YOGAJOURNAL.COM / 70 / DECEMBER 2017
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PRACTICE WELL
5 ANJANEYASANA
Low Lunge, variation
Unwrap your arms and interlace your fi n-
gers, cupping the back of your skull with
your hands. Keeping your elbows wide, plug
your shoulder blades into your heart and lift
your heart to the sky. As you arch your back,
allow the weight of your head to fall into your
hands. This will help open your chest and
reverse the hunched-forward posture most
of us unconsciously slip into when we’re
stressed. If you feel any pinching in your low
back, bend your back leg and tuck your tail-
bone down toward the earth to fi nd a neutral
spine. Stay here for 5–10 breaths.7 PLANK POSE
Release your hands to the mat and step your
front foot back to come to High Plank: Place
your feet hip-width apart and push your heels
toward the wall behind you. Spin your inner
thighs up toward the ceiling, keeping your
hips level with your shoulder blades. Stack
your wrists under your shoulders and push
the earth away from you while broadening
your chest so you’re not rounding in the
shoulder blades. Finally, pull the crown of
your head forward as you tuck your tailbone
toward your heels and engage your lower
belly. Stay here for 5–10 breaths.6 PARIVRTTA ANJANEYASANA
Revolved Lunge Pose
Lift your chest so it’s directly over your
hips, and bring your hands to Anjali Mudra
(Prayer Pose) in front of your heart. Lean
your chest halfway forward and twist your
left elbow to the outside of your right thigh.
Drive your left heel back and press your
left thighbone up toward the ceiling; this
is your anchor and will keep you balanced.
Stack your elbows so you can press your
palms together. You can also raise your top
arm skyward and move your bottom-arm
fi ngertips to the mat, or take a bind. Push
the tips of your shoulder blades into your
heart as you stay here for 5–10 breaths.12 ADHO MUKHA VRKSASANA
Handstand with Eagle Legs
From Down Dog, step your feet forward
1–2 feet, gaze between your hands, and,
as you inhale, lift your right leg skyward.
On your next inhale, come onto the ball
of your left foot and then gently hop off
your left foot. As your left heel comes
off the mat, bring it in close to your butt.
Once balanced, cross your legs just as
you did in Garudasana. If you’re practic-
ing with a wall behind you, plant your
hands about 2 feet away, and maybe
even bind your legs. Then slowly begin
to remove your foot from the wall by
pressing away with your toes.11 ADHO MUKHA SVANASANA
Downward-Facing Dog Pose
Keep your feet hip-width apart and bend
your knees to lift your hip creases toward
the sky. Lengthen your lower back, knit your
ribs in toward one another, and maintain the
length in your spine as you spin your inner
thighs toward the wall behind you and press
your heels toward the mat. Keep your head
and neck relaxed, spread your fi ngers wide,
and then press them into the mat. Hug your
triceps back toward your ears and allow
your shoulders to relax and drop away from
your ears. Stay here for 5–10 breaths. From
here, come back to Tadasana and repeat
poses 2–10 on the left side, fi nishing in
Downward-Facing Dog.13 SUKHASANA
Easy Pose with a Twist
After playing with Handstand, come to a com-
fortable cross-legged position (Sukhasana).
Take the peace-sign fi ngers of both hands and
grab your big toes, pulling them forward and
out so that your feet stay wide. Sitting up tall,
plant your right hand about 6 inches behind
your right hip, and inhale your left hand up
to the sky. As you exhale, bring your left hand
to the outside of your right knee to move into
a twist. On each inhale, feel yourself growing
taller; on each exhale, twist a little deeper.
Once you’ve taken about 8 breaths, come
back to center, switch the cross of your legs,
and twist to the other side for 8 breaths.