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Hello, I'm Patricia Walden.
Welcome to PM Yoga.
The evening is the perfect time
to calmly transition between
being active and being quiet.
Just as the sun sets
behind the horizon,
our body and our mind rest
from the activity of the day.
One of the greatest gifts yoga has to offer
is deep relaxation,
key to staying healthy.
Because many of us lead
stressful and sedentary lives,
I've developed a 20-minute
yoga program that will help
balance, calm, and revitalize
you to end your day.
The program begins
with centering, the gentle
series of stretches that will bring
awareness and quiet to your
senses.
Next, I'll guide you through a series
of standing poses that will
release tension and increase circulation.
These poses
will also expand your lungs
and help you breathe deeper.
Then we'll cool the body with forward bends
which bring quiet to the
nervous system.
We'll conclude the
program with restorative poses
to bring deep relaxation.
These poses take us to the heart
of yoga and unlock the
stillness of the soul.
Namaste.
Begin seated
on a folded blanket,
right shin over your left.
Gently
close your eyes and draw
your attention inward to your
heart where it's quiet.
Bring awareness
to your breath,
soft, natural
breaths.
Let each breath
wash away the tensions
of the day.
Raise your arms and join
the palms together at the center
of your chest.
Raise your side ribs.
Roll your
shoulders back.
Lift through your chest
and spread it from the center
outward.
Feel the soft expansion.
Relax your
abdomen.
Lengthen from your tailbone up
through the crown of your head.
Keep your spine firm.
Relax the inner corners
of your eyes.
Release the skin of the temples.
Let your eyes descend
peacefully behind your cheeks.
Completely
relax the skin of your face.
Let
the brain become a distant
observer.
Feel your brain
soften.
Soft, quiet inhalation.
Soft,
quiet exhalation.
Your physical
and mental energy meet
at the heart where there's
silence,
purity,
and clarity.
We begin the
PM Yoga practice with
this simple sitting pose
to center yourself into
calm body and mind.
Slowly open your eyes.
Interlace
your fingers, palms
facing out. Extend
your arms away from your body
and stretch overhead.
Balance your weight evenly
between your sitting bones.
Lift your sternum.
Inhale.
Slowly lower your arms.
Change the cross of the legs
and the interlace of your fingers.
Stretch your arms
overhead.
Use your arms to lengthen the sides
of the waist and the ribs.
Move your shoulder blades into the back
to open your chest.
Slowly release your hands down
and twist to your right.
Place your left hand on the outside
of your right thigh.
Take your right hand behind
you.
Inhale. Lengthen
up through the sides of the body.
Exhale.
Twist further to your
right. Your head
will be the last part of you to turn.
Keep your
shoulders rolled back,
relaxed.
Release. Come back to
center. Change
the cross of your legs.
Inhale.
Lengthen the spine.
Open the chest.
Exhale.
Twist to the left.
Raise your
chest.
Twist a little more.
Release.
Come back to center.
Bend your legs to the right.
Sit on your heels.
If your knees
or hamstrings are tight,
try placing a folded blanket
between your buttocks and thighs to reduce
stiffness.
Separate your knees and ankles.
Slowly bend
forward from your hips,
lowering your torso into child's pose.
Stretch your arms out in front of you.
Now using your arms,
extend from the sides
of the waist and the ribs to your
fingertips.
Rest
your forehead peacefully.
Feel how this pose releases
tension.
Your eyes are calm,
your abdomen soft,
so that the breath can move freely.
Inhale.
Slowly come up.
Bring your knees together.
We will now practice a series of
active poses that will sharpen
the senses, awaken
vitality, and reduce
fatigue.
Press your palms down.
Walk your knees back
so that they're under your hips,
your palms shoulder-width apart.
Turn the toes under.
Stretch up through your arms.
Lift the pelvis
and straighten the legs into dog pose.
Spread your palms
and extend through each finger.
Lengthen up from the wrist
to the elbow, elbow
to your shoulders.
Lift out of your shoulders.
Lift your sitting bones
and release your head down.
Bend your knees
and come back to child's pose.
Extend your arms.
Rest your forehead on the ground.
We'll practice dog pose again,
this time focusing
on stretching the legs even more.
Press your palms down,
knees under your hips.
Turn your toes under.
Inhale
and straighten your legs.
Extend up through your armpits.
Lengthen the ribs
and the waist.
Stretch from the ball of the big toe
through the inner arch
to the heels.
Lower your heels down.
Inhale,
release your neck and head.
Exhale.
Feel the length
between the sitting bones
and heels increasing.
As your mind relaxes,
your hamstrings will release more.
Come back sitting on your heels,
ankles together.
Raise up from your knees
and place your hands on your hips
to come into gate pose.
Bring your tailbone in
and lift up through your spine.
Take your right leg out to the side
and turn your leg out
so that the knee is facing up.
Lengthen through your foot
to the floor.
Inhale,
raise your arms to lift
and broaden the chest.
Slowly slide your right hand down
your leg toward the shin
without collapsing your right knee.
Palm up.
Take your left arm alongside the ear.
Now turn the chest
and look up at your left arm.
Soften your eyes,
soften your abdomen.
Release and come back to center.
Take your left leg out to the side
and turn so that the center
of the thigh is facing up.
Raise your arms
and extend your arms fully
to open your chest.
Now slowly slide your left hand
down toward your shin.
Palm up.
Take your right arm
alongside the ear.
Stretch from the sides of the waist
all the way through the fingertips.
Turn the chest
and look up.
Inhale,
come back to center.
Revolve to the left
and place your palms
under your shoulders,
knees under your hips.
Turn the toes under.
Come into dog pose.
Inhale,
stretch your arms,
lift your sitting bones,
lower the heels down.
Turn your left foot
out slightly.
Keep your left leg extended.
Bend your right leg
to form a right angle.
Inhale,
raise your torso and your arms.
Come into proud warrior.
Move your tailbone in.
Use your arms to lengthen
the sides of the waist,
the sides of the ribs,
and the armpits.
Broaden your collar bones,
from the center to the side.
Breathe.
Slowly bend forward.
Place your hands
to each side of your right foot.
Turn your feet and torso forward.
Place your palms
in line with your toes.
Stretch up through your arms.
Now lengthen from
the sides of the waist
and broaden the collar bones.
Wide angle forward bend.
Inhale,
look up.
Turn your right foot in,
left foot out,
and turn your torso to the left.
Place your hands to each side
of your foot.
Keeping your right leg fully extended,
form a right angle
with your left leg.
Come into proud warrior.
Inhale,
raise your torso and arms.
Stretch up through your fingertips.
Move your tailbone in
and from the base of the spine
lengthen up through
the crown of the head.
Exhale, slowly
bend forward.
Step your right leg forward,
lowering your torso over your thigh.
Lace your fingers together
behind you.
Inhale, stretch
your arms over your head.
Exhale, release
your head down.
Feel the stretch in your shoulders.
Slowly release your hands.
Place your hands beside your feet.
Take your right leg back
so your feet are three and a half
to four feet apart.
Turn your right foot and thigh in.
Press down through the inner edge of your left foot
and the outer edge
of your right foot.
For balance, use your
feet as roots, descending
into the earth.
Lengthen the spine so that
it's parallel to the floor.
Inhale,
come up, place
your hands on your hips,
keeping both legs straight.
To open
your chest, reach behind you,
grab a hold of your wrist,
forearms
or elbows.
Move your tailbone in,
roll the shoulders back
and let the sternum rise up
away from your abdomen.
Feel the space around your heart
and lungs.
Raise your chin
and with soft eyes,
look up.
Sweep your arms forward,
stretch your arms
alongside your ears.
Lengthen up through the sides of the body
and bring your hands
back to the hips.
Exhale, lower your head down
to the chin.
If your hamstrings are tight,
place a block underneath your hands
for more support.
Now slowly turn
your feet and torso forward.
Place your palms so that
they're in line with your toes.
Extend the arms
and move your sternum up toward
the collarbones.
Take your hands back a little,
lower your head down to rest on the floor.
Place a folded blanket or block
underneath your head for more support.
Turn your torso to the right.
Turn your right foot in
and left foot out.
Place your hands on each side of your foot.
Keep both legs
slightly extended.
Inhale,
come up,
bring your hands to your hips.
Lengthen your spine,
again reach behind you
and take hold of your wrists,
forearms or elbows.
For those with more flexibility,
bring your palms and fingers
together pointing toward the toes.
Turn your hands up toward your head.
To open your chest more,
roll the shoulders and arms back.
Feel how the arms and the shoulders
help the ribcage and lungs to open.
Raise your head
and look up.
Lower your head down,
keeping both feet firm,
release your hands.
Stretch the arms out
and extend up alongside the ears.
Breathe.
Slowly lower your hands
back to your hips.
Bend from your hips
and come forward.
Lower your hands onto your blocks
or the floor.
Lower your head to your shin.
Bring your left leg forward,
keeping both legs bent,
lace your fingers together
behind your back.
Inhale,
bring your arms over your head.
Now slowly,
release your hands,
place your hands in front of your feet.
For those with more flexibility,
extend the backs of the thighs
up toward the buttocks.
This pose prepares you
for the cool, nurturing,
reflective effects of the next poses.
Now bend your knees
and slowly come seated into staff pose.
Extend your legs forward.
Raise your chest
and lengthen through your heels.
Extend your legs
out to the sides.
Press your thighs down.
Stretch through your heels
and spread your toes.
Take your hands behind you.
Now lengthen up through
the front of the spine from the tailbone.
Inhale, raise your chest.
Exhale,
twist to the left.
Place your right hand on the outside
of your left thigh,
left hand behind you.
Keeping your chest
open and lifted,
exhale and twist more.
Come back to the center.
Come back to the center.
Inhale,
lengthen through the spine.
Exhale,
twist to the right.
Place your left hand on the outside
of your right knee
and your right hand behind you.
Use your hands to help you
twist further.
Release, come back to center.
Bring your legs together
to staff pose.
Press your thighs down.
Stretch through the heels.
Spread the toes.
Head to knee pose.
Now bend your right knee.
Put the sole of the right foot on the
inside of the left thigh.
Turn your right leg out.
Press both thighs down.
Reach forward
and take a hold of your foot.
Keep pressing the thighs down
as you lengthen up from the sides
of your body.
Turn your body so that the
center line of your torso
lines up with the center line
of the leg.
Raise your chin up.
Exhale, bend forward
from your hip.
Keep pressing through the right thigh.
Exhale,
lower your head onto your shin
or folded blanket.
If your hamstrings are tight,
take a belt or a strap
and place it around the arch of your foot.
Rest your forehead peacefully.
Completely let go.
With your next exhalation,
lengthen through the sides of the ribs,
the sides of the waist,
towards the head.
Inhale, slowly come up.
Straighten your right leg
and come back to staff pose.
Now bend your left leg,
place the sole of the left foot
on the inside of your right thigh.
Turn your left leg out
and press both thighs down.
Reach forward
and take hold of your foot
or place a strap
around your arch.
Press down through the outside
of your left thigh,
lengthen the spine upward.
Raise your chin and look up.
Exhale
and bend forward from the hips
and lower your head to your blanket
or to your shin.
Inhale, exhale.
Soft, natural breaths.
Slowly raise your torso,
straighten your left leg
and come back to staff pose.
Bend your knees,
keep your hands beside you
and slowly lay down on your back.
Take a hold of your wrist
and hug the thighs into your chest.
Now release your hands,
cross your legs at the shins
and slowly release
your knees down.
Place your arms at your sides,
away from your torso,
and raise your arms up.
These last poses are the gateway
to relaxation.
Slow, soft inhalation.
Slow, soft exhalation.
Let your abdomen relax
and descend.
Soft, quiet inhalation.
Slow, soft, deep exhalation.
Let each exhalation
release any tension in your lower abdomen.
Change the cross of your legs.
Slow, soft inhalation.
Slow, soft, quiet exhalation.
Feel the lightness in space,
physical space,
mental space.
Now stretch out your legs.
Release your feet to the floor.
Completely relax your toes,
your arches,
your ankles,
your calves,
your thighs,
your legs,
your pelvis,
your abdomen,
your chest,
your shoulders,
your throat,
your eyes,
your temples,
your head.
Deep relaxation brings renewal
and vitality.
Relaxation pose takes us
to the heart of yoga.
An evening's practice
is a wonderful way
to release tension
and calm our minds
from an active day.
I hope my PM Yoga program
will bring deep relaxation,
reflection,
and vitality to your life.
Namaste.
Namaste.
Namaste.
From the editors of Yoga Journal,
America's premier yoga magazine,
Yoga Journal's yoga practice series
is the world's most complete
and innovative guide to yoga.
Each video has been designed
to meet your individual needs
and the demands of your busy lifestyle.
The yoga program is a way
to help you get into the most
powerful yoga practice
and the most effective way
to get into your most
powerful yoga practice.
And the demands of your busy lifestyle.
If you're just getting started,
begin with yoga practice for beginners.
Join Patricia Walden
as she guides you through 23 basic poses
in a precise, safe,
and gentle way.
When you're ready for the next step,
progress with yoga practice
for energy.
Filmed in Maui, Rodney Yee offers
five ten-minute sessions
that connect you with the rhythms of the Earth
and the cycle of the Sun.
In yoga practice
for relaxation,
Rodney Yee and Patricia Walden
have designed two restorative yoga
sessions that help rejuvenate
your immune system and quiet
your body, mind, and spirit.
In yoga practice for
flexibility, Patricia Walden
offers two dynamic workouts
to increase vitality.
Forward bends to cultivate awareness
and back bends to awaken
the spine.
In yoga practice for
strength, Rodney Yee
teaches an aerobic flow series
that builds power and stamina,
plus yoga postures
that soothe the body, increase
confidence, and perfect balance.
In yoga practice for meditation,
Rodney Yee offers five complete
sessions that help you in developing
a meditation practice.
All are inspired by the majestic
beauty of Yosemite National Park.
Yoga Journals
Yoga Practice Series will add
immense value to your understanding
and enjoyment of yoga.
You'll be challenged and rewarded
by higher levels of physical,
mental, and spiritual well-being.
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