Asanas Pg. 2
(This is an expert from a University Of Metaphysical Sciences course at www.umsonline.org, please feel free to visit the school website)
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9.
Urdhva Dhanurasana or Upward Bow Pose. (This is an advanced pose,
and should not be done until you have been practicing yoga for several
months.) Lie on your back on the floor. Bend your knees and set
your feet on the floor, heels as close to the sitting bones as possible.
Then lift your arms back behind your head and spread your palms
on the floor beside your head, fingers pointing toward your shoulders.
Pressing your inner feet actively into the floor, exhale and lift
the buttocks off the floor. Then firmly press the hands into the
floor and your shoulder blades against the back and lift up onto
the crown of your head. Press your feet and hands into the floor,
and with an exhalation, lift your head off the floor and straighten
your arms. Spread the shoulder blades across the back and let the
head hang, or lift it slightly to look down at the floor. Stay in
the pose for only five to seconds and then slowly come back down
to the floor.
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10.
Paschimottanasana or Seated Forward Bend. Start by sitting on the
floor with the legs extended and the back straight. Then inhale
and draw the spine up. As you exhale, begin to come forward, hinging
at the hips. With each inhale, extend the spine and with each exhale
come a bit further into the forward bend. Keep the neck the natural
extension of the spine. Try to not round the back. Take hold of
the ankles or toes, whichever you can reach. Keep breathing and
then relax out of the pose when desired.
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11.
Bhujangasana or Cobra Pose. Lie face down with your feet together
and your toes pointing behind you. Place your hands flat on the
floor close to your body and beside your rib cage. Then as you inhale,
gently push off your hands, lifting your head and chest off the
ground and tilting your head back. Feel your chest moving forward
as well as upward; this will help you keep from straining the lower
back. Make sure to keep breathing and then slowly let your body
back down when you are ready. |
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12.
Balasana or Child's Pose. Kneel on the floor. Touch your big toes
together and sit on your heels, then separate your knees about as
wide as your hips. Then exhale and lay your torso down between your
thighs. Lengthen your tailbone away from the back of the pelvis
while you lift the base of your skull away from the back of your
neck. Lay your hands on the floor alongside your torso and release
the fronts of your shoulders toward the floor. Balasana is a resting
pose. Stay anywhere from 30 seconds to a few minutes. To come up,
first lengthen the front torso, and then with an inhalation lift
from the tailbone as it presses down and into the pelvis. |
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13.
Fatingasana or Butterfly Pose. Start by sitting on the floor, and
then bend the knees and bring the soles of the feet together. Place
your hands on your knees. Bring the heels in as close to the body
as is possible. Bounce the legs softly up and down for two to three
minutes, or just relax in the pose letting your knees fall towards
the floor, stretching the pelvis and thighs.
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14.
Dandayamana Bibhaktapada Paschimottanasana or Standing Separate
Leg Stretching Pose. Stand with your legs spread apart about four
feet. Keeping your back straight bend from the waist toward the
floor. Place your hands on the floor as shown. Bend down slowly
and don’t force this pose. Allow your weight to naturally
ease you down into the pose. Hold as long as is comfortable and
then engage your abdomen muscles and lift back up.
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15.
Savasana or Corpse Pose. Lie on your back, feet spread about 18
inches apart, and hands about 6 inches from your sides, palms up.
Ease yourself into the pose, making sure the body is symmetrical.
Let your thighs, knees and toes turn outward. Close your eyes and
breathe deeply. This is a good pose to end a yoga session with.
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