To design a yoga pose list here's one way, plus a few tips for the practice. Write down the poses you want to practice. Consider injuries, tired muscles, time of the day for your practice, and activities of the day. Will you be hunched forward, sitting or standing most of the day?
Organize the list with (1) warm ups to begin (2) smooth transition from one pose to the next; (3) counter poses (4) rest poses and (5) cool down to end. Here's a yoga pose list of 11 postures: Mountain, Half-Moon, Forward Bend, Lunge, Plank, Cobra, Child, Downward Dog, Tree, Warrior II, Triangle.
What is your intention for this practice? To reduce stress, gain strength, improve flexibility, do something that makes you feel better? All of the above, perhaps.
With this list of poses, I'd first place a check mark against all the standing pose. Then another mark against the kneeling poses - perhaps a "k". Then put a "p" against the prone poses - the poses on your abdomen. Then an "s" for supine poses - the ones on your back. And there are no supine poses in this list! Now it's time to design the list.
Warm-ups
Mountain for centering, Half-Moon series with core engaged, knees bent while forward bending and oh so very slight backward moving motion - spare your back. Great to move the spine in so many directions. How many? Five - include lengthening up.
Poses
For a smooth transition, practice all the standing poses together before moving down to the floor.
Warrior II, Triangle, Tree, Downward Dog.
Resting pose can be Child's pose or Downward Dog. Maybe even both, depending on your energy level. When to use the resting pose you ask? Whenever you need to rest. When you honor your needs in your yoga practice, off the mat you also honor your needs.
Now for the floor poses:
Child, Table, Lunge, Child-Cobra-Child in a flow 3 to 6 times, then hold in Cobra. Child-Table-Plank
Counter Poses
Child's pose releases those spinal muscles, erector spinae, that would have been engaged in Cobra and Plank.
Cool Down
From sitting, lie on your back, then bring knees to chest Apanasana a favourite towards the end the class. Follow this with a gentle twist - Little Boat Twist moving with the breath from side to side as slowly as you like and holding when your body sweetly beckons. Then back to Apanasana. And finally, the pose you've been waiting for Savasana.
Balance your energy, that is induce calm or increase energize, by varying the breath and intensity of the poses. Play with the sequencing within the basic structure, and enjoy your practice.
Heather Greaves is the owner of Body Therapies Yoga Training. She organizes yoga and meditation retreats and workshops in Ontario and Barbados for beginning and regular students. She has been helping yoga enthusiasts learn to teach yoga in a yoga certified program. For more yoga tips or to sign up for our monthly newsletter visit http://www.yogatogo.com/
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