Core Power Asana Sequence

Most people hold fear, worry, anticipation, and stress in their bellies. Our belly is incredibly intelligent. The butterflies, the intuition, and all the other ways the belly communicates with us should how sensitive our “guts” can be. The belly also holds onto a lot! Being pregnant I can feel my fear of losing the baby, my anticipation over what life will be like with a baby, the stress of not being able to do as much as I want to do with morning sickness, just to name a few. Although I am not doing core work or twists right now like the sequence below suggests. In the past I have found these to be the most effective way to bring awareness to my belly to cultivate strength and awareness there so I can let go of what is no longer serving me. My practice these days is more meditative with awareness on my breath and on my belly I clear out the tension and welcome in a sense of calm, love and openness. Sometimes my mantra is as simple as: Inhaling space into my belly, exhaling letting the stress go.

Sucassana: Close your eyes and see a sweet softness manifesting throughout your body. See how all of the tendencies to contract and hold yourself back, hold other people accountable for your needs… see yourself releasing all of those tendencies now.
Supta knees into chest
Supta twisting core work inhale to one side pause and exhale bring back to center. Do it with bent knees first, and then do it with straight legs 90 degrees between thighs and hips.
Crunches core work. Target upper core and puff into the back of your kidneys.
Partner supta Kidney Work Exercise with [strap] which goes under their low back directly below their belly button. The yogi will puff low back into the matt and the partner will try to pull strap out. When good kidney loop is engaged strap shouldn’t move. Try this first with feet on the floor, then with knees bent and feet lifted off floor in line with knees.
Ardha Navasana- half boat pose knees bent, feel strength in your upper belly and your inner thighs. Every inhale brings fortitude and strength into your body.
Navasana boat pose with straight legs.
Janusirsasana- Lift belly and puff kidneys as you fold and lengthen chest toward toes.
Handstands keep kidneys full and heart melted.
L.L twist one hand down
HRL twist one hand down
HRL – parsvotonasana- HRL- Lunge
L.L quad- anjaneyasana
anjaneyasana – ardha hanumanasana – twisted ardha hanumanasna [2 blocks]
Parsvakonasana
Trikonasana
Parsvotonasa- walk both hands to outside to front foot twist prep- prasarita trikonasana. Inhale breaths lengthens torso exhale breaths twist. Let the twist remove any unintended tightness and twist out stress.
Plank hold 5 breaths inhale feel strong, exhale release any holding that’s not intended- chataranga- cobra- interlace hands behind back shalabasana lift up legs and chest
L twist. Back leg strong, straight and lifted, pull belly away from thigh
supta knees bent feet on floor hands on belly. Feel all the circulation in your belly, blood pumping, heart raising. Can you even feel you pulse in your belly?
roll over onto belly danurasana
Danurasana- rock on to one side kick – center- rock onto other side kick
roll onto back bridge
Bridge clasp hand series
Bridge hold feet come to top of head extend head into floor and stretch heart toward the back of the room
Urdhva Danurasana- come to the top of your head- draw shoulders back- roll more onto the top of your head/ forehead and press up. Press through your strong legs and send your heart over your hands and release anything you no longer need
Supta knock knees together- open arms like “T”. Feel the energy in belly, see if you can feel your pulse there without even touching your belly. Feel how soft your body has become. 5 breaths
Supta hands on knees and draw them in  circle a few times then take circle in different direction.
Thigh bone rooting
Twist
Twisting core work knees bent inhale to one side exhale back to center then to other side. Then do with your legs straight 3x
Paschimottanasana
Shavasana set up [2 blankets] to open heart and support cervical curve under neck.
Succasana one hand on chest one on belly, bring an opening to this space. Inhales feel yourself expand and get centered within yourself. When you exhale let go of stress, blame, shame, worry, anticipation…all the unwanted tendencies and tensions release. Make room for love and ease in your body.