Place your mat or blanket close to a wall or any vertical surface. Lie down on your back, with your buttocks close to the wall and your legs resting upward on the wall. If you find it more comfortable, or want to bring more blood to the head and neck area, then place a pillow or two underneath the buttocks. Now there are various stages one can perform according to his needs. Continue reading “Y-29 Half Shoulder Stand”

The «fish» is the counter posture to the «shoulder stand» and «plough» and should be done following them. From the «relaxation pose», lift your upper back and shoulders and bend your neck back so that the top of your head rests on the mat. Relax your arms by your sides with your hands resting on your hips. Relax all of your body as much as you can in this position. Breathe with the abdomen. Continue reading “Y-47 The Fish”

If there is no yoga instructor or experienced person in your area to guide you in selecting an effective series of exercises, breathing techniques and deep relaxation best suited to you, do the best you can with the following guidelines. Be aware, however, of the fact that no guideline is absolute and that each body has different needs and each person a different life-style which may or may not allow him to abide by the guidelines given. Thus, you will have to be creative and resourceful in seeing how you can apply these techniques to your life. Continue reading “YG-04 Creating a series for yourself”

Sitting again on your calves and ankles, take a deep inhalation and hold your breath as you lower your head to the floor taking the prayer position. Continue reading “Y-13 Dynamic Prayer”

Sit with your legs crossed in front of you. Pick up your right leg above the ankle with the right hand. Hold your right foot with your left hand and rotate it slowly many times in each direction. Also take this opportunity to bend you toes backward and forward with your hand.

Do both feet equally.

The «snake» is an excellent movement for beginners of yoga as well as for all those who have inflexible spines. (Unless you can touch your chest to your thighs, and also feel comfortable in the Cobra, you can use more flexibility in your spine). From the «relaxed standing position» let your head fall back, and while keeping it back begin to lower the torso towards the legs. Begin your movement from the lower back and keep the chest and head up until you are almost completely down, then let the head drop forward and relax. Exhale as you go down. Then on the inhalation begin to lift the back from the waist first, letting the chest, shoulders, head and arms hang loosely downward until you are almost completely up. Then allow them to come up and back as a part of a natural movement. Continue reading “Y-48 The Snake”

In Hatha yoga (the yoga of the physical body) there are two basic categories of asanas (postures or exercises). Continue reading “YG-05 Categories of posture”

Sit again on your calves and ankles and place your elbows before you on the floor close to your knees. Then come onto all fours and place your head between your two hands. Continue reading “Y-14 Dynamic Rabbit”

Head Roll

The body is standing with the arms, shoulders and fingers relaxed by the side. The muscles of the abdomen should be relaxed and the eyes closed. With a sense of inner concentration begin to allow the head to roll in a circle around the base of the neck. Let the neck muscles stretch as you rotate the head very slowly. As you are bringing the head up and back, inhale. Exhale as you are allowing it to fall down to the front. Continue reading “Y-31 Head Rotations”

Sit with your left heel tucked inside underneath your buttocks and the left knee facing straight out in front of you on the floor. Bring the right foot over to the left side of the bent knee. Stretch the left arm over the upward bent right leg and place the arm parallel to the leg with the hand against the ankle. Bring your right arm around behind you, placing it across the small of the back. Twist your torso, neck, and head to the right as much as possible, keeping the back vertical to the floor. Breathe deeply with the chest and look as far behind you as possible. Continue reading “Y-49 The Spinal Twist”