YOGAJOURNAL.COM / 86 / DECEMBER 2017
PRANAYAMA SETUP, LYING DOWN
Fold a blanket to about 8 inches wide, 2 feet long, and 3 inches
deep, and add it to the middle of your mat for spinal support.
Fold another blanket into a pillow. Sit in front of the lower blanket
with your sacrum against the short end. Extend your legs and
loop a strap around the middle of your thighs. Place a sandbag
just below your hips. Lie down. Make sure your forehead is
slightly higher than your chin but low enough so as not to stretch
the back of your neck. Release your arms by your sides, palms
up. Practice pranayama here for 3–5 minutes.VIPARITA KARANI Legs-up-the-Wall Pose, variation
Fold 2 blankets 1 foot wide, 1.5 feet long, and 2 inches high. Stack
them and place the long side a few inches from a wall. Sit on the
blankets with one hip against the wall. Roll onto your back and
straighten your legs up the wall. One edge of the blankets should
run across the middle of your sacrum, and the other edge should
be at the bottom of your shoulder blades. Move your arms into
a cactus position to open your chest. This restorative pose will
teach you how to release into deep states of relaxation—the
foundation of pranayama. Rest here for 5–10 minutes.6
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MASTER CLASS
PRACTICE WELL
SUKHASANA Easy Pose, variation
Remove the props and sit on a block. Take the blanket you used
for spinal support in the last pose and place it perpendicular to
your seat. Cross your lower legs so that your ankles rest on the
blanket. Place a block under each thigh. Make a big loop out of
a strap, and put it around your torso, across your sacrum. Make
a figure eight with the strap, and place the second loop around
your knees to support your lower back in its natural curve. Rest
the backs of your hands on your thighs, palms up. Release your
head and lift your chest. Breathe here for 3–5 minutes.SETU BANDHA SARVANGASANA Bridge Pose, variation
Lie back again, this time with bent legs. Lift your hips and place
a block under your sacrum—at a height that is comfortable. Keep
your upper arms parallel to each other, bending at the elbows
to move your forearms perpendicular to the ground. Turn your
palms toward your face, and place the tips of your index fingers
to the tips of your thumbs. Lightly press down with your feet.
Press your shoulders down, softening and lifting the base of your
neck. Your chest is now in a backbend for easy breathing. Stay
here for 5–10 minutes.8
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