These poses have a calming effect on the nervous system as they prepare both the mind and the body for a good night of sleep. This sequence can be practiced as a yin sequence, where you hold the poses for three minutes each or if you want to practice a shorter evening sequence you can remain in the poses 5-7 breaths and still have soothing benefits of the practice. This series can even be practiced in bed if you have trouble falling asleep.
Remember that this sequence is all about letting go and relaxing, see if you can let go of any temptations to reach further into any pose. Whenever you notice that thoughts have drifted off, gently bring your awareness back to a full deep breath as an anchor or scan through the body to see if you are tensing anywhere where you could actually relax right now.
Let go of what has happened during the day, any more to-do-lists or thoughts over tomorrow and allow yourself to begin to un-wind from the day!
Photos taken by Saara Oinonen
At Wasa Yoga Center
1. Wide legged forwards fold. Begin seated on the mat with the legs extended wide out to the sides. Option to sit up on a pillow or rolled blanket to elevate the hips above the knees in all of these seated poses. You don't have to extend the legs as far out to the sides as possible, especially if this bothers the knees you can bring the legs closer together. If this pose already feels intense you can remain seated, but if it feels okay you can allow the upper body to begin to fold forwards. Find your edge for today and remain there for chosen period of time. Letting go of reaching further into the pose, focus your awareness on deepening the breath, to deepen present moment awareness and to accept wherever you are right now.
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2. Square pose. Extend the legs straight out in front of your, bend in the right foot on top of the left knee. Option to keep the left leg straight or to bend in the bottom leg as well (as shown in the picture bellow). Keep the feet flexed to protect the knees. If you experience knee pain, you can sit in a cross legged position with the right foot in front of the left. Remain seated or option to begin to fold forwards to deepen sensations of opening the hips,
3. Square twist. Keep the position of the legs as they are and place the left hand on the outside of the right knee. Inhale to straighten the spine and exhale to deepen the twist. Hold the pose from five breaths up to three minutes before switching the position of the legs, first coming into square pose (modifying with your variation) and then repeating the twist on the other side.
4. Caterpillar. Extend the legs straight out in front of you. Bend the knees here as much as you need to. On an exhale begin to lower the upper body down into a forward fold, letting go of reaching for results and practice surrendering into the pose. Breathe deeply and remain here for chosen period of time.
5. Snail. Lower down to lie on the back, lift the legs up towards the ceiling and support your hands behind your lower back as you begin to lift the hips up. Coming through shoulderstand and lower down the feet towards the mat above the head. Either keep the legs straight or bent here. Keep the chin towards the chest and allow the spine to be rounded (which is different from plow pose in yang yoga, where you want to aim for a straight spine). Breathe deeply and listen even more carefully to the sensations in the body in an upside down position, lowering slowly out of the pose if your body tells you to.
6. Legs up the wall. Extend your legs up a wall and move the sit bones in as close to the wall as possible, option to place a pillow or rolled up blanket under the hips if this becomes too intense. You can place the hands out to the sides or rest the palms on the belly. Remain here from five breaths up to three minutes. If you suffer from insomnia or wish to deepen the calming effects of this amazing pose, I recommend you to remain in this position for five minutes as you allow time to do the work for you.
After legs up the wall lie down in Savasana to soak in the benifits of the practice, or find your way directly to your bed for a good nights sleep. Either way, see if you can remain in the calm effects of this practice for the rest of the evening.
Namaste & Sweet dreams!
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