Springtime Yoga Sequence
Ah, Spring. Wouldn't it be lovely-- if it were actually here. See, in Ithaca we like to let our spring come in waves: nice one day and snowing 3 feet the next. My birthday is often the first day of spring (although not this year) and so I can say with a child's certainty of ruined birthday parties that it is usually snowing or cold in New York on the first day of spring. It has gotten to the point where I actually associate spring with getting sick. Because the weather cannot make up its mind, it ends up wrecking its own sweet havoc on our bodies (warm-cold-warm-cold-achoo!). So, instead of some bubbling flower related sequence, I'll give the folks here in the Northeast what they really need: an immune boosting Springtime Yoga Sequence.
While we wait for spring, here's a picture I took of the first flowers I saw this year. Yes, they are now covered by snow. No, that doesn't mean they won't come back!
- Garbasana (Child's pose). Hold for one minute
- Gentle Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose)
- Move between Bhujanasana to Garbasana
- Uttanasana (Standing Forward Fold). Hold for 2-3 minutes
- Take hands to lower back for gentle back bend/chest opener
- Upavistha Konasana (Seated Wide Angle)
- Kurmasana (Tortoise Pose)
- Purvatanasana (Front Stretch Pose). Take the variation where the feet are planted into the floor for a reverse table.
- Supta Pavana Muktasana (Reclined Wind Relieving Pose)
- Repeat other side
- Take both knees into chest and gentle rock side to side
- Taking hands behind hand, 20 abdominal crunches exhaling as you gently lift using core strength
- Supta Madhyasana (Reclined Twist Pose)
- Repeat other side
- Viparita Karani (Legs up the Wall Pose)
- End with 20 minutes of seated meditation