“The moment you notice that you have been lost in thought, observe the present thought itself as an object of consciousness.” Bridge Pose Sanskrit: Setu bandha sarvangasana How to do it Lie faceup with knees bent, feet flat on the floor, and arms at your sides with palms facedown. Keep your feet parallel and hip-width apart, heels stacked under knees. On an inhale, activate through the legs and the glutes. Press the floor away with your feet …
“Allow your attention to rest in the mere sensation of breathing.” Tree Pose Sanskrit: Vrksasana How to do it Start in Mountain Pose. Find a fixed point in front of you and stare at it to help you balance. As you inhale, shift the weight into your left foot and lift your right foot an inch off the floor. Using your right hand, bring the foot to your shin or inner thigh. Avoid placing your foot directly on …
“Through meditation, the higher self is experienced” Triangle Pose Sanskrit: Trikonasana How to do it Stand with feet wide, 3–4 feet apart. Shift your right heel out so your toes are pointing slightly inward. Turn your left foot out 90 degrees. Line up your left heel with the arch of your right foot. Keeping both legs straight, ground through your feet. Lift arms into a T at shoulder height. Reach forward with your front arm. When you …
“The key to growth is the introduction of higher dimensions of consciousness into our awareness.” Warrior II Sanskrit: Virabhadrasana II How to do it Stand with feet wide, 3–4 feet apart. Shift your right heel out so your toes are pointing slightly inward. Turn your left foot out 90 degrees. Line up your left heel with the arch of your right foot. Bend your left knee to a 90-degree angle, keeping the knee in line with the …
“Quiet the mind, and the soul will speak.” Downward-Facing Dog Sanskrit: Adho mukha svanasana How to do it From all fours, walk your hands 6 inches in front of you. Tuck your toes and lift your hips up and back to lengthen your spine. If your hamstrings are tight, keep your knees bent in order to bring your weight back into the legs. Spread your fingers wide, press into your hands, and rotate your arms so that your …
“Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.” Down Dog on a chair Sanskrit: Uttana shishosana How to do it Place your hands on the back of a chair with palms shoulder-distance apart. Step your feet back until they align under hips, creating a right angle with your body, spine parallel with the floor. Ground through your feet and lift through thighs. Reach hips away from hands to lengthen the sides of your torso. Firm your outer …
Chair Pose Sanskrit: Utkatasana How to do it Start in Mountain Pose. As you inhale, raise your arms, spread your fingers, and reach up through your fingertips. As you exhale, sit back and down as if sitting into a chair. Shift your weight toward the heels and lengthen up through the spine. As you inhale, lift and lengthen through your arms. As you exhale, sit deeper into the pose. The benefits This heating standing pose …
“The body is my temple. Asanas are my prayers.” Mountain Pose Sanskrit: Tadasana How to do it Stand with your feet together or hip-width apart. Ground down through the four corners of your feet. Roll your shoulders away from your ears, draw your shoulder blades down your back, and lift the crown of your head. Engage your thighs, draw your belly button in, and lengthen up through the spine. Turn your palms facing the front of the …