Emma's Flow

It's on the tail end of my brother's 42nd birthday and Father's Day weekend in the States, so my brother is
very much in my thoughts. 

In the beginning of June, my niece Emma's gravestone was finally finished, and all of the family was there grieving together. Living here in Taiwan, Z and I missed out. Her stone is

beautiful, very regal, with a sea turtle, which was her spirit animal. I'm looking forward to visiting her grave during our summer vacation, and I know my daughter is too.

 Part of my working through my own grief, anger and confusion was by using yoga and music. So last year I made this yoga sequence, two actually, inspired by and dedicated to my niece Emma. 
The simpler version is 10 1/2 poses because she was almost 11 when she died.
The longer version just contained more poses that really resonated with me, seems more comprehensive.

They can be practiced in a continuous vinyasa flow, or slowly and more meditatively like a hatha/yin version.
If I feel any kind of tension or tightness physically or emotionally, I would add "breath of fire" to intensify
the medicinal property of the pose.

Emma was an animal lover, gentle by nature and I wanted to use some animals she was particularly fond of,
as well as some of her hobbies. She was the epitome of temperance and being pulled by two opposing forces,
hence some of the more difficult balances. There’s some subtle heart and hip openers that really burn through
some deep cobwebs of emotion. After a few rounds of flowing, I felt lighter, as in heavenly light breaking
through some of this grief, even for just a moment.

Dedicated to my loving niece, free spirits must soar.

EMMA 10 1/2 Poses Flow

Child pose w/prayer hands

Puppy Pose

Rabbit Pose

DD-Humble Warrior/ Peaceful Warrior- Swan-Fallen Star Vinyasa (R/L)

Archer’s

Tortoise

Fish

Happy Baby

Shavasana

Intermediate Version

Shavasana

Child Pose w/ prayer hands

Puppy Pose

Down Dog

DD Twist R/L

Humble Warrior- Warrior 3-Peaceful Warrior (R/L)

DD

Fallen Star

Visvamitrasana- Revolving Half Moon- Swan (1 Leg Vinyasa R/L)

DD

Hands Under Feet

Standing Pigeon-Toe Stand (Padangustha Padma Utkatasana) R/L

Vinyasa

Pigeon Twisted R/L

Rabbit-Tortoise

Vinyasa into Boat- Seated Forward Bend- Archer’s R/L

Half Lord Fishes R/L

Fish Pose

Happy Baby

Shavasana