Home Practice Sequences for the New Year

I have been really enjoying the extra incentive of the "21 Day Challenge" and have been reminded of just how good it feels to practice every single day. Between various ice-related mishaps and then coming down with the flu late this week there have been plenty of impediments to my practice over the past 9 days, but I have worked my way around them thanks to yoga's incredible range of possibilities, a practice can be anything from a vigorous flow to just lying on the floor is savasana fro 30 minutes (really!). Yesterday, the day I was the most sick, I just slept for 30 minutes in a restorative posture, which felt great and helped me further relax so my immune system could do its thing.

Below I am including 2 more sequences to support you in your home practice. My plan is to post a new sequence every three days or so throughout January, for sequence #1  see my "New Year's Challenge 2014" blog post. 

Good luck and have fun! 

Sequence #2 (invigorating):

1.  Sun salutation 1: do these poses rhythmically with your breath, you can move through them quickly or at a moderate pace but do not hold any one pose for more than two or three breaths

- Tadasana (mountain pose standing at the front of the mat)

- Arm sweeps (on the inhale lift arms overhead, on the exhale bring arms down by sides) do 3 or 4 syncing up with your breath

- Side stretch (from arms overhead position grab left wrist with right hand and bend to the right, repeat on second side) 

- Uttansana (standing forward bend)

- Lunge (Anjaneyasana)

- Warrior I with back heel lifted (Virahabdrasana I variation)

- Plank (Phalakasana) to floor through Chaturanga Dandasana (bottom of a push up)

- Cobra (Bhujangasana) 

- Downward Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)

- Uttansana (standing forward bend)

- Utkatasana (sometimes called "awkward pose" or "chair pose") can be done with arms in the air or palms together in front of heart

- Tadasana (mountain pose standing at the front of the mat)

 REPEAT SEQUENCE with lunge and Warrior I on second side

 2. Sun Salutation 2:

- Tadasana (mountain pose standing at the front of the mat), inhale to arms overhead, exhale to

- Uttansana (standing forward bend)

- Lunge (Anjaneyasana)

- Triangle pose (Trikonasana) to Half Moon Pose (Ardha Chandrasana) to Warrior II (Virahabdrasana II)  

- Plank (Phalakasana) to floor through Chaturanga Dandasana (bottom of a push up)

-  Upward facing dog (Urdvha Mukha Svanasana) with straight arms

- Downward Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)

- Uttansana (standing forward bend)

- Utkatasana (sometimes called "awkward pose" or "chair pose") can be done with arms in the air or palms together in front of heart

- Tadasana (mountain pose standing at the front of the mat)

REPEAT SEQUENCE with lunge, Triangle, Ardha Chandrasana and Warrior II on second side

- Uttanasana (standing forward bend), jump to

-Chaturanga Dandasana (bottom of a pushup) to floor

3. Eka Pada Bhekasana: (belly-down quad stretch, can be donw propped up on an elbow or lying facedown)

4. Adho Mukha Svanasana side stretch (downward facing dog variation), from down dog swivel on the balls of your feet so your heels turn toward the left, swing your hips also toward the left while keeping your upper body centered, repeat on second side

5. Vasistasana (side plank) from down dog swivel onto the pinky toe side of your left foot and either stack your right foot on top of the left or modify the pose by placing it in front of the left foot on the floor, repeat on second side

From vasistasana transition to your stomach by coming to plank and then lowering down

6. Dhanurasana (bow pose)

7. Adho Mukha Svanasana (downward dog) 

From dog transition to your back, this can be done most fluidly by jumping or stepping to standing forward bend, crossing your ankles and slowly lowering back to sit and from there to lying down (or make up your own way to get there!)

8. Setu Bandha Sarvangasana (bridge pose) 

9. Windshield wiper twist (Vayu Kavicha Shuddhi Krtasana) 

10. Savasana (if you have time, sit with eyes closed for a few minutes to close your practice)

Sequence #3 (restorative):

This sequence is great if you are feeling run down or if your practicing at the end of the day before going to bed. 

1. Supta Padangusthasana (lying on back, leg straight up in the air)

- Parsva Supta Padangusthasana (lying on back, leg open to the side)

- Parivritta Supta Padangusthasana (lying on back, take leg across to opposite side for a twist) 

2. Supta Baddha Konasana variation with straight legs (you will need 2-4 thick wool or sturdy cotton blankets for this one, you can substitute a sturdy couch cushion or a yoga bolster for 2 of the blankets). Fold your blankets into approximately 3ft by 1ft  squares and stack them one on top of the other. Lie backwards over the stack so that your back is supported comfortably by the blankets while your hips, legs, and arms rest on the floor. See how your back feels and adjust the number of blankets in the stack if being higher up or lower down will make you more comfortable. Place an extra blanket (or 2) or a pillow under your head so that your neck rests at a comfortable angle. Allow your arms to relax down onto the floor with your palms face up, you can also place an eye pillow or other soft cover over your eyes if it will help you relax. Once you are 100% comfy, rest in this position for 15 to 20 minutes.