I am again nearing a review with my teacher and so decided to take note of where I am in practice.
Current Practice
My current practice routine fills my morning and is about 120-150 minutes:
Part 1: Entering Practice (~ 5 minutes)
- Samasthithi – hands on my heart space, allowing the mind to settle and come to body and breath + transition to Ujjayi breathing.
- Short chant (currently: ma aham)
- Kapalabhati 3×40 breaths
Part 2: Asana (~75 minutes / ~ 140 breaths)
the asana sequence is still very close to what it has been (<- link includes stick figures diagram of very similar practice) for some time now, with the addition of shoulder-stand and a continuous evolution of breath within the practice.
(the sequence below does not include counter-postures and rests).
| Standing | TOTAL: 34 breaths | ||
| tadasana | R4 | 10.2.0.2 | 4 breaths |
| uttanasana | R2+S2 | 10.4.12.4 | 6 breaths |
| parsva uttanasana | R2+S2 / – | 12.4.12.6 | 12 breaths |
| trikonasana (uddhita + parivrti) | ALT4 + [ALT4 + S1] | 8.2.10.2 | 12 breaths |
| utkatasana | R6 | 8.2.10.2 | 6 breaths |
| Kneeling | TOTAL: 6 breaths | ||
| adhomukha svanasana | S6 | 8.0.10.0 | 6 breaths |
| Lying | TOTAL: 18 breaths | ||
| raised leg variations | 10.2.10.2 | 8 breaths | |
| dvipada pitham | R4 – S0/1/2/3 | 10.2.12.2 | 10 breaths |
| Inverted | TOTAL: 10 breaths | ||
| sarvangasana | S10 | 8.0.8.0 | 10 breaths |
| Backbending | TOTAL: 20 breaths | ||
| bhujangasana | R4 | 8.0.8.0 | 4 breaths |
| bhujangasana + bent knees | R4 | 8.0.8.0 | 4 breaths |
| ardha salabhasana | R4 + S1 | 8.0.8.0 | 8 breaths |
| salabhasana (incremental) | R4 | 8.0.8.0 | 4 breaths |
| Seated | TOTAL: 52 breaths | ||
| dandasana | R2+S2 | 10.2.12.2 | 4 breaths |
| janusirsasana | R2+S2 (midrange + micro) | 10.4.12.4 | 12 breaths |
| matsyendrasana | R6 | 8.0.10.0 | 12 breaths |
| mahamudra | R12 / – | 4×12.2.12.2
4×12.2.12.4 4×12.4.12.4 |
24 breaths |
Part 3: Sitting (~30-60 minutes)
- Resting: a couple of minutes
- Pranayama – 36 breaths: ~ 15 minutes. I am comfortable with all the variations I’ve been exploring (for over two years now?), recently I’ve worked with variation 3 and before that 1.
- Sitting:
- Bringing my attention to the space between each thumb and index finger … if that works
- Seeing which hands calls for attention first
- Very slowly (butoh style) bringing the thumb and index finger together until they touch (cit mudra) on that hand
- Very slowly bringing the thumb and index finger together until they touch on the other hand
- Placing my attention on the two points of contact
- Staying …
- Gently disconnecting the two contact points – first one hand then the other
- Closing ritual
- Counterpostures
Part4: Chanting (~10 minutes)
- Yoga Sutra verses 1-11 incremental
Questions for my teacher
- In what direction to evolve pranayama? I have had quite some days where I felt my channels open enough to support nadi-sodhana (quite a milestone after years of practice) … but I am not sure that there is enough stability for such a transition.
- How to continue my chanting practice and exploration? I like the YS chanting because it has body … depth enough for me to experience immersion … I don’t get that feeling from short chants.
- Overall balance of practice.
- Psychedelics
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