Lighten the Shoulders, Free the Neck

In this practice, the shoulders, neck, upper back, and arms are brought into integration. As the shoulder blades descend with steadiness, the chest opens, allowing the neck to lengthen without strain.

As the outer shoulders and front body soften, areas of habitual holding begin to release. Gradually, accumulated tension in the upper body dissolves.

With this release, the neck gains a greater sense of freedom, no longer bound by habitual tightness. The chest, supported and open, is relieved of chronic tension, allowing both breath and movement to flow more naturally.

From this, a quality of lightness and spaciousness emerges, along with a clearer inner direction that becomes steady and self-sustaining.

This sequence includes:

Shoulder work at the wall (hand, shoulder, arm)

Baddhasana

Baddhagulliyasana

Paschima Namaskarasana

Supta Paschima Namaskarasana

Supta Baddhagulliyasana

Gomukasana

Wall, strap, brick

Paschima Baddhagulliyasana

Garaudasana (arms only) — face out, toward wall

Supta Tadasana w/ block at shoulder blades

Viparita Dandasana w/ chair and bricks

Crown of head or back of the head

Forward Virasana — hands high on wall; lower wrists at wall

Adho Mukha Svanasana — hands at wall

Savasana with chair

Upper Body Tension Relief — Shoulders, Neck & Chest—Iyengar Yoga
Kathy Cook

Lateral Rotation and Gentle Twisting

Awaken the back body through extensions, lateral movements, and gentle twists that stimulate circulation, strengthen the spine, and support the digestive organs, kidneys, and respiratory structure.

The focus here is through both twisting compression and wringing, and through lateral extension and opening.

This sequence includes:

Dandasana

Bharadvajasana I with wall and strap

Tadasana

Utthita Hasta Padasana

Parvritta Trikonasana with side trunk wall and block

Tadasana

Parvritta Trikonasana with heel to the wall

Utthita Hasta Padasana

Tadasana

Dandasana

Parsva Janu Sirsasana with wall and chair

Dandasana

Parsva Janu Sirsasana with wall and chair

Dandasana

Pascimottasana with bolster and 2 blocks

Savasana

Back Strength and Tension Release—Iyengar Yoga
Kathy Cook

Intermediate Iyengar Yoga

Standing postures require strength, but also balance, especially when the body is supported on one leg. Through this work, we develop confidence and poise—both essential to finding the middle line. We learn to move from the outer body toward the inner body, requiring a focused mind and a stable physical foundation.

Once this inner stability is established, awareness can expand outward again. In this way, effort gradually transforms into effortlessness.

By combining standing and seated postures, including balance and forward extensions, the nervous system settles and the mind becomes quiet. The body becomes steady, and the mind learns to rest within that steadiness.

“When the body is balanced and steady, the mind becomes calm and focused.”

— B.K.S. Iyengar

This sequence includes:

Tadasana

Utthita Trikonasana

Virabhadrasana II

Utthita Trikonasana

Tadasana

Ardha Padma Padottanasana

Hips and shoulders at wall

Tadasana

Ardha Padma Padottanasana

Facing the wall

Tadasana

Ardha Padma Padottanasana

Facing away from the wall—balancing

Tadasana

Dandasana

Janu Sirsasana

Dandasana

Janu Sirsasana

Dandasana

Ardha Baddha Padma Paschimottanasana

Dandasana

Ardha Baddha Padma Paschimottanasana

Dandasana

Savasana

Balance & Stability in Hip Opening
Kathy Cook

A Supportive Way to Begin the New Year

This class offers a gentle, nourishing way to start the new year. We take time to rest in postures, using props to reduce effort and stay longer without strain.

Holding poses with support allows the work to penetrate more deeply into the cellular body, rather than remaining superficial. Clear connections from the legs into the pelvis help the front groins soften and open, creating both stability and spaciousness.

Through mindful use of the arms and legs, we stimulate and support the lymphatic system, which plays a vital role in immune function.

The lymphatic and immune systems work together to fight infection and transport pathogens efficiently.

By encouraging circulation and ease in these systems, the practice supports overall health and resilience.

As the body settles, the mind is also given permission to rest. This calming of the nervous system helps cultivate a more positive outlook and a deeper sense of well-being.

A restorative, steady practice—both grounding and renewing.

This sequence includes:

Supta Virasana

Forward Virasana

Ustrasana

Parvatanasana in Virasana

Adho Mukha Svanasana

Urdhva Mukha Svanasana

Repeat four times

Virabhadrasana I with wall

Parsvottanasana

Utthita Parsvakonasana

Setubandha with blocks

Chatuspadasana

Sitting upright, extend arms upward

Supported Salamba Sarvangasana

Savasana

Restorative Sequence for Lymphatic Flow & Immune Support
Kathy Cook

Utthita Hasta Padangustasana

This class requires a strong and attentive practice. Balance is essential, but equally important is learning to use your limbs efficiently so they stay connected to the center of your body. Through this integrated use of the arms and legs, the pose develops a sense of compactness and inward gathering.

Although your limbs extend away from the body, the central connection—through the pelvis, spine, and standing leg—must remain firm and steady. Working this way refines coordination and prevents the pose from becoming scattered or strained. The positions are held a little longer to build stamina and resilience, cultivating both physical strength and mental steadiness.

Benefit:

Builds balance, stamina, and coordinated strength while strengthening the central axis of the body.

Props used (to enhance the pose):

– Wall: Supports balance and helps maintain vertical alignment of the spine and standing leg.

– Strap: Assists in extending the lifted leg without disturbing pelvic stability or central lift.

– Chair or wall support: Allows longer holding with clarity, reducing strain and encouraging precision.

This sequence includes:

Utthita Hasta Padangustasana

At wall; away from wall; with strap; without strap

Tadasana between each side

Resting Uttanasana

Virabhadrasana III

Tadasana

Urdhva Prasarita Eka Padasana

Foot at wall; hand on calf or floor

Uttanasana

Adho Mukha Svanasana

Forward Virasana

Savasana

Balance, Strength, and Stamina
Kathy Cook

A Gentle Sequence to Support Healthy Digestion

Digestive issues can be complex and may arise for many different reasons. This sequence, practiced during the holidays, is designed to soften the abdominal area, create space, and encourage deeper circulation to support release and ease.

The quiet, restorative quality of the sequence helps relax the mind and calm the nervous system—an important benefit during the often busy and stimulating holiday period. As the nervous system settles, digestion is naturally supported, allowing the body to return toward balance.

This sequence includes:

Supta Swastikasana — Reclining Cross-Legged Pose

Supta Baddha Konasana — Reclining Bound Angle Pose

Virasana (Forward) — Hero Pose (Forward Extension)

Adho Mukha Svanasana — Downward-Facing Dog Pose

Bharadvajasana (on Chair) — Seated Twist on a Chair

Marichyasana I — Sage Marichi’s Pose I

Supta Ardha Matsyendrasana — Reclining Half Lord of the Fishes Pose

Setu Bandha Sarvangasana (Supported) — Supported Bridge Pose

Janu Sirsasana — Head-to-Knee Forward Bend

Paschimottanasana — Seated Forward Bend

Viparita Karani — Legs-Up-the-Wall Pose

Savasana — Corpse Pose

Iyengar Yoga for Digestive Wellness
Kathy Cook

Parvritta Parsvakonasana and Parvritta Trikonasana with the support of a chair

In this class, we’ll explore poses like Parvritta Parsvakonasana and Parvritta Trikonasana with the support of a chair. The chair will help us feel more stable and bring greater awareness to the back body, so we can move with confidence and clarity.

We’ll flow through a family of related postures, connecting the arms and legs in different directions while keeping the trunk long, the front body open, and the back body spacious.

These poses strengthen and extend the body while stimulating the internal organs, supporting healthy movement and natural detoxification. By adding mindful breathing, we’ll awaken energy and leave the practice feeling refreshed and renewed.

Namaste.

This sequence includes:

Parsva Prasarita Padottanasana

Parivrtta Parsvakonasana

Adho Mukha Prasarita Padottanasana

Eka Pada Parsvottanasana with chair

Parivrtta Parsvakonasana with chair

Prep with Virabhadrasana I

Parivrtta Parsvakonasana with chair

— Facing toward back rail

— Facing out toward front edge of chair

— With mat at groin

Virasana

Parivrtta Trikonasana with chair

Tadasana

Virasana

Parivrtta Trikonasana facing away from chair

Without chair support

Utthita Trikonasana

Ardha Chandrasana

Utthita Trikonasana

Savasana

Twists for Stability & Detox: Parritta Variations
Kathy Cook

Chest Opening & Inverted Forward Extensions

This practice cultivates an open heart. Working step-by-step into Paryankasana, you’ll bring sensitivity and awareness to your sternum, lungs, abdomen, and the entire organic body.

Balanced breathing nourishes the chest and quiets the inner space, helping you stay centered and receptive.

We then balance the back-opening with forward extensions in an inverted state, ending in Nirlamba Sarvangasana—a pose that steadies the nerves, sharpens attention, and uplifts the body with quiet strength.

Move slowly. Observe the actions with humility and patience. This posture can be refined over many years.

Enjoy your practice.

This sequence includes:

Forward Virasana

Adho Mukha Savasana

Halasana

Chakrasana

Nirlamba Sarvangasana

Halasana

Chakrasana

Adho Mukha Savasana

Forward Virasana

Savasana

Refining Paryankasana
Kathy Cook

Techniques: Props, Variations, and Classical Forms

In this lesson, we progress from bridge pose variations to Bow Pose.

In Setu Bandha Sarvangasana, the body rests on the shoulders, soles of the feet, and heels.

In Dhanurasana, this reverses—the abdomen and front body become the base.

Notice how these foundations relate and how the actions complement each other.

Throughout this family of postures, the spine elongates, lifts, and curves backward. As we age, we rarely move this way, which leads to stiffness, lost elasticity, and reduced spinal vitality. Regular practice restores supple extension, supports healthy posture, and maintains spinal health.

The abdominal organs also benefit. The backward extension creates space, circulation, and freedom, helping them work more efficiently.

In Parsva Dhanurasana, the side variation, the organs receive a gentle, rhythmic massage as they press into the floor.

Back Body and Kidney Benefits:

These postures open, strengthen, and tone the back body—especially around the kidneys and adrenals. Lifting and lengthening the lumbar spine creates space around the kidneys, improving blood flow, supporting adrenal balance, and reducing fatigue. This opening brings lightness and rejuvenation, helping replenish energy and stabilize the nervous system.

This sequence includes:

Setu Bandha Sarvangasana

Chatuspadasana w/ strap, w/ brick, holding ankles, w/ partner,

Dhanurasana

Parsva Dhanurasana

Backbends Progression: Bridge Variations to Dhanurasana
Kathy Cook

Intermediate Level Iyengar Yoga

Utthita Parsvakonasana and Utthita Trikonasana are both revolved positions.

In this class, we’ll move through a sequence using the chair to support greater awareness of the back body and increase stability.

In this sequence, we explore a family of postures that connect the organs of action—arms and legs—in various directions.

Throughout, we lengthen the trunk, open through the front body, and spread the back body.

All these positions activate our organic body, stimulating movement and aiding in detoxification.

Adding the breath will bring more movement and vitality.

Namaste.

This sequence includes:

Parsva Prasarita Padottanasana

Parivrtta Parsvakonasana

Adho Mukha Prasarita Padottanasana

Eka Pada Parsvottanasana with chair

Parivrtta Parsvakonasana with chair

Prep with Virabhadrasana I

Parivrtta Parsvakonasana with chair

Facing toward back rail

Facing out toward front edge of chair

With mat at groin

Virasana

Parivrtta Trikonasana with chair

Tadasana

Virasana

Parivrtta Trikonasana facing away from chair

Without chair support

Utthita Trikonasana

Ardha Chandrasana

Utthita Trikonasana

Savasana

Parvritta Parsvakonasana with Chair
Kathy Cook