Justin Ritchie
A class (dharma talk included) based on a peak pose that may take more than one lifetime to get into.

Pose: Full Eka Pada Raja Kapotasana

Dharma Talk:  Love From the Ground Up:  Ask any human being what they desire most  and chances are they’ll tell you some version of love.  But the realized desire for a thing is the willingness to walk the path toward it.  Every energetic pattern in nature follows the same torroidal flow, up through center, down around the sides.  Humans are no different.  One of the many things this implies is that to open up the heart, we must first work from the lower chakras.  The love in our 4^th chakra is built upon the security, fluidity, and courage of the first 3.  But before the how, let’s look at why…

Then read from Kahlil Gibran’s “The Prophet”, the chapter “On Love” repeating the highlighted lines later in class to refer to the physical practice.

When love beckons to you, follow him,
Though his ways are hard and steep.
And when his wings enfold you yield to him,
Though the sword hidden among his pinions may wound you.
And when he speaks to you believe in him,
Though his voice may shatter your dreams
as the north wind lays waste the garden. 

For even as love crowns you so shall he crucify you. Even as he is for your growth so is he for your pruning.
Even as he ascends to your height and caresses your tenderest branches that quiver in the sun,
So shall he descend to your roots and shake them in their clinging to the earth. 

Like sheaves of corn he gathers you unto himself.
He threshes you to make you naked.
He sifts you to free you from your husks.
He grinds you to whiteness.
He kneads you until you are pliant;
And then he assigns you to his sacred fire, that you may become sacred bread for God's sacred feast. 

All these things shall love do unto you that you may know the secrets of your heart, and in that knowledge become a fragment of Life's heart. 

But if in your fear you would seek only love's peace and love's pleasure,
Then it is better for you that you cover your nakedness and pass out of love's threshing-floor,
Into the seasonless world where you shall laugh, but not all of your laughter, and weep, but not all of your tears.
Love gives naught but itself and takes naught but from itself.
Love possesses not nor would it be possessed;
For love is sufficient unto love. 

When you love you should not say, "God is in my heart," but rather, "I am in the heart of God."
And think not you can direct the course of love, for love, if it finds you worthy, directs your course. 

Love has no other desire but to fulfill itself.
But if you love and must needs have desires, let these be your desires:
To melt and be like a running brook that sings its melody to the night.
To know the pain of too much tenderness.
To be wounded by your own understanding of love;
And to bleed willingly and joyfully.
To wake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of loving;
To rest at the noon hour and meditate love's ecstasy;
To return home at eventide with gratitude;
And then to sleep with a prayer for the beloved in your heart and a song of praise upon your lips.

Playlist (if applicable) based on https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2Nh-gbEs5o with lots of strings and other gentle music.

Poses held a long time. Talk about it as a source and practice of the necessary security, fluidity, and courage. 

1. Dandasana (inner thigh rotation, hollow groins, foot pronation, hamstring stretch, long spine with natural curves)
2. Adho mukha svanasana
3. Uttanasana
4. Tadasana with lots of alignment, wrist-grab side-stretch both sides
5. Surya Namaskar
6. Uttanasana
7. Adho mukha svanasana
8. Jump to Dandasana 
9. Supta utthita hasta padangusthasana (remember dandasana feel)
10. Supta parivrtta utthita hasta padangusthasana (offer thumb in hip crease)
11. Roll to side
12. Reclined Buddha (laying on side with head on hand) natarajasana prep (coracobrachialis, tricep, side body, and opposite quad stretch)
13. Roll to back}
14. Second side
15. {Baddha konasana, Dandasana (transitions)
16. Ardha Matseyendrasana 1 (following is for R side)
17. (not sure what to call this, but it’s been super helpful for me in this sequence) After twist, come to neutral and lay back on elbows. Take R heel and place gently on inner L thigh just above knee. Roll to R elbow and grab L ankle with L hand.  Spend a while hollowing L groin here)}
18. Second Side
19. Baddha konasana, Dandasana (transitions)
20. Eka Pada Raja Kapotasana Prep – blocks under hands then forward fold.
21. Baddha konasana, Dandasana (transitions)
22. Gomukhasana, offering varying degrees of blocks/blankets based on students’ needs.  Blocks under hands first to find hollow groins, then add in arms. Baddha konasana, Dandasana (transition and between sides)
23. Full Eka Pada Raja Kapotasana – Strap/blocks as necessary Baddha konasana, Dandasana (transition and between sides)
24. Baddha konasana, Dandasana (slightly longer transitions)
25. Savasana