APPENDIX I - INSTRUCTIONS FOR BASIC ASANAS🔗

Adho Mukha Svanasana (downward dog)

Sit in vajrasana.

Come up on the hands and knees, placing them about shoulder width apart. Move onto the hands and feet, and lift the hips up and to the back, lowering your heels close to the mat. As you lift the hips, draw the navel into the spine. Lift the hips as high as you can and let the head drop down between the arms. Neck is relaxed between the arms and shoulder blades, gazing at the feet.

Stay in this posture, breathing deeply and slowly; keep the arms and shoulders strong, and the neck relaxed.

To release the posture, simply drop the knees on the ground, and sit back on the heels in shashankasana, point the toes, bring the forehead to the ground and relax the arms.

Ardha Chandrasana - Ardha Chakrasana (Standing Half Wheel Pose)

Stand in Tadasana with the feet hip-width apart.

Inhale, raise the right arm overhead with the arm close to the ear, palm facing left.

Lift the spine by extending arm and fingers upwards. This creates space in lower vertebra to optimize the side bend.

Exhale, lean over to the left side, keeping the right arm close to the head.

Keep the left arm close to the body, relaxed.

Push the hips gently sideways to the right.

Be sure to breathe while holding in the posture.

On the next inhale, come up to the upright position, lift the right arm straight overhead.

Exhale, sweep the right arm down to the side,

Come back to Tadasana.

On the next Inhale, repeat on the other side.

Do this 2 times on each side.

Ardh Matsyendrasana (Half Lord of the Fishes Pose)

From dandasana, slide the left leg under the right leg. Bring the left foot next to the right hip. Now cross the right leg over the left thigh, ground the right foot to the mat, right knee is up and close to the chest. Breathe in this posture with the spine straight, looking forward.

Inhale, lift the left arm up.

Exhale as you twist upper body to the right bringing the inside of left elbow across the front of the right knee and left forearm rests on lateral right thigh. Reach the right hand behind your buttocks and place hand on the ground for support. Alternate option is bring right

arm around your back reaching for the left hip bone. Sit upright, look over the right shoulder, eyes looking at a spot as far around to the back and left as you can.

Breathe deeply in the posture, lifting the spine on each inhale, and deepening the twist on each exhale, looking farther over the right shoulder. Stay in Ardh Matsyendrasana for 6 breaths or more. Let the breaths be deep and slow, pressing down into the abdomen.

As you inhale, release the left arm, the torso, and then the right arm, and turn chest to front of mat. Stay with the spine straight for a few breaths, and then change the leg position, with the right under the left.

Repeat the above steps, now twisting to your left.

Bhujangasana (Cobra)

Lie down on the stomach. Place hands beneath the shoulders, elbows close to ribs, point the toes. Place forehead or chin on the ground.

Inhale, gently raising the chin and chest using the muscles of the back. You may push down on the hands and gently lift the abdomen off the ground if you wish to. Keep pelvic bone grounded.

Exhale, slowly lower the chest back down and the forehead onto the ground

Repeat this movement as recommended. Finally rest in makarasana.

Dwipada Peetam (bridge)

Lie on the back, knees facing up, feet on the ground. Feet and knees are hip width apart. Let fingertips touch the back of the heels. Arms are beside body.

As you Inhale, press the upper arms and feet onto the mat as you lift the tail bone followed by the lower back, middle and upper back off the mat. Push the hips up as much as possible till the thighs are almost parallel to the floor.

Lift the chin slightly away from the chest to release excess tension in the neck area.

As you exhale, roll your spine down; lower the upper back, middle, lower back and tailbone down in that order to the ground.

Marjaryasana-Chakravakasana

Come onto the hands and knees. Note:Hands are directly below the shoulders. Point the toes.

Inhale, lift your chin and tailbone, allowing chest bone to face up. .

Exhale, tuck the chin and tailbone, lift and round the upper back by extending the arms and lightly pressing into the mat with the hands. At the same time, gently pull the abdomen inwards to the

spine.

Repeat the movement a few times with the breath.

Paschimottanasana

Sit in Dandasana.

Inhale, raise and extend the arms overhead feeling the lift in the spine from the hips and ribs.

As you exhale, bend forward from the hips, allowing the knees to bend as needed. Hands are comfortably resting on shin or ankles.

Rest the body in this inclined position for five breaths .

Then, inhale as you raise the body and arms.

Exhale, sweep arms down by the side.

Shashankasana

From a kneeling posture, sit back on the heels, bringing the forehead to the ground and the arms extended in front, resting on the ground. Stay in this posture, breathing deeply and slowly with awareness.

Shivasana

Rest on the back, legs comfortably apart, arms by the sides, palms facing up, neck and head aligned. Consciously, relax the entire body from head to toe. Let the breath be natural. Be in a deep restful awareness. After a few minutes, move the body, gently extending the legs and arms, roll onto the side, and come back to a sitting posture.

Sukhasana (svastikasana)

Sit comfortably cross-legged on the ground, with the feet below the knees, with either right or left leg in front. Hands in chin mudra on your knees. Spine straight, shoulders, neck and face relaxed.

Surya Namaskar

Stand with the feet slightly apart. Body weight balanced equally on both the feet. Spine straight, shoulders relaxed, and the gaze steady. Take a deep breath...inhale...exhale...

• 1. Bring the hands together in prayer position in front of the chest. (chant the mantra)
• 2. Inhale as you raise the arms up with palms together. Raise the chin and look up, opening the chest bone to the sky in utthita Tadasana.
• 3. Exhale as you bend forward from the hips, palms passing in front of the chest as you bring the hands down to the side of the feet in uttanasana. Bend knees as needed. Drop the head between the arms.
• 4. Step the right foot back, drop the knee on the ground if needed, and lift the chin and chest up as you inhale into ashwa sanchalasana (lunge).
• 5. Step the left foot back, into the plank position or dandasana with, head, back and legs in a straight line. Shoulders are directly above the wrists.
• 6. As you exhale, lower the knees, chest and chin to the ground in ashtanga namaskar.
• 7. Lower the body down, point toes and inhale as you lift chest and chin into bhujangasana, using the hands as a support.
• 8. As you exhale, pull abdomen in as you lift the hips up and to the back into Adho Mukha Svanasana. Keep the arms straight, head and neck relaxed between the arms, lower the heels to the ground as comfortably as you can.
• 9. Looking between the hands, step the left foot forward between the hands. Lower the right knee down if needed. Lift the chin and chest up as you inhale in Ashwa Sanchalasana
• 10. Step your right foot forward and move into uttanasana, deep forward bend as you exhale. Keep your head relaxed between your arms. Bend the knees if needed.
• 11. Inhale as you come up, raising the arms overhead with palms together in utthita tadanasana. Lift the chest bone and spine as you look up.
• 12. Exhale as you lower the arms, bringing both the palms together in prayer position in front of the heart centre.

This completes one repetition of Surya Namaskar. Repeat the same sequence, alternating the movement of the legs (2nd repetition: step the left foot back, then the right foot back into plank; and from Adho Mukha Svanasana, the right foot forward followed by the left into the deep forward bend).

Tadasana (Mountain Pose)

Stand straight with the feet comfortably apart, toes point forward, arms by the side.

Lift the toes off the ground, then slowly bring them down, spreading them gently. Inhale and feel the spine lift, chest open, shoulders broad and relaxed, neck and

head straight, without tension in the jaw. Gaze forward.