Australian_Yoga_Journal_October_2017

80

october 2017

yogajournal.com.au

11 Parsva Bakasana

Side Crane Pose

From Crane Pose, move into Chair Pose

again, then twist your left elbow around

your right thigh—the higher you can get

your elbow on your thigh, the better.

Place your hands on the floor and gather

your elbows in toward the midline, as if

moving into Chaturanga. As you move your

weight forward to balance on your hands,

track along a diagonal, leaning your face

and torso toward your right hand as you

bring your shins parallel to the floor. Stay

here, breathing deeply, for 25 seconds

12 Eka Pada Koundinyasana I

One-Footed Pose Dedicated to the

Sage Koundinya I

From Side Crane, engage your quadriceps

to straighten your legs, taking your top leg

up and back and your bottom leg out to

the right. Squeeze your elbows in toward

the midline and use your feet to create an

“in and up” force. Breathe deeply for 15–20

seconds here, and try to find a sense of

playfulness in this pose!

Repeat poses 11 and 12 on the other side

14 Grasshopper Pose

From Standing Pigeon (standing on

your left foot), move your right hand

forward a few inches and bring the sole

of your right foot onto your right upper

arm. Move your elbows in toward the

midline as you lean slightly toward your

left hand. Keep your right foot active and

press through the left big-toe mound.

Smile from deep inside as you work

toward floating your left leg. Repeat on

the opposite side.

15 Uttanasana

Standing Forward Bend

From Tadasana, bend your knees and fold

forward from your hips, keeping your spine

long. Place your hands on your shins, the

floor, or under your feet. As you exhale,

start straightening your legs, lifting your

sitting bones as you tip your pelvis forward.

Keep your spine long, relax your mind, and

breathe here for 1 minute.

13 Standing Pigeon Pose

From Tadasana, shift your weight onto your

left foot and cross your right ankle directly

above your left knee, so that your foot is

flexed and hanging slightly off to the side

of your left leg. Find your drishti and sink

into your hips as you bend your standing

knee. Place your hands at your hips, heart,

or on the floor. Feel your hip opening

deeply. Stay here, breathing deeply, for

45 seconds. Repeat on the opposite side.

(If your hips don’t feel open enough to

move on to the next pose, stay here.)

16 Padmasana

Lotus Pose

Lie down; take an easy twist on both

sides. Then, rest in Savasana for at least 5

minutes, letting your active muscles find

ease while light fills your heart. Next,

come up into Sukhasana (Easy Pose) or

Padmasana and fold forward with your

hands in Anjali Mudra. Feel the peace in

your heart and the ease in your body—

then ask for what you’d like to manifest and

let it go. Focus your mind on calmness and

acceptance, which will give your intention

some space.