Yoga Day 17

3. Seated Neck Rolls

1. 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.
2. Tuck your chin and slowly relax your head forward, feeling a stretch along the back of your neck and the base of your skull.
3. Gently roll your head in a clockwise circle 4-5 times, then counterclockwise 4-5 times.

4. Seated Torso Circles (Sufi Grinds)

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 counterclockwise.

5. Easy Pose Warm-Up (Sukhasana)

1. Inhale and raise your arms straight overhead with palms facing each other.
2. 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.
3. Inhale and raise your arms and torso back up, arms overhead.
4. Exhale and lean your upper body to the left, bringing your left arm to the ground and the right arm overhead.
5. Inhale and raise your arms and torso back to the center.
6. Exhale, bringing your left hand to your right knee and your right hand on the ground to take a gentle spinal twist.
7. Inhale and return to center, raising your arms overhead once more.
8. Exhale and repeat the spinal twist on the opposite side.
9. 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.
10. Exhale and bring your forearms to the ground in front of you, relaxing your head and neck forward.
11. 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.

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 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.

1. Inhale and raise your torso straight up as you bring your legs back together (Vajrasana).
2. 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)
3. Exhale and raise your arms overhead with palms facing each other.
4. Inhale and bring your hands to the small of your back just above your hips.
5. Exhale and take a backbend, bringing your hands to your heels (Camel Pose).
6. 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.
7. 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)
8. 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).
9. 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).
10. 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.

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. Close your eyes and breathe deeply here for 30 seconds.

10. Revolved Staff Pose Flow (Parivrtta Dandasana)

1. In Staff Pose (Dandasana), extend your arms straight out in a T shape.
2. Take a deep inhale, then exhale and twist your spine to the right, arms still extended.
3. Inhale and return to the center, then exhale and twist to the left.
4. 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.

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. Repeat this for 30 seconds on the right side, then on the left.

12. Staff Pose Knee Stretch (Dandasana)

1. In Staff Pose (Dandasana), inhale and lift your right leg off the ground, keeping it straight.
2. 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
3. Inhale and extend your leg back out, relaxing it to the ground.
4. Repeat on the left side for 30 seconds.

13. Seated Hip Rotation

1. In Staff Pose (Dandasana), bring your right ankle to the top of your left thigh.
2. 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.
3. Draw small circles in the air with your right knee 5 times, reverse the circles 5 times, and return to starting position.
4. Finally, repeat on the left side.

14. Cradle Pose (Hindolasana)

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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)

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. Bring your palms to the ground in front of you, leaning your torso forward as much as you comfortably can.
5. Breathe deeply here for 30-60 seconds.

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

Transition: From Seated Straddle Prep, raise your torso straight up.

1. Bend your left knee, bringing the bottom of your foot toward your right inner thigh, and heel close to the groin.
2. Sit up tall, lengthening the spine as you inhale.
3. 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.
4. Stay here, breathing deeply for 30 seconds.
5. Raise your torso back up, extend your left leg back out, and repeat this stretch on the left leg.

PEAK FLOW

1. Three-Legged Downward Dog to Tiger Pose

Transition: From Head to Knee Pose, lift your torso, swing your legs around, plants your palms firmly on the ground under your shoulders, and push your sit bones up for Downward-Facing Dog.

1. Begin in Downward Facing Dog Pose.
2. Inhale and lift your right leg, extending it up and out.
3. As you exhale, really draw your core in and round your back slightly to bring your right knee to your elbow or nose.
4. Repeat this motion 2-3 times.

2. Warrior I Pose (Virabhadrasana I)

Transition: From Downward Facing Dog, lift your right foot and bring it between your hands so that your toes align with your fingertips, then shift it to the right a bit.

1. With your right foot forward, knee bent at a 90-degree angle, and stacked above the ankle, rotate your left foot.
2. Align the back/side of the left heel with the back of the right heel (or slightly wider if you need a wider base of support).
3. Straighten your left knee by pushing the left thighbone back.
4. Once you’re balanced and stable, inhale and raise your torso, lifting your belly away from your right thigh. As you do so, raise your arms to extend straight up with the palms facing each other.
5. Breathe here for 30 seconds.

3. Revolved Side Angle Pose (Parivrtta Parsvakonasana)

Transition: From Warrior I Pose, shift your weight slightly forward, coming onto the ball of your left foot to lunge over your right leg.

1. Bring your palms together in front of your chest, pushing them together.
2. Inhale and lengthen the spine, then exhale and try to extend further forward.
3. On the next inhale, twist to the right so that the back of your upper left arm is on the outer side of your right leg.
4. Hold this pose for 30 seconds, breathing deeply.

 

4. Warrior II Pose (Virabhadrasana II)

Transition: Lift up from Revolved Side Angle Pose, releasing your arms then floating them up to shoulder height as you enter Warrior II Pose.

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

 

5. Standing Archer Pose (Virabhadrasana Variation)

Transition: From Warrior II Pose, shift your weight slightly forward, coming onto the ball of your left foot to lunge over your right leg.

1. In Warrior II Pose, bring your arms into a formation as if you were drawing a bow to shoot an arrow - bend your right arm and act as though you’re pulling back the arrow, holding the front of the bow with your left hand.
2. Hold this pose for 30 seconds, breathing deeply.

 

6. Dancing Warrior Pose (Virabhadrasana Variation)

Transition: Return to Warrior II Pose from Standing Archer Pose.

1. Beginning in Warrior II Pose, allow your arms to flow in a light, flowing manner. Float your right arm forward and your left arm up and back, feeling a gentle sway in your upper body.
2. Breathe here for 30 seconds.

7. Sky Archer Pose (Virabhadrasana Variation)

Transition: Release from Dancing Warrior Pose back to Warrior II Pose.

1. Inhale and straighten your right leg as you sweep your arms up, grabbing the left wrist with the right hand. Take a gentle backbend here, allowing your front and left side body to reach a comfortable stretch.
2. Breathe here for 30 seconds.

8. Dancer Pose (Natarajasana)

Transition: Release from Sky Archer Pose back to Warrior II Pose.

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.
4. Prepare to repeat this section of the flow by bringing your palms to the ground and flowing into Downward-Facing Dog.

 

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

 

9. Goddess Pose (Utkata Konasana)

Transition: Release from Dancer Pose, straighten your legs, and pivot your body to the left.

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.

10. Intense Leg Stretch Pose (Prasarita Padottanasana)

Transition: From Goddess pose, adjust your feet so that they point straight ahead, remaining in a wide-legged stance.

1. Beginning in a wide-legged stance, exhale and hinge at the hips, coming into a forward fold.
2. Ground down into the floor with all 4 corners of your feet and bring both hands to the floor (or on blocks).
3. Inhale and lengthen your spine down toward the floor, being careful not to round the back. Keep your spine and neck nice and straight as much as possible.
4. Breathe here for 60 seconds.

 

11. Extended Mountain Pose Backbend (Tadasana)

Transition: Inhale yourself up from Intense Leg Stretch Pose and step or jump your feet together, coming into Mountain Pose.

1. In Mountain Pose, raise your arms above your head with your palms together or parallel to each other.
2. Inhale, your chest broadening upwards as you slowly lean your arms backward. Stay steadily grounded, and don’t overexaggerate the backbend — keep it subtle and sweet. Let your neck relax comfortably back.
3. Breathe here for 30 seconds.

12. Dangling Pose (Baddha Hasta Uttanasana)

Transition: Release your arms and straighten your torso to come back into Mountain Pose.

1. Beginning in Mountain Pose, take a deep breath, then exhale and bend your knees, folding your upper body forward. Keep the spine long and straight.
2. Allow your arms to dangle freely, or grab onto your elbows. Feel free to rock gently from side to side.
3. Remain here for 60 seconds.

 

13. Garland Pose (Malasana)

Transition: Release from Dangling Pose, straightening your legs and lifting your torso back up to Mountain Pose.

1. Bring your feet slightly wider than hip-distance and angle the feet outward a bit.
2. 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.
3. Bring your palms together in the center with your elbows tucked against your inner thighs.
4. Breathe deeply here for 30 seconds.

 

14. Revolved Squat Pose (Parivrtta Malasana)

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. Hold this pose for 30 seconds, release, then repeat on the other side.

 

15. Seated Butterfly Wings (Baddha Konasana)

Transition: Release from Revolved Squat Pose, coming into a seated potion.

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.

 

COOL DOWN

1. Fish Pose (Matsyasana)

Transition: Straighten your legs in front of you and raise your torso up to Staff Pose.

1. From Staff Pose, 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. 3. 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. 4. On your next inhale, relax your head and neck, touching the crown of your head to the floor.
4. 5. Take long, deep breaths. Spend a total of around 60 seconds here, opening your chest with each inhalation and sinking deeper into the backbend with each exhalation.

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

Transition: Release from Fish Pose by allowing your body to rest supine on the floor.

1. 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.
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.
3. Remain here and breathe deeply for 60 seconds.

3. Half Wind Release Pose (Ardha Pavanmuktasana)

1. Start out lying supine on your mat with your legs hip-width apart. Engage your feet, pushing your heels away from you.
2. Inhale and raise your right leg, bending the knee and bringing the thigh toward your chest. Support your leg by grabbing behind the knee or on the shin and hug your leg tighter.
3. Breathe here for 30 seconds, then release to the starting position and repeat with the left leg.

4. Wind Release Pose (Pavanmuktasana)

1. Begin in a supine position 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.

 

5. Scorpion Twist Pose (Vrschikasana)

Transition: Release from Wind Release Pose, and roll over onto your belly.

1. Bring your arms into a T-shape with palms facing the ground.
2. Inhale and bend your right knee, lifting the leg off of the ground and rolling your lower body over onto your sides as you try to tap your right toes to the floor on the outside of your left leg.
3. Breathe here for 30 seconds, then exhale and release back to the mat to repeat on the other side.

6. Supine Butterfly Wings Flow (Supta Baddha Konasana)

Transition: Release from Scorpion Twist Pose, then roll over once more to return to lying supine. Draw your legs into Bound Angle Pose with the bottoms of your feet together.

1. Start from Reclining Bound Angle Pose (Supta Baddha Konasana).
2. As you inhale, bring the soles of your feet together, allowing the outer edge of your knees to drop to the sides.
3. Imagine that your legs are now butterfly wings. Keeping the soles of your feet together, flap the butterfly wings by bringing the knees up and inward on the exhale, then lowering them once again on the inhale.
4. Continue repeating this movement for 30-60 seconds.
5. To release, straighten and stretch one leg at a time.

 

7. Supine Windshield Wipers

Transition: Release your legs from Reclining Bound Angle Pose, remaining supine.

1. Beginning in a supine position, bend your knees and plant your feet on the floor at the outer edges of your mat.
2. Extend your arms straight out on the ground beside you in a T shape.
3. Keeping your upper arms flat on the ground, raise your forearms straight up and make sure your back and shoulder blades are broad. Then, rotate your upper arms back, bringing your forearms down to the ground pointing away from you (Cactus Arms). If this is too uncomfortable, you can keep your arms in the T shape.
4. Inhale and lean both knees to the right, slowly lowering them toward the ground as far as you comfortably can.
5. Spend 30 seconds here, breathing deeply, then exhale and lift your knees back to the starting position.
6. Repeat, this time leaning your knees to the left.

 

8. Reverse Pigeon Pose (Sucirandhrasana)

Transition: Release your legs, extending them straight. Remain in a supine position.

1. Inhale and bring your right ankle to your left thigh just above the knee so that your right shin runs in a straight line perpendicular to your left thigh.
2. Exhale as you bend your left knee, drawing your left thigh and right ankle toward your upper body. Bring both hands to the back of your left thigh just below the crook of your left knee, threading the right hand through the space between your legs below the right calf.
3. Breathe deeply here for 30 seconds.
4. On an inhale, slowly straighten your left leg and sink it back down to the floor.
5. Gently remove your right ankle from your left thigh, straightening your right leg and releasing it back down to the floor.
6. Repeat with your left ankle on your right thigh.

 

9. Reclined Half Cow Face Pose (Supta Ardha Gomukhasana)

Transition: Remain lying supine. Relax your arms beside you and bring your legs together so that they’re hip-width apart.

1. Starting in a supine position, bend your knees and plant your feet on the floor.
   
2. Inhale and slowly allow the outer side of your right knee to sink to the ground. Bring the bottom of your right foot a little closer to your left foot if needed or make any other necessary adjustments in order to fully achieve this.
3. Exhale and lift your left leg, then inhale as you thread it over your right leg, bringing the bottom of your left foot to the mat on the other side of the right thigh.
4. Breathe deeply here for 30 seconds, then return to the starting position and repeat on the other side.

 

10. Reclined Cow Face Pose (Supta Gomukhasana)

Transition: Release your legs, planting your feet on the mat once more.

1. Inhale, then exhale and cross your right leg over the left.
2. Hug your knees in toward your chest enough to grab your right ankle with your left hand, and your left ankle with the right hand.
3. Remain here, breathing deeply for 30 seconds, then inhale and return to the starting position.
4. Repeat with your left leg crossed over your right.

11. Corpse Pose (Savasana)

Transition: Release your arms and legs back to the floor, relaxing 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!