One my biggest challenges is simply rolling out my mat then stepping onto it. For the longest time I felt that if I did not have a complete hour or longer to dedicate to asana & pranayama, the practice simply wasn't worth doing. However the "hour" rarely, if ever presented itself. & I found myself just getting tighter & crankier.
So, practice, whether it consists of 5 minutes of pranayama & 5 minutes of meditation or holding one pose then a counterpose on both sides of the body is still practice - & very beneficial.
So, here is a suggestion for a short 15 - 20 minute asana practice to help you ground, center & quiet your mind for the challenges of your day or to unwind after a busy day.
*As always, practice with compassion and gratitude for your physical abilities. Please consult your doctor before practicing asana, pranayama or any exercise
program.
1. Tadasana(mountain) - finding your posture - acknowledging your breath - grounding down through the feet, lengthening up through the side body, opening the heart center, quieting the mind - breathing in gratitude, compassion & acceptance.
2. standing yoga mudra holding for 5 breaths
3. uttanasana(forward fold) - place hands on shins or thighs - inhale lengthen/straighten through the spine - exhale uttanasana - 3x
4. Rishi's posture - hold for 3-5 breaths each side - relax into uttanasana in between left and right side
5. uttanasana
6. Inhale to tadasana - moving into a slight backbend
7.chandrasana (standing crescent moon)- both sides- 3-5breaths
8. uttanasana
9. Rt. foot steps back - high lunge arms overhead - 3-5 breaths
10 exhale into low lunge. Move w/the breath, straighten the front leg w/the exhalation & bend w/the inhalation 5x
11. Low lunge - arms overhead
12. High lunge
13. Rotate into utkata konasana (goddess pose)
14. In utkata konasana, inhale arms overhead, straighten legs. Exhale into goddess with hands on thighs - kapalabhati breath. Inhale arms overhead, straight legs. Repeat 3x
15. Tadasana
16. Steps 8-13 on opposite side. Hold utkata konasana for 3- 5 breaths
17. Tadasana
18. vrksasana (tree pose) - rt. knee bent - 3-5 breaths
19. Step back w/right foot - lunge. Move through a sun salutation slooowly. Hold each element for 3 - 5 breaths.
20. Tadasana
21. Steps 18-20 opposite side
22.malasana (yogic squat)
23. baddha konasana (cobbler's pose)
24. Navasana (boat pose)
25. Move from navasana into baddha konasana - 3 - 5 x
26. baddha konasana - relax forward w/a straight spine.
27. supta baddha konasana (reclined cobbler's pose) relax here as long as you need.
28. Savasana
Namaste
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