Our amazing yoga instructor, Donna Enichen, has kindly provided an at-home routine for us to use during this time of social distancing. Special thanks to Kaylee Knight and Dexter the cat for modeling the poses. Check it out below!
Grounding
Beginning practice by grounding is a great way to let go of all the stressors around you and to allow your mind to quiet.
Come to a comfortable seated position and close your eyes. Find your Ujjayi breath, breathing in and out through the nose. Allow your self 10 or so breaths to focus on your surroundings and on your present state of being.
Feel the floor beneath you, notice the sound of your breath it sounds like a small ocean wave coming into the shore. Notice the pace of your thoughts. If there is anything that is blocking you from being present in your practice imagine that obstacle moving further and further away with each exhalation that you take.
The Practice
Warm up. Inhale/exhale. Drop your chin to your chest, inhale, lift the head. Repeat this 4 times.
Inhale/exhale. Drop the right ear to the right shoulder, inhale, lift the head. Exhale left ear to left shoulder, then inhale and lift your head. Repeat four times.
Inhale/exhale. Right ear to the right shoulder, chin to chest. Inhale left ear to left shoulder, then lift the head. Repeat.
Exhale left ear left shoulder chin to chest, then inhale right ear to right shoulder, lift the head. Do 2 cycles.
Inhale arms overhead/exhale arms shoulder height round the upper back forward arms in front of your body middle fingers touch. Do 2 – 4 cycles.
Inhale, reach fingertips up to the ceiling. Exhale, twist right.
Inhale fingertips to the ceiling, exhale twist left. 2-4 cycles.
Come to hands and knees, and do 4-6 cycles of cat and cow.
Inhale, extend the right arm alongside the right ear, as if you are shaking someone’s hand, and left leg hold for 3-4 breath cycles. Then, extend left arm and right leg and hold 3-4 breath cycles.
Come to child’s pose for 3-4 breath cycles. Transition to a downward-facing dog.
Alternately bend one knee and sink the opposite heel to the mat, 4-6 cycles.
Gaze at the top of your mat, then step, hop or walk your feet forward into forward fold.
Inhale, look halfway up, exhale, and fold. Repeat 4 times. Inhale arms out to the side and up overhead / exhale bringing hands together at the heart.
Sun Salutations
Surya Namaskar A. Inhale, sweep arms out to the side and up overhead.
Exhale, fold forward. Inhale half lift/exhale step back into downward-facing dog.
Inhale plank (knees up or knees down) and exhale chaturanga.
Inhale cobra, sphinx or up dog/exhale downward-facing dog. Inhale half lift/ exhale fold.
Inhale arms out to the side and up overhead / exhale mountain pose.
Do 4 and a half cycles so that you end in a downward-facing dog.
Standing Asanas
Warrior I and Pyramid Poses. Inhale and lift your right foot to the ceiling / exhale step the right foot to the right-hand.
Spin the left foot out. You are now in a lunge with warrior I legs. Inhale, lift the arms overhead and come into warrior I.
Hold warrior I for 3-4 breath cycles. Exhale, release your arms alongside your body.
Inhale and straighten your right knee preparing for pyramid pose. If you have tight hamstrings, step your left foot in and wide.
Exhale fold over the front knee. Your hands may be on the mat, a block or your shins.
Hold for 3-4 breaths. Inhale half lift/ exhale step back downward facing dog. Repeat this on the other side, lifting the left foot to the ceiling, etc.
End in a downward-facing dog or child’s pose. Take 3 – 4 breath cycles here.
Warrior II/Triangle/Side Angle. From downward-facing dog, inhale lift your right foot to the ceiling / exhale step your right foot between your hands and spin your back foot parallel to the back of the mat. You are in a lunge with warrior II legs. Inhale and rise up to warrior II. Hold warrior II 3 – 4 breath cycles. Inhale reach your right fingers to the ceiling, straighten your right knee. Your left hand can be behind your back or on your left leg. Not on the left knee too much pressure on the knee hold 3 – 4 breath cycles. Exhale bring your arms back parallel to the floor, inhale reach your fingertips to the wall in front of you exhale right hand to the right shin, a block, inside or outside of your right leg.
Triangle pose. Hold 3 -4 breath cycles. Exhale bend your right knee and bring your right elbow above the right knee. Inhale reach your left fingertips to the ceiling.
Side angle pose. Hold 3-4 breath cycles. Windmill your hands down to frame your right foot and step back to a downward-facing dog.
You can do one or two sun salutations or go directly to the other side with the left foot forward.
Seated Asanas
Come to seated. Grab your yoga strap or a towel.
Half Butterfly/Twist/Butterfly
Extend your left leg on the mat bring your right foot to the inside of your left leg. Exhale fold over your left leg hold 3 – 4 breath cycles. Inhale come back to a tall spine/ exhale press into the sit bones/inhale lift the right knee/exhale twist to the right. hold the twist 3 -4 breath cycles. Inhale press into the sit bones exhale to release the twist. Drop your right knee down to the mat bring slide the left foot in to meet the right. The outer edges of the feet come together.
Butterfly pose. Hold Butterfly 3 -4 breath cycles. Repeat with the right leg extended on the mat. Half butterfly/twist/ butterfly.
Closing
Come on to your back and hug your knees into your chest releasing any tension in your low back. You can gently rock side to side or take happy baby.
Bridge
Bend your knees and place the soles of your feet on the mat. Look to the side and make sure you can see the outer edges of your feet. Slide the feet in towards the body. Press the back of the head into the mat press the soles of the feet into the mat and inhale up into bridge. If you want you can bend the elbows fingertips point to the ceiling press into the triceps or you can interlace your fingers behind your back bring one shoulder into the midline of the body and then the other coming into shoulder bridge. Hold 3 – 4 breath cycles come down to the mat on an exhalation. Hug the knees into the chest to release any tension in the back.
Savasana
Extend your legs long on the mat bring your arms alongside your body. Close your eyes. Allow yourself time to relax in savasana.
I will close with a quote from Elizabeth Edwards: “She stood in the storm and when the wind did not blow her away, she adjusted her sails. “
Namaste,
Donna