Yoga Day 31

3. Forward-to-Backward Neck Stretch

Transition: Inhale yourself up into a seated position.

1. Begin in a seated position looking straight ahead, chin parallel to the floor.
2. Inhale, then exhale and allow your head to roll forward, bringing your chin toward your chest.
3. Take a breath here, then inhale your head back up.
4. Exhale again, allowing your head to roll back as you gaze up to the ceiling.
5. Take a breath here, inhale back up, then repeat for 30 seconds.

4. Side-to-Side Neck Stretch

1. Begin in a seated position looking straight ahead, chin parallel to the floor.
2. Keeping your shoulder blades firmly rooted down and your gaze forward, exhale and tilt your head to the right. Try to touch your ear to your shoulder.
3. Take two or three deep breaths here, feeling that stretch throughout the left side of your neck.
4. Inhale your head back up, then exhale and repeat on the other side.

5. Alternating Shoulder Shrugs

1. Exhale and fully relax any tension in your shoulders. Let gravity pull down on your arms, pulling the tightness away.
2. Keeping your neck straight, inhale, and shrug your right shoulder upward.
3. Exhale and relax your right shoulder again.
4. Repeat with the left shoulder, then continue alternating shoulders 5-10 times.

6. Seated Torso Circles (Sufi Grinds)

Transition: Bend your knees and come into a cross-legged seated position 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.

7. Seated Straddle Pose (Upavistha Konasana)

Transition: Extend your legs straight out in front of you once more.

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 your comfortably can.
5. Breathe deeply here for 30-60 seconds.

8. Seated Forward Fold Prep (Paschimottanasana)

Transition: Bring your legs back together, returning to Staff Pose.

1. Begin with your legs out in front of you, sit bones grounded and spine tall.
2. Push your heels away from your body, engaging the feet and toes. Clasp your fingers, palms facing outward, and extend your arms straight.
3. Inhale and keep the front of your torso long as you hinge forward at the hips, but without fully folding. See how far forward you can reach your arms.
4. Remain and breathe here for 30 seconds, continuing to lengthen forward.

9. Sage Marichi Pose C (Marichyasana)

Transition: Inhale yourself up, coming back into Staff Pose.

1. Begin in Staff Pose with your legs extended in front of you.
2. 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.
3. Shift your gaze out over your right shoulder and breathe here for 30 seconds.
4. On an exhale, release back to Staff Pose and repeat on the other side.

10. Seated Forward Fold Pose (Paschimottanasana)

Transition: Extend both legs straight once more and release from Sage Marichi Pose C.

1. Begin with your legs out in front of you, sit bones grounded and spine tall.
2. 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.
3. Inhale and keep the front of your torso long as you hinge forward at the hips and reach for your toes/feet.
4. 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.

11. Upward-Facing Seated Straddle w/ Toe Grab (Urdhva Mukha Upavistha Padangusthasana)

Transition: Release from Seated Forward Fold Pose back up to Staff Pose.

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, hingeing forward at the hips just far enough to grab your big toe with your thumb, index, and middle fingers.
4. Inhale and shift your weight slightly back, broaden the chest, and tilt your head back to gaze at the ceiling - or however far you can without straining the neck.
5. Hold this pose for 30-60 seconds, breathing deeply.

12. Cat-Cow Pose (Chakravakasana)

Transition: Release from Upward-Facing Seated Straddle w/ Toe Grab and rock forward, slowly coming onto your hands and knees.

1. Slowly bend your knees, shift them to the side, and rock forward onto your hands and knees in Table Top Pose.
2. 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)
3. 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)
4. Repeat this movement for 30-60 seconds.

13. Table Top Side-to-Side Flow (Bharmanasana)

1. In Table Top Pose, bring your arms slightly wider, bring your legs together, and take a deep inhale here.
2. On the exhale, lean your body to the right, keeping your knees on the ground.
3. Inhale back to the center, then exhale and lean your body to the left.
4. Repeat this movement slowly back and forth for 30-60 second.

14. Balancing Table Top Knee-to-Nose Crunches (Bharmanasana)

Transition: Return to a normal Table Top Pose with your hips stacked above your knees and shoulders stacked above your hands.

1. Begin in Table Top Pose.
2. Inhale your right leg up straight behind you.
3. Exhale, tuck your chin, bend your right knee, and bring the right knee forward toward your nose.
4. Inhale and release, returning to Table Top Pose.
5. Exhale, then inhale and repeat 4-5 more times on the right.
6. Repeat on the left side with the same amount of reps.

15. Unilateral Balancing Table Top Pose (Bharmanasana)

1. Begin in Table Top Pose.
2. Begin to shift your weight over onto your left leg and hand. When you’re stable and balanced enough to do so, inhale and slowly lift your right hand and leg, extending them straight.
3. Try to remain here in this pose for 30 seconds, then exhale to release.
4. Repeat on the opposite side.

16. Wide Child's Pose (Prasarita Balasana)

1. 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.
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 60 seconds.

PEAK FLOW

1. Three-Legged Downward Dog to Tiger Pose

Transition: From Wide Child's Pose, come forward onto your hands and extend both legs behind you, lifting your sit bones up and back for Downward-Facing Dog Pose.

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. Easy Pose w/ Elbows on Floor (Sukhasana)

Transition: Remain in a seated position, crossing your legs to come into Easy Pose.

1. Sit cross-legged with your sit bones firmly planted, your spine tall and straight, and your neck neutral. Hinge forward at the hips, bringing your forearms to the ground in front of you.
2. Take some time to gather your thoughts and take deep breaths.
3. Remain here for 30-60 seconds (or longer if you’d like to).

2. Seated Straddle Forward Fold Pose (Upavistha Konasana)

Transition: Inhale up out of Easy Pose, uncrossing your legs and extending them in front of you.

1. Bring your legs apart to create a ~90-degree angle with your legs. Make sure your sit bones are grounded and your spine stays long.
2. Take a deep inhale, then exhale as you bring your forearms to the ground in front of you and hinge forward to rest your forehead on them.
3. Breathe here for 30-60 seconds.

3. Sitting Swan Pose

Transition: Release from Seated Straddle Forward Fold and bring your legs together.

1. Start in a seated position with your legs straight in front of you.
2. Place your hands on the floor behind you and lean your torso back, shifting your upper body weight to your palms.
3. Bring your right ankle to your left thigh, just above the left knee.
4. 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.
5. Your muscles might resist at first, but hold the pose and stay still for 30 seconds.
6. Release from the pose, then repeat on the other side.

4. Seated Wind Release Pose (Upavistha Pavanmuktasana)

1. Begin in a seated position with your legs straight out in front of you.
2. Take a deep breath, then exhale and bend both knees, bringing your thighs in toward your chest. Keep your spine nice and tall.
3. Inhale and wrap your arms around your legs, hugging them tightly.
4. Remain here for 30-60 seconds, breathing deeply.

 

5. Easy Boat Pose (Navasana)

1. Bend your legs at the knees, resting the feet flat on the floor/mat close to your body. Raise your arms straight in front of you, parallel to the floor with palms facing inward toward each other.
2. Now, engage your core and lean back slightly as you inhale.
3. Hold the position for 30-60 seconds, then exhale and return to the starting position.

6. Boat Pose B (Navasana B)

Transition: Release from Easy Boat Pose to begin in a seated position with legs straight in front of you.

1. Bend your legs at the knee to bring them close to your chest. Place your hands behind your knees for support.
2. Leaning back slightly as you engage your core, come to balance on your sit bones.
3. Once you’ve reached that balance, bring the tops of the thighs a little further from the belly and lift the lower legs so that they’re parallel to the ground.
4. When you’re feeling stable enough to do so, let go of the backs of your legs, bringing the arms parallel to the floor with palms facing inward toward each other.
5. Remain here for 30 seconds, keeping your core engaged.

 

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

Transition: Release from Boat Pose B and lower yourself down to the ground in a supine position.

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.
3. Remain here and breathe deeply for 30 seconds.

 

8. Fish Pose (Matsyasana)

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

1. Begin in Staff Pose.
2. 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.
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.
4. On your next inhale, relax your head and neck, touching the crown of your head to the floor.
5. Breathe deeply here for 60 seconds.

 

9. Bridge Pose (Setu Bandha Sarvangasana)

Transition: Release back to the ground in a supine position.

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, then lower your body back to the mat to release from the pose.

 

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

1. Start out lying supine on your mat.
2. Extend your arms out to each side of you like you’re making a T shape.
3. Inhale and lift your right leg, bending at the knee ~90 degrees.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. On an inhale, roll your right hip back down to the ground, then exhale and release your leg back to the floor.
7. Repeat on your left side.

11. Wind Release Pose Flow (Pavanmuktasana)

1. Begin lying supine 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 30-60 seconds. With each inhale, bring your hands to your knees, allowing them to lift away from the abdomen, and with each exhalation, hug your knees back in.

12. Corpse Pose (Savasana)

Transition: Remain supine and exhale your legs and arms back to the ground for the best part - 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!