Yoga is a natural way to settle your mind and ease muscular tension, the best way to wake up and start your day totally ZEN.

So leave your mat rolled up in your yoga bag and stay in bed instead! 

You can enjoy your comfy bed just a little longer!!! :-)

Remove blankets and pillows before you start. (unless you need them to support you!)

Yoga poses when you wake up = 

1: Matsyasana or fish pose:

It is said that if you perform the fish pose in (moving)water, you will be able to float like a fish.

-> Traditionally Fish Pose is performed with the legs in Padmasana or lotus. Since Padmasana is beyond the capacity of most beginning students, i will show asana's with the legs in front of your body.

Benefits

  • A traditional text that Matsyasana is the “destroyer of all diseases.”

  • Stretches the deep hip flexors (psoas) and the muscles (intercostals) between the ribs

  • Stretches and stimulates the muscles of the belly and front of the neck

  • Stretches and stimulates the organs of the belly and throat

  • Strengthens the muscles of the upper back and back of the neck

  • Improves posture

  • Relieves backache, fatigue and anxiety.

fish / arms open / chest open

Fold a pillow under your chest to open your heart and your shoulders. It should feel good

-> if not: fold your pillow in another way or use more pillows. You should feel totally relaxed.

fish arms above your head.jpg

Fish pose: With a bigger stretch in chest, shoulders and armpits. 

fish arms under your body, from the elbows: push your chest up.jpg

Fish pose: bring your elbows, as close as you can, under your body. Push your elbows in your bed to open your heart en your shoulders. 

 

2: Ananda Balasana or Happy Baby Pose.

 

happy baby.jpg

Happy Baby offers a gentle stretch of your spine and inner groin while calming the brain and relieving stress and fatigue.

-> Keep your ankles over the knees, flex through your heels and gently push your feet up into your hands.

Benefits

* Gently stretches the inner groins and the back spine
* Calms the brain and helps relieve stress and fatigue

 

3: Supta Matsyendrasana or reclined spinal twist.

Twist: R leg to the left.
twist R knee to the left.jpg

Reclined spinal twist: Bring your R knee close to your chest and drop it to the L, turn your head to the R. Repeat on the other side.

Benefits:

  • Stretches the back muscles and spine. 

  • Stimulates the kidneys, abdominal organs, urinary bladders and intestines.

  • Releases stress. 

  • Realign your spine while lengthening, relaxing and encouraging healthy circulations to your organs. 

 

4: Eka Pada Asana or pigeon pose:

 

R leg in front

R leg in front.

L leg in front

L leg in front

-> Find the external rotation and flexion that your hips need to remain agile in sleeping pigeon pose.

Benefits

* Provides the external rotation and flexion that your hips need to remain agile.

* Releases tension in your hips from sitting all day.