Breath of Joy
This is one of my favorite pranayama. Something about it actually does create joy in me (even if it might be based off of suggestion). Do a YouTube search for this term if you haven't ever heard or seen it before, but I'll do my best to explain it here. Inhale through the nose, move the arms parallel directly in front of you. Without exhaling, inhale through the nose and move the arms out to a T position. Without exhaling, inhale through the nose, swinging the arms parallel overhead. Exhale "Ha!" through the mouth, hands towards the floor in a forward fold. Repeat on inhale, bringing arms in front again. The inhales are sharp and quick, the arm motions are fluid. I have called it Mad Conductors breath before, because you look like a crazy musical conductor as you are practicing it. It is intended to raise energy in the body and, as per the name, bring joy. Considering the name of this blog, I'm surprised I haven't devoted a post to it before.
I guess sometimes the most obvious things are actually the least.
Breath of Joy
- Sukhasana (Easy Pose)
- Tadasana (Mountain Pose)
- Breath of Joy (8x)
- Begin lightly jumping, feet barely leaving floor
- Taking 30 seconds or so, continue to increase height of jumps until you are jumping as high as you can. If your knees can't take that, insert some energy-raising activity that works for your body
- Take feet 2-3 feet apart. Swing arms and twist torso, pretending your arms are empty coat sleeves, letting them gently hit your body. Exhale "Ha!" as you twist. 1-2 minutes.
- Tadasana
- Utkatasana ( Chair Pose)
- Uttanasana (Forward Fold)
- Ardha Uttanasana (Half Forward Fold or Pike Position)
- Utkatasana
- Tadasana
- Repeat steps 7-12 six to twelve times.
- Virabhadrasana I (Warrior I)
- Virabhadrasana II (Warrior II)
- Trikonasana (Triangle Pose)
- Vinyasa to Tadasana
- Breath of Joy (8x)
- Repeat steps 14-18 on other side
- Prasarita Padottanasana (Standing Wide Leg Forward Fold)
- Folding forward still, bring torso towards on one. Coming through center, repeat on other side.
- Slight backbend on coming up, hands interlocked behind back
- Prasarita Padottanasana, hands interlocked behind back
- Slight backbend on coming up
- Upavistha Konasana (Seated Foward Fold)
- Urdhva Dhanurasana, gently coming up by placing one hand behind your sitz bones and bending knees (so feet can be flat on floor), only using one arm as you slightly straighten legs to bring sitz bones off of floor (Upward Bow)
- Repeat steps 25 and 26, other arm
- Tarasana (Star Pose)
- Supta Matsyendrasana (Reclined Twist). Repeat other side
- Savasana