What is the Mind-Body Fitness?
Mind, body, health.
Natural home.
Gaia solutions for your healthy lifestyle.
Everyone's talking about yoga.
How it's good for your body and your mind.
But for 25 years, there's one magazine that's been leading this peaceful revolution in lifestyle.
Yoga Journal is the most widely read and popular yoga magazine published today.
Each issue will help you stretch further and take you deeper into your practice.
In Yoga Journal, you'll meet the world's foremost yoga experts.
And learn the latest techniques to improve your health and well-being.
You'll discover why yoga is used by celebrities and leading athletes.
And how yoga can help you in every aspect of your life.
You'll find out where to go for the best yoga training and relaxing yoga vacations and retreats.
Call for your free free yoga training.
Call for your free trial issue of Yoga Journal, the voice of yoga today.
There's no obligation.
Call 1-800-600-YOGA or visit our website at yogajournal.com.
For more information on Yoga Journal, visit www.yoga.org.
Hi, I'm Nikki Doan.
Welcome to Ashtanga Yoga for Beginners.
Ashtanga Yoga is a Hatha Yoga breathing system developed by Sri K. Patabi Joyce in India.
This unique system can invigorate the body, helping to develop a sense of well-being and groundedness in your life.
The poses are performed together with the breath in a system known as vinyasa.
In vinyasa, there is never any separation between movement and breathing.
In this program, you will experience the first two groups of poses that begin the practice of ashtanga,
as well as the first half of the standing pose sequence.
The first two groups of poses are called surya namaskar A and B.
Translated from the Sanskrit, the word surya namaskar means salutation to the sun.
These first two sequences are a traditional expression of gratitude to surya, the god of the sun and good health,
and help create heat and fluidity in the body.
The standing poses root us to the earth and help create a strong foundation from which we can continue to grow.
With regular practice, this program can help you create a lightness of being
and a feeling of flowing more freely through your daily activities.
Namaste.
Samastitihi.
Stand here at the front of your mat, in the spot where so many others have stood before.
A sweet image to bring to your mind is that all yogis have a place in your heart.
This is because the lotus flower is a symbol of divinity.
It is believed that all yogis who have ever lived have stood in the exact spot where you are standing right now.
Bring your hands together in front of your heart in namaste position.
Drop your head, close your mouth and your eyes, breathe deeply through your nose.
This is ujjayi pranayama, victorious breathing.
Regular practice of this breathing system will slowly increase your lung capacity
and therefore the length of your breath will also increase.
Find samastitihi, equal standing.
Balance the weight evenly between your feet and lift up from your heart.
At the beginning of Ashtanga yoga practice, we begin with an invocation to Patanjali.
I say a line and I invite you to say it back.
Take a deep inhale and exhale.
I say a line and I invite you to say it back.
Take a deep inhalation through your nose and exhale all your air.
Aum.
Guru Nam.
Chara Narvinde.
Sandare Sheetha.
Swatma.
Sukhav Bodhe.
Nishreya Se.
Jhangale Kaimane.
Samsara Hala.
Sama.
Samsara Hala Hala.
Moha Shantye.
Aba Hu.
Guru Shakram.
Shankha Chakrasi.
Darinam.
Sahasra.
Jumesam.
Jращaitam.
Jrahatam.
Pranamami.
Patanjalim.
Aam.
Slowly lower your hands
your attention to your bandhas.
Bandhas are subtle internal locks in
the body that keep the energy
contained and properly channeled.
We begin the practice with
a breakdown of Surya Namaskar A,
Vinyasa by Vinyasa.
Yakam, inhale, take your arms up, look up.
Exhale to Dwaye position,
slowly bending forward at your waist,
your head comes down last.
Trini, inhale, lift your head, look up.
Exhale back to Dwaye position,
head to your knees.
Inhale, come all the way up,
reach your arms up, look up.
Exhale, hands to your sides, Samastitihi.
Take an extra breath here.
Again, please, Yakam, inhale,
reach your arms up and extend them up.
Hands together, look up.
Exhale to Dwaye position,
bend forward at your waist,
hands to the floor, head to your knees.
Inhale, Trini position,
lift your head, look up between your eyebrows.
Exhale, head to your knees.
Inhale, come all the way up and
stretch your arms over your head, look up.
Exhale to Samastitihi.
One more time with that sequence, please.
Inhale, reach your arms up over your head,
join your hands, look up.
Dwaye, exhale, over you go,
looking at the tip of your nose,
head to your knees.
Trini, inhale, lift your head, look up.
Exhale to Dwaye position again,
head to your knees.
Inhale, come all the way up to standing,
reach your arms up, look up.
Exhale, Samastitihi.
Breathe deeply.
Stand equally between your feet
and extend your fingertips towards the floor
and join your fingers.
We will continue the practice with a sequence
linking the fourth, fifth, and sixth vinyasa's.
From the third vinyasa, we'll step right back
to Downward Dog.
Take a deep inhalation and raise both arms up
over your head, look up.
Exhale to Dwaye position, over you go,
nice and smooth, bend at the waist.
Inhale, lift your head, look up.
Exhale, step back to Downward Facing Dog.
Breathe deeply.
Now you are about to do the fourth, fifth,
and sixth vinyasa's.
Attach the movement clearly to the breath.
This is the most difficult part of Surya Namaskar
and requires your complete attention.
If you can't hold the fourth vinyasa,
lower the pose all the way to the floor.
The strength will come gradually with practice.
Look up at your hands, take a deep inhalation,
come on your tiptoes.
Exhale to Chaturanga Dandasana position.
Squeeze your elbows to your ribs.
Inhale, press your hands and straighten your arms.
Roll your shoulders back, point your toes, look up.
Exhale to Downward Facing Dog.
Breathe deeply.
Let's do it a few times.
Look up, inhale, come on to your tiptoes.
Exhale all the way down, come into Chaturanga Dandasana.
Inhale to Upward Dog, look up.
Shat, exhale to Downward Dog.
Again, inhale, lift your head, look up.
Exhale slowly to Chaturanga Dandasana, shoulders high.
Inhale to Upward Dog.
Exhale to Downward Dog.
Two more, please.
Look up, inhale and come forward.
Exhale into Chaturanga position.
Poncha, deep inhale, look up, Upward Dog.
Shat, smooth exhale to Downward Dog.
Last one, inhale, look up.
Exhale, Chaturanga Dandasana.
Lower yourselves all the way down to the ground if you need.
Inhale into Upward Dog, press your knuckles flat.
Exhale, roll over your toes, Downward Dog.
Breathe deeply.
Extend your heels to the floor, press your legs back,
and lift your sitting bones without disturbing your rib
cage.
Soften your upper palate as you gently
touch the tip of your tongue to the top of the two front teeth.
Press firmly through the front of your hands,
connect your knuckles to the floor.
Extend your elbows, release your neck.
Look in the direction of your navel.
Look up at your hands now.
Inhale, step both feet to your hands, head up.
Exhale, head to your knees.
Inhale, come all the way up, reach your arms up, look up.
Exhale to Samastitihi.
Now Surya Namaskar A. Yakam, inhale, head up, hands together.
Dway, exhale, over you go, nice and smooth, head to your knees.
Trini, inhale, look up.
Chatwari, exhale as you step back, bend your elbows,
lower yourself down towards the floor,
then inhale through upward dog, exhale to downward dog.
Take five slow, deep breaths.
Breathe freely and completely.
Look up at your hands.
Sapta, inhale, step both feet to your hands, look up.
Ashto, exhale, head to your knees.
Nawa, inhale, rising, look up.
Exhale, Samastitihi.
Keep going.
Inhale, lift your arms up, look up.
Exhale, bending at the waist, over you go, look at the tip of your nose.
Trini, inhale, head up.
Chatwari, exhale, keep breathing, squeeze your elbows to your ribs.
Pancha, inhale, look up.
Shat, exhale to downward dog.
Breathe deeply.
Complete your exhale, look up at your hands.
Inhale, step forward, join your feet, look up.
Exhale, straighten your legs, head towards your knees.
Nawa, inhale, come all the way up, reach up, hands together, look up.
Exhale, Samastitihi.
Again, please.
Yacum, inhale, look up.
Dwe, exhale, bending forward, over you go.
Trini, deep inhalation, look up.
Chatwari, exhale, step back, lower down into Chaturanga Dandasana.
Inhale, straighten your arms, roll your shoulders back, upward dog.
Exhale, press your hands, look towards your navel, downward facing dog.
Press firmly through the knuckles of your hands.
Straighten your legs any amount so the heels extend towards the floor.
The sitting bones lift up.
Watch that your floating ribs are not poking towards the floor,
they're drawn in towards the spine.
Soften your jaw, separate your teeth slightly, and relax your mouth.
Breathe.
Look up.
Sapta, inhale, come forward, head up.
Exhale, head to your knees.
Inhale, rising, come all the way up, look up.
Exhale, Samastitihi.
Two more, please.
Inhale, arms up, look up.
Dwe, exhale, over you go.
Trini, inhale, head up.
Chatwari, exhale, step back, lower down into Chaturanga Dandasana.
Pañca, deep inhalation, look up, toes point.
Chat, exhale, look towards your navel.
Five deep breaths.
Ujjayi breathing.
Smooth, even inhalation.
Smooth, complete exhalation.
Breathe freely.
Remember, free breathing means keep breathing.
Lift your head, look up, and inhale.
Ever so lightly, come forward, join your feet, head up.
Exhale, straight legs, head to your knees.
Inhale, rising, come all the way up, join your palms, look up.
Exhale, Samastitihi.
Breathe deeply.
Last one.
Yakam, inhale, reach up, look up.
Dwe, exhale, looking at the tip of your nose, over you go.
Trini, inhale, look up.
Chatwari, exhale, looking at the tip of your nose, step back, Chaturanga Dandasana.
Pancha, inhale, look up, shoulders roll back.
Chat, exhale, look towards your navel.
Breathe deeply.
Look up at your hands.
Inhale, Sapta position, step forward, head up.
Ashto, exhale, look at the tip of your nose, head to your knees.
Nawa, inhale, come up, look up.
Exhale to Samastitihi.
Breathe freely.
Feet together, look down at your feet and make sure that they are still touching.
Straighten your legs.
Surya Namaskar B.
We will do the first, the second, and the third Vinyasa to start.
Stand tall in Samastitihi and soften the skin on your face.
Breathe freely and completely.
With your feet together, take a deep inhalation, bend your knees,
bring your arms over your head and take your head back.
Utkatasana, chair position.
Dwe, exhale, chest to your thighs, straighten your legs, head to your knees.
Trini, inhale, look up, head up.
Exhale back to Dwe position only, head to your knees.
Inhale, bend your knees, Utkatasana, look up.
Exhale, Samastitihi, hands to your sides.
Inhale, knees bend, raise your arms up, look up, head back.
Exhale, chest to your thighs, straighten your legs, head to your knees.
Trini, inhale, look up, extend your spine.
Exhale back to Dwe position, head to your knees.
Inhale, bend your knees, back to Yakam, raise your arms, head up.
Exhale to Samastitihi.
Last one please.
Inhale, bend your knees a lot, reach your arms and extend your elbows.
Exhale, lower your chest to your thighs, straighten your legs.
Trini, inhale, head up.
Exhale, head to your knees.
Inhale, bend your knees, really bend, reach your arms up, look up.
Exhale, Samastitihi.
Breathe smoothly, soften and lengthen your breath as much as possible.
If there is any shaking in the body, use the breath to pacify your experience.
Soothe yourself with the sound of your own breath.
Surya Namaskar.
Inhale, bend your knees, Utkatasana, stretch your arms up, look up.
Exhale, bring your chest to your thighs, straighten your legs.
Trini position, inhale, look up.
Exhale, step back, Chaturanga Dandasana.
Lower yourself towards the floor.
Inhale to Upward Dog, look up.
Exhale to Downward Dog, look towards your navel.
Now look up at your hands, inhale and step your right foot forward and bend your knee over your ankle.
Arms up over your head, look up.
Exhale, hands flat, step back.
Lower down, look forward.
Inhale through Upward Dog.
Exhale to Downward Dog.
Now step your left foot forward.
Inhale, raise your arms over your head, look up.
Exhale, hands to the floor, flat.
Step back, lower down, look forward.
Chaturanga position, inhale to Upward Dog, look up.
Exhale to Downward Dog.
Breathe smoothly and deeply.
In Surya Namaskar B, Downward Dog becomes a resting pose.
So use this pose as the opportunity to catch up with your breath.
Free breathing really means keep breathing.
If you need extra breaths here, take them.
Gradually with time your breath will lengthen.
Now exhale all your air, look up at your hands please and inhale.
Step both your feet to your hands, head up.
Exhale, head to your knees.
Inhale, bend your knees, arms up, look up.
Exhale, straight legs, hands to your sides.
Again, inhale, bend your knees, arms up, look up.
Exhale to Dwaye position, chest to your thighs, straighten your legs.
Trini, inhale, look up.
Chattwadi, exhale, step back.
Inhale to Upward Dog, look up, shoulders back.
Chattwadi, exhale to Downward Dog.
Inhale and step your right foot forward, bend your knee, arms up.
Virabhadrasana, exhale, hands flat, step back.
Chaturanga Dandasana, inhale, Upward Dog.
Exhale to Downward Dog.
Inhale and step your left foot forward, bend your knee, raise both arms up, look up.
Exhale to Chaturanga Dandasana, hands flat, step back.
Inhale to Upward Dog.
Exhale to Downward Dog.
Look towards your navel.
Five smooth, slow, deep breaths here.
Free breathing.
Exhale all your air, look up.
Inhale and step both feet to your hands, head up.
Exhale, head to your knees.
Inhale, bend your knees, stretch your arms up, look up.
Exhale Samastitihi, breathe deeply.
Again, inhale, knees bend, arms up, look up.
Exhale, right over.
Inhale, look up.
Exhale, step back, look forward.
Inhale, Upward Dog, look up.
Exhale, Downward Dog.
Inhale, step your right foot forward.
Virabhadrasana A, look up.
Exhale, Chaturanga Dandasana, gaze at the tip of your nose.
Inhale, look up.
Upward Dog.
Exhale to Downward Dog.
Inhale and step your left foot forward.
Really bend your knee, inhale, head up.
Exhale, hands flat.
Step back, look forward, Chaturanga.
Inhale through Upward Dog.
Exhale to Downward Dog.
Breathe deeply.
If you're starting to feel tired, you can bend your knees and come into pose of a child for the next two salutations.
Focus your awareness on your breath and rest completely.
If you're feeling strong, stay with it.
Press through your hands, extend your heels to the floor, look towards your navel.
Exhale all your air, look up.
Inhale, step both feet forward, head up.
Exhale, straight legs, head to your knees.
Inhale, bend your knees, raise your arms up, look up.
Exhale, Samasthiti.
Two more.
Inhale, Utkatasana, bend your knees, arms up, look up.
Dway, exhale, over you go, straighten your legs.
Trini, inhale, look up.
Chattwari, exhale, step back, looking forward.
Pancha, inhale, look up.
Shat, exhale, look towards your navel.
Sapta, inhale, right foot forward, arms up.
Virabhadrasana, A, look up.
Ashto, exhale, hands flat.
Step back, look forward.
Nawa, inhale, look up.
Desha, exhale, look towards your navel.
Ekadasha, inhale, step your left foot forward.
Virabhadrasana, A, look up.
Dwadasha, exhale, hands flat, step back to Chaturanga Dandasana.
Triodasha, inhale, look up.
Chaturdesha, exhale, pressing firmly through your hands, look towards your navel.
Downward dog, breathe freely.
Ujjayi Pranayama, remember there is victory inside the breath by definition.
Ujjayi is victorious breathing.
Smooth, even inhalation.
Smooth, complete exhalation.
Now, look up.
Pancha Desha, inhale, step both feet forward, head up.
Shodasha, exhale, head to your knees.
Sapta Desha, inhale, bend your knees, arms up, look up.
Exhale, Samastitihi.
Last one.
Inhale, bend your knees, look up.
Exhale, looking at the tip of your nose, over you go.
Inhale, look up between your eyebrows.
Exhale, Chaturanga Dandasana, looking forward.
Inhale, upward dog, look up.
Exhale, downward dog, look towards your navel.
Inhale, right foot forward, please look up.
Exhale, step back, looking forward.
Inhale, upward dog, look up.
Exhale, look towards your navel, downward dog.
Inhale and step your left foot forward, reach your arms up.
Virabhadrasana A, look up.
Exhale, hands flat, step back.
Inhale to upward dog, look up.
Exhale to downward dog.
Take five full, deep breaths.
Soften your jaw, your teeth.
Relax your tongue and breathe freely.
Look up.
Inhale, step both feet forward, head up.
Exhale, head to your knees.
Inhale, bend your knees, arms up, look up.
Exhale, Samastitihi.
Stand in Samastitihi with your hands at your sides.
Look down and check to see if your feet are still touching.
Stand up tall, straighten your arms.
Feel your bandhas engage and soften your face.
Traditionally, in Ashtanga Yoga, the standing poses are held for five breaths.
In this program, for educational purposes, the timings are longer.
Padangusthasana Bring your hands to your waist.
Separate your feet the width of your hips.
Inhale, lift your head, look up.
Straighten your legs and exhale, bending at the waist, take your fingers to your big toes.
Inhale, lift your head, look up.
Exhale, bend your elbows.
Take the top of your head towards the floor.
Open your elbows to the side.
Engage your biceps.
Pull on your toes without pulling your ribs away from your legs.
Soften your ribs.
Breathe into your upper back.
Soften your face and straighten your legs as much as you can.
Lift your kneecaps up and breathe deeply.
Soften the skin on the back of your neck and let your head hang heavy.
Keep breathing.
Inhale, straighten your arms, look up.
Padangusthasana Exhale, release your toes.
Lift the front of your feet and slide your hands under them as far as they'll go.
Inhale, look up.
Extend your spine.
Exhale, bend your elbows to the side.
Top of your head moves towards the floor.
You press your feet firmly down on your hands, leaning forward just slightly to really straighten your legs.
Look at the tip of your nose.
Breathe deeply.
Soften the back of your head and neck.
Keep your eyes open and your mouth closed.
Keep breathing.
Inhale, straighten your arms, look up.
Exhale, release your hands.
Take them to your waist only.
Pressing through your feet.
Inhale, come all the way up.
Exhale, join your feet.
Step them together.
Samastitihi.
Trikonasana, triangle pose.
Step your right foot back.
Turn your right leg out and your left foot in.
Raise your arms up.
Inhale deeply.
Exhale, shift your hips to the left and hold your right big toe with your right hand if possible.
Straighten your left arm up.
Look up.
Close your fingers and breathe deeply.
Straighten your legs.
Hold your big toe with the yogi grip.
The thumb, index finger, and middle finger all join.
Lift your kneecaps up.
Look up at your left thumb.
Roll your right shoulder down your back.
Pressing your feet.
Inhale, come up.
Turn your feet for the other side.
Left leg out, right foot in.
Straighten your legs.
Exhale, triangle pose, left side.
Hold your left big toe.
Stretch your right arm up.
Close your fingers and look at your right thumb.
Hold your big toe with the yogi grip again.
Breathe freely.
Press firmly through your feet.
Lift your knees up.
Roll your left shoulder down your back away from your ear.
Smooth, deep breaths.
Now inhale, come up, exhale, right leg out, left foot in.
Paddhavrita Trikonasana, revolved triangle.
Place your left hand on the floor.
Turn your chest, reach your right arm up.
Look up.
Stretch your arms away from each other.
Press through your right big toe.
Lift your right kneecap and take your right hip back to close Moolabandha.
Remember that the root of all the standing poses is Moolabandha from the perineum.
Now pressing firmly through your feet, look down, get stable.
Inhale, come all the way up.
Turn your left leg out and your right foot in.
Raise your right arm up and exhale to revolved triangle.
Take your right hand to the floor, rooting it.
Turn your chest, extend your left arm up.
Close your fingers.
Look at your left thumb.
Breathe deeply.
Pressing firmly through your left big toe, lift your left kneecap up and work your left hip back to close Moolabandha to grow your left waist long.
Breathe freely.
Look down at your right hand.
Get stable.
Inhale.
Press your feet, come all the way up.
Exhale to Samastitihi position.
Step to the front.
Join your feet.
Breathe deeply.
Parjwa Konasana, extended lateral angle pose.
Take a deep inhalation.
Step your right foot way back.
Turn your right leg out and your left foot in.
Exhale and bend your right knee over your ankle.
Place your right hand on the floor.
Extend your left arm over your ear with your palm facing the floor.
Look up at your left thumb.
The angle which defines this asana or this posture is the side angle from your left heel to your left pinky finger.
Straighten that side of your body as much as you can.
Bending your right knee, reach your left arm.
Breathe deeply.
Press the outside edge of your back foot firmly into the floor.
Breathe freely.
Inhale, come up.
Exhale, switch sides.
Turn your left leg out and your right foot in.
Using an extra breath here, take a deep inhalation with the arms raised.
Exhale, bend your left knee over your ankle.
Place your left hand on the floor.
Stretch your right arm over your ear with the palm facing the floor.
Now it's the right side of your body that gets fully extended
as you press through your right heel and reach your right hand.
Parjva Konasana, side angle pose.
The drishti or gazing point is the right thumb.
Bend your left knee and see if you can press your left knee back towards the pinky side of your left foot
so the weight is on the pinky toe sides of both feet.
Breathing deeply through your nose, bend your knee any amount more.
Inhale, come up.
Exhale, ever so gracefully step both feet back to samastitihi.
Join your feet.
Breathe deeply.
Prasarita Padottanasana, wide angle foot posture.
Take a deep inhalation and step your right foot way back.
This time parallel your feet.
Take your hands to your waist.
Exhale, straighten your legs.
Lift your chest, look up.
Inhale deeply and then exhale, bending at your waist.
Take your hands to the floor, fingertips in line with the tips of your toes.
Inhale, straighten your arms.
Look up, exhale, bend your elbows.
Bring the top of your head towards the floor.
If your head is comfortably on the floor, you can walk your hands back towards your heels.
Take five deep breaths here.
Squeeze your elbows towards each other.
Look at the tip of your nose and breathe freely.
Lift your shoulders up, away from your ears.
Lift your kneecaps up, straighten your legs any amount.
Breathe.
Inhale, now straighten your arms, look up.
Exhale, take your hands to your waist only.
Inhale, pressing your feet come all the way up.
Exhale.
B position.
Inhale, spread your arms.
Exhale, take your hands back to your waist again.
Inhale, look up, straighten your legs.
Exhale, bend at your waist and bring the top of your head towards the floor.
Hands stay on your waist.
Take five deep breaths here.
If your head does come to the floor, lift your shoulders up, away from your ears.
See if you can really straighten your legs.
Press firmly through your feet.
Keep your eyes open and gaze at the tip of your nose.
Breathe freely.
Now exhale all your air.
Inhale, pressing firmly through your feet, come all the way up.
Exhale.
C position.
Inhale, raise your arms, lift them to the side.
Exhale, now interlace your fingers behind your back.
Inhale, tuck your tailbone under, look up, straighten your legs.
Exhale, bending at the waist, take your arms over your head towards the floor.
This position is the most distracting for the mind,
and therefore the easiest position in which to forget about your legs.
So please keep your legs engaged.
Lift your knees up.
Extend your elbows.
Press firmly through your feet, looking at the tip of your nose.
Breathe deeply.
Inhale, let your arms pull you all the way up.
Exhale, put your hands on your waist.
Breathe.
Open your eyes.
D position.
Inhale, look up, head up.
Exhale, bending at the waist, slide your hands down your waist.
Put your hands down your legs to grab your big toes with the yogi grip.
Inhale, straighten your arms, look up.
Exhale, bend your elbows, top of your head towards the floor.
Take five slow, smooth breaths.
Soften the skin on your face and keep your eyes open.
If your head is on the floor, can you lift your shoulders up?
Can you lift your knees up?
Breathe deeply, looking at the tip of your nose.
Stay completely steady and completely sweet,
as stated in the Yoga Sutra,
which means effort without tension and relaxation without dullness.
Inhale, straighten your arms, look up.
Exhale, bring your hands to your waist, please.
Pressing your feet, inhale, come all the way up.
Exhale, big step back to the front.
Breathe freely, arms at your sides.
Last standing pose, Parjvatanasana.
Take your hands behind your back into Viparita Namaste, reverse Namaste.
Now take a deep inhalation, step your right foot back,
turn your right leg out and your left foot in.
Turn your hips so you face your right leg, look up.
Exhale, bend at the waist, take your chin towards your shin.
Five deep breaths.
The action here is very similar to that in Revolve Triangle.
Press through the big toe side of your right foot.
Lift your right kneecap up and take your right hip back.
Breathe freely.
Press your feet, inhale, come all the way up.
Exhale, turn your left leg out, your right foot in.
Inhale, straighten both your legs, slightly do a back bend, look up.
Exhale, slowly come forward with straight legs, take your chin towards your shin.
Breathe deeply.
Look at the big toe of your left foot.
Same action here with Mulabanda.
Can you press the big toe side of your left foot to the floor?
Can you lift your left kneecap up and can you take your left hip back to close Mulabanda?
Keep breathing.
Pressing firmly through your feet, inhale, come all the way up.
Exhale, release your hands, step to the front, Samastitihi.
Breathe deeply.
Standing here with your feet together, hands at your sides, close your fingers and extend your fingertips down
as you lift up through your chest, breathing into your heart.
Breathe into the space behind your heart and soften the knots that bind you.
Take a deep inhalation here and exhale completely.
Slowly bend your knees, sit down at the front of your mat, find a comfortable seated position.
Simple cross legs is fine.
Bring your hands to your knees, turn your palms up, touch your thumb and forefinger together.
Extend the other three fingers away from you.
Extend through your elbows and straighten your arms.
If you're comfortable with Padmasana, then sit in Padmasana, which is lotus pose.
Now lift up through your chest, draw your belly in, drop your chin towards your chest to Jalandharabanda.
Looking at the tip of your nose.
If this gaze is uncomfortable, you can look down.
This position is sometimes referred to as the thousand-pedaled lotus
because when you gaze at your nose long enough, the legs begin to resemble the petals of a lotus flower.
Take ten slow, smooth, deep breaths.
Ujjayi Pranayama, victorious breathing.
Remember, smooth, even inhalation, smooth, complete exhalation.
Taking care to keep your jaw soft, your teeth slightly separated.
Take ten slow, smooth, deep breaths.
Ujjayi Pranayama, victorious breathing.
Moving slowly, inhale as you lift your head, soften your jaw, relax your teeth.
Now nice and slowly, straighten your legs out in front of you and lay down on your mats for Savasana, corpse pose.
Allow your feet to gently roll out to the sides.
There's no effort here.
Turn your palms up, walk your shoulders under, relax your belly.
If you're cold, this is a good time to cover up.
In Ashtanga Yoga, a tremendous amount of heat is generated through the practice of vinyasa.
So if you're sweating, you may feel cold when you lay down in Savasana.
So please make yourselves as comfortable as you can and then let go completely.
Savasana is complete stillness.
Resist any temptation to fidget.
Surrender your weight completely to the floor like a stone in water.
Feel as though you are sinking deeper and deeper into the floor.
Gradually bring your attention to the skin on your face and soften completely.
Relax your throat.
Your eyelids are completely closed, allowing your eyeballs to sink deeper and deeper into the sockets.
Let yourself become heavier and heavier.
Let go completely.
Relax everywhere.
Om narayini om.
Om Narayanee Om
Narayanee Om
Om Narayanee Om
Narayanee Om
disturbing your relaxation as little as possible nice and slowly bring your
attention back to your breath take a few deep inhalations followed by complete
exhalations soften your belly and very slowly start to wiggle your fingers
wiggle your toes gently bringing movement to your physical body
stretch your arms over your head reach your hands and feet away from each other
and when you feel ready please roll to your side stay here for a few moments
now nice and slowly when you feel ready inhale and press yourselves up to sitting
find a comfortable seated position at the front of your mat bring your palms
together in front of your hearts namaste hands close your eyes take a deep
inhalation let's do one ohm together
lift your head open your eyes namaste this tape is dedicated to Sri K.
Patabi Joyce who has kept the flame of a stanga yoga burning brightly
imagine the most
majestic landscapes
and then imagine completing them
presenting the Fairmont collection Grand Hotels inspired by the grandeur of
their surroundings
the Fairmont collection extraordinary hotels and extraordinary places