yoga journal usa - special issue 1 2016

7/21/2019 Yoga Journal USA - Special Issue 1 2016

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LIFT YOURMOOD

YOGA FOR FINDINGJOY & BALANC

POSES TO SOOTHAN ACHING BAC

All-dayenergyPOSES THAT REFRESH

Find your yoga style

Create your own sequences

Build a solid foundation

GET-STARTED

FUNDAMENTALS

PLUS!

SPECIAL ISSUE

Feelyour

best!

STRONGCORE

sequencesto calm,strengthenand heal

ESSENTIAPOSES FOR A

A COMPLETE GUIDE TO

YOGA AT HOME


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Y O G A A T H O M E S P E C I A L

yogajournal.com

Cover Credits: Photo: Joe Hancock; model: Nancy-Kate Rau;hair/makeup: Ashley Smith; prop stylist: Allie Liebgott; top:Beyond Yoga; bottoms: Onzie


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This publication contains stories reprinted from previous issues of Yoga Journal.Information that may have changed over time has not been updated. The exercise instructions and advice presented in this magazine

are designed for people who are in good health and physically fit. They are no t intended to substitute for medical counseling. The creators, producers, participants, and distributors ofYoga Journal disclaim any liability

for loss or injury in connection with the exercises shown or the instruction and advice expressed herein.

In This Issue

Editors Letter

SECTION : Ready, Set, Go!

Why Have a Home Practice?A step-by-step guide to starting

a personal practice. BY JASON CRANDELL

PLUS:Yoga benefits, essential props,

home-practice roadblocks, and how

to bring your studio sessions home

SECTION : Build a StrongFoundationA fun way to find your ideal

yoga style, plus four foundational

practices

What Sequence Is Right for YouToday? A decision tree

Salute the Sun BY RICHARD ROSEN

Center Yourself BY LARISSA HALL CARLSON

Embrace the UnfamiliarBY CLAIRE MISSINGHAM

Warm Yourself UpBY LARISSA HALL CARLSON

SECTION : Create YourOwn Practice

The ABCs of Sequencing Learn the basics so you can

create a personal practice.

BY JASON CRANDELL

Build Your Own Sequence:Mix-and-Match

A menu of warm-ups, standing

poses, arm balances, inversions,

backbends, twists, forward bends,

and closing poses to choose from

SECTION : Wake UpAndWind Down With EaseMorning and evening sequences

Wake Up Gently BY KIRA SLOANE

Get an Energy BoostBY GINA CAPUTO

Find Your Focus BY TIFFANY CRUIKSHANK

Stretch Away StiffnessBY PAIGE ELENSON

Quiet Your Busy MindBY BARBARA BENAGH

Restore Yourself BY CORA WEN

Shed the Days StressBY DEBORAH BURKMAN

Feel Calm and CenteredBY ALANNA KAIVALYA

SECTION : Feel Happyand ConfidentSequences to boost your mood

and self-assurance

Give Yourself a Break BY LILIAS FOLAN

Take Care of You, TooBY CHELSEA JACKSON ROBERTS

Find Your Bliss BY TIAS LITTLE

Let Go of Stress BY BIBI MCGILL

Have a Little Fun BY SIANNA SHERMAN Find Calm Amid Challenge BY RICHARD ROSEN

Feel Unstoppable BY YOGI BHAJAN

Set a Goaland Meet ItBY ALEXANDRIA CROW

Cultivate Poise and GraceBY AME WREN

Grow Your Power BY PATRICIA WALDEN

Stand Your Ground BY NIKKI COSTELLO

Prep for Success BY BARON BAPTISTE

SECTION : Live HealthySequences to make you feelbetterand stronger

Breathe Easy BY MARLA APT

Turn Back the ClockBY SRI DHARMA MITTRA

Cleanse Your SystemBY CLAIRE MISSINGHAM

Open Up Tight Hips BY BARON BAPTISTE

Support Your SpineBY DEBORAH BURKMAN

Take Care of Your BackBY ANDREA FERRETTI

Power Up Your CoreBY JOHN SCHUMACHER

Tone Your Abs BY ANA FORREST

Open Yourself Up BY ANNIE CARPENTER

Flip for Wild Thing PoseBY AMY IPPOLITI

Wring Out Your AngstBY KATHRYN BUDIG

Power Up Your LegsBY ELISE LORIMER

Strong-Arm Yourself BY DAREN FRIESEN

Get Into Balance BY ALEXANDRIA CROW

Index to Sequences

Closing Thoughts


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EDITORS LETTER

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THERES A WONDERFUL old joke that goes

something like this: Whats the best way

to get to Carnegie Hall? Practice, practice,

practice. I thought of it often as we were

creating this issue, because the best way to

really make yoga part of your life is to practice,

practice, practiceat home.

But the idea of establishing a home practice

can sound intimidating. Im sure youve heard

some of the myths: You have to practice at

least an hour a day! You must have a dedicated

yoga room! You need to know how to sequencea class! Lets put those ideas to rest right now.

The truth is, establishing a home practice is easier than you think. In

fact, you already have all you really need: Dedication; at least 15 minutes

most days (you can find that in your busy schedule, right?); and some

guidanceincluding practice sequencesto get you started, which

youre holding in your hands right now.

In this special issue, well tell you about the many benefits of home

practice (page 8), as well as the simple props youll need (page16). Next,

check out our decision tree (page 2o)to help you figure out what kind of

practiceMorning or evening? Vigorous or relaxing?you want. Then,

to get you warmed up, we offer four foundational practices (pages 2229)

that include basic poses you should be very familiar with from classes.After that, youll find a fun mix-and-match section; consider it

a menu of poses to choose from to create your own sequences. And

finally, in sections 4, 5, and 6, we offer 34 sequences created by well-

known yoga teachers, organized by topic: morning and evening

practices (starting on page 45); practices to boost your mood and make

you feel more confident (page 63); and finally, practices that focus on

your wellness, whether its opening tight hips, easing back pain, or

strengthening your core (page 89).

We cant promise that this issue will instantly turn you into the

Leonard Bernstein or Yo-Yo Ma of yoga (after all, they practiced for

decades). But we can promise that if you make home practice a regular

part of your life, youll find that not only do you feel calmer and better,but you also have greater confidence and emotional well-being. Heres

to a rewarding new habit!

Om Alone

CARIN GORRELL, Editor in Chief


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Ready,Set, Go!

IF YOURE A REGULAR AT THE YOGA STUDIO

BUT ARENT QUITE SURE HOW TO BUILD A HOME

PRACTICE, WE CAN HELP. IN THIS SECTION, WELLINTRODUCE YOU TO THE MANY SURPRISING

BENEFITS OF ROLLING OUT YOUR MAT AT HOME

AND OFFER SOME TIPS FOR GETTING STARTED.

PHOTO:JOEHANCOCK;MODEL:NANCY-KATERAU;HAIR/MAKEUP:ASHLEYSMITH;PROPSTYLIST:ALLIELIEBGOTT;TOP:MPG;M

ETALLICTOPANDBOTTOMS:BEYONDYOGA


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Why Have a


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Home Practice?If youre like most people, doing yoga means going

to class. Having a home practice? Well, that feelsintimidating. Unattainable. Even lonely. But heres

the simple truth: Its not hard to launch a home

practice, and the benefits are huge. Its where youwill really learn to move at your own pace, listen

and respond to your body, and develop greater

consistency in your asanas. BY JASON CRANDELL

THE FIRST DAY of my teacher training

program, I experienced something

akin to an existential crisis. It didnt

have anything to do with awakening

kundalinior realizing my true Self.Sadly, it was much more mundane:

It hit when I realized that in order

to participate in the program, I

had to agree to have my own home

practice. If you roll out your yoga

mat at home, I was told, youll find

the freedom to experiment, to evolve,

and to become your own best teacher.

A few days later, when I unrolled

my sticky mat at home alone for

the first time, I wanted to bolt.

Up until then, my idea of yoga wasattending a class, which is kind of

like being chauffeured around town,

sitting comfortably in the back seat,

enjoying the scenery. Practicing at

home was totally foreign to me. It

was as if someone handed me car

keys but no map. I recognized great

potential for freedom in my journey,

but I was reluctant to go it alone

I was scared Id get lost.

Since that day of reckoning, Ive

talked to enough friends and students

about home practices to know Im

not alone. Many of useven after

we realize its benefitsresist. We tell

ourselves that we dont have enough

space or time, or that we simply

dont know what to do. Or we hold

a romanticized vision of the perfect

home practice and feel guilty when

our reality doesnt match the fantasy.

Im living proof that suchresistance, however natural, is not

impossible to overcome. Over time,

Ive grown to love my home practice.

Mark Whitwell, an internationally

known teacher from the Heart

of Yoga Association and a strong

proponent of personal practice,

describes it best: When you practice

at home, you get to explore the

exquisite relationship between the

body and the breath and life itself.

The whole reason for doing yogais to enjoy this relationship, this

natural intimacy with life.


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READY, SET, GO!

The key to feeling the way

Whitwell does is dropping self-

imposed expectations. Your practice

should be something you look forward

to, and your expectations need to berealistic. You dont have to practice

for an hour and a half doing the

full primary series of Ashtanga

on bamboo floors, surrounded by

fountains and statues of Ganesh.

You dont eventhough there are

folks who surely disagree with me

have to practice in utter silence,

filled with restraint and completely

undistracted. For most of us, thats

not possible. But if your time on

the mat is nourishing, your homepractice will become a refuge rather

than another item on your to-do list.

And it will take you places you may

never have thought to go.

With that in mind, heres a

step-by-step guide to get you started

on your own home practice:

. Make a date (even a shortone) with your mat.Most yoga classes are 6o to 9o

minutes long, so you might assumeyou need to practice that long at

home, too. But its fine to practice

for smaller chunks of time. Start

with 3o minutes three to four times

a week. If thats not possible, try 15

to 2o minutes, an amount of time

you can probably fit in most days.

When my time is constrained and

I cant indulge in a full practice, I aim

for 2o minutes twice a daymaybe

Sun Salutations in the morning and

calming forward bends to finish my

day. These short intervals give me

what I need to feel balanced and

refreshed in the morning and quietand calm before I head to bed. (See

Section 4, pages 4561, for a variety

of morning and evening practices.)

Most teachers agree that a

2o-minute practice every day is

more valuable than an hour and

a half twice a week; the body and

mind learn better from repetition

than occasional dabbling.

If your time is limited,

practicing for 15 to 2o minutes

provides ample time to align yourday and come home to your body,

says international yoga teacher Sarah

Powers. Doing a little bit of yoga

every day is ideal for managing daily

stress, bringing yourself into your

body, and settling your mind.

Regular mat time also builds a

habit that soon becomes ingrained.

When you do yoga at home every

day, its like taking a shower, says

Whitwell. You wouldnt dream of

not taking a shower, and you dontcongratulate yourself for doing it

every day. So doing a daily practice

doesnt have to be a heroic activity

you impose on yourself. Its just

a simple, natural pleasure. If

necessary, write your practice

into your calendarin pen.

When life gets hectic, integrate

your practice when you can. If you

have 4o minutes while your clothes

If your time on the mat is nourishing, your home practice willbecome a refuge rather than another item on your to-do list. And it

will take you places you may never have thought to go.


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Benefits of a Home Practice

. You can tailor your practice to fit your mood.If youre tired, do a restorative practice.

If youre feeling strong, choose a strenuous one.

. You can practice daily.Even if youre juggling a hectic schedule and think you dont havetime to practice, take a deep, cleansing breath and think again. Yes, you might not have time to go

to class, but you can still roll out your mat at home for minutes. Or . Or . Your body and mind

will thank you.

. You can set your own personal goals.Maybe its a -day challenge. Maybe its working

your way up to a difficult pose. But practicing toward your goal, not a teachers, is a great motivator.

And once you reach it, you may just realize that you are capable of more than youd thought.

. It can provide instant stress relief.If youre in the middle of a conflict at home or at work,

a vigorous practice can clear your mind. If you wake up already feeling exhausted by the day in front

of you, it can create fortitude.

. You can be yourself.When youre at home, you dont have to worry about striving to please

a teacher or impress your fellow students. The only person you are performing for is yourself. Even

though we all know yoga is not intended to be competitive, it can be hard to maintain your inner

focus when your neighbor in class is opening into a gorgeous backbend that feels totally out of

your reach. The truth is, actually achieving that backend is not important. Working with your own

backbends, at your own pace, is.

. There are no distractions.That means you can focus on how your body is feeling and

your mind is reacting. Without your teachers voice guiding your every move, you can more easily

go inside and witness what is happening in your body, emotions, and mind. Youll feel what your

body craves or rebels against, hear your minds chatter, and become aware of your current mood.

. Youll develop more inner awareness.As you do, youll get better at tailoring your

practice to meet your needs, and over time, become your own best teacher. As yoga teacher Mark

Whitwell says, Doing yoga at home is profoundly different from doing it under the direction of

someone else in class. When youre doing someone elses yoga, youre not doing your own yoga.

Its a huge evolutionary step to learn how to practice for yourself.

. You can focus on perfecting specific poses.Home practices allow you to work on poses

that challenge you for as long as you likein privacy. Just learned a new pose? Home practice is

where you can refine it or make adjustments to help you get where you want.

. Its portable.You can take your practice on the road. Rodney Yee, who teaches yoga around

the world, has a faithful routine for when hes on the go. Ill start my practice with a template

of familiar and satisfying hip openers, he says. Then, as my body wakes up, Ill listen to what is

happening inside and decide where to go next. Some days its twists and backbends or pranayama

and restoratives; other days Ill go straight to inversions.

. Its free!Going to a class taught by an experienced, hands-on teacher is a wonderful way

to learn and perfect your practice, but most of us are on a budget, right?

READY, SET, GO!


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are in the washer, terrific. But if you

only have the energy and time for

a 1o-minute restorative pose while

dinner is in the oven, thats OK, too.

Instead of falling off the wagon, use

your practice to sustain you when

times are tough. Youll feel good and

be more likely to come back to longer

practice times when youre able.

. Make a space.A designated yoga area can help

you cultivate awareness; as you

practice in the same spot day after

day, you will notice how the light

shifts in different seasons, how your

body feels on different days, how

your mind greets the same space

with new thoughts. Fundamentally,

dedicating space to your practice

is a way to acknowledge your

commitment to yoga. You are

literally making room for it in your

life. And really any space will do.

Big or small doesnt matter, says

Jagatjoti S. Khalsa, a Portland,

Oregonbased innovation director

and author ofAltar Your Space.

. Have a plan.Set a timer for the amount of time

that you can commit and practice

at least that long. Although you

may begin your practice reluctantly,

Powers says, youll find that 15

minutes go by quickly, and you might

actually want to spend more time on

your mat.

Five Big Home Practice Wreckers

Ooh, LookShiny! Distractions Whatever you do, do notput your smartphone at the

front of your mat so you can see it light up with incoming messages. Youll be tempted to stop

and look at it during every Chaturanga or Cobra, telling yourself it will only take a second. But if

you let yourself stop mid-practice to answer an email once, youll do it again. And before you know

it, youll be at your desk, back at work, vowing to pick up where you left off on the mat tomorrow.

The Loosey-Goosey Approach If youre relying on the spirit moving you to unroll your

mat, you might wait a long timeespecially if youre busy. Its great to follow your intuition once

youve started practicing, but if its not based on some kind of structure, its not likely to turn into a

longstanding daily practice. Schedule it in. Dont wait until you feel desperate to move and de-stress.

Procrastination Heres how this works: You know you should practice at your designated time,

but youre on a roll with the project youve been working on, or your stomach is rumbling and you

need a snack, or Netflix just released the next season of your favorite show. There will always be

other things to do; learn to make yoga your favorite way to procrastinate other to-dos.

The Slippery Slope This one comes after procrastinating and missing your practice. You start to

think, I missed it yesterday, so whats one more day going to hurt? And so begins a cycle that can

go on for weeks, or even months. Remember that the sooner you get back on your mat, the faster

that slope levels out.

Looking for Inspiration in All the Wrong Places Reading an article about someone elses

yoga experience is not the same as practicing yourself. Trust us on this one. You may be able to find

inspiration from others, but it only becomes tangible when you find inspiration on your own mat

through your own experiences.

READY, SET, GO!


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continued on page 16

Its also helpful to decide which

poseor sequenceyoud like to

work on before heading to your mat.

For guidance, choose from among

this issues 38 sequences designed

by well-known yoga teachers, which

focus on everything from waking up

refreshed in the morning to calming

frazzled nerves to building strengthor curing an aching back.

. Keep it simple.When youre ready to build a

sequence from scratch, tune in to

which body parts are calling out

to you. Do you want to open your

achy hips or stretch your shoulders?

Would it be fun to focus on forward

bends or backbends? Look at the

yoga categoriesstanding poses,

forward bends, twists, backbends,

shoulder openers, inversionsand

pick poses from each. For example, if

your hips are achy and your shoulders

are sore from sitting at the keyboard

all day, do four hip-opening poses,

four shoulder-opening poses, and

some seated twists. (See Section 3,starting on page 31, for help on mixing

and matching poses to create your own

sequence.)

Finally, Sun Salutations are a

great standalone series of poses to

do at any time, whether you do them

vigorously or gently (see pages 2223

for a simple Sun Salutation sequence).

They warm you up and work your


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Bringing YourClasswork HomeOne important way that home practices

add value is to complement, round out,

and refine the work you do in class. Here

are a few tips to help you do so:

Seek out the right teachers.The bestyoga teachers actually want you to be better

than them. If you find a teacher you like,

schedule a private session and ask for help

developing sequences to do at home that

cater to your needs, whether that is working

on a health condition or focusing on a

particular pose or group of poses.

Keep a journal by your mat during

class.Write down aspects of a sequence

that you enjoy, as well as poses that you find

challenging. Then make a note of how youfeel after class: Energized? Relaxed? Less

anxious? Revisit poses youd like to improve,

and sequences that made you feel physically

and emotionally balanced.

Remember that you are your own

best guru. So pay attention as teachers

demonstrate poses, verbalize poses, and

assist or adjust you in poses, but bear in mind

that no one but you really knows how a pose

feels in your body.

Finally, consider teacher training.

Even if you dont ever intend to teach a class

yourself, training is a great way to advance

your personal practice.


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P H O T O S : J E F F N E L S O N ; M O D E L : E M I L Y L Y T L E ; S T Y L I S T : E

M I L Y C H O I ; H A I R / M A K E U P : A N N A M I T T O N A N D K R I S T E N M c G U C K I N ;

whole body, so they dont require

specific preparation or cooling down.

. Try to have a defaultsequence.Once youve been practicing at home

for awhile, you might notice that you

naturally gravitate toward a group

of poses over and over again. Make

this grouping your go-to routine

for the days youre too busy or too

uninspired to come up with an

original sequence. (You can find four

foundational practices in Section 2,on pages 2229.)

. Pace yourself.Whether you practice for 15 minutes

or two hours, its important to have

a beginning and an end to each

session. Begin by getting quiet.

Devote a few minuteseither while

seated or while standing in Tadasana

(Mountain Pose)to bring your

The Essential Props Youll NeedA yoga prop isnt like training wheels on a bicyclesomething that only

beginners use to keep from crashing to the ground. Rather, props are tools

that give yoga practitioners of all levels more stability, better alignmentand,

ultimately, freedom. Here are the basics that you need:

A yoga mat:It will provide cushioning and, just as important, a nonslip surface for sweaty feet

and hands.

One or two blocks:Super-versatile, wood, foam, or cork blocks offer

three different heights to help you position yourself comfortably: When you

feel tight, they bring the floor up to you in forward or side bends. They can

also be squeezed between the thighs to provide proper engagement of

the legs, and they can offer comfort, safety, and reassurance in poses

like Pigeon or Bridge.

Straps:If you have tight shoulders or hamstrings, straps extend your

reach, effectively making your arms longer in poses like Cow Face, and

can be looped around the upper arms or legs to prevent them from

sliding apart.

Blankets: Multipurpose props, tight-weave blankets can

be folded into crisp layers to provide extra cushioning for your lower back,

shoulders, or hips. They will also keep you warm in Savasana.

A bolster: It provides comfort and support in restorative poses like

Savasana or Childs Pose, as well as floor poses like Legs-up-the-Wall that

call for longer hold times.

And a few optional ones...A chairfor support in backbends, a small sandbag to help ground you during certain floor

postures, and an eye pillowto help calm you during restorative poses or Savasana. Finally, dont

forget aglass of water.

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READY, SET, GO!

focus to your breath, to meditate,

or just to feel still. Pause from your

busy day and come into the present

moment. Likewise, finish your

practice quietly by doing a few easy

supine posesperhaps a restorative

pose like Viparita Karani (Legs-up-

the-Wall Pose)and then go into

Savasana (Corpse Pose), lying on

your back with your legs relaxed,

your eyes closed, and your palms

face up. Stay for at least five minutesand come out of it slowly, allowing

yourself to ease back into the rest of

your day.

. Dont be afraid tobend the rules.When I started my home practice, I

let myself listen to NPR until it was

time for Savasana. I still occasionally

integrate other things into my

practice that give me joy, likeI

confesswatching sports. WhenI allowed myself to incorporate my

practice into the rest of my life,

I realized that I had time to practice.

If you enjoy watching CSIor reading

the Sunday New York Times, why not

pair it with a forward-bend sequence

instead of lying on the couch? If you

need a little music to get going, pop

in a CD or fire up Spotify until it has

served its purpose. Practicing like

this may not bring you the depth

of awareness that a quieter, moremeditative practice will, but it will

get you on your mat. You neednt be

self-indulgent all the time, but if you

want to consistently connect to your

body, it helps to have a practice that

you look forward to.

. Enlist the help of a friend.Yoga teacher Rodney Yee suggests

that one way to make sure you get

to your home mat is to practice

regularly with a friend. Find

someone who keeps you on the mat

and keeps you responsible for your

practice, he suggests. And let it

be a source of fun. When you feel

how much your yoga practice does

for you, youll realize that its a good

thing to do every day, because youllhave a happier life.

. Just do it.When I encourage people to practice

at home, they look at me as if Ive

just handed them a 5o-pound bag

of cement and told them to lug it up

a steep hill. Whats worse, they look

guilty because they havent started

hauling yet. Heres the secret: There

isnt any cement, and the hill isnt

so steep. Whats more, the hill hasmany paths worth exploring.

My advice is to just do it. Because

practicing at home teaches you

to witness yourself from moment

to moment, to become more

responsive to your own needs, and

to deepen your knowledge of yoga.

Plus, it just feels good. Start by

doing what you can, where you can,

when you can. Dont let the idea of

a perfect practice prevent you from

falling in love with the practice thatyou haveor the practice that is

just a few steps away.

Additional reporting: Sherise Dorf


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Build a StrongFoundationLIKE YOUR HOME ITSELF,

HOME PRACTICES ARE

STRONGEST IF THEYRE BASED ON A ROCK-SOLID

FOUNDATION. TO GET STARTED, USE THE DECISION TREE

ON THE FOLLOWING PAGES AS A GUIDE TO THE

SEQUENCES IN THIS ISSUE, INCLUDING THE FOUR

BASIC PRACTICES IN THIS SECTION.


ETALLICTOPANDBOTTOMS:BEYONDYO


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Get anEnergy Boost

p.

Find Your Focusp.

WANT TO FOCUS

ON YOUR MIND?

NEED TO CLEAR

YOUR HEAD?

FEELING LOW

ENERGY?

IS STRESS YOURMAIN CONCERN?

WANT TO GET

IN TOUCH WITHYOUR INNER

CHILD?

JUST GIVE

YOURSELF

A BIG HUG.

GET A SHOT OF

CONFIDENCE.

CultivatePoise and Grace

p.

Let Go of Stressp.

Wring Out YourStressp.

Set a Goaland Meet Itp.

Grow Your Powerp.

Prep for Successp.

Give Yourself a Breakp.

Take Care of You, Toop.

Have a Little Funp.

Find Your Blissp.

Breathe Easyp.

Turn Back the Clockp.

USE THESE TO

PREP FOR A BIG

DAY AHEAD.

Wake Up Gentlyp.

StretchAway Stiffness

p.

What Sequence Is Right for You Today?START BY

CHOOSING

TIME OF

DAY


MIDDAY

NEED HELP

GETTING GOING?

BLEARY-EYED

OR ACHY?

HERES SOME

INSPIRATION

TO THROW

OFF YOUR COZY

COVERS.

Salute the Sunp.

Warm Yourself Upp.

MORNING


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Quiet Your Busy Mindp.

Restore Yourselfp.

DO YOU HAVE

MUSCULAR OR

JOINT ISSUES?

IS IT YOUR

BACK?

LETS WORK ON

THE HIPS.

FEEL BALANCED

INSIDE.

JUST LOOKING

FOR A GOOD

WORKOUT?

WANT TO

FOCUS ON

STRENGTHENING

YOUR LEGS?

YOUR CORE?

YOUR ARMS?

BE A

SUPERHERO:

EXERCISE YOUR

WHOLE BODY.

Open Up Tight Hipsp.

Support Your Spinep.

Take Care of Your Backp.

Embrace the Unfamiliarp.

Find Calm Amid Challengep.

Cleanse Your Systemp.


Tone Your Absp.

Power Up Your Corep.

Power Up Your Legs

p.

Get Into Balancep.

Stand Your Groundp.

Strong-ArmYourself

p.

Feel Unstoppablep.

Open Yourself Upp.

Flip for Wild Thing Posep.

WANT TO

UNWIND BUT

STILL HAVE A

FEW THINGS

TO DO BEFORE

BED?

THESE WILLTAKE YOU

STRAIGHT FROM

THE MAT TO

DREAMLAND.

Center Yourselfp.

Shed theDays Stress

p.

Feel Calm and Centeredp.

With practices in this issue, its hard to know where to begin.Let this decision tree help guide you to the perfect one.

EVENING


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Level:Beginner

Good for:Easing morning aches

Props needed:Two blocks

Intention:Gratitude for a new day

Reflection:Visualize one being(a person or animal) and feel deeply

thankful for them in your heart.

Additional benefits: Moves allthe major joints and muscle groups

Salute the SunThis Sun Salutation (Surya Namaskar) is a great basic practice.

Depending on how many times you repeat the sequence,

it can serve as either a minipractice on days when your time

is short or a warm-up for a longer session.

AS YOU PRACTICE You can alter this Sun Salutation by playing with its pace.

If you move through the sequence rapidly (by transitioning into the next pose

each time you inhale or exhale), youll warm up fairly quickly. Start with five or

six repetitions and gradually build to . Or try moving slowly and deliberately,

and youll feel how the sequence becomes a sort of moving meditation. As

you practice this way, center your awareness on some point in your body (such

as your third eye or your heart) and challenge yourself to keep your focus there

for the duration of the practice.

Sequence by Richard Rosen; model: Claire Missingham

. Tadasana (Mountain Pose) Stand with

your feet together and parallel to each other.

Stretch your arms (but not rigidly) alongside

your torso, palms forward, shoulders relaxed.

. Urdhva Hastasana(Upward Salute)

Inhale and sweep your arms overhead in wide

arcs. If your shoulders are tight, keep your

hands apart and gaze straight ahead. Other-

wise, bring your palms together, drop your

head back, and gaze up at your thumbs.

. Uttanasana(Standing Forward Bend)

Exhaling, release your arms in wide arcs as

you fold forward. Bend your knees if you feel

pressure on your lower back, and support your

hands on blocks if they dont reach the floor.

Release your neck so your head hangs heavily

from your upper spine.

Sun Salutations serve as an all-purpose tool, kind of like a hammerthats also a saw and a screwdriver, Rosen says.


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BUILD A STRONG FOUNDATION

. Ardha Uttanasana(Half Standing

Forward Bend) Inhale and push your finger-

tips down into the floor or a block, straighten

your elbows, then lift your front torso away

from your thighs. Lengthen the front of your

torso as you arch evenly along the entire length

of your spine.

. Alanasana (High Lunge) Exhale and step

your right foot back into a lunge. Center your

left knee over the heel so that your shin is per-

pendicular to the floor, and bring your left thigh

parallel to the floor. Firm your tailbone against

your pelvis and press your right thigh up

against the resistance. Inhale, and reach back

through your right heel. Lengthen the torso

along the front of the left thigh. Look forward

without strain.

. Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward-

Facing Dog Pose) Exhale and step your left

foot back to Down Dog. Spread your palms and

soles. Press the front of your thighs back as you

press your inner hands firmly against the floor.

Imagine that your torso is being stretched like

a rubber band between the arms and legs.

. Plank Pose Inhale and bring your torso for-

ward until your shoulders are over your wrists.

Your arms will be perpendicular to the floor. Try

not to let your upper back collapse between the

shoulder blades: Press your outer arms inward,and thenagainst this resistancespread

your shoulder blades apart. Firm your tailbone

against your pelvis and press your thighs up.

. Chaturanga Dandasana(Four-Limbed

Staff Pose) Exhale as you bend your elbows

and lower to Chaturanga with your torso and

legs parallel to the floor. Keep your shoulders

lifted, away from the floor, and down, awayfrom your ears. Lift the thighs away from the

floor, lengthen your tailbone toward your

heels, and draw the lower ribs away from

the floor to avoid collapsing your lower back.

Look at the floor or slightly forward. If you cant

maintain your alignment, place your knees on

the floor until you have built more strength.

. Urdhva Mukha Svanasana (Upward-

Facing Dog Pose) Inhale, straighten your

arms, and sweep your chest forward into Up

Dog. Keep your legs active, firm your tailbone

toward your heels, and press your front thighsupward. Draw your shoulders away from your

ears. Look straight ahead or slightly upward.

. Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward-Facing Dog Pose) Exhale

back to Down Dog. To finish the Sun Salutation, step the right foot forward

into a Lunge, then step the left foot to meet it and inhale into Ardha Uttana-

sana and exhale into Uttanasana. Inhale into Urdhva Hastasana and exhale

to Tadasana. Observe your body and breath. As you repeat the sequence,

alternate legs in High Lunge each time. End in Savasana.


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P H O T O S M I C H A E L W I N O K U R M O D E L L A R I S S A H A L L C A

R L S O N S T Y L I S T L Y N H E I N E K E N H A I R / M A K E U P V E R O N I C A S J O E N

Level: Beginner

Good for: Calming frazzled nerves

Props needed:Two blocks, a blanket,and a bolster

Intention:Comfort

Reflection: Put a priority on yourcomfort. Reflect on what it feels like to

be at ease in mind and body.

Additional benefits: Lengthensthe front and back of the body in

equal measure

Center YourselfThis simple sequence will soften spots that tend to cling

to tension (lower backs, hips, thighs) and ground you with

squats, passive backbends, mild inversions, and twists.

AS YOU PRACTICE Energetically, these poses aim to rebalance apana vayu

(downward-moving energy), allowing the mind to calm and the body to relax.

This is the perfect sequence to settle frayed nerves because it includes a bal-

ance of restorative poses that invite you to rest and a few poses that require

gentle effort and balance.

Sequence and modeling by Larissa Hall Carlson

. Matsyasana (Fish Pose), supported vari-

ation Rest your head on a block in its highest

position and your mid-upper back on a blockat its middle height. Bend your knees, and place

the soles of your feet on the floor. Relax your

shoulder blades, and breathe for one to

three minutes.

. Malasana (Garland Pose) Step your

feet shoulder-width apart. Bend your knees,

and sink into a squat. Balance between the

heels and balls of your feet. Press your palms

together at heart level; press your elbows

against your inner knees.

. Supta Virasana (Reclining Hero Pose),

supported Place a bolster lengthwise at one

end of your mat and a folded blanket on its farend. Sit between your heels with the bolster

behind you, and lie back on it, head resting on

the blanket. Stay here for one to three minutes.

. Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend),

variation From standing, place your hands

on the mat, lift your hips, straighten your legs,

and fold forward. Cross your right leg behind

your left. Lengthen up through your tailbone

and down through your crown. Repeat on the

other side.

. Vrksasana (Tree Pose), variation Come

to standing. Balance on your right leg; place

your left foot against your inner right thigh(avoid the knee). Interlace your fingers; press

your palms up overhead. Pause for one to two

seconds at the end of each exhalation. Repeat

on the other side.

. Adho Mukha Svanasana(Downward-

Facing Dog Pose), variation Step or hop

back to Down Dog. Cross your right leg behind

your left. Lengthen up through your tailbone

and down through your heels. Hang your

head. At the end of each exhalation, pause

for one to two seconds.


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. Tri Pada Adho Mukha Svanasana

(Three-Legged Downward-Facing Dog

Pose) Lift your right leg to hip height.

Lengthen back through your inner right

leg, and reach through your right heel.

. Makarasana (Dolphin Pose) Come to

all fours and then onto your forearms. Inter-

lace your fingers, curl your toes under, lift yourknees and hips, and straighten your legs. Hang

your head, and lift your tailbone to lengthen

the spine. Pause at the end of each exhalation.

. Sucirandhrasana (Eye-of-the-Needle

Pose) Lie on your back; bend both knees.

Stack your right ankle on top of your left thigh.

Interlace your fingers behind the left thigh. Flex

your ankles, and guide your legs toward your

torso. Repeat on the other side.

. Pigeon Pose Lower your right knee to

the mat between your hands. Extend through

your left leg, and balance your weight between

your hips. Elongate your spine; rest your fore-

head on a block. Breathe gently into your lower

back. Repeat poses to on the other side.

. Gomukhasana (Cow Face Pose), varia-

tion Sit down, and stack your right knee on

top of your left, keeping your sitting bonesrooted between your feet. Gently twist to the

right. Relax your jaw and shoulders. Change

the cross of your legs; repeat on the other side.

. Ardha Pavanamuktasana (Half Wind-

Relieving Pose) Extend your legs flat onto

the floor. Bring your right leg toward your

chest, and interlace your fingers behind your

right thigh. Relax and lengthen through both

heels. Repeat on the other side.

. Balasana (Childs Pose), variation

Lower your hips onto your heels, and press

back to Childs Pose with straight arms. Walk

your hands to the left until you feel a good

stretch along your right torso. Gently breathe.

Repeat on other side.

. Purvottanasana(Upward Plank Pose)

Unwind your legs, and extend them in front of

you. Place your hands on the floor behind yourhips with fingers pointing toward your seat. Lift

your hips, and press the balls of your feet into

the floor. Drop your head.

. Jathara Parivartanasana (Revolved

Abdomen Pose) Bend your knees, and draw

your legs in toward your chest. Lower your legs

to the right. Hold onto your top leg with your

right hand. Relax your shoulder blades; breathe

into your left side. Repeat on the other side,

then rest in Savasana.


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Level:Beginner

Good for:Releasing tension in yourhips and shoulders

Props needed:None

Intention:Knowledge

Reflection: Bow to your innate intel-ligence. No one is wise by birth, for

wisdom results from ones own efforts.

Tirumalai Krishnamacharya, the father

of modern yoga

Additional benefits: Strengthensthe transverse and oblique abdominals;

lengthens and strengthens the hip flexors

Embrace the UnfamiliarBreak free from a rut with a practice that offers subtle

variations to common poses.

AS YOU PRACTICEWhen you consciously change a habitual action, its natu-

ral to feel a moment of discomfort or uncertainty. Be patient with yourself as

you move through these poses, and observe any unease. Remind yourself

that bringing awareness to your new habits can open you up to new ways

of doing things, on and off your mat.

Sequence by Claire Missingham; model: Jason Bowman

. Siddhasana (Adepts Pose), variation

Sit cross-legged with an open chest and tall

spine. Interlace your hands. (Remember which

leg is in front and which fingers are on top for

later.) Stretch your arms overhead and turn

your palms up.

. Parivrtta Parsvakonasana (Revolved

Side Angle Pose), variation Exhale, and

bring your hands to prayer position at your

chest. Hook your right elbow outside your left

knee to come into a twist. Gaze up over your

left shoulder.

. Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend)

Stand up with your feet hip-distance apart.

Interlace your fingers (with the atypical fingers

on top) behind you. Relax your neck, fold over

your legs, and bring your hands over. To exit,

slowly roll up to standing.

. Plank Pose Release the twist. Place your

palms flat on the mat on either side of your

front foot, and step back into Plank Pose. Draw

your belly in and lengthen through your spine,

reaching your head forward and extending

your heels back.

. Virabhadrasana I (Warrior Pose I)

On an inhalation, step your right foot back into

a lunge. With control, turn your right heel down

and your toes out degrees. Reach your arms

overhead while you lift your chest.

. Vasisthasana (Side Plank Pose), varia-

tion) Roll onto the outside of your left foot.

Stack your hips, and reach your tailbone toward

your heels. Raise your right arm, and gaze at

the top middle finger. To exit, roll down onto

your toes, and return the upper hand to mat.

Repeat poses to on other side.


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. Dhanurasana (Bow Pose) Lie on your

stomach and reach back to hold onto your

inner ankles. Press your belly, thighs, and groin

into the mat. Feel your spine move forward,

and contract your hamstrings and glutes.

Keep your neck long with the gaze gently

forward, your thighs firm, and your tailbone

tucked under.

. Prasarita Padottanasana (Wide-Legged

Standing Forward Bend) Come up to stand-

ing, and take a big step out to the side. Interlace

your fingers behind you the opposite of how

you did it in pose . Hinge at your hips to fold

forward, and bring your clasped hands over

toward the floor.

. Parivrtta Eka Pada Rajakapotasana

(Revolved One-Legged King Pigeon

Pose) Bring your right elbow to the outside

of your left knee, palms together in prayer posi-

tion, and twist to the left from deep in your

belly. Come out of the twist, and repeat poses

to on the other side.

. Tri Pada Adho Mukha Svanasana

(Three-Legged Downward-Facing Dog

Pose) Release your ankles, and come down

to the mat. Place your palms by your shoulders,

and press back into Downward-Facing Dog.

Raise your left leg, keeping your hips parallel.

. Vatayanasana with Garudasana (Horse

Pose with arms in Eagle Pose) Slowly roll

up, turn your feet out, and sit low. Raise your

arms in front, elbows bent. Cross your right

elbow on top of your left, and wrap your fore-

arms and hands. Gently sway your body six

times. Then switch arms.

. Vikasitakamalasana (Blossoming Lotus

Pose) Come to sit with the soles of your

feet together. Root your sitting bones down.

Raise your feet, thread your forearms under

your knees, and join thumbs and forefingers

together. Exit and come back to sitting.

. Eka Pada Rajakapotasana (One-Legged

King Pigeon Pose) Bring your left shin close

to parallel to the front edge of the mat. Press

your pelvis to the floor or to stacked blankets

under your left thigh. Square your hips, and lift

your belly. Press your fingertips into the floor

firmly to expand your chest up.

. Ardha Ustrasana (Half Camel Pose)

Come to kneeling. Draw up and in through

your navel. Raise your left arm back, and place

your right hand on the sole of your right foot.

Focus on the length in your sides without twist-

ing your hips. Inhale to come up. Then repeat

on the other side.

. Paschimottanasana (Seated Forward

Bend) Extend your legs forward on the mat,

and flex your feet. Take your first two fingers

around your big toes. Inhale, and lift your heart.

Exhale, lengthen your spine, and fold over your

legs for breaths. Rest in Savasana.


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Level: Beginner

Good for:Giving yourself a big hug

Props needed:One block

Intention:Anjali Mudra. Bring thepalms together and let the thumbs softly

touch the chest. Then bring the thumbs

lightly to touch the center of the brow.

Reflection: If you work on yoga, yogawill work on you. Baba Hari Dass, Indian

yoga master and monk

Additional benefits: Strengthensthe quadriceps, core, and back

Warm Yourself UpThis invigorating sequence of balancing and twisting

postures will stoke your inner fire, known as agni.

AS YOU PRACTICE To help you stay mentally calm and clear and spread the

rising heat throughout your body, breathe through your nose while slightly

constricting your throat to create the smooth, rhythmic, ocean-sounding

Ujjayi Pranayama (Victorious Breath). Breathe softly and steadily, emphasizing

complete exhalations.

Sequence by Larissa Hall Carlson; model: Katrina Lashea

. Vrksasana (Tree Pose) Shift your weight

to your left foot. Bring the sole of your right

foot to your left inner thigh. Press your palmstogether overhead. Take to breaths, paus-

ing at the end of each exhalation. Exit and

repeat on the second side.

. Parivrtta Trikonasana (Revolved Trian-

gle Pose) Place your left hand outside your

right foot. Come onto your left toes. Straighten

your legs and spin your left heel down. Twist

right, and extend your right arm up. Exit the

pose, and step feet together. Repeat poses

to on the other side.

. Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend)

Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Fold

forward from your hips. Lower your handsto the floor, bending your knees if you need to.

Lengthen up through your tailbone and down

through your crown.

. Parivrtta Utkatasana (Revolved Chair

Pose) Stand up. Bend your knees toward

a right angle, and keep your weight on your

heels. Press your palms together. Twist right,

and hook your left elbow outside your right

knee. Breathe down toward your belly and

into your midback.

. Anjaneyasana (Low Lunge), variation

Step your left foot back, and lower your knee

to the mat. Press palms together at your heart.Twist right from your waist to hook your left

elbow onto the outside of your right knee.

. Utkatasana (Chair Pose), variation

Keep your knees bent, and unwind from the

twist. Lift your arms to shoulder height, and

extend them out in front of you with palms

facing each other. Lengthen your spine, and

broaden your collarbones. Lift your heels.

Relax your gaze and jaw.


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. Malasana (Garland Pose) Step your

feet shoulder-width apart. Bend your knees,

and come into a squat. Press your palms gen-

tly together at your heart level, and press your

elbows into your inner knees.

. Tadasana (Mountain Pose) Lower your

heels to the mat. Straighten your legs, and

stand upright. Extend your arms overhead,

and relax your shoulders. Balance your weight

evenly between the balls of your feet and

heels. Lengthen through the crown of your

head and fingers.

. Anantasana(Side-Reclining Leg Lift),

variation Lie on your left side with your head

cradled in your hand. With your right hand on

the floor in front for balance, lengthen through

the heels, and lift your legs as high as possible.

Come down, and repeat on the other side.

. Bharadvajasana (Bharadvajas Twist),

variation Come to sit. Bend your knees,

and swing your feet outside your left hip. Place

your left hand on your right knee and your right

hand on the floor behind your right hip. Twist

with an even spine to the right. Come out of

the twist, and repeat on the other side.

. Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana III

(Extended Hand-to-Big-Toe Pose III)

Interlace your fingers under your right knee,

hugging it toward your chest. Grasp your right

foot with your left hand. Straighten your right

leg (as much as possible), and twist right. Your

right arm should extend at shoulder height.

. Salabhasana (Locust Pose), variation

Lie on your belly. Press your pubic bone down,

and lift your head and chest. Interlace your

fingers behind you, and draw your shoulder

blades together. Lift your legs and arms up

and back. Exit and rest for a moment.

. Purvottanasana (Upward Plank

Pose) Extend your legs out in front of you.

Place your hands behind you, fingers pointing

to your hips. Lift your hips, and press the balls

of your feet into the mat. If comfortable, drop

the crown of your head back.

. Parivrtta Ardha Chandrasana (Revolved

Half Moon Pose) Release your right foot,

and unwind the twist. Fold forward from your

hips. Lift your right leg to hip height, and place

your right hand in front of your left foot or

on a block. Twist left, and raise your left arm.

Release the pose. Repeat poses to on the

other side.

. Balasana (Childs Pose), variation

Begin to press back into Balasana, pausing part-

way to place your fists against your belly. Then

fold over your thighs. Relax your belly, and fill

your back body for to breaths. Close by

resting in Savasana.



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Create

Your Own

Practice

WANT TO PERSONALIZE YOUR HOME

PRACTICE TO FIT YOUR NEEDS, MOODS, AND

ABILITIES? IN THIS SECTION, WELL TEACH

YOU THE BASICS OF SEQUENCING, FOLLOWED

BY A MIX-AND-MATCH MENU OF ESSENTIAL

POSES TO CHOOSE FROM.




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Warm-UpsThe opening poses of a sequence wake up

the major muscle groups and provide a transi-

tion from the busyness of your day to a more

internally focused practice. It also helps if they

include breath awareness and contemplative

elements that help you direct your attention to

what is happening inside your heart and mind.

Standing PosesStanding poses create strength, stamina, and

flexibility throughout the entire body. They

work the major muscle groups, such as the

quadriceps, gluteals, hamstrings, and core.

Standing poses are the foundation of your

practice and build awareness of the equal

distribution of energy throughout your body.

The ABCs ofSequencingLearn the building blocks of sequencing, along with

the reasons behind using postures from the major pose

groups, and you can prepare a home practice that fits

your needs and flows seamlessly from beginning

to end. BY JASON CRANDELL

EVEN ADVANCED PRACTITIONERScan be uncertain about which poses to choose

for a home practice and in what order to put them together. Mastering

the refined and subtle art of sequencing takes years of studyand for

experienced teachers, sequencing is one of the most nuanced and powerful

tools they have at their disposal for creating unique, transformative classes.

But if you are a new home practitioner, you can learn some basic building

blocks that will allow you to start putting together sequences of your own

and to approach your home practice with confidence.

One way to begin creating your own at-home sequences is to familiarize

yourself with a basic template that can be modified in various ways. Inthis section, you will find a well-rounded sequence structure made up of

these fundamental pose groups: warm-ups, standing poses, arm balances,

inversions, backbends, and poses for winding down, including twists,

seated forward bends, and closing poses like Savasana. The pose categories

progress according to their intensity and the amount of preparation they

require. Each category prepares your body and mind for the next so that

your practice feels like it has a beginning, a middle, and an end that flow

seamlessly together. By following this methodology, you will create a

sequence that warms you up slowly and safely, builds in intensity before

peaking with challenging postures, and then slowly brings you back down

to a quiet, relaxed finish.

You can make your practice longer or shorter, as time permits. Andonce you understand the postural categories and the energetic effects they

have on your body, you can start to experiment with creating sequences

that suit your needs on a given day, whether its focusing on a particular

area of your body or working up to a challenging pose.

THE MAJOR POSE GROUPS


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Arm BalancesThese poses not only develop strength in the arms and shoulders

but also create muscle tone in the abdomen. Starting with poses

that place some of the weight in the arms and shoulders but keep

your feet on the ground will develop your balance and strength

for more advanced arm balances with the feet off the ground.

InversionsGetting upside down is a key element of a well-rounded practice.

These poses are stimulating to the nervous system and physically

demanding; thus, they are placed in the middle of the practice

rather than at the end.

Closing PosesClosing postures complete a sequence by quieting the mind and

relaxing the body. The closing postures like Savasana help you

surrender and absorb the practice. Youll want to spend at least to

minutes total in Savasana or another closer. And dont skimp

on your closing poseits a must.

BackbendsAlong with inversions, backbends are the most demanding in

a sequence. Backbends stretch the front of the body, strengthen

the back of the body, and balance the effects of time spent sitting

in chairs. Most people find backbending postures stimulating,

providing a burst of physical and mental energy.

Seated Forward BendsForward bends typically have a calming effect on the mind,

emotions, and nerves, which is why they are often practiced toward

the end of a sequence. These postures facilitate deep relaxation

by stretching the muscles of the back and decreasing the stimula-

tion of the sensory organs. When choosing forward bends, its ideal

to pick at least one posture that stretches the hamstrings and one

that opens the outer hips to promote greater balance in your body.

TwistsTwists relieve tension inand gently stretchthe spine, hips, and

shoulders. These poses usually produce a balanced, energetic tone

that is closer to the grounding quality of forward bends than the

stimulating nature of backbends.


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No matter what sequence you do, its important to begin with a few gentle warm-up posesthat move the major muscles, lubricate the joints, expand the breath, and begin to train yourmind to coordinate breath with movement. Try to do all of these, in this order:

Step 1: Warm-Ups

. Tadasana, with Sun BreathStand in Tadasana (Mountain Pose) and scoop

your arms out wide, gathering up energy on

an inhale until youre reaching all the way above

you. Exhale and release your arms out wide

and back down to your sides. Reach the arms

out directly in front of you and rotate the wrists

with the fingers extended. Then clasp the

thumbs and rotate the wrists in both directions.

Bend the elbows, bring the fingertips to the

shoulders, and squeeze the elbows together

in front of you. Inhale and reach up, describ-

ing big circles and exhaling as the elbows reach

toward the back. Repeat several times.

. Forward BendOn an inhale, extend the arms overhead. Exhale

and hinge forward at the hips. Bend the knees,inhale, and come up halfway. Exhale and fold

again. Repeat three to five times. When you

fold forward the last time, straighten your knees

slightly to stretch your hamstrings.

. Childs PoseTake your knees a few inches wider apart than

in Cat-Cow and let your big toes touch. Sit your

hips back on your heels, bring your forehead to

touch the floor, and reach your arms out in front

of you. Let to deep breaths expand through-

out your back.

. Cat/Cow StretchesCome to hands and knees on the floor. Exhale

and draw your belly in as you lift your spine to

the ceiling like a cat. Inhale and reach your tail-

bone and sitting bones back, lifting your heartforward and up. Repeat to times.

. Neck and Side StretchesSit cross-legged or on your knees. Place your

right hand on the floor and sidebend to the right,

lifting your left arm over your head to stretch

the left side of your body. Hold for three deep

breaths. Come back to center and repeat on the

other side. Next, take a gentle twist to the right,

looking over your right shoulder. Stay in the

twist and look to the left. Come back to the cen-

ter and repeat the twist to the left, looking left

and then right. Return to center. Let your rightear come to your right shoulder, stretching the

left side of the neck. Stay for several breaths,

then take your left ear to your left shoulder for

several breaths.

BUILD YOUR OWN SEQUENCE: MIX-AND-MATCH

TADASANA


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Virabhadrasana I (Warrior Pose I)From Tadasana (Mountain Pose), inhale and step your left foot back into a

lunge. With control, turn your left heel down and your toes out degrees.

Reach your arms overhead while you lift your chest. Repeat on the

other side.

Utkatasana (Chair Pose)Beginning in Tadasana with your feet together, lift your arms overhead.

Bend your knees, coming as close as you can to a right angle; keep your

weight in your heels. Take a couple more breaths. On an inhalation, press

down to rise up. Straighten your legs and lower your arms, returningto Tadasana.

Vrksasana (Tree Pose)Start in Tadasana with your feet together. Shift your weight to your left foot,

and bring the sole of your right foot to your left inner thigh or calf (never

your knee). Bring the palms together in front of the heart or raise them over

your head. Take to breaths, pausing at the end of each exhalation. Exit

and repeat on the second side.

Virabhadrasana II (Warrior Pose II)Starting in Tadasana, step your feet about four feet apart. Turn your left foot

in about degrees and your right foot out to degrees. On an exhale,

bring your right thigh to a -degree angle, stacking the knee over the ankle

and keeping the hips square to the long edge of the mat. Open your arms

to shoulder height, parallel to the ground, and gaze over your right hand.

Repeat on the other side.

Utthita Parsvakonasana (Extended Side Angle Pose)With your legs wide apart, extend your arms into a T; turn your right foot out

to degrees and your left foot slightly in. Bend your right knee degrees

and bring your right hand to the floor or a block. Reach your left arm toward

the ceiling and then alongside your ear, turning your chest upward and gaz-

ing past your left thumb. Inhale to come up and switch sides.

Utthita Trikonasana (Extended Triangle Pose)From Tadasana, step your feet about four feet apart, then turn your left foot

in slightly and your right foot out to degrees. Exhale and flex your torsoto the right, bending from the hip joint. Rest your right hand on your shin

or ankle, and stretch your left arm toward the ceiling. Gaze softly at the left

thumb. Inhale to come up and switch sides.

Now that you have warmed up, these fundamental postures will help you start moving yourbody in all directions, building strength and stamina, increasing your flexibility, and preparingyou for more challenging poses. Do three to fouryogis choice.

Step 2: Standing PosesBUILD YOUR OWN SEQUENCE: MIX-AND-MATCH

EXTENDED SIDEANGLE POSE

EXTENDEDTRIANGLE POSE


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CHAIR POSE

TREE POSE

WARRIOR POSE I

WARRIOR POSE II

PICK

OR


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Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward-Facing Dog Pose)Starting on all fours, spread your palms and turn your toes under. Exhale

and lift your knees from the floor. On an exhalation, push your top thighs

back, stretch your heels toward the floor, and straighten your knees as you

press your inner hands into the floor, your head between your upper arms.

Take or more breaths before lowering yourself into Childs Pose.

Plank PoseStart on all fours, with your wrists under your shoulders. Step one leg

straight back, then the other. Draw your belly in and lengthen your spine,

reaching your head forward as you reach your heels back. Firm your legs,

lift your kneecaps, and reach your tailbone back.

Vasisthasana (Side Plank Pose)From Plank, roll onto the outside of your right foot and stack your left foot

on top of your right. Swing your left hand onto your left hip and support the

weight of your body on the outer right foot and right hand. Stretch your left

arm toward the ceiling, in line with your shoulders. After several breaths,

return to Plank.

Bakasana (Crane Pose)Squat, with your feet about hip-width apart. After pushing the backs

of your arms into your knees, plant your hands flat on the floor in front of

you. Tip forward until both feet lift off the floor. Once you get comfortable

with balance, begin to experiment with lifting your belly and pelvic floor,

and straightening the arms. Hold for as long as you can.

PICK

These challenging poses will help you build important arm, wrist, and shoulder

strength, give your core a good workout, and improve your balance. Choose any two.

Step 3: Arm BalancesBUILD YOUR OWN SEQUENCE: MIX-AND-MATCH

DOWNWARD-FACINGDOG POSE

PLANK POSE

SIDE PLANK POSE

CRANE POSE


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Setu Bandha Sarvangasana (Bridge Pose)Lie down with your knees bent, your feet hip-distance apart. Move your

feet closer to your buttocks, then raise your hips. Clasp your hands under

your back on the floor, and get on top of your shoulders. Press down

through your heels as you lift the bottom of your buttocks even higher.

To finish, exhale, release your hands, and lower to the floor.

Salamba Sarvangasana (Supported Shoulderstand)Lie with a folded blanket under your shoulders, your head on the floor,

and lift your legs overhead until they touch the floor behind you. Place your

hands on your midback, fingertips facing up, and lift your legs skyward.

Sasangasana (Rabbit Pose)Sit on your shins in Thunderbolt Pose (Vajrasana). Exhale and grab your

heels with the backs of the hands facing out. Bend forward, placing the

top of your head on the mat. Breathe.

Salamba Sirsasana (Supported Headstand)Starting on all fours, place your forearms tightly on the floor in front of you,

your fingers interlaced. Place the crown of your head on the floor, inside

your arms. Straighten your legs, then walk them in toward your head, until

your hips are above your shoulders. Bend your knees and use your core

to lift your legs off the floor. Slowly straighten your legs.

PICK

PICK

Go upside down and you will relieve back pain, improve your balance,and send circulation to your brain, clearing your mind. Try any two from the poses below.

Step 4: InversionsBUILD YOUR OWN SEQUENCE: MIX-AND-MATCH

BRIDGE POSE

SUPPORTEDSHOULDERSTAND

RABBIT POSE

SUPPORTEDHEADSTAND


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Ustrasana (Camel Pose)Kneel, with legs hip-width apart. Place your hands on your hips, inhale, and

draw your elbows toward each other, your rib cage expanding. Keeping

your chest raised and your core and glutes engaged, press your hands into

the heels of your feet while draping the fingers over the soles. Gently lower

your head and neck and gaze at the tip of your nose. Inhale to come up.

Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose)Lie on your belly, placing your palms on the floor just behind your shoul-

ders. Gently lift your navel and then your chest, straightening your arms as

much as you can without straining your back. Inhale as you lift your chest;

exhale as you ground your feet and legs and reach your tailbone back.

Come out of the pose gently to allow your spine to decompress.

Dhanurasana (Bow Pose)Lie on your mat, with a blanket under your pelvis if needed. Bend your

knees and grab the outside of your ankles. Inhale and lift your legs and

chest off the ground. Press your shins into your hands and your pelvis into

the ground while your chest reaches forward. Gaze forward and hold for

five breaths. Release the pose, and lie back on the mat.

Urdhva Dhanurasana (Upward-Facing Bow Pose)Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet hip-width apart. Bend

your elbows and place your hands on the mat next to your ears, fingers

pointing at your feet. Inhale, and straighten your arms and legs as you lift

your back off the ground. Maintain for several breaths. Tuck your chin to

your chest to protect your neck when you come back down.

Give your spine a nice stretch, open your hips, and expand your shoulders and chest,opening yourself up to the world. Chose two of these backbends.

Step 5: BackbendsBUILD YOUR OWN SEQUENCE: MIX-AND-MATCH

PICK

CAMEL POSE

COBRA POSE

BOW POSE

UPWARD-FACING BOW POSE


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Ardha Matsyendrasana (Half Lord of the Fishes Pose)Sit with both legs straight in front of you, then cross your left foot over your

right thigh and place it on the floor outside your right knee. Fold your right

leg in, the foot outside your left hip. Twist your torso as you place your left

hand on the floor behind you and your right elbow outside your left thigh.

Repeat on the other side.

Jathara Parivartanasana (Revolved Abdomen Pose)Lie on your back, bend your knees, and draw your legs in toward your

chest. Lower both legs to the left. Extend your arms out to the sides, and

turn your gaze to the right. Relax your shoulder blades; breathe into your

right side. Switch sides.

Not only will these poses stretch your coreboth front and backbut they will also aiddigestion and leave you feeling ready to take on the world. Choose just one.

Step 6: TwistsBUILD YOUR OW N SEQUENCE: MIX-AND-MATCH

PICK

REVOLVED ABDOMEN POSE

HALF LORD OF THE FISHES POSE


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Balasana (Childs Pose)Come to all fours, opening your knees the width of your mat. Bring your big

toes together and exhale, reaching your hips toward your heels as you fold

forward and extend your arms on the floor in front of you, palms down and

the center of your brow on the earth. Take a few breaths to center yourself.

Gomukhasana (Cow Face Pose)Sitting with both legs extended in front of you, bend your left leg back

until you are sitting on your left foot. Bend your right leg, stacking your

right knee on top of your left. Bring both sitting bones to the floor, raise

your right arm, and bring your right hand to your upper back. Bend your

left arm underneath your shoulder to your back, and clasp your hands.

Bow forward if that is available in your body. Repeat on the other side.

Janu Sirsasana (Head-of-the-Knee Pose)Sitting with your legs extended in front of you, bend your left knee, plac-

ing your left foot against your inner right thigh. Fold forward over your right

leg, grasping the inside right foot with both hands or a strap. If possible, rest

your forehead on your shin. Breathe deeply. Change sides.

Paschimottanasana (Seated Forward Bend)Sit with your legs straight in front of you. Turn the top thighs in slightly and

press them down into the floor. Inhale and lean forward from the hip joints.

Take the sides of your feet with your hands. With each inhalation, lift and

lengthen the front torso just slightly; with each exhalation, release a little

more into the forward bend.

Now that your mind is more settled and your body stretched and relaxed, these quieter seated foldswill help you lengthen your spine, stretch your legs, and calm your mind. Try two of these.

Step 7: Seated Forward BendsBUILD YOUR OWN SEQUENCE: MIX-AND-MATCH

PICK

COW FACE POSE

CHILDS POSE

SEATED FORWARD BEND

HEAD-OF-THE-KNEE POSE


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Savasana (Corpse Pose)Lie on your back with your knees bent. Keeping your head centered, extend

your arms to the sides, tuck in your shoulder blades, and bring a little lift to

your chest without arching your back. Allow the inner legs to roll outward

and relax completely. Close your eyes and relax your facial muscles, then

the rest of your body, from your head to your feet. Stay here for at least

minutes, or as long as you can.

Viparita Kavani (Legs-up-the-Wall Pose)Facing a wall, lower your shoulders and head to the floor, with your hips

elevated slightly on a bolster or blanket. Stretch your legs up the wall, with

the feet together or hip-distance apart. Find a comfortable position for your

arms at your side, with palms turned up; relax your arms and shoulders.

Hold the pose for at least minutes.

Dont forget to close out your practice: Ending on a calm, restorative note is absolutely crucial.

This is when you truly recharge your mind, body, and spirit. Do either of the poses below.

Step 8: Closing PosesBUILD YOUR OWN SEQUENCE: MIX-AND-MATCH

PICK

CORPSE POSE

LEGS-UP-THE-WALL POSE


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Wake UpAnd Wind DownWith EaseBOOKEND YOUR BUSY DAYS WITH YOGA:

THE EIGHT PRACTICES FOR A.M. AND P.M.

IN THIS SECTION WILL CHARGE UP YOUR

BATTERIES IN THE MORNINGTHEN HELP

YOU DECOMPRESS AT NIGHT.




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Level: Beginner

Good for: Shaking off sluggishness

Props needed:One blanket

Intention:Tenderness. Are yourthoughts kind and gentle?

Reflection: Practice ahimsa(non-harming) on yourself, and it will naturally

extend to others. Love everyone, includ-

ing yourself, said Baba Hari Dass, Indian

yoga master.

Additional benefits: Warms upthe spine and hips

. Goddess Pose With Uddiyana Banda (Upward Abdominal Lock)

Keep your wide stance and turn your feet out. Bend your knees over your

toes. Straighten your legs and reach your arms overhead. Inhale deeply;

as you exhale, bring your hands to your thighs, bend your knees, and stick

out your tongue. Curl your tailbone under. At the bottom of the exhalation,

draw your chin toward your chest and your navel toward your spine. Hold

the breath out as your sway your hips side to side. After a few seconds,

inhale, bring your arms overhead, and straighten your legs. Take a clearing

breath in between holds. Do five rounds.

. Hammock Pose(Prasarita Padottanasana, variation)Stand sideways

on your mat with your legs wide apart, toes turned in and lifted to engage

the inner arches. Walk your hands forward and draw the tailbone back. Let

your upper back be like a hammock and your heart relax downward. Wake

the legs by isometrically squeezing your heels together on the inhalation

and pressing them apart on the exhalation. Then relax and use your aware-

ness and breath to connect with prana flowing up and down your legs.

Stay for five breaths.

. Cowboy Negotiation Pose (Malasana, variation) Take a wide squat

with your feet turned out. If your heels lift, place a blanket or a rolled mat

underneath them. Bring your weight into your left leg as you press your

right knee away from your midline to create space in your hips. Stay for

five breaths, then do the other side.

. Baddha Konasana(Bound Angle Pose) Sit with the soles of your

feet together about inches from your groin. Let your knees drop out to

the sides. (If your knees are higher than the tips of your hip bones, sit on

a folded blanket.) Walk your hands forward, letting your back softly round.

Drop your head for a neck stretch. If thats uncomfortable, support your

head with your hands. Breathe into the back body. Stay for five minutes.

Wake Up GentlyIf youre still groggy after you hit the alarm button, slowly

awaken your spine and hips and breathe life into stiff joints

with this easy, fun sequence.

AS YOU PRACTICE Use your face to measure tension in your body. Kira Sloane,

who designed the sequence, calls the face the dashboard of the pranic sys-

tem. When your face is tight, your body is, too, which limits the flow of prana,

or life force. Start the sequence with your face soft and check in often to find

out if tension is accumulating there.

Sequence and modeling by Kira Sloane


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. Slumpy Swami Twist Find a comfortable cross-legged position

like Sukhasana (Easy Pose). With your right hand on the floor behind you,

place your left hand on your right knee. Inhale and exhale, curling your

tailbone under and rounding your back. Exhale, draw your lower belly

back, and twist your rib cage to the right. If you feel open, reach your left

arm across your right knee and dip in deeper. After five breaths, relax,

inhale, and slowly unwind. Switch legs and repeat on the other side. To

finish, stay seated cross-legged, allowing for a few deep inhalations, fol-

lowed by audible exhalations. Feel your neck lengthen, your jaw relax

and your mouth soften.

. Rocket Cat (Bitilasana, variation) Curl your toes under and press

your hips back as if to move into Balasana (Childs Pose), but pause halfway.

Exhale through your mouth and stick out your tongue. Alternate leaning

right and left for breaths to stretch.

. Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose) From Rounded Plank, bend your elbows

and lower your hips to the floor. Roll your shoulders back and down, and

lift your heart. Slowly turn your head from side to side to stretch your neck.

Stay for breaths, then lower down and rest.

. Rounded Plank Pose Transition into Adho Mukha Svanasana (Down-

ward-Facing Dog Pose). Draw your tailbone under and round your back

as you bring your shoulders over your wrists. Breathe into your full, open

back. Feel the work in the belly; relax your neck and head. Stay for at least

five breaths here.

. Anjaneyasana (Low Lunge), with external rotation From Warrior

II, windmill your hands to the floor and come into Low Lunge. Stay for a few

rounds of breath, draw your hips back on the inhalation, and sink forward

on the exhalation. Turn your front foot out to externally rotate the hip. Relax

your jaw and walk your hands back. If your hands are far from the floor, use

blocks for support. Do both sides.

. Virabhadrasana II(Warrior Pose II) With your legs straight and your

arms overhead, inhale; on your exhalation, open up into Warrior II. Repeat

this movement five times, until you eventually land in the right shape. Try

softening your elbows and turning your palms up, connecting with the

flow of prana from your heart out through your hands. Stay for breaths,

then repeat on the other s ide.

WAKE UPAND WIND DOWN WITH EASE


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Level: Beginner

Good for:Counteracting a rough nightof sleep

Props needed:A block

Intention:No ego

Reflection:What does it feel like to

create, be, and dissolve each pose without

an agenda? In order to see, you have to

stop being in the middle of the picture,

said Sri Aurobindo, Indian philosopher,

yogi, and poet.

Additional benefits: Opens upyour heart center; frees your hip flexors;

lengthens your hamstrings

. Cat-Cow Pose Bring your right knee back

in line with the left, coming to all fours. Inhale

and lift your sternum, sitting bones, and chin.

Exhale and tuck your chin, round your spine,

and tuck your sitting bones. Breathe, and

explore your fullest range of motion.

. Tabletop, variation Extend your right arm

forward and your left leg back. Keep your hips

square to the mat by dialing your outer left

hip down and your inner left thigh up. Engage

your core, and elongate from fingertips to the

sole of your foot. Hug your muscles toward

the midline.

. Ardha Hanumanasana (Half Monkey

yoga journal usa - special issue 1 2016

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