Now that I’ve started teaching regularly… wait, let me back up. In the several moons since I last updated this page, I’ve gone from teaching belly dance to teaching yoga. I love belly dance but I think, for now at least, I’ll get more enjoyment from following a teacher than being one. Yoga has been something different.

With the encouragement (and subtle arm-twisting) of my YTT teacher, I auditioned for a group instructor position at my gym. I joined the sub list in March and have been teaching fairly regularly since then. Once I got past my initial nervousness, or perhaps to help me get past it, I generally accepted every teaching opportunity that came my way. I found that it was somewhat easy to ‘wing it’ when I was teaching only one or two classes a week. But when my ‘just say yes’ philosophy found me signed up for 10 classes in one week, I knew I had to get organized. So I planned out a sequence which I used as a template for every class that week. Which brings me to today.

I saw a post on Yoganonymous about this month’s supermoon(s) that lead me to a YogaJournal piece on Shiva Rea’s moon salutation sequence. Further research into the chandra namaskar sequence lead me to this post by Lisa Rigby. The work of these two women is the foundation/inspiration for this week’s flow.

This sequence might turn out to be ambitious bordering on crazy. By the end of the week, it will probably be streamlined to a more practical/manageable state. I will most likely forget some of this, decide to leave something out, or take a sudden look at the clock and realize I need to cut it short. But, until reality intrudes, here’s the template in all its idealized glory.

Opening
Balasana (extended child’s pose)
Marjaryasana/Bidilasana (cat/cow in tabletop)
Anahatasana (puppy pose), modified
Adho Mukha Svanasana (downward-facing dog) -> Wide-legged down dog twisting stretch, reaching hand to opposite calf
Step forward to rag doll
Roll up to Tadasana (mountain pose)
Standing side bends, hands clasped, palms facing outward -> Right, Center forward, Left (x2)
Exhale hands to heart center

Chandra Namaskar sequence
Open palms, pinkies touching, exhale and open arms wide
Palms to sacrum, inhale and open heart to sky
Release arms, exhale to wide-legged forward fold, legs bent, hands to mat palms up
Roll up, inhale arms up, exhale hands to heart center.
(x3)

From Uttanasana, step left leg back coming into runner’s lunge
Somachandrasana I -> II, holding for three breaths, three large circles of extended arm
Sahaja Ardha Malasana (spontaneous half garland pose), flowing from side to side (x3)
Transition to runner’s lunge, left leg front
Phalakasana (plank pose)
Anahatasana or knees-chest-chin
Sahaja Bhujangasana (spontaneous cobra pose), circling clockwise (x3)
Adho Mukha Svanasana
Inhale right leg up, exhale release
Inhale left leg up, exhale step forward to runner’s lunge
Step right leg forward to Uttanasana
Inhale up to Anjali Mudra

Repeat on the other side

Moving On
Transition to Utkatasana (chair pose) then flow to Ardha Utkatasana (half chair, x3)
Exhale, fold forward
Step back to plank, vinyasa -> Adho Mukha
Inhale right leg up, step forward to Anjaneyasana (low lunge)
Vinyasa to other side and repeat
Vinyasa to Adho Mukha
Step/hop forward to yogic squat
Bakasana (crow pose)
Hop back to plank, vinyasa to Adho Mukha -> Uttanasana -> Anjali Mudra

Utkatasana -> Parivrtta Utkatasana (revolved chair), right side
Step left foot back, coming into revolved high lunge
Inhale up to Ashta Chandrasana (high lunge)
Virabhadrasana III -> Parivrtta Ardha Chandrasana
Land flying leg next to standing leg and come into a squat, knees together, heels lifted
Parsva Bakasana
Land the heels, inhale up to Anjali Mudra

Repeat on the other side

Vinyasa to Adho Mukha

If there’s time
Inhale right leg up, exhale knee to nose, to right tricep, to left tricep -> Fallen triangle
Eka Pada Raja Kapotasana II, modified (half pigeon)
Janu Sirsana -> Parivrtta
Marichyasana C

Repeat on the other side

Winding Down
Setu Bandha Sarvangasana or Urdhva Danurasana (bridge or wheel pose)
Halasana (plow pose)
Salamba Sarvangasana (shoulder stand)
Matsayasana (fish pose) or some variation
Supine twist
Savasana