Seven Yoga Poses To Do in Your Home

by Tiffany Chion, Founder of www.YogaUniverse.com

Set up a clear area in a quiet space in your home. You can put down a yoga mat or do your practice on a carpet. To create a calming, sacred space you can light candles and put them safely to one side. Soft yoga music and incense also make a soothing environment. Shut off any distractions, turn off cell phones, home phone and television. Set this next 45 minutes aside for yourself: special time to challenge your body and calm your mind. And, as with any exercise program, consult a physician before you begin a yoga practice.

Begin in a cross-legged seated position. If it is difficult to keep a straight spine put a folded blanket under your hips and sit forward on the blanket's edge, with your sitting bones half on the blanket and half off. Roll your shoulders up to the ears and then exhale roll the shoulders down the back so that your shoulder blades slide down, drawing your shoulders away from your ears. Sitting tall out of the waist, close your eyes and begin breathing in and out through your nose. Relax into the rhythm of your breath and follow the breath with your awareness. Take 10-12 deep breaths. Notice if your mind is wandering and gently bring your awareness back to your breath. Anything you are thinking about can wait. You can return to these thoughts, revived and rejuvenated, after your practice is complete.

Twists: Still in your seated position, take your right hand to your left knee and move your left hand to the floor right behind your hips. Sit tall and breathe in to your upper back, gently twisting to your left. Keep your head aligned over the center of your chest--the twist should come from your waist and back, not from your neck. Take 8 deep breaths into your back. Feel the breath moving up and down the back of your body, feeding the muscles with oxygen and allowing them to unwind. Gently pull your lower belly up and in so your core is engaged. Breathe and relax more deeply into your twist. Repeat on the other side for 8 breaths.

Forward fold:

Move your blanket aside if you are sitting on this prop and lengthen your legs out in front of you so you are sitting tall with legs long. Walk your hands down your legs until you feel a stretch in the middle back. Begin breathing into the place you feel the stretch. Take 5 breaths. As you feel the back beginning to open and respond to your breath, inhale and look up, getting some length out from your waist and then exhale and move your head toward your feet--coming more deeply into your forward fold. Let your head and neck relax. Take 5 more deep breaths, washing them up and down the back body. Inhale and use your hands to walk your torso back up to center.

Abdominals: Lie down on your back and bring your legs straight with your legs directly over your hips. Rock a bit from side to side and make sure you have a good connection between your lower back and the mat or carpet. Interlace your fingers behind your head, making a cradle so you can rest your head into your interlaced hands. Inhale and lift your head and chest and wrap your elbows around your ears. Keep this upper body lifted and now exhale and also lift your hips and buttocks up toward the ceiling. With upper and lower body all curling toward one another stay here for a full inhale and exhale. This is the first round. Let's do 8 more. Keep your head, elbows and chest lifted the whole time we will just move the hips up and down, moving with the breath. Round two--inhale and lower your hips and lower back to the mat, exhale and curl them back up. Squeezing and lifting the elbows toward the ceiling take a full inhale and exhale here. Inhale, lower the hips, and exhale repeat 6 more times. Keep your breath continuous and smooth. Don't swing your legs, instead use your belly muscles to lift those hips toward the ceiling. Breathe and feel your core muscles working. Invite the heat that is building and savor the sensation. When you have completed your last round bring your feet to the mat and put your hands on your stomach. Take five breaths into your palms, feeling the sensations in your belly.

Bridge: Still laying on your back, walk your feet towards your hips. Feet are about hip distance apart and grounded into the mat, toes are lifted. Arms are relaxed down at your sides, palms facing downward. Inhale and press your lower back firmly into the mat, exhale and begin peeling your lower, middle and upper back up off the mat. Breath into the front body here, you can watch your chest rise and fall with your breath. Let's stay here for 8 deep, long breaths. Each time you inhale fill your body with that breath, each time you exhale press your feet down and use your strong leg muscles to reach your pubic bone up toward the ceiling. Breathe and feel. To release, on an exhale lower first your lower back, then your middle and upper back down to the mat. Stretch your legs out long and then reach your arms up overhead, coming into along, luxurious cat-stretch. Take a few breaths to feel the echo of bridge posture on your body.

Down Dog: Roll yourself over to one side and then up onto hands and knees. This is a Table position. Hands are lined up right under the shoulders and knees are under the hips. Roll the shoulders down the back to keep them from hiking up towards your ears. Feel the space created in your body by this small alignment correction. Curl your toes under and on an exhale lift up your hips and straighten your legs: you are in a 45 degree angle with your palms pressed into the mat and your feet pressed into the mat. Your heels can be off the ground but you are pressing them towards the mat--stretching the backs of the legs and the calves. Take 8 breaths. Each time you inhale fill your body with that deep, wonderful breath, and each time you exhale gently press your chest back towards your legs. Continue to breath and experience sensation. To release gently lower your knees back into table. Now we will come into a restorative posture to relax for a few breaths.

Child: From table press your hips back towards your heels, stretching your arms out along the mat of you. Feel the oppositional stretch as your palms reach forward and your hips reach back toward the heels. Take 10 breaths resting in this calming posture. Feel your connection to the earth, feel the safety of child's pose.

Half Sun Salutes: Find your way up to standing. Stand with your feet hips distance apart, arms relaxed at your sides. Notice your posture. Lengthen up through your spine, reaching the crown of your head toward the ceiling and pressing your feet down into the ground. Lift your toes. Take a few breaths here standing tall, lengthening and stretching your spine. Feel the openness in your body and breath so far in your practice. Bask in your breath. Drink in oxygen and well-being.

Now, inhale and reach your arms up overhead until your palms touch, stretching upwards…..exhale and swan dive forward bending at the waist. Let your hands connect to your shins or thighs at the end of this exhale. Inhale and reverse the swan dive, opening your arms wide as you dive upwards and touch the palms together up over-head. Arms are straight. To finish, exhale and bring your connected palms together in front of your heart. Let's do 6 more, connecting breath with movement. Each time you make a transition you are taking either an inhale or an exhale. This is a type of moving meditation. Feel that connection between your breath and your body as you move. Feel your movements as fluid and graceful and that they will become! When you have completed your last breath/movement come back to Namaste (palms together in front of your heart) and take 5 deep breaths.

Savasana: (Resting pose)

Lower the lights and lie down on your back. Take a long cat stretch again and then let your arms gently fall by your side, palms facing upwards in receiving mode. Close your eyes and let yourself completely melt into your mat for 5 minutes. Soften your muscles, feeling the muscles just falling away from the bones. Rock your head from side to side until you find a comfortable resting position for your head and let it come to stillness. Do not skip this pose--you deserve complete relaxation and this is where your body absorbs all of the energy movement you have done with your practice. Rest and know all is well.

When you re-emerge into wakefulness, go back into your day with this feeling of peace and needed well-being. Drink a lot of water and move slowly and deliberately, staying connected to your breath and body throughout your day and all of your work and fun. Bring your yoga off of your mat and with you into your life! Namaste.