A couple of years ago, I had the pleasure of seeing the Jasper Johns show, Something Resembling Truth,  at The Broad Museum.   The way in which this show was curated highlighted his use of repetitive themes.  His 0 Through 9 series and all its iterations inspire this practice.   I walked away remembering the Tantrik idea that nothing is ever the same, each moment is a unique experience.  Even if something seems repetitive like a bunch of paintings of flags or the mundanity of our daily lives, we need to examine further and understand that there is something new to be discovered in every moment.   This week we explore essentially 9 poses over and over again discovering something new every time (or at least that is what I hope!).

In this practice, we explore the power of organic energy (lengthening from the core out through extremities of the body) to lighten the posture Pincha Mayurasana aka forearm balance. This practice was inspired by this quote from Brene Brown's Book Braving The Wilderness, "People are hard to hate close-up.  Move in."   Organic energy is a physical manifestation of this concept: be clear in who you are and don't be afraid to lean in toward people or situations who challenge you. Let's reach for the "scary" yoga pose which symbolizes whatever challenge you are currently facing (i.e. the uncomfortable conversation, the fear and anxiety about the pandemic, the people who have different political beliefs etc.)

Leading with the physical heart center is required for any stable arm balance.  You literally need to take your shoulder blades back and open your heart in order to lift off the ground.   This practice focuses on what to do once you have that base.   We align the legs through clear inner spiral work to help aid the incredibly difficult action of lifting the back leg up in the arm balance Eka Pada Koudinyasana II.  The class is titled as such because the sage Koudinya (the namesake of the pose) is known for following his intuition.

If you are going to show up on your mat, give it everything you have.  Even if what you have today feels less than what you had to give yesterday.  Show up. We have to train ourselves to do this.  With our lovely hand held devices, we are in a bad habit of only ever being partially engaged in any one thing.  So, I’m challenging you, if its possible to turn off your phone.  Do not just silence it.  Turn it off for the next 30 minutes and commit to the sole focus of being on your mat.  See what happens.

This sequence opens the spleen and stomach meridians as laid out by Traditional Chinese Medicine.    Regardless if you want to improve your digestion (btw, its not just digestion of food but also ideas etc.), this practice is a slow exploration of decompressing the pelvis, low back and the side waist.  Worry, remorse, fatigue, and self-doubt are all associated with  the spleen.  According to the Daoist view, our ideas and intentions reside in the spleen.  It is helpful to remember that the practice is working on you on several levels not just the physical.

This is a short restorative practice.   You will use props to support you in several poses.  This is the perfect practice for the end of the day.  Think about it as an evening “cocktail” to help you unwind.