This yoga sequence should be considered a meditation. It's adding movement to the Body Scan, so like the Body Scan, as you practice it you are coming home to your body and learning to listen to its language.
Please consider this entire sequence a meditation. Have the intention to maintain the connection with your body and your breath as you flow from one posture to the next, including the in between time. The "spaces between the notes" are just as important as the notes themselves. Remember not to push or strain while doing these poses. Apply gentle, sustained effort, allowing the muscles and joints to gently release. Use your breath, sending it into the areas of the body with which you are working. Deal with mental distractions just as you would in sitting meditation, noting them and letting them go by coming back to your body, again and again.
Posture 1 Overhead Stretch
Lying on your back, on the in-breath, bring the arms up over-head, parallel to the floor, breathing and feeling the shoulders release. Then gently stretch the arms and legs out along the floor, stretching the entire body. Try bringing the palms of the hands together.
Bring the arms back to the floor slowly, feeling them moment to moment until they reach the floor, then release.
Posture 2 Pelvic Tilts
On the out-breath, tilt the pelvis (tailbone) up, gently pressing the lower back into the floor. On the in-breath, tilt the pelvis (tailbone) down, underneath you, lifting the lower back off the floor. Be mindful of just how far you should flex and extend your back, listening to is right for your back in that moment.
Posture 3 Spine Extension
To come down, on an out-breath, continue pulling the chest forward as you return to the
mat.
Lying on your stomach, relaxing into gravity, bring arms forward, rest. Bring hands to push up position and rock the torso from side to side, feeling the lower back muscles releasing. then gently push up off the mat as far as feels comfortable. Remain in the up position for a few breath cycles, feeling the stretch down the entire back and into the sacrum. Then on the in-breath, pull your head and chest forward along the mat and
