Wheel
2. Bend both knees and bring the heels as close to the buttocks as possible.
3. Grab the ankles with the hands and pull the heels even closer, keeping them about 1 1/2 feet apart.
4. Bring the hands forward, up and over, placing them on the floor beside the head, a shoulder's width apart, THE FINGERS POINTING TOWARDS THE SHOULDERS.
5. EXHALE, push down on the hands and raise the body, resting the crown of the head on the floor. Take a few normal breaths.
6. EXHALE, and arch the back, lifting the whole body and shifting the weight to the hands and feet.
7. Stretch teh hips up and straighten the arms and legs as much as possible.
8. Hold, breathing normally, from 10-60 seconds.
9. EXHALE, slowly lower the body and relax.
NOTE: variations on this exercise would involve raising one leg at a time into the air after having completed the above steps or to raise yourself on your toes once in position.
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Side Raise
2. Raise the head and support it with your right palm covering half the ear.
3. Slowly raise teh left leg as far as it will go, keeping the body in a straight line. keep both knees straight.
4. Hold teh pose for 5-20 seconds, breathing normally.
5. EXHALE, lower the leg slowly and relax.
6. Repeat on other side.
7. Repeat, lifting both legs together, the knees and ankles touching.
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Alternate Nostril Breathing
2. Raise your right hand and place your ring finger against your left nostril, closing it off.
3. Inhale deeply and slowly through the right nostril to the count of 4.
4. Close off the right nostril with your thumb and retain the breath for a count of 1-4 seconds.
5. Open the left nostril and exhale to the count of 4-8 seconds. Concentrate on completely emptying the lungs.
6. Breathe in through that same left nostril to the count of 4.
7. Repeat on either side. This completes one round.
8. Repeat the round of breathin five more times.
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The Cleansing Breath
2. Inhale deeply, pushing the abdomen out, and taking in as much air as possible in the space of 1 second.
3. Whack your abdomen in forcefully to expel the air through the nostrils. The sensation should be one of having been punched in the stomach.
4. Inhale again by pushing the abdomen out and letting the air rush back into the vacuum created by exhalation.
5. The whole process, inhalation and exhalation, should take not more than 1.5 seconds. Both should be forceful and will be quite audible.
6. Repeat ten times, follow with a complete breath and repeat ten times more.
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Complete breath
2. Straighten your back, which will straighten your thorax for easier breathing.
3. Inhale slowly through the nose, breathing deeply and consciously.
4. Take five seconds to fill the lower part of the lungs, by expanding the ribs and pushing the abdomen out.
5. Concentrate on filling the top of the lungs for the next five seconds. This will expand the chest and tighten the abdomen slightly.
6. Hold the breath for 1-5 seconds.
7. Exhale slowly until you have emptied the lungs.
8. Repeat 4-5 times more.
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Cooling Breath
2. Form your tongue into a trough and let it protrude slightly from the lips.
3. Inhale air through this trough with a hissing sound.
4. Hold your breath for 1-5 seconds.
5. Exhale through teh nostrils.
6. Repeat 5 more times.
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Tree (Stork)
2. Bend the right leg and propthe sole of the foot against the left thigh.
3. Bring the heel as close to the perineum as possible and rest the foot there, pointing the knee to the side.
4. Bring the palms together and raise the hands straight over the head.
5. Hold as long as balance permits and breathe deeply.
6. Lower the leg and hands slowly and relax.
7. Repeat with the left leg.
8. Repeat twice more on each side.
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The Crow
2. With the arms on the inside of the knees, rise onto toes and bend slightly forward.
3. Place the hands on the floor in front of you, the thumbs about 6" apart the fingers spread slightly.
4. Now press the area of the arms just above the elbow against the side of the knee.
5 EXHALE bend forward, bringing the face closer to the floor and gently lift the toes off, pressing the elbows against the knees.
6. Try to straighten the arms as much as possible and balance on the hands breathing normally for 5-20 seconds.
7. EXHALE, lower the toes and relax. Repeat twice more.
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Knee Press
2. Bend the right knee and bring it against the chest.
3. INHALE, clasp your hands around the knee and press it against the abdomen and chest. Keep the left leg straight and the head on the floor.
4. Hold both the pose and your breath for 5-10 seconds.
5. EXHALE, lower the leg and relax.
6. Repeat with the other leg.
7. Repeat with both legs together.
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Toe Balance
2. Slowly rise up on the toes and balance there for 5-20 seconds.
3. Come slowly back down on the heels.
4. Repeat three times.
5. Gradually bring knees closer together.
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Arm & Leg Stretch
2. Raise your arm slowly so that it stands out at an angle but the hand is above the head. the elbows are straight.
3. Bend your left leg at the knee, bringing it close to the buttocks, and shift your body weight onto the right foot.
4. Grasp your left foot with your left hand.
5. bend backward from the waist, at the same time pulling on the foot and moving the right arm as far back as balancing permits. Let the head drop back.
6. Hold this position 5 seconds at the start, increasing the time at 5 seconds a week.
7. Repeat on the other side and perform the asana three times on each side.
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Crossbeam
2. Stretch your right leg out to the right, keeping the knee straight and the toes pointed out to teh front.
3. Lift both arms out to the side.
4. Place your right arm onto the right leg, palm up.
5. Bend your body to the right, resting your right ear on the arm.
6. Lift the left arm slowly over the head, eventually bringing it straight over the right hand, palms touching.
7. keep your face forward, so that you are peeking through the opening created by the arms.
8. hold for a period of 5-30 seconds, breathing normally throughout.
9. Repeat on left side.
