Yoga Day 6

WARM-UP

1. Thunderbolt Pose w/ Torso Twists (Vajrasana)

Starting position: Come into a seated position with your legs underneath you. Bring your legs together with the tops of your feet on the floor.

Inhale and raise your arms overhead, interlocking your fingers with palms facing skyward.
Exhale and gently twist your upper body to the right side.
Inhale and return to the center, then exhale and twist to the left.
Repeat this movement for 30-60 seconds.

2. Thunderbolt Pose w/ Swinging Arms (Vajrasana)

Transition: Release your arms down to your sides.

Begin in Thunderbolt Pose.
With your spine tall and straight, inhale and sweep your arms forward. Exhale and swing them back behind you.
Repeat this movement for 30-60 seconds, flowing with your breath.

3. Thunderbolt Pose w/ Eagle Arms

Transition: Release your arms down to your sides, remaining in Thunderbolt Pose.

Begin in Thunderbolt Pose.
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.
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.
Remain here for 30 seconds, then release your arms and repeat with your right arm crossed over your left.

4. Cat-Cow Pose (Chakravakasana)

Transition: From Thunderbolt Pose, come forward onto the hands and knees in Table Top Pose.

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.

5. Sphinx Pose (Salamba Bhujangasana)

Transition: From Cat-Cow Pose, lie prone on the floor.

Start out lying flat on your belly. Tuck your tailbone forward and down, lengthening and broadening the lower back. Press the tops of your feet firmly into the mat.
Inhale and come up onto your forearms, keeping them parallel to each other and lifting your upper torso away from the ground.
Breathe deeply here for 30-60 seconds.

6. Rowing the Boat (Nauka Sanchalanasana)

Transition: From Sphinx Pose, lower your body back to the ground and roll over onto your back. Use your hands to push you back up into a seated position with your spine tall, sit bones grounded, and your legs straight in front of you.

Begin in Staff Pose.
Inhale, leaning the torso back. Pretend you’re holding invisible rowboat oars, bringing your hands up near your chest.
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.
Inhale once again, lifting your upper body and rowing the hands toward the chest, then return to a forward fold on the exhale.
Repeat the flow slowly for 30-60 seconds.

7. Fish Pose Backbend Flow (Matsyasana)

Transition: Release from Rowing the Boat Flow to Staff Pose, sitting tall and straight.

Begin in Staff Pose (Dandasana).
Lean your torso back, bringing your forearms to the floor and tucking them close to your torso. Pinch your shoulder blades together to broaden the chest.
Inhale and lift your pelvis slightly, tuck your hands underneath your buttocks, then lower back down. Your buttocks should rest on the back of your hands.
On your next inhale, relax your head and neck, touching the crown of your head to the floor.
Take 1-2 deep breaths here
Bring your head back up and forward while rounding your upper back slightly. Take another 1-2 breaths.
Flow between both movements for 60 seconds.

8. Boat Pose Roll-Ups (Navasana)

Transition: From Fish Pose, lift your torso back up to come back into Staff Pose.

Begin in Staff Pose (Dandasana).
Inhale and bend both knees, placing your feet flat on the floor.
Exhale and extend both arms straight forward beside you, arms parallel and palms facing each other.
Inhale, leaning your upper body back. Engage your core, rolling your tailbone in slightly and pulling the belly button up and in. Lean back until you feel a slight rounding in your spine. Keep your feet planted firmly on the floor.
Exhale, rolling back up to a seated position with your arms still outstretched.
Repeat this movement for 30-60 seconds.

9. Full-Body Stretch to Seated Forward Fold Flow

Transition: Release from Boat Pose Variation Roll-Ups, lowering your legs and torso all the way to the ground.

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. Take another deep breath here as you start to engage your core. (Full-Body Stretch Pose)
On the exhale, use your core to raise your torso up to a seated position. Take a moment to straighten your spine nice and tall, ground your sit bones, and take in a deep inhale as you extend your arms forward.
Exhale and hinge at the hips to bring your upper body toward the thighs, arms reaching for the outer edges of your feet, ankles, or lower legs. (Seated Forward Fold Pose)

10. Cow Face Pose (Gomukhasana)

Transition: Release from Seated Forward Fold by lifting your torso back up and relaxing your arms. (Staff Pose)

Begin in Staff Pose (Dandasana)
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.
Sit tall once more, straightening the spine and grounding the sit bones.
Inhale your right arm up, bending your elbow and bringing your palm to touch your right shoulder blade. Bend your left arm at the elbow with the back of your hand against your back. If you can, grab onto your right fingers with your left fingers.
Breathe here for 30 seconds, then release back to Staff Pose and repeat with the opposite leg and arm.

11. Seated Neck Rolls

Transition: From Cow Face Pose, relax your arms and release your legs, keeping them crisscrossed to come into Easy Pose.

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.

12. 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.

13. 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.

14. Seated Deltoid Stretch

From Easy Pose (Sukhasana), inhale your right arm straight out in front of you, palm facing to the left.
Exhale as you bring your extended right arm across your chest, keeping your shoulder blades down. Bring your left arm up with your elbow bent at a 90-degree angle and use it to push your right arm closer to your chest.
Take 1-2 breaths here, release, and repeat on the other side.

15. 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.

16. Easy Pose Side Bend (Parsva Sukhasana)

Transition: From Cradle Pose, release your legs and sit cross-legged in Easy Pose.

Begin in Easy Pose.
Inhale, raise your right arm above your head, and bring your left hand to your right knee.
Exhale and lean your upper body to the left, bringing your right arm up and over.
Breathe deeply here for 30 seconds, then inhale back to center and repeat on the opposite side.

PEAK FLOW

1. Revolved Figure Four Pose (Upavistha Parivrtta Ardha Utkatasana)

Transition: Release your legs from Easy Pose and straighten them out in front of you.

Begin in a seated position with your legs straight out in front of you.
Place your palms on the ground slightly behind and to the side of you. Inhale, lean back, and bring your right ankle to the top of your left thigh.
Exhale and bend your left knee, bringing your left thigh and right ankle toward your chest.
Take a deep breath here, allowing your muscles to stretch. Exhale and bring your right elbow to the other side of your left thigh with your palms facing outward and fingers pointing to the ceiling.
Keep your spine long and straight as you take in another inhale and broaden your chest. As you exhale, feel the twist in your spine deepen.
Breathe here for 30-60 seconds, then release back to the starting position and repeat on the other side.

2. Sitting Swan Pose

Transition: Release from Revolved Figure Four Pose to Staff Pose, seated with your spine tall and legs extended in front of you.

Start in a seated position with your legs straight in front of you.
Place your hands on the floor behind you and lean your torso back, shifting your upper body weight to your palms.
Bring your right ankle to your left thigh, just above the left knee.
Take a deep breath, then exhale as you bend your left knee and walk your left foot closer to your torso. Move it around until you find a satisfying stretch. Your muscles might resist at first, but hold the pose and stay still for 30 seconds.
Return to starting position and repeat on the other side.

3. Reverse Table Top Pose (Ardha Purvottanasana)

Transition: Keep your torso leaned back as you release your right leg from Sitting Swan Pose, then place the bottoms of both feet flat on the floor.

With your hands planted on the mat behind you, your torso leaning back, and your feet firmly planted, push the ground away with your feet as you lift your pelvis. Create a straight horizontal line from the crown of your head to your knees.
Breathe here for 30 seconds.

4. One-Legged Reverse Table Top Pose (Eka Pada Ardha Purvottanasana)

Transition: Remain in Reverse Table Top Pose.

Beginning in Reverse Table Top Pose, lift your right leg straight up in the air. Flex your foot, pushing your heel skyward and pointing your toes down toward you.
Breathe here for 30 seconds, then on an exhale, float your right leg foot back down to the floor.
Repeat on the other side.

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.

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.
Inhale and knit your shoulder blades in toward each other, lifting and broadening your chest.
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.
Press down into your feet and toes, lifting your knees and pelvis. Relax your head back, but not so far that it disrupts breathing.
Remain here, breathing deeply for 30-60 seconds.

6. Boat Pose (Navasana)

Transition: Release from Boat Pose back into Staff Pose.

Take a deep inhalation, and as you exhale, lean your upper body back and raise your legs up until you’re neatly grounded on your sit bones and creating a V shape with your body.
Be aware of your core, engaging it by pulling the navel towards your spine. Move the shoulder blades down, back, opening the chest. While here stretch the arms and legs, lengthening them outwards.
Hold this pose for 30-60 seconds.

7. Reclined Eagle Crunches (Supta Garudasana)

Transition: Release from Boat Pose to lie flat on your back.

Start out lying supine on your mat/floor.
Inhale and cross your right leg over your left leg and try to hook the top of your right foot on the back of your lower left calf.
Extend your arms straight toward the ceiling, then bend your elbows ~90 degrees. Cross your arms with your upper left arm crossed above your upper right arm.
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.

8. Wind Release to Mountain Pose Flow

Transition: Release your arms and legs from Eagle Pose and relax them on the floor.

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. Bring your forehead forward to meet your knees.
As you exhale, rock your body back and forth until you can roll forward enough to plant your feet underneath you.
Inhale and rise to a standing position. 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).
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.
Lift your sternum up, creating a strong, open upper chest without drawing the lower ribs forward.
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.

9. Chair Pose (Utkatasana)

Transition: From Mountain Pose (Tadasana), inhale and stretch your arms upward to join your palms together above your head.

Start in Mountain Pose (Tadasana) Make sure you have a firm base of support through your feet.
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.
Breathe here for 30 seconds.

10. Standing Forward Fold Pose (Uttanasana)

Transition: From Chair Pose (Utkatasana), exhale and straighten your legs as you relax your arms back down to your sides to come into Mountain Pose (Tadasana).

Beginning in Mountain Pose (Tadasana), exhale and take a very slight bend in the knee, folding your upper body forward and bringing the hands to the ankles, feet, or ground (or as close as you can comfortably reach!).
Take a deep inhale into your chest, lengthening the spine.
On the exhale, try to take that slight bend in the knee a bit straighter, making sure not to hyper-extend or lock your knees.
Take another inhale, and as you exhale, feel your spine lengthening further down toward the ground. Lengthen and stretch the neck, keeping your shoulders pulled away from your ears.
Remain here for another breath or two.

11. Plank to Downward Dog Pose Flow

Transition: From Standing Forward Fold Pose, plant your palms on the mat, and step or jump your legs back.

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.
Inhale and lift 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 1-2 full breaths.

12. Puppy Dog Pose (Uttana Shishosana)

Transition: Flow to Puppy Dog Pose from Downward Facing Dog Pose.

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.

13. Revolved Downward-Facing Dog Pose (Parivrtta Adho Mukha Svanasana)

Transition: From Puppy Dog Pose, walk your arms and hands back up to come into Downward Facing Dog Pose.

From Downward Facing Dog Pose, inhale and lift your left hand, reaching over to your left thigh. Shift your gaze to underneath your left arm.
Take 1-2 deep, full breaths here and try to work your right hand down to grab the outside of your left ankle.
Inhale your right hand back to the mat, exhale, then repeat on the other side.

14. Garland Pose (Vajrasana)

Transition: From Downward Facing Dog, slowly walk your hands back and sink your sit bones back and down toward the ground.

Bring your feet slightly wider than hip-distance and angle the feet outward a bit.
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.
Bring your palms together in the center with your elbows tucked against your inner thighs.
Breathe deeply here for 30 seconds.

15. Revolved Squat Pose

Transition: Remain in Garland Pose.

From Garland Pose, release your hands and arms. Inhale and raise your arms straight up to shoulder level in a T-shape, palms facing outward.
On your next inhale, twist your upper body toward the left, creating a diagonal line with your arms; your right arm should be in front of your right knee. Shift your gaze toward your left fingers.
Hold this pose for 30 seconds, release, then repeat on the other side.

16. Wide Child's Pose (Prasarita Balasana)

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

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.

COOL DOWN

1. Child's Pose w/ Reverse Prayer (Balasana)

Transition: Remain in Wide Child’s Pose.

From Wide Child’s Pose, lower your elbows to the ground and bring your palms together as if you were going to pray.
Lower your palms down toward your upper back and rest them there.
Hold this pose for 30-60 seconds.

2. Table Top Pose (Bharmanasana)

Transition: Release your arms from the reverse prayer position, lift your sit bones away from your heels, and come forward onto your hands and knees.

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.
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.

3. Thread the Needle Pose (Urdhva Mukha Pasasana)

Transition: Remain in Table Top Pose.

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.

4. Staff Pose (Dandasana)

Transition: Release from Thread the Needle Pose by lifting your upper body, sitting back, and swinging your legs around to bring them 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 60 seconds.

5. Sage Marichi Pose C (Marichyasana C)

Transition: Flow into Sage Marichi Pose from Staff Pose.

Begin in Staff Pose with your legs extended in front of you.
Bend your right knee and plant your right foot on the ground. Inhale and take a twist to the right, bringing your left elbow to the outside of your right knee with your palms facing outward and fingers pointing skyward. Place your right hand behind you.
Shift your gaze out over your right shoulder and breathe here for 30 seconds.
On an exhale, release back to Staff Pose and repeat on the other side.

6. Seated Forward Fold Pose (Paschimottanasana)

Transition: Release from Sage Marichi Pose C to Staff Pose, then flow into Seated Forward Fold.

Begin with your legs out in front of you, sit bones grounded and spine tall.
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.
Inhale and keep the front of your torso long as you hinge forward at the hips and reach for your toes/feet.
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. Bound Angle Pose (Baddha Konasana)

Transition: Lift up from Seated Forward Fold into Staff Pose, then get yourself situated and comfortable to flow into Bound Angle Pose.

Start in a seated position with your legs straight in front of you.
Bend your legs at the knee, bringing the soles of your feet together in front of you.
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.
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!
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.

8. Seated Star Pose (Tarasana)

Transition: Flow from Bound Angle Pose to Seated Star Pose.

With your legs wide apart and the bottoms of your feet together, grab onto your ankles and pull them apart slightly. Feel the sides of your feet activated and push down on the mat.
Inhale and lengthen your spine forward over your legs, being sure to hinge at the hips. As you exhale allow your upper back to relax toward the floor. Stay grounded through your sit bones.
Close your eyes and breathe deeply here for 60 seconds.

9. Wind Release Pose (Pavanmuktasana)

Transition: Release from Seated Star Pose by inhaling your torso back up, straightening your legs one by one, then lying back on your mat.

Begin lying supine on the ground with your feet together and arms relaxed beside you.
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.
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.

10. Half Plow Pose (Ardha Halasana)

Transition: From Wind Release Pose, return your legs flat to the mat to flow into Half Plow Pose.

Start out lying supine on your mat with your legs together and your hands placed palm-down next to your thighs/hips.
Inhale and lift both legs straight up so that they make a 90-degree angle with your upper body.
Breathe here for 30-60 seconds, making sure your shoulder blades and pelvis remain square and grounded.
When you release, do so very slowly without lifting your head.

11. Bridge Pose (Setu Bandha Sarvangasana)

Transition: Slowly release your legs back down to the mat and plant the bottoms of your feet on the floor.

Take a moment to completely relax the spine and bring awareness to your breath.
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.
Hold this position and breathe here for 30-60 seconds, then lower your body back to the mat to release from the pose.

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

Transition: Lower yourself back to the ground from Bridge Pose, relax your legs straight in front of you, then flow into Supine Spinal Twist.

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.

13. Reclining Bound Angle Pose (Supta Baddha Konasana)

Transition: Release from Supine Spine Twist by relaxing your arms and legs flat on the mat.

Bend your legs at the knee, bringing the soles of your feet together.
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.

14. Corpse Pose (Savasana)

Transition: Release from Reclining Bound Angle Pose, relaxing your arms and legs onto the mat.

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.