Sun Salutation to Soothe your Mind and Energize your Body
- Pranayama (breath work). Practice holding each pose for 5-10 soft belly breaths. To Soft Belly Breath, inhale through you nose slowly and bring breath -prana- into your belly, fill your abdominal area completely, and exhale through your nose slowly, releasing any belly tension. Repeat 5- 10 times. Connecting with your breath, is about connecting with your prana – your vital life energy.
- Prop-assisted. One yoga block. Two sandbags (8 #’s each or more).
If you’re looking for a quick yet energizing yoga sequence that soothes your mind, you can practice this 10-minute sequence at home. Though you may be familiar with these poses, there’s a lot of subtle energy you can bring to your alignment of each pose by connecting with your awareness (artful alignment) and breath. Holding poses a bit longer (moon energy/yoga holds) allows you to strengthen parts of our body that needs it while creating heat (sun energy/yoga flow) to help you melt away tension and tightness. Remember you can hold any breath for 5-10 soft belly breaths, in order to customize the intensity of the sequence, to match what you need or want for yourself for that day.
- Tadasana – Standing Mountain w/ ablock between inner thigh. Squeeze inner block and press down through the big toes. Press downward through the inner and outer heel to feel the earth’s energy move upward through feet towards the spine.
- Uttanasana – Forward Flexion w/ ablock. Place hands on either floor or shins. Squeeze inner block and press down through the big toes. Press downward through the inner and outer heel to feel the earth’s energy move upward through feet towards the spine.
- Adhomukha Svanasana – Downward Facing Dog. Place block between inner shins and squeeze inward. Outstretch arms and extend head and neck. Press down through the pointer finger and thumb and slightly internally rotate the forearms. Firm up the inner elbows. Slightly externally rotate the upper arm by feeling like you are pressing into a door jamb. Lift hips upward and take thighs back. Pull the diaphragm towards the spine.
- Downward Facing Hero Pose – Childs pose – Place one sandbag on top of upper thighs. Place block between inner feet and press inner heels gently into block. Take knees out to side. Outstretch arms and keep head slightly lifted and eyes relaxed. Press down through the pointer finger and thumb and slightly internally rotate the forearms. Firm up the inner elbows. Slightly externally rotate the upper arm by feeling like you are pressing into a door jamb.
- Kneeling Mountain – Kneel on all fours – Place one sandbag on lower back. If possible, place second sandbag on back of head/neck. If that is not possible, place second sandbag on upper calf muscles.
- Incline – Plank – Place one sandbag at diaphragm (mid back) – Press into sandbag.
- Locust – Prone Mountain with arms out to the side – Place block between the feet and touch inner heels to block. Keep one sandbag on diaphragm (mid back) and press into – Keep second sandbag on upper calf muscles and press into while lifting knees off mat and pressing all the pointed toes into the mat with one sandbag on mid -back (diaphragm) press into sandbag and second sandbag on upper calves – press into sandbag- take arms out to side – helicoil arms- externally rotate upper arms and internally rotate forearms – lift torso upwards by lifting the belly towards the sandbag on lower back and pressing upper calves into sandbag while pressing pointed toes into the mat
- Transition – Cross hands over each other and place head down to rest
- Salabhasana – Locust – Same as above pose. Take arms over the head and point hands towards each other and firm inner elbows
- Transition – Cross hands over each other and place head down to rest
- Salabhasana – Locust w/ bent knees – Place hands comfortably next to torso, elbows pointing backwards. Place block between the feet and touch inner heels to block. Keep one sandbag on diaphragm (mid back) and press into. Place second sandbag on one upper calf muscles and press into while lifting knees off mat and pressing all the pointed toes into the mat. Lift the other leg and flex and extend at the knee for 5- 10 soft belly breaths. Repeat on second side while switching sandbag to the other shin.
- Transition – Cross hands over each other and place head down to rest.
- Salabhasana – Repeat Cobras w/ arms extended next to the torso/palms facing upward. Place block between the feet and touch inner heels to block. Keep one sandbag on diaphragm (mid back) and press into. Place second sandbag on both upper calf muscles and press into while lifting knees off mat and pressing all the pointed toes into the mat.
- Transition – Cross hands over each other and place head down to rest
- Kneeling Mountain w/ one sandbag on diaphragm (mid back) and second sandbag on upper calf muscle
- Adhomukha Svanasana – Downward Facing Dog with block between shins
- Downward Facing Hero Pose – Place block between feet and press inner heels into block. Place one sandbag on the upper calf muscles and second sandbag on top of upper thighs. Outstretch arms and keep head slightly lifted. Press down through the pointer finger and thumb and slightly internally rotate the forearms. Firm up the inner elbows. Slightly externally rotate the upper arm by feeling like you are pressing into a door jamb.
- Virasana – Seated Pose – Place a block between the feet and press inner heels into block. Place sandbag on upper calf muscles and sit back. If ankles hurt, place a rolled blanket under ankles for support.
- Supported Bridge. Lay on your back. Bend your knees and place heels as close to buttocks, as is comfortable. Lift hips and place block under sacrum. Make sure hips are extending away from lower back.
- Savasana – Corpse Pose – 2 minutes
- Roll to the right. Stay there for a moment. Press your hands down to lift yourself up.
- Sit comfortably for a moment.
- Namaste.
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