Yoga Day 59

WARM-UP

1. Seated Neck Rolls

Starting position: Begin by coming into a cross-legged seated position in 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.

2. Easy Pose Mudra Flow (Sukhasana)

While in Easy Pose, bend your elbows, close your fists, then point your index finger upward. Rotate your forearms at the elbow joint, drawing small circles in the air with your index finger.
Close your eyes and remain here, taking 1-2 deep breaths.

3. 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.

4. Cactus Arms Shoulder Movements

Inhale your upper arms to shoulder height with your forearms up and palms facing away from you (Cactus Arms).
Exhale and move your forearms so that your cactus arms have turned upside-down, palms facing behind you.
Alternate between these movements, flowing with your breath for 30 seconds.

5. Seated Deltoid Stretch

From Easy Pose, 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, then release and repeat on the other side.

6. Side-to-Side Neck Stretch

Begin in a seated position looking straight ahead, chin parallel to the floor.
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.
Take two or three deep breaths here, feeling that stretch throughout the left side of your neck.
Inhale your head back up, then exhale and repeat on the other side.

7. Easy Pose Side Bend (Parsva Sukhasana)

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.

8. Revolved Easy Pose Salute Flow (Parivrtta Sukhasana)

Still in Easy Pose, inhale and raise your arms, joining palms overhead.
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.
Inhale your arms back overhead, then exhale your arms back down and twist the opposite direction.
Repeat for 30-60 seconds, alternating sides.

9. Seated Cat-Cow Pose (Upavistha Chakravakasana)

While in Easy Pose (Sukhasana) with your hands on your knees, inhale and arch your back, pushing your tailbone back and upward.
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 for 30-60 seconds.

10. Staff Pose (Dandasana)

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 30 seconds.

11. Seated Side Straddle Pose (Upavistha Parsva Konasana)

Starting from Staff Pose (Dandasana), lean back slightly, supporting yourself by planting your hands on the ground slightly behind you on each side.
Push your thigh bones into the ground and open your legs roughly 90 degrees (or whatever amount feels the most beneficial for you). Engage your feet, toes pointing straight up.
Inhale and sit up tall, lengthening the spine, then exhale and take a gentle side bend to the right. Bring your right hand to the ground near your lower leg, and your left arm overhead reaching to the right.
Breathe here for 30 seconds, then inhale your torso back up and repeat on the left side.

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

Begin in a Seated Straddle Position with your legs spread wide apart and your spine tall.
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.
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.
Hold this pose for 30-60 seconds, breathing deeply.

13. Seated Forward Fold Pose (Paschimottanasana)

Transition: Release your toes and bring your legs together in Staff Pose.

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.

14. Supine Spinal Twist Pose (Supta Matsyendrasana I)

Transition: Release from Seated Forward Fold Pose and lie back on your mat/floor.

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 legs, bending at the knees ~90 degrees and keeping them together.
Exhale and bring your knees to the ground on your right side. Shift your gaze to your left fingertips.
Stay here for 30 seconds. Close your eyes and really relax into this posture.
Inhale and raise your knees back up, bringing them back to the center with your hips grounded. Exhale and release your legs back to the floor
Repeat on your left side.

15. Side Reclining Scissors Flow

Transition: Release from Supine Spinal Twist Pose, and roll over onto your right side.

Inhale and raise both legs away from the floor, pointing your toes and creating a v-shape with your legs to resemble scissors.
On your next inhale, raise your right leg (the leg on the bottom hovering just a few inches away from the floor) higher up and swing your top leg behind it.
Move your legs back to the starting position, this time taking your top leg forward and your bottom leg slightly back.
Flow through these movements for 30 seconds on this side, picking up the speed while keeping your movements controlled.
Release from the pose, then switch sides and repeat.

16. Side Reclining Leg Lift (Anantasana)

Transition: From Side Reclining Scissors Flow, relax your legs, bend your right elbow, and prop your head up on your right hand.

Bend your left knee, bringing your foot close enough for you to grab your toes. Use your thumb, index, and middle fingers to grab your big toe.
Inhale and slowly straighten your leg upward (or get it as close to straight as you can).
Spend 30 seconds breathing here, trying to deepen the stretch with each breath.

PEAK FLOW

1. Palm Tree Pose w/ Bound Elbows (Baddha Urdhva Hastasana)

Transition: From Side Reclining Leg Lifts, slowly work your way up to standing.

Begin in Mountain Pose.
Inhale and extend your arms upward, grabbing the opposite elbow with each hand. Close your eyes and focus on centering yourself.
Remain here for 30 seconds, breathing deeply.

2. Mountain Pose Tiptoes Flow (Tadasana)

Begin in Mountain Pose.
Inhale deeply and sweep your arms up in the air as you rise up onto your tiptoes.
On the exhale, sweep your arms back down to your sides and plant your feet firmly back on the floor.
Repeat this movement as you breathe for 2-3 breath cycles.

3. Five-Pointed Star Pose (Utthita Tadasana)

Turn to face the left side of your mat and come into a wide-legged stance with both feet pointing forward.
Inhale your arms up, extending them into a T-shape at shoulder height.
Hold this pose for 30 seconds, breathing deeply.

4. Revolved Wide-Legged Forward Fold Pose (Parivrtta Prasarita Padottanasana)

Begin in a wide-legged stance with your arms extended to the sides in a T-shape.
Inhale deeply, then exhale and hinge at the hips to lean your torso forward until it is parallel to the floor.
On your next exhale, gently twist so that you’re facing to the right. The fingertips of your left hand should graze the floor/mat, while the right arm extends skyward.
Breathe here for 30 seconds, then release from the twist.

5. Goddess Pose (Utkata Konasana)

Transition: Inhale yourself back up from Revolved Wide-Legged Forward Fold.

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

6. Revolved Side Angle Pose (Parivrtta Parsvakonasana)

Transition: Release from Goddess Pose, step your legs together, and return to the front of your mat.

Step your left leg back, keeping your right foot forward.
Bend your right knee and shift your weight slightly forward, coming onto the ball of your left foot to lunge over your right leg.
Bring your palms together in front of your chest, pushing them together.
Inhale and lengthen the spine, then exhale and try to extend further forward.
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.

7. Revolved Side Angle Pose w/ Hand to Floor (Parivrtta Parsvakonasana)

From Revolved Side Angle Pose, exhale your left hand to the floor.
Inhale your right arm overhead, bringing your upper arm next to your ear. Softly shift your gaze skyward.
Remain here for 30 seconds.

8. Half Moon Pose (Ardha Chapasana)

Transition: Tuck your toes, lift your left knee, and shift your weight forward onto your right foot.

Inhale and push down through your right foot, extending your right leg straight.
Once you’ve got your balance, inhale your left foot off the ground, extending it straight behind you as you lengthen your torso forward. Reach your left arm straight up toward the ceiling.
Remain here for 30 seconds, keeping the core engaged and right leg strong.

9. Warrior III Pose (Virabhadrasana III)

In Half Moon Pose, remain balanced on your right leg and pivot your pelvis so that it squarely faces the front of your mat.
Inhale your arms up, extending them either straight ahead of you or straight out to each side. Feel the energy flowing through your arms as you lengthen your side body.
Slowly begin to shift your weight onto your right leg, firming the inner thighs and engaging the core.
Inhale and lift your left leg, extending it straight and pressing through the heel. If you can, try to lift your leg so that it creates a straight line from the crown of your head to the heel of your left leg. Keep the right leg engaged, keeping it straight with a slight bend.
Challenge yourself to stay in this pose for 30 seconds, continuing to breathe deeply.

10. Runner's Lunge Pose (Utthita Ashwa Sanchalanasana)

Transition: From Warrior III Pose, extend the left leg back behind you once more, coming onto the tiptoes/ball of your left foot.

Bring both palms to the floor, planting them on either side of your right foot as you bend your right knee to come into a lunge.
Breathe here for 30 seconds.

11. Revolved Lunge Pose (Parivrtta Utthita Ashwa Sanchalanasana)

Beginning in Runner’s Lunge Pose, inhale your right arm straight into the air, taking a gentle twist to the right. Shift your gaze to look up toward your right hand.
Breathe here for 30 seconds.

12. Goddess Pose w/ Eagle Arms (Utkata Konasana)

Transition: Release from Revolved Lunge Pose, rotate both feet to face the left side of your mat, and come into a wide-legged stance.

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

Repeat poses 1-12, switching to the opposite side as necessary for asymmetrical poses.

13. Boat Pose (Navasana)

Transition: Release from Goddess Pose and come into a seated position on your mat with your spine tall and legs extended in front of you.

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.

14. Reverse Table Top Pose (Ardha Purvottanasana)

Transition: Release from Boat Pose. Keep your torso leaned back as you release your right leg from Boat 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.

15. Bridge Pose (Setu Bandha Sarvangasana)

Transition: Release from Reverse Table Top and lower back to the floor to lie supine.

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.

COOL DOWN

1. Fish Pose (Matsyasana)

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

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.
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. 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.

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.
Remain here and breathe deeply for 60 seconds.

3. Half Wind Release Pose (Ardha Pavanmuktasana)

Start out lying supine on your mat with your legs hip-width apart. Engage your feet, pushing your heels away from you.
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.
Breathe here for 30 seconds, then release to the starting position and repeat with the left leg.

4. Wind Release Pose (Pavanmuktasana)

Begin in a supine position 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.

5. Scorpion Twist Pose (Vrschikasana)

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

Bring your arms into a T-shape with palms facing the ground.
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.
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.

Start from Reclining Bound Angle Pose (Supta Baddha Konasana).
As you inhale, bring the soles of your feet together, allowing the outer edge of your knees to drop to the sides.
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.
Continue repeating this movement for 30-60 seconds.
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.

Beginning in a supine position, bend your knees and plant your feet on the floor at the outer edges of your mat.
Extend your arms straight out on the ground beside you in a T shape.
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.
Inhale and lean both knees to the right, slowly lowering them toward the ground as far as you comfortably can.
Spend 30 seconds here, breathing deeply, then exhale and lift your knees back to the starting position.
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.

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.
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.
Breathe deeply here for 30 seconds.
On an inhale, slowly straighten your left leg and sink it back down to the floor.
Gently remove your right ankle from your left thigh, straightening your right leg and releasing it back down to the floor.
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.

Starting in a supine position, bend your knees and plant your feet on the floor.
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.
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.
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.

Inhale, then exhale and cross your right leg over the left.
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.
Remain here, breathing deeply for 30 seconds, then inhale and return to the starting position.
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.

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.