Yoga Sense

How to integrate yoga into your daily life
(episode 1)

You don’t have to go somewhere special to practice - be lycra-clad, by the seashore - or be something other than you are not - whatever shape, size or level of fitness you are, yoga is for you NOW - here’s how:-

Start the day with a series of enormous yawns and stretches - when you look at an animal waking up notice how they really “go for it”. So before you get out of bed, open the mouth wide to release the jaw, let the yawn open the chambers of the throat and chest cavity - let the new energy in and coax the body open by bringing in the freshness of the new day.

Then bend you knees, cross your ankles over, cradling your shins in towards you and rock from side to side in the little boat and feel the lumber spine elongate.

While waiting for the kettle to boil and your toast to pop up, give yourself a minute of two to find tadasana, the strong mountain pose. Open the toes, draw your weight back into your heels, feel your feet spreading - keep them hip width apart, open the backs of the knees and as you exhale, feel the back of the pelvis draw downwards, this opens up the back of the waist, which results in a release of the spine going up to the rim of the skull. Keep your breath steady and deep, your mind on the length of the exhalation, shrug the shoulders back, feel the back of the neck lengthen as you send the heels down into the floor and the crown of the head up towards the ceiling as you breath out.

Recognise your symmetry and balance then on an exhalation bend up your right leg and place the sole of the right foot along the flesh of your left inner thigh and swing the right knee back to feel your hip open. Keep your mind on your breathing and connection with the floor via your feet and place your palms together in Namaste. vrksasana - the Tree Pose - feel rooted down into the earth, strong and solid which give rise to the relaxed flowing branches of your arms in the upper body. Do both sides equally and by now your breakfast should be ready.

Stuck in a traffic jam. Late! Nothing you can do. Facilitate your annoyance, let it flow by roaring into Lion Breath. Feel your sitting bones in the car seat, draw your shoulders back and as you exhale, lengthen the spine, and tuck your chin in. Do nothing as you inhale, and as you exhale open the mouth and eyes wide, gaze in between your eyebrows, stick your tongue out as long as possible, down towards your chin and roar like a lion. Do this several times until you feel better.