Five-Minute Standing Sequence Script

Welcome

Welcome. I’m Jen. Today we are going to be practicing three standing postures that will help you to ground yourself, release some tension, and add some rejuvenating energy to your day.

Tādāsana (Mountain Pose)

Stand with your feet about hip wide apart or even spaced.

Stretch your toes -- lift them -- and replace them on the ground one at a time.

Engage your toes again -- and this time, see if you can feel the arch -- the central part of the foot engaged.

Bring your awareness up the shin, lifting the knee caps.

The thighs rotate inward.

Lengthen your tailbone.

Lengthen your torso by extending your spine through the crown of the head.

Draw the shoulders down the back, opening the chest.

Soften the throat, jaw, and lift the corners of the mouth.

Soft the gaze and breathe.

Tāda means mountain. Āsana means pose. Mountains symbolize a strength and power in stillness. Most of our day we are in the last moment or the next? Can we just be -- like mountain -- in this moment? With this breath?

Ūrdhva Hāstāsana (Upward Hand Pose or Upward Salute)

On an inhale, bring your feet together.

Spread and lift the toes and evenly replace them on the ground -- again mindful to constrict or lift the arches.

Is your weight evenly distributed?

Steady your sway and ground down into the four corners of the feet.

Engage the shins, the kneecaps, the thighs.

Lengthen the tailbone, engage the abdomen.

On an inhale, lift the arms overhead, interlacing the fingers with the index fingers pointed up.

Draw the shoulder back down and away from the ears.

Maintain a forward gaze and breathe.

If you have the capacity, lift the gaze towards your hands.

This posture both grounds down and uplifts energy through the torso -- balancing -- and playing with opposite directions -- pulling your in both directions, and literally suspending you in place.

This posture opens the throat chakra -- which is responsible for communication and self expression. What needs to be said? What thoughts/ feelings do you need to voice?

Exhale and lower your hands.

Utthita Trikonasana (Extended Triangle Pose)

Come into a wide stand with your feet-- about 3-4 feet apart.

The outer edges of your feet should be parallel to the mat.

Now turn your right foot forward or 90 degrees.

Pivot the toes of the left foot inward ½ of 90 degrees -- 45 degrees.

The heel of the right foot should line up with the arch of the left.

Then ground down and find your strength in your legs.

Lift your arms on a inhale -- the hands are parallel to the floor.

Extend your right arm out over your right leg.

In this pose we are both grounding down through the leg, but moving now towards our goals. What are you moving towards?

Now keeping your arms extended -- like wings of a plane or bird -- drop the right arm down, extending the left.

Look up to your left hand -- and rotate your chest towards your upward hand.

From this point of view, you are literally inverted? What do you notice from this alternate perspective?

Where is your breath?

On a exhale bring your arms back to center.

Heal-toe your feet back together.

And bring you hands to you heart.

Namaste!