Practice suggestion - Head, Shoulders,                                                                         Knees & Toes

This practice suggestion has been designed to accompany the second session of the Yoga Course for Beginners. View yoga practice - Head, shoulders, knees & toes as a WORD document.

 

Lie on your back with your legs bent and feet on the floor hip width apart (semi-supine).

Take a big breath in. Let it go with a sigh and allow yourself to release any tension that you may be holding.

Remember to breathe throughout the practice. Breathe in and out through the nose if possible but if the nose is blocked please breathe through the mouth.

Bring your attention to your breathing. Notice the qualities of the breath; it’s smoothness… depth… length… sound… any pauses…

Upper body rock. Cross your arms and take your hands behind you (towards your shoulder blades) as if you were giving yourself a big hug. Raise the right shoulder and lower it then raise the left shoulder and lower it. Repeat a few times rocking the upper body from side to side.

Roll onto your side and push up onto your hands and knees. Take the hands further forwards. Press the balls of the hands into the floor and draw the hips back while keeping the thighs moving forwards. This is the little dog position. Stay wide across the shoulders.

Lizard As for little dog but resting on the forearms which are crossed in front of you.

Praying Mantis As for little dog but resting on the elbows. The elbows, forearms and palms are together with the fingertips pointing to the ceiling.

Simple standing (tadasana). Stand with the feet hip width apart and parallel. Bring the weight forwards onto the balls of the feet, widen the hips and drop the heels (without rocking back!). Feel the feet come alive, the knees open (not locked, remember) and the movement in the spine.

Modified Parsvottanasana From kneeling, place the left foot on the floor level with the right knee (the feet are hip width apart and shin length apart). Raise the right knee. Keeping the left leg bent and the weight forward open the right knee (avoiding hyper-extension of the knee). The right heel is going down and the shin forward. After a few breaths in this position come out and repeat on the other side.

Adho mukha svanasana From the all fours pick up the knees and lengthen the legs without hyper-extending the knees. The hips and shoulders are wide. The balls of the hands are down. The weight, shins and thighs are moving forwards and the heels are going down.

Kneel Bring the sacrum forward and, keeping it forward, release it downwards, away from the lumbar.

Lie in the semi-supine position. Bring your attention to your breathing. Watch the breath as it moves in and out of the body.

Stretch out the legs and relax in savasana for a few minutes.

 

This practice suggestion is not intended as instruction. It is given to encourage students to develop a practice. Use it and other practice suggestions given on this website until your practice is established and then leave them behind - when you’ve used the boat to cross the river put it down don’t keep carrying it. If any of the postures listed in this suggestion are contra-indicated for you then please omit or replace them. Likewise, make any modifications that are appropriate for you and your body. If you are unsure about any of the material please consult your teacher. If you have never done yoga please go to a competent teacher who will show you how to perform the postures safely and intelligently.

 

View yoga practice - Head, shoulders, knees & toes as a WORD document.