Flow yoga integrates movement with deep abdominal breathing, yet the movements evolve through basic Hatha Yoga postures. We will build on the postures and breathwork learned in Introduction and Basic Flow Yoga and work with the following postures and breathing in Intermediate Flow Yoga. Hold all of these poses for 1-3 minutes with deep abdominal breathing.
 

Breathing
 

Anuloma Viloma -- NOTE: this breathing not recommended for persons with high blood pressure. Alternate nostril breathing. Sitting comfortably in easy pose or half lotus, bring your right hand up to your nose. You will alternately cover one nostril and then the other with the fingers of the right hand. Cover your left nostril, breathe in through your right nostril for 3 counts. Cover both nostrils. Hold your breath in for 12 counts. Release your left nostril. Exhale for six counts. Immediately breathe in through your left nostril for 3 counts. Cover both nostrils. Hold your breath in for 12 counts. Uncover the right nostril. Exhale for six counts. Immediately breathe in for 3 counts. Continue until you have repeated this cycle 12 times. Sit in easy pose with your eyes closed, breathing deeply, exhaling completely for 1 minute.

Lion Breathing -- Sit in hero pose (knees folded underneath you) or easy pose. Lift your chin high, look up, stick your tongue out as far as you can, partially close your glottis, breathe in and out rapidly through your mouth, vibrating the back of your throat. Do this for two 15 second sets.
 

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Postures
 

Full Lotus	Sit in easy pose. Feel your sit bones on the floor right underneath you. Bring your shoulders right up over your pelvis. Tuck your navel back against your spine. Lift up tall through the very core of your pelvis and torso. Let your shoulders and face relax. Breathe into the bottom of your lungs. Exhale completely. Half-lotus: Bring the heel of the front foot up on top of the opposite thigh, as close to the groin as you can get it. Breathe deeply, exhale completely. Switch legs in front for easy pose, then half-lotus.
Full Boat Pose	Bring one leg over the other. Let the sole of that foot be firmly on the floor. Feel both sit bones on the floor beneath you. Lift up powerfully from the base of your spine all the way through your skull. Twist around toward the raised leg and bring your arm in front of it or simply hold onto it. Place the other hand behind you. Let your back be perfectly perpendicular to the floor. Let your shoulders be parallel to the floor. Breathe deeply, exhale completely. Repeat with the other leg.
Balancing Bear	From the half-spinal twist move your torso center. Stack one knee on top of the other. Lift up powerfully from the base of your pelvis all the way through your skull. If you like, reach behind and clasp your hands as shown.  Breathe deeply, exhale completely. Repeat with the other leg on top.
Side Inclined Plane	From forward inclined plane, lift onto the palm of one hand slowly and carefully. Roll onto the outside of your foot, bringing the other foot right on top of the bottom foot.  Stretch out powerfully to keep the core muscles of your body active as you lift the free arm straight up. Look up at the ceiling. Breathe deeply, exhale completely. Reach back down with the free arm and come back into forward inclined plane when you are ready.  Repeat with other arm to other side.
Four Limbed Stick	From forward plank pose Breathe deeply, exhale completely. Keep your elbows by your sides. Tuck your navel back against your spine firmly, lower down until your entire body is parallel to the floor. Press your shoulderblades firmly along your spine, lengthen from the navel through your chest. Look at the floor. Breathe deeply, exhale completely.
Camel	Come onto all fours. Let your knees be directly under your pelvis, your palms under your shoulders. Slide your hands back along your calves as you bring your hips down onto your heels. Grab your heels with your hands. Press your navel firmly against your spine and slowly begin to lift your hips up over your knees, paying close attention to your knees and quadriceps (the large muscles along the front of your thighs). Keep your legs completely parallel as you arch powerfully back, lengthening your arms, opening your chest, and stretching between your navel and your chin. Drop your head back slowly. Breathe deeply, exhale completely. Lift your head, release the arch in your back slowly as you lower your hips back down onto your heels. Return to all fours.
Wheel	You may come into this pose one of two ways: 1) Laying down in corpse pose, come into reclining bridge pose. Make sure your legs stay parallel and your feet pointing forward as you bring your palms onto the floor, fingertips pointing back toward your feet. Lift up powerfully with your hips, press down into the floor with your arms and legs, drop  your head back. Breathe deeply, exhale completely. Lower down by releasing your shoulders back onto the floor, the roll down through reclining bridge. 2) From mountain pose open your legs wider by about six inches on each leg, lean back, drop your head, reach your arms overhead and drop right down into wheel. Roll down as above or press off the floor firmly with your arms as you lift with your chest and hips to return to standing.
Shoulderstand Series	This series of movements is generally done together in the sequence shown below to strengthen and lengthen the spine, particularly the cervical spine..
Shoulderstand	Be in corpse pose. Bring your knees up powerfully to your chest as you lift your hips up off the floor. Immediately place your fingertips along your spine, your thumbs along your side, and lifting powerfully with your hips lengthen your legs straight up toward the ceiling. Let your elbows support you along the floor. Lengthen your spine between your shoulderblades and your occiput (the joint where the spine joins the skull). Lift powerfully up with your legs and deep pelvic muscles. Breathe deeply, exhale completely.
Plough	From shoulderstand drop first one foot then the other behind your head and let your toes come onto the floor. Clasp your hands behind your back and extend your arms along the floor, drawing your shoulderblades toward each other. Lift powerfully through your hips up. Extend your legs behind you strongly.  Breathe deeply, exhale completely. To release this, place your palms on the floor and roll down one vertebra at a time, using your arms and deep pelvic muscles to guide you. Come into corpse pose. Rest and breathe for 1 minute, then proceed to Fish Pose.
Fish	From corpse pose lift first one side of your body then the other and place the entire length of your arms underneath you on either side of your spine. Lay on your arms. Align your body perfectly, then lift up through your chest, arching your back powerfully, stretching across your chest and shoulders. Drop the top of your head onto the ground.  Breathe deeply, exhale completely.  To release, stretch out, release your arms to your sides, rest in corpse pose with deep breathing for 1 minute.
Headstand
Extended Triangle
Resolved Triangle
Extended Side Angle
Extended Prayer Twist
Standing Big Toe
Standing Head to Knee
Dancer Pose
Half-Moon
Reverse Half-Moon
Warrior III
Crow
Peacock

Sanskrit Names for the Twelve Essential Poses (Asanas):

Headstand -- Sirshasana
Shoulderstand -- Sarvangasana
Plough -- Halasana
Fish -- Matsyasana
Forward bend -- Paschimothanasana
Cobra -- Bhujangasana
Locust -- Shalabhasana
Bow -- Dhanurasana
Spinal twist -- Ardha Matsyendrasana
Crow pose Kakasana or Peacock pose Mayurasana
Standing forward bend -- Pada Hasthasana
Triangle -- Trikonasana
 

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