It's nice to have a home practice as a foundation to your yoga journey, and hopefully this sequence will give you some ideas. This is a 10 minute yoga practice, so remember, even if you're busy you can get on your mat and move.
I've received several requests to blog about yoga. I actually have a series of yoga posts brewing, it's just that they take a while to do properly. I'm starting with this sequence as a basis for further exploration.
All yoga photos by: Nat Anfield | model: Katrina Ariel
Let’s call this a “simple” yoga practice because 1) it doesn’t take very long to do, and 2) it uses straightforward poses that are accessible to many people.
Disclaimer: It’s up to you to decide if yoga is right for your body. If you have any conditions or question if this type of exercise is safe for you, consult your health practitioner. If you are new to yoga, the best way to learn is to attend class with a qualified and experienced teacher.
Always listen to your body, and modify to make each pose work for you.
When done safely and in a way that honours your needs, yoga can rejuvinate every cell of your body, bringing a wide range of benefits on a physical level while offering a way to de-stress and relax.
If you do practice with the intention to align body, mind, and spirit, even a short session can create a sense of harmony.
Cultivate strength, release tension, and let your breath lead.
A Simple Yoga Sequence.
Obviously, do both sides of each asymmetrical pose below.
1) Center In
Take a moment to be still. Sitting or standing, close your eyes and tune into your breath. If you want to work with an intention, set it now. Optional: sing an Om or three to open your practice and bring an immediate sense of harmony.
2) Child’s Pose — Balasana
Relax. Breathe. Be gentle with yourself.
3) Cat/Cow
I usually do two or three rounds, exhaling to round up, inhaling to arch.
4) Bird Dog
This is an excellent pose to awaken and strengthen core stabilizing muscles. Be sure to engage your transverse abdominis (lower belly) and pull your navel towards your spine, envisioning your entire core hugging in, strong and stable. You’ll feel your glutes work as well. To modify, do one arm at a time, then one leg at a time, instead of both at once.
5) Downward Dog — Adho Mukha Svanasana
Press down through your fingertips and keep your shoulder blades on your back. Bend one knee at a time to stretch out your calves.
6) Low Lunge — Anjaneyasana
Hips square, legs strong, press from your pelvis through your feet and stretch up.
7) Split-leg forward bend — Parsvottanasana
Use blocks if hamstrings are tight. This pose can also be done with a shorter stance and both feet flat on the floor.
8) Optional Vinyasa
If you like sun salutations, and know how to do them, feel free to toss one in here. Move with your breath.
9) Warrior II — Virabhadrasana II
Strong legs push into the floor. Float your torso on your breath.
10) Triangle Pose — Utthita Trikonasana
Use a block if the floor is out of reach. Stretch from your pelvis through strong legs.
11) Forward bend with shoulder stretch.
Find the place where this feels good for your body. Don’t force. Breathe.
12) Thread the needle. (Or pigeon, if you prefer.)
This is a great stretch for your hips. Keep your feet from turning at the ankle, to protect your knee. See how my foot is as if I were standing? Like that.
13) Simple twist.
Inhale to lengthen your spine, exhale to twist. Keep your pelvis stable. Inhale out of the pose after a few breaths or so.
14) Savasana.
Breathe and relax. Stay for at least a minute or two, and give yourself time to come out slow.
15) Optional meditation.
After a yoga practice is an ideal time for meditation. Even a minute is nice. Enjoy your breath.
BONUS SEQUENCE:
For those of you who already practice yoga and are familiar enough with these poses to do them safely at home, I offer this expanded sequence based on the one above. This is basically the practice I do at home each morning, varying a few poses each day.
A note about physio exercises: I start each of my yoga practices with subtle physio exercises to be sure my pelvic floor and transverse abdominis muscles are firing properly. (Hoping to do a post on this at some point.) This is something I added after I became a mother. If you have physio exercises, consider doing them before your yoga practice so your body is prepped and strong.
Expanded Simple Home Yoga Practice:
- Child or down dog
- Cat/cow
- Bird dog
- Down dog
- Plank
- Locust (lie on belly, lift chest, arms, and possibly legs as well.)
- Down dog
- Low lunge
- Split leg forward bend
- Wide squat / Goddess pose
- Warrior II
- Triangle pose (optional Half moon pose)
- Down dog
- Pigeon thigh stretch
- Pigeon forward bend
- Down dog
- Camel (or backbend of your choice)
- Child
- Seated twist
- Savasana
Ustrasana, camel pose:
Camel is my favourite backbend. It opens my shoulders and chest, helping balance all the time I sit in front of my computer.
^^ Please only do this pose if you know how. This is a good one to learn from a teacher.
Tip: For a pain-free camel pose, you have to root from your pelvis down, and rise up through your spine. No crunchiness allowed in the low back or neck. You can tuck your toes under to lift your heels up to back the pose off, as well.
Find what works for you.
There are infinite ways to practice yoga, and so many modifications to make things more gentle or step up the challenge, depending on what is right for you.
I hope this offering gives you some inspiration to find a local class to learn more (I highly recommend Anusara yoga teachers, if you can locate one near you), or to roll out your mat at home for a feel-good practice.
Yoga is an excellent tool for self-care. Remember also to drink water and eat food that nourishes you.
Take care of yourself. You are a gift!
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Author bio: Katrina Hokule’a Ariel is an old-soul rebel, a musician, a tree-hugging yogini and mama bear to twins. Author of Yoga for Dragon Riders and other books, she's another free-spirit swimming in the ocean of Steemit.
dragon art: Liiga Smilshkalne
