Author: james craig

DOWNWARD-DOG POSE

Benefits:

For your body:

  • Gives fresh blood flow to your brain
  • Stretches your finger knuckles to release tension from the tendons
  • Extends your spinal fascia

For your mind:

  • Focus on the present moment.
  • It allows you to think about your body more clearly while breathing.
  • Activates your fight or flight response to practice calming techniques

For your spirit:

  • Feeling more muscular, more centered, and flexible
  • A new appreciation for the earth beneath your palms and your feet

(DISCLAIMER: DO THESE POSES TO YOUR ABILITY; YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR OWN BODY AND WHAT YOU DO. BE SAFE, AND YOU CAN BE SUCCESSFUL.)

Modifications:

  • Use a step stool to work down to the floor into this inversion.
  • Separate your feet a little more than hip distance.
  • Bend your knees a little more, then straighten slowly.

Pose Description:

  1. Start from a high-plank position.
  2. Keep the weight of your palms straight down like a “suction cup.”
  3. Press your heels back and lift your hips.
  4. Drop your chest and gaze at your toes.
  5. Create length in your torso and arms.
  6. See your straight legs, bend your knees, and re-straighten to what you can.
  7. Gaze at your mat or straight down.
  8. Breathe here for a few cycles to feel this inversion.

Relax, Rest, and Practice Again. You Can Do This! You Are A Yogi!

Categories: Yoga Poses

DANCER POSE

(Dancer Pose)

Benefits:

For your body:

  • Increases your Quad and Hamstring strength
  • Stretches your intercostal muscles around your ribcage
  • Supports eye focus and equilibrium

For your mind:

  • Concentrates your mind on one point
  • Focus your breath with your body in an ebb and flow as they balance with one another
  • Relaxing your eyes opens the ability to think clearly about one thing

For your spirit:

  • Strengthens balance within oneself
  • Encourages you to try again
  • You can see that learning about yourself is a thrilling adventure

(DISCLAIMER: DO THESE POSES TO YOUR ABILITY; YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR OWN BODY AND WHAT YOU DO. BE SAFE, AND YOU CAN BE SUCCESSFUL.)

Modifications:

  • Use a wall, chair, or bar to assist your balance or to relieve a little pressure off your knee.
  • Use a strap to help grapple your foot.
  • Have a partner to help you stand tall.

Pose Description:

  1. Start from standing at attention pose with hands in prayer on your chest.
  2. Open your right hand, thumb back, and palm facing up.
  3. Root your left foot down and engage your core.
  4. Bend your right knee and grab your right foot’s arch.
  5. Reach your left hand forward and your right arm back.
  6. Root your left foot down again and kick your right foot back into your hand.
  7. Gaze down your pointer finger and breathe here.
  8. Relax your eyes and watch your toes lift over your crown.
  9. Breathe here for a few cycles.

Relax, Rest, and Practice Again. You Can Do This! You Are A Yogi!

STANDING BOW PULLING POSE

(Standing-Bow Pulling Pose)
(Standing-Bow Pulling Pose)

Benefits:

For your body:

  • Stretches intercostal muscles
  • Expands lung capacity
  • Stimulate balance on one leg

For your mind:

  • Develops your ability to focus your gaze and enhance your breath
  • Centers your mind
  • Calms you down by putting you in a place you are challenged to balance

For your spirit:

  • Shows your determination
  • It gives you an uplifting spirit
  • It opens up a harmony between you and your breath

(DISCLAIMER: DO THESE POSES TO YOUR ABILITY; YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR OWN BODY AND WHAT YOU DO. BE SAFE, AND YOU CAN BE SUCCESSFUL.)

Modifications:

  • Use a strap hooked to your foot and pull it over your head.
  • Put your hand on a wall to help your balance.
  • Kick back only lightly and keep your knees close together.
(Knees remain close to support your balance.)

Pose Description:

  1. Start in standing at attention pose.
  2. With hands at prayer on your chest.
  3. Root your body weight down your left leg.
  4. Plant the sole of your left foot evenly.
  5. Engage your core to support your balance throughout.
  6. Open your right-hand palm up with your thumb facing back.
  7. Bend your right leg and heel toward the glute.
  8. Straighten your right arm and grab the inside of your right foot.
  9. (Be sure your elbow is not twisted.)
  10. Knees remain close together.
  11. Reach your left arm overhead.
  12. Settle for a few breath cycles.
  13. Engage your thigh and kick back, and then up.
  14. Reach toward the ceiling.
  15. Move to the rhythm of your breath, relaxing your eyes to one place before you.
  16. An inhale can carry you up, and an exhale can carry your right foot down.

Relax, Rest, and Practice Again. You Can Do This! You Are A Yogi!

STANDING ONE-LEGGED FOREHEAD TO KNEE POSE

(Standing One-Legged Forehead to Knee Pose Foundation)

Benefits:

For your body:

  • Stimulates your calf and quad connection to engagement
  • Strengthens your pelvic floor muscles
  • Increases psoas and core muscle strength to relax and contract

For your mind:

  • Improves equilibrium
  • Stimulates your concentration to balance on one leg
  • Increases your thinking dichotomy of the human body’s muscular structure

For your spirit:

  • Encourages strength to overcome fear
  • Patience increases in your practice which stimulates improvement
  • It opens your true north effortlessly

(DISCLAIMER: DO THESE POSES TO YOUR ABILITY; YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR OWN BODY AND WHAT YOU DO. BE SAFE, AND YOU CAN BE SUCCESSFUL.)

Modifications:

  • Remain tall with a bent knee and erect spine.
  • Use a chair, couch, or wall to rest on for balance support.
  • Stack a block or two under your foot to stabilize you.

Pose Description:

  1. Starting from a standing position.
  2. Shift your weight to your left foot, and wait for your pelvis to level and settle.
  3. Encourage tight core engagement.
  4. Lift your right leg to 90 degrees, and relax your toes.
  5. Girdle your transverse abdominal.
  6. Open your palms to stretch your torso and chest.
  7. Relax your neck and tongue.
  8. Gaze softly.
  9. (Option to remain here.)
  10. Exhale, control your left leg, and hinge forward and round your upper back.
  11. Inhale, basket the ball of your right foot. Stay for a breath to stabilize your body. Exhale.
  12. Inhale, kick your right leg straight horizontally to the ground. Wait for control and breath.
  13. Exhale, bend your elbows slowly to bring your forehead to the knee.
  14. Diverge your eyes to balance here.
  15. Exit slow and controlled.

Relax, Rest, and Practice Again. You Can Do This! You Are A Yogi!

BALANCING-STICK POSE

(Balancing-Stick Pose)

Benefits:

For your body:

  • Stronger core muscles
  • Awareness of the psoas muscle
  • Strengthens the overall leg through this gentle stress

For your mind:

  • Improves flexibility and balance
  • Encourages internal power of your mind
  • It empowers concentration to center your body

For your spirit:

  • “I can do anything!”
  • You Learn you are stronger than you think
  • You can overcome as long as you can breathe

(DISCLAIMER: DO THESE POSES TO YOUR ABILITY; YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR OWN BODY AND WHAT YOU DO. BE SAFE, AND YOU CAN BE SUCCESSFUL.)

Modifications:

  • Use a chair to keep your balance.
  • Leave your hands in a prayer position on your chest.
  • Hinge just a little less until you get more comfortable.
  • It can be done through transitions in a flow.

Pose Description:

  1. Start from a standing position.
  2. Open your palms outward and reach your arms overhead.
  3. Make a steeple grip and “lock” your core.
  4. Root your left foot down and maintain level hips throughout the pose.
  5. A tiny bend in your left leg is nearly locked out.
  6. Lift your straight right leg behind you.
  7. Tilt forward as you point straight ahead.
  8. Hinge at your hips toward a capital “T” Position in your body.
  9. Hug your rectus abdominal to stabilize your torso.
  10. Root your left foot.
  11. Activate your pelvic floor. (Engage your perineum muscle)
  12. Remain steady, gazing down at the floor or straight ahead to your fingers where you are pointing to.
  13. Stay here for a few breath cycles.
  14. An inhaled breath will carry you up to standing again with ease.
  15. Exhale before starting your other side.

Relax, Rest, and Practice Again. You Can Do This! You Are A Yogi!

EAGLE POSE

Benefits:

For your body:

  • Assists your lymphatic system
  • Strengthens stabilizer muscles in your joints

For your mind:

  • Clear your mind to learn how to diverge your eyes
  • Encourages your equilibrium
  • Focus on breathing to remain centered.

For your spirit:

  • Tests your determination
  • When you can’t see in front of you, what will you focus on

(DISCLAIMER: DO THESE POSES TO YOUR ABILITY; YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR OWN BODY AND WHAT YOU DO. BE SAFE, AND YOU CAN BE SUCCESSFUL.)

Modifications:

  • Place a block under your foot to “kickstand” your body to help you balance on one leg.
  • Sit in a chair and do the posture.
  • Hug your shoulders if you are tight in your upper body.

Pose Description:

  1. Starting from a standing position.
  2. Reach your arms overhead and clap your hands.
  3. With a slight gentle bend in your knees to release your toes.
  4. Swing your right arm underneath your left arm at the elbow crease.
  5. Continue to wrap up your forearms to your hands.
  6. Lengthen your fingers and widen your shoulders.
  7. Draw your shoulders down your back, sit back and down, and bend your left leg slowly.
  8. Root your left foot down firmly and steadily.
  9. Level your shoulders over your hips and maintain still in your body’s spine.
  10. Lift only your right leg and wrap your left thigh; continue to bind your ankle and foot.
  11. (Modify if needed, check modifications above.)
  12. Breathe here for 6 to 9 breaths. Sit deeper at your will.
  13. (To Exit) Unwrap your leg first, then swing your arms overhead to a clap.
  14. Begin again on your left side.

Relax, Rest, and Practice Again. You Can Do This! You Are A Yogi!

POWER CHAIR POSE

Benefits:

  • Strengthens your core, thighs, and ankles
  • Encourages a stronger spine
  • Focus on your body control

(DISCLAIMER: DO THESE POSES TO YOUR ABILITY; YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR OWN BODY AND WHAT YOU DO. BE SAFE, AND YOU CAN BE SUCCESSFUL.)

Modifications:

  • Leave your hands praying at your chest for a shoulder injury.
  • Bend your knees less.
  • Keep your gaze at about 45 degrees.

Pose Description:

  1. Start from a forward fold position.
  2. Firmly root your soles down evenly on your mat. (Toes together or close to each other.)
  3. Keep bent knees and lightly engage thighs.
  4. Lift your arms over your head.
  5. Sit your glutes back to help stack your spine.
  6. Rotate your palms toward one another.
  7. Draw your shoulders down your back.
  8. Keep your core girdled and controlled.
  9. Lift your gaze level to the ground.

Relax, Rest, and Practice Again. You Can Do This! You Are A Yogi!

AWKWARD CHAIR POSE

Benefits:

For your body:

  • Strengthens your core engagement
  • Balances you from the core
  • Stretches and strengthens your ankle, feet, and arch

For your mind:

  • Connects your awareness from your feet to your core
  • Center your focus

For your spirit:

  • It makes you lighter and stronger
  • Invigorates confidence in oneself

(DISCLAIMER: DO THESE POSES TO YOUR ABILITY; YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR OWN BODY AND WHAT YOU DO. BE SAFE, AND YOU CAN BE SUCCESSFUL.)

Modifications:

  • Use a block between your thighs to assist your abdominal engagement.
  • Place a block between your feet to stabilize a good distance to separate your feet.
  • Use a wall or chair or partner to help make it easier to balance.
(Face your palms inward to relieve your shoulders and neck.)

Pose Description:

(FIRST POSITION OF THREE)

  1. Start from a standing position.
  2. Toe-heel or heel-toe your feet about your hip-width distance apart.
  3. (Place your prop here) You can check with two fists between your big toes.
  4. Engage your transverse abdomen.
  5. Relax your toes long and softly to the ground.
  6. Root your soles down to the ground evenly.
  7. Be present with your legs and the stillness of your feet.
  8. Lift your hands in front of you to shoulder height.
  9. Face your palms towards each other and then down to the ground.
  10. Open your chest and keep your spine long and loose.
  11. Sit as far back as you can.
  12. Bend your knees and sit down slow and low.
  13. Gaze down and be sure you can see your toes.
  14. Reliving your growth from here.
  15. Gaze forward and visualize your spine and core connection.
  16. This is a great place to build your core muscles.

(SECOND POSITION OF THREE)

  1. Start from step 10. in position (1 of 3) above.
  2. Lift Your heels about 4 inches high.
  3. Suck in your lowest abdominal muscle to support your spine.
  4. Bend your knees slowly for confidence and to assist with the concentration of breath.
  5. Keep your heels high at about 3″ to 4″ high.
  6. Stay for a few breath cycles to increase your focus and strength.
  7. Slowly rise and lower your heels.
  8. Keep your arms up for part three.

(THIRD POSITION OF THREE)

  1. Start from the end of the position (2 of 3), step 8.
  2. Lift your toes and separate your feet enough to support your low back.
  3. (Use the short side of your block.) Or you can check with one fist between your big toes.
  4. Touch your knees together and lift your heels.
  5. Heels lift 3″ to 4″ high.
  6. Connect to your core and breath.
  7. Remain tall until you feel your balance inside.
  8. Slowly sit down and keep your spine tall with your shoulders stacked over your hips.
  9. Go as far as you are comfortable with to breathe.
  10. Take a few breath cycles here and then ride an inhale out of the pose.
  11. Release your arms and heels down.
  12. Reset your feet to a standing position.

Relax, Rest, and Practice Again. You Can Do This! You Are A Yogi!

RAGDOLL POSE

(Ragdoll Pose)

Benefits:

For your body:

  • It opens flexibility to your hips.
  • Stretches hamstrings
  • Stretches your low back

For your mind:

  • Focus your thought
  • Take on a different perspective
  • Releases your emotions

For your spirit:

  • It helps you release unnecessary baggage.
  • It teaches you how to let go.
  • It gives you the confidence to see things another way.

(DISCLAIMER: DO THESE POSES TO YOUR ABILITY; YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR OWN BODY AND WHAT YOU DO. BE SAFE, AND YOU CAN BE SUCCESSFUL.)

Modifications:

  • Let your arms hang down to the floor.
  • Use two blocks to keep your balance.
  • Sway side to side.

Pose Description:

  1. Start from a forward fold position.
  2. Heel-toe or toe-heel your feet hip-width distance apart.
  3. Relax your toes length softly.
  4. Plant your soles down evenly.
  5. Bend your knees and relax your glutes.
  6. Hug your belly in and breathe.
  7. Drop your torso down between your legs.
  8. Release your arms weight to the floor.
  9. Bend your elbows and grab them with your opposite hands.
  10. Use your finger strength to pull your torso deeper.

Relax, Rest, and Practice Again. You Can Do This! You Are A Yogi!

GUERRILLA POSE

(Gorilla Pose)

Benefits:

For your body:

  • It opens your hip’s flexibility
  • Flushes the brain with fresh blood
  • Good for spinal release near your neck and shoulders

For your mind:

  • It gives you a hand-to-foot connection which can improve kinesthetic concentration
  • It clears out useless thinking.
  • It helps you focus your imagination inward toward your pelvis.

For your spirit:

  • It helps you overcome blocks you may place in front of your success
  • Connects your upper and lower halves and grounds you with the earth
  • It opens your backline to increase your heart’s ability for empathy and sympathy for others

(DISCLAIMER: DO THESE POSES TO YOUR OWN ABILITY; YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR OWN BODY AND WHAT YOU DO. BE SAFE, AND YOU CAN BE SUCCESSFUL.)

Modifications:

  • Leave your hands on the floor or push against a couple of blocks.
  • Bend your knees more.
  • Stand with a chair in front of you or a step stool.
  • Go to a hands-to-feet pose.

Pose Description:

  1. From standing.
  2. Toe heel or heel-toe your feet out hip-width distance apart.
  3. (optional: Reach your arms overhead and swan dive or your own way Fold Forward.)
  4. Release and lift your toes, then plant your soles down evenly.
  5. Relax your glutes and bend your knees a little bit.
  6. Drop your torso between your thighs, and use the weight of your head. (Breathe, be comfortable.)
  7. Lift your right ball mound and slip your right hand to your wrist under your foot. (This stretches your wrist and elbow.)
  8. “Tickle” your wrists with your toes.
  9. Push your ball mound into your palm; your weight is forward a little, yet feel balanced.
  10. Slowly lift your left ball mound and slide your left hand underneath the front side.
  11. Lift a little weight from your heels, and place the weight in your hands.
  12. Pull your elbows out wide, engage your core lock, and lift your hips up.
  13. Open your chest and shoulders down your back.
  14. Relax the back of your neck and breathe comfortably a few times.
  15. Release slowly and mindfully, one hand at a time.
  16. Give yourself a challenge but confirm your depth to know not to over-strain or under-engage.

Relax, Rest, and Practice Again. You Can Do This! You Are A Yogi!