Alison West Yoga

Join Alison on New Year’s Eve for a candlelight class for a soulful yet joyful farewell to 2020 and an open-hearted welcome to 2021. We will conclude with a loving kindness meditation visualized as loving light for yourself and all beings everywhere. You will receive an email with your Zoom link about an hour before class as well as set-up information and what you might need--mat, blocks and blankets and, very importantly at least one candle. You can of course have many candl...es. For tratak, a tall candle is best, but a tea light works just fine. Please register by 6pm on Wednesday, December 30. Special: $15.00 Register here https://bit.ly/3o7mhM0 for the candlelit joy of it. Check on Dec 31 if you haven't registered but are still interested, to see if there is still room.

Alison teaches a free Post-Campaign (and perhaps Post-Election Results class) Wednesday evening November 4, 6-7:15pm for all levels. Asana Breathing Meditation for National Peace Register here: https://bit.ly/3mYQe0b... We don’t really know when election results will actually be called because of the many mail-in ballots to be counted, but let’s at least start off the rest of the post-campaign year together with a deep breath and cleansing of the inner and outer atmosphere. Please pre-register by Wednesday 4:30pm. You will receive a link no later than 5:30pm. REGISTER HERE: https://bit.ly/3mYQe0b

Vote for Peace, Justice, Equality, Inclusion, Truth, Non-Violence. Vote for Positive Change. Visualize the Outcome. Meditate on the Outcome. And VOTE.... Vote.org for info on what, where, how See more

A wall, you and a block (or two). Several weeks ago, I posted an image of a wall, the floor and one block to my Instagram account, with the suggestion that one could go far with that alone. We went on to work with that in my online classes, using a block to create traction in the spine both externally and internally. I include in my next post an older image of a seated forward bend with a block on my thighs and under my ribs which is included in Poses for Lumbar Herniation... (Backcare Training pdf). .1. Pavanmuktasana/ Wind Relieving Pose variation. Starting on the back on the floor and with the feet at the wall. The sitbones can be at the wall, under the mid calf or under the knees at 90, each producing a slightly different result for you to explore. Press the hands into the blocks. Lengthen spine. Arm length will determine the thickness of the blocks (if you need them). .2 Urdva Prasarita Padasana/Feet Up Pose. Sitbones at wall if range of motion allows. Or sitbones away from wall with block between wall and sitbones, legs up the wall. Press hands into wall to develop awareness of spinal length in pelvic flexion. Do not let lower back flex. .3. Supta Konasana/Reclining Wide Angle Pose. Sibones at wall or a block between wall and sibones, depending on range of motion. Press hands into blocks.. .4. Jathara Parivartanasana/ Reclining Spinal Twist L (right not shown), pressing hands into wall and keeping sitbones at wall. Lift left waist off floor to keep sides of spine equal and de-stress SI joints. . Urdva Prasarita Padasana/Feet Up Pose Variation 2. Sitbones at wall, a vertical block behind each calf. Variation suitable for those with more than 90 range of flexion at the hip without flexing the lumbar spine. A blanket from head to lower lumbar spine helps me to gently retain a mild lumbar lordosis.Here, the action is to move the hip creases into the wall as the block supports and resists the legs away from the wall.. .6. Urdva Prasarita Padasana/Feet Up Pose Variation 2 with double blocks behind calves. .7, 8, 9. Traction at door w/ belt: Pavanmuktasana Variations 1&2, and tractioned Jathara Parivartanasana/Supine Spinal Twist R. Press the feet into the door to create pull on top of thighs as you stretch arm (and spine) away. Once you have done all this, enjoy a mild supported backbend over a block or two, or over a bolster. Adventures in Alignment with Alison Tuesdays 9:30-11am (Thursday suspended) Wednesday Level 3 2-3:30pm Www.yogaunion.com

Mayurasana, or Peacock pose. I used the support of the elements yesterday to do this, for me, demanding pose. A long-lasting shoulder injury has regressed a little since the great quarantine began and PT stopped. However, a large boulder that the much lower lake water has revealed along with the water itself made the pose a delight. A dear friend, Martin Leavitt, arrived just as I was thinking of getting out of the 60 water on a perfect, cool Fall day and took this photo f...or me. Alignment Adventure Level 2 T and Th 9:30-11am Alignment Adventure 3 Wed 2-3:30pm. .. .Register through www.yogaunion.com.

Opportunity, invitation, anything could happen... Rope wall at Cold Stream Pond, block and mat.

Kapinjalasana, or the Pose of the Dew-Eating Bird otherwise known as Partridge Pose Preparations from floor to chair to sling Kapinjalasana is a challenging pose, requiring the strength of Vasishtasana, or Side Plank, and the ability to do the equivalent of a revolved or side Ardha Dhanurasana, or half Bow Pose, distributing the weight of the body forward and aft of the central line between hand and foot. Unlike Natarajasana, where there is some pelvic flexion at the top of ...the standing leg, in Kapinjalasana, the front of the standing hip moves towards neutral or even mild extension. This will depend on weight distribution, body proportion and, of course, range of motion and placement, including head position. The head is heavy! The pose can also put some pressure on the front of the standing arm. Care must be taken not to collapse into that shoulder or overexpress the joint. Although there will be some opening of the front of the joint, keep the head of the humerus centered in the glenoid fossa as much as possible without limiting range of motion in the pose. Once the pose has been mastered in this incarnation, the full overhead arm position may be attempted, which requires even more confidence in the balance. Using supports can help one understand the essentials of the pose, although the floor or a chair won’t let the pelvis move forward. But a sling will. .. .1 Floor.. .2, 3 Chair front and back.. Reaching the foot back to the wall gives confidence to the action of the leg as it pressed back in space. Facing the wall creates a strong sense of direction for the chest while leaving the leg free to move and find its place without the limitation of the wall.. .4 Using a sling laterally gives similar feedback as with the chair front and back. It can also be done with the working foot at the wall and the head straight out from the wall. . .Adventures in Alignment with Alison West Tuesdays and Thursdays, Level 2 9:30-11am Wednesdays Level 3 2-3:30pm. . . . . . . . #alisonwestyoga #yogaunionnyc #yogaunion #alignmentyoga #iyengaryoga #chairyoga #backbends #kapinjalasana #vashistasana #yogawithprops #spinalextension #iloveyoga #yogaeveryday