Sankalpa Heart Opening

A beginning of the year practice to help you set a sankalpa, or intention with mudras and heart opening asana sequence. 

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Backbend over Roll 
Salamba Uttana Merudandasana, var
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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.

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 Sankalpa Meditation with Mudras

This meditation will assist you in formulating your sankalpa, or resolve, which is a short positive intention that plants the seed of transformation deep within the mind. It is important that the sankalpa be precise and something that you will remember. Keep using the same sankalpa until it comes to fruition or you feel that you are ready to begin working with a new resolution. Create a statement that begins with the words “I am…” and phrase it in the present tense to implant this powerful suggestive wish deep into your awareness. Begin by coming into a comfortable seated position and allow your awareness to settle on the breath. 

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Purna Hridaya Mudra

Bring the hands into Purna Hridaya Mudra by interlacing the fingers inside out, then touching the thumbs together and pressing the pads of the fingers together inside the palms. Relax the forearms and elbows softly down and hold the clasped hands in front of the chest creating a heart shape with the hands. This mudra opens the heart center and helps connect you with the underlying emotions within the heart.

Feel the breath gently directed into the chest which will encourage your deepest wish for self transformation to arise from the heartspace. Bring to mind the current challenges that you are facing. Without dwelling on the details, recognize that all challenges are opportunities for personal growth and healing. Perhaps your current challenges have already set the stage for transformation in your life. Continue to visualize this challenging situation and hold it within the space of the heart, releasing any feelings of judgment or blame if they arise.

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Padma Mudra

Next, place the palms together at the heart. Keep the thumbs and little fingers together, and extend the palms and other fingers away from each other to create an open flower shape,  this Padma, or lotus mudra. This mudra helps to elevate the heart energy and integrate the heart and mind.

Allow receptivity to blossom within your heart as you begin to visualize the best possible outcome for the challenges you are facing. If any thoughts of doubt begin to arise, redirect the mind towards receptivity and the positive resolution of your current situation. Allow your heart and mind to visualize the positive outcome clearly. Whatever steps need to be taken, imagine yourself taking them with self-confidence and clarity to bring this outcome into reality. Take a few more breaths to increase your receptivity to this positive resolution.​

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Vajrapradama Mudra

Next, clasp the hands together and open the palms toward the heart. Relax the forearms so that the hands tilt upwards until the index fingers just cross one another, creating a peak and the thumbs are oriented vertically. Hold the open palms a few inches in front of the heart center. This is Vajrapradama Mudra, the mudra of unshakable confidence and trust in the self. 

As you begin to feel the effects of this gesture, trust that you have the strength, courage and ability to bring the imagined positive outcome into reality. Be confident that you can create your own reality based on your visualization. Allow your sankalpa to coalesce into a short simple statement phrased in the present tense beginning with "I am ...". State it aloud three times with full awareness, then silently three times. Trust that your sankalpa will manifest with patience and repetition and use this intention whenever you practice Yoga Nidra. Take a few more breaths to firmly implant this heartfelt wish into your consciousness. 

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​Seated Shoulder Flow
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Slightly twist the torso to the right and left a few times., then come to the center and raise/lower the elbows a few times. Reach arms out to the sides into a T-position, then repeat with the other arm on top.

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Reclining Hip Flow

From a reclining position, bring the right knee into the chest.
- Make a few circles with the knee, moving in both directions.
- Then bring the knee to the center and cross the leg over to the opposite side and move back and forth into and out of the twist a few times to warm up the hip. 
- Come back to center and hold behind the thigh. Extend and bend the knee a few times to warm up the knee and hamstring. 
Release the leg to the floor and repeat all movements with the other leg.

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Cat/Cow Tilts
Marjaryasana
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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. ​

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Bird Dog flow

​Begin in all fours.
Inhale as you reach right foot back and turn toes under as you extend the left arm forward.
Exhale and press back into Child's Pose.
Inhale rock forward and reach left hand forward with fingertips on the floor, as you extend right leg straight back.
Exhale and press back into Child's Pose.
Inhale rock forward and extend right leg back and left arm forward, keep looking at the floor. 
Exhale and press back into Child's Pose.
Repeat with other arm/leg combination. 

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Down Dog to Squat to Standing Forward Bend 

Down Dog:  ​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.
Squat:  Walk feet and hands towards each other, bend the knees and drop the hips towards floor, lifting heels from floor if necessary.
Standing Forward Bend:  Exhale and press hips upwards as you press feet into floor. Release to standing by drawing hands onto hips and lifting entire torso up as a single unit.

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Standing Sidebend with Elbow Lifted

Stand in Mountain Pose and raise right arm over the head, place hand behind head. Lift the right elbow toward the ceiling as you lean the left arm down towards the left knee. Imagine a helium balloon attached to the tailbone and top of the sternum. Keep legs straight and press evenly into both feet. Hold 3-5 breaths, then release to center and change sides.

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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.

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Warrior II
Virabhadrasana II

Stand in Mountain Pose at the top of the mat. Step right foot back a little bit further than you did for Warrior I, so that the right arch lines up behind the left heel. Left foot should be turned out to 90 degrees and right foot turned in 30 degrees. Inhale arms out from shoulders. Exhale and bend left knee. Keep torso upright with chest facing long edge of the mat. Gaze towards left hand. Hold 5-10 breaths then release and release by stepping left foot back to top of mat into Mountain Pose, then repeat to other side.

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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.

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Bridge Pose
Setu Bandha

Lie on back with knees bent and feet hips with apart. Inhale and lift hips away from floor, rolling onto upper back. Press arms back into floor and lengthen tail bone towards backs of knees. 
Hold 5-15 breaths and release.

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Windshield Wipers
Jathara Parivartanasana Variation

Lie on back with knees bent and feet on floor. On an inhalation lower knees to the left side. Exhale and engage belly as you bring knees back to the center. Inhale as you lower knees to the right side. Exhale and engage belly as you bring knees back to the center. ​

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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.

Before you return to a sitting position, repeat your Sankalpa three more times silently. Then bend the knees, roll over to the side, and use the arms to press back up to a sitting position.

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