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MOUNTAIN POSE
Sanskrit: Tadasana to Urdhva Hastasana (mountain pose to raised hands pose)

Benefits: Improves muscle balance, posture, spine and core strength; increases energy.

“When you need to get grounded, connect to the earth and feel the calming power of mountain pose.”

How to Begin:

• Stand with feet together, big toes touching, heels slightly apart, legs straight, arms hanging by your sides, palms facing in.
• Activate your legs by
  tightening the thigh muscles around your knee joint.
• Lift chest and draw shoulder blades down your back, pulling abdominals in, tailbone pointing toward floor so spine is in neutral alignment.

Movement:

• Inhale and sweep arms out and up overhead so arms are straight and parallel, palms facing in.

[STANDING] FORWARD BEND TO HALF FORWARD BEND
Sanskrit: Uttanasana into Ardha Uttanasana (half forward bend)

Benefit: Increases mobility of the spine in flexion through inversion; increases hamstring flexibility.

“There is a wave action of the spine as you bend forward that is flowing and graceful, like the ebb and flow of the ocean.”

Movement:

• Exhale and lower arms as you hinge forward at hips, to fold your torso over your thighs; bend your knees slightly if necessary.
• Hang with your upper body upside down. Don’t let your shoulders hunch; you want to create maximum length in your neck by keeping your shoulders pulled away from your ears so you feel no tension in your neck as you hang.
• Let your fingers touch the floor on either side of your feet (or place your hands on your shins if you have less flexibility); straighten legs only to the point that is comfortable.
• Inhale and straighten your spine by coming up to a “flat back” position, bringing fingertips to the floor.
• Exhale, lengthening the top of your head towards the floor, your spine moving back into a forward bend.

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