Ujjayi (Victorious breath)
Sit cross-legged, back and neck straight. Sit on a bolster if you like.
Inhale through your nose, then exhale slowly through an open mouth. Direct the out-going breath slowly across the back of your throat with a drawn-out ‘HA’ sound. Repeat several times, then close your mouth. Now, as you inhale and exhale through your nose, direct the breath again slowly across the back of your throat. Ideally, you should hear a soft hissing.
Setu Bandhasana (Bridge pose)
Lie down on the floor with palms close to the body and the legs hip-distance apart. Bend the knees with the feet in line to the knees and chin down towards the chest.
Inhale; press the feet into the floor, contract the inner thighs and lift the hips off the floor.
Exhale; keep the palms on the floor or slide the hands under the hips and clasp the hands together to interlock the palms.
Hold the pose, breathing deeply in ujjayi breath for 30 to 50 seconds and working on engaging the thighs and lifting the chest higher off the floor, so that the chest touches the chin and the shoulders squeeze towards each other.
Dhanurasana (Bow pose)
Lie down on the belly with palms close to the body facing upwards, forehead on the floor and the legs hip-distance apart.
Bend the knees and reach back with your hands to hold on to the ankles with the palms facing inwards. If case you can’t hold the ankle use a strap or grab the track pants, or lift the arms and keep the palms close to the outer thigh.
Inhale; lift the chest up squeezing the shoulder blades together.
Exhale; keep the lift of the chest, pull and lift the ankles up and the away from the hips, lifting the thighs and knees off the ground.
Hold the pose breathing deeply in the ujjayi and working gradually on the lift of the chest and the thighs.
Release the pose and move into child pose; relax.
Viparita Karani (Legs up the wall)
Sit facing the wall, with the hips a few inches away.
Lie down on the spine and raise the legs up on the wall. Make sure that the lower back is touching the floor. If it is not, place a bolster under the hips.
Keep the arms a few inches away from the body and open the palms towards the ceiling.
Relax the entire body and stay in this pose breathing in ujjayi.
Now bring the arms close to the torso and bend the knees keeping the feet on the wall. Press into the wall and lift the hips off the floor. Slide the arms under the lower back and cup the palms around the hips and support the lower spine.
Hold the pose breathing deeply in ujjayi for 30 to 60 seconds.
To release the pose, place the hips on the floor, bend the knees and drop them down towards the right; then sit up.