NITHYA YOGA VIJNANA DINDIMA

Preparation sequence

Joint Warm-up Series: Standing Exercises

Full Body. Stand in the center of the mat. As you inhale, rise up on the balls of the feet as you sweep the arms up over the head and hold the balance. Extend the fingers and arms to stretch the spine. Exhale lowering the arms and heels to the ground. Repeat 6T.

Ankles. Place the hands on your hips. Lift the right leg, point the toe and rotate the foot 6T in one direction. Then rotate the foot 6T in the opposite direction. Further stretch the ankles by pointing the toes down then pulling them up to face you. Do 6T. Bring the foot to the floor. Repeat with left foot.

Bend the knees and hold the foot up behind you with one hand. Keep holding the foot and stretch the leg back and up into Natarajasana. Repeat with the other leg.

Hips. 1) Hand on hips. Move the hips clockwise 6T as if your hips are cleaning the inside of a barrel. Do not move the shoulders. Then move the hips 6T anti-clockwise. 2) Lift the right foot off the floor, balancing on the left. Point the toes forward, keeping the leg straight. Rotate the whole leg from the hip clockwise then anti clockwise, without resting the foot on the ground. Repeat with other leg.

Shoulders. Keeping the arms loose, swing them forward and backward, back and forth. Lift the arms horizontally to shoulder level.

Keeping the arm straight and the palm upright, make small circles with the arms several times in both directions.

Place fingertips on the shoulders. Rotate the elbows 6T in one direction making wide circles. Repeat in opposite direction. Inhaling up, exhaling down, allow the elbows to touch in the front, and spread as far back as possible.

Keeping the arms by the side of the body, lift the shoulders as high as possible in the direction of the ears. Hold for 1-2 seconds and drop them suddenly. Repeat 6T.

Wrists. With relaxed arms hanging down, rotate the wrists in a circle, involving all the fingers in the rotation, as if a dancer's hand. Do 6T in one direction, and repeat in the opposite direction.

Clench the hand into tight fists, then open wide. Do 6T with both hands simultaneously.

Neck. 1) Bring the chin to the chest, then look up, pointing the chin up, keeping the jaw shut. Repeat 6T. 2) Look over the left shoulder, then over the right. Repeat 6T. 3) Tilt the head sideways towards the left shoulder, then right. Repeat 6T. 4) Very, very slowly, rotate the head to its maximum range of motion, keeping the jaw closed, drawing a circle in the air with the chin, 6T in one direction then 6T in opposite direction.

Face: clench the muscles of the face, cheeks, eyes. Hold the tension and then open eyes and mouth as wide as you can. Repeat a few times to activate the blood circulation and energize your face.

Body Energizing Exercise

Instructions

Stand straight, weight evenly balanced on both feet, the whole body relaxed. Tense and relax the entire body, part by part, following the instructions below. Keep tension only on the stated part while relaxing the other parts of the body. Remember to breathe deeply throughout the exercise.

1) Curl all the toes and tense the feet intensely, holding the tension for 30 seconds, then suddenly relax. Move the feet.
2) Slightly bend the knees and tense the calf muscles intensely. Hold the tension for 30 sec, and suddenly release the tension. Shake out the legs.
3) Keeping the legs straight, tense the thigh muscles as much as possible. Hold the tension for 30 sec, then release suddenly. Shake out the legs.
4) Tense the buttocks as intensely as possible. Hold the tension for 30 sec, and suddenly release.
5) Tense the whole abdomen as much as you can. Hold the tension for 30 sec, and suddenly release. Take a deep breath, releasing the abdominal muscles.
6) Tense the lower back muscles, curling the tailbone upwards. Hold the tension for 30 sec, and suddenly release. Move the hips to ease the tension.
7) Tense the chest muscles. Hold the tension for 30 sec, and suddenly release.
8) Tense the upper back muscles, bringing your shoulder blades together. Keep the arms relaxed. Hold the tension for 30 sec, and suddenly release. Rotate the shoulders to ease the tension.
9) Tense the entire arms and the fists as much as possible, as if you are holding a huge weight in each hand. Hold the tension for 30 sec, and suddenly release. Shake the hands and arms.
10) Tense the neck and every muscle of the head, mouth, cheeks, eyes, forehead, as intensely as possible. Hold the tension for 30 sec, and suddenly release. Open the mouth and eyes wide then relax the face muscles.
11) Now simultaneously, tense the whole body, from head to toes. Hold the tension for 30 sec, and suddenly release. Shake out the whole body.
12) Stand relaxed, eyes closed basking in the energy of the rejuvenated you.

Revitalizing body massage and tapping exercise

Instructions

You can sit on the ground or on a chair for this activity.

1) With your fingertips, tap your skull, on top, side, front and back of the head.
2) Using the ring and middle fingers, tap the temples, the point between the eyebrows, around the eyes, the cheeks, the point below the nose, the chin.
3) Gently tug at and pull the earlobes and all part of the ear. Then, gently massage the parts between the thumb and index finger.
4) Keeping the chin slightly tilted in, use thumbs to massage the parts in the back of the head where the base of the skull meets the neck.
5) Press the neck muscles with the flat pads of all the fingers. Cross right hand in front of chest to press left side of neck. Change hands to massage the other side of neck.
6) Moving on to the shoulder, press the muscles again with the pads of four fingers. Change hands to massage the other shoulder.
7) Cup the hands and start tapping the whole body, nicely and energetically starting from the shoulders, moving to the shoulder blades, arms, chest, abdomen, lower back, hips and buttocks, front-side-back and inside of the thigh muscles, knees, calves, and both feet one by one.
8) Sit quietly, bringing awareness to the inner vibrant energy radiating through the entire body.

CHAPTER 8 - BANDHAS