FIRST EXERCISE OF SESSION (2 minutes)
Stand in Tadasana with your feet together. Transfer your weight from one leg onto the other, then lift one knee
(leg bent) as close to your chest as you can, wrap your hands/arms around the knee and allow your spine to curve a little as you dip your head towards your knee.
Inhaling, straighten your trunk and neck; lift and straighten your arms wide and then backwards, encouraging your chest forwards and taking the back of your head
slightly backwards. At the same time, straighten the lifted leg forwards (aiming to keep it as high as you can). Exhaling, bring the knee into your chest at the same time
as wrapping your hands/arms around the knee and allowing the spine to flex forwards. Repeat 3 to 6 times and then straighten the trunk and lower the leg. Repeat the
same number of times to the other side.
SECOND EXERCISE OF SESSION (2 minutes)
Stand facing the wall a bit under an arm’s length away from the wall. Slowly transfer your weight from one
leg to the other. Lift the ankle of your unweighted leg backwards and loop a towel (or strap) around this ankle. Hold this towel (or strap) with the hand of same side
as the lifted leg - have your hand far enough away from the ankle that it feels comfortable to bring your knee to beside the other knee (about hip-width apart) and to
encourage your tail-bone downwards and the heel of your standing leg to sink downwards. Place the free hand on the wall at shoulder level – palm facing the wall.
Check your hips and shoulders are facing forwards. Encourage your chest to expand forwards relative to your shoulders. Roll your shoulders backwards and down.
Sink the heel of your standing leg to help encourage your tailbone to move downwards. Bring your awareness back to the hip of your unweighted leg and consciously
press this forwards as you straighten the leg backwards. Hold for about 5 breaths. Return the foot to the floor beside the other one and pause for a few breaths before
repeating to the other side.
THIRD EXERCISE OF SESSION (2 minutes)
Lie on your back and bring your knees to your chest. Rest the backs of your hands on the floor just beyond your
head so that your elbows point sideways and also rest on the floor. Exhaling, straighten one leg upwards (heel stays over the hip even if this means the leg does not
straighten completely). And at the same time move the arm on the same side through the air to bring the hand to the abdomen (maintaining the loose curve of the arm
as you do this). Inhaling, bend the knee back to the chest and at the same time return the arm to the overhead position (again maintaining the loose curve of the arm as
you do this). Repeat to the other side. Repeat 3 to 6 times to each side.
FOURTH EXERCISE OF SESSION (4 minutes)
Lie down in a comfortable position and practise a relaxation method of your choice. Perhaps try imagining lying
inside a bubble. Imagine that you can choose what its surface will allow into and out of the bubble. Think about the things you would like to allow out of the bubble –
as you breathe out imagine that those things in and around you that you no longer have a use for drift out of the bubble. Then think about those things you would like more
of in yourself and around you and that as you inhale imagine those things that would enhance your life are gently drawn into the bubble. Imagine each out-breath as a giving
out into the world through the surface of the bubble and each in-breath as receiving from the world through the surface of the bubble. Remember not to rush sitting up (and
then standing) after practising relaxation as it causes blood pressure to fall, which can cause dizziness if you move too quickly.
10- MIN YOGA SESSION BASED AROUND NATARAJASANA (Dancer Pose) (5)
