Yoga

Home Practice Manual

Bringing Yoga into your daily life. Three Week Guide

Step on to the mat & let the rest ow....

Cultivate a consistent, conscious practice that is not affected by day to day irregularities. To help with this create a space for your practice, with your mat prepared without any external distractions. If you plan to practice rst thing in the morning lay your mat out the night before. Plan your practice into your week as you would plan a doctors appointment or a meeting. Follow each of the practices from week one through to week three, taking suitable options and variations according to your level of practice. Once you become familiar with the sequences you may wish to improvise and modify by including additional sequences, adding or excluding asanas. The changes that you make should be guided by your intuition to strengthen and restore balance physically & mentally, rather than from an attachment to personal likes and dislikes of particular asanas.

Hathasya prathamaangatvaadaasanam poorvamuchyate. Kuryattadaasanam sthairyamaarogyam chaangalaaghavam. Prior to everything, asana is spoken of as the rst part of Yoga. Having done asana, one attains steadiness of body and mind, freedom from disease and lightness of the limbs. - Hatha Yoga Pradipika (1:7)

Vinyasa Yoga
- Synchronising the practice of Yoga Asana with Breath. Pranayama - Breath Awareness
During Vinyasa Yoga practice the breath should continuously ow through the nose. Try to synchronise the duration of the inhalation and the exhalation to last from the time that the movement begins until slightly after it nishes. Controlling the breath will help you to control your thoughts and remove uctuations of the mind, making your practice steady and uid. If you nd that you are holding your breath, observe the underlying thought that lead to you holding the breath. Over time remove these thoughts that lead to breath retention, through conscious awareness of each breath when moving from one asana to another.

Weekly Guide
Week 1 Sun Salutation x 2 rounds Warrior sequence l & lll Lunging Twist Closing Sequence Relaxation Week 2 Sun Salutation x 2 rounds Warrior sequence l & lll Standing Strength Hamstring & Seated Twist Closing Sequence Relaxation Week 3 Sun Salutation x 3 rounds Warrior sequence l & lll Hip Opening Headstand Closing Sequence Relaxation

Surya Namaskara - Sun Salutation

The performance of Surya Namaskar establishes an intention for your practice. As you move through each of the asanas you are bowing in respect to the heavens, the Earth, and all earthly beings. Prayer pose (Samastittih) Sun reach (Hasta Uttanasana) Forward bend (Uttanasana) Half Lift (Samakonasana) Lunge (Yajanasana) High Plank - (option knees) Low Plank (Chaturanga Dandasana) Cobra option (Bhujangasana) Option Upward-facing dog (Urdhva Mukha Svanasana) Downward-Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana) Lunge (Yajanasana) Forward bend (Uttanasana) Sun reach (Hasta Uttanasana) Prayer pose (Samasthitih)

Sun Salutation - Surya Namaskar For each round lead with the right leg rst, then repeat leading with the left leg. Choose option of either knees or toes in Plank and follow with either Cobra or Upward-facing Dog.

Warrior l & lll Flow

Downward facing dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana) Crescent Lunge preparation (Ardha Chandrasana) Crescent Lunge (Ardha Chandrasana) Warrior lll (Virabhadrasana lll) Warrior l (Virabhadrasana l) High plank (Chaturanga Dandasana) Low plank (Chaturanga Dandasana)

Cobra (Urdva Mukha Svanasana) Upward facing dog (Urdhva Mukha Svanasana) Childs pose (Balasana)

Only as a spiritual warrior can one withstand the path of knowledge. A warrior cannot complain or regret anything. HIs life is an endless challenge and challenges cannot simply be good or bad. Challenges are simply challenges A Path With Heart

Hold each of the rst six asanas for 5 breaths. Repeat sequence with opposite leg forward.

Week 1 - Lunging Twist

Benets Twists are very powerful for cleansing and detoxifying, promoting health of the spine and stimulating digestion. Alignment Leading with the right leg rst spend 5 breathes in each pose. If you are new to your Yoga practice take the option of coming down to your back knee and the top of the back foot. If staying on the back toes, extend through to the heel, keeping the weight even on the front and back foot. The 3rd and 4th poses are options to progress further once youre steady and if seeking a deeper twist with chest and shoulder opening. Repeat with the left leg in front. When you become familiar with the asanas you may wish to add the twist into the previous Vinyasa ow before Warrior lll.

Week 1 - Standing Strength

Benets This sequence is designed to reduce anxiety and stress. Alignment Leading with the right leg rst spend 5 breathes in each pose. Become aware of the alignment of your body, making sure that the front foot is pointing directly forward. Engage the outer thigh and buttocks to align the front leg with the outside of the front foot. Open through the front of the shoulders and chest whilst gently drawing the lower rib cage in to avoid arching through the back. When you become familiar with the asanas you may wish to add each this sequence to the Vinyasa ow following Warrior l.

Week 2 - Hamstrings & Seated Twists

Janu Sirsasana (Head to Knee Pose) 8 breathes each leg Benets, Stretches the spine, shoulders, hamstrings and groin. Calms the mind, elevates mood and relieves anxiety, stimulates liver and kidneys, improves digestion. Therapeutic for high blood pressure, sleep disturbances and sinusitis. Alignment Try to keep hips and shoulders square to the front of the mat. Focus on lengthening the spine from the base & centering the chest along to straight leg. Ardha Matsyendrasana (Half Lord of the Fishes Pose) 8 breathes each side Benets Energises the spine, liver, kidneys and digestive re. Stretches shoulders, neck and hips. Relieves sciatica. menstrual pain, fatigue and backache. Therapeutic for asthma and infertility. Alignment Keep both sit bones and the foot of the bent knee rmly on the ground. Lengthen spine on inhalation and gently deepen into the twist on the exhalation. Option Deepen the pose by extending the leg, holding the outside of the foot with the opposite hand. Neutralise by opening the chest and twisting in the opposite direction.

Week 2 - Hip Opening

Eka Pada Rajakapotasana (One Legged Royal King Pigeon) Benets Stretches the groins, thighs, hips, abdomen, chest and shoulders. Stimulates the abdominal organs and has therapeutic effects on Urinary disorders. Alignment Start in Downward-facing Dog Pose. Place the right knee at the back of the right wrist, if comfortable angle it slightly to the right, outside the line of the hip. Look back at your left leg. It should extend straight out of the hip (and not be angled off to the left), and rotated slightly inwardly, so its midline presses against the oor. Exhale and extend your torso down stretch your arms forward, either resting on the forearms or the forehead on the mat. Keep drawing the right hip back slightly and encouraging the left hip forward to keep the hips aligned.

Hold for 8 breaths. Repeat on the left side.

Option Take hold of the back foot or ankle and open into the chest and shoulders. Avoid lifting the hips away from the mat. To work deeper in the pose, take hold with both hands.

Week 3 Salamba Sirsasana - Head Stand

Inversions have a powerful affect on calming the mind, relieving stress and mild depression. They also stimulate the pituitary and pineal glands which is great for digestion. The physical demands of Salamba Sirsasana strengthens the arms, legs, and core muscles. Therapeutically inversions help to relieve asthma, infertility, insomnia, and sinusitis Alignment It is important that you acknowledge your level of practice and experience when coming into Head Stand, only progressing when you feel balanced and steady. Place the elbows shoulder width apart, interlock the ngers and cup the back of the head. The top of the head should have contact with the mat. Walk feet towards your head. Option engage abdominal muscles and bring knees to chest and feet to buttocks. Keep pressing elbows in to the mat to lift shoulders away from the ears. Option straighten the legs to vertical above the hips and shoulders. Engage the core and buttocks muscles. Hold whichever option you take for 10 breaths. Rest in Childs Pose for breathes before moving through the closing sequence.

Closing Prayer

Om Asatoma sadgamaya Tamasoma jyothir gamaya Mrutyorma amruthan gamaya Om shanti, shanti, shanti. Om Lead me from ignorance to truth Lead me from darkness to light Lead me from death to immortality Om, peace, peace, peace.

Closing Sequence All practices

Bridge (Kandharasana) 5 breathes
Perform twice if not coming into full wheel position.

Option Wheel (Chakrasana) 5 breathes Godess Pose (Supta Badhha Konasana) Back release - knees to chest Half Shoulder stand (Vipareeta Karani) Shoulder stand (Sarvangasana) 10 breathes Plough - Halasana (5 breathes)
Progress to ngers interlocked if toes are on the ground

Option Deaf Mans Pose (Karna Pidasana) Fish Pose (Matsyasana) Option Unsupported Fish Pose Knee to chest Leg extended (Supta Padangusthasana) Spinal Twist (Jathara Paravartanasana)
Repeat on other leg.

Corpse Pose (Savasana) 5 minutes

Balance out the energy and benets from the Asanas. Remain!here!until your breath becomes relaxed.

Perform this sequence at the end of each practices. There are several challenging asanas illustrated for advanced students. Work towards the full wheel and variations of the neutralising pose for shoulder stand.

Pranayama Breath Control

Your unconscious breath is subject to all kinds of uctuations according to your mood, thoughts, external environment, digestion and so forth. Some of the rst Yogis discovered the connection with the breath and the mind, realising that if they could even out the breath, they could even out the uctuations of the mind. From here the practice of Pranayama was born. Prana is the energy that moves the universe and resides in all beings. So, through Pranayama (control of prana), you use the breath to release and channel the bodys internal energy (prana). Pranayama nurtures a high level of physical health and mental clarity enabling us to lead a wholesome and authentic life. There are many different approaches to Pranayama. Over the coming weeks, aim to practice both of the following techniques on a regular basis.
1. Three-part Breath - Dirga Pranayama 2. Nadi Shodhana Pranayama (Alternate Nostril Breathing)

Three-part Breath - Dirga Pranayama

Lie in a comfortable position, begin to deeply inhale and exhale through the nose. On each inhale, ll the belly up with your breath. Expand the belly with air like a balloon. On each exhale, expel all the air out from the belly through your nose. Draw the navel back towards your spine to make sure that the belly is empty of air. Repeat this deep belly breathing for about ve breaths. On the next inhale, ll the belly up with air as described above. Then when the belly is full, draw in a little more breath and let that air expand into the rib cage causing the ribs to widen apart. On the exhale, let the air go rst from the rib cage, letting the ribs slide closer together, and them from the belly, drawing the navel back towards the spine. Repeat this deep breathing into the belly and rib cage for about ve breaths. On the next inhale, ll the belly and rib cage up with air as described above. Then draw in just a little more air and let it ll the upper chest, all the way up to the collarbone, causing the area around the heart to expand and rise. On the exhale, let the breath go rst from the upper chest, allowing the heart centre sink back down, then from the rib cage, letting the ribs slide closer together. Finally, let the air go from the belly, drawing the navel back towards the spine. Repeat this breathing for ve to ten breaths.

Every breath is a new beginning....

Find a comfortable seated position where your back is straight and the shoulders are relaxed. You may like to use a blanket under your buttocks or rest against a wall to assist with this. Close you eyes, let you body become still, let you nerves become still. In this stillness, observe the quality of your natural breath. After several minutes of observing the breathe, begin to shape the breath making it more uid and rhythmic. Begin to distribute the breath evenly so that all of the lungs become equally receptive to the breath. Open the spaces of the lungs where the breathe is more reluctant to penetrate by bringing your attention to these spaces so that they can receive the breath more fully. When you rst begin to work with your breath, it will naturally increase in volume. Dont suppress that increase but try to not actively encouraging it, either. The focus is not on ingesting more air, but on increasing the quality of your breath and your sensitivity to it. After a few moments of conscious breathing progress to Alternate Nostril Breathing (Nadi Shodhana Pranayama).

Nadi Shodhana Pranayama (Alternate Nostril Breathing)

This is a beautiful breathing technique to centre yourself and clear your mind. To start, inhale and exhale normally through both nostrils. Then, inhale only through the left nostril while closing the right nostril. Next, close off the left nostril and exhale through the right nostril. Inhale through the right nostril then close the right nostril to exhale through the left. Perform 5 to 12 rounds, resting between each round if need be.

Meditation
Sit in a comfortable posture that is stable and connected to the Earth. Let your eyes close and turn your attention to your breathing. Breath into stillness, letting each breath bring a calmness and ease to your body and mind. Continue to feel your steadiness and connections to the earth, sense your capacity to rest unshaken by the uctuations of life. Use you breath to stay present with each passing moment and not be distracted by thoughts. Start with ve minutes a day of quiet meditation and progress towards fteen minutes by the end of the third week.

When we take the one seat on our meditation cushion we become our own monastery. We create the compassionate space that allows for the arising of all things: sorrows, loneliness, shame, desire, regret, frustration, happiness. ~ A Path with Heart

There is a world of difference between a bird sitting and singing in a tree and a bird singing in a cage. It is only when the mind is free that the person can be free, not otherwise. With a free and quiet mind, we are able to live with a song of life, a song of love, a song of joy in our heart! Yet our freedom should not be used as a reckless license to do anything we please. In true freedom and happiness we like whatever we do, but we do not always do whatever we like. ~ Swami Nirmalanda, A Garland of Forest Flowers

www.LisWhiteYoga.com Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu May all beings be happy and free and may the thoughts, words and actions of my own life contribute to the happiness and freedom for all.