Introduction
Pixie has put together a sequence to help release tension in the upper back, and open up for fluid movement of the body. Beginning with forward bends and arm work with namaskar and gomukhasana, and working up to opening the upper back and shoulders with bharadvajasana and chatushpadasana.
View sequence
Reclining Bound Angle Pose
3 minutes
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.
Simple Cross Legs Forward
30 seconds per side
Sit with your legs crossed. Keep your sit-bones pointing downward as you fold forward over your legs to capacity, lengthening your spine.
Half Forward Bend
30 seconds
Stand in front of a wall. Keeping your back and legs straight, tip from your pelvis until your chest is parallel to the ground. Push your hands into the wall and stretch your hips backwards.
Headstand Preparation
5-6 breaths
Place your forearms flat on the floor next to a wall and interlock your fingers behind the back of your skull. Keeping your head on the floor and your back straight, start to walk your feet closer toward your trunk. Straighten your back and pull your hips up to capacity.
This can also be done with your feet to the wall.
Upward Salute with Interlocked Fingers
5-6 breaths per side
Stretch your arms in front of you and interlock your fingers. Turn your palms inside out and lift your arms up overhead, making sure to keep your shoulders open. Change the interlock of your fingers and repeat.
Reverse Prayer Pose
5-8 breaths
Stand in Tadasana and spread your arms outward. Then bring your hands behind your back, join your palms together, and walk them up to capacity.
If you lack wrist mobility, you can also simply grab hold of your elbows.
Cow Face Pose
5-8 breaths per side
Extend your left arm up and the right one down. Bend your elbows and reach your hands toward each other from behind. If clasping them is not possible, use a belt or strap. Pull your elbows in opposite directions.
Repeat on both sides.
Downward-Facing Dog Pose
45 seconds
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.
Full Arm Balance (Handstand)
30 seconds
Open your hands into the floor and strengthen your arms as you lift your body up, one leg at a time, into an inverted balance. Use the wall for support if necessary. If pushing yourself up proves to be too difficult, you can walk your feet up the wall.
Bharadvaja's Twist
4-5 breaths each side
Bend your legs and bring your feet over to the left. Place your left hand on your top thigh and use it as a lever to help you deepen the twist. The right hand is planted behind your back. Extend through your crown.
Extended Sage Marichi Pose
4-5 breaths each side
Place your feet parallel to the wall. Lift the leg closest to the wall up and place your foot on a chair. Twist your chest towards the wall and use your hand as leverage to go deeper into the twist.
Four-Footed Pose
5 breaths
Lie down with your knees bent so that your feet are close to your buttocks. Grab onto your ankles and lift your hips up above the ground. Open your chest up and breathe.
Simple Cross Legs Forward
45 seconds per side
Sit with your legs crossed. Keep your sit-bones pointing downward as you fold forward over your legs to capacity, lengthening your spine.
1 minute
Place support under your back and bend your legs. Your aim is to open and lift your chest as much as possible, so prepare extra blankets or bolsters.
1.5 minutes
Place support under your back and lie down with your legs bent.
1.5 minutes
Place support under your upper body, buttocks, and thighs. Lie down and breathe.
Supported Bridge Pose
2 minutes
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.
Simple Cross Legs Forward
45 seconds per side
Sit with your legs crossed. Keep your sit-bones pointing downward as you fold forward over your legs to capacity, lengthening your spine.
Corpse Pose
5-10 minutes
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
Pixie is the founder of Yoga Vastu and runs the Balmain Iyengar Yoga Studio in Sydney, Australia. She has over 45 years of teaching experience and regularly runs teacher training courses. She regularly teaches workshops in Europe and New Zealand.
