Studio Om

Went to a great class by Stephie last night at Studio Om.  I requested shoulder work and got lots of strengthening and stretching.  The pace felt just vigorous enough; it was challenging and cleansing.

Here's what I can remember: 

Sit, 3 part-breath

3 series A 

Series B with crow

Series B with crow, warrior I (she teaches it with the back foot flipped up on the toes, heel pressing back, like a lunge and she made an awesome adjustment that helped me feel a nice juicy backbend.  she told me to draw my low back backwards and strongly pull my shoulder blades down)

We also did low lunge where we had the top of our back foot to the earth and straightened our leg, which was a fun challenge.

parsvottonasana (pyramid)

Balancing poses (by talking afterwards I found out both my friend Neena and I got frustrated with ourselves during this section and now I add being able to hold my straight leg out in front of me parallel to the earth without help from my hand to the list of poses I need to do in order to qualify to be a yoga teacher:)  

Uttitha hasta padangustasana (extended hand to big toe)

Dandayamana janushirasana (standing head to knee). 

Don't know the name of this one, where your legs are in Warrior I position and you clasp your hands behind your back and lower your torso to the side of your thigh and lift your hands and stretch your shoulders.  it's surprisingly hard for me to balance on my left side)

sirsana II (tripod headstand) (here, thankfully, we both recovered our confidence in ourselves)

sasangasana (rabbit)

supported twist with bolster

savasana with option of bolster supporting spine

sit.

om.