The Yoga Room Studio

Before you begin your practice, find a quiet space where you can place your mat, light a candle, turn on relaxing music and make sure the temperature of your room is comfortable...The following sequence can be practiced by any student at any level: just remember to work at your own level, to merge the breath with your movement, your body intuitively knows when to breathe in and to breathe out and please work within your own range of movement...if it hurts, STOP, always proceed right to your edge of comfort and not beyond, especially if you have an injury or you are recovering from an illness etc...

Home Practice Sequence:

• begin with quietly sitting in easy pose and observe your breath, when you are ready, begin to inhale to a count of 5, pause for a count of 5 and exhale to a count of 7, repeat for 20 rounds (tall spine, chin to chest, sit bones pressing down into your mat, shoulders in neutral position)
• gently roll down onto your back and bring your knees to your armpits, roll your hips from side to side, wider the knees the better the release of the lower back
• still lying on your back, extend your arms from the shoulders in a straight line, palms down, bend your knees and bring your feet together so that the sides are touching, close to your bottom, inhale your knees out to the sides of your mat, exhale and bring your knees and feet together, repeat 10-20x (gentle hip opener)
• come into bridge pose, bring your feet hip width apart, firmly pressing your feet into the mat, arms down by your sides, palms on the mat, inhale your navel towards the ceiling, on your exhale gently lower your bottom towards the mat, repeat 10-20x
• from here go into either a double or single leg raise...inhale pointed toes up towards the ceiling, exhale flex feet to the mat, (remember to keep legs straight and not to place your hands under your bottom), repeat 10-20x
• still lying on your back, proceed into twisted root pose, with either both legs raised in a 45 degree angle, ankles crossed or one leg on the floor, knee bent and foot flexed, ankle resting behind the knee, stretch arms towards the ceiling, thumbs touching and reach up towards the ceiling, inhaling up and exhaling down, keep arms and spine straight, don't crunch towards your knees, repeat 10-20x
• from here roll up into sitting and prepare for boat situps, feet flat on the floor, knees bent, elongated spine, arms extended out from the shoulders, fingers reaching beyond the knees, exhale and stretch out beyond the knees, inhale and lower back towards the mat, keeping the arms long, spine straight and legs engaged, dont sink into the pelvis, repeat 10-20x
• from here roll into cat and cow pose, repeat 10-20x (aligns the spine)
• push back into extended child's pose, arms reaching in front of you towards the top of the mat, bottom sinking into your heels and forehead on the mat, stay here for 10 breaths
• come into standing at the top of your mat
• prepare for Sun Salutation A: (10 rounds)
• mountain pose, hands in namaste (exhale)
• standing back bend (inhale)
• standing forward bend (exhale)
• deep runner's lunge (inhale)
• lower down into a push up (exhale)
• upward facing dog or cobra pose (inhale)
• downward facing dog (exhale)
• deep runner's lunge (inhale)
• standing forward bend (exhale)
• standing back bend (inhale)
• mountain, hands in namaste (exhale)
• come back down onto your mat and lie on your back, bring your knees into your armpits, hug your knees into your body nice and tight, then extend your arms out from the shoulders, palms on the floor, gently twist your lower body to the left, leaving your knees and feet stacked on top of each other, stay here for 5 breaths, then bring your legs back to center and twist to the right, stay here for 5 breaths
• gently rest in savasana (5-10 minutes)

for more information: wendy@theyogaroomstudio.com or 613-453-6669