I had this yoga teacher who basically would end a sequence with a child’s pose instead of a vinyasa, “girl pushups” instead of plank, and always a cobra instead of an upward-facing dog. She said something that I thought was very insightful at least towards a philosophy of yoga that I resonate with. For her, the goal of each pose is a balance between effort and ease, between strength and softness.
There are a lot of parts of the body in which you need to stay strong when doing yoga, but where in your yoga pose can you also be soft?
The goal is to find a spot where you are in the present moment.
MINDFULNESS MEDITATION
(1 Minute)
WARM-UP
(5 Minutes)
Gently roll the neck from chin to chest to the ears and shoulders
Shoulder circles front to back, back to front
Breathing with arms (lifting and lowering) seated and moving side bends
Warm up the wrists circle in the figure eight direction
SPINE MOVEMENT 5-6 TWIST
Reclined Windshield Twist
1-2 FWD/BACK
Table Top, Cat to Cow Pose 4 times
3-4 SIDES
Table Top Side Bends – ear to hip
LEG AND HIP STRETCHES
(1 Minute)
Walking Downward Dog
CORE
(1 Minute)
Downward Dog to Plank (back and forth)
Dolphin
3. SUN SALUTATION
One Sun Salutation with Cobra (begin/end at Mountain Pose)
4. STANDING POSES
(5 Minutes)
Warrior 2 pose (5 Breaths)
Pyramid pose (5 Breaths)
Triangle pose (5 Breaths)
Half Moon Pose (5 breaths)
Warrior 2 Pose (5 Breaths)
Triangle pose (5 Breaths)
Half Moon Pose (5 Breaths)
Wide Angle Pose
5. BALANCING POSE (Half Moon is listed above)
Child’s Pose
6. LEG STRETCHES & HIP OPENERS
(1 Minute)
Fire Log Pose (5 Breaths)
Wide Leg Forward Fold (5 Breaths)
7. TWISTS
(1 Minute)
Reclined Cross-Legged Twist (5 Breaths)
Reclined Cross-Legged Twist (5 Breaths)
8. RECOVERY POSE
(1 Minute)
Happy Baby
9. SAVASANA
(1 Minute)
10. RECOVERY IN SEATED POSITION FOR TUNING IN SHIFTS TO BODY
(30 Seconds)