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3. Cat / Cow
After the meditation, come on to your hands and knees. Keep your wrists under your shoulders, with you hands shoulder distance apart, your knees under your hips, with your knees hip distance apart and the tops of your feet on the mat, also hip distance apart.
Cow - On an inhale send your hips back and up, away from the mat and reach the middle of your chest forward toward the top of the mat and up as you look up, keeping your core in toward your body (don't allow your stomach to hang loose), while maybe imagining holding a ball on your back in the curve of your spine.
Cat- On an exhale, push into your arms as you lift the middle of your back up, away from the mat (think angry cat) as you tilt you hips down and forward, your pubic bone comes toward your face as you look down and in.
Take 5 breaths like this, transitioning from cow to cat and on the 5th breath, return to a table top position (flat back).
4. Balancing Table
Standing on your hands and knees (shoulder and hip distance apart respectively) with a flat back and your core in towards your spine..
On an Inhale - Extend your right hand out in front of you with your palm facing left and extend your left foot out behind you with your heel reaching back. Stay energetic in both extended limbs, reaching them in opposite directions as you keep the center of your body in toward your spine, maintaining balance through your core, keep your gaze down and the back of your neck long.
On an exhale - Push down into you left arm as you bring your left knee and right elbow in toward each other, contracting your abdominal muscles. Bring the knee closer to your upper body vs sending your elbow too far back.
Take 5 full, deep, long breaths in this way, expanding and contracting on the same side. Return to the initial position (standing on all fours) Then switch limbs for 5 breaths on the other side. ( Left hand forward, right leg back) Finally, return to first position.
5. Navasana ( Boat Pose)
From hands and knees, come to a seated position with your knees bent and the tips of your toes on the mat. Lean back slightly as you lift the middle of your chest away from your hips to maintain a flat back (avoid rounding your spine in boat pose) and extend both arms straight out in front of you. Creating a tripod with your two sit bones and your tailbone, maintain a slight angle as you lean back (45 degrees) and lift your legs off of the mat. You can keep your shins parallel with the mat or straighten both legs. With your legs straight, both your legs and your back should be at a 45 degree angle as you focus on your core. Your gaze at your big toes in either version. Hold this posture as you take 5 deep slow breaths. Slowly lower your feet and sit up to come out of the pose as necessary. Then return to hands and knees.
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