Australian Yoga Journal - May June 2017

82

may/june 2017

yogajournal.com au

3 Circulate Energy

with Breath

Stand with your feet just wider than hip

distance, with a slight bend in your knees.

Extend your arms in front of your navel

as if holding a large ball, keeping your

elbows soft. Feel an inhalation move up

your spine; with your palms facing up,

draw your hands closer to your body and

lift them skyward, pulling the energy up

from your root. When you reach your

crown, extend your arms forward and

release down in the circular shape,

exhaling back to your root.

Repeat 5–10 times.

6 Skandasana

Pose Dedicated to the God of War

Step your feet wide apart, with your toes

angled toward the front corners of your mat.

Bend your left knee, tracking your knee over

your toes; keep your right leg straight and

place your hands wider than shoulder distance

while extending your heart forward. Hold

here as you take 5 deep breaths, then move

to the other side and hold for the same

amount of time. You can also move with your

breath continuously for a total of 10 breaths.

4 Malasana, with Pulsation

Garland Pose, with Pulsation

Step your feet wide, with your toes angled

toward the front corners of your mat.

Create active feet by lifting and spreading

your toes and by pressing evenly through

all four corners of your feet. Allow your

shoulders to completely relax and your

arms to dangle in front of your legs as you

come into a squatting position, keeping

your knees over your ankles. Holding a

squat, pulse your seat up and down a few

centimetres. Repeat 5–10 times.

7 Figure 8s

With soft knees and your feet just wider

than hip distance, draw figure 8s with your

hips. Vary the speed and circumference;

play with changing directions. Repeat for

1–2 minutes.

5 Prasarita Padottanasana C

Wide-Legged Standing Forward Bend C

Turn your feet parallel to one another, with

your toes angled in slightly. Interlace your

fingers behind your back and keep a

micro-bend in your elbows as you widen

across your chest. Maintaining this length

in your spine, hinge at your waist and fold

forward, bending your knees as much as you

need in order to release your spine. Let your

head hang heavy and feel your neck relax.

Stay here for 5 breaths.

8 Belly and

Circular Breathing

Stand with your feet at hip distance and

place your palms on your abdomen, index

fingers resting just above the pubic bone

and thumbs touching one another higher

on your belly. Breathe into your belly and

pelvis for 5–20 breaths while observing

the sensation in your body.

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