Asana Preparation for Pranayama Practice

In every asana, make the commitment to how you do the pose, what the process is, and what the progress is.  Do each pose with precision.  Evolve in the pose through re-affirming correct actions and simultaneously participating in a willing submission to the pose itself.  In essense, do the right work and quit doing the wrong work, while letting the pose work on you.

In preparation of Pranayama, practice every asana with a 50/50 focus on breath and alignment.  Every pose must have breath consciousness and work with, not against, the strength and intelligence of the breath.  Make each exhalation smooth and unhurried.

Sequence:

• Surya Namaskar
• Viparita Dandasana on a chair -chair edge at lower tips of shoulder blades
  
• Viparita Dandasana on a chair with a bolster - bolster perpindicular to spine, along edge of chair seat.
• Viparita Dandansana on a chair - with arms in sirsana on a stack of blankets
• Baby back bends - small bhujangasana
• start with arms straight out in front, with each repetition move them closer to underneath the shoulders.
• *Do not sink in the hips, but lift the upper pubis (the pubis closest to navel) to elongate the small of the back, as though the organs of the abdomen are buoyantly hovering toward the back-body.  
• *Engage the inner glutes to roll the inner thigh up to the ceiling and elongate the lower crease of the buttocks from the inside to the outside (inwardly spiral your legs).
• Dhanurasana
• Start with feet apart, lift thighs, then move feet and knees together.
• Urdhva Mukha Svanasana - with hands on block
• Ustrasana - pubis on wall
• Urdvha Dhanurasana
• *Roll elbows in to mid-line, to elongate and puff-out the armpit-chest.
• *As you move into the pose, take your belly button straight up; don't move your belly button towards the head or the feet then up, just go straight up to keep even opening in the chest and hips.
• Supported Savasana for 15 minutes
• Flat Savasana for 15 minutes
• Pranayama practice