Try this quick 20 minute practice every day for the next 21 days. It is designed to mobilize your joints, bring cleansing circulation to your organs and energize your thinking. It is recommended to keep a notebook or journal handy and record your impressions post practice each day. These quick notes are for you alone and will help you see the changes in real time.
- Joint Freeing Series – this simple sequence of stretches prepares your body for full poses. Try one of these videos to lead you through.
2. Sun Salutations – one round of this classical combination of postures will create some heat to begin the transformation. Choose the type that best suits you physical needs (there’s even one that uses a chair so no pressure on knees!) from here.
3. Spinal Balance – from hands and knees (place hands on chair if knees on floor doesn’t work), lift one leg up and back, parallel to floor. Keep hips square to floor (this is very important!). Hug muscles into the center of your body to stabilize core. Slowly lift opposite arm alongside ear. Hold for five breaths each side. Repeat once.
4. Bridge Pose – Do the posture five times dynamically, inhaling as you lift hips and exhaling as you lower. Then hold posture five breaths. Keep knees pointing straight ahead and isometrically magnetize heels back toward your body to engage the hamstrings. Imagine lifting the hips from the back of the buttocks where it meets the legs. How high you lift the hips isn’t that important but keeping your low back spacious and comfortable is very important.
5. Wide Legged Supine Twist – lie on back. Place feet mat width apart, or wider. Inhale with knees center and exhale, drop knees to one side. Repeat to each side five times, then hold on one side for five breaths. Slide arms out away from body to open chest to deep breaths. Support legs with pillows or blankets so you don’t have a big stretch sensation anywhere but feel the earth is hugging you from underneath. This video shows the set up ( it’s the third video down – hip flexor release).
6. Alternate Nostril Breathing – this breathing technique creates a nimbleness in the frontal lobes of the brain. When we want to get creative to solve life’s challenges, or bring our “A” game, fire on all cylinders with 5 – 10 rounds of this breath. This video shows how (it’s the third video down on the page, “practice 1/6 : alternate nostril breathing”).
7. Take a few minutes to jot in your journal. These questions may inspire you:
How does my body feel right now?
What word, principle or mantra would I like to take into my day?
How may I be of service today?
This practice guideline is intended to inspire you to embrace yoga as a tool for positive change. It is very general. If you would like a personalized plan, consider Small Group Yoga Therapy. There are new sessions starting soon.
Namaste.