Evening Release

As the title suggests, Evening Release is an ideal practice for the end of a long day. This audio features instructor Tilak Pyle leading a live class through a series of flowing, strength-based standing and floor postures and then gradually moving into a sequence of more calming, restorative poses. Fans of Tilak's Altar of the Heart may be disappointed by the lack of scenery and music here, but they and others will continue to appreciate his calming, flowing style. Plus, as an added benefit of the class setting, Tilak's instruction is more richly detailed than his more minimalist style in doing Altar's voiceover. His off-the-cuff remarks such as describing the breath as "the beloved" and noting that "the mind thinks; you can't blame it for it" add a distinctively personal note to this practice.The practice opens with seated meditation and chanting OM. As he does in Altar, Tilak first warms up the body before moving into sun salutations, leading the class in slow squats. He then cues two rounds of a variation on sun salutation B, including long holds of down dog and a runner's stretch. On the third round, he adds low lunge, working deeply into this pose with the breath. One-legged down dog leads into the first standing pose flow, which consists of warrior 1, warrior 2, triangle, and high lunge. Tilak doesn't simply direct you into each pose; rather, he provides detailed cues to help you gently and fully open into the postures. A second standing series includes prayer twist and deep lunge with forearms on the floor (lizard pose), a wonderful hip flexor/groin release. For the final standing sequence, Tilak returns to warrior 1 and then moves the class into warrior 3. Throughout this work, Tilak cues vinyasas, which he states are a means of "wiping the slate clean" between the poses. Moving into the final few down dogs, Tilak continues with plank and side plank; side plank is repeated on either side, which is particularly challenging given that you are likely to be feeling tired at this point. You then rest in child's pose for several minutes.Although the practice transitions to the floor at this point, the strengthening focus continues with several locust variations and then bow pose. Then finally, you begin moving into the more restorative part of the practice, beginning with reclined hero and camel. Seated forward bends follow, including head-to-knee pose and half-frog forward bend (unique and wonderful!). The practice winds down with a slowly flowing shoulderstand-plow-fish sequence before finishing with reclining twist and savasana. After relaxing in savasana for several minutes, Tilak closes with a seated meditation and a final OM, bringing the practice in at just under 69 minutes. With its combination of strength and relaxation, Evening Release offers a nice blend of yin and yang, and it's likely to appeal to a wide range of beginning to intermediate yoga students.