December 26, 2003
Namaste Noble Warriors!
"To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the Gift."
- Steve Prefontaine
(one of the numerous favorite quotes of mine that roll through my new book)
As some of you know, i am back in New Mexico, attempting to recharge my physiology and spiritology for the next few days. I, like many of you, shared Christmas with my family. I know, i know...talk about High Performance Yoga! Being around family requires constant cultivation of the Observing Self mixed with Compassion Practice. Often our family and their attitudes toward everything from food to "news" choices to you can trigger unfathomably deep emotions and shocking thrusts of anger, impatience, annoyance, guilt, etc. The Masters were quick to recognize this, thus They taught,
"The Way is easiest in the temple, more difficult in the marketplace, and most difficult in the home."
As your personal trainer, i consider it part of my duty to offer techniques and practices that i have found to benefit personal fitness. So, during this time of travel and family time, there is no better time to deepen your Practice by using the dynamics of family gatherings or holiday emotions as tools toward Self Transformation.
I offer you the following with the visualization of assistance to your own Practice.
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ilg's base level traveling or pre-competition morning Practice
The following routine covers all structural, physiologic, and energetic bases. I walk away from this routine feeling absolutely centered, energetic, and balanced. For athletes, it opens inner gateways that ignite sport performances. For non-athletes, it creates depth, dimension, and a degree of spiritual warriorism to daily routines and jobs. I often wonder just how our society would change if everyone followed such a routine. Modifications to the more advanced postures are easily done and just as effective. If we don't have the capacity to create 25 minutes in the morning to center our body and mind and breath, then we've pretty much lost our Way thanks to the thick and multifacted barrage of outer-directed illusions, desires, and entertainments.
Note: do not attempt this routine without the guidance of a qualified yoga teacher.
wake up
tongue scraping
brush teeth
neti wash (nasal wash)
= 5 minutes
pranayama (yogi breathing):
� nadi sodhana (alternate nostril breathing)
� variations of nadi sodhana
� surya bhedana
= 5 minutes
asana (stretching poses):
� dog tilt/cat tilt vinyasa to engage mula bandha (root lock) and ujjayi (victory breath which is then held throughout the following:
� downdog/updog vinyasa
� utthita vasisthana (extended side plank pose)
� crescent pose
� parivrtta adho mukha svanasana (revolved down dog)
� deep toe stretch into narrow stance malasana (garland pose/yogi squat)
� supta virasana (upward facing hero pose)
� malasana into revolved wrist padahastasana (hands under feet standing forward fold pose)
� sirsa salamba adho mukha svanasana (head supported down dog). here, i tuck my palms under my feet to release sen channels/energy meridian blockages)
� sirsasana (headstand)
� supta konasana sirsasana (this is an inverted hip opening while in headstand)
� variations of the above
� roll into sarvanganasana (shoulderstand)
� variations of the above
� roll into halasana(plow pose)
� karna pindasana (ear pressure pose)
� roll into supta pasciomottanasana (upward facing Western stretch)
� supine spinal twist variations
� roll backward and up into standing forward fold
� roll up into tadasana (standing mountain pose)
= 15 minutes
Grand Total Time for basic Morning Practice:
= 25 minutes
This routine is then followed by an "Ilg Supreme" whole food herbal drink from SUNRIDER herbs.
that is all.
may it help...
enjoy the HolyDays...i'm going snowshoeing to absorb high dosages of high altitude Rocky mountain air/pran...
i bow to you,
Feeble Ilg
www.HighPerformanceYoga.com