home practice manual

8/4/2019 Home Practice Manual

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YogaHome Practice

ManualBringing Yoga into

your daily life.

Three Week Guide


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Cultivate a consistent, conscious practice that is not affected by day to day irregularities. Tohelp with this create a space for your practice, with your mat prepared without any externaldistractions. If you plan to practice first thing in the morning lay your mat out the night before.

Plan your practice into your week as you would plan a doctors appointment or a meeting.

Follow each of the practices from week one through to week three, taking suitable options andvariations according to your level of practice. Once you become familiar with the sequencesyou may wish to improvise and modify by including additional sequences, adding or excludingasanas. The changes that you make should be guided by your intuition to strengthen andrestore balance physically & mentally, rather than from an attachment to personal likes anddislikes of particular asanas.

Hathasya prathamaangatvaadaasanam poorvamuchyate.

Kuryattadaasanam sthairyamaarogyam chaangalaaghavam.

Prior to everything, asana is spoken of as the first part of Yoga.

Having done asana, one attains steadiness of body and mind, freedom from disease and lightness of the limbs.

- Hatha Yoga Pradipika (1:7)

Stepon to the mat & let the rest flow....


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Week 1

Sun Salutation x 2 roundsWarrior sequence l & lllLunging TwistClosing SequenceRelaxation

Week 2

Sun Salutation x 2 roundsWarrior sequence l & lllStanding StrengthHamstring & Seated TwistClosing SequenceRelaxation

Week 3

Sun Salutation x 3 roundsWarrior sequence l & lllHip OpeningHeadstandClosing SequenceRelaxation

Weekly Guide


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The performance of Surya Namaskar establishes an intention for your practice. As you movethrough each of the asanas you are bowing in respect to the heavens, the Earth, and all earthlybeings.

Prayer pose (Samastittih)Sun reach (Hasta Uttanasana)Forward bend (Uttanasana)Half Lift (Samakonasana)Lunge (Yajanasana)

High Plank - (option knees) Low Plank (Chaturanga Dandasana)Cobra option (Bhujangasana)

Option Upward-facing dog (Urdhva Mukha Svanasana)Downward-Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)Lunge (Yajanasana)Forward bend (Uttanasana)Sun reach (Hasta Uttanasana)Prayer pose (Samasthitih)

Surya Namaskara - Sun Salutation


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Sun Salutation - Surya Namaskar For each round lead with the right leg first, then repeat leading with the leftleg. Choose option of either knees or toes in Plank and follow with either Cobra or Upward-facing Dog.


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Downward facing dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)Crescent Lunge preparation (Ardha Chandrasana)Crescent Lunge (Ardha Chandrasana)Warrior lll (Virabhadrasana lll)Warrior l (Virabhadrasana l)High plank (Chaturanga Dandasana)Low plank (Chaturanga Dandasana)

Cobra (Urdva Mukha Svanasana)Upward facing dog (Urdhva MukhaSvanasana)

Childs pose (Balasana)

Only as a spiritual warrior can one withstand the path

of knowledge. A warrior cannot complain or regret

anything. HIs life is an endless challenge and

challenges cannot simply be good or bad. Challenges

are simply challenges

A Path With Heart

Warrior l & lll Flow


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Hold each of the first six asanas for 5 breaths. Repeat sequence with opposite leg forward.


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Benefits

Twists are very powerful for cleansing and detoxifying, promoting health of thespine and stimulating digestion.

Alignment

Leading with the right leg first spend 5 breathes in each pose.

If you are new to your Yoga practice take the option of coming down to yourback knee and the top of the back foot. If staying on the back toes, extendthrough to the heel, keeping the weight even on the front and back foot. The 3rdand 4th poses are options to progress further once youre steady and if seekinga deeper twist with chest and shoulder opening. Repeat with the left leg in front.

When you become familiar with the asanas you may wish to add the twist intothe previous Vinyasa flow before Warrior lll.

Week 1 - Lunging Twist


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Benefits

This sequence is designed to reduce anxiety and stress.

Alignment

Leading with the right leg first spend 5 breathes in each pose.

Become aware of the alignment of your body, making sure that the front foot is

pointing directly forward. Engage the outer thigh and buttocks to align the frontleg with the outside of the front foot. Open through the front of the shoulders andchest whilst gently drawing the lower rib cage in to avoid arching through theback.

When you become familiar with the asanas you may wish to add each thissequence to the Vinyasa flow following Warrior l.

Week 1 - Standing Strength


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Janu Sirsasana (Head to Knee Pose) 8 breathes each leg

Benefits,Stretches the spine, shoulders, hamstrings and groin. Calms the mind, elevatesmood and relieves anxiety, stimulates liver and kidneys, improves digestion.Therapeutic for high blood pressure, sleep disturbances and sinusitis.

AlignmentTry to keep hips and shoulders square to the front of the mat. Focus onlengthening the spine from the base & centering the chest along to straight leg.

Ardha Matsyendrasana (Half Lord of the Fishes Pose) 8 breathes each side

BenefitsEnergises the spine, liver, kidneys and digestive fire. Stretches shoulders, neckand hips. Relieves sciatica. menstrual pain, fatigue and backache. Therapeuticfor asthma and infertility.

AlignmentKeep both sit bones and the foot of the bent knee firmly on the ground.Lengthen spine on inhalation and gently deepen into the twist on the exhalation.

OptionDeepen the pose by extending the leg, holding the outside of the foot with theopposite hand. Neutralise by opening the chest and twisting in the oppositedirection.

Week 2 - Hamstrings & Seated Twists


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Eka Pada Rajakapotasana (One Legged Royal King Pigeon)

Benefits

Stretches the groins, thighs, hips, abdomen, chest and shoulders. Stimulatesthe abdominal organs and has therapeutic effects on Urinary disorders.

Alignment

Start in Downward-facing Dog Pose. Place the right knee at the back of the right

wrist, if comfortable angle it slightly to the right, outside the line of the hip. Look

back at your left leg. It should extend straight out of the hip (and not be angledoff to the left), and rotated slightly inwardly, so its midline presses against the

floor. Exhale and extend your torso down stretch your arms forward, either

resting on the forearms or the forehead on the mat. Keep drawing the right hip

back slightly and encouraging the left hip forward to keep the hips aligned.

Hold for 8 breaths. Repeat on the left side.

Option

Take hold of the back foot or ankle and open into the chest and shoulders.

Avoid lifting the hips away from the mat. To work deeper in the pose, take hold

with both hands.

Week 2 - Hip Opening


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Inversions have a powerful affect on calming the mind,relieving stress and mild depression. They also stimulate the

pituitary and pineal glands which is great for digestion. The

physical demands of Salamba Sirsasana strengthens the

arms, legs, and core muscles. Therapeutically inversions help

to relieve asthma, infertility, insomnia, and sinusitis

Alignment

It is important that you acknowledge your level of practice and

experience when coming into Head Stand, only progressingwhen you feel balanced and steady.

Place the elbows shoulder width apart, interlock the fingers

and cup the back of the head. The top of the head should

have contact with the mat. Walk feet towards your head.

Option engage abdominal muscles and bring knees to chest

and feet to buttocks. Keep pressing elbows in to the mat to

lift shoulders away from the ears.

Option straighten the legs to vertical above the hips and

shoulders. Engage the core and buttocks muscles.

Hold whichever option you take for 10 breaths. Rest in Childs

Pose for breathes before moving through the closing

sequence.

Week 3

Salamba Sirsasana - Head Stand


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Om

Asatoma sadgamaya

Tamasoma jyothir gamaya

Mrutyorma amruthan gamayaOm shanti, shanti, shanti.

Om

Lead me from ignorance to truth

Lead me from darkness to light

Lead me from death to immortality

Om, peace, peace, peace.

Closing Prayer


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Bridge (Kandharasana) 5 breathesPerform twice if not coming into full wheel position.

Option Wheel (Chakrasana) 5 breathes

Godess Pose (Supta Badhha Konasana)

Back release - knees to chest

Half Shoulder stand (Vipareeta Karani)

Shoulder stand (Sarvangasana) 10 breathes

Plough - Halasana (5 breathes)Progress to fingers interlocked if toes are on the ground

Option Deaf Mans Pose (Karna Pidasana)

Fish Pose (Matsyasana)

OptionUnsupported Fish Pose

Knee to chestLeg extended (Supta Padangusthasana)Spinal Twist (Jathara Paravartanasana)Repeat on other leg.

Corpse Pose (Savasana) 5 minutes

Balance out the energy and benefits from the Asanas.

Remain!here!until your breath becomes relaxed.

Closing Sequence

All practices


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Perform this sequence at the end of each practices. There are several challenging asanas illustrated foradvanced students. Work towards the full wheel and variations of the neutralising pose for shoulder stand.


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Your unconscious breath is subject to allkinds of fluctuations according to your mood,thoughts, external environment, digestion andso forth. Some of the first Yogis discoveredthe connection with the breath and the mind,realising that if they could even out thebreath, they could even out the fluctuationsof the mind. From here the practice ofPranayama was born.

Prana is the energy that moves the universeand resides in all beings. So, throughPranayama (control of prana), you use thebreath to release and channel the bodysinternal energy (prana).

Pranayama nurtures a high level of physicalhealth and mental clarity enabling us to leada wholesome and authentic life.

There are many different approaches toPranayama. Over the coming weeks, aim topractice both of the following techniques on aregular basis.

1. Three-part Breath - Dirga Pranayama

2. Nadi Shodhana Pranayama (Alternate Nostril

Breathing)

Pranayama

Breath Control


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Lie in a comfortable position, begin to deeply inhale and exhale through the nose. On each inhale, fill thebelly up with your breath. Expand the belly with air like a balloon. On each exhale, expel all the air out fromthe belly through your nose. Draw the navel back towards your spine to make sure that the belly is empty ofair. Repeat this deep belly breathing for about five breaths.

On the next inhale, fill the belly up with air as described above. Then when the belly is full, draw in a littlemore breath and let that air expand into the rib cage causing the ribs to widen apart. On the exhale, let theair go first from the rib cage, letting the ribs slide closer together, and them from the belly, drawing the navelback towards the spine. Repeat this deep breathing into the belly and rib cage for about five breaths.

On the next inhale, fill the belly and rib cage up with air as described above. Then draw in just a little moreair and let it fill the upper chest, all the way up to the collarbone, causing the area around the heart toexpand and rise. On the exhale, let the breath go first from the upper chest, allowing the heart centre sink

back down, then from the rib cage, letting the ribs slide closer together. Finally, let the air go from the belly,drawing the navel back towards the spine. Repeat this breathing for five to ten breaths.

Three-part Breath - Dirga Pranayama


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Every breath is a new beginning....

Find a comfortable seated position where your back is

straight and the shoulders are relaxed. You may like touse a blanket under your buttocks or rest against awall to assist with this.

Close you eyes, let you body become still, let younerves become still. In this stillness, observe thequality of your natural breath. After several minutes ofobserving the breathe, begin to shape the breathmaking it more fluid and rhythmic. Begin to distributethe breath evenly so that all of the lungs become

equally receptive to the breath. Open the spaces of thelungs where the breathe is more reluctant to penetrateby bringing your attention to these spaces so thatthey can receive the breath more fully.

When you first begin to work with your breath, it willnaturally increase in volume. Dont suppress thatincrease but try to not actively encouraging it, either.The focus is not on ingesting more air, but onincreasing the quality of your breath and your

sensitivity to it.

After a few moments of conscious breathing progressto Alternate Nostril Breathing (Nadi ShodhanaPranayama).

Nadi Shodhana Pranayama (Alternate

Nostril Breathing)

This is a beautiful breathing technique to centre

yourself and clear your mind.

To start, inhale and exhale normally through both

nostrils. Then, inhale only through the left nostril

while closing the right nostril. Next, close off the left

nostril and exhale through the right nostril. Inhale

through the right nostril then close the right nostril to

exhale through the left. Perform 5 to 12 rounds,

resting between each round if need be.


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Sit in a comfortable posture that is stable andconnected to the Earth. Let your eyes close andturn your attention to your breathing. Breath intostillness, letting each breath bring a calmness andease to your body and mind. Continue to feelyour steadiness and connections to the earth,sense your capacity to rest unshaken by thefluctuations of life. Use you breath to staypresent with each passing moment and not bedistracted by thoughts.

Start with five minutes a day of quiet meditationand progress towards fifteen minutes by the endof the third week.

When we take the one seat on our meditationcushion we become our own monastery. Wecreate the compassionate space that allows forthe arising of all things: sorrows, loneliness,shame, desire, regret, frustration, happiness.

~ A Path with Heart

Meditation


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There is a world of difference between a bird sitting and singing in a tree and a bird singing in acage. It is only when the mind is free that the person can be free, not otherwise. With a free andquiet mind, we are able to live with a song of life, a song of love, a song of joy in our heart! Yet ourfreedom should not be used as a reckless license to do anything we please. In true freedom andhappiness we like whatever we do, but we do not always do whatever we like.

~ Swami Nirmalanda, A Garland of Forest Flowers


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www.LisWhiteYoga.com

Lokah Samastah Sukhino BhavantuMay all beings be happy and free and may the thoughts, words and actions of my own life

contribute to the happiness and freedom for all.

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