Umbria Yoga Retreat Part 3

Ah, the last of the Yoga Trilogy for the Umbria Yoga Retreat!  And good news!!  I will offer this retreat in Umbria again September 7-14, 2013!  Once I have details, including price and itinerary, I will post that information on the blog.  (Note: it’s not too early to express interest!)

This post, Part III, includes another Yoga Sequence we did while in Umbria, Italy and a slideshow.  As I have mentioned in other blog postings, it is nearly impossible for me to take photos while I am teaching, so I am pleased that one of the retreat participants, Karin Bigman, took many of the yoga photos.  The slide show is set to Italian singer and songwriter Carmen Consoli’s music (from Catania, Sicily), so be sure to turn up the volume.   The song is called Madre Terra, Mother Earth.  I have included the lyrics below the slide show.

In my previous blog post, I wrote out another sequence on which one of my blog followers and fellow yoga practitioner, Steve, commented, “That’s a recipe I can follow!”  I love that!   I hadn’t thought of yoga sequences as akin to recipes before this, though I have always thought of BOTH the yoga practice and eating wholesome meals as nourishment for body and soul!  Thank you, Steve, for shedding the light and allowing me to see this great analogy.

Yoga Sequence (super nice if done in a meadow surrounded by forest at 5000 ft. in the Umbrian Apennine Mountains with the afternoon sun dancing off your hair!):

1) All these poses are done on side one:  Eagle–Warrior III (or a modified version of that pose by bringing hands to the mat and stretching the standing leg)—Pyramid Pose—Triangle–Pyramid–Revolved Triangle  (can modify by coming to prayer balance pose with back knee down)–Step back to Plank Pose–Upward Facing Dog—Downward Facing Dog–walk or jump to the front of the mat—forward bend- mountain.  Repeat all these poses on side two.

2) Salutations to the Moon: Warrior II—Extended Side Angle–Triangle–Half Moon–Warrior I–Crescent Moon–Seated forward bend–seated twist–seated wide angle forward bend–come to downward facing dog–standing wide angle forward bend.   Repeat all these poses on side two.

3) The section above can be repeated a second time on each side if time and energy permit. When repeating, you don’t have to hold as long and you can make the sequence more challenging by adding more complicated variations, such as binding the arms, adding twists, or by extending further into each pose.

This picture slideshowcreated with SmileboxLyrics to Carmen Consoli’s song: Madre Terra (Mother Earth)Più che mai cullami e avvolgimi con un caldo abbraccio Più che mai parlami nutrimi madre terra ….. Le caldi notti di agosto talvolta indossano un sorriso esotico di un Africa gioiosa ed intensa violata abusata ed offesa Materna e fiera Più che mai cullami e avvolgimi con un caldo abbraccio Più che mai parlami nutrimi madre terraMore than ever rock me and wrap me with a warm embrace More than ever tell me feed me Mother Earth ….. The hot August nights sometimes wear an exotic smile from Africa  joyful and intense violated and abused, offended, Maternal, and fair More than ever rock me and wrap me with a warm embrace More than ever tell me feed me Mother Earth