Begin kneeling on the floor with the tops of the feet flat and the legs together. Release the upper body over the thighs, resting the forehead onto the floor. Place the arms alongside the body with the palms turned up. Allow the shoulders to roll forward releasing the mid back. To come out, place the hands underneath the shoulders and draw the belly back to lift the spine.

Child’s pose is a place of rest and can be used during transitions. If a student feels fatigued this is a good posture to pause in. It can be held anywhere from 30 seconds and up to 10+ minutes in a restorative yoga class.

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Begin from staff pose with the legs extended (dandasana). Bend the left leg and place the foot sole flat on the ground. Place the right hand, palm down next to the right hip. Raise the left arm, fingers to sky. Stretch the crown and sternum forward as you fold down, bringing the left arm to the inside of the knee. Keep stretching the left arm forward, until the arm pit makes contact with the shin. Wrap the arm back around the leg. Bring the right arm around the back waist and clasp hand to wrist. Extend the head crown and sternum forward, and then fold over the right leg, nose to knee.

To exit the pose, release the arm bind. Place both palms on either side of the hips. Unfold and return to staff pose. Repeat other side

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Half Bound Lotus Seated Forward Extension is one in a series of poses called pre-meditation asanas. These poses prepare the body to sit upright in stillness for long periods of time. Sitting with legs crossed or in lotus position is the preferred pose for meditation. Half Bound Lotus Seated Forward Extension is particularly useful for improving flexibility of the hip, knee and ankle joints and strengthening the back and spine muscles, all necessary for seated meditations.

From staff pose, bend the right leg. Hold knee with right hand and cradle foot with left hand. Lay the right foot onto the upper left thigh, drawing the heel near to the hip crease. Extend and stretch the right arm towards the toes, then wrap it back around the waist. Clasp two fingers around the big toe. To fold forward, maintain a straight spine, stretching head crown and sternum towards left foot. Extend the left arm, to hold left foot with two fingers. Hinge at the hips and fold over the left leg. Relax the entire body. Gently release nose to knee. To exit the pose, release hand hold and bind. Place the hands, palms down by sides.  Gently hinge upwards to staff pose. Repeat other side.

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From Firefly A lower your feet to the ground. This movement will bring your tail up and head down, as in a standing forward bend. Slowly straighten legs, keeping knees soft, and shoulders behind the thighs. Move to Firefly B, by wrapping one arm and then the other around the back of thighs. The fingertips should be touching in the center of the back, finger tips touching. Walk the feet to the edge of the mat. Fold deeper and clasp hands. To enter Firefly C, keep the knees soft in a micro bend and fold deeper. Clasp the hands together and walk the feet mat-width apart. Eye gaze is behind you, towards back of the room. To take the pose further into Firefly D, fold deeper. Slowly bring the upper body through the legs, eye gaze upward. To exit the pose, reverse all the movements. Lower the gaze, head, and upper body back to standing forward bend. Release the arm bind, bringing the hands to floor behind the thighs. Return to Firefly A and jump back to Chaturanga or release into squat and transition to next pose.

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Half Moon Pose Variation is known by many different names because it has some much going on in one pose. Half Moon Pose Variation in essence is a one-legged standing balance with a back bend and leg hold similar to dancer. For that reason, it is sometimes called Half Moon Bow or Sugar Cane because of its shape. Half Moon Pose Variation by any name, still gives the sweetest of stretches to both psoas and hips, while opening the heart.

Begin in Tall Mountain with toes touching. Forward fold, placing your right fingers to the right of the right foot. Open your hips and torso to the left and extend your left leg. Raise the left arm upward. Bend the left leg, foot towards the hip.  Reach back with the left arm to hold the front of the left foot. Keep rotating the chest and heart out and up, keeping the gaze to the right toes.  When you have balance, look upwards. To exit the pose, return the gaze to right foot, release the foot hold, bring both hands to front of mat and lower left foot down. Rise up to Tall Mountain. Repeat other side.

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