This is a session you can choose when you are travelling, are short on time, or feeling tired or not so motivated but really want to find your way into a yoga session. You stay on your mat, mostly seated with no standing poses except for Downward Facing Dog. You will get good work into the shoulders and hips though it will flow easily.
You will explore a few different transitions between poses and see how you can do a good practice with minimal equipment.
For this session, you will only need a mat, two blocks, and a belt.
Set up in Supta Baddha Konasana. Lie back over two blocks, in a T shape position, using a belt loop which here goes around the top of the feet, under the other thighs, and over the lower pelvis. Have a look at how this is set up. This gives support for the hips in a simple setup.
Come up and remove the belts and blocks and lie back again, this time with the feet on top of a horizontal block and the back flat onto the floor. Let gravity do the work to open the hips a little more.
Come up to forward Virasana, hands on blocks.
Remove the blocks and go to Adho Mukha Svanasana.
Continue doing several cycles of Virasana forward, feet pointing back, and then up to Adho Mukha Svanasana and back to Virasana forward, synchronising the movement with the breath.
From the last Adho Mukha Svanasana, bend the knees to simple cross legs and then go directly to Dandasana.
Repeat this transition a few times: Adho Mukha Svanasana, simple cross legs, Dandasana, simple cross legs, and back to Adho Mukha Svanasana.
Now sit in Virasana, using a support as needed, and bring the arms to Parvatasana and then Gomukhasana.
Dandasana.
Full Gomukhasana, using a belt if unable to clasp the hands behind the back.
Dandasana.
Baddha Konasana upright, holding the feet or using a belt to help keep the spine long.
Then take the L hand across to the R thigh or knee and turn to the R. Change sides to turn to the L. This twist releases any tightness in the back muscles.
Upavistha Konasana upright and then, sitting tall, turn to the R and then to the L side.
Lie on your back for Supta Padangusthasana 1, 2 and 3.
Anchor the legs down and press the feet into the wall.
Raise the R leg up, using a belt as needed.
Take the R leg out to the side, Supta Padangusthasana 2. Keep the L leg straight.
Change hands and take the R leg across the body, keeping the inner L knee holding down to the floor.
Change sides taking the L leg up.
Jathara Parivartanasana with bent knees.
Still on your back, bend the knees and turn them towards the R armpit, keeping the spine in one line, the outer pelvis on the L side turning down towards the floor.
Change and go to the L side.
Jathara Parivartanasana with straight legs.
Keep the opposite waist rolling back down towards the floor as you take the feet towards the R hand. Then change and go to the L.
To finish, take the legs 90 degrees up against the wall, lying flat, with support for the head as needed.
Bend the knees to Baddha Konasana and then to Upavistha Konasana. Lastly, bend the knees towards the chest, keeping the feet against the wall.
Turn to the side and lie back for Savasana, using a support under the head as needed.
Video stills from this sequence
