If you are looking for an ooey gooey sweet and slow release on your mat today, this is just the sequence.
It will stretch from head to toe. Not about building strength, but instead improve overall flexibility.
These moves are fairly passive in nature. Hold them for 5 – 10 deep breaths each.
1. Reclined Butterfly – Lower down onto your back. Bring the soles together and the knees apart. Bring the arms up overhead to invite a gentle chest opening here.
2. Half Happy Baby – Pull the right thigh into the chest. Grab hold of the right big toe with two peace fingers. Stacking ankle over knee, and using right elbow to push the knee open. Let the left knee flop out gently, working as a counterweight. Keeping weight centered on both hips and shoulders.
3. Reclined Pigeon – Cross the right ankle over the left knee. Reach through with the arms and pull the left knee in towards the chest. Stay grounded through head and shoulders. After a few breaths here, keep the legs as they are and release left foot back down. Then drop the legs towards the left until right foot comes down in a twist. Use the left hand to push the right knee up towards the sky. Opening the right arm out to the side.
Repeat 2 and 3 on other side.
4. Rag Doll/Roll Up – Come briefly to downward dog, keeping a generous bend in the knees. Walk the hands to the back of the mat. Letting yourself dangle over the legs. Keeping the arms dangling towards the mat, push into the heels and slowly roll up. Articulating through the spine as you rise. Head and shoulders last to come up. Then roll back down just as slowly.
5. Low Lunge – Come back to downward dog. Step the right foot through between the palms. Back knee grounded down. Push into the legs to lift hands off the mat. Draw the tailbone down. Lengthen through both sides of the waist. Reach hands over head, bringing the palms to touch. Gaze up at the thumbs. Press the hips forward.
6. Side Lunge – Bring the hands to the hips. Turn the left toes towards the right side of the mat in a kickstand. Right knee remains facing to the top of the mat. Bend into the right knee, use right hand to push it gently open. Melt hips towards the right.
Repeat 5 and 6 on other side.
7. Child’s Pose – Set the knees down on the mat. Bring the big toes together, knees wide as you like. Reach the hips back, fold down. Bring the palms together and bend into the elbows to bring the thumbs to back of the head in reverse prayer. Melting the chest down.
These 7 poses come from a 25 minute Sweet Release practice on my channel.
Kassandra
