In this sequence you will go through the first part of the session a little more quickly: Dog Pose on the breath repeating several times, all the standing poses done up to now, once each, and then adding in a twisting standing pose, Parivrtta Trikonasana, Reverse Triangle Pose, introduced dynamically, on the breath.
Moving through this section and holding each pose only 4 or 5 breaths on each side builds energy and momentum. This pace also creates both elasticity and stability by using motion in the limbs and anchoring in your foundations.
We will then move into a few sitting poses, now holding a little longer. Feel how all the joints, the hips, knees, and even the ankles get activated and opened: Virasana (Hero’s Pose), Baddha Konasana (Cobblers Pose), and Upavistha Konasana (Wide-Angle Pose). Then come to two sitting twists: Simple Cross Legs Twist and Bharadvajasana 1 which tone and exercise the organs of the lower abdomen and give release to the upper back and neck.
We finish taking the legs up the wall, with a small support placed under the buttocks. If you take a little extra height still you will notice how the upper trunk and chest get more opening, while the legs are resting. This semi inversion also facilitates the return of blood back to the heart bringing a greater sense of restfulness.
To finish, just slide the trunk and buttocks back down to the floor, resting the crossed ankles onto the blanket or towel support. Stay a few minutes here in Savasana to come back to complete neutrality and quietness, observing the breath as it moves softly in and out through the nose.
Video stills from this sequence
