On Saturday 24th October, a wet and blustery day, CYTA welcomed thirteen members and non- members to our autumn event at the Dunham Massey venue. Andrew Nathan visited us for a second time to ably lead a day entitled, “Vinyasa (yoga sequences) For a more approachable practice” A full day of interesting, well-taught yoga. Participants reviewed the workshop as:
“Very enjoyable – found I could do more than I expected to.”
“Thank you for a lovely day of yoga”
In the morning we spent a lot of time warming up and thoroughly preparing for practising some of the Ashtanga Primary Series before lunch. We started with seated pranayama with a tall spine observing our bodies, our sensations and the movement of our breath. We spent time lying supine warming up the spine from top to bottom. We were introduced to a number of interesting and thorough warm-ups using repetition, observation of effects and breath awareness/expansion. I think much of this practice was in the somatics style. We then lay prone in a relaxed crocodile style pose. Andrew commented that as a teacher he likes to ensure he includes prone poses and also balances, back bends and an inversion of some sort in his lesson plans. Later in the day we also did some foot and hand exercises. Before moving on to the stronger Ashtanga series we worked with a sequence of repeated cat/moving cat/child pose/upward dog with head turn. We were once again encouraged to work with breath observation, such as observing and feeling the breath expanding around the ribs, maybe touching the side body to the arms in child’s pose. A further flow of repeated asanas; downward dog followed by a soft forward fold with elbows held towards the floor completed our preparation for the more strenuous and energetic Ashtanga Primary Series. Andrew regularly encouraged us throughout the workshop to work “with strong, purposeful movements”. He also said he did not like to describe postures as stretches, preferring to think of them as creating space in the body, as stretching could imply tension.
We then practised a sequence from one of the Ashtanga Primary series. This was a few rounds of a sun salutation sequence, with an extra hold on the downward dog and options to return to flowing cat pose, should down dog pose prove too strenuous. This was energetic, warming and strong. We worked purposefully, with an awareness of the flow and steadiness of the breath for support. It was tiring but satisfying. Lunch break was timely and welcome!
In the afternoon we started with a seated practice, focussing on the quality of the movement and the quality of the breath. We practised mula bandha as a gentle lift engaging the pelvic floor muscles “as if breathing through a straw”. Turning our head with our in/out breaths then trying full movement side to side in one breath we focussed on co-ordination of breath and movement, while trying to find better sensations. We practised a seated cat/cow then rocking side to side on sit bones and into hip circles. As a person with stiff shoulders I particularly liked the single shoulder shrugs followed by releasing downwards of the arm, shoulder then releasing into gravity, with arm heavy by side. We then crossed opposite hand to shoulder to rub or pat out any tension. Seated side bends and twists and baddha konasana with forward bends followed. Work on flexing the feet and the wrists completed that section of the afternoon. We moved onto standing postures in the Ashtanga series and other sequences. These included balances eg with knee to side and then leg raised to front, followed by tree pose in stages. Andrew demonstrated some more advanced balance postures, much to our admiration. We practised triangle, a flow of warrior poses, parsvotanasana and parsvakonasana with arm placed behind back to open chest and then arm over head to open side body.
A twist with palms at the chest was repeated taking one arm back and then both arms out at shoulder height. There were a number of forward bends practised as part of sequences earlier when standing eg hanging forward then bending knees and dropping hips towards the floor, moving into strong pose, followed by straightened legs and rising onto tiptoes. We continued with a large number of seated forward bends and discussed teaching methods, rocking to hinge from the hips, using a belt, moving into the posture in stages, holding toe/sole of foot later on and looking at your toes as your dristi point. These forward bends became ever more challenging for some of the attendees (including me). Again we had a few demos of more advanced postures from Andrew. Counter pose backbends included simple bridge earlier then tabletop and sphinx. We completed the asana practice with a carefully- taught boat pose.
Relaxing with music, breath awareness and the practise of conscious relaxation followed. There were also some poetic quotes I enjoyed during the day, especially the one suggesting it is more fruitful to focus on the sea itself than the foam on the waves I particularly like. (See Rumi The Masnavi) Chants by Andrew and with us joining in with Om and Shanti concluded both morning and afternoon sessions.
Other quotes from attendees:
“Interesting class”
“Great session”
“Challenging session”
Thank you to Andrew for a full, well-prepared and detailed programme of yoga which introduced our community to some new and interesting approaches and ideas. You certainly took us through our paces and encouraged us to work with breath and body awareness and with “strong purposeful movements”. You provided us all with inspiration and food for thought and also some extra suggestions for the teachers.
Thank you to all our attendees, not least for coming out on an unpleasant day weather wise. Thanks also to the Cyta committee for arranging the day and not least to Norma Barber for suggesting Andrew for our events.
Judith Lynch
CYTA Chair