Monkey breath
One of my goals for this trip was to see a monkey. Preferably, have it crawl into my lap, and begin to give me hugs. Maybe a sweet, monkey-breath kiss.
So, I did get to see my monkeys. In fact, I was awoken one morning to the glorious melody of the howler monkeys, well, howling outside of my window. At first, I was like, "Damn howler monkeys! Waking me up!" Then, I realized that this isn't exactly a usual occurrence, and I should feel completely and overwhelming grateful that a howler monkey was waking me up.
I didn't, however, get to hold one or get a hug.
A good breath-work warm up, and a salute to the monkeys, is "monkey breath." It helps warm up the body as well as the lungs. You also look pretty ridiculous, which gets extra points in my book.
Monkey breath
To do the monkey breath, stand bringing your feet 2-3 feet apart, hands by your side. Tilting to the left (in "I'm a little teapot" fashion) bring your right hand into your right armpit, making a loose fist. Exhale "Ha!" Tilt to the right (body in one plane), bring the left hand to the left armpit in a loose fist. Exhale "Ha!" Repeat, moving progressively quicker from side to side until warm and giggly.
- Samasthiti (Equal standing). 1-2 minutes of monkey breath.
- Urdhva Hastasana (Upward Arm Pose)
- Uttanasana (Forward Fold Pose)
- Low lunge
- Inhale, bring hands through heart center above head, exhale, straighten front leg into runner's lunge and bring arms extended directly in front of body, hands still pressed together
- Repeat step 5 6-12x
- Hold Runner's Lunge, bringing torso over extended front leg
- Table
- Rock in Table, bringing sitting bones towards hips, and then bringing weight forward towards hands in a modified Urdhva Mukha Svanasana (Upward Facing Dog Pose), repeat multiple times
- Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog Pose)
- Repeat steps 4-10 on other side
- Supta Kapotanasana (Reclined Pigeon Pose). Wave torso over forward bent leg to come into pose
- Kapotanasana (Pigeon Pose)
- Adho Mukha Svanasana
- Repeat steps 12-14 on other side
- Low lunge
- High lunge
- Virabhadrasana I (Warrior I)
- Virabhadrasana II (Warrior II)
- Trikonasana (Triangle Pose)
- Parsvottanasana (Intense Stretch)
- Parivrtta Trikonasana (Revolved Triangle)
- Windmill arms up to standing
- Monkey breaths 1-2 minutes
- Vinyasa to repeat steps 16-24 on other side
- Vinyasa to Upavistha Konasana (Seated Wide Angle)
- Hanumanasana (Pose of Hanuman... the Monkey g-d!). Use props, if needed. Lots.
- Move through Upavistha Konasana to repeat Hanumanasana on the other side
- Upavistha Konasana. Fold forward and hold 1-2 minutes
- Baddha Konasana (Bound Angle Pose)
- Gomukhasana (Face of Light Pose). Repeat on other side
- Savasana
