Yoga Day 12 – Habit Nest

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    Yoga Day 12

    WARM-UP

    1. Volcano Pose (Hastasana)

    Starting position: Begin standing tall in Mountain Pose (Tadasana).

    1. Inhale and sweep your arms up over your head, either joining your palms together or keeping them parallel to each other.
    2. Shift your gaze up to the ceiling and breathe here for 60 seconds.

    2. Side Lunge Pose

    Transition: Bring your arms back down to Mountain Pose and flow into Side Lunges.

    1. Beginning in Mountain Pose, bring your feet parallel and shoulder-width apart. Keep your spine straight and shift your weight slightly back onto your heels. Bring your arms up to shoulder level in a T shape.
    2. As you inhale, shift your weight to the right, bending your right knee ~90-degrees, stacking your right knee over your right ankle.
    3. Remain here for 30 seconds.
    4. Exhale, return to starting position, and repeat on the left side.

    3. Low Lunge w/ Hands to Knee (Anjaneyasana)

    Transition: Release back to Mountain Pose, then step your right foot forward to come into Low Lunge Pose.

    1. Inhale and engage your core, tucking your tailbone slightly forward and pulling your belly button up and in, as you lift your torso away from your right thigh. Place your hands on top
    2. Exhale and slowly lower your left knee, shin, and top of your foot to the floor. 
    3. Breathe here, making sure your hips and pelvis are squared forward and even, for 30 seconds. Push your left thighbone backward, sinking into a deep lunge.
    4. Return to Mountain Pose, then repeat on the left leg.

     

    4. Plank to Downward Dog Pose Flow

    Transition: Bring your hands to the mat and step or jump your legs back to come into Plank Pose.

    1. Beginning in Plank Pose, tuck your toes, exhale your sit bones up and back, and push the floor away to come into Downward Facing Dog Pose.
    2. Take a breath here before moving on to the next pose.

     

    5. Upward-Facing Dog Pose (Urdhva Mukha Svanasana)

    Transition: Flow through Downward Facing Dog to Upward-Facing Dog Pose.

    1. Plant your palms beside your upper body with your elbows bent, pressing all ten toenails against the ground.
    2. Inhale and straighten your arms, pressing down into the tops of the feet to lift your legs and pelvis away from the ground.
    3. Pinch the shoulder blades toward each other to open the chest, taking a gentle skyward gaze without overdoing the curve in the back of the neck.
    4. Remain here for 60 seconds, breathing deeply and feeling your chest opening.

     

    6. Cat-Cow Pose (Chakravakasana)

    Transition: Come into Table Top Pose for a few quick rounds of Cat-Cow.

    1. Inhale and arch your back downward, pushing your tailbone up and outward. Tilt your head back slightly, keeping your shoulders engaged and opening the chest. (Cow)
    2. On your exhale, tuck your chin and tailbone inward, pull your shoulder blades apart, and round your spine like a cat that’s stretching or startled. (Cat)
    3. Repeat this movement for 30-60 seconds.

    7. Table Top Hip Circles (Bharmanasana)

    Transition: From Cat-Cow Pose (Chakravakasana), remain on your hands and knees and bring your spine to a neutral position.

    1. Start on your hands and knees. Inhale and rock forward on your hands a bit, shifting forward on your knees and raising your lower legs off the ground a bit.
    2. Rotate your hips in a clockwise circular motion for 30-45 seconds, then counterclockwise.

    8. Thread the Needle Pose Flow (Urdhva Mukha Pasasana)

    Transition: Remain on your hands and knees to flow through Thread the Needle Pose.

    1. Begin on your hands and knees with your shoulders stacked above your wrists and your legs hip-width apart. (Table Top Pose)
    2. Take a deep breath, and on your exhale, sink your sit bones back to your heels as you push the floor away from you through your palms. Widen the legs slightly and bring your forehead to the floor. (Child’s Pose)
    3. Inhale and come back onto your hands and knees.
    4. Repeat this cycle for 30-60 seconds, ending in Table Top Pose.

     

    9. Child's Pose w/ Arms to One Side (Balasana)

    1. Start on your hands and knees in Table Top Pose.
    2. Press your palms into the mat as if to push the ground away from you and sink your sit bones all the way down and back to rest your heels.
    3. Slowly walk your hands to the right side of your mat, keeping them parallel to each other and taking a gentle side bend through the left side.
    4. Rest your forehead on the mat, close your eyes, and breathe deep. Remain here for 30 seconds.
    5. Return your hands back to the center, then repeat on the other side.

    10. Table Top Pose (Bharmanasana)

    1. Table Top Pose is super simple: just get on your hands and knees with your hands stacked under your shoulders and your knees stacked under your hips, parallel to each other.
    2. Remain in this pose for 30 seconds, awakening and engaging the core and inner thighs; firmly rooting your shoulder blades down away from your ears.

     

    11. Table Top Pose Wrist Stretch (Bharmanasana)

    1. Come onto your hands and knees in Table Top Pose.
    2. Slowly rotate your hands until your wrists face forward and your fingers point toward you.
    3. Remain here for 30 seconds.

    12. Seated Straddle Pose w/ Windshield Wiper Feet (Upavistha Konasana)

    Transition: Lean back, swinging your legs around into Staff Pose, then flow into Seated Straddle Pose.

    1. Starting from Staff Pose (Dandasana), lean back slightly, supporting yourself by planting your hands on the ground slightly behind you on each side.
    2. Inhale and push your thigh bones into the ground and open your legs roughly 90 degrees (or whatever amount feels the most beneficial for you).
    3. Exhale and engage your feet, toes pointing straight up.
    4. Hold this pose for 30-60 seconds, breathing deeply and rotating your feet back and forth like little windshield wipers.

     

    13. Upward-Facing Seated Straddle w/ Toe Grab (Urdhva Mukha Upavistha Konasana)

    1. Starting from Staff Pose (Dandasana), lean back slightly, supporting yourself by planting your hands on the ground slightly behind you on each side.
    2. Inhale and push your thigh bones into the ground and open your legs roughly 90 degrees (or whatever amount feels the most beneficial for you).
    3. Exhale and engage your feet, toes pointing straight up, hingeing forward at the hips just far enough to grab your big toe with your thumb, index, and middle fingers.
    4. Inhale and shift your weight slightly back, broaden the chest, and tilt your head back to gaze at the ceiling - or however far you can without straining the neck.
    5. Hold this pose for 30-60 seconds, breathing deeply.

     

    14. Revolved Seated Straddle Pose (Parivrtta Upavistha Konasana)

    1. From Seated Straddle Pose, extend your arms to the sides at shoulder level.
    2. Inhale and take a spinal twist, reaching your right arm toward your left ankle, and hold for 30 seconds, taking deep breaths.
    3. Exhale and return to center, then repeat on the other side.

     

    15. Rowing the Boat Flow (Nauka Sanchalanasana)

    1. Begin in Staff Pose.
    2. Inhale, leaning the torso back. Pretend you’re holding invisible rowboat oars, bringing your hands up near your chest.
    3. As you exhale, row your hands forward as you bring the upper body into a forward fold. If possible, try to grab the outer sides of your feet.
    4. Inhale once again, lifting your upper body and rowing the hands toward the chest, then return to a forward fold on the exhale.
    5. Repeat the flow slowly for 30-60 seconds.

     

    16. Easy Boat Pose w/ Toe Taps (Navasana)

    1. Bend your legs at the knee to bring them close to your chest. Place your hands behind your knees for support. Leaning back slightly as you engage your core, come to balance on your sit bones.
    2. Once you’re balanced, bring the tops of the thighs a little further from the belly and lift the lower legs so that they’re parallel to the ground.
    3. When you’re feeling stable enough to do so, let go of the backs of your legs, bringing the arms parallel to the floor with palms facing inward toward each other.
    4. In a slow and controlled manner, tap the toes of your right foot to the ground, raising your right leg back up, then do the same with your left leg.
    5. Repeat this movement for 30-60 seconds, alternating feet.

     

    PEAK FLOW

    1. Bound Angle Pose (Baddha Konasana)

    Transition: Start in a seated position with your legs straight in front of you.

    1. Bend your legs at the knee, bringing the soles of your feet together in front of you.
    2. Inhale and grab onto your feet with both hands. If possible, gently try to pull your heels in a bit closer toward the groin. Your arms and shoulders should remain relaxed, but your spine should be long and straight.
    3. On the exhale, slowly allow gravity to pull your legs apart and open until both legs have relaxed all the way to the ground. Keep breathing and with every exhale try to lower the knees a little further. Just don’t try to force the stretch beyond what feels right!
    4. When you’re ready to release, let go of your feet and stretch one leg at a time out straight in front of you and return to starting position.

    2. Firelog Pose Variation (Agnistambhasana)

    Transition: Release from Bound Angle Pose (Baddha Konasana) and extend your legs straight in front of you.

    1. Start in a seated position with your legs straight in front of you.
    2. Bring your right ankle to your left thigh just above the knee, making your shin run in a straight line perpendicular to your thigh. Engage the foot, pressing out through your right heel. Sit tall, lengthening the spine and grounding your sit bones.
    3. Remain here and breathe for 30 seconds, then repeat on the other side.

    3. Half Cow Face Pose (Ardha Gomukhasana)

    Transition: From Firelog Pose Variation (Agnistambhasana), bring the outer edge of your right foot to the ground on the outside of your left thigh.

    1. With your right foot stacked on your left thigh, bring your inner thighs together. Try to bring the back of your right heel as close to your left outer thigh.
    2. Inhale and sit tall, lengthening your spine. On the exhale, hinge forward at the hips and bring the tips of your fingers to the floor beside you.
    3. Breathe deeply here for 30 seconds. With each exhale, try to walk your fingers forward a bit to deepen the stretch.
    4. Repeat on the other side.

    4. Cow Face Pose w/ Eagle Arms (Gomukhasana)

    Transition: From Half Cow Face Pose (Ardha Gomukhasana), inhale and walk your torso back up with your hands until your spine is tall and straight. Keep your legs as they are.

    1. Place your palms on the ground behind you and lean back until you can comfortably bend your left leg and bring the outer side of your left knee to the ground directly below your right knee. Bring the heel of your left foot in toward your right thigh as close as you can.
    2. Sit tall once more, straightening the spine and grounding the sit bones.
    3. Extend your arms straight in front of you, then bend your elbows ~90 degrees. Cross your arms with your upper left arm crossed above your upper right arm.
    4. With your left palm facing to the right, try to hook the fingers of your right hand on your left wrist or the lower palm of your left hand.
    5. Remain here for 30 seconds, breathing deeply.
    6. Switch your arms and legs, and remain here for another 30 seconds.

    5. Mountain Pose (Tadasana)

    Transition: Release from Cow Face Pose w/ Eagle Arms (Gomukhasana) by uncrossing your arms and leaning back slightly to pull your thighs away from each other. Rock forward, coming onto your hands and knees, and slowly rise to stand.

    1. Stand with your feet parallel a few inches apart (or, if you need to widen your stance for better support and stability, hip-width apart).
    2. Lifting one foot at a time, spread the toes and ball of the foot, then return them strong and flat to the floor with your weight evenly distributed.
    3. Lift your sternum up, creating a strong, open upper chest without drawing the lower ribs forward.
    4. Draw your shoulder blades slightly inward toward each other, and down away from your neck and ears. Stack and center the crown of your head over your pelvis with your bottom jaw parallel to the floor.
    5. Breathe here for a few moments before moving on to the next pose.

    6. Mountain Pose w/ Beginner Eagle Arms (Tadasana)

    Transition: Beginning in Mountain Pose (Tadasana), bring your right palm to your left shoulder and your left palm to your right shoulder, stacking your right elbow over the left.

    1. Breathe here for 30 seconds.
     

    7. Warrior I Pose w/ Eagle Arms (Virabhadrasana I)

    Transition: From Mountain Pose w/ Beginner Eagle Arms (Tadasana), step your right foot forward and your left foot back.

    1. With your right foot forward and your left foot back, bend the right knee until your thigh is parallel to the ground. Keep the left thigh bone pushed back while tucking the tailbone forward a bit, engaging your core.
    2. Extend your arms straight in front of you, then bend your elbows ~90 degrees. Cross your arms with your upper left arm crossed above your upper right arm.
    3. With your left palm facing to the right, try to hook the fingers of your right hand on your left wrist or the lower palm of your left hand.
    4. Breathe here for 30 seconds, keeping your hips squared straight ahead and the bottom of your forward leg parallel to the floor.

    8. Chair Pose w/ Eagle Arms (Utkatasana)

    Transition: Release from Warrior I Pose w/ Eagle Arms by stepping your legs back together but maintain the Eagle Arms.

    1. Start in Mountain Pose (Tadasana) Make sure you have a firm base of support through your feet.
    2. Bend the knees and slowly lower your tailbone as if you’re about to sit in an invisible chair, leaning the upper body very slightly. Try to make your thighs as parallel to the ground as you can.
    3. Breathe here for 30 seconds.
     

    9. Eagle Pose (Garudasana)

    Transition: From Chair Pose w/ Eagle Arms, straighten your legs, but keep the Eagle Arms.

    1. Begin with your legs straight.
    2. Inhale and cross your right leg over your left. Shift your weight onto your left foot and hook the top of your right foot on the back of your left calf. Take a moment to find stability.
    3. On an exhale, bend your knees and slowly lower your tailbone as if you’re about to sit in an invisible chair, leaning the upper body forward slightly.
    4. Breathe here for 30 seconds.
     

    10. Chair Pose w/ Cactus Arms (Utkatasana)

    Transition: Release from Eagle Pose (Garudasana) by straightening your legs and upper body, uncrossing the arms and legs. Relax your arms to your sides.

    1. Start in Mountain Pose (Tadasana). Make sure you have a firm base of support through your feet.
    2. Extend your arms straight out to each side in a T shape with your palms facing the floor. Bend your elbows and bring your forearms parallel to each other, fingertips pointing forward. Then, roll your arms so that your fingertips point toward the ceiling and your palms face forward.
    3. Bend the knees and slowly lower your tailbone as if you’re about to sit in an invisible chair, leaning the upper body very slightly. Try to make your thighs as parallel to the ground as you can.
    4. Breathe here for 30 seconds.

    11. Warrior I Pose w/ Cactus Arms (Virabhadrasana I)

    Transition: From Chair Pose w/ Cactus Arms (Utkatasana), straighten the legs and maintain the cactus arms.

    1. Step your right foot forward and your left foot back, and bend the right knee until your thigh is parallel to the ground. Keep the left thigh bone pushed back while tucking the tailbone forward a bit, engaging your core.
    2. Breathe here for 30 seconds.

    12. Mountain Pose w/ Cactus Pose (Tadasana)

    Transition: From Warrior I Pose w/ Cactus Arms (Virabhadrasana I), step your legs back together while maintaining Cactus Arms.

    1. Stand with your feet parallel a few inches apart (or, if you need to widen your stance for better support and stability, hip-width apart).
    2. Lifting one foot at a time, spread the toes and ball of the foot, then return them strong and flat to the floor with your weight evenly distributed.
    3. Lift your sternum up, creating a strong, open upper chest without drawing the lower ribs forward.
    4. Draw your shoulder blades slightly inward toward each other, and down away from your neck and ears. Stack and center the crown of your head over your pelvis with your bottom jaw parallel to the floor.
    5. Breathe here for a few moments before moving on to the next pose.

    Repeat poses 6-12, switching to the opposite side as necessary for asymmetrical poses.


    13. Garland Pose (Malasana)

    Transition: From Mountain Pose w/ Cactus Arms, relax your arms down to your sides.

    1. Begin in a standing position.
    2. Bring your feet slightly wider than hip-distance and angle the feet outward a bit.
    3. Exhale and bend your knees all the way, coming down into a deep squat. Bring your thighs slightly wider than your torso and lean your torso forward slightly.
    4. Bring your palms together in the center with your elbows tucked against your inner thighs.
    5. Breathe deeply here for 30 seconds.

    14. Wide Child's Pose (Prasarita Balasana)

    Transition: From Garland Pose (Malasana), rock forward on your hands and knees, keeping your knees wide apart.

    1. From Garland Pose (Malasana), rock forward on your hands and knees, keeping your knees wide apart.

    COOL DOWN

    1. Child's Pose

    Transition: From Wide Child's Pose, bring your knees together a bit and sweep your arms around so that your fingers point the same direction as your toes.

    1. Rest your forehead on the mat, close your eyes, and breathe deep. Remain here for 30-60 seconds.

    2. Half Lord of the Fishes Pose (Ardha Matsyendrasana)

    Transition: Lift your torso out of Child's Pose and swing your legs out in front of you.

    1. Begin in Staff Pose (Dandasana) with your sit bones grounded and your spine straight and tall.
    2. Inhale and lift your right leg, bringing it over the left leg and planting your foot on the mat beside your left outer thigh.
    3. Exhale and bend the left knee, bringing the heel of your left foot toward your right sit bone OR keep your left leg straight.
    4. Inhale and broaden your chest, keeping the shoulder blades strong and down away from the ears.
    5. Exhale and slowly twist your upper body to the right, bringing your left elbow to the outer side of your right knee. Your left palm should be facing out to the right. Shift your gaze out past your right shoulder.
    6. Breathe here for 30 seconds, gently pressing your elbow against your knee to deepen the twist with each exhale.
    7. Slowly release the twist and return to the starting position, then repeat on the other side.

    3. Staff Pose w/ Feet Movements (Dandasana)

    Transition: Release from Half Lord of the Fishes Pose (Ardha Matsyendrasana), bringing your legs together in front of you and relaxing your arms.

    1. Come to a seated position with your sit bones grounded and your spine straight and tall.
    2. Stretch your legs straight out in front of you, toes pointing up toward the ceiling.
    3. Spend 30 seconds alternating rolling your feet/legs inward and outward.

    4. Staff Pose w/ Hands Back

    1. Still in Staff Pose, plant your palms on the mat slightly behind and to the side of you as you lean your torso back.
    2. Close your eyes and breathe here for 15-30 seconds, firming your shoulder blades away from your eyes and broadening in the chest.

    5. Upward Plank Pose (Purvottanasana)

    Transition: Release back into Staff Pose with your spine tall, sit bones grounded, and legs extended in front of you.

    1. Place your hands on the mat next to your hips, fingers pointing straight ahead. Bring your big toes together, but rotate the heels outward a bit to create space there. Rotate your inner thighs down toward the mat slightly.
    2. Inhale and knit your shoulder blades in toward each other, lifting and broadening your chest.
    3. Exhale, point your toes forward, then reach forward and down with the bottoms of your toes. Plant your feet and toes firmly, keeping your big toes rotated in toward each other.
    4. Press down into your feet and toes, lifting your knees and pelvis. Relax your head back, but not so far that it disrupts breathing.
    5. Remain here, breathing deeply for 30-60 seconds.

     

    6. Seated Forward Fold Pose (Paschimottanasana)

    Transition: Release from Upward Plank Pose to Staff Pose, then take a Seated Forward Fold.

    1. Begin with your legs out in front of you, sit bones grounded and spine tall.
    2. Push your heels away from your body, engaging the feet and toes. Your arms should be by your side with your palms or fingertips pressing down into the floor.
    3. Inhale and keep the front of your torso long as you hinge forward at the hips and reach for your toes/feet.
    4. Remain and breathe here for 60 seconds, lengthening your torso forward and walking your hands forward with each exhalation until you can grasp the outer sides of your feet.

    7. Wind Release Pose (Pavanmuktasana)

    Transition: Release from Seated Forward Fold Pose by leaning back to the ground to lie supine on your mat/floor.

    1. Begin lying supine on the ground with your feet together and arms relaxed beside you.
    2. Inhale, then exhale and bring the knees in toward the chest, thighs pressing against your abdomen. Wrap your arms around your knees, hugging them close and clasping your hands or grabbing your elbows.
    3. Breathe deeply here for 60 seconds. With each exhalation, hug your knees a bit tighter and closer to your chest, then relax your grip slightly with each inhale.

    8. Bridge Pose (Setu Bandha Sarvangasana)

    Transition: From Wind Release Pose, extend your legs back down to the floor.

    1. Take a moment to completely relax the spine and bring awareness to your breath.
    2. Engage your back, core, glutes, and quads to lift your body up, keeping your shoulder blades planted. Use your arms for support - you can either have them palm-down beside you, or you can clasp your hands together underneath you.
    3. Hold this position and breathe here for 30-60 seconds, then lower your body back to the mat to release from the pose.
     

    9. Supine Spinal Twist II Pose (Supta Matsyendrasana II)

    Transition: Release yourself all the way back down to the mat with your legs together and straight in front of you.

    1. Start out lying supine on your mat.
    2. Extend your arms out to each side of you like you’re making a T shape.
    3. Inhale and lift your right leg, bending at the knee ~90 degrees.
    4. Exhale and bring the inner side of your right knee or foot to the floor on the other side of your left leg, taking a gentle twist in the spine. Shift your gaze to your right fingertips.
    5. Stay here for 30 seconds. Close your eyes and really relax into this posture, allowing gravity to pull your right knee closer to the ground.
    6. On an inhale, roll your right hip back down to the ground, then exhale and release your leg back to the floor.
    7. Repeat on your left side.
     

    10. Happy Baby Pose (Ananda Balasana)

    Transition: Release from Supine Spinal Twist, coming back to the center.

    1. Start lying supine on your mat.
    2. On an exhale, bring your legs back up toward your chest.
    3. Inhale and grab onto the outer sides of your feet, widening your legs slightly and trying to bring your knees to your armpits.
    4. Spend 30-60 seconds here, gently pulling your feet downward with your hands. Try to very gently rock your body from side to side, just like a happy baby!

    11. Reclining Bound Angle Pose w/ Elbow Grab (Supta Baddha Konasana)

    Transition: Release your arms and legs back down to the mat.

    1. Bend your legs at the knee, bringing the soles of your feet together.
    2. Allow gravity to slowly pull your knees away from each other, lowering them toward the ground. Deepen the stretch to whatever capacity feels most comfortable to you by adjusting how close your heels are to your groin.
    3. Bring your upper arms next to your ears and grab your elbows with the opposite hand.
    4. Stay in the pose for 30-60 seconds, maintaining slow, rhythmic breaths.

    12. Corpse Pose (Savasana)

    Transition: From Reclining Bound Angle Pose w/ Elbow Grab, release your arms to your sides and straighten your legs one at a time to flow into Savasana.

    1. Begin by lying supine on the floor or mat.
    2. Inhale and widen your legs, bringing your feet to the sides of your mat (or a bit further than hip-width apart). Rotate the feet outward so that the toes point away from each other.
    3. Lift your pelvis slightly to tuck your tailbone, then release back to the floor and soften the lower back without flattening your back. Lengthen the base of your skull away from the back of your neck.
    4. Extend your arms straight up toward the ceiling and broaden your back by rocking your upper back from side to side slightly and pulling the shoulder blades away from each other. Then, relax your arms back down to the floor next to you, palms up and fingers relaxed.
    5. Focus on relaxing your face and neck muscles. Close your eyes, completely relax them deeper into your skull, then rotate them down as if to gaze directly at your heart.
    6. Stay here for as long as you’d like, letting your mind enter a meditative state while you progressively relax your muscles.
    7. When you’re ready to exit the pose, exhale and roll onto one side. Take a breath or two here, then exhale and slowly press your palms to the floor and lift your upper body to come to a seated position.

     

    Namaste!

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