Yoga Day 66 – Habit Nest

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    Yoga Day 66

    WARM-UP

    1. Seated Torso Circles (Sufi Grinds)

    Starting Position: Begin in by sitting on your mat in Easy Pose.

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

    2. Should Socket Rotations

    1. Bring your right hand to your right shoulder, and your left hand to your left shoulder.
    2. Start by drawing the elbows inward to touch each other.
    3. Next, bring your elbows up next to your head so that they point to the ceiling.
    4. Then, bring the elbows back down and open them outward so that they point to either side of you.
    5. Repeat this movement for 30-60 seconds.

     

    3. Revolved Easy Pose Salute Flow

    1. Still in Easy Pose (Sukhasana), inhale and raise your arms, joining palms overhead.
    2. Exhale and lower your arms, bringing your right hand to the ground next to you and your left hand to your right knee. Using that knee as leverage, slowly twist your torso toward the right, shifting your gaze out over the right shoulder.
    3. Inhale your arms back overhead, then exhale your arms back down and twist the opposite direction.
    4. Repeat for 30-60 seconds.

     

    4. Easy Pose Side Bend (Parsva Sukhasana)

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

    5. Seated Butterfly Wings (Baddha Konasana)

    Transition: From Easy Pose, uncross your legs and bring the bottoms of your feet together in front of your groin for Seated Butterfly Pose Wings.

    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.
    3. Your arms and shoulders should remain relaxed, but your spine should be long and straight. Don’t force the stretch beyond what feels right!
    4. Pretend that your legs are butterfly wings, gently flapping the knees up and down. This gets your blood circulating and generates warmth in the muscles.
    5. Continue this movement for 30 seconds.
    6. To release, stop the movements, let go of your feet, and stretch one leg at a time straight in front of you.

    6. Bound Butterfly Wings Flow

    Transition: From Seated Butterfly Pose Wings, relax your legs for a moment. Extend your arms toward the ground in front of you, joining your palms and interlocking your fingers.

    1. Inhale and flap your knees upward as you raise your clasped hands overhead. As you exhale, lower both back down.
    2. Repeat this movement for another 30-60 seconds.

     

    7. Fish Pose w/ Butterfly Legs (Matsyasana)

    Transition: Release your arms and knees down. Keep the bottoms of your feet together, but take your upper body into a nice backbend in Fish Pose.

    1. 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.
    2. 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.
    3. On your next inhale, relax your head and neck, touching the crown of your head to the floor.
    4. Take deep breaths, remaining here for 60 seconds.

     

    8. Seated Star Pose (Tarasana)

    Transition: Push your torso back up from Fish Pose. Pull the bottoms of your feet apart slightly and flow into Seated Star Pose.

    1. 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.
    2. Inhale and lengthen your spine forward over your legs as you hinge at the hips. As you exhale allow your upper back to relax toward the floor. Stay grounded through your sit bones.
    3. Close your eyes and breathe deeply here for 60 seconds.

    9. Table Top Pose (Bharmanasana)

    Transition: Release from Seated Star Pose by straightening your legs one by one, then swing your legs to the side and come onto your hands and knees in Table Top Pose.

    1. 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.

    10. Table Top Pose Wrist Stretch (Bharmanasana)

    1. Begin on 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.

     

    11. Cat-Cow Rib Circles (Chakravakasana)

    Transition: Rotate your wrists back around so that your fingers point forward.

    1. Begin in Table Top Pose. Exhale and round your back into Cat Pose, then move your rib cage in a circular motion to the side, down into Cow Pose, and finally back up and around to Cat Pose.
    2. Continue flowing your breath with your movements; inhale as you move down into Cow, then exhale as your ribcage swings back up to Cat Pose.
    3. Take it slow and complete 4-5 rounds in a clockwise motion, then reverse it.

     

    12. Plank Knee-to-Nose Flow (Phalakasana)

    Transition: Extend your legs behind you to come into Plank Pose.

    1. Inhale and raise your right leg, then exhale your knee forward, tucking your chin to bring your nose closer to your knee.
    2. Inhale back to Plank Pose, then exhale your right knee forward again, repeating this for a total of 4-5 times.
    3. Repeat with the left leg.

     

    13. Supine Knee Circles

    Transition: From Plank Pose, lower your body to the ground, then roll over onto your back.

    1. On your next inhale, lift your feet, and bend your knees. Lift your knees straight up, placing your palms on top of them.
    2. Bring both knees together and use them to draw circles in the air for 30 seconds clockwise, then counterclockwise.

     

    14. Wind Release Pose Flow (Pavanmuktasana)

    Transition: Release your legs and arms to the ground, feet together and arms relaxed beside you.

    1. Inhale, then exhale and bring the knees in toward the chest, thighs pressing against your abdomen. Grab onto your knees, pulling them close.
    2. On your exhale, move your knees away from you until your arms are fully extended with your hands holding your knees.
    3. Really tune into your breath here, soothing your heart rate and slowing your breathing. Repeat this flow for 30-60 seconds.

     

    15. Half Plow Pose Flow (Ardha Halasana)

    Transition: Release your arms to the ground and plant your feet flat on the ground.

    1. Inhale and bend the knees 90 degrees, thighs raised straight up and stacking your knees above your hips. Keep your feet engaged.
    2. On your next inhale, straighten your legs into Half Plow Pose. Now your ankles, knees, and hips should be stacked.
    3. Slowly exhale your legs back down to the mat as far as you can without flattening or rounding the small of your back, keeping them extended straight.
    4. Repeat this flow 3-4 times.

     

    16. Dead Bug Core Workout I

    Transition: Keep your legs up in Half Plow Pose and extend your arms straight up. Stack your wrists above your elbows and shoulders. Ankles, knees, and hips stacked. Feet engaged and heels driving upward.

    1. Engage your core, tucking your tailbone forward slightly, and knit your belly button up and inward.
    2. Inhale and slowly lower your left arm toward the ground behind your head while also lowering your right leg. Hover them over the ground, not quite resting them all the way down.
    3. As you exhale, raise your left arm and right leg back up while lowering your right arm and left leg.
    4. Alternate these movements for 60 seconds, keeping your movements synced to your breath.

    PEAK FLOW

    1. High Lunge Arm Extension Flow (Ashta Chandrasana)

    Starting position: From Dead Bug Core Workout, release your arms and legs, roll onto your belly, and flow through Downward Dog into High Lunge Pose.

    1. 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. Lean forward just enough that your body creates a straight line from the back of your left heel all the way to your head. Raise and extend your arms, sticking to the same straight line.
    2. Remain here with your arms overhead for a breath or two, then exhale and lean forward, bending your elbows and bringing your arms down, next to your upper body.
    3. Repeat 1-2 more times.

    2. Downward Dog to Crescent Low Lunge Flow

    Transition: Release from High Lunge Pose, bringing your hands to the floor and stepping your right leg back. Tuck your toes and inhale your sit bones up and back into Downward-Facing Dog Pose.

    1. In Downward-Facing Dog Pose, inhale your right leg up behind you.
    2. Exhale and plant your right foot on the mat just right of center between your hands. Lower your left knee to the mat.
    3. Inhale your torso up, sweeping your arms overhead. You can either bring your palms together or keep them parallel.
    4. Exhale your torso into a slight backbend.
    5. Take another breath or two here before moving on.

    3. Crescent Low Lunge to Half Split Pose Flow

    1. Beginning in a low lunge, inhale your arms up, bringing your palms together overhead. (Crescent Low Lunge)
    2. Exhale and sweep your arms backward as you bend your left knee to a 90-degree angle. Lift the front of your right foot so that your right heel is the only part of your foot still touching the mat as you straighten your right leg. (Half Split Pose)
    3. Inhale forward again, coming back into Crescent Low Lunge.
    4. Alternate between these poses, flowing with your breath for 30 seconds.

     

    4. Triangle Pose (Trikonasana)

    1. Begin in a wide-legged stance.
    2. Angle your left foot toward the left side of your mat while keeping the right toes pointed forward. Roll your right thigh outward so that your knee aligns with your first two toes.
    3. As you lengthen both sides of the waist, bring your arms up and out to both sides so that they are parallel to the floor.
    4. Inhale and extend your reach to the right, bringing your upper body over the right leg. Shift your hips back slightly.
    5. Exhale your right arm down, bringing the right hand to either your ankle, a block, or the floor. Rotate the front of your ribcage toward the ceiling, reaching your left arm straight up.
    6. Lengthen through the sides of the neck, keeping the neck aligned neutrally with the spine. Shift the gaze straight ahead or up toward your left hand.
    7. Release by pressing your feet firmly into the floor, leading your torso back up with your left hand.

     

    5. Dancer Pose (Natarajasana)

    Transition: Inhale your torso up from Triangle Pose and slowly step your left foot closer to your right.

    1. Bend your right knee slightly and begin to shift your weight onto your right leg. Float your right arm forward.
    2. When you’ve gathered your balance, begin to lift the left leg up behind you and reach back to grab the top of your foot with your left hand. Keep your neck neutral by gazing forward.
    3. Breathe here for 30 seconds, trying to deepen the pose with each exhale.

     

    6. Downward Dog to Upward Dog Pose Flow

    Transition: From Dancer Pose, release your leg and bring your palms to the floor, stepping both feet back behind you.

    1. Inhale, tuck your toes, and float your sit bones up and back, pushing the floor away with your hands to come into Downward-Facing Dog Pose. Take a breath or two here.
    2. From Downward-Facing Dog Pose, lean your body forward and lower your pelvis, coming back into Plank Pose.
    3. Exhale and very slowly lower your body to the ground, keeping your movements controlled and mindful. Untuck the toes, bringing the tops of the feet to the floor. Keep your palms planted under your shoulders.
    4. Inhale and straighten your arms, pressing down into the tops of the feet to lift your legs and pelvis away from the ground. 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.
    5. Remain here for 1-2 breaths.

    7. Wide Child's Pose (Prasarita Balasana)

    1. Come onto your hands and knees and separate your legs slightly wider than hip distance apart while bringing the big toes of both feet together.
    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. Rest your forehead on the mat, close your eyes, and breathe deep. Remain here for 30-60 seconds.

    8. Forearm Plank Flow (Phalakasana II)

    Transition: Inhale yourself forward onto your hands from Wide Child’s Pose and extend both legs behind you in Plank Pose.

    1. Begin in Plank Pose.
    2. On an exhale, bring your forearms to the ground, palms facing down and planted firmly for support. Take 1-2 breaths here.

     

    9. Forearm Side Plank (Vasisthasana)

    1. Beginning in Forearm Plank Pose, inhale your left arm up, rolling your whole body to the right and shifting onto the outer edge of your right foot in a side plank.
    2. Breathe here for 30 seconds.

    10. Dolphin Pose (Catur Svanasana)

    Transition: Release from Forearm Side Plank into a Forearm Plank.

    1. Bring your forearms to the floor in front of you and either clasp your hands together or place your palms on the floor for support.
    2. Inhale, tuck your toes and lift your sit bones up and back just as you would for Downward-Facing Dog Pose.
    3. Breathe here for 30 seconds.

     

    11. Dolphin Plank w/ Leg Raise (Catur Svanasana)

    1. Beginning in Dolphin Pose, inhale up onto the balls of your feet and shift your weight forward into a forearm plank.
    2. On your next inhale, raise your right leg, bringing it as high as you comfortably can.
    3. Remain here for a breath or two, then lower your right leg back down and release back into Dolphin Pose.

    12. Dolphin to Downward Dog Push-Up

    1. In Dolphin Pose, clasp your hands together or place your palms on the floor for support.
    2. Inhale and lift your sit bones up and back just as you would for Downward-Facing Dog Pose.
    3. On your next inhale, raise off of your forearms, plant your palms, push the floor away and come into a full Downward-Facing Dog Pose
    4. Exhale yourself back down onto your forearms.
    5. Alternate between Dolphin Pose and Downward-Facing Dog Pose for 30 seconds, remaining in sync with your breath.

     

    13. Downward Dog to Low Lunge Flow

    1. Begin in Downward-Facing Dog Pose.
    2. Inhale your right leg straight up.
    3. On your next inhale, shift your gaze toward the floor just beyond your fingertips.
    4. Exhale and step or jump your left foot forward to your hands, planting your foot and extending your left leg straight.
    5. On your next exhale, bring your right knee down to the mat behind you, coming into a low lunge over your left leg.

     

    Repeat each pose in this segment, switching to the opposite side as necessary for asymmetrical poses.

     

    COOL DOWN

    1. Locust to Wide-Legged Chariot Flow

    Transition: From Low Lunge Pose, slowly work your way down to the floor in a prone position.

    1. Starting in a prone position, relax your arms to your sides, fingertips pointing behind you. Place your forehead on the floor and the tops of your feet on the floor/mat, pointing your toes.
    2. Inhale and raise your head, upper body, and lower legs off of the ground slightly. Exhale here.
    3. On the next inhale, try to raise up higher as you spread your legs slightly wider than hip-width and spread your arms like airplane wings.
    4. Exhale and bring your arms and legs lower and closer together as you did in step 2.
    5. Inhale, then on the next exhale, lower yourself back to the floor.
    6. Repeat this flow for 60-90 seconds.

    2. Crocodile Pose (Makarasana)

    Transition: Relax your body fully to the floor.

    1. Cross your arms on the mat in front of you and bring your forehead to rest on your forearms.
    2. Take 30 seconds here to gather your thoughts, completely relaxing your body.

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

    Transition: Remain supine, planting your palms on the ground below your shoulders.

    1. 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.
    2. Remain here for 2-3 full breaths.

    4. Sleeping Swan Pose (Kapotasana II)

    Transition: From Downward Facing Dog, inhale the right leg up, bringing the knee forward.

    1. Exhale the outer side of your right leg down onto the mat. Your right knee should be aligned with your right hip and your pelvis facing squarely forward. Lay the top of your left foot on the mat/floor, and keep your front foot flexed.
    2. Inhale your arms up and lengthen your spine, sitting up tall and broadening through the chest. Energize through the fingertips and feel your sides lengthening.
    3. On the exhale, hinge forward at the hips, folding your upper body over your right leg. Keep the arms straight, bringing the palms to the floor. Relax your neck, bringing your forehead to the floor if you’d like.
    4. Breathe here for 30 seconds, then return to Downward-Facing Dog Pose and repeat this pose on the other side.
     

    5. Thread the Needle Pose (Urdhva Mukha Pasasana)

    Transition: Release from Sleeping Swan Pose back into Downward-Facing Dog Pose.

    1. From Downward Dog, bring your knees to the mat, aligning them under your hips. Make sure your hands are stacked below your shoulders.
    2. 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.
    3. Remain here for 30 seconds, resting your left ear to the floor and progressively relaxing deeper into the pose.
    4. Inhale and return to your hands and knees, then repeat with the right arm threaded under you.

    6. Reclined Leg Stretch Flow

    Transition: From Thread the Needle Pose, slowly lower your body to the floor and roll onto your back so that you’re lying supine with your legs together.

    1. Inhale and extend your arms, bringing your upper arms neck to your ears with your fingertips pointing to the wall behind you.
    2. Exhale and bend the right knee, bringing the front of your right thigh in toward your belly. Bring your right hand to your shin and give your knee a quick hug.
    3. Inhale and allow your knee to float to the floor on your right side, creating a 90-degree angle with your side body and right thigh.
    4. Exhale and bring the knee back up, but bring your right arm to the floor and place your left hand on your right knee.
    5. Move both hands to the back of the thigh just above the crook of the knee, then inhale and straighten your leg.
    6. Exhale and release your arms and right leg back to the mat.
    7. Repeat on the other side.
     

    7. Full-Body Stretch to Wind Release Flow

    Transition: Remain in a supine position with your legs together and arms relaxed to the floor.

    1. Beginning in a supine position, engage your feet, pushing your heels away from you. Lengthen the back of the neck.
    2. 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)
    3. Inhale, then exhale and bring the knees in toward the chest, thighs pressing against your abdomen. Grab onto your knees, pulling them close.
    4. On your exhale, move your knees away from you until your arms are fully extended with your hands holding your knees.
    5. Really tune into your breath here, soothing your heart rate and slowing your breathing.
    6. Repeat this flow for 30 seconds.
     

    8. Corpse Pose (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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