Yoga Session Plan for “Fluidity”
A loving welcome to all the yoga teachers. Here is your yoga session plan for a class called “Fluidity”. It comes complete with readings, notes, sequencing, breathing, and meditations.
Class Name: “Fluidity”
Class Classic Theme Relationship(s) – Yogic Philosophy, 2nd Chakra - Svadhastana
Class Teacher Notes for Yoga Session Plan “Fluidity”
Many of our students experience yoga for the first time as a discipline for their bodies. Even more specifically for the muscular/skeletal body – the body they can see and feel easily. One easy step to deepen these students’ practice is to move them deeper into the body to notice their fluid body. Once more aware of the fluid that makes up 70% of our physical bodies, it gets easier to see the benefits of the physical yoga practice beyond gained strength and flexibility.
The fluid flow of this class is very much a Vinyasa Style of yoga. Pick music that accentuates the fluidity of your movements. Ocean sounds can also be very helpful in reminding the class of their Ujjayi ocean breath and the circulation of their bodies. Have fun with this class and encourage joyfulness, lightness and ease through all postures.
Language of the Class
During the class, focus on fluid transitions and sensual cues using words such as feeling, flowing, abounding, arising, brimming, cascading, circulating, continuing, coursing, emanating, emerging, flooding, rippling, overflowing, pouring, progressing, rolling, swelling, springing.
For example, “Emerging from your lunge into Warrior II feeling the prana, the life force of your body being circulated on the breath.”
Now, create two more fluid cues to use in your class.
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Yoga Class Reading/Discussion
The world is ever changing. Our seasons change, the winds blow, and man progresses. The rivers flow continuously into the sea, shaping and changing everything in their paths with their sometimes strong and sometimes gentle currents. There is a fluid current in everything that we can tune into to learn more about our own fluidity.
Our bodies are naturally over 70% water, and our fluid bodies are comprised of blood, lymph and vital fluids. The majority of your body is fluid, yet we often take for granted this vital element in our lives. A stick that is dry and brittle breaks with little effort, while a wet, lubricated stick is bendable, flexible and able to withstand more pressure. Our bodies are similar in that the fluid inside of us is what keeps us youthful and healthy, and when this fluid is absent, for instance in a joint, we become stiff and immobile.
Our fluid energies, beyond the physical body, how to go with the flow of our lives. To be mentally flexible, youthful and generous, so that under any circumstance we can bend and not break. Fluidity offers us grace under pressure, and our focus for today’s class is to meditate on our connective fluidity and generate a deep appreciation for this vital energy in our lives.
For Discussion:
- Are there ways in your life that you have become dry, brittle or disconnected?
- What are ways off of your mat that you can live out the lessons of your fluid body?
Pranayama Before / During Asana
Ujjayi (Ocean Breath) – To connect with the fluidity of the body, let’s use Ujjayi Pranayama. Ujjayi breathing allows use to connect with the flow of the breath through a kinesthetic awareness and through the sound of the breath. Often called whisper breath or ocean breath, Ujjayi fills the body first through the belly, then the rib cage and then the chest before being gently pressed through the throat and nose with a audible, controlled exhale.
Inhale through the nose with a “hmmmmm” sounds and exhale through the nose with a “haaa” sound. Gently constrict the back of the throat and float the breath up to the soft palate before pressing it out of the nose. Continue to breathe in long, steady breaths controlled by this diaphragmatic breath. Imagine the breath, like an ocean wave, floating onto the shore with the inhale and retreating back into the vast waters on the exhale.
Practice this breath first seated and maybe even allow your upper body to sway with the rhythm of your breath. Then, continue the breath throughout the asana practice. (Throughout the class, remind your students of the breath and how it can remind them to stay aware of their fluid bodies.
Yoga Session Plan Hatha Yoga – Fluid Flows
The flows provided can be used in your class interspersed with any other asanas (postures) that you want to include in your practice. This is not an entire class flow, just a few vinyasa suggestions for you to use within the structure of your own class.
Warm-Up Flow
- 1st Expression: Child’s to Cow to Cat to Child’s
Inhale from Child’s Pose to Cow Pose, Exhale into Cat Pose and on the same exhale move back to Child’s Pose. Repeat with the rhythm of your breath. - 2nd Expression: Down Dog to Plank to Up Dog
Inhale roll forward through the spine from Down Dog to Plank Pose, Exhale slowly lower the hips almost down to the ground for Up Dog (with the toes still curled under). Inhale begin to slowly lift from the hips back into Down Dog, and exhale sink the heels down towards the earth. Repeat with the rhythm of your breath.
Standing Flow
- 1st Expression: Kneeling Crescent Lunge into a Splits Prep Stretch Flow
Inhale, gently pressing the hips forward in the Lunge with finger tips just on the floor or on blocks. Then exhale, sitting back to the hips with the front leg extended straight as possible. Heart is melting towards the knee and the crown of the head is extending towards the toes. Flow at your own pace.) - 2nd Expression: High Crescent Lunge into a wide stance Pyramid Stretch Flow
Start in Lunge (with the back heel lifted and knee lifted) and inhale arms to the sky. Then exhale, roll the back heel to the floor, straighten both legs and fold forward from the hips with the front leg extended straight as possible. Arms can be up by the ears as you exhale down, or to protect the back, exhale them to the sides. Hold for a breath – Heart is melting towards the knee and the crown of the head is extending towards the toes. Inhale, bend the front knee and spiral the back heel up the sky and lift your upper body and arms up the sky into Crescent Lunge. Flow at your own pace.
Flow Flow – Opening Svadhisthana – the Second Chakra
- 1st Expression: Pigeon Pose Flow
Come into Pigeon Pose. Inhale lift your heart to the sky (with fingers on the floor in front of you) and exhale, melt the heart forward to the earth. Flow like water using the breath to guide your movements. - 2nd Expression: Three Legged Dog to Pigeon Flow
Start in Down Dog. Inhale the right leg to the sky, exhale while opening the hips, bending the top leg and letting the heel move towards the opposite shoulder. Inhale the leg straight up the sky and exhale drawing the right leg forward into pigeon pose. Inhale lift your heart to the sky (option to lift the arms to the sky as you do so) and exhale, melt the heart forward to the earth. Inhale to plank and exhale back to Down Dog. Repeat on the left side. - Pigeon Meditation: Finally end in pigeon and hold and relax for 8-10 breaths on each side. While your students are there remind them they are opening the second chakra – Svadhistana, who’s earth element is water. Tune in with the fluidity of your body. The water, blood and juices that keep us supple, youthful and alive. Feel the flow of your body. Feel your physical body – the circulation of the blood through the strong current created by your heart. And then feel your subtle body – the flow of creativity, passion and vitality through your body. Carry these sensations with your prana, on your breath to your whole being.
Meditation
Chant – “Vam”
The Chakra connected to Fluidity is Svadhistana (2nd Chakra). The Bija or sound for the second Chakra is “Vam.”
Come to an Easy Seated Pose. To elongate the spine, elevated your hips by rolling up a blanket or use a block to sit on. Allow one leg to rest just forward of the other in Sukasana (Easy Seated Pose.) To connect with this Chakra, imagine the breath flowing in and out of the hip area. You can imagine a glowing orange ball of light in the pelvis as you begin to chant the bija sound “Vam” for 3 -7 minutes.
Savasana for Fluidity Yoga Session Plan
Guided Meditation through the Fluid Body – Begin to let the breath become natural and easy. Find a lightness in your body that allows you to let go of your physical surroundings and tune in to the beauty within you. Allow yourself to focus right now on your heart center. Travel your attention to fixate on the actual heart muscle itself. Feel the rhythm of your heart… and now notice what your heart is doing. It is pumping blood and fluid to the rest of your body. Travel into this blood and start to flow through the body with the current created by your heart. Flow all the way to your fingers and toes, bringing relaxation along with you… Flow to the crown of the head…and to the base of the spine… Feeling relaxed, fluid, ever changing.
Your body is primary water. Feel this water in your body as a river flowing through you. You feel youthful and mobile in your body. All of your joints are supple and your skin is vibrant… Now notice that all of this fluidity is supported by your strong bones and muscles and you feel the connection and natural balance that is the miracle of your life.
Spend as much time as you need in this awareness as we transition into silent relaxation…
Namaste.