Hospitality
One of the internet's greatest gifts is couchsurfing.org. If you haven't heard of it, it's basically a way for people to meet up with folks and potentially crash at their houses. The idea is that cities are more fun, and you get to know them better, if you know someone in the city. The idea is also that you become a better global citizen by meeting and having interesting discussions with people all over the world.
Last night, and tonight, I am couchsurfing. I am surfing with a wonderful, obviously brilliant gentleman by the name of Cooper. He's lived in Fayetteville, AR for about twenty years and is a tour guide by profession (among other things, including composer, professor, department chair, and hiker). You might imagine he does a pretty good job showing a couple of out-of-towners around a city.
Cooper, and many other folks on the site, open their homes, usually to complete strangers. They make them dinner, give them a place to sleep, a place to feel at home on the road, and wonderful company. Cooper is in his 50s (and hopefully doesn't mind me saying so) and there are people on the sites living with their parents (at an age culturally acceptable to do so). There's people from everywhere doing everything, with a couple things is common. Hospitality and generosity. Thank you from this traveler to all those who have hosted road-weary folks.
Hospitality
To open your heart, and home, is a leap of faith. Many postures that are considered heart openers require that leap of faith. It is common to feel fear going into these poses. Acknowledge this fear: don't just push through. As with letting strangers into your life, use your instinct to avoid injury (mental and physical). Follow the breath to move deeper into these poses. Slowly, with patience, your heart will open further and the pose will develop.
Sukhasana (Easy Pose)
Metta meditation. Meditate thoughts of loving kindess towards self and others. Dedicate your practice to someone else
Taking hands to knee, open chest in slight backbend. Exhale, cave chest backwards. Move with the breath
One hand above head, other to floor. Stretch arm above head and over for side stretch. Repeat other side
Move between alternating side stretches
Cat/cow in table pose
Knee-down Tadasana (Mountain Pose)
Parighasana (Gate Pose). Stretch alternating sides of the torso (like step 4): first time, grounding arm is on outstretched leg, for the other side the grounding arm is on ground next to bent leg Note: If this makes no sense, let me know and I'll try and find time to add pictures
Move between alternating side stretches
Repeat steps 7-9 with other leg
One armed Ustrasana (Camel Pose). One arm in air, one grounding on foot, shin, or on lower back (whatever version you practice)
Repeat other side
Ustrasana. Imagine the chest lifting with each breath, the heart pressing towards the ceiling
Sarvangasana (Rabbit Pose)
Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog). Press the heart forward here, too, as you open the chest
Tadasana
Warrior lunges: from Tadasana step forward into Virabhadrasana I, hold for a complete breath, and step back to Tadasana. On next step, come forward with opposite leg
Repeat 10-16x
Pause in Virabhadrasana I
Interlock hands behind back for gentle chest opener
Repeat steps 19 and 20 with other leg
Sun Saluations 4-6x. Feel as though the heart is literally leading you through each posture into the next. The upper chest is the first point of movement.
Vinyasa to floor
Paripurna Navasana (Upward Boat Pose)
Ardha Navasana (Half Boat Pose)
Upavishta Konasana (Seated Wide Angle Pose)
Matsyendrasana (Seated Twist Pose), repeat other side
Setu Bandhasana (Bridge Pose)
Either repeat Setu Bandhasana or move into Urdhva Dhanurasana (Upward Bow Pose)
Savasana (Corpse Pose)