A simple classic hatha yoga home practice.

Start your yoga practice in a loose comfortable, cross legged seated pose: sukasana, easy seated pose. Sit on a pillow, cushion, folded blanket or yoga block if you want to. 

Spend a few minutes just sitting calmly and patiently observing your breath and noticing the fluctuations of the thoughts and how the body is feeling. If the mind is very active, practice Golden Thread Breathing. 

If you can, half way through your seated period switch the cross of the legs so the opposite leg is to the front and you’re releasing your hips evenly. 

When you’re ready you will match breath and movement for a seated moving meditation. Inhale to reach the arms overhead and exhale them back down. Do a simple side stretch to each side for a few breaths and then take 5 breaths or more to twist around to look back over each shoulder. Fold forward over your legs for 5 breaths or more to finish your seated moving meditation. 

Come to all fours or tabletop. Move five times with the breath through cat/cow to take full range of motion into your spine. A gentle twist to both sides to ‘look at your tail”. Pick up one arm and opposite leg and lengthen away from the mid line of your body. From here tuck toes under and lift the hips up and back for downward facing dog for five to eight breaths. Walk forward towards the top of the mat and take 5 breaths in uttanasana, forward fold. 

Come to standing at the top of your mat. Turn to face the long side of your mat and do trikonasana or triangle pose on both sides. Reverse your triangle if it’s in your practice. Finish with a tree pose on each leg for balance. 

Make your way to lying in savasana, corpse pose, on the floor. Lift the hips for bridge pose, five breaths. Shoulder stand or happy baby pose for up to twenty breaths. Fish pose for five breaths. Hugs knees to chest and rock from side to side to spread out your lower back, one last gentle twist to each side, back to centre and then release to a very comfortable savasnana for five minutes or more. 

When you are finished your home practice smile, tell yourself well done, and acknowledge something or several things in your life you are very grateful for. Right now I’m grateful for good coffee, the sounds of the rain outside my cosy kitchen and my strong, healthy body. Namaste.