Home About Us Classes The 5 and ½

Mendocino's Yoga Source

Yoga means union in Sanskrit, the beautiful language of ancient India where yoga originated more than 5000 years ago. This union occurs between the mind, the body and and the spirit. What is commonly referred to as yoga in the West can be described by the Sanskrit word asana, the physical practice of postures and poses. Asana is just one of the eight limbs of yoga:
  • Yama - Universal morality
  • Niyama - Personal observances
  • Asanas - Body postures
  • Pranayama - Breathing exercises, and control of prana
  • Pratyahara - Control of the senses
  • Dharana - Concentration and cultivating inner perceptual awareness
  • Dhyana - Devotion, Meditation on the Divine
  • Samadhi - Union with the Divine
The other limbs focus more on emotional and spiritual well-being than on physical fitness. In the West, however, the words asana and yoga are often used interchangeably. Yoga in all of its forms is transformational and magical, a true blessing that is accessible to people of all ages and levels of health.

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MendoYoga.com
PO Box 804
Mendocino, California 95460

Our Mission:

Providing access and information about Yoga on the Mendocino Coast

  monday tuesday wednesday thursday friday saturday sunday
9:30 - 10:45am All-Levels
with Catherine 		All-Levels
with Catherine
11:00 - noon Gentle Yoga
for Seniors and Others
with Catherine 		Gentle Yoga
for Seniors and Others
with Catherine
Standford Inn
Coast Highway and Comptche Ukiah Road
Mendocino, CA

The Five and ½

The Five and ½ are a sequence of 6 movements, each repeated 21 times. Two Interval Breaths-- deep, complete inhalations through your nose, and powerful, complete exhalations through your mouth—are practiced between each movement to increase vitality and cultivate focus. The Five and 1/2 take about 10 to 20 minutes per day on average. Begin with 3 repetitions of each movement each day for the first week. Then add two more repetitions per week. After 10 weeks you may be prepared to practice each movement 21 times. Always respect and respond to your energy level, physical condition and emotional state when you practice. Consult with your health care provider before embarking. And have fun. Persistence and consistency will bring you what you seek—health, happiness and balance in your life.

Spin

  • Stand in Mountain Pose--Tadasana. Extend your arms away from eachother at shoulder heigth, arm muscles hugging the bones . Your fingers are together and palms are open and facing downward.
  • Holding this arm position, spin full circle in an clockwise direction. (Turn your head to the right, that is the direction in which you want to spin.)
  • Work up to 21 rotations without a break.
  • When you finish spinning, stand in Tadasana with hands on your hips. Take two Interval Breaths
You may experience some dizziness when you first practice this exercise. Be careful, and don't push it. This exercise strengthens the vestibular apparatus - the balance mechanism residing in the inner ear. With regular practice the dizziness should lesson, and the spin will become delightful and fluid, even at very fast speeds. This is the same motion practiced by Islamic dervishes, the Sufi mystics who twirl at rapid speeds for long periods of time. These mystics are known as ‘Whirling Dervishes’.

Leg Raise

  • Lie on your back in Tadasana. Your arms are by your sides, your palms are flat on the floor.
  • Inhale and together in one, smooth motion lift your head and your gaze, tucking your chin to your chin to your chest, and your legs (to or a little past a 90 degrees). Exhale and lower your legs and your head in one smooth motion.
  • Repeat 21 times.
  • When you are finished, stand with your feet together and hands on hips. Take two full, deep breaths inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth, with your lips pursed in an ‘0’.

Kneeling Backbend

  • Kneel on adequate coushioning, knees and feet hip width apart, toes tucked. Place your hands on your booty or on the backs of your thighs depending on the length of your arms. Lower your chin to your chest, inhale and lift your chest and gaze and bend back, extending through the crown of your head while gazing over your nose.
  • Exhale and return to the beginning position.
  • Repeat 21 times.
  • When you are finished, stand with your feet together and hands on hips. Take two full, deep breaths inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth, with your lips pursed in an ‘0’.

Table Top

  • Sit on the floor with a long spine and straight legs in Tadasana. Place your hands on the floor alongside your hips, fingers fanned, arm muscles hugging the bones
  • Inhale and lift your hips placing your feet firmly on the mat, feet parallel, torso parallel to the floor. Estend your head back while gazing forward over your nose.
  • Exhale while lowering yourself back to the beginning position.
  • When you are finished, stand with your feet together and hands on hips. Take two full, deep breaths inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth, with your lips pursed in an ‘0’.

Pendulum

  • Start on your hands and knees. Keep your legs about hip width apart and your arms shoulder width apart. Wrist creases should be parallel with the top of your mat. Roll your elbows so that the eye or inner elbow is facing forward. Inhale up on to your tippie toes. Your legs and arms are straight. Tuck your chin to your chest and look back between your legs.
  • Exhale while moving your torso forward stopping when your arms are perpedicular to the floor. Your shoulders should align over your wrists. Lower your hips until your thighs and lower legs are parallel to the floor. Lift the navel, sternum chin and gaze skyward.
  • Repeat 21 times, inhaling as you raise your hips and exhaling as you drop them toward the floor.
  • When you are finished, stand with your feet together and hands on hips. Take two full, deep breaths inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth, with your lips pursed in an ‘0’.

Windmill

  • Stand sidways on your mat. Step your feet a comfortable, wide distance apart. Align the outside edges of your feet parallel to the short edges of your mat. Firm your leg muscles to your leg bones, place your hands on your waist. Inhale and lengthen you spine.
  • Exhale and bend forward at your hips. Place your hands on the floor under your face, arm bones perpendicular to the floor, fingers fanned, arm muscles toned. Inhale. Exhale and sweep your right arm and your gaze up to the ceiling. Inhale and bring your right hand back to your mat. Exhale and sweep your left arm and your gaze up.
  • Repeat movements in accordance with your breath up to ten times to each side.
  • From center, interlace your fingers behind you, at the small of your back (or hold a strap if your shoulders are tight). Stretch your arms straight and over head. Lower your arms to the small of your back, change the interlace of your fingers, and stretch up and over head again. Lower your arms, unlace your fingers.
  • Place your hand on your thighs just above your knees and round your spine up, chin tucked to your chest, to standing.
  • Step your feet together and rebalance in Tadasana--Mountain Pose.