Radiant Hot Yoga (80 MIN) Flashcards
Introduction
Welcome to Radiant Hot Yoga, my name is Jason. It is my honor to guide you through your practice. Please raise your hand if this is your first time at Radiant. Here at Radiant, there are two things we ask of you; one is that you stay on your mat the entire time, taking as many breaks as you need, lying down on your mat or in child’s pose. Please do not leave the room, because we like to keep the energy together. We move together and we breathe together. It is a sign of strength to listen to your body and come down to your mat. Two, that you try your best, have fun with your practice, smile at yourself in the mirror, and enjoy.
Child’s Pose
Let’s turn over and get into Child’s Pose: spread the knees to the edge of the mat, sink your hips back to your heels, maybe your big toes touch. Stretch the arms out in front of you, palms down, forehead on the mat, close your eyes… If this is uncomfortable, you can stack your fists one on top of the other under your forehead or bring your knees together, hips against your heels, belly on the thighs, arms back by your side, palms up.
Pranayama
Begin to let go of everything outside of these doors. This is your sacred time. Time for you to restore, renew, and move deeper into yourself. Bring your attention to your breath, inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the nose. Keep all focus on yourself, on your breath. Leave all thoughts behind with a calm, steady breath in and out. We begin every class the same way with a breathing exercise. We breathe in through the nose, suspending it at the top, feeling the lungs expand, and exhale with the mouth open, making an H A A A sound, like this: “HAAAAA” as if you were fogging a mirror beneath you. This requires 100 percent of your focus. Let’s begin this together.
Inhale for one… two… three… Suspend the breath, expand the lungs, open your mouth wide, and exhale for three… two… one… Inhale, draw in more Prana, more oxygen than you previously did, sipping up more and more. Hold it, exhale, releasing the tension for 3…2…1…
(Do this 3-5 times. Each breath should be held longer than the previous breath.)
Intention
Gently press your lips together, breathing in and out through your nose for the remainder of class. Take this calmness in breath and in mind throughout your practice. If at any time your breath is erratic, your mind is scattered, come back down to Child’s Pose. It is always available to you. Leave the judgment and competition outside these doors. This is a place of growth and healing. Now is a good time to set an intention for your practice. Maybe you are here to release stress, calm your mind, heal your body, or to work hard and challenge yourself. Or maybe you need to practice gently. Whatever your intention might be, just focus on it now and throughout your practice. It is an amazing feeling to give yourself these moments of undivided attention. Do the best you can and let’s have an amazing class.
Table Top
Please open your eyes and press up into Table Top. Hands are stacked directly under your shoulders. Fingers are spread wide, knees are hip width apart, gaze is down, and neck is long, an extension of your spine, belly is drawn in tight. Inhale, right leg back, parallel to the floor, flex and point your foot, circle the ankle. Point the toes, press the right hand firmly in the mat and extend the left arm parallel to the mat, fingers are stretched wide, inhale, lift a little higher on your exhale, round the spine, curl your elbow to knee, inhale, reach, exhale, curl… It’s ok if it doesn’t connect. Inhale, reach and lengthen. Exhale, round the spine. You are working both hemispheres of the brain. (Do this three times total) Swing your left arm to the side, bend the right knee, reach back, and grab your right foot. Kick into your hand, gaze up, shoulder back, and look up. Come back into Table Top. Knees are hip width apart, line the ankles right behind the knees, curl your toes under and press the hips high up into Downward Facing Dog.
Downward Facing Dog
DOWN DOG, your arms are shoulder width apart, feet are hip width apart, hands and feet are inline with each other. Press your hips to the sky. Look at your hands and spread your fingers wide, palms pressed into the mat, evenly distribute the weight between all your fingers, especially the thumb and middle finger. Drop your head between your arms, gaze at your navel, oft your hips high, push the mat away, bringing your chest closer to the thighs and pressing the heels closer to the mat. Stay lifted from the wrist and stay lifted from the shoulders. Arms are strong and engaged, elbows are locked, draw the belly in. Find some ease in your Down Dog, maybe pedaling the feet side to side.
Table Top
Please open your eyes and press up into Table Top. Hands are stacked directly under your shoulders. Fingers are spread wide, knees are hip width apart, gaze is down, and neck is long, an extension of your spine, belly is drawn in tight. Inhale, right leg back, parallel to the floor, flex and point your foot, circle the ankle. Point the toes, press the right hand firmly in the mat and extend the left arm parallel to the mat, fingers are stretched wide, inhale, lift a little higher on your exhale, round the spine, curl your elbow to knee, inhale, reach, exhale, curl… It’s ok if it doesn’t connect. Inhale, reach and lengthen. Exhale, round the spine. You are working both hemispheres of the brain. (Do this 3 times total) Swing your left arm to the side, bend the right knee, reach back, and grab your right foot. Kick into your hand, gaze up, shoulder back, and look up. Come back into Table Top. Knees are hip width apart, line the ankles right behind the knees, curl your toes under and press the hips high up into Downward Facing Dog.
Bear Pose
Find stillness. Inhale, lift your heels high, up on your tippy toes, exhale, bend your knees and hover over your mat, belly to the thighs, inhale hips go back up high, and exhale, heels back down, back to Downward Facing Dog. (2-3 times)
Gaze to your left, the person closest to the door in each row, step to the top of your mat, everyone stagger. One in front, one in back. This will be your staggering position throughout class.
Bear Pose
Find stillness. Inhale, lift your heels high, up on your tippy toes, exhale, bend your knees and hover over your mat, belly to the thighs, inhale hips go back up high, and exhale, heels back down, back to Downward Facing Dog. (2-3 times)
Ragdoll
Walk the feet to the hands, staying bent over. Look to the left and stagger with your neighbor. The person farthest to the left step to the front of your mat and everyone else stagger. Belly on the thighs, knees are bent, hip width apart, and grasp opposite elbows. Head is heavy. Ragdoll is more about lengthening the spine than lengthening the hamstrings. Just close your eyes and let it go. Feel how when the head hangs heavy the spine opens. Come to the center, left hand down, bend the left knee, right hand high, gaze follows the right hand, flip the top hand and wrap it behind the back. Right hand down, right knee bends, left hand up, gaze follows the left hand, flip the top hand and wrap it behind your back, left hand down.
Sun Saluations
Bring toes and hells together, for preparation of Sun Salutations. If you have any injuries of your lower back or tight hamstrings, keep your knees bent. Connect with your breath, inhale half lift, hands to the shins or on the mat. No dangling hands, flatten your back. Exhale, forward fold, bring your forehead closer to your knees. Inhale, arms up over your head sideways, palms touch, gaze up, exhale swan dive down or hands to heart in prayer, inhale half lift, pull your belly in and reach the crown of your head forward, draw your shoulder blades down your back, spine straight, exhale, melt the forehead closer to the knees. Inhale, rise up, hips forward, look back, shine your heart, exhale swan dive down, forward fold, inhale, half way lift. (3-5 Sun Salutations)
Sun Saluations
Bring toes and hells together, for preparation of Sun Salutations. If you have any injuries of your lower back or tight hamstrings, keep your knees bent. Connect with your breath, inhale half lift, hands to the shins or on the mat. No dangling hands, flatten your back. Exhale, forward fold, bring your forehead closer to your knees. Inhale, arms up over your head sideways, palms touch, gaze up, exhale swan dive down or hands to heart in prayer, inhale half lift, pull your belly in and reach the crown of your head forward, draw your shoulder blades down your back, spine straight, exhale, melt the forehead closer to the knees. Inhale, rise up, hips forward, look back, shine your heart, exhale swan dive down, forward fold, inhale, half way lift.
(3-5 Sun Salutations)
High Plank - Low Push Up - Upward Facing Dog - Down Dog (Flow)
Exhale, hands to the mat, step the feet back to a high plank. Hands are shoulder width apart, feet are hip width apart, stack the shoulders over the wrists, head, shoulders, and hips are in one line with each other. Spread the fingers wide. Crown of head towards the front mirror, your gaze is down between the hands, draw the belly in tight and round out the area between your shoulder blades. If your lower back is dropping to the ground and thesis too much, come down onto your knees. You are still receiving all the benefits.
Slightly come forward on the toes, inhale lift up from the shoulders as you exhale, slowly lower down, into a Low Push Up. Keep the elbows in next to the torso, hover above the mat, inhale, roll on the top of the feet, point the feet to the back wall, press the hips forward, thighs off of the mat, squeeze your flutes and gaze up. Exhale, curl over your toes, and push your hips high into down dog.
This is our flow, breath to movement. We take many of these flows. Do as many or as few as you like. Connect with your breath.
(3-4 times total)
Table Top
Please open your eyes and press up into Table Top. Hands are stacked directly under your shoulders. Fingers are spread wide, knees are hip width apart, gaze is down, and neck is long, an extension of your spine, belly is drawn in tight. Inhale right leg back, parallel to the floor, flex and point your foot, circle the ankle. Point the toes, press the right hand firmly in the mat and extend the left arm parallel to the mat, fingers are stretched wide, inhale lift a little higher on your exhale, round the spine, curl your elbow to knee, inhale, reach, exhale, curl… It’s ok if it doesn’t connect. Inhale reach and lengthen. Exhale round the spine. You are working both hemispheres of the brain. (Do this 3 times total) Swing your left arm to the side, bend the right knee, reach back, and grab your right foot. Kick into your hand, gaze up, shoulder back, and look up. Come back into Table Top. Knees are hip width apart, line the ankles right behind the knees, curl your toes under and press the hips high up into Downward Facing Dog.
Bear Pose
Find stillness. Inhale lift your heels high, up on your tippy toes, exhale, bend your knees and hover over your mat, belly to the thighs, inhale hips go back up high, and exhale heels back down, back to Downward Facing Dog. (2-3 times)
