Featured Sequence: Mini Uplifting Practice

by Nina

I almost always feel better after practicing yoga, but sometimes when I’m feeling mildly depressed, discouraged, or lethargic, it’s hard to motivate myself to get started. While I learned from Patricia Walden that moving between Mountain pose and Arms Overhead pose with your breath can be slightly uplifting and energizing—and it is for me—sometimes even that feels like a bit too much to begin with. And I’ve found that starting on my hands and knees with a very simple Cat-Cow pose feels much more accessible on some days. So I came up with this very simple mini sequence for myself. Typically, after I’m through with this series of poses, I’ll be feeling more lively and ready to move onto an active practice of energizing standing poses. But I expect you could simply do the mini practice on its own, and there is no rule that says you can’t finish a yoga practice standing up. As a matter of fact, I once took a class where we finished our practice in Mountain pose, and it was a revelation for me because I left the class feeling quite lively instead of quiet and spaced out. 

Because Baxter did his post on Cat-Cow pose this week, today seemed like a good time to share my little sequence with you.

1. Cat-Cow Pose, for six or more rounds. 

See Featured Pose: Cat-Cow pose for information on Cat-Cow.

2. Downward-Facing Dog pose for 1 minute. Or less. Or more.

If this pose is difficult for you because you have tight shoulders or hamstrings, practice it with bent knees so it is comfortable. Rather than paying too much attention to your alignment, focus on feeling your breath move in your body. 

See Featured Pose: Downward-Facing Dog Pose for information on Downward-Facing Dog.

3. Standing Forward Bend, just briefly. 

From Downward-Facing Dog, walk forward into Standing Forward Bend. If this pose is difficult for you because you have tight hamstrings, practice it with bent knees so it is comfortable. Yes, I'm talking to you, Baxter!

Thank you, that's much better. Stay briefly, just for a few breaths. Now get ready to come up into Arms Overhead pose on your next inhalation.

4. Arms Overhead Pose, on your inhalation.

From your Standing Forward Bend, inhale and come up into Arms Overhead pose by taking your arms out to your sides in a swan-dive position as you come up. 

5. Mountain Pose/Arms Overhead pose, for six or more rounds.

On your next exhalation, release your arms by your sides into Mountain Pose. Then, repeat the cycle of inhaling your arms overhead and exhaling them by your sides for at least six rounds. 

6. Mountain pose, as long as needed.

Stand in Mountain pose with your eyes closed and ask yourself what you feeling like doing next. Warrior 2 pose? Sun Salutations? Legs Up the Wall pose? Taking a walk? Working in your garden? Making your bed? When you decide, just go ahead and follow your intuition. 

If you give this a try, let me know how goes!

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