Yoga Transformation Journal
Day 05: Set Your Intention
Warm Up

1. Start out sitting cross-legged in Easy Pose.
2. Take a deep breath; exhale and bring your palms together in front of your chest. Interlock your fingers, shoulders relaxed away from the ears, and elbows pointing to the sides of your mat.
3. Inhale and extend your arms straight in front of you, taking a gentle forward bend in the torso. Round your upper back and direct your gaze down to the mat right in front of your legs to lengthen the back of your neck.
4. On your next exhale, bring your arms up above your head. Keep your gaze straight, and make sure your shoulders are firmly planted. Inhale here, extending up through the spine and arms.
5. Inhale and release your hands, then bring them back together behind your back, palms facing each other and fingers tightly interlocked.
6. Exhale and sit tall, straightening your arms down toward the floor behind your back. Knit your shoulders together a bit to broaden your chest.
7. On your next inhale, release your hands again, bringing them back together in front of your chest.
8. Exhale and extend your arms straight in front of you again. Round your upper back and gaze down to the mat in front of your legs to lengthen the back of your neck.
9. Repeat this movement 1-2 times, taking your time and connecting with your breath.

1. Begin in Table Top Pose.
2. Take a deep inhale and round the spine to bring your right knee to your forehead (or as close as you can).
3. Exhale and arch the spine, directing your gaze to the ceiling as you bring your thigh parallel to the floor and extend your right foot upward.
4. Repeat this movement on the right side 4-8 times.
5. Release back to Table Top Pose and repeat with the left leg.

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 30-60 seconds.
6. To release, stop the movements, let go of your feet, and stretch one leg at a time straight in front of you.

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.

1. 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.
2. Breathe here for 30 seconds, then release your arms and repeat on the other side.

1. Stand with your feet hip- or shoulder-width apart and bend your knees slightly.
2. Take a small inhale, imagining that you’re only filling the bottom third of your lung. As the breath flows in, raise your arms up to shoulder height in front of you with your palms facing skyward.
3. Exhale and release your arms back down.
4. Inhale again, this time filling two-thirds of your lungs and raising your arms a little higher and out to the side.
5. Exhale again, releasing your arms down.
6. Inhale once more, filling your lungs all the way this time. Lift your arms all the way up, extending your arms upward into a Y-shape.
7. Finally, hinge at the hips to swing your torso and arms forward, sweeping your arms behind you. (Optional: as you exhale, exhale the sound “ha” until your lungs are fully emptied.)
8. Repeat this flow 1-2 more times as desired.
Peak Flow

1. 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.
2. Engage your core, tucking your tailbone slightly forward and knitting the bottom ribs in.
3. Bring your hands together behind your back with palms facing each other and interlock your fingers.
4. Exhale and extend your arms back and upward, leaning your torso forward so that it is on the inner side of your right thigh.
5. Breathe here for 30 seconds.

1. Start out facing the left side of your mat with your feet roughly 3 ft. apart from each other.
2. 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.
3. Exhale and bend your knees, sinking into a squat. Try to get the bottom of your thighs parallel to the floor.
4. 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.
5. Maintain this pose for 30-45 seconds, breathing deeply.

1. 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.
2. Take another breath, then exhale, lifting your pelvis and lowering your body to the ground (Four-Limbed Staff Pose)
3. With your body on the ground, inhale and untuck your toes, lifting your torso off the ground (Upward-Facing Dog Pose)
4. 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)

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. Bring your palms together in front of your chest and breathe here for 30 seconds before moving on to the Peak Flow.

1. Begin lying prone (on your belly) on the floor with your arms extending behind you, palms on the ground.
2. Place the tops of your toes flat against the floor, pressing down with all 10 toenails.
3. 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.
4. Breathe here for 30-60 seconds, then slowly release back down to the floor.

1. Begin in Kneeling Pose. Make sure your legs are hip-width apart.
2. 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.
3. Breathe here for 30 seconds.
Cool Down

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.

1. On an exhale, bring your legs back up toward your chest.
2. Inhale and grab onto the outer sides of your feet, widening your legs slightly and trying to bring your knees to your armpits.
3. 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!

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. Remain here for 30-60 seconds.