The Night Before Christmas (podcast notes 12/252021)
Moon Salutation
Begin in Mountain pose reach up and over into crescent moon then step open into horse stance. Straighten your legs and spread your arms to come into star pose. Extend and bend from the hip to your right foot to be in triangle pose and turn to face your right leg. Lengthen over your right leg into extended side stretch. Bend the knee to low lunge and turn the torso to come into side lunge. Now shift the weight to the left side and come into side lunge, turn to low lunge. Straight the leg to be in extended side stretch. Turn again to come into Triangle pose. Come up to star pose, bend the knees and sit in horse stance, extend the arms and legs and reach to crescent moon and jump the legs to mountain pose.
Dancer
Stand in Mountain pose. Lift your left arm so it is parallel to the floor. Take your right foot towards your buttocks and grab your ankle with your right hand. As you do this vigorous and beautiful pose, acknowledge yourself as a dancer in yoga.
Chair
Stand in Mountain pose. Lift your arms to the sky like you are holding onto the chains of a swing. Now keeping the lift of the arms, sit back onto the chair of the swing- it's lower than you think!
Half Moon
From standing jump your feet wide and bend at the waist sideways, brining one arm to the floor. As the arm comes to the floor let the opposite foot start to float up like the moon. Feel a little curve in your body from your head to your foot just like a curve in a half-moon.
Horse-
Stand in Star pose and bring your hands in front of you. Bend your knees till they are over your ankles. Your legs and torso show the side profile of the horse.
Eagle
From mountain pose, bend slightly your arms and legs. Wrap your right leg around your left leg. Then wrap your left arm around your right arm, keep the hands straight. You look like an eagle circling a tree, look outwards to the sky like an eagle.
House
From Star pose, bring your arms up over your head and interlace your fingers like the roof of the house.
Twisted triangle
Stand in Star pose and turn your feet to the right. Take your left hand and like a windmill, rotate your torso and bring your left hand next to your right foot. Extend your right arm to the ceiling. Twist your torso and look in front of you.
Rag doll
From Mountain pose, step your feet a little apart and bend at the waist. Relax the head, grab the elbows with the hands and relax the arms. Feel like a doll waiting to be picked up.
Bow
Lay on your belly with your arms next to your torso and your legs straight on the ground. Bend your knees and bring your feet towards your buttocks. Reach back with your hands and grab hold of your ankles or feet. Roll the shoulders back and pull the feet and hands upward like they are a bow preparing to shoot an arrow.
Garland
From Tadasana bring your hands together in front of your chest. Keep the torso lifted and bend the legs as if coming into chair pose. Continue bending your knees till your buttocks is next to your heels.
Criss cross twist
Sit in Criss cross and take your left hand to your right thigh and your right hand behind you. Lift the torso and turn to the right.
Candlestick
From resting pose, bend your legs and lift your legs to the ceiling and take your hands to your back. Make your legs stay stiff like a candle of wax.
Rest
Lay down on your back. Rest for 2 minutes. You can count to 100 or skip count by 2’s, or even multiply in your head as high as you can. Then turn to your right side and sit up.