Daily mini-sequence focussing on restorative poses

A short restorative sequence to help you recover your energy.

Time 30 minutes

Focus Shoulders Hips Neck Pranayama Restorative

Contents

Introduction

Pixie leads you through a sequence of restorative poses for when you’re short on time. A great routine you can return to regularly when you need to quieten your nervous system and restore your energy.

We start in Supta Baddha Konasana then Virasana Forward with head supported. Come up to Adho Mukha Svanasana with hands to the wall and head supported.

We then move to Setu Bandha first with legs extended, then with legs in Simple Cross-leg. Then on to Viparita Karani with an optional variation using the belt to tie the legs and then into the cross-leg variation.

We finish in Savasana.

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Supta Baddha Konasana

Reclining Bound Angle Pose

Join your feet together, your heels pressed to your pelvis. Lie back over a bolster or other form of support. Relax and let your chest open. If necessary, use a strap to hold your feet in place.

Adho Mukha Sukhasana

Simple Cross Legs Forward

Sit with your legs crossed. Keep your sit-bones pointing downward as you fold forward over your legs to capacity, lengthening your spine.

Adho Mukha Svanasana

Downward-Facing Dog Pose

Press evenly into your hands and feet. The main aim is to elongate the back of your body and lift your hips up as high off the ground as possible without losing the stable foundation created by your hands and feet. If you lack the hamstring flexibility, bend your knees a little.

Virasana Forward

Downward-Facing Hero Pose

Join your feet together under your buttocks and keep your knees far enough apart for your ribs to fit in between your legs as you fold forward. You can rest your forehead on the floor or on a block.

Supported Setu Bandha Sarvangasana

Supported Bridge Pose

Lie down over support placed under the whole of your body from the thoracic spine down to your knees. The shoulders swoop down to touch the floor. Spread your arms outward or slightly at your side. Activate your feet and press them into the wall.

Supta Swastikasana

Simple Cross Legs Lying Back

Cross your legs and lie back over support or straight onto your mat.

Viparita Karani

Legs-Up-the-Wall Pose

Bring your hips up to the wall and lift your legs up against it so that they're perpendicular to the floor. You can use a bolster or other form of support under your hips and lumbar spine to incorporate a mild backbend into the pose.

Supta Swastikasana

Simple Cross Legs Lying Back

Cross your legs and lie back over support or straight onto your mat.

Savasana

Corpse Pose

Lie down on the floor. Spread your arms and legs slightly at your side. Relax and concentrate on your breath.

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You are welcome to download the PDF of the sequence and print and distribute it freely. You may have to wait up to 30 seconds for the PDF to generate. Please credit the teacher who created it. All illustrations from Dona Holleman’s ‘Yoga Darśana’, RIMYI Institute texts and Yoga Vastu illustrators for original asana drawings.

By Pixie Lillas

12 April 2022

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Daily mini-sequence focussing on restorative poses

Introduction

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