BOOK 1. CHAPTER 23. WEEK 11

ELEVENTH WEEK

Yoga is indeed amazing.  Even half an hour practice daily will give a complete overhaul to our body.  If we can manage more, we will certainly experience still more benefits at all levels, physical, physiological, mental and spiritual.  Let us not pretext time constraints.  After a while our desire to practice comes naturally and we will find ourselves doing better and better.

By now many among us may be the envy of our friends and acquaintances!  Our practice is now becoming a more natural feature and part of our daily routine.  Of course, we cannot afford to miss it on any account!

 

Legs spread forward bend – Prasarita Padottasana

1. Stand legs together, hands on waist. Breathe out. (Fig 256)

   

2. Breathing in, spread legs wide apart, feet parallel. (Fig 257)

   

3. Maintain posture. Complete 1-2 breathing rounds.
4. Breathing out, bend forwards and place palms flat on floor, shoulder width apart, in line with toes. (Fig 258)

   

5. Breathing in, raise head, arch back. (Fig 259)

   

6. Maintain posture. Complete 1-2 breathing rounds. 

    

   

    

    

   

7. Breathing out, bend to rest crown of head on floor between hands. (Fig 260, 261)Maintain posture. Complete 3-5 breathing rounds.
8. Breathing in, straighten arms. (Fig 258)
9. Breathe out. Bring legs close together in one or two hops. (Fig 262)

   

10. Breathing in, straighten up. (Fig 256)

 

Prayer posture – Pranamasana

1. Stand legs together, arms alongside body. Breathe out. (Fig 263)

   

2. Breathe in. Fold arms in front of chest, palms together. (Fig 264)

   

3. Maintain posture. Complete 3-5 breathing rounds
4. Breathing out, lower arms to sides.

 

Palm tree posture VI – Talasana VI

1. Stand legs together, arms alongside body. Breathe out. (Fig 263)
2. Breathing in, fold arms against chest. (Fig 264)
3. Maintain posture. Complete 1-2 breathing rounds.
4. Breathing in, raise arms above head, elbows straight. (Fig 265)

   

5. Maintain posture. Complete 3-5 breathing rounds
6. Breathing out, lower arms to sides.(Fig 263)

 

Nerve strengthening posture – Uttanpadasana   

1. Lie on back, legs together, arms alongside body. (Fig 266)

   

2. Breathing out, raise head and legs off floor. Keep arms against body. (Fig 267)

   

3. Maintain posture. Complete 3-5 breathing rounds.
4. Breathing out, slowly lower legs, arms and head to floor. (Fig 266)

 

Crocodile Posture III – Makarasana III

1. Lie down, arms spread in line with shoulders, palms down. Breathe out. (Fig 268)

   

2. Breathe in. Place right heel over left toes. (Fig 269)

   

3. Breathe out. Turn face to left.
4. Breathe in. Twist hips twice to right, both feet touching floor. (Fig 270).

   

5. Breathe out. Turn face to right.
6. Breathe in. Twist hips twice to left, both feet touching floor. (Fig 271)

   

7. Breathe out. Lower leg. (Fig 268)
8. Repeat, placing left heel over right toes.

 

Wheel Posture – Chakrasana

1. Lie flat on back. Breathe out. (Fig 272)

   

2. Breathe in. Bend knees, heels against hips, feet flat on floor. Bend elbows and place palms on floor on either side of head.  Breathe out. (Fig 273)

   

3. Maintain posture. Complete 3-5 breathing rounds.
4. Breathing out, push up, first legs, then trunk, (Fig 274), last head. Arch the back. (Fig 275)

   

   

 

 

 

5. Maintain posture. Complete 1-3 breathing rounds.

6. Breathing out, lower first head (Fig 274) then trunk, last legs. (Fig 273)

7. Lower arms and legs. (Fig 272)

 

Log Posture – Chaturanga Dandasana 

1. Sit on heels, toes raised, arms resting on thighs. Breathe in. (Fig 276)

   

2. Breathing out, bend forward. Place palms flat on floor. (Fig 277)

   

3. Breathing in, flatten toes, raise body. (Fig 278)

   

4. Maintain posture. Complete 1-2 breathing rounds.
5. Breathing out, plunge forward until body is parallel to floor. (Fig 279)

   

6. Maintain posture. Complete 3-5 breathing rounds.
7. Breathing in, lower body. (Fig 280)

   

8. Breathe out. Relax.

 

Abdominal lift – Uddhiyana bandh 

1. Stand, legs shoulder width apart. Slightly arch back, place hands on thighs.  Breathe out fully. (Fig 281)

   

2. Holding breath out, bend slightly forward. Lift in abdomen to form a hollow.  (Fig 282)

   

3. Hold posture as long as possible, without straining.
4. Relax abdominal muscles and breathe in slowly.
5. Repeat 2-4 times.

 

MEDITATION

CORPSE POSTURE, 5-10 minutes.