rajalaxmi's pranayama where we sat quietly for viloma inhalations and exhalations, preparing the body with a very active bolster setubandha, charging the body with life. We had to grasp the outer edges of the mat and stamp the shoulders down to lift the back ribs / shoulder blades up and then lifting the feet off the floor and stretching the sacrum along with the legs parallel to the floor for 5 breaths up, 5 breaths down so that with the legs level, the mula bandha action could be experienced.
After class I walked through the park and visited my favourite fruit seller from years gone by when I have stayed in Karishma's apartments just on the other side of the park

He didn't disappoint - beautiful gigantic sweet strawberries and gorgeous figs all without any plastic wrapping. I took some time to soak up the peaceful atmosphere of the park and then strolled home for peppermint tea and more pranayama followed by a delicious strawberries, figs and papaya made even tastier with the juice of a nimbu (sweet lime) squeezed all over.
There was a festive air in Pune today as it is a sacred day named Sankashti Chaturthi dedicated to the worship of Lord Ganesha. Lots of people queuing to make their offerings to the many shrines of Ganesh around the city and balconies bedecked with fairy lights. Not sure whether the guy who sang his way down our street was also connected to this, or whether this was just a random act of song!
Evening class was another fast sequence from Gulnaz concentrating on eka pada actions in Uttanasana, AMSvanasana and the inversions. Throughout the class she keep the eka pada leg parallel to the floor as she was introducing them to her newer intermediate students and explained that if she encouraged them to lift as high as possible at this stage, then it would cause errors, better to focus on parallel to floor, maintaining full extension of both legs, kneecaps tight and front face of leg facing the floor. Full sequence below:
Day 9 – Gulnaz Eka Padas
AMVirasana
AMSvanasana – Uttanasana X 3 repeats
Uttanasana feet together
Urdhva Hastasana – Uttanasana CCB – Stretching arms outwards far away from the feet to go down and then fingers cup shaped CCB eys looking upward, shoulders rolling backward, spine concave x 5
Urdhva Hastasana – Uttansasna CCB – join feet – Urdhva Prasarita Eka Padasana only taking the leg parallel to the floor x 2
Padangusthasana – Encircle the toes properly and pull on the toes to concave the back and lift the eye level up.
Pada hastasana – Whole palm not just fingers under the sole of the foot.
Prasarita Paddottonasana from UHasta – CCB – then full pose releasing the crown of the head down and walking back palms between the feet.
In the following inverted eka padas, only taking leg parallel to the floor, focussing on keep the knee cap tight and maintaining the extension of the up leg.
Sirsasana- Eka Pada Sirsasana x 2 – Parsva Eka Pada Sirsasana x 2 – Baddha Konasana Sirsasana – Upavista Konasana Sirsasana
Sarvangasana – Eka Pada Sarvangasana x 2 – Parsva Eka Pada Sarvangasana x 2 – Baddha Konasana Sarvangasana – Upavista Konasana Sarvangasana – Halasana – Parsva Halasana – Supta Konasana – Halasana.
Dandasana – Bharadvajasana 1 x 2
Dandasana – ardha padmasana in dandasana x 3 each side
Dandasana – left leg to virasana – right leg to janu sirsasana (stay here if padmasana not possible – right leg to ardha padmasana – bharadvajasana 2 x 2 on 2nd go reaching back and catching the big toe.
Swastikasana – Ardha Padmasana – Padmasana – Parsva Padmasana x 2
Dandasana – swinging legs quickly to swasikasana x 3 each cross
Supta Swastikasana
Savasana
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