Bird of Paradise Tutorial
Video
Bird of Paradise Svarga Dvidasana
Ally HamiltonA wonderful standing balance pose that opens the hips, hamstrings, shoulders and chest, while strengthening the core and legs.
Ready to work it?
Here are some classes featuring Bird of Paradise.
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How Hip Can You Get?
By Ally Hamilton on Jun 21, 2021
Hello, yogis! By request, here is a full-length class! 75 minutes of asana and 15 minutes of yoga nidra and savasana. The flow is full of hip opening and core strengthening so we can safely play with binds in bird of paradise and half moon. 6 minute abs because I love you and because you'll need them for koundinyasana 2, crow pose, and options to play with bhujapidasana and firefly pose, and a mashup of crow, firefly and koundinyasana if you like mashups like I do! If you're feeling frisky and want to work on wide straddles in your handstands, I give you tips and tools, or you can take an L pose or keep it restorative. Yoga Nidra in savasana so you rest deeply after working hard. Ready?
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Big Feelings Breakthrough
By Ally Hamilton on May 31, 2021
This practice is all about breathing through intense sensation. This is the way we practice for breathing through intense emotion, including grief, loss, longing, the fear that can arise around change, and all the other "big" feelings we go through as human beings. The pace is mindful and steady and you can expect long holds in some poses so we can practice breathing and staying open even as we're experiencing some of those big feelings! Lots of hip-opening once we're warm - standing frog variations lead to frog on the mat, along with options for intermediate to very advanced hip openers (please listen to your knees and do not do anything that hurts!) This class was in response to a request - please know I LOVE requests! Enjoy, yogis, and keep breathing.
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Hippy Stretch with Core
By Lauren Peterson on May 8, 2021
We open with a wide-legged forward bend, side lunges, and stretching. We follow with some strength for arms and core. We begin to flow with sun salutations, standing poses, and balance. We finish with backbends, inversions and savasana. Enjoy!
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Rx for Type A's
By Ally Hamilton on Apr 26, 2021
This is a Slow Flow/Deep Stretch class that's all about consciously deciding to slow down so we can feel more! If you are a Type A go, go, go kind of person, I relate! 30 years of yoga helps a lot, as do practices like these where we get really curious about the journey instead of racing toward the destination! This is also a great practice if you have a moderate amount of energy but really want to open deeply, or if you are practicing toward the end of the day and want to help your nervous system relax and release. We do work and you will sweat, we just work slowly and steadily. You can expect to open your shoulders and upper back, strengthen your core, target hip and hamstring opening (hello bowing goddess and revolved half frog and frog pose!) and breathe deeply throughout. Enjoy, yogis!
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High NRG in 20
By Ally Hamilton on Mar 19, 2021
By request, a flow for days when you're really short on time or struggling to focus, but want to get in your body and breathe, open every major muscle group, strengthen your core, take care of your spinal health (but also your emotional and mental health!) and then get back to the business of being awesome!
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A Peace Prayer
By Kate Duyn on Feb 3, 2021
From the mud we go! And from the mud we grow! This whole practice is a prayer for peace, for our evolution and eventual recognition that we are all one. Kriyas and breath work to energize and release as we open the chest, upper back and heart and head toward eka pada raja kapotasana! May we all open and rise up.
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The Magic Garden
By Ally Hamilton on Jan 1, 2021
Happy New Year! New year, new alternate set :) Welcome to the magic garden where you get to weed out what doesn't serve you and nurture the things you want to grow! We did some nice heat-building with Series A and C variations, a chance to play with koundinyasana II, opportunities to root down and reach for the sun with bird of paradise, core work (but of course) backbends, hip and hamstring opening and deep breathing throughout! A little mermaid even showed up! Sending you and yours lots of love and wishes for a very Happy New Year where we spend lots of time together playing in the Magic Garden! So grateful to be on this journey with all of you!!
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Slow, Deep, Mindful
By Ally Hamilton on Dec 24, 2020
Great for days when you have a moderate level of energy and really want to slow down and tune in. The more you breathe into this practice, the more the mind quiets and you can accept the invitation to release tension. You can turn the heat up or down on this one, with options for standing marichis, bird of paradise and tripod headstand with wide straddle or lotus legs (or you can be in a supported headstand with a block), and backbends can be active or restorative as well (please have a block handy)! Enjoy, yogis! Sending you and yours tons of love xx
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Rise + Shine Hip Love
By Ally Hamilton on Dec 9, 2020
An energizing, feel-great-everywhere flow meant to start your day right, but good for anytime you have some nice energy to burn and want to open every major muscle group, free up your heart, fire up your core, give particular love to your hips, and play on your hands and head! There's also time to tune in, connect with your breath, tap into what it is you need and work on developing a compassionate partnership with your body! Enjoy, yogis!
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All Together Now
By Ally Hamilton on Dec 2, 2020
Work your focus as we flow and open the hips, shoulders and hamstrings, strengthen the core, get upside down, keep the spine healthy with nice backbends and forward folds, and sweat it all out together!
