Day 90 : LOTUS : Urdhva padmasana (lifted up lotus pose) Subroutine from Vinyasa Krama Lotus sequence

VIDEO LINK

HINTS\TIPS\SUGGESTIONS

To get up into Shoulder stand while in Lotus, bring you arms to your side, exhale fully and press your arms down into the mat, hold and roll the lotus up to your chest, aim your knees at a 45 degree angle up over your head and stretch/push your knees up into shoulder stand while shifting your hands to your hips and then your back either side of your spine with the fingers pointing up and the elbows not too far apart.

Alternatively, Start from regular shoulder stand, spread the legs apart, drop the left leg back a little, bring the right foot to the left thigh by rotating at the hip then bring the left foot to the right thigh again through the rotation of the hip.

Engage mula and uddiyana bandha at the end of the exhalation sucking in the belly to create more space to lower your lotus down to your chest.

Remember in Vinyasa Krama you can work towards this, lowering a little way on the first exhalation, take it back up on the inhalation, lower a little further on each exhalation.

When lowering your need to make sure your hips are high and over your shoulders or you will tend to roll back down to the mat.

Pindasana (pic 4) The fold needs to be deep, use the bad has, sucking your belly back and up into your ribcage to create space. your inhalations will be short but try to keep your exhalations long.

Ultimately your want to wrap your arms around your lotus and bind at the wrist, this requires a deep lotus with the feet high up in the groin and heels digging into the belly.

If your lotus is not as tight then bind at the fingers or just hold the thighs.

Twists

From udrdhava padmasana (lotus shoulderstand) Stretch up through the pelvis lengthening the body as much as possible, twist on the exhalation and lower/fold your  knee to the outside of your forehead.

Again, work a little lower on each exhalation

Remember to keep the hips high and over the shoulders to prevent rolling back.

Counterpose (pic 8) There are two hand positions, the one in the picture with the palms supporting the sacrum and the another where the thumbs point toward but remain outside of the spine, resting lower down on the back of the hips with the fingers coming around the hip bone. I tend to prefer the later.

This is a back stretch so tuck the tailbone under and to counter the weight of the legs by pushing the chest out and up, engage jalandhara bandha (chin lock) firmly. 

The posture is entered on the inhalation by bending from the waist and arching the back.

Stay in the position for three breaths, perhaps going a little deeper into the pose each time or go back and forth to akunchita urdhva padmasana (pic 3) and the counter pose on the breath if holding is too challenging.

Simhasana Subroutine VIDEO LINK. From Akunchita urdhave padmasana, stretch out the arms above your head, roll your lotus slowly down to the mat, keep the momentum to bring your arms up and over passing through regular lotus as you put your hands to the floor and come up on to your knees. Lower your body flat to the floor stretch your arms out in front of you, palms together as if in prayer.

Place the palms on the mat beside you close to your chest. Tuck the tailbone (this is a back stretch) anchor the knees, try to bring the hips as close to the mat as possible , arch the back stretching out through the waist. Stretch out through the full length of your body, pushing out your chest take the head back. The is a Bhujangasana variation and can be worked on in the Bow sequence subroutines.

Another Lion face variation

Lions face. Inhale stretching back the head and as you exhale make a long  Haaa sound while stretching your tongue out and down and widening the eyes. Focus your attention on the mid brow. 

You may like to repeat this three times, closing the mouth on the inhalation and taking the head back before repeating the lions face on the exhalation.

Day 74 : Karnapindasana ( closed ear pose) subroutine from Vinyasa Krama Supine sequence

VIDEO LINK

As a reminder, Ramaswami recommends we spend five minutes in Sarvangasana (first three minutes with the legs relaxed next two with the legs straight in standard Shoulderstand) before practising the sarvangasana vinyasas

Ramaswami would also recommend a counterpose after sarvangasana so as to relieve the strain placed on the neck and shoulders, he suggests bhujangasana (cobra, Day 45) and especially makrasana (crocodile, Day 44) as ideal counterposes, stating that, 'The counterposes, as a rule, should be simple, effective and targeted' (Yoga beneath the surface p105).

HINTS/TIPS/SUGGESTIONS

To be able to bring the knees to the mat beside your ears, the neck and shoulders need to be sufficiently relaxed. A long sarvangasana or  some halasana subroutine variations can help achieve this,

Engage jalandhara bandha, the chin lock, bringing the chin tight against the chest.

Engage uddiyana bandha, drawing the belly in and up to creat more space for the forward fold.

Kandapindasana is a posture in which we can stay for a considerable amount of time, Ramaswami recommends twelve breaths.

Because of the tight fold, the inhalation will be short but try to lengthen the exhalation.

To bring your legs through the arms, retain uddiyana and on the inhalation, stretching each vertebra, allow your back to slowly unfurl along the mat, keeping your legs as close to your body as possible all the way through the arms.

Ideally the legs should not touch the arms on the way through.

Day 73 : Sarvangasana mandala (circular ambulation in plough) subroutine from Vinyasa Krama Supine sequence

VIDEO LINK

As a reminder, Ramaswami recommends we spend five minutes in Sarvangasana (first three minutes with the legs relaxed next two with the legs straight in standard Shoulderstand) before practising the sarvangasana vinyasas

Ramaswami would also recommend a counterpose after sarvangasana so as to relieve the strain placed on the neck and shoulders, he suggests bhujangasana (cobra, Day 45) and especially makrasana (crocodile, Day 44) as ideal counterposes, stating that, 'The counterposes, as a rule, should be simple, effective and targeted' (Yoga beneath the surface p105).

Sarvangasana mandala employs reveal of the movements from the previous subroutine, the forward bend halasana (day 72 & 71) in konasana (day 69) the back stretch in the previous uttana mayurasana subroutine  (Day 72) and twisting in urdhva padmasana vinyasas (day 70). 

If we want to practice sarvangasana mandala separately from the previous subroutines then we should make sure we have practiced some foreword bends, back stretches and twisting postures in other subroutines to be sure we are sufficiently warmed up and flexible.

HINTS/TIPS/SUGGESTIONS

I strongly suggest you practice this subroutine after the previous halasana and uttana mayurasana subroutine (day 72) as the mandala involves a flip over from halasana to uttana mayurasana which is a twisting motion.

The mandala may be best worked towards in stages.

The flip from uttana mayurasana to halasana seems to be slightly less intimidating than the other way around.

First we need to enter the first stage of uttana mayurasana

STAGE1

Uttana Mayurasana (stretched peacock )

From Sarvangasana tuck the tailbone, engage moola bandha by drawing up the anus, bend the knees, expand the chest, arch the back and lower your feet gently to the mat on the inhalation.

Lowering on the inhalation gives more control as does engaging the bandhas.

There is no need to stretch the legs completely for now.

With the knees bent side step your legs to the side as far as possible. 

Now lower your body to the mat onto your left hip, your feet will be on top of each other. Roll your right leg over the left, bringing the left hip over the right and walk shuffle your legs a little further round.

Return your hands to your back, raise your hips and walk/sidestep further around until you are in halasana.

Relax and then do the same movements in reverse.

STAGE 2

When this movement is comfortable or at least familiar, the twisting and rolling the hip over, try the movement without lowering to the mat.

From Uttana Mayurasana walk the legs around to the left as far as possible, with each extra step the right hip will rise. When you can go no further in that position, support the back strongly, take a breath and at the end of the exhalation hold the breath and flip your waist bringing the right hip over the left to land on your feet.

Continue walking the feet around into halasana and relax.

Practice going back and forth on one side, flipping from uttana mayurasana to halasana and back again.

Once you are comfortable flipping back and forth on one side practice the same movement on the other.

STAGE 3

Now you are comfortable flipping flipping from halasana to uttana mayurasana and back again your ready for the full mandala,

We begin in halasana walk around as far as possible, pause, take a breath, exhale and hold then flip over and continue walking around into uttana mayurasana. Continue walking/sidestepping/shuffling around to the other side, pause, exhale, hold the exhalation and flip over and continue back to the starting position, Halasana.

The Breath

from halasana

Inhale

Exhalation: move to the right to around 45 degrees

Inhale

Exhalation: continue on to 90 degrees

Inhale

Exhale and hold: flip your waist over and land on your feet

Inhale

Exhalation: continue moving around until you are in uttana mayurasana (180 degrees)

Inhale

Exhalation continue around another 45 degrees

Inhale

Exhalation continue around to around 270 degrees

Inhale

Exhale and hold; Flip the waist over and land on your feet

Inhale

Exhalation continue around until you are in the starting position

When comfortable with the movements repeat the subroutine counterclockwise.

Day 72 : halasana (plough) & uttana mayurasana Stretched peacock) subroutine from Vinyasa Krama Supine sequence

VIDEO LINK

As a reminder, Ramaswami recommends we spend five minutes in Sarvangasana (first three minutes with the legs relaxed next two with the legs straight in standard Shoulderstand) before practising the sarvangasana vinyasas

Ramaswami would also recommend a counterpose after sarvangasana so as to relieve the strain placed on the neck and shoulders, he suggests bhujangasana (cobra, Day 45) and especially makrasana (crocodile, Day 44) as ideal counterposes, stating that, 'The counterposes, as a rule, should be simple, effective and targeted' (Yoga beneath the surface p105).

This Subroutine could follow on nicely from Day 68 : Supta ardha badha halasana to Halasana

HINTS/TIPS/SUGGESTIONS

For Halasana (pic 2) from Sarvangasana (shoulder stand) we first place our arms outstretched along the mat and then lower the legs to the mat above our head on the inhalation.

Lowering on the inhalation gives more control of the descent as does engaging the legs by stretching out through the legs from the hips to the feet.

Remember to lower and raise the legs from the hips rather than thinking about lowering the feet to the mat.

Uttana Mayurasana (stretched peacock )

From Sarvangasana tuck the tailbone, engage moola bandha by drawing up the anus, bend the knees, expand the chest, arch the back and lower your feet gently to the mat on the inhalation.

Lowering on the inhalation gives more control as does engaging the bandhas.

Stay for a breath and then stretch first one leg and then the other, press your feet, from the toes to the heels and both sides of each foot firmly into the mat.

Stay for three to six breaths lifting up through the hips as in dwipadapitam

Return to sarvangasana by bending the knees bringing the legs back to where you first landed them.

Support the back, exhale, hold the breath and raise your hips and thus your legs off the mat, the knees stay bent until you ar vertical again when you stretch the legs back up into sarvangasana. 

Some may find the the  uttana mayurasana vinyasa's, where the legs are lowered one at a time (pictures 4-7) easier or less intimidating than full uttana mayurasana, in which case, you might wish to switch them around in the subroutine, at least in the beginning.

This vinyasa is less intimidating because the trailing leg can act as a counter weight to the leg lowering to the mat behind you.

From shoulder stand lower one leg above your head (your right leg say) then inhale, hold the breath and bend the knee of the upright leg (your left) and arching your spine and supporting your back with your hands lower the left foot to the mat behind you.

As you lower your right leg will come up, stretching out through this leg will give control of the descent to the mat of the other leg. The right leg will come up to vertical as the left leg comes to rest on the mat behind you

Stay in this position with one leg bent and the other straight for three breaths. Stretch out through the vertical leg from the hip.

After three breaths on the next inhalation stretch out the left leg along the mat while trying to keep the vertical leg stretched and engaged.

Stay for another three breaths.

To return: On the exhalation bend the left leg again bringing it closer to the body, stay for a breath. Exhale, hold the breath, press down from the shoulders to the elbows, round the back and from the hip raise the leg allowing the right leg to lower back into eka pada halasana. On the next inhalation bring your right leg back up to join the left in Sarvangasana sthiti

Basically, as one leg goes down the other come up like a seesaw.

Day 71 : Niralumba Salambhasana ( unsupported shoulderstand) subroutine from Vinyasa Krama Supine sequence

VIDEO LINK

As a reminder, Ramaswami recommends we spend five minutes in Sarvangasana (first three minutes with the legs relaxed next two with the legs straight in standard Shoulderstand) before practising the sarvangasana vinyasas

Ramaswami would also recommend a counterpose after sarvangasana so as to relieve the strain placed on the neck and shoulders, he suggests bhujangasana (cobra, Day 45) and especially makrasana (crocodile, Day 44) as ideal counterposes, stating that, 'The counterposes, as a rule, should be simple, effective and targeted' (Yoga beneath the surface p105).

An unsupported shoulder stand assumes your regular shoulder stand is stable and comfortable. if your feeling any stress on your neck then you should probably avoid the unsupported version for the time being.

A good warm up is often required to allow the shoulders to relax enough for unsupported shoulder stand, the and arm variations in Tadasana from Day1 are a good place to start, these could also be done in dandasana.

Practicing forward folding postures with the chin down will also stretch and relax the neck in preparation for shoulder stands as would engaging jalandhara bandha (chin lock).

HINTS/TIPS/SUGGESTIONS

Explore the unsupported headstand by removing one hand at a time from supporting your back may be a good introduction to finding the required balance.

In regular shoulderstand, stretch your back more, extend up through the legs and lean your torso and hips in the direction of your head, your legs will come beyond your head but remain straight up. 

Your hands on your back should feel as if they are hardly necessary to support the shoulder stand.

Reach up with on arm on the inhalation and stretch it up along your thigh, remain for three breaths. Return it to your back and repeat with the other hand, remembering to stretch your hand up along the thigh, stretching through your trunk and the full length of your legs feet and toes.

If one hand at a time is comfortable, take first one hand off the back, stretch it along the thighs and then after a breath bring the other hand to the other thigh. Hold for  a breath and then bring the first hand back to the back and after another breath return the second hand.

When comfortable in niralumaba sarvangasana (unsupported headstand) consider exploring the vinyasas.

When lowering and raising the leg, begin the action in the hip, while stretching through the length of the leg.

By lowering on the inhalation you keep more control of the descent.

In lowering the leg to the mat (pic.3) place one arm on the mat above your head on the inhalation, stay for a breath and then on the next inhalation lower the leg to the palm, hold the toe and ideally stay for three breaths.

You may wish to lower the leg on the inhalation and raise it on the exhalation while you become comfortable with the movement and shift in balance, repeating three times and then holding the toes on the third lowering.

Problems can come on the raising of the leg back up to horizontal. be sure to keep the torso forward and stretching up through the legs and keeping the the trailing leg forward of your head while raising the leg.

in the next vinyasa bring both hands above the head. in the beginning you might lower first one hand, stay for a breath and then bring the other to join it staying for a breath before returning the first hand on the next breath and the second hand on the following breath.

As this becomes comfortable and stable try bringing both hands above the head and stay for three breaths.

There is another vinyasa not shown, where you bring you arms behind your head  clasping your elbows.

In the vinyasa in picture six, halasana (plough) lay the hands along the mat behind your head and then on the inhalation lower your legs to the mat above your head, the stretched out arms give more stability in this posture.

Day 69 : Urdhva Konasana in Sarvangasana (shoulderstand) subroutine from Vinyasa Krama Supine sequence

VIDEO LINK

As a reminder, Ramaswami recommends we spend five minutes in Sarvangasana (first three minutes with the legs relaxed next two with the legs straight in standard Shoulderstand) before practising the sarvangasana vinyasas

HINTS/TIPS/SUGGESTIONS

Ramaswami suggests the option of opening and closing the legs into urdhwa konasana three times, on the breath, before remaining in the posture for three to six long breaths. 

This is a good opportunity to work into the stretch, starting with the legs opening to quarter, half and finally full stretch.

Try not to allow the legs to come forward or the back to drop too far back into your hands, this posture should ideal happen with the hips and legs in line, on a plane as it were.

In Urdhwa baddha konasana, I find it useful to roll on to the outside of the feet to open the legs wider before bringing the feet back together.

There is the option of bringing the legs down towards the mat and then raising them back up into urdhawa konasana, three times on the breath, each time going deeper into the fold.

Engage bandhas, drawing the belly back and up to create mere space for the deep forward bend.

We can begin by holding the toes, then the sides of the feet and finally the heels, drawing ourselves deeper into the posture on each long exhalation.

Day 66 : Sarvangasana (shoulderstand) lead in subroutine from Vinyasa Krama Supine sequence

VIDEO LINK

Ramaswami has Sarvangasana (shoulderstand0 along with Sirsasana (headstand) and paschimottanasana (seated posterior stretch) as the three postures his teacher, Krishnamacharya recommended practicing every day and for a considerable length time.

Sarvangasana, it is suggested, should be practiced for anything between five and twenty minutes daily.

Ramaswami recommended we spend three minutes in Sarvangasana with the legs relaxed then another two minutes with them straight in classic sarvangasana. After that first five minutes we might then consider exploring some of the vinyasas.

Looking ahead I think we have seven sarvangasana subroutines.

Ramaswami would also recommend a counterpose after sarvangasana so as to relieve the strain placed on the neck and shoulders, he suggests bhujangasana (cobra, Day 45) and especially makrasana (crocodile, Day 44) as ideal counterposes, stating that, 'The counterposes, as a rule, should be simple, effective and targeted' (Yoga beneath the surface p105).

HINTS/TIP/SUGESTIONS

The above practice sheet shows the advanced lead in, it requires a degree of flexibility in the neck and shoulders at picture 8 that may not be available to you. 

It is important that in Picture 8 the shoulders are on the mat rather than the back of the neck, engage jalandhara bandha ( the chin lock)

Rather than risk strain in the early stages one may consider the alternative approach below.

Here a blanket is used beneath the shoulders, creating space for the neck and avoiding any strain.

Day 65 : Sarvangasana (shoulderstand) preparation subroutine from Vinyasa Krama Supine sequence

VIDEO LINK

Ramaswami states in The Complete Book of Vinyasa Yoga 

'Even though all the vinyasas we have considered so far under the category of supine poses can be reckoned to be preparatory for the shoulder stand, three of them are considered essential before going in for the shoulder stand pose in the Vinyasa method of yoga practice.' p122

The three are 

Anapanasana (pictures 2-5) see Day 59

Dwipadapitam (pictures 6+7) see Day 60

Leg and arm lift (pictures 8+9) see Day 62

HINTS/TIPS/SUGGESTIONS
General
Ramaswami also recommends the hand and arm variations in tadasana (Day 1) from the On your feet sequence, as useful for relaxing and loosening up the neck and shoulders.

The practice sheet above represents my default preparation, I like to do all three of the pavamuktasana, neck tilts, bringing the chin, nose and then forehead to the knee (anapanasana pose is when the head remains on the mat, pavamuktasana when the head tilts). Here I've done the both legs together version but you could just as well do the single leg version on both sides instead.

The same goes for the arm and leg lifts, here too, I've gone for the both legs together version but you could do the single leg vinyasas, either same arm/same leg or cross body.

In Dwipadapitam any of the vinyasas would be acceptable or even a long stay in just the ankle hold, lengthening breath and engaging bandhas.

Anapanasana (pictures 2-5) see Day 59


In all the anapanasana vinyasas the head stays on the mat, the hip lifts to bring the knee or knees to the chest.

In all the pavamuktasana vinyasas the head lifts off the mat to bring with the chin, nose or forehead to the knee or knees.

It's acceptable to raise the head when catching the knee in anapanasana but once caught lower the head, and tighten the grip around the leg or legs and press the thigh(s) against the lower abdomen.

In the pavamuktasana vinyasas be careful not to strain when bringing your forehead to your knee, stretch up through the length of your spine and drop your shoulder blades down your back.

Engaging uddiyana at the end of the exhalation may also help to allow the forehead to reach the knee.

Dwipadapitam (pictures 6+7) see Day 60


Keep the legs strong throughout, push the feet into the mat especially the toes and stretch though the whole length of the leg(s).

Explore nutation, tilting the pelvis upwards, to create more space for the spine to arch.

Take the weight on the shoulders rather than the neck, make sure the shoulderblades are dropped down the back and not hunched up and compessing the neck

Push the chest up and almost over the shoulders.

Leg and arm lift (pictures 8+9) see Day 62


Raise the arm(s) over the head on the inhalation, raise the legs on the exhalation

Hold each posture for three to six breaths

Ideally we want to keep the sacrum, the small of the back on the mat while lifting the legs, difficult, engage mula bandha to anchor.