December - Saucha, Forward bends/ twists

Cooling poses, Forward bends/twists, Anamayakosha, Saucha

Asana Practice

I. Breath and Body Awareness/Warm-ups

·  Pelvic rocking
·  Knee Drops (Supta Parivartanasana), feet on floor, then off.
·  Upward Facing Child’s Pose
·  Sunbird, (Chakravakasana), lower down on forearms

II. Bramana (Heating) Poses

·  ½ Camel or full Camel (Ustrasana)
·  Child’s Pose (Balasana)
·  Half Sun Salutation
·  Standing forward fold (Uttanasana)
·  Wide angle-forward fold (Prasarita Padottanasana) ½ way with Pelvic rocking in this positionIII.

III. Langana (Cooling) Poses

·  ½ Forward Fold (Ardha Baddha Padma Paschimotanasana)
·  Forward Fold (Paschimottanasana)
·  Seated Spinal Twist (Ardha Matsyendrasana)

IV. Shavasana/Pranayama/Meditation

Sitali While raising the head, inhale through the tongue formed into a trough with the end extending out of the mouth, OR, or Sitkari While raising the head with the tongue between slightly open teeth inhale with a hissing sound. exhale lowering the head, exhaling through the left nostril.
 
In Meditation: Focus on the touch of breath in the nostrils. Let thoughts come and go without giving them energy. Inhale: “so”. Exhale: “ ha”.

Visualization

Become aware of the body breathing, feel the belly expand as you inhale, belly dropping as you exhale. Take your awareness deep into the sensations of the muscles around the spine and finally to the spine itself. Notice the energy or space around the body and the place where inner and outer meet.

The niyama this month is Saucha, purity to remind us to live our lives with the best of intentions then we will move from pure thought, word and deed. If we move without clarifying our intentions we will not be practicing Saucha.

During pelvic rocking, notice the belly muscles working as the back is soft, and notice the back muscles working as the belly muscles become soft. Notice the muscles alternating back and forth. In knee drops feel the belly muscles working as you bring the knees up to center, and feel the back muscles soften and release as you slowly drop your knees to the side. Keep the knees together…if you cannot hold the knees together, place a support under the dropped knees and gradually build your strength. In Sunbird draw the belly towards the spine and feel the belly supporting the back.

In Camel, tuck the tailbone under and engage the belly. In the forward folds begin the forward bend by contracting the belly from the pubic bone to the navel and then move forward from the hips. If you have loose hips or a deep lumbar curve, turn the pubic bone back before folding forward to stretch the low back. Lengthen between the belly and the upper chest as you begin your forward fold. (If thoracic curve is flattened, round the shoulders and roll forward.)

In Shavasana sense the air as it empties and fills the lungs. Feel how the breath cleanses, and nourishes. Feel as if every cell is breathing. Letting go of the physical body, become aware of feelings of space and energy.