Welcome! Please read through this document, take a good look at the Mountain image, and then watch the video to get an understanding of how I will be teaching you to sequence your personal practice. XOXO ~ Lily
Practice Sequence Overview
Opening Meditation
· Purpose- to ground, center, bring yourself present and prepared for your practice
· Options include- seated meditation, Pranayama, Chi Gung, movement with breath, Mantra, chanting
Warm Up
· Purpose- to warm and loosen muscles, joints, and fascia, to enter the body temple, to become embodied, and to check in to how you're feeling; to ask your body what needs to be stretched/opened/strengthened/relaxed.
· For a yin/gentle/lunar practice options include: chandra namaskar, simple rhythmic vinyasa such as cat-cow, pulsations in downward dog, knee down warrior flows, other gentle flows that move one movement-one breath
· For a yang/strengthening/ energizing/solar practice options include: surya namaskar, warrior flows with invigorating chatturanga vinyasas in between,
· Core work can be included here or integrated into or placed after a Yang sequence
· Alternative options such as dance, tai-chi, etc, anything that follows the purpose of the warm up
Yang Standing/ Strengthening Sequence
· Purpose- (Optional) segment following a yang warm up to further strengthen the body and for a deeper, more focused and full practice
· Options include- asymmetrical standing Asanas in the warrior family, standing and arm balance poses, and counterposes to each challenging pose
Inversions
· Purpose- Inversions have powerful benefits to our body and spirit, including bringing us more energy, shifting our perspective, lowering our heart rate, draining the lymphatic system, stimulating the pituitary gland, and stimulating cerebrospinal fluid, known as the juice of the nervous system
· Options include: legs up the wall, headstand, shoulderstand, plow
Backbends
· Purpose- Backbends, aka heart openers create mobility in the spine and reverse harmful patterns of rounding and looking downwards, as well as brighten the spirit and bring blissful, joyful emotions.
· Options include- Bridge, wheel, supported backbends on props, ustrasana, matsyasana. Backbends can also come before or instead of inversions
Yin Sequence
· Purpose- Slower movement and longer held poses help to cool down and stretch the warm body, settle the mind, and bring us more present and internal to help us move into a relaxed shavasana or meditation
· Options include- deep, passive stretches held for one minute or longer, simple twists and other gentle poses that your body is asking for
Closing Segment
· Purpose- to complete or seal our practice with some moments of mindfulness, meditation or complete relaxation
· Options include- shavasana, meditation, mantra, pranayama, yoga nidra
