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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

Benefits: In this movement the muscles on the top of the feet, ankles, shins, hamstrings and buttocks are stretched. The muscles that run the entire length of the spine are lengthened, as well the muscles of the shoulder girdle. As the head is lower than the heart in this movement, the nervous system is soothed, and the heart muscle is rested.

Step by Step Instructions:

Begin by sitting on your heels in vajrasana.

Widen your knees one by one, keeping your toes together. Quietly walk your
hands out in front of you, until your arms are straight. Exhale and
bring your forehead towards the floor.

It is more important to keep your spine in alignment than it is to get
your forehead on to the floor.

Have your hands as in Downward Facing Dog, with your fingers evenly
spread, and your thumb and index finger mounds pressing in to the
mat. Lift your underneath elbow upwards, while keeping your arms
straight, and move your outer upper forearms on to your forearm bones.

Lengthen your spine by moving your buttocks back toward the back of your mat,
and moving the crown of your head towards the front of your mat. If
you can’t bring your buttocks on to your heels, you may wish to
place a rolled up blanket under your buttocks. Press the tops of
your feet, shins and knees in to the floor evenly, while moving your
outer ankles and shin bones in toward your midline.

To come out of the pose, lift your trunk and walk your hands back toward
your knees. Bring your knees together, place your hands on your
thighs and come to sitting in vajrasana. Breathe in the
feeling of calmness that this pose induces.

Everything Else:

Level:1
Props required: Not Required
Movement Type: Restorative
Sub Movement Type-A: Kneeling
Sub Movement Type-B: Meditative
Main Anatomical Focus: Spine
Secondary Anatomical Focus: Groins
Physiological Focus: Circulatory System, Nervous System

Therapeutic Focus: High Blood Pressure, Stress

Contraindications:If you are pregnant ensure that take your knees wide to make room for baby. Avoid this movement if you have osteoarthritis of the knees, Asthmatic Symptoms or breathlessness, or if you have diarrhoea.

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Benefits: This movement tones and strengthens the intrinsic muscles of the foot, ankle, and lower leg, which can help to correct flat feet. It also strengthens the abductors, or outer thigh and the buttocks of the standing leg. On the lifted leg the outer thigh receives a stretch, as well as the adductors or the muscles of the inner thigh. It develops stability and concentration of the mind, and gives one a sense of balance and poise, mentally and emotionally.

Step by Step Instructions:

For this pose you will need a wall close by. You may want to practise this variation of the pose if you have an ankle, knee, hip injury, inner ear imbalance, if you are beginner or simply if you are feeling unsteady in the pose.

Begin by standing on your mat in tadasana near a wall.

Like a tree, the deeper your roots go, the higher you can grow, and the steadier you will be. To find this grounding you need to have clarity in your feet. Firstly, notice if you are standing on both your feet evenly, or are you carrying more weight on one foot than the other? Descend all four corners of both your feet evenly. That is your big toe mound, your little toe mound, and your inner and outer heels.

Notice that the more you allow your feet to descend, the more the crown of your head will naturally grow upwards. Now without moving your left foot, lift your right foot off the floor and place it on your left inner calf with your toes pointing downward. If you feel unstable, bring your left fingertips on to the wall. Keep the crown of your head in line with your pelvic floor as you do this. The wall is there for support, not to lean on. If you feel steady, bring your hands to your heart centre in prayer position.

Keep allowing your left foot to descend, particularly your big toe mound and your inner heel, as this will help you balance. Ensure that both your hip bones are parallel to one another and parallel to your front. It is also helpful for your balance, to fix your gaze on a spot in front of you on the floor, and to connect to your breath. These tools help to focus the mind, which can be a key factor to good balance.

Exhale, release your right leg down and come to standing in tadasana, with your arms by your sides.

Breathe here, washing your mind clean of its past actions.

Turn to face the other way now, so that your right shoulder is closest to the wall.

Keeping your right foot firm and grounded this time, exhale your left leg on to your right inner calf. Again if you feel unstable, lightly place your right fingertips on the wall, or if you feel stable bring your hands in to prayer position. Ensure that your hips are level, and are both facing your front.

Allow the texture of your breath to be long, smooth and even.

On your next exhalation, release your left leg down and come to standing

in tadasana with your arms by your sides.

Level:1
Props required: Wall
Movement Type: Standing
Sub Movement Type-A: Balance
Sub Movement Type-B: Strengthening
Main Anatomical Focus: Legs
Secondary Anatomical Focus: Hips
Physiological Focus: Nervous System, Reproductive System

Therapeutic Focus: Flat Feet, Mild Depression, Stress

Contraindications:Do not practice this if you suffer from headache, Insomnia or Low Blood Pressure. If your suffer from High Blood Pressure do not raise your arms above your head.

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View Beginners Tree Pose in Yogasync.tv

Did you know? That standing mountain pose will help you to stand with more confidence in correct posture. The basic alignment points in mountain pose are essential for all other poses and will help you progress.

Benefits: Tada in Sanskrit means mountain. Practising this pose gives rise to a sense of stability, stillness, steadiness and powerfulness associated with mountains. Tadasana is a base pose and therefore the foundation for all the standing postures. Coming back to this pose in between the other standing poses brings the mind and body back to stillness and gives one the opportunity to bring the mind back to this present moment.

Step by Step Instructions:

Begin by standing in the middle of your mat.

If you have lower back, hip, knee or ankle problems or if you are
pregnant or menstruating you will need to practise this pose against
the wall, with your feet hip width apart.

Otherwise stand with your feet together, so that your toes are in line with one
another and your big toes and inner ankles are touching.

Allow your weight to spread and release evenly over your big toe mound,
little toe mound and middle of the heel bone. Now lift and spread
your toes as wide as possible so that you can feel these points clearly.

By spreading your toes you begin to activate your inner, outer and
transverse frontal arches of the feet. These arches support the feet
and the weight of the entire body so it is important that they are consciously active.

Lay your toes back down on the floor, keeping the width and length you
have just created, checking that you are standing on both feet evenly.

When you have created balance in your feet your weight will fall directly
on the middle of the arches of the feet.

Lift your kneecaps and ensure that they are facing straight forward. Lift
your inner and outer thighbones up towards your pelvis.

Move your trochanter bones in toward one another and broaden the top of the sacrum.

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

Broaden the spines of your scapula and your collarbone notches vertically.
Keep this broadness and then descend the spines of the scapula toward
your sacrum. These actions will open your chest and heart chakra.

Have your arms by your sides with your palms facing your thighs and your
fingers pointing down. The back of the arm and the triceps muscles
lengthen toward the little finger. The arms are alive and active but not tense.

Let the sides of your neck and crown of your head float up toward the sky.

Relax your face, broaden the skin on your forehead and soften the front of your throat.

Allow the breath to be long, smooth and even.

Level: 1
Props required: Not Required
Movement Type: Standing
Sub Movement Type-A: Strengthening
Sub Movement Type-B: Meditative
Main Anatomical Focus: Whole Body
Secondary Anatomical Focus: Mind
Physiological Focus: Nervous System

Therapeutic Focus: Flat Feet, Mild Depression, Poor Posture

Contraindications:If you have Lower Back, hip, knee or ankle problems, or if you are pregnant or menstruating you will need to practice this movement against the wall with your feet hip width apart.

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