Teaching at the Wall

I am a person that needs a lot of change and variety to keep me interested and focused. I am pretty sure that if I went to a doctor looking for a diagnosis they would tell me I fall into the A.D.D. category. What that translates to as far as yoga and teaching yoga: I change things up a lot. A lot a lot.

My tendency to change things up is one reason I could not be a pure ashtangi and one of the many reasons why the idea of Bikram makes me contemplate poking my eye out with a dull pencil.

But, if you like a lot of change (and some people definitely are averse to change), you might like showing up at my yoga classes. I change the poses, the integration sequencing, the use of props, the sun salutations, the music, and my savasana love regularly.

Last night I decided to change up the beginning of class and do a portion against the wall to work on alignment and integrity in certain foundational poses. The group I had last night seemed to welcome the Iyengaresque approach and I definitely saw some light bulbs go off when we did triangle, warrior-2, and ardha chandrasana (half moon).

Here's the general sequence:

Standing tai chi twists.
Quarter moon stretches (3 on each side using breath)
Shoulder opener (clasp hands behind back) and fold to uttanasana
Rag doll

Surya Namaskara/Sun Salutation:

Tadasana-urdvha hastasana-uttanasana-low anjenayasana-chatturanga-
downdog-anjenayasana-uttanasana-urdvha hastasana

First round was slower paced and then we did 2 more together and then I had the class do 3 rounds at their own pace.

Ukatasana
Warrior 2 in center of room
Extended side angle/ parsvokonasana
Reverse warrior
Cartwheel to floor for low lunge hip opener variation (rolling onto outside edge of front foot & come to forearms if able)
Eka pada anjaneyasana (quad stretch in low lunge)
plank/chatturanga
Updog
Downdog

Repeat Left side

Move to Wall:
Triangle
ardha chandrasana/ half moon
warrior 2

Back to center of room to do Eagle with a prep in Crane

Malasana/Squat---play here shifting weight side-to-side and in circles

Come to floor
Janu sirsasana rolling up to modified side plank and circling top arm back for a slight back bend/heart opener

Repeat other side

Ardha Matsyendrasana

Half Saddle

Supine twist starting from belly

Savasana

If time allowed I thought about doing:

Rocket Cats for core strengthening
Ustrasana at wall [one arm at a time and then both)
Paschimottanasana
Table top

I loved all their questions and excitement when they felt the poses at new depths and in new places.

And- the music rocked (I am biased though since I chose it)!!