Australian_Yoga_Journal_-_September_2015_

83

august/september 2015

yogajournal.com.au

PHOTOS: JEFF NELSON; MODEL: CHELSEA JACKSON; STYLIST: EMILY CHOI; HAIR/MAKEUP: DANICA JARDIEN

HOME PRACTICE

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Seated Cat-Cow Pose

Ground through your sitting bones. Place your

hands on your knees. Deeply inhale to lean forward,

rolling your shoulders back and bringing your heart

forward. Then exhale to softly press your chin into

your throat and roll your spine into gentle flexion,

engaging your abdominal muscles. Drink in through

an open heart on the inhalation, and pour out by

engaging muscular energy as you exhale.

WHETHER YOU SERVEas a volunteer, teacher,

parent, or yoga instructor, helping others can be

energizing and exhausting all at once. It’s important

to practice techniques that help you refuel and take

care of yourself—as well as those you serve. This

balancing, restorative sequence encourages you

to “drink” as you “pour.” Seated meditative poses

support you as you drink in and recharge, and

Warrior Poses, inversions, and backbends help you

find strength as you pour out offerings to the world.

Prep work

Sit in Sukhasana (easy cross-legged pose) and

close your eyes. Draw your awareness inward.

Inhale through the nostrils and fill the torso from

the lower belly to the collarbones. Exhale through

the nostrils until the lower belly is empty of breath.

Ensure the length of the in-breath is even to the

length of the out-breath, creating stillness of mind.

Breathe mindfully for a few breaths in Sukhasana,

then continue to breathe fully, deeply and evenly

throughout the following poses.

Seated Half Moon Pose

Open your eyes and place your right fingertips

beside your right hip. Walk the fingers out, pressing

the right shoulder blade into your back by externally

rotating the shoulder. Inhale to extend your left arm

up and exhale to reach it to the right, rotating your

left shoulder back and expanding your left rib cage.

Inhale, shift your gaze skyward; exhale, rotate your

head and gaze at the ground. Exhale to release and

switch sides, including the cross of your legs.

Seated Forward Fold

with Mudra

From Anjali Mudra, inhale to again extend both

arms skyward, staying grounded through your hips.

Exhale to reach both arms behind your lower back.

Interlace your fingers. Gently press your shoulder

blades into your back. Drinking in the breath, lift the

chest upward. As you pour the breath out, bow

forward and stretch your arms toward your head,

releasing your forehead to the ground.

Seated Spinal Twist

With a long spine and grounded hips, bring your

hands to Anjali Mudra (prayer pose) at the centre of

your chest. On an inhalation, extend both arms up.

On an exhalation, place your left hand on your right

knee and your right hand on the ground behind you.

Inhale to imagine your breath traveling up your

spine and extending through the crown of your

head. Exhale to press your navel toward your spine,

externally rotate your right shoulder, and lift through

the heart. Inhale back to center and switch sides.

Cat-Cow Pose

Come to all fours, placing your wrists beneath your

shoulders and your knees directly below your hips.

Curl your toes under and spread your fingers wide,

with the index and middle fingers pointing

forward. Inhale deeply to lift the heart and gaze.

Tilt and separate the sitting bones towards the sky.

Exhale to round the spine, drawing the navel to the

spine and curling your chin to your chest.

to help you

By Chelsea Jackson

10 -, 2 0 -, and 3 0 -minute sequences

End here with Balasana (Child’s Pose) 2 minutes

OR, HAVE 10 MORE MINUTES? TURN TO THE NEXT PAGE TO EXTEND YOUR SEQUENCE.

10

min

If you have 10 minutes,

try this practice.

recharge

1 minute,

8–10 breaths

1 minute,

8–10 breaths,

each side

1 minute,

8–10 breaths

2 minutes,

16–20 breaths

1 minute,

8–10 breaths,

each side