Yoga I

This yoga sequence should be considered a meditation.  It's adding movement to the Body Scan, so like the Body Scan, as you practice it you are coming home to your body and learning to listen to its language.

Please consider this entire sequence a meditation. Have the intention to maintain the connection with your body and your breath as you flow from one posture to the next, including the in between time. The "spaces between the notes" are just as important as the notes themselves. Remember not to push or strain while doing these poses. Apply gentle, sustained effort, allowing the muscles and joints to gently release. Use your breath, sending it into the areas of the body with which you are working. Deal with mental distractions just as you would in sitting meditation, noting them and letting them go by coming back to your body, again and again.

Posture 1 Overhead Stretch

Lying on your back, on the in-breath, bring the arms up over-head, parallel to the floor, breathing and feeling the shoulders release. Then gently stretch the arms and legs out along the floor, stretching the entire body. Try bringing the palms of the hands together.

Bring the arms back to the floor slowly, feeling them moment to moment until they reach the floor, then release.

Posture 2 Pelvic Tilts

On the out-breath, tilt the pelvis (tailbone) up, gently pressing the lower back into the floor. On the in-breath, tilt the pelvis (tailbone) down, underneath you, lifting the lower back off the floor. Be mindful of just how far you should flex and extend your back, listening to is right for your back in that moment.

Posture 3 Spine Extension

To come down, on an out-breath, continue pulling the chest forward as you return to the

mat.

Lying on your stomach, relaxing into gravity, bring arms forward, rest. Bring hands to push up position and rock the torso from side to side, feeling the lower back muscles releasing. then gently push up off the mat as far as feels comfortable. Remain in the up position for a few breath cycles, feeling the stretch down the entire back and into the sacrum. Then on the in-breath, pull your head and chest forward along the mat and

Posture 4 Table with Hip Circles

Come to a hands and knees position (table pose). Make circles with your hips, first small then larger. Change direction. Lean torso to one side, feel the hip receive the stretch, and then accentuate the stretch by rocking the torso front to back, as much or as little as you feels OK. Repeat other side.

Posture 5 Elliptical Cat Arch

From table pose, cat arch. On the out-breath, tilt your tailbone down, back comes up,

head down. On the in-breath, tilt your tailbone up, back stretches down, head up.

Then add the "elliptical motion” with your torso. In-breath, torso down and forward, out breath, torso up and rocking back towards heels. Slow motion as you sit back on your heels. Think of yawning into the stretch.

Posture 6 Child's Pose

From table pose, move into child's pose by sitting back on your heels and bringing your forehead down to your arms to either side of you and rest your forehead on the floor or mat. Rest for as long as you wish. your hands resting on the floor in front of you. You can also move

Posture 7 Downward Dog

Come back to table pose. Straighten legs and elevate pelvis, coming into downward facing dog. Explore straightening legs by encouraging heels towards the floor and engaging quad muscles (lift your kneecaps). Try "bicycling" your legs, extending one heel towards the mat and bending the opposite knee, then repeating other side. See how high you can bring your hips. Belly-button in. Arms straight, bringing elbows in.

Breathe, find your still point.

Posture 8 Leg and Hip Stretch

Mindfully move to lying on your back. Bring both feet up towards the buttocks, resting on the mat. On the out-breath, elevate the left leg toward the ceiling, work with the stretch. Move the right leg out along the floor, encouraging the right knee into the mat.

Feel the stretch through the lower back. Bring the right foot back to the mat near the buttock. Release the left leg, crossing the left ankle over the right knee. With hands, push outward on your inner left thigh, stretching the hip and IT band. Then lace fingers around (or behind) your left knee, lift your chin up towards the knee, further stretching the hip. Come back to corpse pose and repeat other side.

Posture: 9 Side Leg lifts Posture

Le on one side with your body straight. On the in-breath, lift leg straight up, foot flexed forward. Keep the leg in line with the body. Down on the out-breath. Repeat, keeping the leg elevated for as long as you want, exploring the stretch. Roll your foot around the ankle. Lower the leg slowly all the way down. Repeat other side.

Posture 10 Half-Bridge

Back in corpse pose, bring both feet up towards the buttocks, resting parallel on the mat, about shoulder width apart. Bring the pelvis up off the mat, as high as it can comfortably go. Breathe, rolling the middle, the lower back onto the mat. finding the still point. Feel the expansiveness of the breath. Come down by.

Posture 11 Knee to Chest, Torso Twist

From corpse pose, on the out-breath, bring left knee up towards chest, wrapping hands around or behind the knee, encouraging knee forward. Rock the knee from side to side.

Bring the left foot down on top of the right leg and place right hand on the left side of the left knee. On the outbreath, encourage the left knee to the right side of the body, left arm reaching to the left. Look over the left shoulder. Repeat with the right leg, then return to corpse pose.

Posture 12 Knees to Chest, Rocking Massage

On the out breath, bring both knees towards the chest, linking your hands around or behind the knees. Breathe down into the lower back, letting the knees release towards the chest on the outbreath. Rock side to side, massaging the back. The higher the knees, the higher in back you massage, the lower the knees, the lower in the back. Back to corpse.

Posture 13 Lying Down Torso Twist

Bring feet up towards buttocks on the mat, knees together, arms stretched out to the sides.

Move pelvis two inches to the left of center. On the out-breath, let knees fall to the right, letting them sink into gravity. Breathe, release. Bring knees back towards the ceiling, move pelvis two inches right of center and let knees fall to the left. Breathe, release.

Posture 14 Frog Leg Stretch

With feet together and on the floor near buttocks, allow the knees to fall to opposite sides, soles of the feet together. Encourage knees towards the floor with hands placed on inner thighs. Rock torso and knees from side to side. Feel the stretch through the lower back.

 

To sign-up for Chris's 8-week Mindfulness-Based Stress Relief (MBSR) course, go to http://www.theinsightcenter.com/.

Relieve stress and physical symptoms brought on by the demands of daily living or medical problems. Learn techniques you can use everyday to have a deeper self-understanding and a healthier, more balanced life. Instruction, in group format, includes:

• Mindfulness Meditation
• Body Awareness Exercises
• Hatha Yoga

In addition to the 8-week program for interested individuals, we offer corporate programs, taught on-site at work and customized for company needs and schedules.

Production and design by Jack Howard.

Pod art design assistance from Madeleine Chone.