home practice steady flow: meditation prep

TO BEGIN There’s no need for MAIN SEQUENCE a warm-up before you begin this DO BOTH sequence; it’s a full flow practice SIDES that will get you ready to sit more comfortably in meditation. As you move through the poses that follow, 1 CAT-COW POSE 2 THREAD-THE-NEEDLE POSE imagine they are opening up space Come into a tabletop position. Inhale, tilt From tabletop, thread your left arm under in your body and your mind. As your sitting bones to the sky, draw your your right until you are resting on your left Baptiste says, “Allow your light and shoulderblades down your back and lift your shoulder and ear. Ease your left shoulder spirit to shine through”. Hold each gaze. Exhale and round your spine toward down your back, creating space in your pose for 3 to 5 breaths. the ceiling, lifting your navel toward your neck and ribs. Do both sides. spine. Repeat Cat-Cow 3 to 5 times.

E ID R S HE OT DO

E DO OTHER SID

6 (LOW ) 7 REVOLVED HIGH LUNGE 8 LIZARD LUNGE Step your right foot forward and drop Place your left hand to the inside of your Come into a Low Lunge on the right side with your back knee to the floor. Place both right foot and extend your right hand to your hands underneath your shoulders. Turn hands on the front knee and lift your the sky. From there, come back to Down your right foot out and drop your right knee out chest to come into a gentle . Dog, then do Low Lunge and Revolved and down toward the mat. Stay supported on High Lunge on the left side. fingertips or bring your forearms to the mat.

DO OTHER SIDE

12 DOWNWARD-FACING DOG 13 HALF PIGEON POSE 14 DOWNWARD-FACING DOG Return to Down Dog. Feel your hands and Step your right foot forward into Pigeon Step back to Down Dog. Feel yourself letting feet connecting to the earth. Let your mind Pose. Move your right shin forward until go with each exhalation; take in life and rest in the present moment. Repeat Half it’s parallel to the front edge of your mat. vitality with each inhalation. Come into Camel Pose on the second side. With square hips, fold your torso over Half Pigeon with your left foot forward your right leg. and then return to Down Dog.

40 YOGAJOURNAL.COM.AU JANUARY 2013 3 (CHILD’S POSE) 4 (COBRA POSE) 5 ADHO MUKHA SVANASANA Stretch your arms forward and draw your Lie on your belly, hands in line with your (DOWNWARD-FACING DOG POSE) hips to your heels, knees wide. Feel your shoulders. Gently lift your abdominal Lift your hips up and back to Downward forehead connect to the mat. Surrender muscles in and up. Press your hands down Dog. Reach your sitting bones up, root your to the support of the earth. as you lift your head, chest and shoulders off heels toward the earth and press the backs the mat. Soften in your neck and shoulders. of your thighs to the wall behind you.

DO BOTH SIDES

E DO OTHER SID

9 LIZARD LUNGE, VARIATION 10 DOWNWARD-FACING DOG 11 ARDHA Stay in Lizard Lunge and support yourself Return to Down Dog. Breathe in and (HALF CAMEL POSE) with your left hand. Reach your right hand out deeply. Feel your upper back soften Step your right foot forward to kneel on the back to grasp your left foot. Hug your foot toward the floor. Repeat the Lizard Lunge mat. Place your left hand on your left heel. toward your hips as you turn your heart and variation on the second side. With square hips, reach your right arm open toward the ceiling. overhead and then to the wall behind you, opening into a backbend. FINISHING POSES

16 (HERO POSE) Rest on your shins and place a block 15 TOES POSE beneath your seat for support. Rest From Down Dog, bring your knees to your hands in your lap with your the floor in a tabletop position. Tuck fingertips touching. Root down through your toes and bring your hips to rest your sitting bones, but allow your spine on your heels. Interlace your fingers to flow like water. Stay here for a few and extend your palms to the sky. minutes of seated meditation.

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