Step 1: Pranamasana (Prayer Pose)
Begin by standing at the edge of your mat with feet together. Balance your weight equally, expand your chest, and relax your shoulders. As you bring your palms together in a prayer position at your heart centre, exhale completely. This initial pose helps
to centre the mind, reduce stress, and establish a state of calm concentration before you begin the flow.
Step 2: Hasta Uttanasana (Raised Arms Pose)
Inhaling deeply, lift your arms up and back, keeping them close to your ears. In this pose, the idea is to stretch the whole body up from the heels to the tips of the fingers. This posture stretches the chest and abdomen, lifts energy upward, and helps improve lung capacity.
Step 3: Padahastasana (Hand to Foot Pose)
Exhaling, bend forward from the waist, keeping your spine straight. Bring your hands down to the floor beside your feet. This forward bend stretches the hamstrings and spine, massages the abdominal organs to improve digestion, and increases blood flow to the brain.
Step 4: Ashwa Sanchalanasana (Equestrian Pose)
As you inhale, push your right leg back as far as you can. Bring the right knee to the floor and look up. The left foot remains between the palms. This lunge pose stretches the hips and quadriceps, strengthens the leg muscles, and instills a sense of balance and concentration.
Step 5: Dandasana (Stick Pose)
While inhaling or holding the breath, take the left leg back to join the right, bringing the whole body into a straight line like a plank. Your arms should be perpendicular to the floor. This pose builds strength in the arms, shoulders, and core muscles, preparing the body for more challenging postures.
Step 6: Ashtanga Namaskara (Eight-Limbed Pose)
Gently bring your knees down to the floor and exhale. Slightly push your chest and chin forward to rest on the floor. Your hips will remain slightly elevated. This unique posture involves eight parts of the body touching the floor: two feet, two knees, two hands, the chest, and the chin.
Step 7: Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose)
Slide forward and raise your chest up as you inhale, keeping your pelvis on the floor. Keep your elbows bent and shoulders away from your ears. The Cobra Pose is excellent for increasing spinal flexibility, toning the abdominal muscles, and relieving stress and fatigue.
Step 8: Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward-Facing Dog)
Exhaling, lift your hips and tailbone up to bring your body into an inverted 'V' shape. This classic yoga pose strengthens the arms and legs, stretches the shoulders and hamstrings, and improves circulation throughout the body. It can also help to calm the mind.
Step 9: Ashwa Sanchalanasana (Equestrian Pose)
Inhaling, bring your right foot forward between your hands. The left knee comes down to the floor. Look up, mirroring the posture from Step 4. This re-stretches the hip flexors and allows you to deepen your focus as you begin the journey back to the starting position.
Step 10: Padahastasana (Hand to Foot Pose)
As you exhale, bring your left foot forward to join the right. Bend forward from the waist, returning to the Hand to Foot Pose. This provides another opportunity to stretch the back of the legs and release any tension in the lower back.
Step 11: Hasta Uttanasana (Raised Arms Pose)
Inhaling, roll your spine up, raise your hands, and bend backward gently, coming back to the Raised Arms Pose. This counter-stretch opens up the chest and lengthens the front of the body after the forward folds.
Step 12: Pranamasana (Prayer Pose)
Finally, as you exhale, first straighten the body, then bring your arms down and return your palms to the prayer position in front of your chest. This brings the sequence to a close, allowing you to feel the energy and warmth generated throughout your body.
