Moving through Darkness with Confidence....

I used to be afraid of our house in the dark at night. My mom and dad gave me a flashlight when I was scared and my mom invented a fun non-scary version of "hide and seek" to get me more comfortable in the dark.
We all move through dark spells, dark times and dark situations. Things that are vague, confusing, disappointing.
Our yoga can teach us how to move through the darkness with confidence.

Last week's class explored this question, "How do we hold fast to our heart's truths so that we can move from a place of darkness or ambiguity with surefooted confidence?"
First of all, we have to identify and explore our heart...to find those truths. We all have 'em. Examples: I deserve to feel fufilled in all areas of my life. I deserve to live fully, and joy---fully. I deserve to be inspired each day. We all deserve to move in a way that's life affirming. Use this practice to explore and confirm those truths that lie deep in your heart. Reconnecting to those, even viscerally and visually (I've written these down in my pocket during some darker days) can profoundly change the tenor of a dark time.

Warm-ups
table, hand extended stacking on shoulder, warming all of back
Surya Namaskar A x 3
Surya Namaskar B x 2
-do lunge, then extended side angle (parsvokonasana) on R, L, then vinyasa on first version
-do lunge, bringing back knee down, grabbing back foot for quad stretch on R, then L

Handstand Prep (Thanks to Elsie Escobarfor this pose!) Start in uttanasana--walk hands farther forward, come onto fingertips, bring R leg off ground hips height, then come onto tip toes on left foot, stay there for 5 breaths or so, hugging into core from the skin into the bones and muscles, shine out from fingers, toes and heart! Awesome!

Vrksasana (tree)R, L
Bakasana (crow) R, L (remember Patty's excellent tip...bring your toes closer to your hands for easier lift-off!)
vinyasa...to
Hip opener: lie on your back, bend R knee into chest and bring R ankle over top of L thigh, interlace fingers behind L thigh and bring towards chest...mmmmm. Repeat on opposite side.
vinyasa to
Krounchasana (heron)

vinyasa-to setu bandha sarvangasana (bridge) do three x, last time hug in HUGE and extend leg up towards sky!
Matsyendrasana (fish)

Knees to chest
Jathara Parivartanasana

Savasana