Yoga Day 3

WARM-UP

1. Easy Pose (Sukhasana)

Starting position: Come to a seated position; sit cross-legged with your sit bones firmly planted, your spine tall and straight, and your gaze forward.

Take some time to gather your thoughts and take deep breaths.
Remain here for 30-60 seconds (or longer if you’d like to).

2. Seated Shoulder Rolls

In Easy Pose (Sukhasana), relax your shoulders. Either relax your arms down to your lap, the floor, or in front of your knees.
Rotate your shoulders up, forward, down, and back in a circular motion.
Repeat while you take 1-2 deep breaths, then reverse the motion for 1-2 breaths.

3. Seated Neck Rolls

Relax your arms, placing the hands either on your lap or the floor. You can stay seated the way you are or bend your knees to sit cross-legged.
Tuck your chin and slowly relax your head forward, feeling a stretch along the back of your neck and the base of your skull.
Gently roll your head in a clockwise circle 4-5 times, then counterclockwise 4-5 times.

4. Seated Torso Circles (Sufi Grinds)

In Easy Pose (Sukhasana), place your hands on your knees.
Inhale and open your chest as your lean forward, keeping your sit bones grounded.
Rotate your torso in a clockwise circular motion for 30 seconds, keeping it slow and controlled, then repeat counterclockwise.

5. Easy Pose Warm-Up (Sukhasana)

Inhale and raise your arms straight overhead with palms facing each other.
Exhale and bend your upper body to the right, bringing your right arm to the ground and your left arm stretched overhead, arms parallel and palms still facing each other.
Inhale and raise your arms and torso back up, arms overhead.
Exhale and lean your upper body to the left, bringing your left arm to the ground and the right arm overhead.
Inhale and raise your arms and torso back to the center.
Exhale, bringing your left hand to your right knee and your right hand on the ground to take a gentle spinal twist.
Inhale and return to center, raising your arms overhead once more.
Exhale and repeat the spinal twist on the opposite side.
Inhale and return to center. Clasp your hands behind your back, pinching your shoulder blades together to broaden the chest. Lengthen the spine and take a very gentle backbend in your upper back.
Exhale and bring your forearms to the ground in front of you, relaxing your head and neck forward.
Inhale and return to Easy Pose (Sukhasana).

6. Cat-Cow Pose (Chakravakasana)

Transition: From Easy Pose (Sukhasana), slowly uncross your legs and rock forward onto your hands and knees.

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)
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)
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.

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.
Rotate your hips in a clockwise circular motion for 30-45 seconds, then repeat counterclockwise.

8. Kneeling Sun Salutation (Surya Namaskara)

Transition: From Table Top Pose (Bharmanasana), sink your sit bones down to your heels, separating the legs a bit. Widen your legs a bit, but keep your toes together. Relax your arms beside you with fingertips pointing behind you.

Inhale and raise your torso straight up as you bring your legs back together (Vajrasana).
On your next inhale, lift your buttocks away from your heels, creating a long straight line from your head to your knees while your lower legs remain together on the floor (Kneeling Pose)
Exhale and raise your arms overhead with palms facing each other.
Inhale and bring your hands to the small of your back just above your hips.
Exhale and take a backbend, bringing your hands to your heels (Camel Pose).
Inhale and straighten the torso back up. Exhale and lean forward, bringing your hands to the mat. Extend your arms and stack your shoulders above your wrists. Cross one ankle over the other and lift your lower legs off the floor.
On your next exhale, lower the upper body to the ground, stacking your elbows above your wrists. Uncross your ankles and tuck your toes (Chaturanga Dandasana)
Bring your pelvis down to the floor and relax your legs to the floor. Inhale and push the floor away with your hands, lifting the torso. Relax your neck back a bit, taking a gentle backbend (Upward-Facing Dog Pose).
On your next exhale, tuck your toes and push your tailbone up away from the mat, straightening the legs and arms. Your body should make an upside-down V shape (Downward Facing Dog Pose).
Take a deep breath, then exhale and bring your knees to the floor, sinking the sit bones back onto your heels. Place your forehead on the ground and relax your arms beside you with fingertips pointing away from you (Child’s Pose).

9. Staff Pose (Dandasana)

Transition: From Child’s Pose (Balasana), raise your torso straight up. Extend your legs straight in front of you.

Come to a seated position with your sit bones grounded and your spine straight and tall.
Stretch your legs straight out in front of you, toes pointing up toward the ceiling.
Close your eyes and breathe deeply here for 30 seconds.

10. Revolved Staff Pose Flow (Parivrtta Dandasana)

In Staff Pose (Dandasana), extend your arms straight out in a T shape.
Take a deep inhale, then exhale and twist your spine to the right, arms still extended.
Inhale and return to the center, then exhale and twist to the left.
Repeat this movement for for 30-60 seconds.

11. Staff Pose Leg Lift & Slide (Dandasana)

Transition: Return to center and relax your arms, bringing your hand to your lap or the ground.

In Staff Pose (Dandasana), inhale and raise your right leg off the ground as far as you can without rounding in the lower back or feeling any discomfort. Keep your feet engaged, heels pushing away.
On your next inhale, slide your leg out to the side for a moment. Exhale and return your leg to the center, then release it to the floor.
Repeat this for 30 seconds on the right side, then on the left.

12. Staff Pose Knee Stretch (Dandasana)

In Staff Pose (Dandasana), inhale and lift your right leg off the ground, keeping it straight.
Exhale and bend your right knee, planting your foot on the mat a few inches in front of your bottom. Wrap your arms around the right shin, hugging it in as tight as possible. Breathe here for 30 seconds
Inhale and extend your leg back out, relaxing it to the ground.
Repeat on the left side for 30 seconds.

13. Seated Hip Rotation

In Staff Pose (Dandasana), bring your right ankle to the top of your left thigh.
Start by gently pushing down on your right knee just enough to feel a stretch in the hips, then use your hand to gently pull the knee back up, repeating 4-5 times.
Draw small circles in the air with your right knee 5 times, reverse the circles 5 times, and return to starting position.
Finally, repeat on the left side.

14. Cradle Pose (Hindolasana)

Raise your right leg, bringing the knee up to your chest and keeping your right foot flexed. You can keep your left leg straight, or bring it inward as if you’re going to sit cross-legged.
Bring your right knee to rest in the crook of your right elbow, rotate the shin to run parallel to your chest, and rest the bottom of your foot in the crook of your left elbow.
Remain here for 30 seconds, release your right leg back to the mat, then repeat with the left leg.

15. Seated Straddle Pose (Upavistha Konasana)

Starting from Staff Pose (Dandasana), lean back slightly, supporting yourself by planting your hands on the ground slightly behind you on each side.
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).
Exhale and engage your feet, toes pointing straight up.
Bring your palms to the ground in front of you, leaning your torso forward as much as you comfortably can.
Breathe deeply here for 30-60 seconds.

16. Head-to-Knee Pose (Janu Sirsasana)

Transition: From Seated Straddle Prep (Upavistha Konasana), raise your torso straight up.

Bend your left knee, bringing the bottom of your foot toward your right inner thigh, and heel close to the groin.
Sit up tall, lengthening the spine as you inhale.
Exhale and hinge at the hips to fold forward over your right leg. Reach for the sides of your right foot with both hands. Keep the spine and neck straight, your gaze down.
Stay here, breathing deeply for 30 seconds.
Raise your torso back up, extend your left leg back out, and repeat this stretch on the left leg.

PEAK FLOW

1. Downward-Facing Dog Pose (Adho Mukha Svanasana)

Transition: From Head-to-Knee Pose (Janu Sirsasana), sit up straight, bend both legs to one side, and slowly come onto your hands and knees.

Tuck your toes, then inhale and lift onto them, taking the tailbone back and up until your arms and legs are fully extended, creating an upside-down V shape with your body.
Remain here for 2-3 full breaths.

2. Low Lunge Pose (Anjaneyasana)

Transition: From Downward Facing Dog Pose (Adho Mukha Svanasana), lift your right foot and plant it between your hands slightly right of center.

Bring your right knee forward and your left knee on the ground, just far enough back to create a stretch in the front of your left thigh.
Inhale and sweep your arms overhead, leaning back ever so slightly for a gentle backbend.
Breathe here for 30 seconds.

3. High Lunge Pose (Ashta Chandrasana)

Transition: From Low Lunge Pose (Anjaneyasana), simply tuck your toes and lift your left knee off of the ground.

With your right leg forward, knee bent at ~90 degrees, keep your pelvis squarely forward and engage your core, tucking your tailbone forward slightly. Push back through the left thighbone.
Remain here with your arms overhead for 30 seconds.

4. Warrior II Pose (Virabhadrasana II)

Transition: From High Lunge Pose (Ashta Chandrasana), rotate your left foot outward slightly and bring your heel to the ground.

With your right foot forward and your left foot rotated outward a bit, pivot your body to face the left.
Stretch your arms straight out to the side in a T shape and shift your gaze out to your right hand.
Breathe here for 30 seconds.

5. Humble Warrior Pose (Baddha Virabhadrasana)

Transition: From Warrior II Pose, turn your pelvis and upper body to face forward once more.

With your right leg forward, toes pointing ahead, and knees bent ~90 degrees, rotate the left foot to face the front left corner of your mat and square the hips forward.
Engage your core, tucking your tailbone slightly forward and knitting the bottom ribs in.
Bring your hands together behind your back with palms facing each other and interlock your fingers.
Exhale and extend your arms back and upward, leaning your torso forward so that it is on the inner side of your right thigh.
Breathe here for 30 seconds.

6. Goddess Pose (Utkata Konasana)

Transition: Release from Humble Warrior by raising your torso and relaxing your arms, straightening your right leg, and pivoting your body to the left.

Start out facing the left side of your mat with your feet roughly 3 ft. apart from each other.
Rotate the right foot to face the upper right corner of your mat, and the left foot to face the upper left corner of your mat.
Exhale and bend your knees, sinking into a squat. Try to get the bottom of your thighs parallel to the floor.
Draw the shoulder blades down and bring your arms up into a T shape. Bend your elbows so that your fingers are pointing skyward with your palms facing away from you.
Maintain this pose for 30-45 seconds, breathing deeply.

7. Five-Pointed Star Pose (Utthita Tadasana)

Transition: From Goddess Pose, release by straightening the legs and bringing your arms back to a T shape.

With your arms extended in a T shape and your legs wide apart, rotate your feet back in so that your toes point forward.
Hold this pose for 30 seconds, breathing deeply.

8. Vinyasa I

Transition: Release from Five-Pointed Star Pose by bringing your legs back together and relaxing your arms to your side.

Begin in Mountain Pose. Exhale into a forward fold, bringing your hands to the mat and stepping your legs back to come into Plank Pose.
Take another breath, then exhale, lifting your pelvis and lowering your body to the ground (Four-Limbed Staff Pose)
With your body on the ground, inhale and untuck your toes, lifting your torso off the ground (Upward-Facing Dog Pose)
Exhale and tuck your toes as your push the floor away with your hands, lift your sit bones high into the air, and plant your heels (Downward Facing Dog Pose)

Repeat poses 1-8, switching to the opposite side as necessary for asymmetrical poses.

9. Downward Dog to Mountain Pose Flow

Begin in Downward Facing Dog Pose.
On an exhale, begin walking your feet forward to come into Standing Forward Fold Pose.
Take 2-3 breaths here and alternate bending and straightening your knees.
Inhale and slowly raise your torso up to come into Mountain Pose.

10. Volcano Pose Namaste Salute (Pranamasana Urdhva Hastasana)

Begin in Mountain Pose. Bring your palms together in front of your chest, pressing into them with your elbows straight out.
Inhale and release your arms, sweeping them up above your head, joining your palms back together.
Exhale, lowering your palms back to your hearts’ center.
Repeat this 2-3 times.

11. Upward Salute to Forward Fold Flow

Begin in Mountain Pose.
Inhale and raise your arms above your head, arms parallel and palms facing each other.
Exhale and sweep the arms down toward the ground, hingeing forward at the hip into a Standing Forward Fold.
Inhale and look up, raising your back to a neutral position and your hands to your shins. (Half Standing Forward Fold)
Exhale and release back down into a Standing Forward Fold.

12. Plank Pose (Phalakasana)

Transition: From Standing Forward Fold, bend your knees and bring your palms to the floor.

Plant your hands firmly on the ground, then step or jump your feet back, coming onto the toes and balls of the feet and creating a long, straight line from the crown of your head to your heels.
Remain here for 30 seconds.

13. Locust Pose (Salabhasana)

Transition: From Plank Pose, lower your body all the way to the ground and rest your forehead on your mat.

Begin lying prone (on your belly) on the floor with your arms extending behind you, palms on the ground.
Place the tops of your toes flat against the floor, pressing down with all 10 toenails.
Press lightly on the floor with your hands, activate your core, and lift your thighs, lower legs, and torso away from the ground. Knit your shoulder blades together and the chest broad.
Breathe here for 30-60 seconds, then slowly release back down to the floor.

14. Thunderbolt Pose (Vajrasana)

Transition: After releasing from Locust Pose, lift yourself up to your hands and knees.

Bring your legs together with the tops of your feet on the floor. Sink your sit bones back onto your heels and place your hands on top of your thighs.
Breathe here for 30-60 seconds, gathering your thoughts and grounding your mind.

15. Kneeling Pose

Begin in Thunderbolt Pose.
Lift your sit bones away from your heels, creating a straight line from your head to your knees. Place your hands on the small of your back just above your hip bones.
Take a very slight, gentle backbend here for 30 seconds.

16. Camel Pose (Ustrasana)

Begin in Kneeling Pose. Make sure your legs are hip-width apart.
Take a deep breath, tucking your tailbone in toward your knees, then exhale and bring your pelvis forward and lower your hands to your heels in a deep backbend.
Breathe here for 30 seconds.

COOL DOWN

1. Wide Child's Pose (Prasarita Balasana)

Transition: From Camel Pose, raise your torso back up slowly, then bring your hands to the mat so that you’re on your hands and knees.

Starting on your hands and knees, make sure your knees are slightly wider than hip distance apart while bringing the toes of both feet together.
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.
Rest your forehead on the mat, close your eyes, and breathe deep. Remain here for 30-60 seconds.

2. Camel Pose w/ Hands to Floor (Ustrasana)

Transition: From Wide Child’s Pose, sit up and bring your legs back together.

Start in Thunderbolt Pose with your legs underneath you.
Inhale and lean back, placing your palms on the floor behind you, shoulder-width apart. Open your legs hip-width apart.
On your next inhale, lift the sit bones away from your heels until your torso, pelvis, and upper thighs make a straight line. Keep your neck long and your shoulder blades down away from your ears.
Breathe here for 30 seconds.

3. Camel Pose (Ustrasana)

Transition: From Camel Pose w/ Hands to Floor, lift your torso back up to come into Kneeling Pose.

Begin in Kneeling Pose. Make sure your legs are hip-width apart.
Take a deep breath, tucking your tailbone in toward your knees, then exhale and bring your pelvis forward and lower your hands to your heels in a deep backbend.
Breathe here for 30 seconds.

4. Puppy Dog Pose (Uttana Shishosana)

Transition: From Camel Pose, lift your torso back up and then forward, coming onto your hands and knees.

Begin on your hands and knees.
Inhale and tuck the toes as your slowly walk your hands forward.
Exhale and move your sit bones back halfway toward your heels. Bring your forehead to the floor, relaxing your neck. Push your tailbone slightly outward, creating a gentle curve in the lower back.
Breathe deeply here, directing the air toward your lower back for 30-60 seconds.

5. Thread the Needle Pose (Urdhva Mukha Pasasana)

Transition: From Puppy Dog Pose, walk your hands back up until your spine is neutral and your wrists are stacked below your shoulders.

Begin on your hands and knees.
Take a deep breath as you lift your left palm. Exhale and thread your left arm underneath you and past your right arm, bending the right arm so you can fully extend the left arm and lay it flat on the floor.
Remain here for 30 seconds, resting your left ear to the floor and progressively relaxing deeper into the pose.
Inhale and return to your hands and knees, then repeat with the right arm threaded under you.

6. Table Top to Child's Pose Flow

Transition: From Thread the Needle Pose, return to your hands and knees.

Begin on your hands and knees with your shoulders stacked above your wrists and your legs hip-width apart. (Table Top Pose)
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)
Inhale and come back onto your hands and knees.
Repeat this cycle for 30-60 seconds, ending in Table Top Pose.

7. Staff Pose (Dandasana)

Transition: From Table Top Pose, lift the arms and bring the legs forward to come to a seated position.

Come to a seated position with your sit bones grounded and your spine straight and tall.
Stretch your legs straight out in front of you, toes pointing up toward the ceiling.
Close your eyes and breathe deeply here for 30-60 seconds.

8. Easy Spinal Twist Pose (Vakrasana)

Begin in Staff Pose (Dandasana)
Inhale and lift your right leg, placing your foot flat on the mat a few inches from your pelvis. Broaden the chest, pulling your shoulder blades down and together.
Exhale and twist to the right, bringing your right hand to the floor behind you and your left arm to the outer side of your right leg, extending it straight alongside your right knee and lower leg.
Breathe deeply here for 30 seconds, then inhale and release the twist, returning to Staff Pose (Dandasana).
Repeat on the other side.

9. Full-Body Stretch Pose (Supta Utthita Tadasana)

Transition: After releasing from Easy Spinal Twist Pose to Staff Pose, lie down supine on your mat.

Begin by lying supine on the floor with your legs straight in front of you. Engage your feet, pushing your heels away from you. Lengthen the back of the neck.
Inhale and sweep your arms overhead, keeping them flat on the floor with palms facing upward. Extend them fully, feeling an energizing stretch all the way from your fingertips to your heels.
Remain here and breathe deeply for 30 seconds.

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

Transition: From Full Body Stretch Pose, sweep your arms back down to relax by your sides.

Start out lying supine on your mat.
Extend your arms out to each side of you like you’re making a T shape.
Inhale and lift your right leg, bending at the knee ~90 degrees.
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.
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.
On an inhale, roll your right hip back down to the ground, then exhale and release your leg back to the floor.
Repeat on your left side.

11. Corpse Pose (Savasana)

Transition: Release from Supine Spinal Twist II Pose, straightening both legs and relaxing your entire body on the floor.

Begin by lying supine on the floor or mat.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Stay here for as long as you’d like, letting your mind enter a meditative state while you progressively relax your muscles.
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.