Basic Asana Cycle #1/Week #2 (Fundamentals)

Level: Fundamentals
Theme: Stretching back of legs, tilting pelvis and opening chest

This is the second in our 4-week cycle of basic yoga poses.

The general theme of this sequence is forward extension. This means stretching the back of the body, especially the hamstrings and lower back. This requires thoughtful tilting of the pelvis so that the forward extension initiates in the hip joint rather than somewhere in the middle of the waist. Because the back is being stretched, it will have a tendency to round and the chest will tend to collapse, so additional attention must be paid to keeping the front of the body long and the chest broad. This opening in the chest also applies to the two twisting poses, which will help to free up the back of the body. Notice the placement of the inversions. In the other practices in this cycle Shoulder Stand is placed at the end. Because of the calming qualities of both Shoulder Stand and the seated forward bends, the inversion is placed first to help the nervous sytem settle.

Click here for a fully illustrated, printable PDF of the sequence.

The Sequence:

Vajrasana (Thunderbolt Pose)
Adho Mukha Shvanasana (Downward Facing Dog Pose)
Pashchima Namaskarasana in Vajrasana (Reverse Prayer Pose in Thunderbolt Pose)
Adho Mukha Shvanasana (Downward Facing Dog Pose)
Utthita Trikonasana (Extended Triangle Pose)
Parshvottanasana (Intense Side Stretch Pose)
Prasarita Padottanasana I (Wide Spread Feet Pose) preparation
Uttanasana (Intense Stretch Pose) preparation
Uttanasana (Intense Stretch Pose)
Prasarita Padottanasana I (Wide Spread Feet Pose)
Bharadwajasana (Bharadwaja's Pose) in chair
Chatushpadasana (Four Feet Pose)
Salamba Sarvangasana I (Shoulder Stand I) feet on wall
Parvatasana in Virasana (Mountain Pose in Hero Pose)
Adho Mukha Virasana (Downward Facing Hero Pose)
Triang Mukhaikapada Pashchimottanasana (Three Limbs Facing Intense West Stretch Pose)
Gomukhasana (Cow Face Pose)
Janu Shirshasana (Head of the Knee Pose)
Pashchimottanasana (Intense West Stretch Pose)
Bharadwajasana (Bharadwaja's Pose)
Shavasana (Corpse Pose)

Click here for a fully illustrated, printable PDF of the sequence.