(Optional: Tilt the head slightly and gaze toward the top hand.) Maintain the 90-degree bend in your front leg. As you slide the hand gently down the thigh (without gripping), lift actively through the top arm. On your next exhale, drop the back hand to the back thigh. See also Calm Energy Morning Makeover Reverse Warrior Pose This is great practice for cultivating calm even as you focus intensely on a specific goal. Keep your gaze and body relaxed, even as the pose becomes more challenging. Raise your arms to shoulder height and keep the front knee directly over the ankle. See also Two Fit Moms’ Good Morning Flow Warrior Pose IIįrom Crescent Lunge, drop the back heel, with the foot parallel to the back edge of the mat or turned in slightly. Once your arms are linked, gently float the elbows up and arch into a slight backbend as you lift through the sternum.

See if you can adjust your forearms to link your hands as well. Bending the arms at the elbows, cross your right elbow beneath the left, resting it in the crook of the left arm.

Straighten your lifted leg and step it through to your hands press up to Crescent Lunge, with the front knee aligning over the front ankle. See also A Morning Meditation to Start Your Day Mindfully Crescent Lunge, with Eagle arms Notice what a full-body “Yes!” feels like so you can practice it during your day as well. Stay here for 3 to 5 breaths as you hold this pose, imagine that every part of you is saying an unwavering “Yes!” to the experience. Lengthen fully from your hands through the lifted knee. Use the next inhale to lift your right leg into the air, and then bend your knee while twisting your torso to the right. On an exhale, push back from hands and knees into Downward-Facing Dog Pose. See also A Morning Meditation with Deepak Chopra Three-Legged Downward-Facing Dog Pose, with twist Repeat the flow 6 times, or more if you’d like. During your day, make a point of reconnecting to this inner compass. Start this wavelike movement from your navel to establish a place of inner connection deep within yourself. On the exhale, reverse the move by rounding your back toward the ceiling as you press the floor away. On the inhale, arch your spine so that your belly releases to the floor as you squeeze your shoulder blades together. Start in Tabletop: on your hands and knees, with your wrists directly under your shoulders, and your knees directly under your hips. See also Rina Jakubowicz’s Life Hacks for Morning, Noon and Night Cat-Cow Pose Go through the whole sequence once on your right side, and then repeat on your left (where applicable), starting with the second pose.

Use this sequence to prep your body and brain to greet the day with mindfulness and intention. When we first wake up, we have a clean slate-a whole day ahead of possibilities. The hope is that this will help make you more conscious of the choice you have in where your attention goes, as well as help you stay connected to that freedom, both on and off the mat. As you flow, remember to focus on the quality of energy you want to bring to the experience. The morning practice gathers your energy for the day ahead, while the evening practice releases mental clutter so you can get a restful night’s sleep. The following two sequences are designed to empower you to set an intention for your day, and then to let go of the day so you can relax deeply before bedtime. When you don’t set an intention, however, you tend to default to go-to habits and routines, which may take you away from self-awareness. When you do this, it acts like an inner compass, guiding your attention to whatever quality you’d like to embody as you move through your asana. Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members!Īt the start of most yoga classes, the teacher asks you to call to mind your intention-someone or something to help inspire your practice.

Relaxing hatha yoga sequence