Asana Sequencing Manual © Celia Roberts Each sequence has a corresponding audio Practice Sequence One Yoga & Meditation basics to open the chest and heart 5-10 breaths on each side. Take precautions with poses that may cause injury or harm to your body. Mindfulness and ahimsa will prevent injury. Tadasana (Mountain pose) Samasthiti (Equal standing prayer pose) variation: raise hands above head with hands in prayer Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend) to Padangusthasana (Big Toe Pose) Suyra Namaskar (sun salutations 3-8 cycles of your own choice) Vrksasana (Tree pose) Trikonasana (Triangle pose) Virabhadrasana II (Warrior II pose) Parsvakonasana (Extended Side Angle pose) Virabhadrasana I (Warrior I pose) variation: place back heel to wall Parsvottonasana (Intense Side Stretch pose): back heel to wall with Namaskar (prayer pose) hands or hold elbows Prasarita Padottonasana: (Wide leg forward bend) namaskar hands or hold elbows Tadasana (Mountain pose) Utkatasana (Chair pose) Garudasana (Eagle pose) Prasarita Padottonasana (Wide Legged Forward Bend) to each side Tadasana (Mountain pose) Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend) Adho Mukha Savasana (Down Face Dog) to Plank Pose to Balasana (Child’s pose) x3 Remember with backbends: protect back by pressing down through pubic bone, and lifting gently only to where you feel comfortable. Stabilise core abdominal muscles. (continued on next page) Practice Sequence One Yoga & Meditation basics to open the chest and heart (continued from previous page) Bhujanghasana (Cobra pose) Salabhasana (Locust pose) Dhanurasana (Bow pose) Remember: If these backbends hurt your lower back please change to gentle forward bends, ideally Eka Pada Rajakapotasana (one legged royal pigeon pose), and Paschimottonasana (seated forward bend) with knees bent. Adho Mukha Savansana (Down Face Dog) Ardha Pincha Mayurasana (Half Feathered Peacock Pose) forearms to floor in down face dog, feet to floor, raise one leg at a time. Adho Mukha Savansana (Down Face Dog) to Eka Pada Rajakapotasana (one legged royal pidgeon pose) Ardha Matsyendrasana (Half Lord of the Fishes pose) Gomukhasana (Cow Faced pose): use belt behind back to draw hands together if not able to hold hands together Navasana (Boat pose) x 3 in between sets hug knees to chest whilst seated Setu Bandhasana (Bridge pose) Salamba Sarvangasana (Shoulder Stand) practice with 3 blankets where possible and not during menstruation, not with neck or head injuries, or balancing difficulties Halasana (Plough pose) same precautions as above. Apanasana (Apana Pose) lying down with Knees to chest Viparita Kirani (inverted) legs up wall, place bolster/ blanket underneath hips Savasana (Corpse pose) (continued on next page) Practice Sequence One Yoga & Meditation basics to open the chest and heart (continued from previous page) Buddhist Metta (loving kindness) meditation (5-10 minutes) Buddha put it quite simply: You can search the whole tenfold universe and not find a single being more worthy of love and compassion than the one seated here-----yourself. Towards the self: May I be happy. May I be held in deep compassion. May I find peace. Towards loved ones: May you be happy. May you be held in deep compassion. May you find peace. Towards difficult or challenging people: May you be happy. May you be held in deep compassion. May you find peace. (Only do this if you feel strong, let compassion grow naturally and practice only at your own pace) Towards all beings: May you be happy. May you be held in deep compassion. May you find peace. Towards the self: Just as I wish well for those around me, may I be happy, may I be deep compassion, may I be peace. (feel compassion & peace in every cell of your body, every part of your being towards all). Practice Sequence Two Hips, Legs and knees 5-10 breaths on each side. Take precautions with poses that may cause injury or harm to your body. Mindfulness and ahimsa will prevent injury. Supta Padangusthasana (Reclining Big Toe pose) with belts, leg upright and then to either side of body Anantasana (Side reclining leg lift) use belts if required Adho Mukha Svanasana (Down Face Dog) Vasisthasana (Side Plank pose) on elbows Vasisthasana (Side Plank pose) on one hand with knee bent and one leg in front for support Vasisthasana (Side Plank pose) or full variation with one leg raised and hand to foot (advanced) Adho Mukha Svanasana (Down Face Dog) Eka Pada Rajakapotasana (One-Legged King Pigeon Pose) Anjaneyasana (Low Lunge) Parsvottonasana (Intense Side Stretch Pose) Hanumanasana (Monkey Pose) Tadasana (Mountain Pose) Padangusthasana (Big Toe Pose) Utthita Hasta Padangustasana (Extended Hand-To-Big-Toe Pose) Utkatasana (Chair pose) Tadasana in preparation for Natarajasana (lift one heel to buttocks and hold in hand to stand in one legged balance to stretch front of thigh) Natarajasana (Lord of the Dance Pose) with hand mudra of your choice (continued on next page) Practice Sequence Two Hips, Legs and knees (continued from previous page) Utkatasana (Chair Pose) Utthita Trikonasana (Extended Triangle Pose) Ardha Chandrasana (Half Moon Pose) with blocks Utkatasana (Chair Pose) Virabhadrasana I (Warrior I Pose) Virabhadrasana III (Warrior III Pose) Bhujanghasana (Cobra Pose) Salabhasana (Locust Pose) Dhanurasana (Bow Pose) Adho Mukha Svanasana (Down Face Dog) Setu Bandha Sarvangasana (Bridge Pose) Urdhva Dhanurasana (Upward Bow or Wheel Pose) Balasana (Child's Pose) Setu Bandha Sarvangasana (Bridge Pose) Salamba Sarvangasana (Supported Shoulder Stand) with 2-4 blankets Halasana (Plough Pose) Janu Sirsasana (Head-to-Knee Forward Bend) Parivrtta Janu Sirsasana (Revolved Head-to-Knee Pose) Marichyasana I (Pose Dedicated to the Sage Marichi, I) Mahamudra (Great Seal Pose) Meditation: Breath awareness meditation in lower abdomen (20 minutes daily). Meditation is best practiced first thing in the morning, or before retiring. Practice Sequence Three Arms, Lungs & chest Please Read: Yoga Anatomy chapter 6-11 pp 71-223 Suyra Namaskar (sun salutations 3-6 cycles of your own choice) Tadasana (Mountain pose) Vrksasana (Tree pose) Trikonasana (Triangle pose) Virabhadrasana II (Warrior II Pose) Virabhadrasana I (Warrior I Pose) Parsvottanasana (Intense Side Stretch Pose) Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend) Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog) Vasisthasana (Side Plank Pose - 3 times each side) Chatus Pada Pitham (Tabletop pose) Parsvottanasana (Intense Side-Stretch pose) Matsyasana (Fish pose) Supta Virasana (Reclining Hero pose) Salamba Sarvangasana (Supported Shoulder Stand) Halasana (Plough pose) Apanasana (Knees to Chest pose) Jathara Parivrtti (Supine Twist) Savasana (Corpse pose) Practice Sequence Four Legs & Apana Vayu Tadasana (Mountain pose) Utkatasana (Chair pose) Virabhadrasana I (Warrior I pose) Utkatasana (Chair pose) Virabhadrasana III (Warrior III pose) hands to wall Utkatasana (Chair pose) Parsvottanasana (Intense Side Stretch pose) Utkatasana (Chair pose) Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend) Garudasana (Eagle pose) Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend) Prasarita Padottanasana (Wide-Legged Forward Bend) Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend) Adho Mukha Svanasana (Down Face Dog) Virasana (Hero pose) Balasana (Child’s pose) Dandasana (Staff pose) Janu Sirsasana (Head-to-Knee Forward Bend) Dandasana (Staff pose) PaschiMottanasana (Seated Forward Bend) Dandasana (Staff pose) Parivrtta Janu Sirsasana (Revolved Head-to-Knee pose) Dandasana (Staff pose) PaschiMottanasana (Seated Forward Bend) Apanasana (Knees-to-Chest pose) Jathara Parivrtti (Supine Twist) Savasana (Corpse pose) Practice Sequence Five Seated Postures Supta Baddha Konasana (Reclining Bound Angle pose) Baddha Konasana (Bound Angle pose) Upavistha Konasana (Wide Angle Seated Forward Bend) Sukhasana (Easy pose) arms interlocked above head Virasana (Hero pose) arms interlocked above head Gomukhasana (Cow Face pose) Paschimottanasana (Seated Forward Bend) Janu Sirsasana (Head-to-Knee Forward Bend) Maha Mudra Kurmasana (Tortoise pose) Hanumanasana (Monkey pose) Navasana (Full Boat pose) Adho Mukha Upavistha Konasana (Upward Facing Seated Angle pose) Bharadvajasana I (Bharada’s Twist I) Practice Sequence Six Inversions and Arm Balances Suyra Namaskar (Sun Salutations 3-6 cycles of your own choice) Adho Mukha Svanasana (Down Face Dog) Chaturanga Dandasana (Low Plank pose) Urdhva Mukha Svanasana (Upward Facing Dog) (Repeat these 3 postures in sequence 3 times) Salabhasana (Locust pose) Adho Mukha Vrksasana (Half Handstand – feet to wall) Adho Mukha Vrksasana (Full Handstand – feet to wall) Adho Mukha Vrksasana (Hands to bolster for extra balancing skills – not for wrist injuries) Pincha Mayurasana (Feathered Peacock pose) Urdhva Dhanurasana (Wheel pose) Sirsasana (Supported Headstand) with bricks to wall Salamba Sarvangasana (Supported Shoulder Stand) try the Sarvangasana cycle found in Light on Yoga by Iyengar if you have time Eka Pada Sarvangasana (Single Leg Shoulder Stand) Halasana (Plough pose) Karnapidasana (Knee-to-Ear pose) Apanasana (Knee-to-Chest pose) Matsyasana (Fish pose) Apanasana (Knee-to-Chest pose) Jathara Parivrtti (Supine Twist) Savasana (Corpse pose) Practice Sequence Seven Adho Mukha Svanasana (down Face dog) Adho Muka Virasana (Childs pose) Adho Mukha Svanasana Repeat the following below four times Uttanasana (intense stretch - forward bend) Adho Mukha Svanasana (down face dog) Vasistasana (side plank) Adho Mukha Svanasana (down face dog) Chaturanga Dandasana (four limbed staff pose) Urdhva Mukha Svanasana (upward facing dog) Adho Mukha Svanasana (downward facing dog) Malasana