TTT 12-13 Recordings

15 minutes of breath observation on back. Missing. Instructions for getting into the posture.

Fold a pranayama blanket: Take a half-folded yoga blanket and, starting at the long end, accordion fold 3 or 4 times, making each successive layer a bit thinner than the previous layer. It will look like a long flat pyramid.

Begin lying on a pranayama blanket

Sit with your hips on the mat in front of the bolster. Slowly recline back. Support your head with a folded blanket if necessary.

Relax and surrender -- and breathe!

Om bhūr-bhuvaḥ svaḥ,
ŧaŧ-saviŧur-vareṇ'yam,
bhargo đevasya đhīmahi,
đhiyo yo naḥ pracho-đayāŧ.

Om bhūr-bhuvaḥ svaḥ,
ŧaŧ-saviŧur-vareṇ'yam,
bhargo đevasya đhīmahi,
đhiyo yo naḥ pracho-đayāŧ.

ॐ भूर्भुवः॒ स्वः॒
तत्स॑वितुर्वरे॑ण्यम्
भ॒र्गो॑ दे॒वस्य॑ धीमहि।
धियो॒ यो नः॑ प्रचो॒दया॑त्॥

Om. We meditate on that wondrous spirit
of the divine solar light, which shines in every
dimension of life. May that light inspire
and guide our inner vision.

Om gam ganapataye namaha!

A very loose translation might be:
Om = Salutations!
Gam = The secret power sound of Ganesh. It is his "seed syllable" or bija mantra.
Ganapataye = Another name of Ganesh, the breaker of obstacles.
Namaha = Namaskaram, my salutation (to Ganesh)

Om
Aing Sarawati Namaha
Om

The goddess Saraswati is the authority on academics, arts, and education.

These are the Gunas, not the order they appear in the song.
1. Guru / Laghu heavy/light weight
2. Manda / Theekshna sharp/dull-slow intensity
3. Uhsna/sheethaq hot/cold temperature
4. Ruksha / Snigdha dry/oily emolliency
5. slakshna / Khara smooth/rough texture
6. Drava / Sandra liquid/dense-solid viscosity
7. Kathina / Mrdu hard/soft rigidity / compressibility
8. Cala / Sthira mobile/static fluidity
9. Sookshma / Sthula subtle/gross density
10. Vishada / Picchila clear/cloudy-sticky adhesion

This is excerpt from the "TT- Backbends with JB". This is a shorter, smaller audio file that is useful for individuals who want to hear JB to through in detail the following asana:

00:00:44.790 warm up sequence including modified camel.
00:03:05.305 adho mukha svanasana
00:03:34.590 runner's lunge
00:04:04.777 uttanasana
00:05:13.402 utkasana
00:06:32.554 virabhadrasana i detailed cueing instruction
00:11:22.283 uttanasana (counterpose)

This is a partial recording of the teacher training session 5/12/2012. Original recording did not include entire session. Due to low quality of recording, much of the discussion (questions) had to be cut. The interactive portion of the session (teaching partners) is not recorded.

This session reviewed forward folds and introduced standing back bending postures.

00:00:09.031 parts of the spine
00:00:37.200 review of forward folds
00:03:15.344 qualities of a backbend
00:05:21.816 tips for beginners
00:09:47.164 deepening the postures (start with simple backbends, link movement with breath, etc)
00:11:58.000 standing backbends: examples
00:13:28.375 short physical practice led by jb
(warmup and standing backbends)
00:19:29.735 uttkatasana - breaking it down
00:23:33.700 virabhadrasana 1: breaking it down
00:24:22.456 optimal width between legs?
00:25:16.906 remember hips can't be perfectly square
00:26:06.715 "step as far as you can while you can still turn your torso to your front leg"
00:26:12.263 "sternum and navel line up with your inner right knee"
00:26:30.257 cues for virabhadrasana
00:26:56.962 inhale, bend front knee, engage your hamstring, heavy back heel..
00:29:40.810 lumbar curve
00:31:49.721 width between feet
00:32:59.219 other things to notice for virabhadrasana

Important points in this session:
Forward folding increases the curve in the thoracic curve and produces a decrease in cervical/lumbar curve. Monitor the increase of this curve as other curves decrease. The relationship between primary and secondary curves in spine are reciprocal; the more you increase or decrease one, the more the other will want to do the opposite. All the curves in spine should be affected in an equal ratio

Four possible spinal movements: flexion, extension, twisting, and side bending (lateral flexion)

Workshop on Seated Forward Folds (with tips and modifications)

7:03 dandasana (against the wall)
8:40 modifications for dandasana
keep lumbar area safe by not bending forward with a rounded lower back. keep your sternum lifted. lead with the heart.
00:14:10.061 paschimottanasana (supported)
00:17:27.443 looking at a student's paschimottanasana
00:23:58.957 why micro bending is important
00:26:43.314 janu sirsasana (head to knee pose)
00:27:57.700 tips for janu sirasana
00:29:04.247 should i be on both sit bones?
00:32:27.235 marichyasana 1
00:38:24.132 virasana and vidrasana (differences and rotations)
00:38:24.132 variations of virasana
00:44:43.867 gomukhasana
00:47:13.715 gomukhasana and arm variations

General tips? Hinge at hip, anterior tilt, feel grounded at hip, don't round the upper back, watch for tight shoulders.

Note: This recording is simply for reference purposes and has a LOT of background noise. This may get on one's auditory nerves (literally).

JT introduces students to a self practice, enabling students to develop a yoga practice which can then be practiced alone or during a self-practice class. "Cultivating a self practice is like a recipe for a delicious meal." (JT)

In this workshop, he goes over the main ingredients, the steps, and the sequence. At 46:10, he starts a practical physical practice.

General Time Markers
14:00 Going over long-term goals and begin where you are (that day at that time)
18:39 Warm up the whole body at the beginning (especially the spine)
19:04 Consider the directions of mobility of the spine: flexion (bending forward), extension (bending back), side bending and twisting.
19:55 Explaining compensation and counterposes
46:10 Practice Starts (after this, James goes through the poses and the body of self-practice poses)
1:29:10 Breathing
1:36:32 Meditation Tips

This has been edited down from the original workshop, which was 3 hours.