Menu - Yoga Asana

Week Five: Yoga Asana

Choose six poses

Alignment issues, note props for comfort, note chakras/philosophical insight.

Uttrasana

Alignment Cues

Kneeling with knees hip-distance apart, knees under hips. Ground down on the shins and the tops of your feet into the floor.
Rest your hands on your lower back, with your fingers pointing down.
Lengthen the spine through crown and tuck your tailbone down.
Roll your shoulders back and lean back lifting your ribs, keeping your chin slightly with your chin tucked
Reach back and hold each heel.
Allow head to slowly roll back and relax
Come up by moving your hands from your heels to your lower back, tucking your chin and backing kneeling position

Modification/Props

Rest hand on a block or lower back
Keep chin tucked if you have neck issues
Place blanket under knees for support
To intensify place block between thighs as squeeze

Chakras/Philosophical Insights Most commonly associated with Anahata or heart chakra. The active expansion and opening of the chest while performing Ustrasana is said to aid in the opening of the heart. Allowing for vulnerability becoming unstuck and fully accessing and practicing the power of love

Utthita Hasta Padanggusthasana

Alignment Cues

Shift body weight to left leg
Lift right knee to chest
Right arm reaches from the inside of your thigh hook big toe between index finger and middle finger
Looking forward lift leg and extended leg towards the right and turn head to the left.

Modification/Props

keep knee bent in pose
yoga strap to aid lifted leg
use a chair to rest lifted leg

Chakras/Philosophical InsightsSvadhisthana chakra represents connection with your feelings and your relationship with yourself. This balancing posture represents creativity, focusing on creativity brings chakra into balance.

Bakasana

Alignment Cues

Bend your knees slightly bring your palms flat on the floor about shoulder's distance apart.
Palms firmly on the mat about a foot in front of feet. Spread fingers wide and press into the top joint of each finger.
Bend elbows straight back.
Come up onto the balls of feet and open knees so they line up with your upper arms.
Place your knees on the backs of your upper arms.
Begin to bring your weight forward into hands, lifting head as you go.
Come up onto your tiptoes, then lift feet
Engage the inner thighs for support while keeping the knees on the arms.
Hug your feet toward your butt.
Focus on the feeling of the body lifting.
Avoid sinking into the pose, which can dump weight into the shoulders

Modification/Props

modify by lifting one foot at a time
use a block to rest your feet on when in full pose

Chakras/Philosophical Insights

Bakasana is a balancing pose inspiring confidence. The Manipura chakra requires balance and discipline to be brought into balance.

Balasana

Alignment Cues

Kneel on the floor. Touch your big toes together
sit on your heels separate your knees about as wide as your hips.
lay torso down between your thighs
hips points toward the navel, nestle down onto the inner thighs.
Lengthen your tailbone
hands on the floor alongside torso, palms up, shoulder blades wide across back.

Modifications/Props

place a blanket between your back thighs and calves.

Chakras/Philosophical InsightsAssociated with the third eye chakra. Encourages introspection and contemplation. As well as practices mindfulness, aligns breath and organs with spiritual energies.

Urdhva Hastasana

Alignment cues

standing, feet together Ground down through the four corners of each foot.
engage your quadriceps.
lift in your arches and legs as you release your toes down
anchoring the tailbone toward your heels
raise arm along side ears
broaden the chest.

Modification/Props

Sitting in a chair if unable to stand

Chakras/Philosophical InsightsThis asana stimulates the throat chakra and can be used to tune into energy rising from the navel and through the back of the body.

Supta Kapotasnana

Alignment Cues

laying on your back with the legs extended out and the arms alongside the body.
Bend the knees and place the soles of the feet on the mat.
Figure four with the legs crossing right ankle over the top of the left knee.
Flex right toes and lift left foot off the ground.
Clasp left hamstring with both hands draw forward
The back and head remain flat, long spine

Modifications/Props

use a strap for a deeper stretch

Chakras/Philosophical InsightsAssociated with the Muladhara chakra very soothing for the body and mind. Its gentle supported opening effects are thought to alleviate stress. .

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