A practice to support your Lymphatic System, which serves to move fluids through the body and many immune functions. The class encourages movement in many different planes of motion and relationships to gravity. Spinal Rotations and Waves, Adho Muhka Svanasana (Down Face Dog Pose), Virahadrasana I (Warrior I), Parsvottonasana (Side Forward Bend), and Viparita Karani (Inverted Lake Pose) and included.

In this practice, we take actions to support the visceral organs (those in the abdominal cavity). As the mechanics of our practice refine, we learn to work the outer body with strength and intelligence while keeping the inner body soft and receptive to the work. We open the hip flexors and underarm chest to begin, setting the stage to find length and space for the organs in Adho Muhka Svanasana (Down Face Dog). We then turn the torso sideways in Parsvakonasana (Side Angle Pose) and Trikonasana (Triangle Pose), then forward in Prasarita Padottonasana (Legs Apart Pose) and Uttanasana (Standing Forward Fold). Returning to the floor, we give the organs the squeeze-and-soak of twists: Bharadvajasana (Bharadvaj's Twist) and Ardha Matsyendrasana (Half Lord of the Fishes Pose).

It is a Hand-to-Big-Toe kind of day! Have something on which to rest your heel and a strap as we visit many variations of this pose: supta (reclined), salamba (supported), utthita (extended), parsva (to the side), and parivrtta (revolved). Along the way, we also do some upening for the front body in Purvottonasana (East Side Stretch) and Setu Bandha Sarvangasana (Bride Shoulderstand).

This class left my legs talking to me! We begin with various hip openings and come to standing work that focuses on the transition from spinal extension into spinal flexion, using actions of the buttocks and quadriceps to contain and support the movement. Hips and shoulders will hopefully feel both mobilized and well worked after this class!

Two themes in class today: strategies for working with an injured shoulder in your practice (keep the arm close by, stubbornly avoid any painful ranges), and elongating the spine. A recent article by senior Teacher Donna Farhi distinguishes spinal elongation from flexion and extension, and points out how how easy it is to conflate elongation and extension specifically.

Strength in today's class. Beginning with some abdominal work on the floor, then some plank work. In standing practice, we explore Utthita Hasta Padangusthansa (Extended Hand to Big Toe Pose), Virabhadrasana I, and Virabhadrasana III.