Quick Navigation
Tree (Vrikshasana)
Benefits: Balance, groundedness
Entry…
- Stand, feet parallel, weight centered over arches
- Focus eyes on a point three or more feet in front of you
- Balancing on left leg, draw right foot to the groin, inner thigh, knee, calf or ankle
- Hands to prayer position against chest
- Hands overhead in prayer or temple position
Hold…
- Press right knee towards wall behind you
- Breathe
- Elongate spine pressing down into foot, lifting torso and arms up
Exit…
- Return hands to prayer
- Release hands
- Release foot
- Repeat balancing on right leg
Child (Garbhasana)
Benefits: Integration. Pause between postures
Entry…
- Sit on your heels, hands relaxed on your thighs (ok to place a pillow between heels and buttocks)
- Exhale and fold forward placing abdomen and chest on your thighs
- Rest your forehead on the floor
- Arms at your sides, in front or under forehead
Hold…
- Relax
- Breathe long, even deep breaths
Exit…
- Lift trunk back to vertical
- Return hands to thighs
Cobra [Modified] (Bhujangasana)
Benefits: Strengthen back and upper body
Entry…
- On hands and knees with hands shoulder width apart, knees hip width apart (tabletop position)
- Press firmly into hands, let the belly sink towards floor and lift torso
- Hands are directly under shoulders
- Look upward
Hold…
- Press hands firmly into floor, elongate neck
- Press shoulders back, down and relax
- Breathe long, even deep breaths
Exit…
- Bring hips towards heels in Child (counter stretch)
- Breathe
- Return to tabletop
Downward Dog (Adho Mukha Shvanasana)
Benefits: Stretch and lengthen spine, back of legs, upper body
Entry…
- On hands and knees with hands shoulder width apart, knees hip width apart (table top position)
- Curl toes under
- Press firmly into hands and feet, lift buttocks toward the ceiling
- Press heels toward floor
Hold…
- Straight arms and legs. Feel stretch behind knees, calves, upper body
- Widen or narrow distance between arms and legs for comfort
- Fingers spread wide
- Continue actively lifting buttocks
- Draw belly toward spine
- Breathe long, even deep breaths
Exit…
- Return to table top
Upward Dog (Urdhva Mukha Shvanasana)
Benefits: Strengthen back, upper body, abdominals
Entry…
- From Downward Dog very slowly let belly sink toward floor
- Lift head and shoulders toward ceiling
- Straighten arms
- Support body with toes and hands
Hold…
- Press hands firmly into floor, elongate neck, gaze at ceiling
- Relax shoulders
- OK to lower knees to ground-Modified Cobra
- Breathe long, even deep breaths
Exit…
- Return to Downward Dog
-OR- - Child (release knees to floor, place abdomen on thighs, forehead on floor, arms at your side)
Wind Relieving Pose (Pavana Muktasana)
Benefits: Stimulates digestion, abdominal organs
Entry…
- Lie on your back, legs straight, feet together
- Exhale, draw right knee toward chest (grasp kneecap or back of thigh)
- Flex toes of extended leg toward chest
Hold…
- Breathe long, even deep breaths
- Repeat drawing left knee to chest
Exit…
- Draw both knees to the chest
- Release legs to the floor
Knee Down Twist (Supta Matsyendrasana)
Benefits: Elongates spine, increases oxygen, blood flow
Entry…
- Lie on your back, legs straight, arms in “T” position
- Place right foot on left knee
- Press right knee toward left
- Assist with left hand on right knee
- Look toward right fingertips
Hold…
- Keep shoulders on floor
- Breathe long, even deep breaths
Exit…
- Release hand and knee, straighten legs
- Repeat on opposite side
Six Movements of the Spine
- Dog and Cat: forward, backward
- Thread the Needle: twist right and left
Benefits: Warms up spine through full range of motion
Entry…
- Tabletop position (hands under shoulders, knees under hips)
Dog:
- Lift tailbone, lift head, allow belly to sink toward floor
Cat:
- Tuck tailbone under, bring head toward chest
- Press firmly into hands and knees arching back
- Return to Tabletop
Puppy:
- Press right ear toward right shoulder
- Press right hip toward right shoulder
- Repeat on left side
- Return to Tabletop
Thread the Needle:
- Slide right hand through the space between left shoulder
- and knee creating gentle twist
- Balance on right shoulder and back of head
- Raise left arm to ceiling
- Rotate arm three or more times in each direction
- Return to Tabletop
- Repeat threading the needle on left side
Hold…
- Take at least three deep breaths during each segment
Exit…
- Return to Tabletop or Child
Half Moon (Ardha Chandrasana)
Benefits: Elongates spine, stretches, tones entire torso
Entry…
- Stand in Mountain
- Inhale arms sideways overhead
- Hands in temple position
Right Side:
- Lift, elongate and arch torso to the right
- Press feet firmly to floor
- Press left shoulder back, keep chest lifted
- Inhale to center
Left Side:
- Lift, elongate and arch torso to left
- Press feet firmly to floor
- Press right shoulder back, keep chest lifted
- Inhale to center
Hold…
- Breathe at least three breaths on each side
- Keep arms straight, chin lifted
Exit…
- Exhale arms to sides
Standing Angle (Dandayama Konasana)
Benefits: Stretches inner thighs, helps relieve sciatica
Entry…
- Stand in Mountain
- Inhale arms to the side and overhead
- Exhale, step wide to right, arms in “T”
- Widen stance as far as comfortable
- Angle feet inward about 10-20 degrees
- Bend forward at hips, back straight
- Let gravity bring head towards floor
- Grasp calves, ankles or sides of feet
Hold…
- Legs straight
- Breathe long, even deep breaths
Exit…
- Release hands to thighs
- Raise torso parallel to floor
- Lower tailbone
- Press into feet, bring torso to standing
- Inhale hands and feet together
- Exhale hands to your side
Mountain (Tadasasana)
Benefits: Standing alignment
Entry…
- Stand with feet parallel (imagine your feet create a rectangle)
- Rock back and forth to balance weight on the arches
- Press firmly into feet
- Tighten quadriceps
- Press tailbone slightly down and forward
- Lift out of the waist
- Press shoulders up, back then down and relax
- Hands at your sides, fingers together pointing down
- Lift out of the neck
- Chin parallel to floor
- Press head toward ceiling
Hold…
- Breathe fully and deeply
Exit…
- Release and relax
Palm Trees (Pranayama Exercise)
Benefits: Induces active deep breathing
Entry…
- Stand in Mountain
- Inhale straight arms out to the side and overhead to the count of six
- Exhale arms to your side to the count of six
- Continue at least six times
Hold…
- Deepen breathing by slowing arm movement
- Press firmly into the feet
- Press out through the fingertips, keeping arms straight
Exit…
- Return to Mountain
- Release and relax
Triangle (Trikonasana)
Benefits: Open hips, strengthen lower body
Entry…
- Stand in Mountain
- Inhale arms overhead, exhale and step wide about three or four feet
- Arms to “T”
- Turn right foot forward to the right
- Turn left foot inward about 45 degrees (align the heel of the forward foot with the instep of the rear foot)
- Turn head forward
- Hinge forward at waist, pressing out through right hand
- Press left hip (rear hip) back
- Feel right upper thigh engage
- Windmill back of (forward) right hand to the calf or ankle, lift (rear) left hand toward ceiling, lift chest
Hold…
- Gaze toward upward hand
- Breathe fully and deeply
- Press inner thighs towards each other for stability
- Keep pressing rear hip back
- OK to bend knees slightly
- Return torso erect, arms to “T”
- Return feet to forward
- Repeat on other side
Exit…
- Inhale arms and feet together
- Exhale arms down into Mountain
Eagle (Garudasana)
Benefits: Balance, coordination, shoulder flexibility
Entry…
- Stand in Mountain
- Focus eyes on point about three feet ahead
- Inhale arms overhead
Right side:
- Exhale left hand under right bringing palms together, interlacing fingers
- Rotate arms to left and right to warm up shoulders
- Balance on right foot
- Bend right knee and cross left knee over right
- Tuck left toes behind right calf
- Straighten legs, stand
Left side:
- Inhale arms over head
- Exhale right hand under left
- Rotate arms to left and right to warm up shoulders
- Balance on left foot
- Bend left knee and cross right knee over left
- Tuck right toes behind left calf
Hold…
- Bend balancing knee deeper
- Straighten back
- Draw arms toward waist
Exit…
- Inhale arms overhead, stand
- Exhale arms down
Half Locust (Ardha Shalabhasana)
Benefits: Strengthen lower back
Entry…
- Lie on belly, chin on floor
- Feet together, legs extended
- Place arms under the torso, palms down, hips resting on forearms
- Right side: exhale, raise right leg
- Lower right leg
- Left side: exhale, raise left leg
Hold…
- Keep both hipbones in contact with forearms
- Point toe
- Breathe long, full deep breaths
Exit…
- Release leg and arms
- Place cheek on floor and relax
Symbol of Yoga (Yoga Mudra)
Entry…
- Sit on heels, knees together, hands on thighs
- Elongate spine
- Inhale straight arms forward to shoulder height
- Exhale arms around behind you
- Clasp hands firmly
- Straighten arms, press hands away from buttocks
- Hinge forward at hips, straight back, bringing forehead to floor
- Pause
- Come up onto knees and crown of the head
Hold…
- Keep arms straight
- Breathe long full deep breaths
Exit…
- Return hips towards heels and forehead to the floor
- Maintain straight arms
- Return straight back to seated
- Release arms, let them float back to the thighs
Boat (Navasana)
Entry…
- Lie on your belly, chin on floor, feet together
- Extend arms forward, shoulder-width apart
- Place sides of hands (little fingers) on the floorFirst Lift:
- Exhale, lift arms, head and shoulders
- Elongate spine, press out through hands
- Release to floorSecond Lift:
- Exhale, lift arms, head, shoulders and legs
- Point toes, press out through hands
- Release to floor
- Third Lift:
- Place hands, palms down, at 45 degree angle from sides
- Exhale, lift arms, head, shoulders, legs
Hold…
- Allow pelvis to press firmly into floor
- Engage the muscles in the pelvic floor as you lift
- Breathe
Exit…
- Release body to floor
- Rest cheek on floor and relax
Half Shoulderstand (Ardha Sarvangasana)
Entry…
- Lie on your back, knees bent
- Arms at your sides, palms down
- Press firmly into palms, swing legs toward forehead
- Support hips with the hands
-OR-
- Rock hips forward and backward using the momentum to lift hips
- Support hips with the hands
Hold…
- Feet together
- Point toes
Exit…
- Return hips to floor, arms to sides
- Extend legs and relax
Lunge
Entry…
- Stand in Mountain
- Bend forward, bending knees as needed
- Place hands on floor next to feet
Right side:
- Exhale, extend right leg behind, balancing on toe, or foot
- Return right leg between hands
Left side:
- Exhale, extend left leg behind
- Return left leg between hands
Hold…
- Adjust stance so that the forward knee is directly over the ankle
- Allow groin to drop toward floor
- Eyes gaze upward
Exit…
- Slowly return to standing
- Stand in Mountain
Bridge (Setu Bandhasana)
Benefits: Tones shoulders, abdominals, thighs
Entry…
- Lie on your back, knees bent, hip width apart
- Palms down at your sides
First Lift:
- Exhale, lift hips a few inches off the floor, pressing into feet
- hands, shoulders
- Release hips to floor slowly
Second lift:
- Exhale, lift hips, press belly toward the ceiling
- Walk shoulder blades together, interlace hands into fists
- Press firmly into feet, fists and shoulders
Hold…
- Maintain knees hip width apart
- Open chest by pressing belly and chest toward ceiling
- Breathe long, full deep breaths
Exit…
- Very slowly, release hands, lower hips to floor
- Lie on your back, relax
Balancing Knee to Chest
Benefits: Balance, groundedness
Entry…
- Stand in Mountain
- Focus eyes on a point about three feet ahead
- Balance on left foot
- Draw right knee up toward chest
- Grasp kneecap
Hold…
- Pull knee toward chest
- Elongate spine, press into balancing foot
Exit…
- Release knee
- Return to Mountain
- Repeat balancing on right foot
Rag Doll
Benefits: Relaxes lower back
Entry…
- Stand with feet parallel about two feet apart
- Exhale, bend knees, fold forward at hips
- Let gravity draw torso toward the floor
Hold…
- Totally relax
- Bent or straight knees
- Let torso and arms dangle, or grasp elbows
Exit…
- Keep knees bent, very slowly bring torso to standing
5 Pointed Star
Benefits: Whole body warm up stretch
Entry…
- Stand in Mountain
- Inhale straight arms overhead, exhale and step wide about three feet
- Extend arms up and out to the side
Hold…
- Extend out through fingertips
- Press firmly into feet
- Bend backwards slightly
Exit…
- Inhale arms overhead, step feet together
- Exhale arms to your sides
- Stand in Mountain