Free Slim Calm Sexy Yoga: 210 Proven Yoga Moves for Mind/Body Bliss by Tara Stiles Page B

be dissatisfied with where you are. Practice working where you are.

  Handstand
    Come into down dog. Walk your feet about a foot closer to your hands. Raise one leg up high and keep your hips square. Press your palms down firmly [A]. Bend your leg, rock your shoulders ahead of your wrists and your hips over your shoulders, and raise it off the floor [B]. When you find a balance, draw your legs slowly together until they both extend straight up [C].

Spread your fingers wide, as if you were squishing them into wet sand. This ensures a stable foundation that effectively builds strength and prevents injury.

    PRACTICE SAFELY!
    Learning a handstand comes with a lot of falling. Move any furniture with hard edges out of the way, and try to practice on a mat or soft carpeting. Remember to have fun, and don’t take yourself too seriously. Spontaneous laughter is good!

Plow
    Lie flat on your back and extend your legs straight up above your hips. Flex your feet, press your arms along your sides, and gently peel your spine off the floor, reaching your legs straight behind you until your toes find the floor. Gently press into the balls of your feet and reach your heels toward the floor.

If your feet don’t touch the floor, stay where you feel a little bit of tension and try to use your breath to gently lower your feet little by little on each exhale. If you feel any neck or back discomfort, don’t try to push to make your feet reach the floor.

  Shoulder Stand
    Press your hands against your middle back. Work your hands along your spine toward your shoulders. When you feel steady, gently reach your legs up toward vertical. Stay here for 30 long, deep breaths. To come out of the pose, slowly lower yourself back to plow. Bend your knees slightly and roll down vertebra by vertebra until you’re lying flat on your back.

    TIP:
If your feet are far from reaching the floor in plow and you feel tension in your back, stay in plow and breathe. Try a shoulder stand only if your feet touch the floor in plow and your neck and spine feel okay.

  Legs up the Wall
    Sit with your legs stretched out in front of you and your side right next to a wall. Lie down, bring your torso perpendicular to the wall, and walk your legs up the wall. Keep your legs straight and feet flexed. Rest your arms on your abdomen or by your sides on the mat.

    TIP:
Legs up the wall is a more gentle option than a full shoulder stand and provides a lot of the same benefits. If you’re tired and need something more restorative than shoulder stand, legs up the wall is a good option to revive your whole system.
    IT’S NOT ABOUT DOING THE POSE PERFECTLY!
    Yoga is more about soaking up the benefits of the poses than performing impressive positions. And the poses are designed to stimulate, energize, and rejuvenate your system.



ESSENTIAL POSES

other
poses

Lying-Down Poses, Back Bends, and Partner-Supported Poses
    LYING-DOWN POSES
    Reclining poses relax rejuvenate, and restore the entire body. They often include twists that help detoxify the system and leave the body and mind feeling fresh and calm.

Lying-Down V

    Lie on your back, stretch your arms out on the floor over your head in a V, and extend your legs slightly wider than your hips.
Breathe out and let everything rest.
Expand your ribs and stretch through your hands and feet as you inhale.

  V Twist
    Reach your right leg across your left leg and rest your right foot on the floor. Let your right arm come off the floor and extend out through your right fingertips. Direct your gaze to the right side.

Breathe deeply and use your exhales to relax further into the twist.
You’ll get a nice oppositional stretch in your torso and maybe a couple of pops in your spine.

  Knee-to-Chest Circle
    Gently bring your right knee to your chest and hold your shin with both hands. Carefully move your knee around in little circles to the left for a few breaths, and then to the right.

Keep your left foot flexed to feel a