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-Follow Along these simple steps to feel your Best
This Yoga class is just 24 minutes long and will teach you how to relax and chill in your PJs with gentle stretches without having to do any upside-down poses, kneeling, or standing. The course focuses mainly on hip, shoulders, and chest opening poses.
Before you begin, you should get two cushions to open up the chest and a blanker for more comfort since the practice is mainly done on the floor.
Opening Sequence: Grounded Warm-Up
Sit comfortably on the floor and extend your legs forward. To release stiffness in the lower legs, begin with gentle rotations of the ankle in one direction, before switching to the other. Now spread and squeeze the toes, and engage the feet to enhance mobility and circulation.
Next, bring up your knees, place your hands behind your thighs, and align the knees with the ankles. You will now engage in seated cat-cow poses to warm up the spine. To help relax and awaken the back and neck, inhale movements such as tilting the chin upward, lifting the chest, and arching the back. You should also exhale and round the back by leaning slightly backward and tucking the chin.
Gentle Massage and Transition
Massage your shins, thighs, IT bands, and side glutes to give yourself much-needed care and self-love. By tapping the calves and inner thighs gently, it relieves muscle tension. If you can, you should sit on a cushion so that you get better posture by tilting the pelvis forward.
Reclined Chest Opener with Cushion
Lie down with a cushion under the thoracic area (upper back). Spread out the arms in a wide T-shape with the palms upward facing while the legs should be in a relaxed V-shape. At this point, start exhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth in deep breaths. Due to gravity, this position makes it easier to open the chest and shoulders.
Move your arms in gentle circles over your head as you inhale and lower them slowly while you exhale. This movement is excellent for promoting relaxation of the upper body and shoulders and improving mobility.
Side-Lying Stretch (Open Book Pose)
Move to a side-lying position (if you feel any discomfort, place a cushion under the head). Bend the knees at a right angle so they are in alignment with the hips. To perform the open book movement, lift the top arm upward and then rotate it backward, thus opening the chest and bringing it back down to the bottom arm. Do this several times to stretch the chest and encourage spinal mobility.
Next, extend the top leg straight down while extending the top arm overhead. This practice is good for lengthening the waist and the hips.
To ensure perfect body balance, complete the sequence on one side and then do it on the other.
Reclined Stick Pose and Butterfly Pose
Go back to the reclined position. Now, extend your arms overhead and stretch the entire body by extending the legs straight down to engage the stick pose. Bend the knees and bring together the soles of the feet to make the reclined butterfly pose and open the hips and inner thighs. While doing this, try deep cleansing breaths and relax in the position to release tension in the chest and hips and promote calmness.
The reclined stick and butterfly pose has many benefits, including better lymphatic drainage and releasing tension around the inner things and the hips. While doing this pose, try to let go of stress and surrender to the moment.
Reclined Pigeon Pose
Bend one knee and bring the leg toward the chest while moving the ankle in a circle in both directions to loosen the foot’s tension. Extend the leg upward to activate the hamstrings through a deep stretch.
Make a four-figure shape by placing the ankle on top of the opposite thigh while making use of the hands to gently pull the lower leg closer to the chest. This is a pose that targets the lower back, hips, and glutes and is known as a reclined pigeon. Do steady and slow exhalations and hold the position for several breaths for greater effectiveness.
After you release the pose, do gentle twisting movements to move the knees from side to side. This dynamic movement is great for releasing tension in the hips and lower back. To ensure balance and symmetry in the stretches, do the sequence on both sides.
Closing Sequence: Upper Body and Neck Stretches
Come to a seated position and adopt a cross-legged position or sit on a chair if you like. This closing sequence is all about the neck and the upper body. Do shoulder rolls in both directions to release tension and then do targeted stretches for the neck.
Tilt your head toward one shoulder to stretch the neck, even as you extend the other arm outward. Flex your palm and gently rotate your fingers downward to make the stretch along the neck and arm more effective. Place a hand on the side of the head to get a deeper stretch by adding light resistance. You could also do a variation of this by turning the face toward the armpit and moving the hand to the back of the head.
As usual, repeat the process on the opposite side to ensure perfect body balance.
Final Relaxation and Closing
Conclude the Pagoda Yoga practice by returning to a reclined position in readiness for one final stretch. Extend the arms overhead in a stick pose and then bend the knees and roll to one side. Remove the cushions and lie flat on the ground with the knees bent. Incorporate gentle stretches and movements to ensure the body feels fully balanced and relaxed.
End the session by sitting comfortably as you reflect on the relaxation brought about by the practice.
All in all, it is a gentle and comprehensive guide to Pagoda Yoga relaxation that combines breathing techniques, spinal mobility, and stretches. Every movement is carefully made to promote flexibility and release tension resulting in a sense of calm. Whether you perform it as part of a regular practice or after a long day, this practice will support both mental and physical well-being.
Watch this entire video on the Cozy & Chill PJ Home Yoga
Namaste,
Lee
