Yoga

Home Practice
Manual
Bringing Yoga into
your daily life.

Three Week Guide

Step on to the mat & let the rest flow....

Cultivate a consistent, conscious practice that is not affected by day to day irregularities. To
help with this create a space for your practice, with your mat prepared without any external
distractions. If you plan to practice first thing in the morning lay your mat out the night before.
Plan your practice into your week as you would plan a doctors appointment or a meeting.

Follow each of the practices from week one through to week three, taking suitable options and
variations according to your level of practice. Once you become familiar with the sequences
you may wish to improvise and modify by including additional sequences, adding or excluding
asanas. The changes that you make should be guided by your intuition to strengthen and
restore balance physically & mentally, rather than from an attachment to personal likes and
dislikes of particular asanas.

Hathasya prathamaangatvaadaasanam poorvamuchyate.

Kuryattadaasanam sthairyamaarogyam chaangalaaghavam.

Prior to everything, asana is spoken of as the first part of Yoga.

Having done asana, one attains steadiness of body and mind, freedom from disease and lightness of the limbs.
- Hatha Yoga Pradipika (1:7)
Vinyasa Yoga
- Synchronising the practice of Yoga Asana with Breath.

Pranayama - Breath Awareness

During Vinyasa Yoga practice the breath should continuously flow through the nose. Try to
synchronise the duration of the inhalation and the exhalation to last from the time that the
movement begins until slightly after it finishes.

Controlling the breath will help you to control your thoughts and remove fluctuations of the
mind, making your practice steady and fluid. If you find that you are holding your breath,
observe the underlying thought that lead to you holding the breath. Over time remove these
thoughts that lead to breath retention, through conscious awareness of each breath when
moving from one asana to another.
Weekly Guide

Week 1

Sun Salutation x 2 rounds

Warrior sequence l & lll
Lunging Twist
Closing Sequence
Relaxation

Week 2

Sun Salutation x 2 rounds

Warrior sequence l & lll
Standing Strength
Hamstring & Seated Twist
Closing Sequence
Relaxation

Week 3

Sun Salutation x 3 rounds

Warrior sequence l & lll
Hip Opening
Headstand
Closing Sequence
Relaxation
Surya Namaskara - Sun Salutation

The performance of Surya Namaskar establishes an intention for your practice. As you move
through each of the asanas you are bowing in respect to the heavens, the Earth, and all earthly
beings.

Prayer pose (Samastittih)

Sun reach (Hasta Uttanasana)
Forward bend (Uttanasana)
Half Lift (Samakonasana)
Lunge (Yajanasana)
High Plank - (option knees) → Low Plank (Chaturanga Dandasana)
Cobra option (Bhujangasana)
Option Upward-facing dog (Urdhva Mukha Svanasana)
Downward-Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)
Lunge (Yajanasana)
Forward bend (Uttanasana)
Sun reach (Hasta Uttanasana)
Prayer pose (Samasthitih)
Sun Salutation - Surya Namaskar For each round lead with the right leg first, then repeat leading with the left
leg. Choose option of either knees or toes in Plank and follow with either Cobra or Upward-facing Dog.
Warrior l & lll Flow
Downward facing dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)
Crescent Lunge preparation (Ardha Chandrasana)
Crescent Lunge (Ardha Chandrasana)
Warrior lll (Virabhadrasana lll)
Warrior l (Virabhadrasana l)
High plank (Chaturanga Dandasana)
Low plank (Chaturanga Dandasana)
Cobra (Urdva Mukha Svanasana)
Upward facing dog (Urdhva Mukha
Svanasana)
Child’s pose (Balasana)

“Only as a spiritual warrior can one withstand the path

of knowledge. A warrior cannot complain or regret
anything. HIs life is an endless challenge and
challenges cannot simply be good or bad. Challenges
are simply challenges”
A Path With Heart
Hold each of the first six asanas for 5 breaths. Repeat sequence with opposite leg forward.
Week 1 - Lunging Twist

Benefits

Twists are very powerful for cleansing and detoxifying, promoting health of the
spine and stimulating digestion.

Alignment

Leading with the right leg first spend 5 breathes in each pose.

If you are new to your Yoga practice take the option of coming down to your
back knee and the top of the back foot. If staying on the back toes, extend
through to the heel, keeping the weight even on the front and back foot. The 3rd
and 4th poses are options to progress further once you’re steady and if seeking
a deeper twist with chest and shoulder opening. Repeat with the left leg in front.

When you become familiar with the asanas you may wish to add the twist into
the previous Vinyasa flow before Warrior lll.
Week 1 - Standing Strength

Benefits

This sequence is designed to reduce anxiety and stress.

Alignment

Leading with the right leg first spend 5 breathes in each pose.

Become aware of the alignment of your body, making sure that the front foot is
pointing directly forward. Engage the outer thigh and buttocks to align the front
leg with the outside of the front foot. Open through the front of the shoulders and
chest whilst gently drawing the lower rib cage in to avoid arching through the
back.

When you become familiar with the asanas you may wish to add each this
sequence to the Vinyasa flow following Warrior l.
Week 2 - Hamstrings & Seated Twists
Janu Sirsasana (Head to Knee Pose) 8 breathes each leg

Benefits,
Stretches the spine, shoulders, hamstrings and groin. Calms the mind, elevates
mood and relieves anxiety, stimulates liver and kidneys, improves digestion.
Therapeutic for high blood pressure, sleep disturbances and sinusitis.

Alignment
Try to keep hips and shoulders square to the front of the mat. Focus on
lengthening the spine from the base & centering the chest along to straight leg.

Ardha Matsyendrasana (Half Lord of the Fishes Pose) 8 breathes each side

Benefits
Energises the spine, liver, kidneys and digestive fire. Stretches shoulders, neck
and hips. Relieves sciatica. menstrual pain, fatigue and backache. Therapeutic
for asthma and infertility.

Alignment
Keep both sit bones and the foot of the bent knee firmly on the ground.
Lengthen spine on inhalation and gently deepen into the twist on the exhalation.

Option
Deepen the pose by extending the leg, holding the outside of the foot with the
opposite hand. Neutralise by opening the chest and twisting in the opposite
direction.
Week 2 - Hip Opening

Eka Pada Rajakapotasana (One Legged Royal King Pigeon)

Benefits
Stretches the groins, thighs, hips, abdomen, chest and shoulders. Stimulates
the abdominal organs and has therapeutic effects on Urinary disorders.

Alignment
Start in Downward-facing Dog Pose. Place the right knee at the back of the right
wrist, if comfortable angle it slightly to the right, outside the line of the hip. Look
back at your left leg. It should extend straight out of the hip (and not be angled
off to the left), and rotated slightly inwardly, so its midline presses against the
floor. Exhale and extend your torso down stretch your arms forward, either
resting on the forearms or the forehead on the mat. Keep drawing the right hip
back slightly and encouraging the left hip forward to keep the hips aligned.

Hold for 8 breaths. Repeat on the left side.

Option

Take hold of the back foot or ankle and open into the chest and shoulders.
Avoid lifting the hips away from the mat. To work deeper in the pose, take hold
with both hands.
Week 3
Salamba Sirsasana - Head Stand
Inversions have a powerful affect on calming the mind,
relieving stress and mild depression. They also stimulate the
pituitary and pineal glands which is great for digestion. The
physical demands of Salamba Sirsasana strengthens the
arms, legs, and core muscles. Therapeutically inversions help
to relieve asthma, infertility, insomnia, and sinusitis

Alignment
It is important that you acknowledge your level of practice and
experience when coming into Head Stand, only progressing
when you feel balanced and steady.

Place the elbows shoulder width apart, interlock the fingers

and cup the back of the head. The top of the head should
have contact with the mat. Walk feet towards your head.

Option engage abdominal muscles and bring knees to chest

and feet to buttocks. Keep pressing elbows in to the mat to
lift shoulders away from the ears.

Option straighten the legs to vertical above the hips and

shoulders. Engage the core and buttocks muscles.

Hold whichever option you take for 10 breaths. Rest in Child’s

Pose for breathes before moving through the closing
sequence.
Closing Prayer

Om
Asatoma sadgamaya
Tamasoma jyothir gamaya
Mrutyorma amruthan gamaya
Om shanti, shanti, shanti.

Om

Lead me from ignorance to truth

Lead me from darkness to light

Lead me from death to immortality

Om, peace, peace, peace.

Closing Sequence
All practices
Bridge (Kandharasana) 5 breathes
Perform twice if not coming into full wheel position.

Option Wheel (Chakrasana) 5 breathes

Godess Pose (Supta Badhha Konasana)

Back release - knees to chest

Half Shoulder stand (Vipareeta Karani)

Shoulder stand (Sarvangasana) 10 breathes

Plough - Halasana (5 breathes)

Progress to fingers interlocked if toes are on the ground

Option Deaf Mans Pose (Karna Pidasana)

Fish Pose (Matsyasana)

Option Unsupported Fish Pose

Knee to chest
Leg extended (Supta Padangusthasana)
Spinal Twist (Jathara Paravartanasana)
Repeat on other leg.

Corpse Pose (Savasana) 5 minutes

Balance out the energy and benefits from the Asanas.
Remain!here!until your breath becomes relaxed.
Perform this sequence at the end of each practices. There are several challenging asanas illustrated for
advanced students. Work towards the full wheel and variations of the neutralising pose for shoulder stand.
Pranayama
Breath Control
Your unconscious breath is subject to all
kinds of fluctuations according to your mood,
thoughts, external environment, digestion and
so forth. Some of the first Yogi’s discovered
the connection with the breath and the mind,
realising that if they could even out the
breath, they could even out the fluctuations
of the mind. From here the practice of
Pranayama was born.

Prana is the energy that moves the universe

and resides in all beings. So, through
Pranayama (control of prana), you use the
breath to release and channel the body’s
internal energy (prana).

Pranayama nurtures a high level of physical

health and mental clarity enabling us to lead
a wholesome and authentic life.

There are many different approaches to

Pranayama. Over the coming weeks, aim to
practice both of the following techniques on a
regular basis.

1. Three-part Breath - Dirga Pranayama

2. Nadi Shodhana Pranayama (Alternate Nostril
Breathing)
Three-part Breath - Dirga Pranayama

Lie in a comfortable position, begin to deeply inhale and exhale through the nose. On each inhale, fill the
belly up with your breath. Expand the belly with air like a balloon. On each exhale, expel all the air out from
the belly through your nose. Draw the navel back towards your spine to make sure that the belly is empty of
air. Repeat this deep belly breathing for about five breaths.

On the next inhale, fill the belly up with air as described above. Then when the belly is full, draw in a little
more breath and let that air expand into the rib cage causing the ribs to widen apart. On the exhale, let the
air go first from the rib cage, letting the ribs slide closer together, and them from the belly, drawing the navel
back towards the spine. Repeat this deep breathing into the belly and rib cage for about five breaths.

On the next inhale, fill the belly and rib cage up with air as described above. Then draw in just a little more
air and let it fill the upper chest, all the way up to the collarbone, causing the area around the heart to
expand and rise. On the exhale, let the breath go first from the upper chest, allowing the heart centre sink
back down, then from the rib cage, letting the ribs slide closer together. Finally, let the air go from the belly,
drawing the navel back towards the spine. Repeat this breathing for five to ten breaths.
Every breath is a new beginning....
Find a comfortable seated position where your back is
straight and the shoulders are relaxed. You may like to
use a blanket under your buttocks or rest against a
wall to assist with this.
Close you eyes, let you body become still, let you
nerves become still. In this stillness, observe the
quality of your natural breath. After several minutes of
observing the breathe, begin to shape the breath
making it more fluid and rhythmic. Begin to distribute
the breath evenly so that all of the lungs become
equally receptive to the breath. Open the spaces of the
lungs where the breathe is more reluctant to penetrate
by bringing your attention to these spaces so that
they can receive the breath more fully.
Nadi Shodhana Pranayama (Alternate
Nostril Breathing)
This is a beautiful breathing technique to centre
yourself and clear your mind.
To start, inhale and exhale normally through both
nostrils. Then, inhale only through the left nostril
while closing the right nostril. Next, close off the left
nostril and exhale through the right nostril. Inhale
through the right nostril then close the right nostril to
exhale through the left. Perform 5 to 12 rounds,
resting between each round if need be.

When you first begin to work with your breath, it will

naturally increase in volume. Don’t suppress that
increase but try to not actively encouraging it, either.
The focus is not on ingesting more air, but on
increasing the quality of your breath and your
sensitivity to it.

After a few moments of conscious breathing progress

to Alternate Nostril Breathing (Nadi Shodhana
Pranayama).
Meditation

Sit in a comfortable posture that is stable and

connected to the Earth. Let your eyes close and
turn your attention to your breathing. Breath into
stillness, letting each breath bring a calmness and
ease to your body and mind. Continue to feel
your steadiness and connections to the earth,
sense your capacity to rest unshaken by the
fluctuations of life. Use you breath to stay
present with each passing moment and not be
distracted by thoughts.

Start with five minutes a day of quiet meditation

and progress towards fifteen minutes by the end
of the third week.

“When we take the one seat on our meditation

cushion we become our own monastery. We
create the compassionate space that allows for
the arising of all things: sorrows, loneliness,
shame, desire, regret, frustration, happiness.”
~ A Path with Heart
“There is a world of difference between a bird sitting and singing in a tree and a bird singing in a
cage. It is only when the mind is free that the person can be free, not otherwise. With a free and
quiet mind, we are able to live with a song of life, a song of love, a song of joy in our heart! Yet our
freedom should not be used as a reckless license to do anything we please. In true freedom and
happiness we like whatever we do, but we do not always do whatever we like.”

~ Swami Nirmalanda, A Garland of Forest Flowers

 www.LisWhiteYoga.com

Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu

May all beings be happy and free and may the thoughts, words and actions of my own life
contribute to the happiness and freedom for all.