Morning Yoga: Wake Up! 

If Kyoto can wake up and do yoga, so can you 🙂

Here are a few key poses that will get you moving in the morning…

Child’s Pose (Balasana): Draw your knees to the outside of your mat and bring your big toes together, grounding down through the tops of your feet. Sit back onto your heels, reach your arms forward, and melt your heart in between your thighs. Your forehead should come to the floor or to a block for support. Take a few deep breaths into the back side of your body and ground down through your fingertips. Melt your heart towards the floor with every exhalation. (5-10 breaths)

Cat-Cow (Marjaryasana- Bitilasana): Come to a table top position with hands underneath of your shoulders and knees underneath of your hips. Your feet shoot straight back behind your knees. Start with a flat back. Inhale, drop your belly, open your heart, draw your shoulder blades back, and gaze forward. Exhale, round your back and gaze to your belly button. Take a few rounds matching your breath with each movement and then return to a flat back. (5-10 breaths)

Downward Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana): From table top position, curl your toes under and lift your hips up into the sky. Work your heels down towards or to the mat. Draw your head in between your biceps, hug in your triceps, and spread your fingers wide. Keep lifting your tailbone as you draw in your lower ribs. Take a few moments to pedal out your legs. It is the morning, so you’re going to be a bit tight. Be patient with your body. (5 breaths)

Forward Fold (Uttanasana): From Down Dog, slowly begin to walk your feet to the top of your mat. Separate your feet a bit and hang over your legs. Make sure you have soft knees and that you are completely releasing your neck. You can sway side to side and release into the posture with every exhalation. (5 breaths)

Mountain (Tadasana): From your forward fold, slowly begin to roll up to standing, stacking one vertebrae at a time. Your head comes up last. Toe-heel your feet together, bring your arms to your sides, and open the palms for the front of the room. Ground down through your feet, lift up your knee caps, slightly tug your tailbone, draw in belly button to spine, and relax your shoulder blades down your back.

Take time to notice your body in each of these postures. It takes time and practice to become aware of how our bodies feel in each pose. Always feel free to make modifications too. It’s your practice! Enjoy!

Namaste,
Sarah