1) Time: Ninety minutes
Saul David Raye, a wonderful yoga teacher and Thai Yoga Massage therapist and teacher, channeled this flow. It is a combination of yang and yin movements, which works well with a moderately bright CD playing in the background. [1]
Opening Meditation
Sit in Virasana (on your heels) for three minutes in meditation
Neck release: move your head in circles in time with the breath
Circle left one minute
Circle right one minute
Shoulder Circles: move your shoulders in circles in time with the breath
Up, back and down one minute
Reverse directions one minute
Heart Tapping [2] one minute
Use the tips of your fingers and tap up and down on your sternum.
Sitting Side Bends while sitting cross-legged
Place right hand on floor and left arm up in the air,
lean to the right for one minute
Switch sides: left hand to the floor, right arm in the air,
lean to the left for one minute
Sitting Back Bend
Place hands behind you, keep your knees low or on the floor and
lift your hips forward/upward for one minute
Butterfly for three minutes
Come to standing:
Uddiyana Bandha
With empty lungs draw your lower belly in, up, and under your ribs.
Agni Sara
With empty lungs, slowly pump your stomach in and out.
Pressing the Reset Button
Make a fist with your right hand and stick out your thumb. Hold your right wrist with your left hand, and gently but firmly push your right thumb into the navel. Relax the stomach on the inhalations and push deeper. If pain occurs, stop.
Large Arm Circles circle the arms in big circles crossing in front of you.
Circle in both directions for one minute each
Hah Breath Drops With legs wide apart and bent slightly, raise arms up while inhaling deeply and shout “haaah!” as you drop the upper body and arms between the legs. Catch the wave and swing back up as you inhale, and repeat five times.
Squat for two minutes
Dangling for two minutes with knees very bent: chest and thigh together if possible
Squat two more minutes
Dangling two more minutes with legs straighter
Dragon Cycle right leg forward
Baby Dragon for one minute
Dragon Flying High for one minute
Dragon Flying Low for one minute
Dragon Wing for one minute
Down Dog for one minute
Dragon Cycle left leg forward
Baby Dragon for one minute
Dragon Flying High for one minute
Dragon Flying Low for one minute
Dragon Wing for one minute
Cat’s Breath for one minute
Flow from upward facing cat to downward facing cat as you breathe.
Squat for one minute (it should be much easier this time!)
Dangling for one minute
Roll up in Rag Doll to Mountain Pose (Tadasana)
Step feet apart three feet; turn feet outward
Squat, lowering hips half way to the floor,
arms out to the side for one minute
Hands pull thigh apart for another minute
Side Fold (Parsvottanasana);
Straighten legs, keep them apart and fold over right leg for one minute
Come up to centre and fold over left leg for one minute
Wide Leg Squats:
With feet wide apart, squat as low to the floor as you can go; place your hands on the floor. Walk hands and hips to the right, keeping feet on the floor if possible (especially the left foot). Walk to the left. Switch sides with each breath. After one minute, remain on one side for thirty seconds, and then go to the other side for thirty seconds.
Frog for three minutes
Reclining Windshield Wipers. With knees bent, feet on the floor touching the edges of your mat, drop your knees from side to side for one minute.
Happy Baby for two minutes, holding both feet
Happy Baby, holding just right foot for one minute,
Left leg straight on floor (easier is to place left foot on floor with knee bent)
Switch feet and repeat on the other side
Reclining Windshield Wipers for one minute
Sitting for one minute
Shoelace: right side for three minutes
Shoelace: left side for three minutes
Straighten both legs
Bounce the legs on the floor as fast and as hard as you can, for one minute.
Bend knees and bounce the feet on floor, for one minute. Go hard!
Hamsa Breath: Hear the word “ham” as you inhale and “sa” as you exhale. Slow the breath down so each inhalation and exhalation takes at least four seconds. Do Hamsa for two minutes.
Shavasana for seven or eight minutes
Finishing Meditation
- — He played Chinmaya Dunster’s Yoga on Sacred Ground during this flow.
- — Heart tapping will stimulate the thymus gland as well as open the heart chakra. Do not tap on the zyphoid process, that floating bit just below the sternum.
(Back to Yin Yoga Flows)