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 1.) TADASANA
The Mountain Pose begins
with the awareness of the feet. How the weight is spread
wide throughout the whole foot. Bring the feet together until
the mound of the big toes touch. Feel the weight in a tripod
base – Mound of big toe / Mound of little toe / and the heel.
Widen the toes apart. Lift the inner arches of the feet – this
brings awareness all the way up the legs. Slightly tuck the
pelvis, so that the pubic bone moves forward. Lift the front
and back waist evenly. Allow the shoulders and arms to drop
freely. Create a small backbend from the sternum and
collarbone. Allow the inner shoulders to soften down from
the ears. Bring the hands together into Namaste – prayer position, and then
open the arms out to the sides.
Exhale |
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 2.) TADASANA w/ arms Overhead
In Tadasana,
Bring the arms out to the sides and then overhead on a deep
inhalation breath. Let the upper body lift and lift the head up
slightly to look up between the hands. Relax the inner
shoulders down from the ears even as the arms are lifting so as
to keep the neck long. There is a slight backbend at the very
top of the spine – but take care that the lower back is not overarching.
Tuck the pelvis, bringing the pubic bone forward to
protect the lower back. Keep the lower body grounded in
Tadasana.
Inhale |
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 3.) UTTANASNA
Forward Bend - On
exhalation breath, reaching forward through the arms, hinge
at the hip joints, and bend toward the floor. Place the hands
(or fingertips) on the floor. Let the head drop, relax the
neck, and still keep the kneecaps lifting as you surrender
the weight of the upper body over the legs.
Exhale |
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4.) BACK LUNGE TO PLANK POSE
Place both hands on the floor on either side of the feet and bend the knees.
Then stretch the right leg back, tucking under the toes on the floor behind you.
Extend the right leg, making sure that the right knee is actively lifting. Do this
action on an inhalation breath. Then stretch the left leg back to meet the right
foot. Hold the body in one straight line, from the
back of the head, buttocks to the heels. This action
is done as you hold the inhalation.
Inhale - Held breath |
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 5.) CHATURANGA
DANDASANA
Staff or Rod Pose -
With a deep exhalation breath, lower the
body – in one straight line – toward the
floor. It is very important here to keep the back straight, and not allow any
drop of the pelvis. Keeping the elbows bent, squeeze the outer ribs with the
elbows to help keep the weight of the torso up from the floor.
Contract the buttocks firmly to protect the lower back from over-arching.
Press out the heels behind you actively with the toes tucked under and keep
the knees actively lifting. Ideally, the pose is done holding the body 1in (2-
3cm) up from the floor. For beginners, only lower the body as far as you can
keep the back straight.
Exhale |
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 6.) URDVHA MUKA SVANASANA -
Upward Facing Dog Pose
Press down with the
hands against the floor to lift the upper body up to
vertical with the chest opening and shoulders rolling
back. Keeping the chin just parallel to the floor,
allow the neck to lengthen – there is no benefit to
throwing the head back if it results in compression of the cervical spine. Just
look straight forward . Contracting the buttocks strongly will help to protect
the lower back. Keep the knees actively lifting up from the floor.
Inhale |
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 7.) ADHO MUKA SVANASANA - Downward Facing Dog Pose-
With both hands
pressing down to the floor, lift the pelvis up to the
sky. Lift the sitting bones up vertically as much as
you possibly can! Stretch open the backs of the
knees, keeping the kneecaps lifting. For beginners
to receive the maximum stretch to the Spine, the heels may need to be slightly
up from the floor. Ideally in Downward Dog Pose, the Spine is lengthening
fully, the knees are straight, and the heels are moving down to the floor.
However, priority must be given to the spine - therefore, the heels may need to
be supported with a rolled up mat under the heels. Until the hamstring, calves,
and achilles tendons allow the heels to release down to the floor. Lift the
weight of the pelvis by lengthening and stretching the strong muscles of the
back. Let the head drop freely, relax the neck, relax the eyes and all the soft
tissue of the face. Remember also to soften the inner shoulders away from the
ears, so that the neck is not “over-working”.
Exhale |
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 8.) FORWARD LUNGE
From Dog
Pose, bring the right foot forward on the floor directly between the hands at
the same time bending the left knee until the left shine bone is vertical. The
left thigh is now parallel to the floor. Again remember to keep the right
kneecap actively lifting up from the floor so to receive a thorough quadriceps
and groin stretch. Let the pelvis and chest rest over the bent left knee. Let the
head drop. Just keep the neck neutral, there is no need to left the head causing
unnecessary strain in the neck.
Inhale |
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 9.) UTTANASNA
Forward Bend - On exhalation
breath, bring the left foot forward, then straighten both
knees and bend at the hop joints releasing the weight of the
upper body forward over the legs. Let the hands (or
fingertips) rest on the floor. Let the head drop, relax the
neck, and still keep the kneecaps lifting as you surrender the
weight of the upper body over the legs.
Exhale |
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10.) FORWARD LIFT TO TADASANA
From
Uttanasana, Lift both arms straight up and overhead. Lengthen
the Spine as you stretch the whole back coming up to standing
in Tadasana. Remember, even in Uttanasana, to relax the inner
shoulders away from the ears to keep the neck long. Keep the
inner shoulders softening down from the ears all the way as you feet parallel, and the pelvis slightly tucking once arriving back
come up to standing again in Tadasana. Stay grounded and firm
in the lower body with action and awareness in the knees,
the in Tadasnana.
Inhale |
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11.) TADASANA
Lower the arms back down to the sides of the
body to come back to the neutral and beginning position – Tadasana.
Exhale |
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Ann Barros is a senior Iyengar yoga instructor with over 29
years teaching experience, including 5 years at UCSC, and over
40 successful Yoga In Bali tours. She has led workshops both
domestically in California and Colorado, and internationally in
Singapore, Jamaica, Greece, Mexico, Jakarta, as well as her
beloved Bali, which has become her second home. Ann first
studied with BKS Iyengar in India in 1976 who personally guided
her into curing her own scoliosis. She is certified by the Iyengar
Yoga Institute of S.F.since 1980, and later that year after
studying again in India, first came to Bali. She continues her
advanced practice inspired by long-term study with Ramanand
Patel since 1977. Ann's teaching approach is compassionate, yet challenging, with emphasis
on precise and careful alignment of the joints for the greatest freedom: strength and flexibility,
balance in the body, quieting of the mind, and a soaring of the spirit.
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