Clearing Space, Cultivating Joy, and Mapping Magic: Teaching Yoga On The Grassy Knoll: Kihei, HI: January 25, 2021

Erich Schiffmann has dolphins. We in Maui have whales. Whale!!! Photo cred: Matthew Wheller

Let's start at the end, shall we?

After class, and a longer than usual savasana, I broke my customary rule of staying quiet and exclaimed, "Look! There's a whale out there!". I'd been watching the whale show with pure delight while the Monday morning yogis savasana-nated. The ocean this morning was more lakelike; calm and glassy. The whale breaching a mile offshore might have well as been a foot away. There was a moment of clarity.

"There's lots of them out there", said Bob.

And how right he is. Hundreds of them migrate to the islands every winter. There sure are whales out there, we just don't see them at every moment.

The same is true for joy, love, aloha, and magic. They surround us all the time. They are here; they are real. We just don't see them all the time. The swim underwater in our consciousness.

The practices of yoga help us see these beautiful truths more often. With enough practice, we too, begin to know, really know, that whales are everywhere.

Here's our practice sequence this morning:

Supine stretch
Cactus the arms, knees together circle
Shaggy dog shake

Sukasana cat and cow
Fingers to shoulders rolls
Cervical cat and cow
Side bend, wave , head rest
Seated twist

Butterfly

Fingers to shoulders swimming rolls
Side bend with easy side pushups and head rest
Seated twist

Easy bridge with shaggy dog

Table twist with ab stabilization balance challenge
Table dancer

Locust variation heart waves

Marching downdog with side bend
Plank

Tadasana

Low lunge wave
Eagle arm lizard variation
hamstring stretch with wiggle room

Vinyasa

Crescent with eagle stretch
Warrior II
Prayer Warrior dips
Extended side angle
Warrior II
Peaceful Warrior
Trikonasana

Hallelujah qi gong
Uttanasana

Prone shoulder stretches with twist

Happy baby

Savasana with Tuning and Turning On Magic meditation

Sit
Silent OM

Namaste

Health, Love, and Rock and Roll