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2/19/2018

Gomukhasana

Cow's Face pose, or Gomukhasana, combines a bound arm position with a deep hip opening seated pose. Is it possible to still find space within these two bindings?

Lake Seal
Tadagi Mudra

Lie on the back with the knees bent and feet on the floor. Raise arms over the head and place palms and wrists under a sandbag so that the palms face upwards. Extend the legs one at a time, slightly internally rotating each thigh as it comes to the earth. Feel the drawing inward of the abdomen in this position, especially during the exhalation.

Reclining Cow's Face Pose
Supta Gomukhasana

Lie on the back and draw the knees into the chest. Cross legs so that knees are stacked and bent. Exhale as you draw thighs towards chest, holding with hands on thighs or shins. Relax lower back and hold for 10 breaths.

Reclined Pigeon 
Supta Eka Pada Rajakapotasana

From a reclining position, draw the right knee to the chest and bring the top of the knee to the inside or the right elbow, then cradle the actively aligned foot into the crook of the left elbow. Extend the left leg strongly towards the floor, or bend the knee and place the foot on the floor for greater comfort. Hold 5-10 breaths, then release and change sides.

Bridge Shoulder Warm-Up with Strap 
Setu Bandha, var.

Create a looped strap that is as wide as your shoulders, or slightly narrower if you are more open in the chest.. Place the loop around one arm above the elbow, then lie on back with knees bent and feet hips with apart. Inhale and lift hips away from floor, rolling onto upper back. Place second arm inside the loop, also above the elbow, and press arms back into floor as you lengthen tail bone towards backs of knees.
Hold 5-15 breaths and release.

Child's Pose with Hands Clasped
Yoga Mudra Balasana

Kneel on shins and sit back towards heels. Clasp the hands behind your back and extend through the elbows. Fold forward over the thighs bringing the head on or close to the floor. Raise the arms away from the body and hold for 5-10 breaths. Lower the arms towards the floor and unclasp the hands, then use the hands to push the torso up from child's pose.

Rotator Cuff Stretch w/ Strap

Sit or stand with strap in right hand, raise right arm over the head keeping the right arm externally rotated.
Variation I: Turn left palm back to internally rotate the arm and press the arm back, bend the left elbow and find the strap with the left hand behind the back. Use the right arm to pull up on the strap, bringing the left hand further up the back, be sure to relax the left shoulder.
Variation II: Bend the right elbow and pull down on the strap with the left hand until the arm is straight. Keep the right elbow close to the head and use the head to press back gently into the arm. Hold for 5 breaths. Release and repeat both variations to the opposite side.

Downward Facing Dog
Adho Mukha Svanasana

Begin on all fours with hands slightly forward of shoulders. Turn toes under and lift knees off floor. Keep shoulders wide and palms flat, press thighs and sit bones back, scooping belly in as you ground heels towards the floor.
Hold 1-3 minutes, release into Child's Pose.

One-Legged King Pigeon Pose I
Eka Pada Rajakapotasana I

Begin in Adho Mukha Svanasana. Bring right knee onto floor behind right wrist, place shin across mat so that the right foot is on the left side of the mat. Stretch left leg behind you and try to square hips using a folded blanket under right hip if needed. Inhale press hands into floor as you lift the heart. Hold 5-10 breaths.
Exhale and fold over bent leg. Hold up to 2 minutes. Release by pressing back to Adho Mukha Svanasana or all fours.

Cow's Face Pose
Gomukhasana

Sit with the left knee bent and bring the left foot to the outside of the right hip. Bring the right knee on top of the left and the right foot goes outside of the left hip. Raise the arms out to the sides and turn the palms backwards. Raise the left arm overhead and bring the right arm behind the back, bending both elbows. Either grasp a strap or clasp the hands together behind the shoulders. Hold 10-20 breaths then release.

Hug Shoulders with Cow's Face Legs
Gomukhasana, var

From Cow's Face Pose, after carefully releasing the arms, bring the arm that was behind your back across and over the other arm to hug across your chest . Widen the collar bones and shoulder blades outwards to create more space for the breath. Hold 5 breaths, then release and repeat Cow's Face Pose and Hug Shoulders with the other arm on top.

Reclining Supported Twist
Salamba Jathara Parivritasana

Lay on the back with knees bent and feet on floor. Shift hips to the left a few inches from center. Draw the knees into the chest and release legs to the bolster on the right. You may use right hand to hold down outside of left knee. Reach left arm back to floor and turn head to the center or to the right.
Hold for 1-3 minutes, then bend knees and draw them up to center, change sides.

Corpse Pose
Savasana

Lie on the back with legs straight and feet relaxed to sides. Move arms away from sides slightly and turn palms to face ceiling. You may use support under the knees for low back pain; and a folded blanket under the head if needed. Rest 5-15 minutes.

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2/12/2018

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Backbends

A progressive sequence of back bends to open the heart and the entire front body.

Backbend over Roll

Roll a standard-folded blanket from the long side into a tight roll. Place it behind you as you sit, then lie back so that the roll comes under the bottom tips of the shoulder blades, and the upper back is resting on the floor, with the arms behind the roll in a cactus position. The head should be resting easily on the floor and the legs can either be extended, or bent at the knee. Hold 1-3 minutes, then release.

Hug Shoulders

Lie on the back in Constructive Rest, reach arms in front of the chest and cross right arm over the left, wrap hands to outer shoulders. Do not press forearms down on the chest, but instead lift elbow points towards the ceiling. Broaden both the collar bones and the shoulder blades to create more space for breath in the upper torso. Hold each side for 5-10 breaths.

Melting Heart

From all fours, reach arms forward and press hips back, keeping them elevated off of the feet. Broaden the shoulders and allow the heart and head to release towards the floor. Hold 5-10 breaths, then release back into all fours.

Seated Lateral Bend
Upavista Anuparsvasana

Begin seated cross-legged and place the left hand on the floor beside the hip. Inhale and raise the right arm diagonally across the body and reach it overhead to the left. Bend the left elbow towards the body and keep that shoulder released down the back to help support the weight of the body. Keep both sit bones grounded into the floor. Exhale and return to the center. Repeat to both sides 5-10 times with the breath.

Child's Pose to Extended Hero's Flow
Balasana to Uttita Virasana Vinyasa

Begin in Balasana. Inhale and lift chest, raise hands to heart or the arms up overhead and press pelvis forward. Exhale sit back on heels and fold forward bringing hands beside feet.
Balasana Variation: If it is difficult to come completely into Balasana, bring the hands in front of the knees and come down as far as you can comfortably and then inahle into Extended Virasana.
Repeat 5-10 times with the breath.

Sphinx Pose
Salamba Bhujangasana

Lie on belly with legs together and toes pointed back. Bring forearms to floor with elbows aligned under shoulders and forearms parallel to each other, palms facing down. Lift sternum forward and up through crown of head. If lower back feels vulnerable, engage belly away from floor. Hold 5-10 breaths and release chest to floor with hands under forehead.

Cobra Pose
Bhujangasana

Lie on the belly with the hands under the shoulders. Press pubic bone into floor and lengthen legs behind you. Inhale and press upper body away from floor keeping shoulders back and chest broad.
Hold 5-10 breaths and release chest to floor.

Upward Facing Dog Preparation
Urdhva Mukha Svanasana, var.

Place two blocks on their faces at the top corners of the mat, shoulder's width apart. Kneel on the floor and place one hand on each block. Place a bolster perpendicular to the mat in front of the knees. Turn toes under and press knees off floor to come into Plank pose. Then bring the lower front thighs on the bolster as you come into upward facing dog, keeping the arms straight and shoulders down the back. Hold 5-10 breaths, then release to all fours.

Down Dog with Hands on Blocks
Adho Mukha Svanasana, var

Begin on all fours with hands slightly forward of shoulders and bring a low block under each hand. Turn toes under and lift knees off floor. Keep shoulders wide and palms flat, press thighs and sit bones back, scooping belly in as you ground heels towards the floor.
* Notice how the blocks under the hands presses the weight of the body back towards the legs and takes some of the weight out of the wrists.
Hold 1-3 minutes, release into Child's Pose.

Warrior I
Virabhadrasana I

Begin standing in Tadasana. Step left leg back about three feet keeping feet hips width apart. Keep right toes turned forward and left foot turned slightly out. Turn hips gently towards front foot and balance weight on both feet. Inhale arms overhead. Exhale and bend right knee. Draw belly up and release tail bone towards floor.
Hold 5-10 breaths then release and change sides.

Side Angle Pose
Parsvakonasana

Stand with feet wide apart. Turn right foot out 90 degrees and left foot in 30 degrees. Inhale arms out from shoulders. Exhale and bend right knee. Bring right elbow to right knee or right hand to a block behind the right foot. Raise left arm overhead and stretch entire left side of body.
Hold 5-10 breaths then release and change sides.

Camel Pose
Ustrasana

Kneel with toes pointed and blocks placed outside the ankles. Bring hands together at the heart. Inhale lift heart and lean back keeping thighs perpendicular to floor and pressing pubic bone forward. Bring hands onto blocks or onto heels.
Hold 5-10 breaths and release.

Supported Child's Pose
Salamba Balasana

Kneel straddling a long bolster. Place a second bolster over first with end of bolster in front of your low abdomen. A third bolster can go under the far end of the second bolster or use a folded blanket or block to support under it. Extend front of body over second bolster and rest forehead on backs of hands. Rest up to 5 minutes.

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2/5/2018

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Open Heart

A series of flowing movements to allow more space to come into the chest along with mudras to open the heart.

Kapota Mudra
Seal of the Dove

Begin with palms together. Create space between palms keeping finger tips, thumbs and heels of hands together; hold at the heart.
Benefits: Activates the heart center
Practice Tips: Use when depressed
Contraindications: Headache

Padma Mudra
Seal of the Lotus

Place hands together at the heart, keep thumbs and little fingers together, open other fingers and create cup shape between palms.
Benefits: Elevates heart energy, integrates body and mind
Practice Tips: Use yo heal your emotional heart

Cat/Cow Tilts
Marjaryasana

Cat: Exhale round the back and drop the head and tail bone towards the floor.
Repeat with your breath 10 times.
Cow: Begin on the hands and knees, toes pointed. Inhale lift the sternum forward and drop the pubic bone back between the legs to arch the spine.

Crescent Lunge to Runner's Lunge Flow
Anjynasana to Ardha Hanumanasana Vinyasa

Begin on all fours and bring left foot between hands. Inhale sweep arms forward and up to the heart (shown) or overhead pressing pelvis forward. Exhale touch floor on either side of foot as you press pelvis back evenly and extend chest over the straight leg. You may also use blocks under the hands if it is difficult to reach the floor.
Repeat to both sides 5 times with the breath.

Extended Child's Pose to Cobra Flow
Utthta Balasana to Bhujangasana Vinyasa

Begin in Balasana with the arms overhead on the floor. Inhale keep hands where they are and move torso through arms to come first into a knee plank position with the shoulders over the wrists, the torso and thighs in a straight line.
Then exhale back into Balasana.
As you inhale a second time, bring the shoulders over the wrists, lift the heart and come into a gentle backbend with pelvis pressing towards floor.
Exhale return to Balasana.
Repeat 5-10 times with the breath.

Downward Facing Dog
Adho Mukha Svanasana
Begin on all fours with hands slightly forward of shoulders. Turn toes under and lift knees off floor. Keep shoulders wide and palms flat, press thighs and sit bones back, scooping belly in as you ground heels towards the floor.
Hold 1-3 minutes, release into Child's Pose.

Warrior II Flow
Virabhadrasana II

Stand with feet wide apart. Turn left foot out 90 degrees and right foot in 30 degrees. Inhale arms out from shoulders. Exhale and bend left knee. Keep torso upright and do not lean over bent leg. Gaze towards left hand. Inhale drop right hand to right thigh and raise left arm overhead into Reverse Warrior. Return to Warrior II arm position, then release arms and straighten front knee. Repeat t-3 times to one side, then release to center, and repeat to second side.

Standing Forward Bend
Uttanasana

Stand in Tadasana. Inhale arms overhead. Exhale and bend forward from hips. Engage quadriceps and draw belly in as you press heels into floor, and sit bones upwards.
Hold up to 1 minute. Release back into Tadasana by drawing hands onto hips and lifting entire torso up as a single unit.

Supported Bridge with Extended Leg
Salamba Eka Pada Setu Bandha

Lie on back with knees bent and feet on floor. Inhale and raise hips off floor, placing block under sacrum. Keep right knee bent and extend left leg placing foot either on a wall or the heel on the ground and lengthen the leg. Hold for 10 breaths, then release and change legs.

Happy Baby Pose
Anandabalasana

Lie on the back with the knees bent and feet on the floor. Draw both knees into the chest with the knees to the outside of the body. Either hold the backs of the knees with the forearms or hold the outside of the feet with the hands and draw knees towards floor. Keep the pelvis flat on the floor to avoid rounding the back.

Supported Heart Opener
Salamba Uttana Merudandasana

Set up two bolsters perpendicular to mat with folded blanket on the one toward the back of the mat. Sit on folded blanket or on floor facing away from bolsters. Lay back so that shoulder blades and upper back are supported by shorted bolster and the head and neck are supported by the taller bolster. The upper line of the shoulders and arms should fall in between the bolsters. If the elbows to not readily reach the floor, support with more folded blankets. Either straighten legs out to floor or rest knees over bolster.

Vajrapradama Mudra
Seal of Unshakable Trust

Clasp fingers and open palms toward heart; point thumbs upwards. Hold a few inches away from the chest.
Benefits: Builds confidence, security, opens the heart very gently
Practice Tips: Use when frightened or anxious

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Gomukhasana

Backbends

Open Heart

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