Level 1

Standing meditation is what we try in this class.  Standing up can bring a very different quality to the meditation and your level of attention.  The focus of the meditation moves to the feet rather than the breath.

Stand to attention.

The time in silence is growing now.  Your concentration has grown a lot even if you are not aware of it.  Just being able to notice our thoughts shows that our awareness and concentration are improving.

Keep going!

Meditation is a bit like being a baby, experiencing things as a baby does… just simple sense experience before we had words before our mind had labels to stick on everything. Pure, raw experience.

Go back to basics.

We experience the last of the four meditation postures - walking meditation.  We move slowly and we feel the sensation around the feet, as you lift the foot, as you move it through the air and as you put it down.

Just walking, nothing more.

The periods of silence are growing and you are getting accustomed to following the breath at your navel. We are back doing seated meditation, growing with it all the time.

Enjoy the silence.

Another form of meditation is contemplation practice. You mentally call up a positive state of mind, by imagining someone (or a pet) who makes us feel very positive. Or it can be a place or a remembered experience. When we have called the feeling up we rest in it.

Practice positive mental states.

We have had a wide experience of many meditation techniques now. For the last two classes, we are staying focused on the breath at the navel. Learning to concentrate on something that at first seems very boring but with time becomes so interesting.

Nearly there!

Congratulations.  Well done for completing the challenge.  Enjoy your last meditation session. There is a short talk at the end that tells you how to keep going with this.  Hopefully, you have felt some of the benefits and formed a positive habit. This is something you can keep growing for the rest of your life.

Today it’s the beginning of the program. Get familiar with your yoga mat and blocks but most importantly with your Ujjayi breath and downward facing dog. Start feeling your body and connect to the new mat space that will transform you during these four weeks.

After finding plank pose and that core connection we move into chaturanga dandasana which is one of the most demanding postures in a vinyasa practice, so don't be too hard on yourself if your struggling in the beginning. Move with your body and your breath and learn how to modify to adapt the practice to your body.

Today we bring into our practice Sun Salutation B. Move through a very similar flow as the one you have been practicing but bring special attention towards Tadasana. We will work on strengthening our legs and hamstrings. Together we will start with our Sun Salutation A and move on to our Sun Salutation B where we stop in chair pose. Finding our flow in our transitions. 

Today we practice. We put together everything we have learned on week one and two and bring it to the mat. Flow through a twenty-minute class all by yourself and put into action you newly gained knowledge. We will not stop in any posture, instead, we will work on our flow. Feel your energy rushing through your body, and connect to your breath!

Even a tiny little detail matters when it comes down to plank pose. Take the time to pay special attention to it as you move into your twenty-minute practice today. A solid and strong plank will help you a lot as you move into Chaturanga, it all complements each other. We need to work with our entire body in our plank, especially our core. It might feel impossible in the beginning but it will get easier and easier, I promise!

Backbending has a lot of benefits. Learn how to move into your backbends in a safe way protecting your lower spine which is the part that takes most of the pressure during these postures. Move step by step, support your spine and enjoy the benefits. We will use our entire body, work on our flexibility as we at the same time use our strength. 

Congratulations! You made it through these four weeks, and now you are ready to continue with your journey. This is just the beginning even if you are not a beginner anymore. Today we flow bringing in everything you have learned during this time. We will use two blocs during this practice. You can always use books or anything you have at home if you don't owe any blocks. 

Get ready to flow and have fun.