HEARTSMILE : DEEP HEART FLOW YOGA

VOLUME I, FOR "NEWBE'S"



INTENTION: This is a practice to deepen into one's heart wisdom. It utilizes breath and movement to promote deep relaxation, body and breath awareness, and muscle toning.


GENERAL POINTS : Movements are linked together via the breath, and the breath "inspires" each movement. Do all exercises slowly and smoothly, from a state of relaxed calm. If for any reason you do not have time to do the Long Form, an abbreviated form is provided. Stop if you feel pain. Exercises can be modified to suit your level and body. Do not force your body into any pose, allow the breath to relax and open you.

Foundation breath: "Deep Heart Breath"
We will keep returning to this breath throughout the practice, to serve as a reminder



MODULE I

LONG FORM

INTRO -- RELAXATION AND BREATHWORK

sitting comfortably with head, neck, and spine aligned, either on the ground, or on a chair

3 releasing deep heart breaths -- breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth, allowing the chin to drop down to the chest on the exhalation -- make sure both stomach and chest expand on the inhalation, and contract on the exhalation.

Alternate nostril breath (nadi shodhana; anuloma viloma), using a four count ("purify, purify, purify, purify")
-- 5 rounds

At the end take 3 deep heart breaths again

when done, just sitting, being present, feeling on all levels of being -- 3 minutes



NECK EXERCISES

-- Begin with a deep breath, drop the head back, lift the shoulders up toward the ears, squeeze, and gently move the head side to side, breathing normally. Next, exhale the chin to the chest, and gently move the head side to side, tracing the collar bone with the chin. From there begin neck rolls, inhaling into the movement, exhaling down and out of the movement. 5 times in each direction.

~~ Take one deep heart breath, then another, but this time keep the arms in the air, elongating upward, lengthening up and out. Wiggle the fingers, clench and unclench the fingers, and move the hands around in circles at the wrists. Then, interlace the fingers, continuing to stretch up and out. On an exhalation, take the interlaced fingers behind the head. From there, take a deep breath as the elbows are brought back behind the head, chest opens, and shoulder blades squeeze together. Exhale, and drop the chin toward the chest, this time applying some pressure to the back of the head. Take a few breaths there, then come back up, again bringing the elbows back. Do a gentle twist side to side. From here, exhale over to the left, hold for a second, then inhale back to center, exhale to right, and hold for a second, inhale back to center. Repeat this a few times.



LOWER BACK LOOSENER-UPPER

Exhale, fold forward bringing head to the ground. Take hands behind back, gently pounding with the fists all up and down the spine, on either side, particularly around the kidney area. Then place hands on knees. Begin torso rolls, inhaling the upper torso up and around, exhaling down (similar to neck rolls). Do 5 times in each direction. At the end sit up and do 3 deep heart breaths.



BREATH OF FIRE

Placing hands on knees and leaning forward slightly, pump the stomach like a bellows and at the same time forcefully exhale through the mouth or nose, preferably the nose. After 40 repetitions, take 3 deep heart breaths. Repeat 1 more set of 40 reps, at the end 3 deep heart breaths. Stretch out legs and shake them out.



(HEARTS IN A)
CORE DANCE

Now putting our focus on the midsection. Begin with seated Child's Pose: From a sitting position, bend legs and with the arms, hug knees in towards chest. Then, release the arms but continue to hold the legs in the air -- this is "Half Boat." In this position, take 3 deep heart breaths. Release legs down. Legs are now straight. Take a deep breath raising arms in the air overhead and lengthening out the spine. Keeping this length in the spine, exhale and fold forward, reaching for either the ankles or the feet. In the forward bend, take 3 deep breaths, each time lengthening out the spine on the inhalation, and deepening the pose on the exhalation. Inhale back up, and exhale lie back. With arms up overhead, stretch out, pointing the toes. From here, inhale up into the forward bend, and exhale back down. Repeat 7 times. When lying down again, now inhale legs to 90 degrees, lifting the head shoulders and tail bone off the mat, exhale down. Repeat 7 times. At the end, hug knees in towards heart, head toward knees (lying Child's Pose).



"HOLY ROLL, JELLY SOUL"

With knees in toward heart, begin gently rocking side to side. Do this a few times, then gently rock forwards and back, then back to side to side. Next, release arms to the sides at shoulder level, still with knees bent in towards the heart. Again, move the legs side to side, this time without use of the hands, twisting the spine. As the legs move to one side, turn the head in the other direction, without straining the neck. At the end, hug both legs in again (Child's Pose). Then release just the left leg, holding the right leg in, with or without lifting chin toward the knee. As the knee is hugged, move the foot around in circular motion. Repeat with left leg. After this, hug both legs in again, gently rocking side to side, then forward and backward. Rock up into sitting again.


UPWARD AND DOWNWARD TABLE TOP

From sitting


DYNAMIC STANDING STRETCHES

Angel Heart



HARMONY IN BALANCE

Toe stetch.



I CHI FOR NIRVANA