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april 2018yogajournal.com.auCONTINUE SEQUENCE ON NEXT PAGE.5 Anjaneyasana
Low Lunge, variation
Step your right foot forward and bend your
right knee so it’s directly above your heel.
Keep the top of your left foot on the mat
and root your left pinky toe down, which
will help you find an even pelvis. Bring your
arms into a frame shape above your head,
grasping each elbow with the opposite
hand and feeling the connection between
your palms and elbows. Lift your pubic bone
toward your navel and your navel toward
your sternum; then let your head lean back
between the frame of your arms.
Stay here for 5 breaths.
6 Parsvottanasana
Intense Side Stretch Pose, variation
From Low Lunge, place blocks on either
side of your front foot. Hop your back foot
inward until you feel the support of your
back leg. Keep your back heel lifted so it is
easier to square your hips. Fold over your
front leg, and lift the right side of your belly
away from your right thigh so your pelvis
is even. Let your head drop, but lift your
shoulder blades away from your ears. Hold
here for 5 breaths, then repeat Low Lunge
and Parsvottanasana on the other side.8 Eka pada rajakapotasana
One-Legged King Pigeon Pose,
variation
From Down Dog, come to Plank Pose. Move
your right shin toward the front of the mat,
placing it on the floor with your knee bent.
If needed, use a blanket under your right
sit bone to ground your pelvis, helping
you find more rise through your torso.
Fold forward over your right shin, and place
a block under your chest so your lungs are
supported; place another block under your
forehead to prevent sinking too deeply into
the forward fold. Stay here for 5 breaths;
repeat on the other side, and finish in
Down Dog.
9 Utthita Parsvakonasana
Extended Side Angle Pose, variation
Lunge your right leg to 90 degrees and
spin your back heel to the floor. Take your
right hand to the inside of your right
foot, and spin it 180 degrees. Find the
connection of your right knee to your
right shoulder. Push your knee into your
shoulder and your shoulder into your
knee, rotating your heart skyward. Raise
your left arm, stacking it on top of your
bottom arm, and feel an opening through
your rib cage. Stay here for 5 breaths,
then repeat on the other side.10 Malasana
Garland Pose, variation
Stand at the top of your mat and bring
your feet hip-width apart. Bend your knees
to come to a full squat with your toes
pointing forward. Sit on a block if needed,
which may allow for a deeper stretch in
your groins. Bring your armpits over your
knees and your hands to Anjali Mudra
(Prayer Pose) in front of your heart. Release
your hips downward as your chest rises.
Stay here for 5 breaths.7 Adho Mukha Svanasana
Downward-Facing Dog Pose, variation
Remove the blocks, place your hands on the
mat, and walk back to Down Dog. Step both
feet forward to shorten the length of your
Down Dog, and come to the balls of both
feet. With your left hand, grab your right
heel, cupping your heel into the palm of your
hand. Turn and look underneath your right
arm and bend your left knee so it fits into
your left armpit. Use that connection to feel
more stable and make more space for your
right lung and kidney. Stay here for 5 breaths,
then switch sides.