Yoga Style (Hip-Hop) Teaching Methodology

Begin with Pelvic - Hip Bumps, anterior and posterior flexion & Core - side abdominal (oblique) strengthening and stretching, warming-up front (anterior) and back (posterior) abdominals and muscles by strengthening and stretching opposing (antagonist) muscle groups! Practice a QuadStretch (Natrajasana) variation. Do a full body Stretch, Stabilization & Strengthening asana, as your able, during Explorers (Virabhadrasana I, II & Reverse). HeadStand (Shirshasana), by some references, is known to be the King of Poses - performed here with an inverted Pike. Strengthen Arms by sequencing into CrowPose (Kakasana), if you like. Endure Core strengthening in plank/hover (Chaturanga Dandasana) as well as Swan Feather (Hamshasana). Periodizing pelvic flexion and extension as well as leg strengthening and stretching in Splits (Hanumanasana). Ending in a final supination; namaste! A client/friend of mine arranged for a meeting to provide group yoga. I chose to meet and immediately agreed to teach dance students. Yoga Style Hip-Hop began a new adventure. The clip shows similar poses (asanas) as those practiced during the first class! A Deva Premal Chants and incantations station was changed to Hip-hop music. While listening to the electronic style 'gunfire' sounds I ticked my physical body to the beat. I had practiced similarly having learned inner subtle body movements from the instruction of Jayi Kumar Swamysree, not far from a ghetto of people living in tents near Mysore India while studying abroad in 2008. Feeling each adjustment I pretended to be titanium, as a song mentions - fully protected (Pancha-maya-kosha). Continuing to integrate moves listening and thinking 'vilkalpa', non-judgment of terminology. During a rap story, "Bitch" was expressed. A puppy raced to mind. Smiling, while sequencing puppy pose also known as foxtail pose was helpful. Gazing over the shoulder towards the outer (lateral) pelvic bones where the Greater Trochanter's ball joints of the upper legs connect to the socket joints of the pelvis which holds the longest bones of the body, the femurs. When class time rolled around, preparation paid. "Okay," time for hip bumps, "Keep your hips moving from side-side". Now, to cue Tail Wag Pose, "... find your booty". We started with the basics. "Try Standing Cat/Cow", a fun movement with tailbone tucks and lifts. 'Putting our back into it', prepared us for more advanced poses as core work facilitates upper body stretching, stabilizing and strengthening to reverberate to the lower body and vie-a-vie. Flowing, yoga hip-hop style like a lotus flower in murky waters we practiced sensory withdrawal (pratyahara). During life chants (raps) we continued posing in Dancer (Natrajasana). The class waged peace in Warrior poses (Virabhadrasana), used core strength and balance (udyana bandha) lifting into headstands (Shirsasana) and learned to flow from Tripod to Crow (Kakasana), a basic forearm balance. After more planks (chataranga dandasana), practicing splits pose (Hanumanasana) - one of the most intense deep stretches - and some up-dogs (urdhva mukha shvinasana) the class rested. We listened to yogi raps (mantras) during Final Relaxation (Shavasana). Our first yoga style hip-hop class completed. Bliss out; bliss be!

First published 11/2014; written update 1/2024

Restorative Sequence

While practicing a Restorative Sequence be inclusive, intrinsic, intuitive & conscious while feeling, breathing and listening.  Stay in each pose a few minutes.  Use blankets and pillows for comfort and support.
 
1.)  Upright Legs (Supta Dandasana) - Lengthen legs up a wall or head board.  Stretch tailbone through to the top of the head.  Aligning while stretching the hamstrings group of muscles and back; depending on flexibility move closer or further from the support.

2.)  Supine Butterfly (Baddha Konasana) - Touch feet together with knees splayed apart, opening and stretching the adductor muscles (inner thighs including groin) Relax and breathe long and slow feeling at ease.
 
3.)  Supine Twist or Revolved Stomach (Jathra Padangusthasana) - Bring knees towards the chest then place knees to one side, rest, then move to the other side.  Lay with head facing away from knees.  This pose benefits the stomach and other internal organs. 
 
4.)  Fish (Matsyasana) - Elongate the body.  Place hands underneath the body aligning forarms.  Lift the chest towards the sky, arching the back away from the Earth and relax the head.  This is an anti-aging pose.

5.)  Feet to Hands (Apanasana) - bring knees towards chest and hold the soles of the feet while laying on your back.  Feel the spine lengthen.  Place hands under knees or hold arms at the elbows as another option.

6.)  Final Relaxation [S(h)avasana] - Relax shoulders back and down by lifting up and gently squeezing the rhomboids - muscles connecting the shoulder blades at the back side heart center.  Articulate through the spine from the tailbone to the first vertebrae at the top of the neck (cervical spine).  Roll eyes back into their sockets and breathe through the entire body beginning with toes and fingers, opening through the abs and expanding the chest.  Upon exhalation feel the body relax completely.
While breathing use the mantra "Let" on the inhalation and "Go" on the exhalation to let go of a tight, tense and/or sore body and/or mind.  Be accepting, feeling for what you have done, loving, listening, smiling and appreciating yourself and the world around you.  Feel restored with a reinvigorated mind and body.

Partner Yoga

Enjoy yoga with someone you trust. Close flowing movements, optional stacking poses like double plank, balancing hip-hip in tree (vrksasana) and wrap in stretching poses that offer adjustment & support.

Pyramid Quest

Strength, balance and flexibility.
Begin with a standing back arch by lifting the chest and aligning the head back.  This move strengthens the back and stretches the torso.  Balance through the feet, feeling the weight of the pose evenly from the tips of the toes through the heels.

Move into Runner's Lunge by hinging forward and reach the left leg back, toes to the ground.  Then, up into Crescent Lunge Pose by lengthening the arms overhead; press arms towards one another to feel the strength of the chest muscles (pectoralis).  Balance the body by feeling it's weight into the front leg's heel reverberating to the spine.

Next, try Twisting Lunges by placing hands at heart center (anjali-mudra) and twist to the inside of the body (medially).  Try binding the hands by reaching the lower hand underneath the body and the upper hand back behind.  If you can, use Ganesh Grip while lengthening, strengthening and aligning the body before returning to center.

Similarly, try twisting towards the outside of the body (laterally).  To bind, place the left armpit past the right knee and reach the left hand under the right leg while placing the forearm of the left hand along the small of your back, reaching hands into a Ganesh grip.  Return to center and move into runner's lunge.

From Runner's Lunge, go into Pyramid pose by lengthening the front leg and arms while hinging at the hips.  Lengthen through the spine, tailbone to the top of the head aligning.  Feel Jalandhara Bhanda by contracting the anterior (front) neck muscles.  Place the heel of the back foot down, pigeoning (toes ahead of the heel) to protect the knee.

Open into Triangle Pose by lifting the left arm, in alignment with the right - shoulders and hands perpendicular to the ground.  Gaze up, if you choose.  Align through the body - head, shoulders, hips, knees and toes.

Move into twisting or revolved triangle by placing the left hand down and the right hand up.  Revolve the body from the hips to the top of the head.  Feel space through the internal organs while exhaling.

Press into Half Moon by lifting the left leg and arm up; lengthening the leg parallel and the arm perpendicular to the ground.  The key to balancing here is Pada Bhanda - the strength and balance of the foot, not the hand.  Try lifting the hand while continuing to balance in the pose. 

Twist into Twisting Half Moon. Place the left arm down and the right arm up.  To advance in the pose gaze up.  Return to Crescent Lunge.

Lift into Warrior III.  Bring the back leg up and hinge the body parallel to the ground.  Outstretch fingers and toes in opposite directions.  Return to standing and repeat the series on the right side!

Pigeon (Kapotasana) Nest

Try five poses for flexibility.  First stretch the hip flexors (ilio psoas).  Begin in Pigeon Pose (Raja Kapotasana) by bending at the knee, of one leg, while elongating the other leg behind you, then stretch the arms - inching fingers and toes away from your midline.  Next, lift your torso for a deeper stretch. 

Second, move into Royal Pigeon Pose by bending at the knee of the elongated leg.  Either hold your foot with your hand or place the foot in the bend of the elbow.  If you can place your arms overhead and hold your toes - even better.  This stretches the knee extensors (quadriceps). 

Continue the phase by moving into Turkish Twist.  Bring the back leg to the front, over the other leg; stretching the hip extensors (glutes).  Now, with both legs bent at the knees.  Continue the pose by placing hands together near your heart in prayer (anjali-mudra).  Twist the torso, stretching your back and abdominals (core), from the hips to the top of the head.  Reaching the lower elbow towards the outside of the knee.  Finally, place eyes to see behind the body (eye yoga) and when your ready gently untwist.

Fourth pose is cow's face (gomukhasana).  Reach arms wide lifting, the side of the leg that is on bottom, up.  Then, bend the elbow and pat your neck (cervical spine).  Next, reach the other arm lowering, the side of the leg on top, down.  Then, bend the elbow and inch fingers towards one another.  Grasp fingers together in a Ganesh grip, if you can.

Finally, after repeating on the other side, try log stack.  Place the ankle of the upper leg over the knee of the lower leg and the ankle of the lower leg under the knee of the upper leg.  This pose stretches deep, near the ball and socket joints of the hips.  Next, twist the torso to align the sternum with the knee of the upper leg.  Now hinge at the hips.  Inhale and open tight sore areas.  Then, exhale to relax and release tension.  Repeat on the other side.  Feel open and flexible.

Yoga Philosophy (Principles)

Following the Eight Limbs of Yoga is a life-long holistic practice that may improve longevity.  The limbs may be used as a processes for personal development.  The effect(s) may be noticed from any of the limbs at any time; practice by making Buddha Soup.

On the last page of the book, Don't Just Do Something. SIT THERE A Mindfulness Retreat with Sylvia Boorstein, the way to make Buddha Soup for character development, is to "apply equal amounts concentration, calm, equanimity, rapture, investigation, energy and mindfulness." This method of application is then applied to the ingredients of "morality, resolve, renunciation, effort, equanimity, truthfulness, patience, loving-kindness, generosity and wisdom".  Interestingly the 'Method of Preparation' along with the ethical and moral 'ingredients' make-up the Eight Limbs of Classical Astanga Yoga.

The Eight Limbs of Yoga include specific ethical and moral principles (yamas and niyamas).  The principles include purity, faith, resistance (sexual), discipline, non-possessiveness, honesty and contentment as well as non-harming, non-stealing, and studiousness.  These are the ingredients of Buddha Soup and the first two limbs of yoga.

Boorstein includes preparation characteristics, the other six limbs of yoga, for making Buddha Soup. First, prepare with concentration (dharna) a one pointed focus.  Also, calm/equanimity (pratyahara) using sensory withdrawl to be like a lotus flower in the mud and muck; flies and bugs swarming, crocodiles circling with relaxation in the midst of chaos.

The method for making Buddha Soup continues with rapture (samadhi) translated as "complete absorption" by Nicolai Bachman in his book The Language of Yoga.  Rapture can be a second wind, a runners high, a dancers bliss or a meditators transcendence.  In the context of yoga, investigation [pose (asana)] is practiced to learn about our strength, balance and flexibility in the moment, for the day, as we progress or digress, eb and flow through the seasons of our lives.  Energy [breath (pranayama)] is translated as life force taken from the root prana, a term for energy.  Finally, mindfulness [meditation (dhyana)], to put it simply, is conscious living - or sitting as the case may be.

The practice of Yoga is the practice of connecting our minds and bodies.  Apply the process and utilize the ingredients for making Buddha Soup.  Just as fresh from the Earth ingredients such as whole and sprouted grains, vegetables, fruit, beans, legumes, nuts, seeds, herbs and spices feeds our minds and bodies, Buddha Soup feeds our souls.  Enjoy the practice because yoga is mind/body medicine for creating physical, emotional and mental strength, balance, flexibility and relaxation. - Bliss Out!

For more information visit www.yogatrainingtouch.com

Yoga As Medicine (Yoga Therapy)

Yoga is a way of using our minds and bodies to feel good (therapeutic effects). Try cow's face (ghomukhasana) arms for shoulder flexibility and care. Use yoga breathing (pranayama) for energy and filtered air. Practice swan-feather pose (pinca-hamsasana) for lumbago and mind/body awareness. Yoga can be anecdotal for anyone; here are a few ways yoga has been medicinal for me.


Once, while snowboarding I fell off a rail and swiped my shoulder going down. My deltoids felt bruised (bleeding from the inside) and battered, of no use; possibly dislocated. Whatever the case, I was in grave pain.
Usually, I can deal and end up feeling fine. This time, was different; I sat on the deck of the lodge contemplating calling an ambulance. I couldn't drive in this state, I was dazed and confused. Where as, I have driven to the emergency room arm raised, while bleeding with no problem.

Anyway, my only reprieve was sitting in gomukhasana (cows face) arms. The arm of my hurt shoulder hugging behind my back reaching towards my cervical spine (neck) and the other arm reaching up past my ear bent at the elbow inching down my neck. I grasped my fingers together and held on despite the raging I felt through my shoulder.

I sat in ghomukhasana imagining an ambulance driving to the rescue while the pose did it's work. Finally, ten to twenty minutes later I released my hands from the pose (asana). Blood gushed (pumped) through my shoulder; range of motion intact.
I didn't ride the rest of the day. I enjoyed the sunshine and the fact I made it through major grief. I felt happy knowing I could survive and continue to ride another day, a different hour; albeit, more cautiously.

I continued to use cow's face arms diligently. Especially, that day and when I felt pain throughout the week and months ahead I'd reach into pose. Saved by the beneficial (therapeutic) effects of yoga.




Ironically I felt protected from smoke while working to put it out as a Wildland firefighter, but had no control over inhaling it as a "civilian". Over the next decade the air was seasonally smoky. During this time, I jogged in the midst of smoke; I recalled yoga breathing, breathing in and out of the nose only. I began using the technique while jogging. Snot poured out my nostrils, I became self-conscious but resolved to naturally filter the air; I was breathing .

Initially, I felt claustrophobic like I wasn't getting a full breath. However, I kept practicing and no longer needed an inhaler for the adult-onset asthma I had experienced. Difficulty breathing was now a non-issue. Simply, because I focused on pranayama (breathing), literally translated as "life force". The human body is truly its own best medicine.




Swan Feather Pose (Pinca-Hamsasana) a third example of yoga therapy came into my life after many months of misery. I awoke from sleep unable to get out of bed. I was paralyzed. I literally couldn't walk. I'd been going through some extreme life changes. My life felt like it was caving in on me and now I had to crawl like a baby.

I moved to Studio 18A. Grateful, for the square footage and beautiful views for private trainings. A Partner Yoga Session was scheduled; my clients entered. I had been crawling to get around and upon their arrival was able to stand, although the pain was debilitating. I greeted these clients with a smile, pretending I was perfectly okay. I sank down into a squat, as I began verbalizing ques. The session was a relative success for I could stand while squatting felt therapeutic. I went to a chiropractor and masseuse to enliven my body and decrease the sacral pain.


That year I attended a four day Yoga Therapy workshop. We breathed, chakra balanced, spoke about subtle energy and used hand symbols (mudras) to align and center along with gems, colors and aromas. We spoke about the process of healing and the importance of mind over matter. However, I was still feeling sacral pain and misalignment.

The final day of the Mind Body Conference we continually worked on asana. I was introduced to pinca-hamsasana. Many teachers chose not to move into the pose, yet I consistently inverted in this prone arm balance. The sacral pain ceased; I felt cured.



The healing process is truly amazing - Yoga can lead the way! Simply use the above yoga practices or better yet, cultivate your own. The examples prove asana and pranayama improve strength, balance and flexibility. As the saying goes, "movement is medicine..."