Flying High With Our Feathered Friends
Class by Anne Glodstraw. Report by Jackie Hudson
This was a zoom workshop entitled Flying High with our Feathered Friends, by Anne Goldstraw. On Saturday 11th February 2023.
Participants were invited to either sit cross legged or on a chair and to have a couple of blocks handy.
The theme of the workshop was birds and Anne introduced herself and explained that her inspiration came from the tranquility that birdsong brings and the environmental impact of birds ‘nature’s clean-up crew’. Anne demonstrated every pose, giving an outline to the benefits and modifications if needed.
DOVE (peace and love) 1010
With the thumb pads touching we crossed our hands over our chests with the palms facing inwards. Inhale for 4 Exhale for 6. Anne explained that we normally take 15/18 breaths per minute and this count results in 5/6 breath cycles per minute.
SEAGULL
Still sitting, resting the chin on the knuckles and elbows out to the sides. With the in-breath elbows lift up and with the out-breath down and together in front of the chest. Anne gave a lovely visualization of sea gulls flying over the ocean.
CHICKEN
Several gliding movements of the head and neck – moving from chin tucked in to extended outwards.
OWL (wisdom and intelligence)
Anne outlined it might be pertinent to re-cross the legs if cross-legged at this point. We did a spiraling movement, turning on the exhale and returning on the inhale.
EAGLE (pride, mastery and freedom)
After crossing one arm over the other Anne invited us to take the modification of turning palms upwards and then placing fingers on shoulders. The full version was what she called ‘the eagle’s beak’ with the lower arm fingers pressing against the upper arm palm.
With either version then lifting and lowering the elbows and then rotating three times one way and three times the other way.
HERON (ancient healing, wisdom and good judgement)
Either from seated on the floor or chair and extending one leg away with foot flexed either with a strap or not and then the option to hold for 10 seconds.
INTELLIGENT EGG
This was a seated balance, drawing the knees into the chest and then lifting the toes of the floor and balancing whilst maintaining the posture.
SWAN (beauty, chastity)
From the knees taking the pelvis down to the heels and then stretching out the arms, either passive arms or fingertips then moving into a side stretch from that position and then a diagonal stretch with one arm forwards and one arm down towards the feet. Again, modifications suggested to use a chair or take a seated forward fold.
WINGS ON THE GROUND
Starting from a prone position with left arm extended out to the side and then with the right palm on the floor, rolling the whole body the left side and then drawing the knees up together at a right angle to the body. From here, either taking the right hand around to the right side of the lower back or clasping both hands behind and straightening the arms, drawing the shoulder blades together and down.
Rest was offered at this point, taking the forehead onto the hands and ‘wind-screen wiping’ the lower legs from side to side.
PIGEON (committed and faithful)
Before Anne demonstrated the full pose she gave the option to sit either on the floor or chair and take the left bent knee out to the side in external rotation, placing the left foot on top of the right thigh.
For those on all fours the instruction was to take the right knee forwards in between the hands (which at this point might be placed on two blocks) with the right toes touching the right kneecap. From here, pushing the pelvis down and sliding the straight left leg back along the floor. A back bend was offered here for those that wanted to place their hands on the front leg and move the torso towards vertical. The more ‘gentle’ version was then taken as the forearms and maybe whole arms laid out in front and again the option here was to take the right knee further to the right, deepening the hip opener.
NEST (full bow)NEST (full bow)
Anne demonstrated the bow (dhanurasana) and suggested we either have a go at that or have a rest.
SPARROW
From a forward lunge position, right knee on the floor and potentially with palms raised on blocks Anne demonstrated taking the pelvis backwards in order to straighten the right leg keeping the toes flexed. From here the option for those who could manage the balance was to extend both arms back as if they were the sparrow’s wings. The option was demonstrated and given to do a version from standing and using the chair.
PENGUIN
From tadasana the wrists and flexed and the hands pointing outwards and the instruction was to balance on both heels lifting the toes. Then to ‘totter’ – Anne explained that although this looked quite comical it was a really good bone density and strengthening exercise.
BIRD OF PARADISE
This is actually a flower and the hands are taken into a beak-like shape with the thumb tip and index tip touching and the other fingers fanned out. Take the right hand to the naval and the left onto the crown of the head with a little bit of pressure.
ALBATROSS SEQUENCE
From tadasana hands at the heart in Anjali mudra. Extend both palms upwards on the inhale (option to interlock the fingers and point index fingers upwards). From this reaching up position on the exhale take a lateral bend (baby, medium or strong) and come back to tadasana on the inhale. Repeat on the left. Placing thumbs at the groin crease take a forward bend on the exhale. On the inhale place right hand on the floor, shin or thigh and rotate to the left, extending the left arm to the side or upwards. On an exhale come back to centre and repeat on the other side.
ALBATROSS
At the end of the sequence coming from uttanasana lift into ardha uttanasana and extend both arms out to the sides and back. Anne mentioned that the albatross has an 11 foot wingspan which helped us to visualize and then she told us that they were supposed to be good luck if spotted by fishermen.
OSTRICH
From tadasana taking the arms behind and either interlocking the fingers or alternatively using a strap between the hands. Stepping forward into a straight legged stance with the option to have a little back bend. Lowering the torso over the front leg and bending it at the knee into a lunge and taking the arms up and back if comfortable. Taking 3 breaths here.
TWISTED TREE 1100
From tadasana cross the ankles with the right foot in front and right toes on top of the left foot with the right heel on the floor. Extend the arms over the head and taking the right arm in front rotate at the wrists and put palms together. Lengthen the whole body in the balance.
SPIDER
Take a wide-legged stance and bend the knees ensuring the feet are out at 45 degrees and the knees following the trajectory of the feet. Take the arms out into cactus and making sure the tailbone is not sticking out take a wide-legged squat. From here hinge at the groins into a wide-legged forward bend then spreading the fingers and taking the finger tips onto the floor and crossing the hands over at the wrists come up onto the toes of both feet.
BIRD DOG
From all fours engage the core muscles and connect to the breath. Reach forwards with the right hand and place finger tips on the floor and extend the left leg backwards, toes on the floor. Then take the option to lift either or both. Modifications shown using a chair and placing forearm on the chair seat.
FLYING BIRD
This one was contraindicated for anyone with a bad back. From a prone position lift the lower right leg perpendicular to the floor, from here lift the left leg and place the left knee cap on the sole of the right foot. The option then was to extend both arms back as if a flying bird. As this was quite a challenging pose for many Anne did give the option to practice cobra or sphinx or simply visualize.
SNAIL
From vajrasana or dandasana allow the spine to curl over the thighs with the forehead on the floor or place a block underneath. From there the option was to take the arms with the knuckles on the floor near the feet.
CATERPILLAR
From dandasana, perhaps raising the pelvis on a block come into a forward fold. Rest the forearms on the floor at the sides of the legs with the palms upright – option to put blocks on either side of the outer legs and place the forearms on those.
PEACOCK
From semi-supine extend both legs out and stretch them away from each other whilst aiming to keep the sacrum on the floor. Initially holding with both arms then with the option to stretch the arms out along the floor and keep the legs in position.
STRANDED BEETLE
From apanasana take both hands onto the knees and slowly take both knees wide apart then straighten the arms as the legs are moved away from the body and then bring both knees back in together before drawing them back in towards the body. Anne stressed the importance of keeping the elbows, wrists and shoulders soft.
SAVASANA 11.25
Anne requested that everyone prepare for relaxation either on the floor or legs up on a chair or sitting.
The relaxation was a script taken from’ Yoga Sequences Companion’ by Vani Devi and the relaxation was called ‘Tropical Island Yoga Nidra’.
Anne closed with ‘Sky Above, Earth Below, Peace Within’
Goodbyes and close at 11.40.