Fire Element – Confidence, Courage, Metabolism, Drive, Creativity, and Anger.
This class is intended to be shared with trained Yoga teachers who would like to use this sequence. Please use your intuition and don’t force anything that doesn’t feel good for your body. If it doesn’t feel right for you then don’t do it. You can use a mat, blocks, bolsters, straps and any other props that you feel will be supportive in your practice.
Fire element is based in the stomach. Our practice today is to evenly spread throughout the body the natural glow and radiance that comes from balance. We are working to bring in balance by warming the body with meditation and releasing excess heat from the body with cooling poses.
Intent:
What brings you joy? What brings anger? Where is the balance between both?
Meditation:
Trataka, a technique used in a meditation practice, is one of the six purification techniques, called shatkarmas, of Hatha yoga. Trataka is a Sanskrit word, which means “to look” or “to gaze.” As such, this meditation technique involves starting at a single point of focus. You will need a small candle that is level with the heights of your eyes.
Find a comfortable position, taking a few long and deep breaths to relax. Bring your gaze to the flame. Soften your gaze and become fascinated by the dance of the flame. Let your mind wander naturally and without attachment or judgment. Continually bring your gaze back to the flame if you become distracted. After some time, about 2-3 minutes. Close your eyes and turn your inner gaze towards your third eye. See the light of the flame behind the eyelids and feel it warm you inside and out. When you are finished, blow out your candle
- Mountain Pose (Tadasana) holding for at least 5 breaths, feeling into your feet and palms, then reach your arms above your head, holding and stretching & breathe, then down by your side. Do this 4 times
- While you’re standing in Mountain Pose (Tadasana) raise up one arm and open the side body, leaning over the opposite side. Breathe for 5 breaths
- Standing forward bend (Uttanasana), long hold
- Move through a Vinyasa – Plank (Phalakasana), Upward Facing Dog (Urdhva Mukha Svanasana) and downward facing dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana) – to then lifting your leg up and back as you hold downdog and step up into high lunge (utthita ashwa sanchalanasana)
- repeat the last two points
- High lunge (utthita ashwa sanchalanasana) and reach forward at an angle
- Plant left hand and open right hand up to sky, taking 5 full breaths
- Downward Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)
- repeat last three points
- High Lunge (utthita ashwa sanchalanasana) and bring arms to a twisted T position
- Right arm drops back to leg and lean back reaching up to sky
- Plank (Phalakasana) to downdog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)
- repeat last three points
- Standing forward bend (Uttanasana)
- Chair Pose (Utkatasana), sitting deep with a strong core, then clasp hands behind back and lean forward
- release arms and knees into standing forward bend (uttanasana)
- Mountain Pose (Tadasana)
- Warrior III (Virabhadrasana III)
- Low Lunge (Anjaneyasana)
- Revolved side angle pose (Parvritta parsvakonasana)
- repeat the last 4 points
- Eagle Pose (Garudasana)
- Garland pose (Malasana) transitioning into crow pose (Bakasana)
- Downdog (Adho Mukha Svanasana), long hold
- Dolphin pose (Ardha Pincha Mayurasana), walking feet in and out towards the edge of mat x3
- Cow Face Pose (Gomukhasana), leaning forward, hold for at least 10 breaths. repeat on the other side
- Half Lord of the Fish pose (Ardha Matsyendrasana)
- Hugging in knees, rocking and rolling x5 coming down to your back-body
- Pause, laying flat on your back and breathe
- modified bridge pose (Setu Bandha Sarvangasana) x3 with different 3 variation hand postures, between each lift rest in Reclined Butterfly (Supta Baddha Konasana) for 3 breaths
- Full bridge (Setu Bandha Sarvangasana) *for experienced practitioners
- Revolved Abdomen pose (Jathara parivartanasana)
- Happy baby (Ananda Balasana) rocking on the spine
- Reclined butterfly (Supta Baddha Konasana)
- Corpse pose (Savasana) – Sink into your mat below you. Feel your breath release it’s energy as you start to rest. Move your awareness through each part of your body. Begin a practice of body scanning or Yoga Nidra as you lay here. Then let your inner gaze rest again at the third eye letting the light of the flame return to that spot to warm you from the inside out.
- Easy Pose (Sukhasana) – reflect. What brings you joy? What brings you anger? Where is the balance between both?
- Closing your practice however feel natural – perhaps bowing towards the earth or your internal teacher or repeating the words Om Shanti Shanti Shanti which is a powerful Vedic mantra or sacred sound with healing vibrations, that calls forth the cosmic peace.
