Mixed Level on Sunday, August 1, 2010

Swastikasana - extend from inner thighs to inner knees and draw back from outer knees into outer hips to compact the hips and lift the trunk

Siddhasana - roll the thighs and calf flesh from inside out as you place the heels in line with the pubis; extend from inner thighs to inner knees and draw back from outer knees into outer hips as you press the thighs down to lift the trunk; pull on the knees with the hands as you plug the upper arms into the shoulder sockets as you draw the shoulderblades down and into the back-body to open and lift the chest

Baddha Konasana - sitting on 2 folded blankets, roll the thighs out, extend from inner thighs to inner knees, widening the knees, as you pull from the outer knees back into the outer hips, press the thighs down and the outer heels together to further widen the knees apart, press hands down to lift trunk and draw upper arms into the shoulder sockets to open the chest, repeat with the block between the feet (all 3 widths) and with block under the feet (all 3 heights), then do classic pose flat on floor (or on blankets if the knees are higher than the hips)

Supta Padangusthasana II - draw the front thigh down into the hip crease and draw from the outer knee back into the hip socket, compacting the hips, as you extend from inner thigh to inner heel, keep sacrum even on floor

Virabhadrasana II - back foot at the wall, roll thighs out, press outer heels down to draw up from outer knees to outer hips, compacting the hips, press more into the bent-leg heel to lift the pubis up and away from the inner thigh of the bent leg

Utthita Parsvakonasana -  in Virabhadrasana II: place a block between the wall and the head of your bent-leg shin, step the back leg back until the shin is vertical and the thigh is horizontal, press the inner knee into the block firmly and pull the outer knee away from the block, roll the back leg out and move the femur into the hamstring, press the bent-leg heel down to lift the pubis up and away from the bent leg, extend trunk toward wall into Utthita Parsvakonasana, keeping the actions of the legs, especially pressing the inner knee into the block and pull the outer knee away from the block to bring the outer thigh into the hip socket

Ardha Chandrasana - 1st time: place lifted-leg's foot on the wall with the standing leg vertical, hand on a block. Press the outer heel of standing leg down to firm outer thigh up and into the hip socket, then press inner heel down to move the inner thigh forward, bringing the standing-leg hip underneath you more, lift the top hip up, press hand down onto block and roll opposite shoulder back to turn trunk. 2nd time: with a partner, same as above, partner places belt around the top of the thigh of the standing leg and pull the outer thigh back toward the wall, moving the thigh back and turning in outward

Utthita Trikonasana to Ardha Chandrasana - classic asana, same actions as above with special attention to keeping the hips compact just before lifting into Ardha Chandrasana

Salamba Sarvangasana
Eka Pada Sarvangasana
Parsvaika Pada Sarvangasana
Halasana
Karnapidasana
Savasana