| All you need is a comfortable space to place your | | | | them with the palm of the hands toward the ceiling. |
| yoga mat...preferably just over an inch thick to | | | | Hold this for 5-15 breaths. Release the fingers and |
| protect the median nerve in the wrist joint. | | | | reach the torso forward, folding out front until you |
| Sit down in a crossed leg position with the sit bones | | | | feel a stretch in the hips and lower back. Hold for |
| rooting to the floor...As you push down through your | | | | 5-15 breaths. Reach to the left, hold for 5 breaths, |
| sit bones, lift up, through the entire torso....Visualize | | | | and reach to the right, hold for 5 breaths. Bring the |
| the top of the head reaching toward the ceiling. Draw | | | | arms back to the center, begin to flatten the back |
| your shoulder blades into your back. Broaden your | | | | and bring the arms back in toward the shins until your |
| collar bones, spreading the chest muscles without | | | | back to a seated, upright position. |
| pushing your front ribs forward. Pull your belly up and | | | | Come to the hands and knees on your mat. Bring the |
| in toward the spine... With each inhalation expand | | | | wrists directly under the shoulders, and the knees |
| through your front ribs as if you had a balloon in the | | | | directly below the hips. Begin to round the back, |
| belly. With each exhalation contract your belly, | | | | seperating the shoulder blades, and then reverse the |
| working the abdominal muscles to keep your lower | | | | motion, drawing the shoulder blades down the back, |
| back lifting out of the hips as you sit. Hold this for 5 | | | | lifting the tail bone and then top of the head |
| to 10 minutes or until you feel like you are struggling | | | | simultaneously. Do this for 2 minutes or until the |
| to stay lifted. Avoid any compression through the | | | | muscles that house the spine begin to feel warm and |
| low back and use a blanket or pillow to sit up on if | | | | more elastic. |
| the exercise alone is challenging for you. You would | | | | With the spine neutral and back to the hands and the |
| also benefit from the aid of a prop if your knees are | | | | knees, curl the toes, lift the hips and move into |
| not able to drop toward the floor, which is an | | | | downward facing dog. Allow the knees to be slightly |
| indication of extremely tight hips and/ or hamstrings. | | | | bent and shift the weight back into the legs. Move |
| Lifting yourself up onto a prop will help you to feel | | | | the shoulder blades down the back, and squeeze the |
| much more at ease in the pose. | | | | arms into the ears. Continue to lengthen the spine |
| The beauty of yoga is that we do what we can, | | | | and gentle start to work the top of the thighs, |
| when we can. It is your time with you...Listen to your | | | | dropping the heels toward the floor, without forcing... |
| body and adjust accordingly. We all have good days | | | | Hold for 5- 10 breaths and come down to the floor, |
| and bad days and part of yoga is heightening the | | | | resting into "child's pose"... (knees to the floor, hips |
| internal awareness so that we embrace exactly | | | | drop back into the heels, arms rest along your sides). |
| where we are today. | | | | Continue this until you feel like you need rest and try |
| Staying seated in this position, drop the head toward | | | | again... |
| the floor gently and roll the neck side to side... Do this | | | | You are on your way to a yoga practice! Each day |
| for a few breathes or until your feel like your ready | | | | you will feel like you can hold each pose a little bit |
| for the next pose..Let each breathe initiate each | | | | longer. Stay present with the breath. The breathe is |
| movement and not the reverse. Stay connected with | | | | the single most important component to the practice. |
| the breathe. If you lose the breathe, stop, and | | | | There are several books and videos to help ease you |
| reconnect. | | | | into your practice. |
| Next inhale the arms up over your head, interlace | | | | |