Explore Seated Postures

Hi guys, welcome to the first of the seated series. So we can bring the left ankle under the right knee with the foot flexed and the right foot in front of the left knee with the foot flexed. And take a breath in, lift the arms up and exhale, stretch the hands forward, try to come on the front edge of the sitting bones. Again, inhale, extend the spine, spread the shoulders as you exhale, go forward. Feel as if you're trying to lift your knees up in towards the armpits.

At the same time, you're pressing your armpits and your tailbone down to the floor and lengthen the back of the neck. Take one more breath in, then exhale, dropping the tailbone down and inhale to come up. And let's cross the legs the other way. Take the right foot under, left foot in front, coming onto the front edge of the sitting bones, flex the feet, inhale. Hands up, exhale, go forward, again, inhale, lift, extend, and exhale, go forward.

Spread the shoulders, press the armpits down, tailbone down, at the same time, lift the knees up, lengthen the back of the neck, smooth, even breathing. Take one more breath in, and then exhale, drop the tailbone down, inhale, lift the head up, exhale, shoulders to the hips, and inhale to come up. Then we're going to ankle to knee pose or double pigeon, bringing your right foot on top of the left knee, and coming onto the front edge of the sitting bones again, feet flexed, inhale, hands up, exhale, stretch the hands forward, take a breath in, lifting the chest, and exhale, and walk your hands across to your right side, reaching, stretching the left arm, draw the ribs in, and twist a little, and then walking back to the middle, and walk your arms to the left, take a breath in, ribs draw in, and exhale, and then inhale, come back to the middle, and come up, and we can twist there, inhale, twisting to the right side, lifting the spine, exhale, look forward, inhale, and going to the left side, lifting the chest, and exhale, twist, inhale back to the front, and exhale, take both hands back, inhale, pull the shoulder blades back, stretch the chest, the throat and chin up, and exhale, and let's cross the legs the other way, so the right foot comes under, left foot comes on top, try not to use the hands, so you come onto the front edge of the sitting bones, flex the feet, inhale, hands up, exhale, going forward, again inhale, lift the chest, and exhale, and then walking the hands to the right side again, getting that stretch through the side body, drawing the ribs in, inhale, and exhale, twist a little, and then coming back to the middle, inhale, and reach across to the left, feel as if you're pulling on the floor with the right hand, and trying to pull your hand to the right, as you twist slightly, and then coming back to the middle, and inhale to come up, and twisting to the right side, lift the chest, inhale, exhale, twist, look forward, inhale, and to the other side, and twist, exhale, inhale, look forward, take both hands back, inhale, and exhale, and then straighten the legs out in front, if you need to bend the knees so that you're not sitting with the spine round like this, try to come onto the front edge of the sitting bones, either with knees bent or legs straight, and then reach forward, either grab the ankles or the shins, or if you can the sides of the feet, if you need to bend the knees, and inhale, lift the head and chest, extending the spine, shoulders down, and then exhale, go forward, if you can, coming all the way down, if you need to bend the knees, if you're working with the knees bent, then just start to, over time, slowly straighten the legs, try to keep the chest and thighs touching, lengthening the back of the neck, keep pressing the base of the big toe forward, spreading the toes, the little toe side of the foot pulling back towards the hips, towards the knees, then exhale all the way, and lift the head up, exhaling, if you can, reaching further forward, if not, just keep the hands on the ankles or the sides of the feet, take a breath in, spreading the toes, and then exhale, shoulders away from the ears, bending forward, lengthen the back of the neck, if possible, bringing the forehead to the legs, those of you working with the legs straight, keep lifting the knee caps, try to straighten the knees, take one more breath in, and then exhale all the way, and inhale, slowly coming up, and take your hands back behind you, the first position will start with the fingers pointing backwards, and point your feet, roll your thighs in so you can allow the heels to come apart a little, lift the chest, pull the shoulder blades back, lengthen the legs, get a hold of the tailbone, and lift your hips, try to press your feet flat to the floor, keep your chin in, and breathe, keep pressing the shoulders down, rolling the thighs in, and then exhale, and slowly come down, so this time we'll just turn the hands out around 45 degrees to the side, so we can just let the heels come apart a little, lift the chest, straighten the legs, point the feet, get a hold of the tailbone, and really lift the hips high, keep the chin in, pull the shoulders down, and breathe, we would run more, try not to let the belly come out and the feet roll to the side, so draw it in, and then exhale, and slowly come down, and then leaning back, bring your knees into your chest, and the hands up, try to bring your chest and thighs to touch, and then cross your ankles, pull the feet under, roll forward, and then lift up, lean forward if you can, lifting the knees to the chest, if possible, try to lift your feet off the floor, and then step or jump to a high plank, lower down, exhale, and then inhaling to the upward dog, and exhale back to the downward dog, then looking forward and step or hop to the front, crossing the legs, sit down and pull the feet through, and we're going to Janu Shishasana A, so bending the right knee, bring the foot on the inside of the thigh, and just take your knee back a little if possible, and bring your left hand to the outside on the fingertips, as you inhale, reach forward, grab the inside of your left foot, if you need to, just hold the ankle, lift the chest, and we'll twist a little, turning towards the left hand, and then look forward, keeping that twisting action, inhale and lift the spine, and go forward as you exhale, so now the chin or the forehead comes towards the leg, if you need to, you'll be working with the knee bent here, so with each inhalation turning the navel towards the knee, and with each exhalation, press the foot forward and the knee back, if you're feeling comfortable here, you can bring your left hand forward, one more breath in, and exhale, inhale, pull the shoulders down, lift the chest, and exhale, we're going to Pavrita Janu Shishasana, so bring your left hand to your right knee, inhale, sit with the spine straight, exhale, bend to the left, try to bring your ribcage on the inside of the leg, shoulder on the inside, and then the right arm goes along the floor past the face, turn the little finger towards the floor, as you turn the chest up towards the ceiling, ribs in, looking up under the armpit towards the ceiling, if possible, you can try to grab the foot, where is it, there it is, and with each inhalation turning the chest to the ceiling, as you exhale draw the ribs in, taking one more breath in, and then looking down, exhale, and inhale to come up, and we can change sides, so bring that left foot back, and then using the right hand to stabilise as you inhale, reach forward, grab a hold of the ankle, the inside of the foot, or the ankle, and lift the chest, twist, and then exhale, go forward, now bring the chin or the forehead towards the leg, you need to bend the knee, with each inhalation twisting the navel towards the knee, and as you exhale you push the right foot forward and the left knee back, if you're feeling comfortable here you can bring both hands forward, keep spreading the toes, keep pressing forward through the base of the big toe, shoulders away from the ears, elbows pull forward and out to the sides a little, take one more breath in, and then exhale, drop the tailbone down, inhale, extending the spine, lengthen through the crown of the head, exhale, inhale, come up, and we're going to Pavrita Janasya, so I'm going to take the right hand to the left knee, and then bending to the right side, try to take the shoulder on the inside of the leg, ribcage on the inside of the leg, and then as you inhale, hand comes along the floor past the face, turn the little finger toward the floor, as you turn the chest up toward the ceiling, keep the ribs in, look up under the armpit, so the armpit moves away from the face, keep the right leg strong, take one more breath in, if you can you hold the foot here, one more breath in, and then exhale, and look down, pressing into the floor as you inhale to come up, and exhale, and bending the knees, bring the knees into the chest, try and bring the knees and the chest to touch, across the legs, make sure you alternate, so crossing the other leg in front this time, bring the feet under, roll forward, lift up if possible, lifting the feet, and jump back and lower down, and then inhaling to the upward facing dog, lift the knees, lift the chest, pull the shoulders down, and exhale back to the downward facing dog, and look forward, step or jump, cross the legs, and sit down, and then bending the left knee, bring it on the outside of the right hip, bring the right leg over the top, hugging the right knee to the chest, coming onto right fingertips, or if you can, bring the shoulder on the outside of the knee, again, staying on fingertips, or if you can, you bring the left hand through the hole, and take the right arm back, press the right hip into the floor, as you lift the chest, and exhale, twist, with each inhalation lengthening the spine, each exhalation twisting, pulling that right shoulder back, exhale all the way, and then inhale to look forward, and release, and we can just bring the hands to the floor here, and turn to the other side, coming down slowly, and we go into the twist on the left side, so hugging the knee to the chest, or take the shoulder and the armpit on the outside of the knee, stay there, or if you can, take the hand through the hole, and if possible, take the left arm, hand back, and then press that left hip into the floor, as you lift the chest up, inhaling, and exhale, twist, pull that left shoulder back, maybe try to straighten the arms, keep pressing the left knee against the right elbow, one more breath in, and exhale, and inhale, look forward, and let's turn to the other side, so this time if you can, not using the hands, you twist back to the other side, and then coming out of it, hug the knees into the chest, and then crossing the legs, pull the feet under, roll forward, lift up if you can, jump back, and inhaling, up dog, exhale back to the downward dog, and then looking forward, inhale step, or jump forward, and let's come to bada konasana position, open the feet, if it's okay for the knees, bring the feet in closer, otherwise bring the feet further out in front, try to open the feet up towards the ceiling, coming onto the front edge of the sitting bones, inhale, lift the chest, and then exhale, extending through the spine, shoulders down, stay there, or if you can, try to go a little further forward, continuously try to keep moving the pubic bone back, shoulders down, eventually trying to bring the belly onto the feet, maintain some contraction around the knees, so feel as if you're trying to squeeze your heels towards your hips, at the same time trying to move the tailbone towards the heels, if this hand position doesn't work, you could also bring your hands forward and use the hands to pull, it should almost feel like you're trying to pull your feet away from each other here, lengthen the back of the neck, soften the face, the throat, take one more breath in, then exhale all the way, bring the hands to the feet again, inhale and sitting up straight, and then exhale, rounding your back, drawing the ribs in, allow the pelvis to go backwards, bringing the head towards the feet, now for some of you, this may feel like the same as the first posture, but the difference is the first one trying to bring the belly towards the feet, second one we're trying to bring the head towards the feet, rounding the back, shoulders away from the ears, compress your elbows into the thighs, at the same time lift your knees up against the elbows as you breathe in, and as you breathe out, relax, and then inhale to come up, and we'll just stay here, sitting with the spine straight, feel like you're trying to squeeze your heels towards your hips and move the tailbone towards your heels, as you pull the shoulders down, ribs in, lengthen through the crown of the head, good, and then bring the knees in, lean back, straight out in front, lean back and start to lift your legs up, thighs, shin bones parallel to the floor, if that's easy, and try to straighten your legs, keep lifting up through the crown of the head, try to roll the thighs in, even if the heels are together, and then bend the knees to the chest, cross your ankles, bring your hands forward and either touch your heels to the floor and lift the hips, pull the shoulders down, and exhale, all the other variation is cross the feet and lift the hips and feet, inhaling, lift up, and exhale, come down, and then this time, lower down one vertebrae at a time, till your lower back is on the floor and you can bring your hands just to the floor, so the shoulder blades lifted up and then start to straighten your legs, try to keep your lower back flat to the floor, so bend your knees to your chest, take the feet to the floor and head down, let's try it again from this direction, so bring the chin in, lift the shoulders off the floor and now try to straighten your legs, feeling your lower back flat to the floor, don't let your lower back lift, so if you've lifted, you've gone too far, so again curl under, feel the lower back flat, and then straightening the legs, and hold, if that's too difficult you can bend the knees in, four, five, and hugging the knees into the chest, and let's do that 300 more times, just three more times, if this is too easy for you, you can bring your hands here, and hugging the knees in, and two more, bring the hands up, lift the shoulder blades off the floor, and straightening the legs, two, if this is too easy then you could try straightening the arms, three, four, five, and hugging it in, and last one to choose a variation that's appropriate for you, and hugging the knees to the chest, then inhale feet to the ceiling, and exhale, roll up to seated, cross the legs, roll forward, inhale and exhale, jump back, and inhale into the upward dog, let's spend a few extra breaths here stretching out the belly, so pulling the shoulders down, lift the knees, and lift the chest, take one more breath in, and then exhale, rolling back to the downward dog, just walk the dog a little, spread the shoulders, and then look forward, inhale step or jump to the front, and sit down, okay and we'll go into some simple back bending, you can lie down on your back, bring the feet in, hip width apart and parallel, start with the easy bridge, so get a hold of the tailbone, lift the hips, and then interlock the fingers, walk the shoulder blades together, pressing the elbows down, press the wrists down, thighs rolling in, spreading the toes, lifting the chest to the chin, and then exhale, here they come all the way down, or just touch your hips to your hands, and then lifting up, tailbone lifts to the ceiling, thighs roll in, chest lifts, pull the shoulder blades back into the mat, and then exhale, either just touch or come all the way down, and inhale up, and then exhale, and come all the way down, now either stay there, or repeat those three more times, otherwise take your hands back, prepare for back bending, hood with the nirasana, the wheel, taking the hands back next to the shoulders, inhale lift the hips, exhale come to your head, elbows in, inhale lift up, keep the elbows in as you straighten the arms, straightening the legs, just keep the head in neutral, thighs parallel, you can also bring the chin to the chest, or take the head back, and then as you exhale bring the chin to the chest, elbows in as you lower to the upper back, and lower one vertebrae at a time down, and then again inhale lift the hips, exhale to the head, elbows in, thighs parallel, inhale lift up, straightening the arms, straightening the legs, bring the chin to the chest, lift the chest to the chin, and then lower down, exhale upper back, middle back, and lower back, one more, inhale lift the hips, exhale to the head, elbows in, inhale up, and then bring the chin in, and slowly lower down, exhaling, and straighten out the left leg, hug your right knee into your chest, and then push your knee forward, and allow your upper back to lift off the floor, touch your right toe tip to the floor, curl the tailbone up, shoulders down, elbows up, inhale, and then exhale, release the hands, and then bring your knee and your head to touch, and hold, and then inhale head down, straighten out the right leg, exhaling, inhaling, hug the left knee to the chest, and then exhale push the knee forward, shoulders down, elbows up, lift the upper back off the floor, touch the toe tip, lift the tailbone up, inhale, and exhale, release, and then bring the knee and the head to touch, and hold, and then head down, inhale, and straighten the leg, exhaling, ok so let's prepare for shoulder stand, so press your elbows, your hands down into the floor, you could even make a fist, press your hands down into the floor, lift your legs, and take your legs up, and take the feet first back to Halasana, the plow position, just being careful not to take your hips too far over your face, the further away from your face, the safer it's going to be, and then interlock your fingers, and just like we did in the bridge, walk your shoulder blades back into the mat, carefully, and then press the elbows and the wrists into the floor, so there's no pressure on your neck, and then bring your hands into your lower back, and then step your feet up, one at a time, to the shoulder stand, and spread the toes here, and internally rotate the legs so the heels may come apart, slowing the breath right down, you can also bring the heels together and point the feet, make sure the weight is in the shoulders and elbows, not on the neck, and then exhaling, go to Halasana again, to the plow, bring the feet over, interlock the fingers, then we can stay on the toes, more towards the balls of the feet, and think about lifting your pubic bone away from the face, the knees up towards the ceiling, as you pull the shoulder blades together, press the elbows down, the wrists down, slowing the breath down, and then exhaling, go to Kannadaasana, bending the knees, towards the ears, again, if there's too much pressure on the neck, if you bring the hips over the face, then take the hips back away from the face, and if you can, try to bring the knees to the floor, and then slowly lifting the hips away from the face, and you're going to lower down, one vertebrae at a time, and you can cross your ankles, press your elbows into the floor, hold the hips, and lift the chest up, if it feels okay stretching the throat, take your head, top of the head to the floor, and breathe, and then bring the feet together, knees together, if you can, bring the hands off the floor, hands together, stay there, or if you can, lifting the feet off the floor, and breathe, spread the toes, strain the legs, and then point the feet, one more breath in, and then exhale, take the feet to the floor, lift the chin to the chest, and then lower down, exhaling, and then bring the knees into the chest, inhale, feet up, and exhale, rock up to sitting, and come into a cross-leg position, if you can do lotus, come into padmasana, those of you who can, take the left hand back, grab a hold of the right foot, and inhale, lift up, exhale, twist, and then inhale, look forward, exhale, release, and go into the other side, so if you're not in lotus, just do it in simple cross-leg, you would take the hand to the floor, lotus who can, taking the foot, inhale, and exhale, twist, and then inhale, look forward, exhale, release, and either hold your elbows, your wrists, or if you can, your feet, and inhale, exhale, go forward, either lengthen the back of the neck, forehead to the floor, or stretching the chin forward, take one more breath in, and exhale, drop the tailbone down, inhale to come up, and exhale, release, and bring the thumb and first finger together, this time we'll work on breathing evenly, both on the inhalation and the exhalation, so sitting with the spine straight, dropping the sitting bones down, dropping the pubic bone down, connecting to the sound and rhythm of your breath, and exhale the breath completely, and then breathing in, two, three, four, five, and breathing out, two, three, four, five, breathing in, two, three, four, five, breathing out, two, three, four, five, breathing in, two, three, four, five, breathing out, two, three, four, five, and breathing in, continue on your own, finding your own rhythm, lengthening the breath if you feel comfortable. After your next exhalation, emptying the breath completely, releasing the abdomen, releasing the pelvic floor, turning back to calm, relaxed, abdominal breathing, with your awareness focused in the heart space. And then quietly, in your own time, whenever you're ready, lie down on your back, Shavasana.

And lie down on your backs, and let your feet roll out to the sides, feel your arms and your legs completely supported by the floor, releasing any tension, any sense of holding on through the hands, releasing tension, any sense of resisting or pushing away through you, feel the arms and the legs dropping down into the floor, feeling the edges of the body dissolving into space around you, resting in your natural state of thought-free awareness. Feel free to stay here as long as you want, or carefully stretch your hands over your head, take a deep breath in, a big stretch, and then exhale and bend your knees to your chest, and carefully rolling over to the right side, and in your own time, coming up to sitting, coming into a comfortable cross-legged position, and in a comfortable seat, just take a moment to turn your attention within, to reconnect with your breath, and bring your hands together. Namaste. Thank you.