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CROSS SEATED TWIST VINYASA
Sanskrit: Sukasana (easy seated pose)

Benefits: This is a good alternative position to lotus pose for practicing seated alignment, breathing and meditation. Adding the twist increases circulation and warms up the torso and shoulders.

“Every time you twist and rotate your torso, this is the action of wringing out toxins and detoxifying your body.”

How to Begin:

• Sit with your legs crossed comfortably so your ankle bones line up; reach under your seat and pull the fleshy part of your butt out and away from your tailbone so you can feel your “sitting bones” anchored on the floor. Now let your knees fall open naturally.
• Place fingertips on the floor, arms extended and “active” as if to draw a direct line from the center of your shoulders through your wrist to your middle finger.
• Sit up tall and erect without tension in your legs, your head and neck lifted, shoulder blades down and back and abdominals drawn inward; pretend as if a string is running through you body, lifting you upward
• Hold this pose for 3 to 5 breaths

Movement:

Inhale, lifting arms upward and overhead, palms facing in

Exhale and lower arms down as you rotate your torso to the right, placing your right hand near your buttocks and left hand on the floor in front of your right knee

Inhale arms up overhead, exhale and repeat twist to the other side

Keep breath smooth and even between inhale and exhale. Keep breastbone lifted and shoulder blades drawn down.

Repeat the twist 4 to 6 times (twisting to both sides equals one repetition)