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March 23, 2023A Yoga Sequence for Spring Awakening
Spring is a magical time of the year. As the days get longer and the emerging buds and leaves bring the promise of flowers and fruit, there is a feeling of vibrancy and rejuvenation in the air.
Spring provides a beautiful opportunity for a fresh start, especially as we surface from the hibernation of winter.
Spring is a great time to set new intentions, letting them be like the buds on the trees – ready to flourish through this season and into summer. This is also an opportune time to spring clean, letting go of what is not serving you so that you can create space for adventure and abundance.
The Spring Awakening Yoga Sequence
We’ve created the perfect yoga sequence to help you shed your winter coat and awaken your body, mind and soul to the season of Spring.
This yoga sequence can be done as laid out below; however, feel free to add transitions and a longer warm-up/cool-down to make this practice your own!
Mountain Pose (Tadasana)
Benefits: This is a great pose to ground and center yourself for your practice. It allows you to develop an awareness of your alignment, posture and sense of balance and keep this in mind as you continue your practice.
Step by Step: Start in a standing posture, bringing your feet hip-width distance apart. Soften through your shoulders. Press into all four corners of your feet and feel grounded, like the roots of a tree. From here, take a few cleansing breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth to become present in your practice and let go of any thoughts or feelings that are not serving you. Set an intention for what you want to invite in for the season of Spring.
Shaking the Bones
Benefits: This is a great exercise to open up the fascia and release stress and tension, while allowing prana to move through your body.
Step-by-Step: Starting from mountain pose, bounce up and down with your knees, shake out your limbs gently, and then allow your body to move in a way that feels intuitive to you for a few minutes. It may feel a little strange initially, but this can be a very liberating exercise for your body.
Here is some more information about this exercise to help guide your practice.
Sun Salutation (Surya Namaskar)
Benefits: This sequence is a wonderful way to honor the longer days of sunlight ahead while warming your body, lubricating your joints, and preparing yourself physically and mentally for the rest of your yoga practice.
Check out this post for step-by-step sun salutation instructions. Complete 2-3 rounds.
Standing Side Bend (Parsva Tadasana)
Benefits: This is a beneficial pose for opening up through the chest, rib cage, and shoulders; it creates space in the lungs so that you can take in those fresh breaths of spring air. This pose also counteracts long hours of sitting, which can be strenuous on the neck, and supports better posture through elongation of your spine.
Step by Step: From tadasana, lift your arms overhead and hold on to your left wrist with your right hand. Inhale to lengthen through the spine and exhale to bend towards the right, letting your hips naturally move towards the left. Notice if you are hunching forward, and work to elongate through your spine. Repeat on the opposite side.
Chair Pose (Utkatasana)
Benefits: Ignite your core, improve your balance, and strengthen your back and legs with this heat-generating posture.
Step by Step: Starting from tadasana, bend your knees and sit your hips back, bringing your thighs towards parallel with the floor. Keep your spine long and your head in a neutral position. Ensure that your knees do not move past your big toes. Guide your shoulder blades back and down, and draw your lower ribs in and up to engage your core. Lift your hands up alongside your ears. Hold this posture for 30 seconds. As you inhale, sink deeper; as you exhale, grow taller.
Revolved Lunge (Parivrtta Anjaneyasana)
Benefits: This posture improves your balance and coordination while opening your hips and strengthening your quads and glutes. Twists also activate the lymphatic system, which aids your organs to function optimally so that your body can detoxify.
Step-by-step: From tadasana, step your left foot towards the back of the mat, keeping the toes pointing forward. Keep a 90-degree bend in your front leg, ensuring the knees are stacked over the ankles. Straighten the back leg as much as possible. Lift your hands overhead, arms by your ears. Take a few breaths in your lunge. Reach your left arm in front of you and your back arm behind as you slowly twist towards the right. You can leave your arms in a t-shape or bring them into a prayer position, hooking your right elbow outside your right knee, allowing you to twist further. To come out of the pose, come back to center and step your feet together. Repeat on the other side.
Note: For a gentler version of this posture, take a low lunge by bringing your back knee down onto your mat.
Want to add more twists to the yoga sequence? Try following up your revolved lunge with a revolved triangle or revolved half-moon. I like to practice the non-revolved version first and then add in the twist after to really feel the difference.
Standing Forward Bend (Uttanasana)
Benefits: Stretches the back of the body, including the hamstrings and calves and provides a release through the spine and back. A great counter pose to follow-up twists and also a wonderful way to remind yourself to let go.
Step by Step: Starting from tadasana, lift your arms overhead. Keep your spine elongated as you fold forward towards your thighs, bringing your gaze towards the floor. Bend into your knees as much as needed. Once you find your edge, release your torso and face the crown of your head toward the floor. Your hands can rest alongside your body, on blocks, you can hold on to opposite elbows. Hold here for a few breaths.
Tip: It may feel good to take a few cat-cows and hip circles at this point in the yoga sequence before transitioning to postures lying on your back.
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Reclined Figure 4 (Supta Kapotasana)
Benefits: This posture is a great way to release tension and improve circulation in the hips while stimulating the pelvis and lower body, which may have been inactive during the cold winter months.
Step by Step: Start in constructive rest pose, lying on your back with your knees bent and the soles of the feet on the floor, hip-width distance apart. Hug your right knee toward your chest and then cross the right ankle over the left knee. Keep your right foot flexed to protect your knee. You can stay here or hug your left knee towards your chest for a deeper stretch.
Want more? Follow up or replace with pigeon pose.
Supported Bridge Pose (Setu Bandha Sarvāṅgāsana)
Benefits: This relaxing version of bridge pose is the perfect way to open your heart, chest and shoulders. With the support of the block, you get all of these benefits while allowing yourself to release tension in your back muscles.
Step by Step: Start in constructive rest and walk your feet towards your body so that you can graze the back of your heels with your fingers. Lift your hips and place a block (at any height) underneath your sacrum, releasing down and adjusting as needed. Let your hands rest by your sides as you enjoy this gentle inversion for 1-2 minutes.
Skull Shining Breath (Kapalabhati):
Contraindications: This practice should be avoided by anyone with high/low blood pressure, heart disease or during pregnancy. If you experience pain or dizziness during this practice, stop and allow yourself to return to your natural breathing pattern.
Benefits: This breathing practice is one of the six kriyas practiced in hatha yoga. It is beneficial for the circulation and oxygenation of the blood and for clearing out any stale or stagnant energy in the body. It also helps with clearing kapha dosha, which may be in excess going into the spring season.
Benefits: This breathing practice is one of the six kriyas practiced in hatha yoga. It is beneficial for the circulation and oxygenation of the blood and for clearing out any stale or stagnant energy in the body. It also helps with clearing kapha dosha, which may be in excess going into the spring season.
Step by Step: Find a comfortable seated posture, such as easy pose, sukhasana. This practice involves breathing in naturally through the nose and exhaling quickly and forcefully while contracting the core muscles. Maintain a steady rhythm and repeat this for 30 seconds, and then take a few natural breaths to reset. Depending on your experience, you may choose to practice a few cycles of kapalabhati in a row.
Corpse Pose (Savasana)
Lie down on your back, release your shoulders towards the earth and take a few breaths to release tension throughout your body. Give yourself at least 5 minutes to integrate your practice and focus on your intention for the season of spring.
If you want to connect even more with the energy of spring, go for a walk outside before this yoga sequence. Walking is a great warm-up and allows you to connect with and embrace the changing season. Better yet, if the weather permits, roll out your mat and do this yoga sequence outside!
If you’re a yoga teacher who is looking to create more great yoga sequences like this one, check out the ultimate guide for creating yoga sequences, as well as our yoga pose library.
Wishing you a beautiful and bright Spring season!