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Experience Assignments At-A-Glance Updated January 2012

Date Focus Videos / Classes Reading Lecture Task Self-Exploration Sample Practice

Prep Join Yahoo Groups Complete Personal Setup practice space at home Profile (Handouts Tab) Select and commit to practice time & send to Anne Schedule private lesson

Week 1 Breath of Week 1: Review Minimum Daily Visit and explore Yahoo Groups & See Self-Exploration Practice 4 Days Jan 15th Life & Level 1 Foundations Requirement (MDR) bookmark it in your browser. Questions (Handouts and P & M. Svadyaya 59 minutes (Handout Tab). Checkout the calendar, database Tab) for all future Use P & M and personal profiles of your weeks. Handout to Lesson 1: Review & classmates. Verify your contact info practice after Pranayama & Guidelines and confirm accuracy or report Practice svadyaya by you’ve watched Meditation (P & M) (Handouts Tab) errors to Anne. recording your practice the video at least 27 minutes in the Log (Log Tab) once. Start using your pot! Directions and writing in your are in the box. journal. Do so for all Alternate MDR & You may also watch a video on future weeks. Week 1 Video Youtube.” Week 1 Questions

Week 2 Finding Your Week 2: Heart of Yoga Lecture 1 Week 2 Questions Practice 4 Days Jan 22nd Ground Foundations-Stability & Introduction Asana and P & M. Freedom Chapter 1-3, pp. 5-23 59 minutes Chapter 10-11, pp. 93- Include MDR, 118 Week 1 & 2 Videos. Attend Vinyasa Class Jan 28th 10-1130am @ 2994 McKinley. Email [email protected] to RSVP - Free

Week 3 Root to Rise Week 3: Review Finishing a Lecture 2 Utilize Door Hangar (Handouts Week 3 Questions Practice 4 Days Jan 29th Outer Hips Stopped Video Practice Tab), if you haven’t yet. Asana and P & M. 76 minutes (FSVP) (Handouts Tab).

Include MDR, Week 1, 2 & 3 Videos. If any Video is too challenging, practice ½ of video on one day, the other ½ on the next day. Finish each practice with FSVP (Handouts Tab).

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Yoga Experience Assignments At-A-Glance Updated January 2012

Date Focus Videos / Classes Reading Lecture Task Self-Exploration Sample Practice

Week 4 is Week 4: Review Are You Getting Lecture 3 Complete Private Lesson Yoga Week 4 Questions Practice 5 Days Feb 5th Purifying Hamstrings to Your Mat? (Handouts Health History (Handouts Tab). Asana and P & M. 60 minutes Tab) Watch Uddiyana Kriya at Include MDR, Heart of Yoga http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlWdSxRl27U Week 1, 2, 3 & 4 Attend Vinyasa Class pp. 149-164 Videos. Feb 11th 10-1130am @ 2994 Practice uddiyana McKinley. Email kriya daily. [email protected] to RSVP – Free

Week 5 Svadyaya Week 5: Re-read Heart of Yoga No new Attend Private Lesson with Laurel & Week 5 Questions Practice 6 Days Feb 12th Front of Hips Sutras pp. 149-164 Lecture. incorporate instructions into your Asana and P & M. 80 minutes home practice. Include MDR, Attend Private Lesson Watch Kriya at Week 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5 if scheduled for this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hs13PZEKKls Videos. week. Practice nauli kriya daily. Week 6 Icca Shakti Week 6: Read Pada 2 in Heart of Lecture 4 Week 6 Questions Practice 6 Days Feb 19th Standing Pose Flow Yoga, pp. 165-183. Asana and P & M. 58 Minutes Practice MDR Lesson 2: when you don’t Pranayama & have time for a full Meditation (P & M) practice. Practice 12 minutes Week 3, 4, 5 & 6 Videos. Attend Private Lesson if scheduled for this Practice nauli kriya week. daily.

Week 7 Marga Week 7: Read Heart of Yoga pp. Lecture 5 Week 7 Questions Practice 6 Days Feb 26th Intro to Inversions & 125-133. Asana and P & M. Twists 46 Minutes Include MDR, Week 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5 Videos. Attend Vinyasa Class March 3rd Practice nauli kriya 10-1130am @ 2994 daily. McKinley. Email [email protected] to RSVP – Free

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Yoga Experience Assignments At-A-Glance Updated January 2012

Date Focus Videos / Classes Reading Lecture Task Self-Exploration Sample Practice

Week 8 Kula Week 8: No new reading. No new Week 8 Questions Practice 6 Days March 4th Yinyasa Yoga Lecture. Asana and P & M. 55 Minutes Include MDR, Attend Vinyasa Class Week 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5 March 10th Videos. 10-1130am @ 2994 McKinley. Email Practice nauli kriya [email protected] daily. to RSVP – Free

Week 9 Week 9: Read Heart of Yoga pp. Lecture 6 Week 9 Questions Practice 6 Days March 11th & Dharana Modified Primary 107-118 on Dharana, Asana and P & M. Series Dhyana and Samadi. 64 Minutes Re-read Heart of Yoga Include MDR, pp. 165-183 Week 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5 Videos.

Practice nauli kriya daily. Week 10 Tristana: Week 10: Re-read Heart of Yoga Lecture 7 Week 10 Questions. Practice 6 Days March 18th Breath, Modified Primary pp. 165-183. Asana and P & M. Bhandas, Series 64 Minutes Include MDR, Week 6, 7, 8, 9 & Lesson 2: 10 Videos. Pranayama & Meditation (P & M) Practice nauli kriya 12 minutes daily.

Week 11 Sun-Moon Week 11: See Full Closing Lecture 8 Week 11 Questions. Practice 6 Days March 25th Energy Full Closing Sequence Sequence Handout Asana and P & M. 22 Minutes Include MDR, Week 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, & 11 Videos.

Practice nauli kriya daily. Week 12 King & Week 12: Complete reading assignments for Week 12 Questions. Practice 6 Days April 1 Queen Ashtanga Primary the Asana and P & M. Energy Series Program, if you are enrolled. 81 Minutes Include MDR, Week 9, 10 11, & 12 Videos.

Practice nauli kriya daily.

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Yoga Experience Assignments At-A-Glance Updated January 2012

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inimum aily equirement Suryanamaskara A Repeat 3-5 times M D R

Samasthiti Inhale Inhale Chaturanga Urdva Mukha Svanasana Adho Mukha Svanasana Inhale Exhale Inhale Samasthiti equal standing pose Arms up overhead Exhale Stretch halfway up yoga push-up upward facing dog downward facing dog Step or hop to the top of Fold forward Arms up overhead equal standing pose Fold forward Exhale Inhale Exhale your mat Exhale Jump back OR Skip this if you went to Skip this if you went to Go to downward dog for a Downward dog in lieu of Downward dog in lieu of more restful practice chaturanga dandasana. Take 5 breaths here. The inhalation into the pose marks the beginning of the first breath. OR For a more restful practice, stay 8-10 breathes. Take child’s pose as needed. Suryanamaskara B Repeat 3-5 times

Samasthiti Uttanasana Chaturanga Dandasana Urdva Mukha Svanasana Adho Mukha Svanasana Chaturanga Dandasana

Urdva Mukha Svanasana Adho Mukha Svanasana Virabhadrasana Chaturanga Dandasana Urdva Mukha Svanasana Adho Mukha Svanasana Uttanasana Utkatasana Samasthiti

Finishing

Pachimottasana C Padmasana Utpluthih Savasana Self-Exploration Questions

Week 1 Record your yoga practice in your log and write a few sentences Jan 15th in your journal after you practice. You may want to explore the following questions? What did you notice when doing your home practice? Where you tighter on one day than another? Was your breathing stronger/lighter? Was your mind more/less focused? Were you able to keep a record of your practice this week?

Week 2 Continue recording your practice and journaling. Jan 22nd What are the 8 limbs of yoga? Which yama speaks to you the most? Which yama seems challenging? Contemplate the challenging yama as you do your practice. Write your reflections in your journal. Throughout the week, revisit the questions and write about them again after a few days. Has anything changed?

Week 3 Continue to self-reflect on questions from Week 2. Jan 29th

Week 4 What kind of do you find yourself consumed with on a daily Feb 5th basis? Are they painful or painless? Obstructing or non- obstructing?

Week 5 Conduct a Inventory: Feb 12th As you’ve learned today, a vritti is an activity of the mind, a thought. Our minds have a mind of their own and are always active, even in sleep. A dream is a thought or a set of thoughts. What kinds of vrittis do you find yourself consumed with on a daily basis? Are they painful or painless? Obstructing or non- obstructing?

What kinds of private conversations are always going on in your head? Are you thinking about the future (imagination-vilkalpah)? Are you thinking about the past (memory)? Is there something a parent or caregiver said to you (memory-smritaya) or an experience that you had (direct experience-) that you have taken on as your own Truth? Are you dealing with a situation because you misunderstood someone (error, misperception- viparyayo)?

Over the next two weeks, identify your recurring thoughts. Keep a small notepad handy, and write them down, whatever they are. Do not censor yourself. You do not have to show them to anyone. Self-Exploration Questions

Week 5 (Cont’d)

Some examples:

A. Use the Practice of Svadyaya to Welcome your Vrittis. Welcoming is a practice that assists the vritti in dissolving and losing it’s power to control our mind energy (citta). Contemplate and then journal responses to the following questions:

Where did this thought come from? Who said it to you? Was it something someone said to you? Whose voice is it? Was it an experience? Where were you? Were any other family members with you that could help you remember the details?

Try to remember all the details possible around the experience including how old you were, what you were wearing, where you were, and any other details. Note that you may have more than one experience. It is quite common to have an anchoring experience in our youth that is then repeatedly played out in adult life. See if you can follow the thread, recalling from your memory (smritya) as much as you can and then writing it down.

B. Dominant / Non-dominant Hand Writing Exercise Try writing the questions above on the left side of a sheet of paper. Draw a line down the middle and on the right side of the paper, write the first answer you get with your non-dominant hand. This is one way of excavating memories from the subconscious. Excavating, or becoming aware of them, is the first step in dissolving them.

C. What next? If you are unsuccessful with the questions, try exploring these questions. You may want to try dominant/non-dominant method to get to the subconscious faster.

What does it want? What are the hidden benefits of continuing to be absorbed in this vritti? How might I be attached to this vritti? Is this vritti pramana? In other words, do I believe it to be right knowledge?

Remember, right knowledge is gained through sensory experience, inference and scriptural testimony (authentic/respected source).

What beliefs do I have around dissolving vrittis such as memories and right knowledge?

Self-Exploration Questions

I am sick and tired of being overwhelmed. I’m not ______(pretty enough, smart enough, etc.) I’m always getting in these situations______. I don’t have any self-control when it comes to______(chocolate, TV, alcohol, anger, etc). I have bad luck. I’m too old/ too young/too______. I’m better than/worse than others.

Keep in mind that a belief is based on a thought that has recurred many, many times. Thus, if you think the thought, “I don’t have enough time” repeatedly, you indeed will not have enough time, and you will then begin to believe that you do not have enough time. This is the principle Inner World Creates the Outer World, or as explains, the subtle creates the gross.

Week 6 Continue the Vritti Inventory from Week 5. Feb 19th Continue building your inventory of vrittis, especially those that are chronic. Keep a small notepad with you at all times and write down what the inner VOICE is saying. Writing it down helps (1) increase awareness---a necessary requirement for (2) releasing it.

So write it down, even if it is the same voice for the tenth time today. Examples offered in our lecture:

“You can’t do this. You shouldn’t do this because you’re just going to be disappointed!”

“Why should I try? Why did this happen to me?”

Conduct a Dominant / Non-Dominant Hand Writing Exercise.

Week 7 According to Desikachar, there are nine obstacles that are Feb 26th common to encounter on the yoga path (read pp. 125-133 in Heart of Yoga). They are illness, lethargy, doubt, haste, lack of enthusiasm, distraction, arrogance, paralysis, and loss of faith.

Which of these obstacles have you encountered as a part of The Yoga Experience? How have you reacted or responded to it? After reading in Heart of Yoga, do you have new ideas about how you might recognize and respond to these obstacle when they arise?

Week 8 Continue with Week 7 questions. March 4th

Week 9 Do you find it easy to practice kriyah yoga—which one is easiest/ March 11th and which one is most difficult? Self-reflect and write in your Self-Exploration Questions

journal about this at least on three different occasions. Can you explain your behavior over the holidays in terms of the Yoga of Action. Are you able to engage tapas in difficult situations to manage your behavior? Are you mindfully self-reflecting afterwards and uprooting the dandelion (vritti) roots? Re-visit Lecture #6 if these questions are foreign to you.

Patanjali says we can attain niroda (clear mind) by clarifying the citta (getting rid of the vrittis – see Lecture #4 VIII). Apply practices of Abhyanga & Vairaigya plus two other techniques he discusses in sutras 1.28-1.38. Apply this to your practice. What happened? Record your experiences in your journal.

Week 10 Re-read II.1. Which techniques of Kriyah yoga come March 18th naturally to you and how do you practice them in your daily life? Which techniques do you find more difficult to utilize? Consider tapas (firey discipline), svadyaya (self-reflection), ishwara pranidhanani (surrender to the divine).

Week 11 Follow the guidelines and questions in your Lecture Notes March 25th

Week 12 Follow the guidelines and questions in your Lecture Notes April 1st

PRIVATE LESSON HEALTH HISTORY Date ___/___/___

First Name:______LastName:______Age:______

Address:______

City:______State:______Zip:______

Home Phone: (____)______Work:(____)______Cell:(___)______Best Number to reach you: ☐Home ☐Work ☐Cell

Primary E-mail:______

Secondary E-mail:______

What are you goals for private yoga lessons? ______

Please explain any health conditions you have: ______

What medications are you currently taking? ______

What lifestyle interventions have you implemented? ______

Please explain any current or past injuries or chronic pain areas in your body. ______

What chiropractic, bodywork modalities or have you tried? ______

Rate your pain level on an average day: ______

What things tend to aggravate your pain? ______

What things tend to alleviate your pain? ______PRIVATE LESSON HEALTH HISTORY Date ___/___/___ Please describe your activities and activity level on a weekly basis. Include duration and type of exercise/activity:______

What are your main goals for our lesson today? ______

Practice Log Month:______Y!g" Date Day Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat sana A MDR Yoga Foundations

Class/Other

ranayama P riya Nauli K Jala Neti editation M

Date Day Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat sana A MDR Yoga Foundations

Class/Other

ranayama P riya Nauli K Jala Neti editation M Date Day Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat sana A MDR Yoga Foundations

Class/Other

ranayama P riya Nauli K Jala Neti editation M

Practice Log Date Y!g" Day Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat sana A MDR Yoga Foundations

Class/Other

ranayama P riya Nauli K Jala Neti editation M Date Day Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat sana A MDR Yoga Foundations

Class/Other

ranayama P riya Nauli K Jala Neti editation M

Practice Log Date Y!g" Day Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat sana A MDR Yoga Foundations

Class/Other

ranayama P riya Nauli K Jala Neti editation M inishing a topped ideo ractice F S V P

Eka Pada Raja Janu Sirasasana Jathara Parivottanasana Savasana pigeon head to bound cobbler seated forward bend reclining twist Please Kindly Do Not Disturb I’m practicing yoga

Expected end time: _____:_____ am/pm

Om shanti shanti shanti Please Kindly Do Not Disturb I’m practicing yoga

Expected end time: ____:____ am/pm

m shanti shanti shanti O Please Kindly Do Not Disturb I’m practicing yoga

Expected end time: ____:____ am/pm

m shanti shantiO shanti losing equence C S

Tadaka Salamba Karnapidasana Urdhva Padmasana Pindasana reclining samisthiti shoulder stand plow like plow lotus while in shoulder stand legs in lotus (or crosslegged) bent in shoulder stand squeeze ears bend at waist and hold folded legs

Matsyasana Uttana Padasana Vinyasa to next pose Sirasasana Vinyasa to next pose fish extended leg head stand child’s pose legs in lotus or folded crown of head and butt on floor

Baddha Padmasana Padmasana Uttpluthi (x3) Savasana legs in lotus lotus lift up lion pose bow forward eyes closed 25 quick breaths legs in lotus arms interlaced losing equence C S

Tadaka Mudra Salamba Sarvangasana Halasana Karnapidasana Urdhva Padmasana Pindasana reclining samisthiti shoulder stand plow like plow lotus while in shoulder stand legs in lotus (or crosslegged) knees bent in shoulder stand squeeze ears bend at waist and hold folded legs

Matsyasana Uttana Padasana Vinyasa to next pose Sirasasana Balasana Vinyasa to next pose fish extended leg head stand child’s pose legs in lotus or folded crown of head and butt on floor

Baddha Padmasana Padmasana Uttpluthi Simhasana (x3) Savasana legs in lotus lotus lift up lion pose bow forward eyes closed 25 quick breaths legs in lotus arms interlaced Pranayama & Meditation Guidelines

3 breathes1

--—

3 ujjayi breaths

3 exhalation retentions as follows:

INHALE HOLD EXHALE HOLD 5-8 0 5-8 5-8

REPEAT: 3 X’

TIPS: Start and end with 3 Ujjayi Breaths. Try to lengthen the inhale to match the length of the exhale, creating samavritti, but do not strain the breath. Over time, the breath and your capacity to hold the exhalation will naturally increase. If you feel panicky or anxious during the exhalation retention, bring your awareness to the floor of your pelvis. Squeeze the perineum (root lock) and this will help you to sit more peacefully.

3 ujjayi breaths

3 inhalation retentions as follows:

INHALE HOLD EXHALE HOLD 5-8 5-8 5-8 0

REPEAT: 3 X’s

TIPS: Do not practice if you have high blood pressure, heart problems, or get dizzy. You may find that holding the inhalation retention is easier than holding the exhalation retention. Over time develop your inhalation to match the length of your exhalation.

3 ujjayi breaths

--Om—

3 ujjayi breaths

1 Ujjayi breath is the oceanic breath created by narrowing the glottis at the back of the throat. Its sound quiets the mind and the nervous system and helps the mind to focus. Are You Getting to the Mat?

Have you tried practicing with a friend?

Have you established a comfortable home practice space?

Have you established a regular time of day to do your practice?

Have you scheduled your practice time in your calendar?

Have you told at least 2 other people about your practice goals?

Have you asked family members for support?

Have you made a Do Not Disturb Until _____am/pm sign and posted on your door or screen?

Have you established a rough schedule of what routines you'll practice each day?

Have you tried just stepping onto your mat and doing at least one sun salutation? After that, can you do another?

Remember, there is no benefit to beating yourself up for missing your goal. Taking the time to reflect (svadyaya) gives you inspiration to re-commit and follow through. Remember, whatever arises, try to notice without reacting. Try to self-identify with the Seer and not the Seen.

"Comittment is doing the thing you said you were going to do long after the feeling with which you said it is gone."

--Alon Sagee