Practice:
1.Sitting in Virasana (Hero pose): 1-2 min.
Palms together. Relaxed eyes and gazing towards fingertips. Keep breathing.
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| Mana |
2.Supta Virasana (Reclining Hero pose): 3-5min.
Open heart, lungs, ribs where tend to have lots of tension. Release the tension!
(Under stress, abdominal and hip flexors also tend to be very tight.)
*Alternative pose if Supta Virasana is inaccessible:
Lying back, put rolled blanket or pillow just beneath bottom of the shoulder blades.
Reclined backbend.
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| Toshi |
3.Downward Facing Dog (nice and long!): 1-3min.
Focal point is Eyes! Gazing knees, shins, thighs, ankles, feet,…it doesn’t really matter
where you gaze at. But you should keep the eyes steady which helps the mind to not race.
Keep breathing. Feel the hands and feet on the floor.
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| Andrea |
4.Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend)
Long exhalation, pause, steady deep inhalation! Keep the eyes open and relaxed.
Help keep the mind steady.
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| Kyoko |
5.Hastasana (Raised Hands Pose): 30sec- 1 min.
Standing at the top of the mat, with the arms stretching up over head,
palms facing forward. Keep long and strong and open through the spine,
and through the legs. Just feel the body’s steadiness, length and strength.
A couple of breaths.
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| Eriko |
6.Prasarita Padottanasana (Wide-Legged Standing Forward Bend): 1-3 min.
Step out, into wide legs, standing forward bend. Hands on the floor.
Keep eyes steady, relaxed and open. Keep breathing.
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| Maya |
7.Side Angle Pose (with the bottom hand on the floor)
Several breathe. Feel the length and strength of the body. Keep both feet and
one hand on the ground. Sensing the floor! On both sides
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| Mari |
8.Triangle Pose: 1 min.
Feeling the floor. Keeping the breath (Long exhalation, pause, steady deep inhalation)
On both sides
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| Jason Crandell |
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9.Prasarita Padottanasana (Wide-Legged Standing Forward Bend)
Hands on the floor. Restorative nurturing quality in inversion
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| Kyoko |
10.Paschimottanasana (Seated forward bend): 1-3 min.
Keep feeling the floor. Keep breathing nice and steady.
Eyes stay open and relax with gazing at the tip of the toes.
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| Maya |
11.Janu Sirsasana (Head to knee pose)
Bend one knee and seated forward bend. Keep feeling the floor.
Keep breathing nice and steady. Eyes stay open and relax with gazing at the tip of the toes.
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| Peter |
12.Apanasana (Reclining knees to chest pose)
Lie on your back, gently draw the knees to the chest.
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| Mari |
13.Reclining Twist
Arms to outside, roll the knees one side, and the other side.
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| Manae |
14.Supported Bridge Pose: 3 min.
Come into Bridge Pose, active arms and legs with several breaths or
support underneath the back of the pelvis.
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| Toshi |
15.Supported Savasana (Or Savasana) 5 min.
Put something under the back of the knees, arms to outside, palms face up, Eyes close.
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| Manae |
Special thanks to Mana, Toshi (a.k.a. Mii-san), Kyoko, Eriko, Maya, Mari, Peter,
Manae, and Kanae! All of them are Jason's students in Japan and took photos kindly.
And thank you, Andrea!
Please enjoy the sequence!
Jason Crandell
Sachiko Matsunami (Jason Crandell Japan Assistant)