27 Jan 2024

Yoga for Joy and Peace

A 30 minute yoga sequence I co-wrote as part of my yoga instructor training certification.

Details

When: Saturday, January 27, 2024 Where: Palisades Yoga With: Rayna Harris and Jashua Denis
Key Actions: Heart Opening and Heart Chakra Centered
Spinal Effects: Enlivening, Axial Extension
Theme: Yoga for Joy and Peace
Book Recommendation: Yoga for the Joy of It!

This practice was created with you in mind, the being who deserves to feel happy, joyful and at peace without needing any other reason. This 60 minute yoga class begins with a centering meditation, moves you through sun salutation variations, with the intention of cultivating joy; and ends with a restorative practice centered around inner peace, relaxation, happiness. Using the body, breath and mind as a vehicle, this full body practice will guide you through a series of extending, back/forward bending, twisting, and inverted poses with the intention of connecting you with your heart space and inner being. Here, we emphasize poses and modifications of poses that focus on opening the heart to joy and peace.

Asanas

Supine Stretches

Supine Stretches

Heart Opening Flows

Floor Flow

Half Salutation with a Twist

Half Salutation with Twist

Low Lunge Sun Salutation

Sun Salutation with Low Lunge

Warrior I Sun Salutation

Sun Salutation with Warrior I

Warrior II Flow

Warrior II

Warrior III Flow

Warrior III

Heart Opening Asanas

Sphyinx Broken Wing

Hip Opening Asanas

Lizards

Inversions

Pigeons

Relaxation and Meditation

Savasana

All images from Shutterstock.

Closing Thoughts

We couldn’t truly enjoy sunshine without experiencing rain, and even after the harshest rainstorm, there is usually a rainbow well on its way.

So if you aren’t feeling happy, joyful or at peace, at any point in time; appreciate the contrast.

This feeling is your compass to know that this moment isn’t the end, and a reminder that there is always an opportunity to return to a peaceful state through your intention, thinking, feeling, and any aligned action.

Cultivate peace & fulfillment from within, and share it with the outside.

Trust that you have everything you need for this journey of life, and help is always readily available.

You can’t get it wrong, and you’ll never get it all done, enjoy the journey.

Namaste ~

Music

Notes: The playlist start with 2 minutes of silence for a brief class introduction. The song “Joy” is meant to be played while yogis rest in Savasana. Nina Simone’s song “Feeling Good” and Bob Marlesy’s song accompany the supine asanas and heart open asanas, respectively. The half and low lunge slations can be peformed during the song Colors, with an emphasis on inhaling and exhaling on the 8 count. Be sure to shake a little after completing a Sun Salutaiotn with Warrior I pose while listening to James Brown. The upbeat “Strawberry Letter 23” is perfect for flowing between warrior II varations and goddess pose, and the slower-pacess happiness song offers a chance to pause in stillness and examine the balanced nature of life. Finally, low frequence sounds are played are used to future calm the mind, body, and spirit for relatation and meditation.

Books

Book Recommendation
Yoga for the Joy of It!

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