| Yoga
with a Partner Workshop
Saturday,
April 2, 2005 2-4pm
These are some
notes from the workshop taught on April 2, 2005. Note that not all of the
postures were practiced during the workshop due to lack of time! Many of
these notes, exercises and postures are taken from "Partner Yoga: Making
Contact for Physical, Emotional, and Spiritual Growth" by Cain Carroll
and Lori Kimata. Please also remember that these are notes and are not complete
instructions for each of the postures! Be cautions and check-in with your
partner often!
When
working with a partner, remember to communicate!!!
- All things
are interdependent
- Touch and
intimacy are basic human needs
- Fear and
pain are two of life’s greatest teachers
- Exercise
and rest are essential for vibrant health
- Laughter
and play are life’s fountain of youth
- Partnership
is based on trust and communication
- Breath is
life
Why
practice partner yoga?
- Cultivating
touch
- Increasing
fitness
- Having fun
- Relaxing
- Strengthening
relationships
Breath
Explorations
Feeling
the breath becoming aware of your breathing
- Sit facing
your partner in a comfortable position
- Close your
eyes and begin observing your breath
- Is your
breathing shallow or deep?
- Rapid or
slow?
- Relax and
let yourself breathe naturally without altering your breath. Take 2-5
minutes.
- Open your
eyes and share responses to some of these questions:
- Where
in your body do you feel the breath?
- Where
do you notice the most movement?
- Describe
the rate of your breath
- Describe
the length of your breath
- Describe
the depth of your breath
- Describe
the quality of your breath
- Describe
the overall feel or texture of your breath
Synchronized
Breathing
- Sit back
to back with your legs straight out in front of you.
- Press your
back gently against your partner’s back, making a connection along the
entire back side of your body
- Adjust your
posture until you are equally supported by and supporting your partner
- Bring your
palms together and rest the thumbs against the chest/heart
- Close your
eyes and begin to tune in to your own breath
- Feel your
ribs rise and fall against your hands
- Feel your
back expand and contract against your partner’s
- Begin to
notice how your partner is breathing, taking note of the rate, depth and
sound
- Begin to
adjust your breathing pattern to match your partner’s, meeting somewhere
in the middle where you feel comfortable.
- Stay relaxed.
Warm-ups
- Chair
warm up calves/thighs; increases awareness of body position and balance;
repeat 3 times
- From standing, shake out feet/ankles.
- Place feet hip-width apart, raise arms to shoulder height, palms down
- Inhale, lengthen spine, rise up on toes.
- Exhale, bend knees, take three breaths
- Come up slowly to standing
- Grand
plie warm up knees/hips/thighs; increases awareness of shoulders,
arms, hands; repeat 3 times
- Feet about 3’ apart, raise arms to shoulder height, palms down
- Inhale, expand chest, lengthen arms
- Exhale, bend knees, come into squat, hold for three breaths
- Return to starting position
- Knee
lift warm up hips/thighs; increases awareness of balance/grace,
repeat 10 times each side
- Start on right leg, lifting left leg. The
left hand is over the knee, imagine a connection of a string between hand/knee.
- Inhale, lift hand/knee until thigh is parallel to floor
- Exhale, release
- Small
and Large hip circles warm up hips/buttocks/lower back; increases
awareness of pelvic region; repeat 10 times each direction
- For small, feet about 2’ apart, hands on hips
- For large, feet about 3’ apart, knees bent
- Standing
cat/cow warm up spine/chest/shoulders/abdomen; increases awareness
on muscles that support neck/spine; repeat 10 times
- Feet shoulder-width apart, bend knees, hands to hips
- Inhale; tip pelvis forward arching lower back. Chest and ribs open, shoulders relaxed
- Exhale, tuck tailbone and bow the spine
- Side
stretch warm up arms/shoulders; increases awareness on ribs/intercostal
muscles (muscles along the side of the body); repeat 5 times each side
- Feet shoulder-width apart, lengthen spine
- Inhale, lift arm up
- Exhale, stretch up and over to the side. Open ribs and expand, lengthen side of
body
- Inhale to center
- Exhale, move to other side
- Archer
warm up upper back/shoulders; increases awareness of chest/ribs and
muscles involved in twisting; repeat 10 times each side
- Feet shoulder-width apart, palms together in front of body, arms parallel to floor
- Inhale, create length in spine
- Exhale, rotate to the right, drawing back with right arm
- Inhale, extend right arm forward as you rotate left, drawing
back with left arm
- Continue back and forth, imagining yourself as an
archer drawing back the string of a giant bow
- Arms
of air - warm up shoulders/forearms/wrists/hands; increases awareness
of body/breath connection; take 1 minute
- Arms in front of body, parallel
to floor
- Flex and extend wrists
- Neck
- warm up neck/throat; releases tension in shoulder/neck
- Face partner
- Chin to chest, then sky
- Head right to left
- Ear to shoulder, each side
- Sun/Moon
union
increases awareness of breath/movement connection. Create unity among
opposing forces.
- Touch thumb forefinger
- Inhale, raise arms forward and up.
- When hands are just above the eyes, touch fingertips. Imagine joining
forces of the sun (right hand) and moon (left hand).
- Exhale, turn palms up, float arms down. Let arms descend with the breath.
- Repeat three times.
Postures
- Anusara
hamstring: focus on strength and flexibility
- Partner one is on floor, on their back
- Partner two stands in a warrior 1 stance and raises partner's leg
until resistance is met; support leg at ankle
- Partner one presses leg into partner two
- Partner one relaxes and partner two increases pressure on partner
one, stretching hamstring
- Squats
- Opposite arms, clasp wrists, hips/shoulders at same level, head down
- Cross (same) arms, clasp wrists, stretch shoulders, each side
- Opposite arms, clasp wrists, hindu squat (deep)
- Transition to floor, facing one another
- Boat
stretch hamstrings, tone abdomen
- Feet flat, toes against partner’s
- Link hands/wrists
- Lengthen spine
- Exhale, straighten one leg (keep knees bent if needed), feet toward sky
- Find balance
- Exhale, straighten other leg
- Arms parallel to ground, spine lengthened, left from chest,
relax abdomen
- Release one leg at a time
- Down
dog contraindications: high blood pressure, stroke
- Give partner the adjustment by applying pressure on hips, raising tailbone,
stretching back of legs and lengthening spine. Take weight out of partner's arms.
- Double dog, if desired
- Triangle
- Stand back-to-back, feet 3-4’ apart
- Touch hands, wrists or forearms, raise arms parallel to floor
- Turn foot (feet) to one side, relax shoulders
- Reach to side of turned foot, lower same hand down, raise other
hand up
- Cross lower arm with partner, supporting legs
- Reach for the sky
- Back and hips pressed together
- Return to center
- Repeat on other side
- Warrior
II
- Stand back-to-back, feet 3-4’ apart
- Touch hands, wrists or forearms, raise arms parallel to floor, palms
together
- Turn foot (feet) to one side, relax shoulders
- Exhale, bend knee, thigh parallel to ground, shin perpendicular
- Look over front hand
- Return to center
- Repeat on other side
- Side
Angle
- Stand back-to-back, feet 3-4’ apart
- Move into side lunge (hands on floor or block, on inside of front
leg)
- Thigh parallel to floor, shin perpendicular
- Lengthen through the heel of back foot
- Press shoulder of inside arm against inside of bent leg
- Inhale, rotate torso upward, lift outside arm to sky
- Connect hands
- Look up, reach arm over ear
- Lengthen
- Return to center
- Repeat on other side
- Tree
- Stand hip-to-hip, feet about 1’ apart
- Reach arm around partner’s waist, connect hips
- Lift outside leg, place foot against shin or thigh
- Join palm of free hand. Breathe.
- Return to center
- Repeat on other side
- Table
opens shoulders/chest, releases tightness in back of legs
- Stand facing partner, about 2’ apart
- Link arms just above elbows. Slowly bend forward while taking small
steps away from each other
- Bring tops of heads together, slide hands to partner’s shoulders
- Lengthen spine, flatten back by extending bottom away from head
- Exhale, relax shoulders, allow chest and ribs to open toward floor
- Breathe smooth and deep
- Back remains parallel to floor, legs perpendicular to floor
- Fountain
- Stand facing partner about 1’ apart
- Hold wrists, firm yet relaxed
- Inhale, gently lengthen spine, begin to lean (arch) back
- Lift from sternum, allow tailbone to drop
- Press hips toward partner, deepen backbend on exhale
- Relax into pose
- Move out slowly
- Half
Moon
- Partner 1: Mountain pose, facing away from Partner 2. Bend forward,
left left leg behind, lower hands to floor.
- Partner 2: Catch the lifted ankle (knees are bent), slowly rise
up, hold foot at chest.
- Partner 1: Bring right hand in front of right foot, rotate body
up. Align. Lift left arm to sky. Lengthen chest and back.
- Partner 2: Make sure left foot, knee, hip and shoulder are in same
line and that standing leg is perpendicular to floor.
- Partner 1: Exhale, lower left arm to ear and extend through fingertips.
- Partner 2: Inhale, lengthen spine, lift partner’s foot. Exhale;
tuck tailbone, lift chest, arch back.
- Breathe smoothly
- Repeat on other side
- Repeat with partner
- Cobra
(two variations)
- Partner 1: Come into cobra, hands clasped behind back (use strap
if needed). Radiate from chest, lift up
- Partner 2: Stand over partner, feet near shoulders, squat down,
place hands on partner’s shoulders. Lift forward and up.
- Partner 1: Relax shoulders, press shoulder blades together, soften
heart
- Partner 1: Lie face down, legs together, hands at sides
- Partner 2: Stand over partner, feet parallel to legs, near hips
or buttocks
- Partner 2: Bend knees, hold partner’s wrists, begin to lift gently
- Partner 1: Relax, lengthen spine
- Partner 2: Begin to stand slowly. Assist partner’s torso to lift
off ground. Let partner one do most of the lifting
- Partner 1: Tuck tailbone, press hips forward, gently arch back
- Partner 2: Tuck tailbone, press hips into floor, lengthen spine
- Come out slowly, rest before switching positions
- Seated
Forward Bend
- Sit facing partner, soles of feet touching (may need to bend knees)
- Inhale, lengthen spine/neck
- Exhale bend slowly forward from hips
- Reach partner’s hands/wrists/forearms (use strap if needed)
- Maintain length in spine and relax forward into pose
- Release hands, bend knees, come up slowly
- Sit
Back-to-Back
- Partner one: legs straight
- Partner two: knees bent, head rests on partner’s upper back
- Partner one moves into forward bend, partner two moves into back
bend
Thai
Yoga Massage
Ancient style
of massage with roots in Ayeurvedic medicine. Incorporates a series of passive
yoga-like stretches along with a gentle palm pressure technique applied
in a rhythmical, rocking manner. Very soothing and meditative. Emphasis
is not on the intellect but on feeling. Breath is used during the massage:
belly, ribs, and back, expanding.
Coordinate
breath, use pressure on exhale, don’t press directly on spine or joints,
use the entire body, rocking back and forth, watch the neck, keep the spine
in alignment. Check in often with partner and watch the pressure in each
of the massages.
- Sole
press feet
- Partner is on belly.
- Stand facing partner.
- Use toes. Or face away and use heels. Or kneel on the foot.
- Check in often
- Full weight can be used without worrying too much
- Palm
press legs
- Keep arms straight, use weight of body
- Gentle press on back of knees
- Full pressure on rest of body
- Stretch
feet to buttocks
- Cross partner’s feet at ankles
- Bend knees
- Press feet toward bottom
- Pressing on tops of fee helps with tight ankles
- Stand
and palm press shoulders
- Partner is seated
- Press downward on the neck/shoulder finding the best spots!
- Interlace
fingers and squeeze neck
- Use the heel of the hands to apply pressure
- Massage
temples and scalp
- Be gentle, especially around the temple
Closing:
Thank your partner!
Mary
Esther Middleton
Contact
Yoga Sense |
