This cleansing yoga routine will help clear your head.
1. Gentle Seated Twist
Begin in comfortable seat*. Place your righthand fingertips behind your tailbone to help prop yourself up. Reach your left wrist to the outside of your right thigh. Press your left wrist gently into your leg to expand your chest.
2. Standing Forward Fold With A Twist
Standing tall, exhale as you extend forward from your hips, straighten your legs and fold forward to the floor into standing forward fold. Then make these adjustments.
3. Sun salutation A
See here for Sun salutation A
4. Sun salutation B
See here for Sun salutation B
5. Revolved Chair
Parivrtta utkatasana
From a standing position, inhale, bend your knees and sink your hips as you raise your arms straight up and shoulder-width apart (chair pose). Now make the following adjustments, repeating on the opposite side.
6. Revolved Crescent Lunge
From a standing position, step your left foot back, lift your heel and bend your right knee to a 90 degree angle, knee stacked above the ankle. Now, tucking your tailbone in, raise your arms straight up over your head, keeping them shoulder-width apart. Take a couple of breaths here. Bring your hands together at heart centre, lengthen your torso forward over your right leg, and twist from your mid to upper back, hooking your left elbow over your right knee. On every inhale, maintain length in your torso, and on every exhale twist deeper, constantly expanding your chest.
7. Seated Forward Fold
Paschimottanasana
Begin seated, with your legs together and extended straight out in front of you. Root into your hips and lift your chest. Keep your spine long and lean forward to grab the outer edges of your feet, or clasp your right wrist with your left hand. Inhale and extend your chest. Exhale and, without rounding your back, lengthen your torso over your legs.
8. Head To Knee
Janu sirsasana
Begin seated, with your left leg straight and your right knee bent. Bring the sole of your right foot to rest against your left inner upper thigh. Inhale and extend your spine. Exhale, spin your chest over your left knee and grab the outer edge of your left foot, or clasp your right wrist with your left hand. Inhale and extend your spine again. Exhale and fold your torso over your straight leg, bending your elbows wide and relaxing the base of your neck. Repeat on the opposite side.
Excerpted from The Women’s Health Big Book of Yoga, available at www.FitShop.co.za