Sudokasana : Dandasana Session 1

FIRST EXERCISE OF SESSION (2 minutes)
Lie on your back with your legs in the crooked position – that is with the soles of your feet against the mat (feet parallel and just slightly apart) and your knees pointing up into the air. Place your arms on the floor beside your trunk with your palms facing upwards. Straighten one leg along the floor – heel resting on the floor throughout. Inhaling, swing the arm on the same side as the straightened leg away from the trunk as far as feels comfortable, or until the arm is pointing overhead, away from the feet. Exhaling, swing the arm along the floor back to your side. Repeat the movement with your breath 2 to 3 more times, then slowly draw the heel of the straight leg back to your buttocks (returning the leg to beside the other leg). Repeat the whole sequence to the other side. Then roll over on your side and sit up.

SECOND EXERCISE OF SESSION (2 minutes)
Place a couple of folded towels or yoga blocks against a wall and sit on them with your back against the wall, knees in the crooked position – soles of feet on the floor, knees pointing upwards. Take a few breaths settling the back of your pelvic girdle, your back, the back of your shoulders and the back of your head against the wall – and slightly draw your chin in so the back of your neck lengthens slightly. (Hint: if you don’t have a convenient wall to practise against, this exercise can be practised without one, but use your hands to check the shape of your spine and, if necessary, adjust accordingly). When you have got the shape of your trunk and neck settled and stable, move your feet (one at a time) to as far from your hips as is comfortable while keeping the soles of your feet on the floor. Ideally, your legs will be parallel to each other, knees and feet about hip-width apart. Place your hands on top of your knees - palms facing downwards. Inhaling, lift one hand and take the arm sideways and backward to the wall at shoulder level with palm ending up facing forwards (if practising without a wall, simply take the arm to the same place as your trunk). Exhaling, return the hand to the knee. On the next breath repeat the movement with the other arm and, on the next, repeat the movement with both arms. Repeat the arm movement sequence with the breath 1 to 3 more times. With practice, you will find this exercise becomes possible, and comfortable, with decreasing amounts of padding (height) under your buttocks.

THIRD EXERCISE OF SESSION (2 minutes)
Lie on your back with your legs out straight and your arms pointing sideways at shoulder level (palms facing upwards). Inhaling, lift one arm up to point upwards, then, while exhaling, lower it across your trunk to point in the same direction as your other arm, allowing your head to turn to that side and the shoulder to lift slightly off the floor. Inhaling, lift the arm back to pointing upwards and return the head back to centre, and, exhaling, lower the arm back to the floor pointing sideways away from the trunk. Repeat to the other side. Repeat 2 to 5 more times to each side.

FOURTH EXERCISE OF SESSION (4 minutes)
Find a comfortable position and practise a relaxation method of your choice. You could try the following relaxation practice. Imagine the space around you is full of love and nurturing energy. Inhaling, imagine some of the love and nurturing flows in one hand through the arm and into your trunk, filling your trunk and the rest of your being with love and nurturing. Exhaling, imagine some of the love and nurturing travelling through the other arm and out of the hand. On the next inhalation, imagine the love and nurturing travels in through the hand some has just left from, up through the arm into the trunk – continue this for several breaths, finishing with love and nurturing flowing out of the hand you first imagined it flowing into. Then for a few breaths, pause with an awareness of love and nurturing all around and also within. Remember not to rush sitting up and standing after practising relaxation as it causes the blood pressure to fall, which can cause dizziness if one moves too quickly.