pose of the week: plow

Halasana

How to do it:

1. Start lying down on your back with your legs extended up in the air and your arms by your side.

2. Take a deep breath in and as you breath out, lift your hips up bringing your legs over your head.

3. If your feet don’t touch the ground, bring your hands onto your lower back for support. If they do, roll onto your shoulder blades and interlace your hands behind your back.

4. Draw your chin away from the chest, engage your thighs and breathe deeply. If you feel any pressure in your neck, stay with Step 1.

Hold for 10 deep breaths then slowly roll back down. 

Benefits:

• Calms the mind
• Stimulates the abdominal organs and thyroid glands
• Stretches the shoulders and spine
• Reduces stress and fatigue 

pose of the week: half moon

Ardha Chandrasana

How to do it:

1. Start in a runner's lunge with your right knee bent directly over your ankle. On an inhale, come high onto your fingertips, then as you exhale kick off your back leg and raise it up so it's parallel to your mat, then work to straighten your left leg (may also use blocks as a support)
2. With your gaze down, begin to shift your weight over to your left hand, then bring your right hand to your right hip. Press strongly into your right heel.
3. Rotate your torso and open the chest towards the right, by opening the hip and extending your right heel back
4. Once you feel stable, raise your right arm up to the sky and begin to shift your gaze up to your hand.

Standing leg is strong. Hold for 10 deep breaths then repeat on the other side. 

Benefits:

• Stretches the groins, hamstrings and calves, shoulders, chest, and spine 
•  Improves coordination, focus and sense of balance
• Helps relieve stress