Restorative and pranayama to strengthen your foundations

Video sequence description

This sequence is intended to allow for rest in the body and the mind. It requires very little energy, but brings the practitioner to a good, open and relaxed feeling both mentally and physically.

Step by step sequence guide

Start of in Supta Baddhakonasa, lying over a bolster, with a belt and head support as needed.

Come up and go forward, resting the forehead onto the chair seat, using support for the buttocks.

Now come up and using a bolster or blankets for the head, do Adho Mukha Svanasana (dog pose) with the thumb and index fingers to the wall, palms flat, and rest first the crown of the head, and then the forehead onto the bolster to quieten the eyes and the mind.

Release down to Forward Virasana.

Come to sitting and set up in Virasana with support under the buttocks as needed.

Go through a few arm variations to release any tension in the neck and shoulders: Parvatasana, Garudasana arms, and full Gomukhasana arms, using a belt if you can’t clasp the hands behind you.

Then turn to the right and then the left for twisting in Virasana.

Release and set up in Baddhakonasana with bolster support and the back right up agains the wall. This is followed by Upavisthakonasana, also with the back to the wall.

Now set up for cross-bolsters, as a replacement for Sirsasana. Take extra blankets for each bolster and see that the head is tilted backwards, without straining the neck. Release by sliding back to bring the head, shoulders and buttocks to the floor. Rest the legs in simple X leg to the bolster, or just resting onto the bolster support.

Follow the cross-bolsters with “T” shape Setu Bandha, with the feet hip width apart, using a belt around the outer edges of the feet to allow the legs to be straight but restful.

Finally, set up for Viparita Karani, with two bolsters or one bolster and a few blankets to get good height for the buttocks. Place a folded blanket under the head and neck.
After some time, bend the legs to simple X legs, and then slide all the way down to bring the buttocks down to the floor, resting the legs to the bolsters, having changed the X leg.

To finish, go to simple cross-leg bringing the forehead and arms to rest onto the bolsters. Change the cross-leg and then set up for a quiet Savasana. Notice how the nerves may now feel quieter and your general mood more mellow.