Hips Openers to Awaken the Root and Sacral Chakras

Hip Openers powerfully stimulate and balance the muladhara, or root and svadisthana, or sacral chakras. By physically rooting our pelvic floor and the base of our spine into the Earth, we plug ourselves into the vibrational current of the planet. When we open our hips we restore our reproductive organs, which at a base level represent the original creative force driving existence. Through creating balance in these chakras we can become grounded, comfortable within our own identity, and inherently creative. Before you practice this sequence, sit in a meditative position and meditate on something you would like to let go of that you feel prevents you from expressing yourself fully. Do a few moon salutations of your choosing such as Shiva Rea's (look up Moon Shine with Shiva Rea: Yoga at Home with Yoga Journal is an amazing demonstration by Shiva Rea) with focus on mindful long deep breaths.

After you complete the sequence close with Savasana. Offer the practice towards releasing what you chose to focus on letting go of. Surrender the fruits of the practice to the Universal Current. Honor the Supreme Self, and of course, have a green juice.

1. Tarasana; Star Pose- Sit with the sole of the feet together. Allow the knees to drop open to each side. Use the hands to pull the flesh back from under the sitz bones. Your heels should be about 2 ft. from your pelvic floor, but choose whatever distance feels the most comfortable to hold for an extended period. Tilt the torso forward and take a hold of the feet. Inhale elongate your spine, exhale, roll the body forward effortlessly drawing the forehead towards the heels. Relax into this yin posture for 2-5 minutes. Allow the exhalation to be longer than the inhalation. 

 

2. Wheel of Life Twist- From Star Pose, keep the right leg in external rotation (with the knee falling open to the side), Rotate the left leg so it mirrors the right leg, with both feet pointing back and the knees at 90 degree angles. Begin to walk your hands to the right, allowing the spine to twist so the breastbone faces the floor. Strongly engage mula bandha. As you inhale lengthen the spine, as you exhale, twist a little deeper. You might be able to rest your right forearm on the floor, fingers tucked under your straight left arm. Strongly spread the left palm open on the floor and energetically (Without actually moving the hand) try to drag the hand towards the shoulder socket. This will traction your spine and stretch your quadratus lumborum muscle. Change sides by slowly walking your hands back and unwinding out of the twist. Keep the legs as they are, place the hands behind the hips, and pivot on your feet until your knees now point to the left. Repeat the twist to the left.

3.Mandukasana; Frog Pose- Love it or leave it, this is adductor heaven, or hell....from Wheel of Life twist, come onto hands and knees. Keeping your knees bent at a right angle, begin to open them out to each side. Keep the heels in alignment with the knees and flex the feet gently. Keep the pelvis in alignment with the knees, the tendency is to come too far forward with the pelvis, if in doubt, rock the seat back a bit. Attempt to get the knees wider than the outside of the mat. If you are comfortable release the forearms to the floor, Keep pulling the front ribs up towards the spine and breathe. If you are very open in your adductors you can rest your stomach on the floor. Hold for 1-5 minutes. To release, gently walk the hands forward, and come onto the stomach. You might rock the hips side to side to release them. 

4. Urdhva Muka Svanasa; Upward Facing Dog- A must after frog pose! From prone (on the stomach) position, place the hands under the shoulders, press the tops of the feet into the floor. Inhale, leading with the heart, curl the upper body away from the floor, elongating the crown of the head up and possibly back. Pull the upper arm bones back and counter this by lifting the chest forward and up. Allow the knees to come off the floor by pressing the tops of the feet down. Without moving the hands, energetically draw them back towards the hips. Notice how this propels your heart center up towards the ceiling. Keep the buttocks soft by activating mula bandha and gently pulling the navel in and up. Hold for 10 breaths. Find Down Dog.

5. Prasarita Padottanasana Kriya; Standing Wide Angle Forward Bend Cleansing- From Down Dog, frog leap your feet around your hands. Open the feet so they are about 3 1/2-4 ft. apart. Let the toes point straight ahead and rock a little more weight into the heels. Keeping the weight in the heels, walk your hands forward as far as you are able to, so that your upper body mirrors Down Dog. Root your fingertips into the floor and notice how this allows you to engage your shoulder blades and draw them towards the spine gently. With an exhale, keep the arms and legs in place and bend your knees, sinking the hips towards the floor, track the knees open, keeping the over the heels as much as possible. With an inhale straighten the legs and return to the original position. Repeat 5 x. You may hold the positions as well after pulsing for 10 breaths each. When complete, Vinyasa back into Down Dog.

6. Eka Pada Rajakapotasana; One Legged King Pigeon Pose- From Down Dog, Inhale and place your left knee on the floor at the base of your left thumb. Open the foot towards the right hip and slide the right leg as far back as possible, keep in the hips squared. Gently press through the ball of the left foot, and perhaps slide the foot forward so the left shin is aligned with the front edge of the mat. Energetically keep trying to pull the left hip back and the right hip forward to create a rooted feeling into the Earth. Draw the navel towards the spine and inhale the hands back towards the hips, extending the spine up into a mini back bend. Hold for 10 breaths. Fold forward, extending the arms out in front of you and hold for another 10 breaths. Gently release, Vinyasa through to the other side. Think of this pose as plugging your tailbone into the current of the earth, each inhale visualize light energy from the earth being drawn into the root of the spine and up through the Sushumna Nadi to the crown of the head. Every exhale allow the light energy to release back down the spine and into the earth. Return to Down Dog. Repeat on the right side.

7. Hanumanasana; Monkey God Hanuman's Pose- I love this pose as it symbolizes taking a leap of faith into the unknown, trusting your heart to guide you along the way. It is dedicated to Hanuman, who selflessly serving his dear friend Rama, leaped across the Indian Ocean from India to what is now Sri Lanka to find Rama's true love, Sita from where she was being held captive, and also spy on her demonic captors. The path was wrought with peril, but Lord Hanuman through his Devotional Love and Selfless Service came through victorious and found Sita. As you do this asana, meditate on where you would like to make leaps and bounds in your own life. Visualize your self lovingly overcoming any 'hurdles' in your path.  A good affirmation is, " I move forward with grace and ease.'

From Down Dog, Inhale, extend your left leg up, exhale curl the left knee towards the forehead, keeping the hips high, gaze forward and lightly step the foot between the hands into a low lunge. Come onto your fingertips of blocks if you have tight hips. Keep the heart lifted and a gentle bend in your left front knee. Continue to inch your right leg back until the length of your right back leg rests on the earth and the front knee is straight. The pelvic floor will eventually rest on the earth. Keep the top of the right back thigh on the floor by tucking the back toes under.  If you cannot do the full pose, keep a gentle bend in the front knee and rest the hands on blocks, align the blocks with the sides of your hips. Like Pigeon, energetically draw the front hip back and the back hip forward to keep the hips squared. Inhale, engage the core and lift the heart towards the sky. Hold for 10 breaths. Add a twist if you would like. If the left leg is in front, twist to the left, take a hold of the back leg with the left hand, and the front, outer thigh with the right hand. Inhale lengthen from the base of the spine up through the crown of the head, exhale twist from the core a little deeper. Unwind from the twist slowly. Vinyasa, and repeat on the right side. 

8. Uppavistha Konasa; Spread Wide Angle Forward Bend- From Down Dog, lightly jump or step through to seated. Gently open the legs out to each respective side and flex  the feet. Place one hand behind the hips, and the other in front of the pelvis and scoot the pelvis forward a bit, keeping the heels pressing into the floor, deepen the straddle an inch or two. Keeping the toes pointing straight up, place the hands between the legs and begin to gently fold forward. Maybe you can get the forearms on the floor, in time the entire torso will rest on the floor. Keep the sitz bones rooted into the floor by activating mula bandha and scooping the tailbone. Hold for 1-3 minutes. To release come up reverently and slowly. Once you are upright, scoop the hands under the backs of the knees from behind your legs, rock back onto your sitz bones and inhale to draw the legs together (think Boat Pose). Vinyasa.

9.Setu Bhandasana, Supported Bridge Pose- After the deep hip openers, it is nice to equalize the sacrum with a gentle back bend. From Down Dog jump or step through and lay on your back. Bend the knees and place the feet on the floor hip distance apart, about 8 inches from your hips. Bend the elbows so the fingers point towards the ceiling and press the upper arms into the floor, drawing the shoulder blades into the back body. Inhale, leading from the tailbone, roll the hips vertebrae by vertebrae off the floor. Be mindful and feel the unfolding of your spine. Notice if anywhere feels blocked. If possible, take a hold of the ankles from the outside and draw the chest towards the chin by lifting through the heart.Keep the knees directly over the heels, not forward of them. If you struggle holding your ankles, wrap a strap around the front of your ankles and hold an end of the strap in each hand. Press the back of the head into the floor. Eventually you will be able to maintain your cervical curve in the pose, by pressing the shoulder blades and back of the head down, the base on the neck curves away from the floor. NO strain please! Hold for 10 breaths. Repeat again or turn this into a restorative posture by placing a block under the sacrum and relaxing fully for 1-5 minutes. Release and hug the knees into the chest, rocking side to side to unwind the lower back. 

10. Viparita Karani; Legs Up the Wall- Set up your mat perpendicular to the wall, bring a bolster and two blankets with you. Place the bolster about 6 inches from the wall, so that the long end of the bolster is parallel to the wall. Roll the blanket up and place it where your neck will be once you are in the full position. Sit on the bolster near the wall, and scoot one of your hips to the wall, so that you are sitting sideways to the wall. Engage your core a bit as you lay down, and swing your legs up the wall, rolling onto your back so that the hips are near the wall, hanging off the edge of the bolster, the bolster is under the lower back. Adjust the blanket under your neck so you are supported as you lay on the floor. I personally like to place the soles of my feet together, allowing the knees to fall open to each side, like Baddha Konasana. Use whatever leg variation feels most relaxing to you. Hold for 5 minutes. Roll off onto your side and sprawl into Savasana when you are ready. 

Om Shanti! 

10 Poses to Keep You Warm this Winter

In the wintertime the tamasic guna (slow, tired, calm, sluggish, depressed) tends to stagnate with the lack of sunlight and physical activity. This Yoga sequence is specifically designed to make you sweat like it's the middle of summer, even in the depths of winter.
 Before you do this sequence sit for a moment and establish your connection to your Ujjayi breath. Invoke with three OMs. Warm up with your favorite Surya Namaskara (Sun Salutation) that incorporates lunging, such as Surya Namaskara B from the Ashtanga lineage. 

After you practice relax deeply in Savasana and savor the stillness.

1. Utkatasana with Kapala Bhati, Fierce Pose with Shining Skull Breath- Stand with your feet together. Inhale, bend the knees deeply and circle the arms over head. Interlace the palms together and extend the index fingers in Kali Mudra. Rock your weight into your heels and 'sit back' in your imaginary chair. Keep the gaze towards the floor about 5 feet in front of you. Add Kapala Bhati pranayama by forcefully exhaling the air out of the nose by pumping the navel back towards the spine with each exhalation, the inhalation is passive. Do this breath steadily for about 1 minute. When complete, stand upright, hinge forward from the hips, straighten the legs if possible, (or keep knees bent if the hands do not touch the floor with straight legs) and hang forward like a rag doll in Uttanasana, standing forward fold . Breathe deeply and feel your heart rate slow.

2. Bakasana, Crane Pose- squat down with the inner edges of the feet together. It is okay if the heels lift off of the floor here. Open the knees wider than the torso and place the forearms on the floor between the knees. Allow the head to be heavy for a moment and offer the pose. Lift the gaze, draw the elbows diagonally back so the shins rest on your upper arms. Root your hands shoulder distance apart and press the finger tips into the floor fiercely.  Keeping the hips low and attempting to 'glue' the soles of the feet  to the pelvic floor, rock the body weight into the hands and feel your toes lift from the floor. Keep the inner edges of the feet together as much as possible, spreading the toes. Lift the gaze and attempt to slide the knees up into the armpits and straighten the arms. Take a Vinyasa back into Downward Facing Dog.

3. Parivritta Eka Pada Adho Muka Svanasana, Three Pointed Star Pose- From Downward Facing Dog, allow the feet to be hip distance apart and the palms shoulder distance apart. Turn the right heel in so the toes angle out at a 45 degree angle. Slowly extend the left leg up and back, spread the toes. Lift the gaze forward towards the hands, root the right palm into the floor. Lift the left arm off the floor and extend it back towards the right ankle. Take a hold of the outer right ankle and extend the left leg higher. Keep the right arm straight and strong. Allow the gaze to drop towards the feet if balance is strong for you here.

4. Anjayanasana w/Garudasana arms, Crescent Moon Lunge- From Three Pointed Star Pose, Place the left palm on the floor and lightly step the left foot forward between the hands. Stay on the ball of the back foot and mindfully extend the spine and circle the arms over the head. Keep the back leg as straight as possible and press strongly back through the ball of the right foot. To balance this energetically send the front knee forward and hug the thighs in towards one another. Wrap the right arm under the left and find Garudasana, eagle pose, arms, pressing the palms together and lifting the elbow to shoulder height. If you are balanced lift the heart and elbows up and back. 

5. Urdhva Prasarita Eka Padasana, Standing Split- From Crescent Moon Lunge, unwind the arms, place the hands on the floor about 12 inches in front of your left foot. With a small hop launch your right leg off the floor. Plug the right hip deeply into it's socket by drawing the right frontal hip bone towards the low right rib cage. Keeping the pelvis squared with the floor, take a hold of the left ankle with the left hand, continuing to keep the right fingertips rooted on the floor for leverage. Tighten the right hamstring and spread the toes to extend the leg up towards the ceiling. Vinyasa through to Down Dog. Repeat the entire sequence with the right leg from Three Pointed Star.

6. Pincha Mayurasana, Forearm Balance- Sit on your heels. Place a block in on the floor in front of you and take a hold of it between the webbing of the thumb and index fingers. Bring the forearms to the floor and keep the elbows shoulder distance apart. Root the palms shoulder distance apart  and squeeze the block between the hands. Curl the toes under and lift the knees off the floor. Allow your gaze the be at the midway point between the forearms. Extend one leg up, exhale, and gently hop or float up to find your balance on the forearms. Strongly pull the navel back towards the spine and zip the pubic bone towards the navel. 

7. Dhanurasana, Bow Pose- From Down Dog, roll forward into plank and release the torso to the floor. Come into Sphinx Pose (upper body is supported by forearms, elbows under the shoulders, palms shoulder distance apart.) Bend the knees and press the balls of the feet towards the ceiling. With an exhalation find Mula Bandha (contract the pelvic floor towards the navel) and feel how this creates space between your sacrum and your lower back. (keep the buttocks as relaxed as possible). With an inhalation slowly widen the elbows and reach the arms back, keeping the hands off the floor, keep your knees bent (do not hold ankles yet). Use  your core to lift the torso off the floor. Tighten the hamstrings and lift the knees off the floor. Feel yourself supported from the innermost muscles in your core. Now take hold of the ankles and kick the legs back powerfully. Lift the heart up and rock, inhale back, exhale forward. Relax and repeat 2-3 times.

8. Eka Pada Urdhva Dharnurasana, One legged Upward Facing Bow Pose (Wheel)- Roll onto your back after performing Bow Pose. Bend the knees and place the feet about 6 inches from the hips, feet hip distance apart. Place the palms on the floor in alignment with the ears, elbows pointing up towards the ceiling, fingers pointing towards the shoulders. With an inhalation, root then hands and the feet firmly down, lift the hips off the floor and place the crown of the head on the floor. Exhale here softly. With your next inhalation, being careful not to let the elbows splay, straighten the arms and lift the head off the floor. Like bow pose, keep Mula Bandha engaged and the buttocks soft. Heel toe the feet closer together, so they are about 6 inches apart. Inhale lift the left leg off the the floor, curling the left knee towards the navel. Once the leg is drawn as close to the navel as possible, straighten the left knee and reach the spread toes towards the ceiling. Repeat with the right leg. Roll out of the pose as mindfully as you went into it. Relax and repeat 2x. 

9. Garudasana Twist, Eagle legs twist- Curl the knees towards the chest, wrap your arms around your shins and rock side to side to release the spine from the back bending. When ready, open the arms perpendicular to the torso, palms facing up. Cross the left leg over the right, above the knee, and attempt to wrap the leg foot around the right ankle (if it doesn't fully wrap around the ankle don't worry, keep squeezing the upper legs together). Place the right foot on the floor and gently scoot your hips a little to the left (until the knees start to drop to the right). Release the knees as far to the right as possible, whilst keeping your left shoulder blade on the floor. To refine the twist, draw the left hip away from the lower left ribs. Inhale the legs up after a long hold, and repeat with the right leg crossed over the left.

10. Karnipidasana,, Ear Pressing Pose- Lay on your back. Press the finger tips into the floor. Squeeze the straight legs together. Inhale and roll the legs over the head, balancing the body weight on the shoulder blades and back of the head. (Plough Pose). Bend the knees and squeeze the ears shut with the inner knees. Wrap your arms around your legs and Restfully breathe here for 2-5 minutes. A long hold in this pose will restore the body fully from the agni (fire) inducing sequence.

Om Shanti