Hei hei yoginis!

As i mentioned i´m away this week and wanted to leave you with a little winter warmer on my departure. It can be more challenging to be motivated to keep up with one´s practice when the weather carries a freezing scowl. It can also be challenging at times to even get warm and toasty, particularly when your face freezes into an unfortunate expression as mine so often does. So unless you have the bonus of a hot water bottle attached to your back all hours (i´ve tried and failed on this one folks) you need something else to make you feel alive and tingly!

I am always astounded at how fabulous, full and ´with it´i feel after taking the time to practice. I KNOW it´s good for me but it somehow surprises me each time. It´s also a godsend in bringing life into every part of my body (and mind!). Here´s a little sequence for you to try at home to keep that gorgeous winter glow burning bright! I´ll miss you but see you next week with a little bonus surpise session! Oh and any questions you can always ask! See you soon super beans! x

 

1. Set your intention for your practice taking a moment to appreciate stillness. This is going to be fun!

2. Begin Pranayama indulging in uujai breath. Warms up the system and good practice for your asanas.

3. Tadasana (Mountain Pose), here it would be wonderful to visualise a sunny mountain. Imagine the dapples of warmth on your face.

4. Oh look, here comes the moon! Take Ardha Chandrasana (Half Moon)

5. Gentle Backbend, support lower back with hands and take hip width distance with feet.

6. Padagusthasana (Hands to Big Toe), remember to fold deeper on your exhale. It´s easier! (And i promise to always share the lazy girl tips)

7. Tadasana (Mountain Pose)

8. Utkatasana (Chair Pose), no skipping on the second (tiptoe) part!

9. Parivritta Uttkatasana (Rotated Chair Pose), also rotation on the exhale!

10. Tadasana (Mountain Pose)

11. Move to back of mat and turn to the side. Inhale arms and take wide and careful step out to the right. Feet are parallel. Arms perpendicular to the floor.

12. Reach forward before rotating hands and windmilling arms for Trikonasana (Triangle)

13. Once returned to centre, bend front knee 90 degrees so thigh ´talks to´the floor. Avoid over/undershooting of the knee. Trace that invisible line from your front heel to the instep of your back foot. Lift from the waist (don´t want to sink into that front hip) and keep arms energised. You got it! Virabhadrasana II (Warrior II)

14. Now for the pizzazzy jazz: windmil those arms down to the ground either side of your front foot, then step back into Dandasana (Plank posture). Hold for five breaths. Yep, five. Warm yet? Good!

15. Exhale and bend elbows behind you and lower down Chataranga

16. Inhale into Urdho Muka Svanasana (Upward Facing Dog)

17. Exhale into Ardho Muka Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog). Hold here for five breaths. Walk out the dog by bending one knee then the other in the first two breaths then find stillness, gradually melting heels towards/into the mat.

18. Inhale and adjust into Dandasana (Plank)

19. Repeat steps 15-18 four more times. A total of five vinyasas.

20. At the end of your final Ardho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog) lower knees to the floor wider than your hips and push back to take Balasana (Childs Pose)

21. Slowly raise up to kneeling with knees to touch, hips on heels. Inhale arms, cross thumbs over then push knees together. Exhale and lower slowly to the floor ensuring tummy is tight, blades of little fingers and forehead to the floor for Ardha Kurmasana (Half Tortoise), five breaths.

22. Return to kneeling as you came in, then turn over to take Savasana (Corpse pose) for at least five minutes