Assisting Sandi in Tri Yoga @ Yoga4All.   Sandi’s theme for this month in classes has been heart openers- not just backbends but all heart opening postures.  One of the things in Tri Yoga that we focus on is complete spinal movements which opens the heart from inside out.  The movements of each vertebra along the spine opens the thoracic area behind the heart center which then opens as a flower does in the morning sun, one petal at a time.

Starting with breath work in L-Seat (Dandasana) and moving into Serenity L-Seat (Ardha Gomukasana) to open the hips. Not only does this open the hips it also teaches each of us if we have a side that is less open and give us the opportunity to breathe into the less open side. Other postures followed for more hip opening.

Through the cat bows we not only build strength we keep the heart open as we do the movements. Sandi always has an added tool to use in her Tri Yoga tool bag and she used one tonight.  Having us move to the wall to do our cat bows with our toes in Toe Stretch and our heels on the wall as we did our movements.  That was the true teacher for many of us, we realized that we don’t continue to use our feet while moving through these postures loosing energy  that sustains the movement and the posture.  She continued with the wall work keeping our feet in the Toe Stretch foot and had us move from Mountain (Adho Mukha Svanasana) to Swan (Kapotasana) again the wall/foot work brought mindfullness to many of us.  Loved this Sandi

Moving on to work on some of the turns of Tri Yoga which are such an important part of keeping the energy flowing. Tonight we worked on the flow from Triangle (Trikonasana), Side Angle (Parsvakonasana) to Warrior 1 (Virabhadrasana I) variation to Runner (Anjaneyasana) to Cat (Marjarasana).  Once you get the fluid movement it is fun to do and is a beautiful transition.

Then ending of class was a treat as we went back to the wall for Inverted Rolls (Bridge Rolls with feet on the wall for support) and sustained the posture with 2 blocks supporting the sacrum.  There were some other wall movements (come to class and see all the wonderful Tri Yoga wall work).  Then we ended up with Legs Up the Wall (Viparita Karani) with our choice to stay there for aromatherapy or come down for Tranquility (Savasana)

The aromatherapy for tonight’s class was Yoga Flow Oils ~~ Open Heart Blend. Thank you Susan

Sandi also teaches Tri Yoga at Yoga4All on Thurs 10am-1130am Join her then.  Namaste