Valentines Day Yoga Sequence

davannayoga® Morning Yoga – 1 hour with pranayama, gentle asana and a Heart Meditation – Focus:  Heart Chakra

Music: Classical/ambient, soft, light

Theme: Heart Chakra

Mantra: Lokaha Samasta Sukhino Bhavantu – sung  - not spoken X 3 together

Mudra: Apan Vayu Mudra  ( also known as Mritsanjeevini Mudra) – Fold the index down and touch the mound of the thumb. The little finger should be held erect. Touch your thumb to third and fourth fingers.   This mudra regulates complications of the heart. 

Metta Meditation (send metta to yourself first, then to someone close to you, then to a neutral person, then to someone you may be having difficulty with, finally to all beings)

Om X 3

Pranayama: Ujjayi Pranayama with arms open then closed in front of heart then open again. This is a flowing breath connecting breath with body.

Asanas Warming Up:

On knees and hands, bring right foot through in between hands,  lift right arm and open heart to the right; lift left arm and open heart to the left. Make this a beautiful flowing vinyasa. Inhale lift right arm, exhale lower right arm, inhale lift left arm, exhale lower left arm.  Other side. 2 mins each side.

Gate Pose  x 10 breaths each side. Feel free to take any variations you know here.

Ustrasana or variation – Use Lotus Flower Visualization (that a lotus flower is blossoming in the heart area - feel the petals opening in through the abdomen, heart, now in the shoulders and arms....)

Sun Stretches X 5 – but when you go to Utanasana stay 5 breaths each time. At end sweep hands side to side before rolling up. Visualize chakras as you come down each time. Hang with different arm positions.

Step back for Crescent Moon Lunge  - stay for 10 breaths on each side. Open the heart.

Drop hand down inside foot and open heart to one side and then drop other hand down and open heart to other side. You can flow gently with this vinyasa again. flow for 2 minutes

Balancing Posture: Parsvotanasana to Warrior III  5 breaths in each

Transitional/neutralizing posture: Adho Mukha Svanasana 5 breaths

Come to floor -  Eka Pada Raja kapotanasana (EPRK) with rolls then binding if wished – focus on heart opening. Slide back leg forward for Gomukhasana

Seated Postures and twists: Ghomukhasana (20 breaths),  Marichyasana III (20 breaths) - then start at EPRK again and do all on other side.

Backbends – Setu Bhandasana to Urdhva Dhanurasana if you wish. 2 -3 minutes

Inversion: Shalamba Sarvangasana  - stay 3 minutes - to  Halasana stay 2 minutes and Karna Pidasana stay 1 minute

Counter pose: Matsyasana (very good for heart opening) ( stay 20 breaths)

Finishing Pose(s): Reclined twists (pulling tail of cat or twist with knees ) 2 minutes each side.

Heart Meditation at end – sitting or lying down 

10-15 minutes: 

Laying down in a relaxed position place your hands in anjali mudra with base of hands at heart.

Lose sense of time and distractions - focus instead on the in breath coming in, and the out breath going out. 

Then take your focus to the heart beat - can you feel the heart beating? Stay here for 5 minutes.   

Then rub the hands together feeling the heart's energy in the hands and when they are very warm place the hands on top of the heart - first the right hand and then the left hand on top of the right.  

Feel the heart energy moving now into the arms and legs from your palms into your whole body. Beautiful light green energy from the heart chakra.  Stay here for 5 minutes

Now that you have all of this energy in your hands, gently move them to the sides of your body and open your palms and visualize the energy that is in your palms flowing out into the universe. See it specifically going to your friends, partners, children, parents and others you want to send it to.  Stay here 3 minutes    

Gently send this great heart energy to yourself by placing the hands back at the heart and chanting OM Shanti, Shanti, Shanti.