Kriya for Morning Sadhana

1971

Illustration of Helen doing the Kriya for Morning Sadhana - Exercise 1

Exercise 1: Cat-Cow  (Marjariasana-Bitilasana)

Posture & Mudra: Come standing on all fours with your knees shoulder-width apart and heels together. Place your palms on the ground directly underneath your shoulders, with your arms straight.

Movement & Breath: Inhale, and arch your spine down, stretch your neck up and bring the head back. Exhale, and flex your spine up, bringing your chin towards the chest. Continue rhythmically alternating between these two positions, gradually increasing the speed as your spine becomes more flexible.

Duration: Continue for 3 minutes.

Ending:

  1. Inhale into Cow Pose (Bitilasana) and hold your breath for 10 seconds. Exhale and relax.
  2. Inhale to the starting position, and hold for 10 seconds. Exhale, and relax.

Exercise 2: Cow Pose Variation

Posture & Mudra: Come into Cow Pose (Bitilasana).

Movement & Breath:

  • Inhale, and arch the spine down, raising your right leg and your head. Exhale, and arch the spine up, bringing your right knee into the chest, and bringing your chin into the chest. Repeat 30 times. 
  • Then inhale, and lift your right leg; hold your posture and breath for 10 seconds. 
  • Exhale, and repeat the exercise with your left leg 30 times.

Duration: Do 60 repetitions total.

Illustration of Helen doing the Kriya for Morning Sadhana - Exercise 2
Illustration of Helen sitting in easy pose with hands hugging elbows.

Exercise 3: Hugging Spinal Bend

Posture & Mudra: Sit in Rock Pose (Vajrasana) with your knees wide apart, grasping your opposite arms just above the elbows.

Movement & Breath: Inhale in the center, and exhale as you bend the spine down to each side.

Duration: Continue for 1 minute.

Ending: Inhale to center, hold your breath briefly, and exhale.

Exercise 4: Spinal Twist with Gyan Mudra

Posture & Mudra: Sit in Rock Pose (Vajrasana) with your upper arms at shoulder height, elbows bent to a 90 angle, and your hands in Gyan Mudra.

Movement & Breath: Twist your torso to the left as you inhale, and twist to the right as you exhale. Move and breathe powerfully. Do not reverse direction.

Duration: Repeat 60 times.

Ending: Inhale to center, hold your breath and focus. Exhale, and relax.

Illustration of Helen sitting in easy pose with arms parallel to the ground. forearms are straighten up, in gyan mudra

Exercise 5: Spinal Flex in Rock Pose (Vajrasana)

Posture & Mudra: Sit in Rock Pose (Vajrasana) with your knees together and palms on your thighs.

Movement & Breath: Inhale and arch your spine forward, lifting your chest. Exhale and round your spine back, keeping your head level. Spinal Flex in rhythm with powerful breathing.

Duration: Repeat 108 times.

Ending:

  1. Inhale deeply to center, suspend your breath and apply Root Lock (Mula Bandha) and Neck Lock (Jalandhara Bandha), hold for 10 seconds. 
  2. Exhale and release.
  3. Meditate on your breath, inhaling “SAT” and exhaling “NAM” for 30 seconds.
  4. Inhale, exhale, and relax.

Exercise 6: Front Bend

Posture & Mudra: Stand in Mountain Pose (Tadasana) with your feet shoulder-width apart, and thumbs hooked together.

Movement & Breath: Inhale, and raise your arms overhead, stretching up and back. Exhale, and fold forward and down, touching the floor, keeping the legs straight.

Duration: Repeat 30 times.

Ending:

  1. Inhale up and back, hold the breath and the stretch briefly. 
  2. Exhale and fold forward. 
  3. Let your arms hang down. Breathe normally and completely relax for 30 seconds.

Illustration of Helen doing standing frontal bend
Illustration of Helen doing the Kriya for Morning Sadhana Exercise 7 & 8

Exercise 7: Life Nerve Stretch

Posture & Mudra: Sit straight and tall with your legs wide apart. Hold onto the legs where you can or the toes using the index and middle fingers hooked around the big toe, with the thumb pressing the toenail.

Movement & Breath:

  • Inhale and stretch the spine up, rotating the pelvis forward slightly. 
  • Exhale and bend forward from the hips, bringing the chest towards the left knee. 
  • Inhale back up to center. 
  • Exhale and bend forward from the hips, bringing the chest over the right knee.
  • Continue for 2 minutes. 
  • Spread your legs even wider, and continue for 1 more minute.

Duration: Continue for 3 minutes total.

Exercise 8: Center Life Nerve Stretch

Posture & Mudra: Remain in the same position as Exercise 7.

Movement & Breath:

  • Inhale up to center, hold the breath and posture for 3 seconds, then exhale, folding forward and down between the legs. 
  • Stretch forward and down as you do Long Deep Breathing for 1 minute. 

Duration: Continue for 1 minute.

Ending: Inhale in the forward fold, and stretch further down. Exhale, and relax.

Illustration of Helen doing the Kriya for Morning Sadhana Exercise 7 & 8
Illustration of Helen sitting in straight spine with both soles of her feet together, hands are clasping around the front of the feet.

Exercise 9: Butterfly

Posture & Mudra: Sit with a straight spine. Bring the soles of your feet together, and clasp your hands around the front of the feet.

Movement & Breath: Keeping your spine and head straight, bounce your knees up and down vigorously about 10-12 inches.

Duration: Continue for 1 minute.

Exercise 10: Butterfly Bend

Posture & Mudra: Remain in the same posture as Exercise 9.

Movement & Breath: Stretch your spine up straight. Inhale deeply, then exhale as you fold forward from the hips. Remain in the down position, breathing powerfully. 

Duration: Continue for 1 minute.

Ending:

  1. Inhale up, and suspend your breath for 5 seconds. 
  2. Exhale as you stretch down, and hold your breath out for 5 seconds.
  3. Inhale, and relax on your back.

Illustration of Helen in Butterfly blend posture
Illustration of Helen laying down with knees bent and feet flat on the ground near her buttocks. grasping ankles.

Exercise 11: Pelvic Lift

Posture & Mudra: Lie on your back, with your knees bent and  feet flat on the ground near your buttocks. Grasp your ankles.

Movement & Breath: Inhale and lift your hips up as high as possible. Exhale and lower them down. 

Duration: Repeat 24 times. 

Ending:

  1. Relax down, and extend your legs.
  2. Inhale, lift and stretch up. 
  3. Hold your breath and posture for 10 seconds. 

Exercise 12: Leg Pistons 

Posture & Mudra: Lie on your back with the toes pointed. Lift both legs up to 18 inches.

Movement & Breath: Inhale, as you bring your left knee into the chest. Exhale, and extend your left leg, as you simultaneously draw your right knee into the chest. Continue the push-pull motion with powerful breathing.

Duration: Continue for 2 minutes.

Ending: Inhale and suspend your breath, extending and holding both legs up for 10 seconds. Exhale, and relax on your back.

Image of Helen laying on back and doing bycle motion
Illustration of Helen in Shavasana

Exercise 13: Corpse Pose (Savasana)

Posture & Mudra: Lie on your back in Corpse Pose (Savasana).

Mindful Attention: Relax completely. Consciously circulate energy from the Navel Point throughout the body.

Duration: Continue for 1 minute.

Exercise 14: Back Rolls (Jhulana Lurhakanasana)

Posture & Mudra: Lie on your back with your knees to your chest, and your arms wrapped around them.

Movement: Rock forward and back, massaging your whole spine.

Duration: Continue for 1-2 minutes.

Ending: Rock up, then turn over, and lie down on your stomach.

Illustration of Helen laying down in back rolls with knees towards chest.
Illustration of Helen doing cobra pose

Exercise 15: Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana)

Posture & Mudra: Stretch up into Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana), with your palms flat on the ground under the shoulders.

Breath: Breathe a powerful Breath of Fire.

Eyes/Drishti: Closed and focused on the Third Eye Point (Ajna Chakra).

Duration: Continue for 3 minutes.

Ending:

  1. Inhale at the center, and stretch your spine up and back, holding your breath and posture for 15 seconds. Exhale, and relax down.
  2. Inhale, open your eyes, and twist your torso to the left, so you can look at  your heels over your left shoulder. Hold your breath and posture for 15 seconds. Exhale to the center. 
  3. Repeat this sequence, twisting to the right side. 
  4. Repeat this sequence once more on the left and then the right side.

Exercise 16: Yoga Mudra (Yogasana)

Posture & Mudra: Come into Yoga Mudra (Yogasana), sitting on your heels, with the forehead on the floor, fingers interlaced behind back, and arms stretched up.

Breath & Mindful Attention: Do Long Deep Breathing, drawing energy into the upper back. 

Duration: Continue for 1 minute.

Ending: Inhale, hold your breath and posture. Exhale, and relax.

Illustration of Helen sitting down in rock pose, forehead on the floor with venus mudra
Illustration of Helen sitting in easy pose with hands on her knees in sufi grinds

Exercise 17: Sufi Grinds

Posture & Mudra: Sit in Easy Pose (Sukhasana), with your hands on your knees.

Movement & Breath: Rotate the middle of your body in circles, keeping the head nearly still, creating pressure at the base of the spine like a grinding wheel. Use your arms for leverage. 

Duration: Continue for 1 minute. Then reverse directions and continue for 1 more minute.

Exercise 18: Arm Swings

Posture & Mudra: Sit in Easy Pose (Sukhasana) with the hands in light fists.

Movement & Breath:

  • Inhale, and draw your elbows back. 
  • Exhale, and cross your arms in front of the chest. 
  • Inhale, and draw your elbows back again.
  • Exhale and swing your fists up and back overhead.
  • Continue moving your arms in this sequence with powerful breathing.

Duration Continue for 1-2 minutes.

Ending:

  1. Exhale, and relax.
  2. Inhale deeply, and draw your elbows back. Stretch your chest forward, and hold for 10 seconds. 

Illustration of Helen doing the Kriya for Morning Sadhana - Exercise 18

Exercise 19: Shoulder Shrugs

Posture & Mudra: Sit in Easy Pose (Sukhasana) with your hands on your knees and elbows relaxed.

Movement & Breath: Inhale as you squeeze your shoulders up toward your ears. Exhale as you drop them down. Move and breathe powerfully.

Duration: Repeat 108 times.

Exercise 20: Neck Rolls

Posture & Mudra: Sit in Easy Pose (Sukhasana) with your spine straight and your hands on your knees.

Movement & Breath: Gently circle your head, breathing deeply. Allow your shoulders to remain relaxed and stable as you circle the head in a slow, smooth motion, gently stretching your neck.

Duration: Continue for 1 minute. Then switch directions and continue for 1 more minute.

Illustration of Helen sitting in easy pose, with straight spine, neck rolls side motion
Illustration of Helen doing the Kriya for Morning Sadhana - Exercise 20

Exercise 21: Arm Pumps with Venus Lock

Posture & Mudra: Sit in Rock Pose (Vajrasana) with your hands in Venus Lock and the elbows straight.

Movement & Breath: Inhale, as you bring your arms up 60 degrees above parallel. Exhale, as you bring your arms down to 60 degrees below parallel. Move and breathe powerfully.

Eyes/Drishti: Focus at the Third Eye Point (Ajna Chakra).

Duration: Continue for 70 repetitions.

Exercise 22: Arm Stretch with Interlaced Fingers

Posture & Mudra: Sit in Rock Pose (Vajrasana) with your arms straight overhead and your fingers interlaced, palms facing up.

Breath: Perform a powerful Breath of Fire. 

Eyes/Drishti: Roll your eyes up to the Crown Chakra (Sahasrara Chakra), focusing above your head.

Duration: Continue for 1 minute.

Ending:

  1. Inhale deeply, and hold your breath, focusing on the Crown Chakra (Sahasrara Chakra) for 15 seconds. 
  2. Exhale. 
  3. Relax, and slowly lower your arms.

Illustration of Helen sitting in rock pose with hands interlaced above head
Illustration of Helen Sitting with buddha mudra

Exercise 23: Meditation

Posture & Mudra: Sit in Easy Pose (Sukhasana), with your spine straight. Place one hand on top of the other in your lap, with the palms facing up.

Mantra & Mindful Attention: Sit completely still. Meditate silently, and expand your aura, focusing deeply. Inhaling as you mentally chant “SAT”, and exhaling as you mentally chant “NAM”.

Duration: Continue for 1 minute.

Ending: Inhale deeply, exhale and relax.