Akar, Ukar, Makar and AUM chanting

1. Akar, Ukar, Makar and AUM chanting Sit in a comfortable position. Be aware of your breathe. With a smile on your face gently close your eyes. • Akar Chanting - Inhale slowly and completely, while exhaling chant AAA… in a low pitch. Repeat two more times with awareness. Be aware of vibrations in the abdomen and lower parts of the body. • Ukar Chanting- Inhale slowly and completely, while exhaling chant UUU in a low pitch. Repeat two more times with awareness. Be aware of vibrations in the middle parts of the body. • Makar Chanting- Inhale slowly and completely, while exhaling chant MMM in a low pitch. Repeat two more times with awareness. Be aware of vibrations in the entire head region. • A,U,M Chanting - Inhale slowly and completely, while exhaling chant A..U…M.. in a low pitch. Repeat two more times with awareness. Be aware of vibrations throughout the body. Notes: • Produce sounds loudly so they generate a fine resonance all over the body. Resonance will occur when the frequency of the generated sound matches with the natural frequency of your body.

2. Loosening of TOES JointsForward and backward bending Starting position: Dandasana- Sit with legs outstretched and the feet together. Place the hands beside the buttocks fingers pointing forwards. Keep the spine erect. • Bring the awareness to the toes. • Inhale and with exhale bend the toes slowly forward; keep the feet upright and ankles motionless. • Inhale and bring the toes slowly backwards. Hold for a few seconds. This is one round. • Practice five rounds. • Relax in Dandasana – legs apart, hands on the floor, face smiling. Gently close the eyes and RELAX Notes: • Synchronized toes movements with the breathing • Hold your toes in each position (forward and backward) for a few seconds. • Practice with awareness.

3. Loosening of ANKLE JointsForward and backward bending Starting position: Dandasana Sit with legs outstretched and the feet apart about 6inches. Place palms on the floor behind the buttocks fingers pointing backwards. Slightly lean backwards shifting the body weight on to the arms. Keep the neck and spine erect. • Bring the awareness to both the FEET. • Inhale and with Exhale bend both the ankles slowly forward, try to stretch the feet forward to touch the floor. Hold for a few seconds. • With inhale bring the feet slowly backwards and pull them up towards the knees. Hold for a few seconds. This is one round • Practice five rounds. • Relax in Dandasana – legs apart, hands on the floor, face smiling. Gently close the eyes And RELAX Notes: • Synchronized the feet movements with the breathing. • Do not bend knees. • Hold your feet in each position (forward and backward) for a few seconds. • Practice with awareness.

4. Loosening of ANKLE JointsAnkle Rotation Starting position: Dandasana Sit with legs outstretched and the feet apart about one foot. Place the palms on the floor behind the buttocks fingers pointing backwards. Slightly lean backwards shifting the body weight on to the arms. Keep the neck and spine erect. • Bring the awareness to both ANKLES. • Slowly rotate both the foot from the ankle. First bend ankles forward, rotate to the right, then to the back, and then to the left. And finally bring back to the front where you started. This completes one round. • Inhale during forward movement. Exhale during backward movement. • Practice five rounds. • Change the direction and repeat five rounds. Forward-left-backward-right and back to forward. • You can do both feet together or do one by one. Notes: • Synchronized the feet movements with the breathing. • Be aware of rotation at ankle. • Keep the heels in contact with the ground. • Do not bend knees. • Practice with awareness.

5. Loosening of KNEE JointsKnee Bending Starting position: Dandasana Sit with legs outstretched and the feet together. Place the hands beside the buttocks fingers pointing forwards. Keep the spine erect. • Bring the awareness to the right knee. • Bend the right knee and hold the right thigh with the hands under them. • Now straighten the right leg by pulling up the knee cap so that the right heel is off the floor. • Keep the arms straight. • Inhale and with Exhale bend the right leg at the knee so that the thigh comes close to the chest and the heel near the buttocks. • Inhale and straighten the right leg with heel off the floor. This is one round. • Practice Five rounds. • Repeat the same with left leg – five rounds. • Relax in Dandasana – legs apart, hands on the floor, face smiling. Gently close the eyes And RELAX Notes: • Synchronized leg movements with the breathing. • Bring the awareness to the knee joint during the practice. • Practice with awareness.

6. Loosening of KNEE JointsKnee Rotation Starting position: Dandasana Sit with legs outstretched and the feet together. Place the hands beside the buttocks fingers pointing forwards. Keep the spine erect. • Bring the awareness to the right knee. • Lift up the right thigh and bring close to the chest. • Support the thigh with interlocked hands. • Keep the lower part of right leg parallel to the ground. • Now rotate lower leg around the knee joint five times clockwise and then five times anticlockwise. • Bring back the right leg down on the floor. • Repeat the same with left leg – five rounds each clockwise and anticlockwise. • Relax in Dandasana – legs apart, hands on the floor, face smiling. Gently close the eyes And RELAX Notes: • Synchronized leg movements with the breathing. • While rotating allow the leg below the knee to hang freely • Bring the awareness to the knee joint during the practice. • Practice with awareness.

7. Loosening of HIP JointsHalf Butterfly Starting position: Dandasana Sit with legs outstretched and the feet together. Place the hands beside the buttocks fingers pointing forwards. Keep the spine erect. • Bend the right leg and place the right foot as far up on the left thigh as possible with right heel near the groin. • Place the right hand on top of the right knee. Hold the right feet with left hand. • Keep left foot straight. • Inhale and gently move the right knee up towards the chest. • Exhale and gently push it down and try to touch the ground with the knee. Keep back straight. • Repeat this up and down movement of the right knee 10 times. • Repeat the same with the left leg. • Relax in Dandasana – legs apart, hands on the floor, face smiling. Gently close the eyes And RELAX Notes: • Synchronized leg movements with the breathing. • Keep the leg muscles relaxed. Let the leg be passive and movement be achieved by the use of arm only. • Do not force to push it down. Bring the awareness to hip joint during the practice.

8. Loosening of HIP JointsFull Butterfly Starting position: Stithi Dandasana Sit with legs outstretched and the feet together. Place the hands beside the buttocks fingers pointing forwards. Keep the spine erect. • Bend both the knees, draw the legs along the ground, to bring the soles of the feet to press each other. • Completely relax the inner thigh muscles. • Now hold the feet with the fingers. And start moving the knees up and down – like butterfly flaps its wings. • While going down try to touch the knees to the ground. • Inhale and gently move the knees upwards, Exhale and gently bring them down. Keep back straight. • Increase the speed of flapping. • Do 20-30 times • Slow down the up and down flapping movement and finally straighten the legs and relax. • Relax in Sithila Dandasana – legs apart, hands on the floor, face smiling. Gently close the eyes And RELAX Notes: • Do not force the movements • Try to keep the back, neck and head straight. • Also keep the trunk steady during the practice.

9. Loosening of WRIST JointsWrist Rotation Starting position: Stithi Tadasana Stand straight with feet together, hands on the thighs. Legs, trunk and head are in straight line. • Extend both the arms forward with the fists clenched. • Rotate both the fists in opposite directions. • Practice five times with normal breathing • Repeat the same practice in reverse direction. • Relax in Sithila Tadasana – legs apart, drop down the hands and relax Notes: • You can do this loosening sitting or standing • Do not rotate the arm • Keep elbows straight.

10. Loosening of WAIST Jointswaist rotation Starting position: Tadasana Stand straight with feel together, hands on the thighs. Legs, trunk and head are in straight line. • Spread the legs apart by two feet. • Place the hands on the waist. • First push your hips forward. • Rotate the waist by moving to the right, then to the back, and then to the left. And finally bring back to the front where you stared. This completes one round. • Inhale during forward movement. Exhale during backward movement. • Practice 10 rounds in clockwise direction and ten rounds in the anti clockwise direction. • Come back to normal standing position. • Relax in Tadasana – legs apart, drop down the hands and relax Notes: • Synchronized waist movements with the breathing. • Maintain balance and stand form on the ground, face relaxed. • Try to make circles bigger and bigger.

11. Loosening of Shoulder Joints shoulder rotation Starting position: Tadasana Stand straight with feel together, hands on the thighs. Legs, trunk and head are in straight line. • Rotate the shoulders in a circular movement. • First bring the shoulders forwards, then upwards, backwards and downwards. • This is one round. Practice five rounds slowly. • Inhale during backward movements and Exhale during forward movements of the shoulders. • Repeat five rounds in the opposite direction – i.e forwards-downwards-backwards-upwards. • Relax in Tadasana – legs apart, drop down the hands and relax Notes: • Synchronized shoulder movements with the breathing. • Maintain balance and stand form on the ground, face relaxed. • Try to make circles bigger and bigger.

12. Loosening of Shoulder Joints fingers on shoulder rotation Starting position: Sthiti Tadasana Stand straight with feet together, hands on the thighs. Legs, trunk and head are in straight line. • Bend the arms at the elbows and place the tips of the fingers on top of the shoulders. • Bring the elbows forwards and if possible let them touch each other. • Now, start rotating the elbows and shoulders upwards, then backwards and downwards. • Inhale during backward movement of the shoulders and elbows. • Exhale during forward movement of the shoulders and elbows. • Synchronize the movements with breathing. • This completes one round. • Practice five more rounds. • Repeat the same practice in the opposite direction. • Relax in Sithila Tadasana – legs apart, • drop down the hands and relax Notes: • Synchronized shoulder movements with the breathing. • Maintain balance and stand form on the ground, face relaxed.

13. Loosening of NECK Joints Neck bending – Forward and Backward Starting position: Stithi Dandasana- Sit with legs outstretched and the feet together. Place the hands beside the buttocks fingers pointing forwards. Keep the spine erect. • Keep the head upright with eyes closed. • Inhale and while exhaling slowly move the head forward and try to touch the chin to chest. Feel the stretch of the neck muscles in the back of the neck. • With Inhalation move the head as far back as comfortable. Feel the stretch of the muscles in front. • This completes one round • Repeat five rounds. • Relax in Sithila Dandasana – legs apart, hands on the floor, face smiling. Gently close the eyes And RELAX • Feel the release of tension in the neck and shoulder muscles. Notes: • Move the head as far as possible but do not over strain. • Keep the shoulders relaxed and steady.

14. Loosening of NECK Joints Neck bending – Right and left bend Starting position: Stithi Dandasana- Sit with legs outstretched and the feet together. Place the hands beside the buttocks fingers pointing forwards. Keep the spine erect. STAGE 1 • Keep the head upright with eyes closed. • Inhale and with exhale slowly bend the head to the right. Bring the ear as close as possible to the shoulder without turning the head or lifting the shoulders. • Feel the stretch in neck muscles. • Inhaling, bring the head back to normal position. • Then exhale and bend it to the left side in the same fashion. Feel the stretch in neck muscles. • Inhale and come back to normal position. • This completes one round. Repeat five rounds. STAGE 2 • Keep the head upright with eyes closed. • Inhale and with exhale gently turn head to the right so that the chin is in line with the shoulder. Feel the stretch in neck muscles. • Inhaling, bring the head back to normal position. • Then exhale and turn to the left side in the same fashion. Feel the stretch in neck muscles. • Inhale and come back to normal position. • This completes one round. Repeat five rounds. • Relax in Sithila Dandasana – legs apart, hands on the floor, face smiling. Gently close the eyes And RELAX • Feel the RELEASE of tension in the neck and shoulder muscles. Notes: • Move the head as far as possible but do not over strain. • Keep the shoulders relaxed and steady.

15. Loosening of NECK Joints Neck Rotation Sit with legs outstretched and the feet together. Hands beside the buttocks fingers pointing forwards. Spine erect. • Bend the head forward – touch the chin to the chest. • Slowly rotate the head right- backwards - left and back to front. Make big circle with your neck. • Feel the shifting stretch around the neck and loosening up of the joints and muscles of he neck. • Practice 5 rounds • Practice five more rounds in opposite direction – forward - left- backwards - right and back to front. Relax in Sithila Dandasana – legs apart, hands on the floor, face smiling. Gently close the eyes And RELAX • Feel the RELEASE of tension in the neck and shoulder muscles. Notes: • Move the head as far as possible but do not over strain. • Keep the shoulders relaxed and steady. • If there is pain in any position – hold the head in that position. Become aware of the pain and breathe consciously. • You can practice in cross legged sitting, sitting in a chair or standing in Tadasana.

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