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Building awareness and focus through standing poses and preparatory inversions

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This short sequence helps to connect the actions that integrate the upper and lower body in Dog Pose and a few preparatory inversion poses leading into the standing poses. The session finishes with a few simple seated postures and then a supported legs up the wall pose to bring us back to our centre, more passively.

Building awareness and focus through standing poses and preparatory inversions

This short sequence helps to connect the actions that integrate the upper and lower body in Dog Pose and a few preparatory inversion poses leading into the standing poses. The session finishes with a few simple seated postures and then a supported legs up the wall pose to bring us back to our centre, more passively.

Set up for Supta Baddha Konasana over one three-fold blanket, taking the feet up against the wall instead of using a belt here.
Come up and go to Virasana forward, resting the forehead onto the blanket.
From Virasana go directly to Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Dog Pose).
Step forward and come up for Half Uttanasana, and then Utkatasana with the back pelvis to the wall.
Then come forward and placing the hands to the floor step the feet up the wall for half Full Arm Balance.
Keep your awareness on the connection between the lower abdomen and the back of the pelvis.

Continue this arm and shoulder awareness in Head Balance preparation, feet to the wall, and then walking up the wall for 6-7 breaths.

Standing poses, a selection:
Jump or step the feet out from Tadasana to Trikonasana, Parsva Konasana, Ardha Chandrasana (lateral poses), Parivrtta Trikonasana (twisting) and Prasarita Padottanasana (standing forward bend).

Sit in Virasana to rest the legs, and lengthen the side chest up in Parvatasana (fingers interlocked and arms up).
Extend the legs forward, keeping the positive downward action and opening in the legs to connect the legs to the lower pelvic area and to support the spinal lift.
Baddha Konasana to open the hips and knees and to spread across the lower abdominal region keeping the spine long.

Fold your blanket in three widthways, and then placing the buttocks on the blanket take the legs up the wall at about 75 or 80 degrees, heels against the wall.
Bring the legs to simple cross legs, and then slide back to go directly to Savasana, changing the cross legs.

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Online Iyengar yoga videos | Building awareness and focus through standing poses and preparatory inversions
Online Iyengar yoga videos | Building awareness and focus through standing poses and preparatory inversions
Online Iyengar yoga videos | Building awareness and focus through standing poses and preparatory inversions
Online Iyengar yoga videos | Building awareness and focus through standing poses and preparatory inversions
Online Iyengar yoga videos | Building awareness and focus through standing poses and preparatory inversions
Online Iyengar yoga videos | Building awareness and focus through standing poses and preparatory inversions
Online Iyengar yoga videos | Building awareness and focus through standing poses and preparatory inversions
Online Iyengar yoga videos | Building awareness and focus through standing poses and preparatory inversions
Online Iyengar yoga videos | Building awareness and focus through standing poses and preparatory inversions
Online Iyengar yoga videos | Building awareness and focus through standing poses and preparatory inversions
Online Iyengar yoga videos | Building awareness and focus through standing poses and preparatory inversions
Online Iyengar yoga videos | Building awareness and focus through standing poses and preparatory inversions
Online Iyengar yoga videos | Building awareness and focus through standing poses and preparatory inversions
Online Iyengar yoga videos | Building awareness and focus through standing poses and preparatory inversions
Online Iyengar yoga videos | Building awareness and focus through standing poses and preparatory inversions
Online Iyengar yoga videos | Building awareness and focus through standing poses and preparatory inversions
Online Iyengar yoga videos | Building awareness and focus through standing poses and preparatory inversions