1. TWISTING TRIANGLE
Pictured above, this posture goes right to the areas where most of us feel “stuck,” the chest, the hips and the breath. By bending forward and then twisting the body, the posture feels like it makes everything tight. The trick is to release tension with short, calm breaths and a relaxed face. This posture also challenges the balance, which focuses the mind and enables a deeper experience.
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2. SWAN OR PEACOCK
This is one of the oldest positions in hathayoga, powerful in its requirements for the muscles, internal viscera, breath and mind. Swan (pictured to the right, top) keeps the feet on the ground, so it is a little easier than Peacock (pictured to the right, below). Just by placing the elbows on the abdomen and the body’s weight on the elbows, the body tenses up and makes it difficult to think, move or breathe. At first, keep the feet on the ground in Swan and try to relax all the tension that comes up. Take small breaths, but make them smooth and not choppy. Over time, you will notice that you can hold the body very strongly while keeping the mind calm and the breath calm. The physical pressure and muscular engagement don’t need to bring tension. |
Swan, Hamsasana
Peacock, Mayurasana
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Bow, Dhanurasana
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3. BOW
This is a common and popular posture in modern yoga, but we mostly use it for its physical benefits, especially back strength. Anyone who has held this posture for a minute or more knows that a whole other world of experience is possible. Bow pulls the abdomen, chest and neck tight, heightening the heart rate while making it tough to breathe. Hold the posture as long as you can, progressively releasing the areas of tension and breathing calmly. |
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4. SHAVASANA
One of the great yogic practices for relaxation and dissolution of tension and thought. Lie on your back and close your eyes. Slowly and meticulously scan every inch of your body for tension. Wherever you find it, try to release it. By the end, you are completely relaxed; a truly transcendent experience. |
Corpse, Shavasana
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Alternate Nostril Breathing
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5. ALTERNATE NOSTRIL BREATHING
The primary focus of this practice is to balance the “energy” of the body in the form of the autonomic nervous system. Each nostril is linked to part of the nervous system, and the alternation of the nostrils balances those parts. This exercise is useful at almost any time of day, powerful in calming energy that is overly stimulated, and igniting energy that is lethargic. |
