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june 2016yogajournal.com- PRASARITA PADOTTANASANA C
(WIDE-LEGGED STANDING FORWARD BEND C)
From Goddess Pose, straighten your legs and turn your toes forward;
interlace the fingers behind your back. Press down firmly through
the fronts of your heels and lift your kneecaps, firming your thighs
as you slowly fold forward and maybe bring the crown of your head
to the floor. Shift your weight slightly forward, aligning your hips
over your heels. As you open your hips, think about engaging and
lifting the pelvic floor, finding balance in your second chakra between
maintaining structure and letting go. Stay here using Ujjayi breath
for 1 minute. When you’re done, pivot on your feet, coming into
Low Lunge with your right foot forward; step back to Down Dog.
- MANDUKASANA (FROG POSE)
From Down Dog, come to Tabletop, then begin to move your knees
away from one another. As you do, make sure your feet stay in line
with your knees, so that your shins and quads form a 90-degree angle.
Flex your feet and press through your heels to protect your knees.
Slide down to your forearms with your palms together and begin to
gradually press your hips back toward your heels. Feel free to use a
blanket underneath your knees for comfort. Stay for 1 minute, breathing
deeply. Then press back to Child’s Pose for 1 minute before rolling up
to seated. This intense hip-opening posture can often stir up emotions,
so be extra generous with your breath, using it as a tool to ground you
by drawing out your exhales a count or two longer than your inhales.
- PASCHIMOTTANASANA
(SEATED FORWARD BEND)
Sit with your legs extended and rock side to side, rooting through
your sitting bones. Stretch your arms upward, palms facing each
other. Use your full inhale to lengthen your fingertips upward and
create more space through your torso, and then use your full exhale
to fold forward. Catch the outer edges of your feet or calves with
your hands and lengthen your spine. Inhale to actively firm your
legs, flex your feet, and draw your torso forward; exhale through
the mouth to relax your arms alongside your legs and round forward
with a soft bend to your knees. Take 6 to 8 cycles of breath. After
so much hip opening, enjoy this deep, grounding stretch through
your hamstrings, flexing your toes back to feel into your calves
and Achilles. Inhale to roll up slowly. - SUPTA BADDHA KONASANA
(RECLINING BOUND ANGLE POSE)
Make your way onto your back. Bend your knees and bring the soles
of your feet together. Let you knees release toward the floor, placing
a block under each knee for support. Place your palms on your belly.
As you close your eyes, slow your breath and give yourself these last
couple of minutes to relax and feel the effort of your practice. Infuse
your breath with a sense of intention, feeling into the spaciousness
you’ve cultivated in your hips. Meditate on how you can step off your
mat and approach your day with creative energy and an open mind.
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