A great shoulder opener

This sequence is all about one specific pose. I went to a led class this morning and when the instructor threw it in there, I knew it was good enough to pass along. One of the reasons I try to go to classes, even when I have a packed teaching schedule, is that everyone has these great, unique things I might never have come up with. 

In this sequence, it's steps 20-24. I know it seems incredibly simple, so maybe it was just a case of right place, right time, but, heck, at the time it felt so so good.

A great shoulder opener

Don't just jump right into trying the shoulder opener. If you don't feel like doing the rest of the sequence, at least get good and warmed up first, and then give it a shot. Also, if my directions are somewhat lacking, Chris and I found our camera pluginmajigger, so I can actually upload pictures now, if more visual direction is needed. Yippee!

1. Sukhasana (Easy Pose) 
2. Kapalabhati Pranayama (Skull Shining Breath). Repeat three times, using breath retention if it is part of your practice
3. Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog). Hold for 5-10 breaths
4. Lift one leg in Downward Dog, drawing circles with the knee for hip opener
5. Step through with leg for low lunge
6. Bend and straighten front leg
7. Parvottanasana (Intense Stretch)
8. Virabhadrasana III (Warrior III Pose)
9. Virabhadrasana I (Warrior I Pose)
10. Repeat steps 3-9 on other side
11. Adho Mukha Svanasana 
12. Uttanasana (Standing Foreward Fold)
13. Come up into Ardha Uttanasana (Pike Position) and release back into a deeper version of Uttanasana or Pada Hastasana (Hands to Feet Pose)
14. Utkatasana (Chair Pose)
15. Tadasana (Mountain Pose)
16. Utkatasana
17. Parivrtta Utkatasana (Revolved Chair Pose)
18. Step back into Revolved Lunge
19. Virabhadrasana I
20. Take the forearms together in front of your chest, elbows to hands pressed together tightly (it should look like an unwound version of Eagle/Garundasana arms), still holding Warrior I
21. Inhale raise arms (still pressed together along the whole forearm), exhale to lower
22. Repeat for 5 breaths, lifting and lowering
23. Inhale, raise arms as high as you can while still pressing from elbow to hand, and hold for 5 breaths
24. Exhale to Virabhadrasana II (Warrior II)
25. Vinyasa to Adho Mukha Svanasana
26. Repeat steps 11-25
27. Come onto stomach
28. Navasana (Boat Pose; this version is on stomach, lifting arms and legs simultaneously) 
29. Release and relax
30. Dhanurasana (Bow Pose)
31. Release
32. Back bend on stomach of choice, or just stay relaxed on stomach
33. Roll onto back
34. Supta Padangusthasana (Reclined Head to Big Toe Pose)
35. Take leg out to the side, while taking head to the opposite direction
36. Supta Padangusthasana
37. Supta Pavanmuktasana (Reclined Wind Relieving Pose)
38. Repeat steps 34-37 on other side
39. Savasana