Self-Practice Journal, Week 7

For one of my RYT classes this semester, I'm required to keep a weekly self-practice journal. This is for yoga practices I do on my own, not guided in a studio, gym, or via video. Each week I'll have a post that details at least three of my self-practices.

Week 7
Practice 1
Date: February 4, 9-10p
Intention: Focus on lines of energy

Content: Standing Warm Up: Neck rolls, half salutes - rolling up from fold, chair - raise and lower, rolling ankles // Utkatasana

Chair - Bow and Arrow (4x)

Sunflower lunges (6x each)

Chandra Namaskar (3x, progressively going deeper into poses)

Goddess Pose // Utkata Konasana

Star Pose

Side Angle Right // Parsvakonasana

Pyramid Right // Parsvottanasana

Low Lunge Right // Alanasana

Wide-Legged Forward Fold // Prasarita Padottanasana

Squat // Malasana

Wide-Legged Forward Fold // Prasarita Padottanasana

Low Lunge Left // Alanasana

Pyramid Left // Parsvottanasana

Side Angle Left // Parsvakonasana

Star Pose

Goddess Pose - with lateral stretches // Utkata Konasana

Half-Moon Pose right // Ardha Chandrasana

Goddess pose // Utkata Konasana

Half-Moon pose left // Ardha Chandrasana

Lower to lunge and move into stretches

Monkey Pose Prep Left // Ardha Hanumanasana

Lizard Left // Utthan Pristhasana

Pigeon Left // Kapotasana

Sage Twist

Monkey Pose Prep Right // Ardha Hanumanasana

Lizard Right // Utthan Pristhasana

Pigeon Right // Kapotasana

Sage Twist

PRONE: T-arm stretch, half-knot/full-knot stretch, child’s pose // Balasana, supine spinal rolls, supine twists, Savasana

Reflection: I recently had some suggestions for correcting my alignment in Ardha Chandrasana (in Yoga III with Mary), and I wanted to try a practice to incorporate them. When I became more aware of my alignment and the positioning of my limbs, the pose changed drastically for me. I've always enjoyed it, and now it's more challenging because I have to do it differently than I've done it for years. I try to envision the lines of energy more efficiently extending from my center, without being misdirected by an extra curve in my lumbar or collapse in my side body.

Practice 2
Date: March 2, 4-5p
Intention: Experiment with awareness and alignment when approaching Half Moon Pose
Content: Neck rolls, half salutes - rolling up from fold, chair - raise and lower, rolling ankles // Utkatasana

Chair - Bow and Arrow (4x)

Sunflower lunges (6x each)

Chandra Namaskar (only 1 time through each side, using a block)

Goddess Pose // Utkata Konasana

Star Pose

Side Angle Right // Parsvakonasana

Pyramid Right // Parsvottanasana

Low Lunge Right // Alanasana

Wide-Legged Forward Fold // Prasarita Padottanasana

Squat // Malasana

Wide-Legged Forward Fold // Prasarita Padottanasana

Low Lunge Left // Alanasana

Pyramid Left // Parsvottanasana

Side Angle Left // Parsvakonasana

Star Pose

Goddess Pose - with lateral stretches for upper body // Utkata Konasana

Half-Moon Pose right // Ardha Chandrasana

Goddess pose // Utkata Konasana

Half-Moon pose left // Ardha Chandrasana
After Yoga IV today, I decided to add a second Ardha Chandrasana pose with Trikonasana as the approach instead of the more subtle shift I had tried from Goddess (of course, I basically went into a Trikonasana with my body after Goddess, but I wanted to be more deliberate). So Goddess, then Trikonasana, then Ardha Chandrasana (on each side)

Lower to Trikonasana, lunge and move into stretches

Monkey Pose Prep Left // Ardha Hanumanasana

Lizard Left // Utthan Pristhasana

Pigeon Left // Kapotasana

Sage Twist

Monkey Pose Prep Right // Ardha Hanumanasana

Lizard Right // Utthan Pristhasana

Pigeon Right // Kapotasana

Sage Twist

PRONE: T-arm stretch, half-knot/full-knot stretch, child’s pose // Balasana, supine spinal rolls, supine twists, Savasana

Reflection: I think it's important to be very deliberate with entry poses. As a long-time practitioner of yoga, I can understand what shifts of the body I should make in order to move from Goddess to Half Moon. But less experienced yogis may need more basic cues- like we discussed in Yoga IV today: going into Triangle first to position the body better before Half Moon. I can see the alignment benefits because it relates back to the foundation we want to give people when they practice yoga. Rather than get into the pose and adjust, adjust beforehand and find a more effortless entry into a pose. I do still like to mix it up in my personal practice, though! It's helpful to experience and experiment with different sequences.