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well-grounded Rooting down through the earth lets you stay strong and flexible, even when life tries to throw you off balance.
the practiceThis grounding sequence builds a strong foundation in the legs, giving you steadiness in balancing poses and allowing you to safely ex plore deeper stretches. When you can keep your hips and legs stable in Parivrtta Trikonasana (Revolved Triangle Pose), you can rotate into the twist without straining your lower back or sacrum.
mind-body benefitsAs you move through your standing poses, imagine your feet are like roots, connecting you to the earth, giving you power. From that strong place in your lower body, allow your upper body to feel lifted and fluid. Like a tree standing tall on a blustery day, allow the roots of each pose to help you find confidence and inner resilience.
key focal pointsIn each standing pose, think of rooting down through your legs and feet, and notice if that lets you reach tall from your lower belly. To further encourage the grounding effects of the sequence, you’ll either gaze up at your hand or down your nose in each pose.
home practicewith Deborah Burkman
M AY 2 0 1 3 Y O G A J O U R N A L . C O M 8 5
A video of this Home Practice sequence can be found online at yogajournal.com/livemag.
▼ watch
MA
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16 BALASANA CHILD’S POSE
Bend your knees and bring them to the
floor. Reach your arms in front of you
as you bring your buttocks toward your
heels with your toes pointed and legs
together. Bring the hands back toward your
heels, and rest your head on the ground.
15 ADHO MUKHA SVANASANA
DOWNWARDFACING DOG POSE
Inhale; lift your hands to the sky. Exhale;
fold forward. Inhale; look up halfway.
Exhale; with hands on the ground, step
your feet back. Press your hands firmly
into the ground. Engage your lower abs.
14 TADASANA MOUNTAIN POSE
From Tree Pose, come back to Mountain
Pose. This is an active and alert pose.
Keep your weight evenly distributed on
all four corners of your feet. Engage your
quadriceps and abdominals. Maintain a
neutral spine and pelvis.
13 VRKSASANA TREE POSE
From Tadasana, grab your right ankle, and
press the right foot into the left inner thigh.
To balance, squeeze your foot and thigh
toward each other. Lift your hands to the
sky, and touch your palms together. Gaze
down your nose. Repeat on second side.
12 PARSVOTTANASANA
INTENSE SIDE STRETCH, WITH BLOCKS
Come back to Intense Side Stretch. Hold for
5 breaths. Inhale; extend your spine. Exhale;
bring your hands to your hips. Inhale; come
up to standing. Exhale; do poses 7 through
12 on second side. Then come into Tadasana.
TO BEGIN
Warm up with several rounds of Surya
Namaskar A and B (Sun Salutations
A and B). As you practice the poses in
the following sequence, hold each
pose for 5 breaths.
1 PADANGUSTHASANA
HANDTOBIGTOE POSE
Inhale with feet hipwidth apart, hands on
hips. Exhale, fold forward with straight or
bent legs, and grab your big toes with the
first two fingers and thumbs. Inhale; look
up. Exhale; fold, keeping your abs engaged.
2 UTTHITA TRIKONASANA
EXTENDED TRIANGLE POSE
Inhale; step your right foot out to the right.
Turn your left foot in 45 degrees. Exhale;
place your right hand on your shin or on the
ground outside your right foot. Lift your left
arm to the sky. Gaze toward your left hand.
8 PARSVOTTANASANA
INTENSE SIDE STRETCH, WITH BLOCKS
Inhale, step your left foot back, and
turn your foot out 45 degrees. Exhale
as you hinge at your hips. Place your hands
on blocks on either side of your right foot.
Bring your torso toward your right leg.
7 TADASANA MOUNTAIN POSE
Inhale and straighten your arms, bringing
your head up. Exhale; engage your abdomi
nals with your hands on your hips. Inhale;
come up with a flat back. Exhale as you
step to the top of your mat with your arms
by your sides. Gaze down your nose. You
should feel very stable and grounded here.
6 PRASARITA PADOTTANASANA
WIDELEGGED STANDING FORWARD BEND
Stand with your feet wide, hands on hips.
Exhale, fold forward with straight or bent
legs, and place your hands on the ground
in between your legs. Inhale, look up, and
extend your spine forward. Exhale as you
fold, moving your head toward the ground.
11 ARDHA CHANDRASANA
HALF MOON POSE
Inhale; move the block on the right forward
with your right hand. Lift your left arm and
leg as you twist your torso toward the left.
Stack your hips on top of each other and
on top of your right leg. Your left leg will be
parallel to the floor. Gaze at your left hand.
10 PARSVOTTANASANA
INTENSE SIDE STRETCH, WITH BLOCKS
Exhaling, release Revolved Triangle and
come back to Intense Side Stretch with
both hands on blocks. Take 5 deep breaths,
keeping your legs steady and strong.
9 PARIVRTTA TRIKONASANA
REVOLVED TRIANGLE POSE, WITH BLOCK
Place your left hand on a block on the
outside of your right foot. Inhale as you
reach your right hand up and twist your
spine toward the right. Gaze at your right
hand. For more stability, bring your left
foot farther out to the left.
3 VIRABHADRASANA II
WARRIOR POSE II
Inhale to come up. Exhale; bend your
right knee over your right ankle. Reach
your arms out to the sides and stack
your shoulders over your hips. Gaze
toward your right hand.
4 REVERSE WARRIOR POSE
Inhale as you drop your left arm and rest
it on your left thigh. Lift your right arm
and gaze toward your right hand. Try not
to backbend from your lower back. You
should feel very grounded in your legs as
you extend your torso upward.
5 UTTHITA PARSVAKONASANA
EXTENDED SIDE ANGLE POSE
Inhale; come back to Warrior II. Exhale;
place your right forearm on your right thigh
as you extend your left arm over your left
ear. Gaze toward your left palm. Do poses 2
through 5 on the second side.
home practice with Deborah Burkman
FIN
ISH
ING
PO
SE
S
REPEAT POSES 2 THROUGH 5 ON
SECOND SIDE
REPEAT POSES 7 THROUGH 12 ON SECOND SIDE
M AY 2 0 1 3 Y O G A J O U R N A L . C O M 8 7 8 6 Y O G A J O U R N A L . C O M M AY 2 0 1 3