Vinyasa Flow refers to a sequence of postures that are linked together in a sequence, co-ordinating breath with movement. The word Vinyasa means “arranging something in a special way” It is one of the most popular types of yoga.
In this video we will be working through an Energising Morning Flow to Awaken the body and mind. Begin with legs apart, feet pointing forwards. Breath deeply and sweep your arms up above the head. Open the chest and expand the ribcage, stretch and lengthen the fingers.
Awaken the side body. Sweep the right arm out to the side and stretch over to the left side, Ground and anchor the right foot into the mat. Raise the left arm to join the right arm. Breath deeply and extend both arms upwards towards the sky.
Bend the knees slightly as you roll down the spine and release the body entirely over the legs. Rewind to bring the body back up to standing. Keep the knees slightly soft and push into feet.
Continue this Vinyasa sweep to the left side body.
Release over the legs and gently wrap the right hand over the left elbow, the left hand over the right elbow. Begin slowly to sway the body from side to side, from the right foot to the left foot. Listen to the body, if there is any tightness bend the knees. If you feel comfortable increase the sway from side to side.
Lift up onto your finger tips and creep your hands forward as far as is comfortable away from the feet, raise your heels a little off your mat as you do. Slowly creep the hands back towards the feet. Continue this sequence of walking forward and backwards a few times.
Rotate the feet towards the front, short end, of the mat. Keep the front knee bent and the back leg long. Walk both hands up right leg into High Lunge Pose. Push the left heel away from you. Gently tilt the frontal hips forward while drawing your rib cage back towards you. Sweep the arms forward then upwards towards to sky into Crescent Moon Pose.
Slowly release the arms forward and sweep them down to the mat – hands either side of the front foot. Push firmly into the back heel. Breath deeply and retract the right foot and sweep it towards the back foot, Downward Dog Pose (see my previous blog post on How To Do Downward Dog Pose for a detailed explanation)
Breath here for 2/3 breaths. Bicycle the legs, raising and lowering alternative heels. Slowly begin to bend the knees and round the spine. Ripple through the spine to bring the body forward towards the hands. Breath deeply, push firmly into the hands and ease back into Downward Dog. Repeat this sequence of postures a few of times. Make sure to keep the knees bent and spread the hands fully into the mat.
Next Pick up the left foot and bring it forward in-between both of ther hands. Walk the hands up your front leg and ease the rib cage back away from the thigh into Crescent Lunge. Re visit the Vinyasa Downward dog flow, as we practiced previously.
Step the right foot forward once again into Crescent Lunge. Bend the front knee slightly and walk the back foot in a couple of strides. Gaze forward and slowly pick up the back foot, hover it above the ground. Anchor the front foot into mat, feel the mat under your foot. Slowly raise the back foot a little higher away from the mat. Begin to straighten the front leg, try not to lock the knee, lengthen and straighten the back leg – dial the toes of foot down to the mat with the heel facing up. Sweep the arms back behind the body. Warrior 3 (veer ah bah drahs anna)
From Warrior 3 slowly begin to bend the front knee, also soften the back knee. Bend the back knee a little further and ease the knee forward towards the front of your mat. Find stillness in the front leg, anchor the foot in to the mat. Slowly Extend the left leg back behind you into Warrior 3.
Release the left foot down and come into Crescent lunge. Repeat the Warrior sequence on the opposite side.
Ease the body into the familiar ripple sequence of downward dog. Walk the right foot forward between your hands. Place the left hand (or fingers) down on the mat on the inside of the right foot. Gently role your right shoulder back, breath into the thoracic spine and being to rotate the spine towards the right leg. If comfortable extend the right arm up towards to sky. Continue to lift the rib cage push into your left hand to create length in the spine. Release and place both hands back down onto the mat
Revisit the standing vinyasa sequence – crescent lunge, warrior 3 balance, downward dog flow.
Step the left foot forward and bring the right hand (or fingertips) on the inside of the left foot. Breath deeply and rotate the left shoulder back, bringing the right shoulder forward. If comfortable extend the left arm up toward the sky. Slowly bring the left arm down and place the left hand on the outside of the right foot.
Rotate both feet to the left and turn the body to the long side of the mat. Breath deeply and sway the upper body from the right foot to the left foot. Ease out any pockets of tension and allow the body to soften.
Breath deeply while pushing into both feet and lift the body back up to standing.
Well done you’ve complete it. How did you get on? Leave me a comment below
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