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| Thunderbolt |
| This is the basic kneeling pose. Sit on your heels, knees and feet together, the tops of your feet on the floor. Keep your back erect, shoulders relaxed, and your neck soft and extended slightly upward. With your hands relaxed in your lap, gently and rhythmically breathe in and out. I like to combine this with a stretch and warm-up. While inhaling raise the arms overhead with the palms facing up, clasp the hands together above the head and stretch upward feeling a pull in the spine and undersides of the arms. Exhale and lower the arms with the palms facing down. Repeat several times. Then with your arms hanging loose at your sides, roll your shoulders forward, up to the ears, back to the center of the back and down several times. Repeat in the opposite direction. Finally with your arms still hanging loose at your sides, bend your right ear toward your right shoulder keeping your chin level and eyes looking forward. Hold. Return to center. Repeat to the left. Then let your head hang forward with your chin next to your chest. Hold then return to center. |
| Benefit: Loosens knee joints; tones leg muscles; stretches the top of the feet; promotes good posture and aids digestion. A suitable posture for practicing breathing exercises and meditation. |
| Half-Tortoise |
| Kneel on the floor, with your buttocks resting on your heels. Place your hands on the floor in front of your knees. Slide your hands forward slowly, lowering your head between your arms and relaxing your neck. Stretch your arms as far out as possible along the floor. Hold, breathing deeply. |
| Benefit: Increases back and hip flexibility; reduces pressure on your back (especially from fatigue and emotional tension); cools you down. |
| Cat |
| Get down on the floor on your hands and knees. Place your hands directly under your shoulders with fingers pointed forward, arms straight. Your knees are slightly apart, directly under your hips. As you inhale, raise your head slightly, keeping; your arms straight. Relax your chest and waist toward the floor. Curl your tail up toward the ceiling and relax your back down into a dip. As you exhale, curl your tailbone under, tuck your chin to your chest, draw your waist up and push your back upward into a hump. Do several times. Flow smoothly from one position to another with your breathing. |
| Benefits: Adjusts vertebrae; develops and retains flexibility of the spine; helps with constipation by stimulating peristaltic activity; tones back and abdominal muscles and tones pelvic organs. |
| Table Balance Pose |
| Get down on the floor on your hands and knees. Place your arms straight down from your shoulders and your knees straight down from your hips. Inhale and slowly lift your left arm and right leg so that they're in line with your spine and tighten your abdominal muscles to keep your balance. Look straight ahead at your outstretched arm. Hold. Exhale and lower your arm and leg. Repeat with your right arm and left leg. |
| Benefits: Strengthens muscles of the lower and midback; strengthens legs and hips; and improves concentration. |
| Downward Facing Dog |
| Begin by kneeling on all fours with your hands directly under your shoulders and your knees directly under your hips, your fingers pointing straight ahead. Inhale and lift your hips up until you're standing on your toes. Keep your hands firmly planted on the floor and your legs straight. Your head, neck, arms and back are all on an even plane. Exhale. With your weight evenly balanced, ease your heels to the floor, feeling the stretch in the Achilles tendons and calves. Hold. Return to kneeling position. |
| Stretches the whole back and the hamstrings; develops strength in the back, arms, legs and shoulders; helps relieve sciatica and backache; rejuvenates complexion and clears the head. Ideal for people who spend alot of time sitting. |
| Easy Cobra |
| Lie on your stomach. Bend your elbows and place them directly under the shoulders. Place your forearms on the floor, parallel to one another; hands are flat, fingers spread. Shoulders are down from the earlobes and the legs are hip-distance apart. Inhale. Looking forward a few inches beyond the line of the fingertips, lift the chest and shoulders from the floor. Relax your throat and facial muscles and tighten the buttocks and thighs. Make sure your hips stay flat on the floor. Hold. Exhale and release. |
| Benefits: Good for rounded shoulders; strengthens the upper back muscles and the spine. Provides relief, flexibility and strength to the upper back. |
| Half Locust |
| Lie on your stomach, chin to the floor, arms by your sides with your hands tucked under your thighs, palms up or down or clenched into fists, whichever is most comfortable. As you inhale, slowly raise your right leg. Keep your left hip on the floor, your shoulders and neck muscles relaxed. Do not lift your chin off the floor. Hold. Exhale and lower the leg to the floor. Relax. Repeat to the other side. |
| Benefit: Increases the flexibility of the upper back and strengthens the lower back muscles. It stimulates and massages the internal organs. Tones abdominal muscles; and firms buttocks and thighs. |
| Plank |
| Lie on your stomach, chin to the floor, hands palm down under your shoulders, toes tucked under. Inhaling push your body off the floor until your arms are straight. Hold. Keep your head, back and buttocks in a straight line. Push your heels out to keep your lower back from caving in. Exhale and lower your body back to the floor. |
| Benefit: Strengthens the whole body; especially arms, shoulders, chest and legs. |
| Canoe |
| Lie on your stomach, chin against the floor, arms stretched in front, and with the feet close together. Inhale and stretch up the right arm and the left leg. Exhale and lower them back down. Repeat with the left arm and right leg. Repeat several times. Then inhale and stretch up both arms and both legs, resting on the abdomen. Exhale, lower and relax. |
| Benefit: Strengthens the back muscles; improves digestion and functioning of all internal organs. |
| Crocodile |
| Lie on your stomach. Separate your legs as much as is comfortable, feet facing outward. Interlock your hands on your elbows, placing your forehead to rest on your forearms. |
| Benefit: Massages the abdomen; relaxes the mind; and aids digestion. |
| Standing Postures | Seated Postures | Supine Postures |
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