Do you practice yoga in bed? It’s a great way to get rid of tension in the body first thing in the morning or at the end of a long day.
These 7 seated poses can be done either in bed or on your mat any other time of day.
1. Neck Release – Sit in a way that you can lengthen the sides of the waist. Roll the shoulders down, placing hands on the knees. Drop the right ear towards the right shoulder. Tilt the head back slightly, pressing the teeth together and reaching the chin forward to intensify. Hold for a moment here. Lift gently up, then take it to the other side.
2. Eagle Arms – Open your arms out into cactus, and squeeze shoulders behind you. Bring the right arm under the left, binding once or twice (or clasping the opposite shoulder blades). Shrug the shoulders down and away from the ears. Lift the elbows up. Move your hands away from your face. To intensify, tuck the chin towards the chest. Open up and then repeat with left arm under right.
3. Forward Fold – Sit with the right shin in front of the left one. Walk the hands forward and fold down. Stay up on the forearms, stack the fists, or fold flat to floor. Take 5 deep breaths.
4. Side Bend – Extend the right leg out to the side, keeping the left foot to the inside of the thigh. Stretch the left arm up overhead. Grow tall. Then move into a side bend, reaching left fingers to the right side. Draw your left shoulder back. Relax the head and neck.
Lift back up and repeat 3 and 4 to the other side.
5. Deer Pose – Bring your left knee out in front and the right leg back behind you. Have the right knee in line with the right hip, and bend at 90 degrees. Press the right hip down, focusing on the internal rotation. Walk your hands back behind you. Lift the chest up. Maybe closing the eyes as you hold for a moment.
6. Seated Pigeon – Ease the right leg forward and cross the ankle over the left knee. Flex the feet. Control how deep you go by bringing the left foot closer . Lift and press the chest up. Rocking side to side.
Repeat 5 and 6 on the other side.
7. Open Twist – Extend the left leg out in front of you, bend the left knee and plant the foot on the ground inside the left thigh. Bring the left hand back behind you. Hook the right elbow to the inside of the right knee. Push to lengthen up taller. After several deep breaths, unwind and repeat to other side.
These 7 poses come from a 30 minute gentle beginner yoga class on my YouTube channel. Check out the full practice below.
Namaste,
Kassandra
