The 8 Morning Poses mp3 is finished along with pictures.  I will post the script here and the audio here, but if you want to see the pictures go here

8 Morning Poses mp3

Child’s pose. Kneel on the floor. Then sit down on your heels, big toes touching. Knees are hip width apart or more. Take a big breath down into the belly and as you exhale walk your hands forward and lengthen the torso down between the thighs, seat still close to heels. Keep walking your hands out in front so your arms are mostly straight. Palms on the floor and fingers spread. Each inhale broadens the back. Each exhale relaxes you into the pose. Your forehead may rest lightly on the floor. Feel the air fill up the belly, sides and back. Relax tension in the face, jaw and neck. One more inhale and as you exhale walk your hands in and push yourself up right, seat to heels.

Now move to hands and knees for the cat and dog stretch. Hands directly under the shoulders and knees right under the hips. Arms pressing straight and strong. Begin with a deep inhale then as you exhale curl the tailbone under, rounding the spine up and tuck the chin into the chest. An inhale begins the movement upwards. Turn sitting bones up, belly drops as the chin stretches upward. The exhale begins the inward tucking movement. Round, tuck and squeeze. Inhale pelvis tips forward, belly drops, chin lifts. Keep up the breathing and the movement 2-3 more times in each direction. Return to a neutral spine position.

Lateral C curve is next. You will move the spine from side to side. Still on your hands and knees with your head as a natural extension of the spine inhale in the center then Exhale, draw the right ear toward your right shoulder and your right shoulder toward your right hip. A C curve. Inhale center. Exhale, draw left ear to left shoulder and left shoulder to left hip. C curve. Inhale center. Exhale C curve to the right looking at your right foot. Inhale center. Exhale C curve to the left looking at your left foot. Inhale center. Keep breathing and moving side to side one more time. Finish in the table top and neutral spine position.

Stay on your hands and knees and a neutral spine for threading the needle twist. Slide the right hand palm up in between the left hand and left knee. Slide the right arm all the way out to the left so that the right shoulder and side of the head rest comfortably on the floor. Inhale and reach the left hand up towards the ceiling. Press the right arm into the floor as you twist. Breathe into all areas of the waist, rib cage, back and chest. Take 1 more cycle of breath.  Bend the left elbow and bring the left arm down and press slowly back to the tabletop position with a neutral spine. One cycle of breath to normalize the spine.

Now Slide the left hand palm up in between the right hand and right knee. Slide the left arm all the way out to the right so that the left shoulder and side of the head rest comfortably on the floor. Inhale and reach the right hand up towards the ceiling. Press the left arm into the floor as you twist. Breathe into all areas of the waist, rib cage, back and chest. Take 1 more cycle of breath. Bend the right elbow and bring the right arm down and press slowly back to the tabletop position with a neutral spine. One cycle of breath to normalize the spine.

Lie down on your stomach and let’s do a dynamic sphinx. Stretch out completely with your arms lengthened out above your head palms down, forehead to the floor. Your legs can be a comfortable distance apart. Energize the legs. Hug the muscles to the bones. Inhale into the back body and as you exhale lift the head and torso and slide the arms straight in until you are resting on your elbows. Lengthen the lower back by curving the pelvis down into the floor. You will look just like the sphinx. Chin is parallel to the floor, and elbows directly below the shoulders. The chest expands with each inhale. Draw the shoulders down and lengthen the neck. Inhale and expand the chest, Exhale and curl the tailbone under. Inhale expand then Exhale and press into the hands a little and slide your hands and arms forward coming back down to the starting point lying on your belly. Bring your hands under your shoulders and press yourself up to your hands and knees and pause with a rounded spine for a few breaths.

The natural squat pose is next. Only do the squat if it is comfortable on the knees. Bring your knees and feet a little wider than hip width, turn your toes under and press yourself into a squat, seat to heels either on your toes, or heels grounding. Keep the toes as straight forward as possible but its fine to point them out if that is more comfortable to you. You can use a wedge or folded blanket under the heels. . Arms can be resting on the thighs, around the legs, in between the legs with the palms pressing together and the elbows pushing the knees out, or arms in front of you or holding onto furniture so you can stay in the squat more comfortably. Stay with a rhythmic breath for one more cycle Now Energize into the feet and press your hands into the thighs as you stand straight up and finish with a nice stretch with arms overhead. Float the arms down to your sides

Wide leg forward fold. Step the feet really wide. Toes point forward . Inhale the arms out to the side until parallel to the floor and stand in the 5 pointed star pose for 2 cycles of breath. Nice slow deep breath. (pause) Bring your hands to the hips. Inhale and lift the heartcenter as you lift the kneecaps and energize the leg muscles. Exhale and fold forward from the hip joints. Hands can come down to the floor to support the fold. Keep the legs engaged, muscles hugging the bones. Allow the crown of the head to come towards the floor. Inhale and turn the sit bones upward. Exhale and relax the head down. Keep it simple, and keep breathing deeply. 3 more cycles of breath. Bring a soft bend to the knees and press the hands into the thighs as you come up. Walk feet back into the center.

Sky Reach. Sit down crosslegged or Indian style on the floor.  With your hands roll each thigh inward and sit on the front of the sit bones. Interlace your fingers and as you inhale turn the palms up and reach for the sky Breathe length in the spine and relax the shoulders away from the ears so there is space for the neck and shoulders. Slow the breath, both inhaling and exhaling. Rooting thru the sit bones and lengthening thru the waist and ribs. Few more cycles of breath. Last exhale release the fingers, float the arms down, hands onto the thighs.

Take a few breaths to finish your morning practice. Enjoy the day.