The ultimate Christmas flow

ALL YOU NEED FOR CHRISTMAS
This year my gift to you is a Christmas flow with the essence of my previous Christmas sequences. It will be all you need for Christmas to help you enjoy time with friends and family, and get the most out of your Christmas break. My ultimate Christmas flow has a bit of everything to support you and give you some well earned self care. Think of it as an exchange in your energy bank between your outward energy debits, Christmas parties and socialising, and your inward energy savings, stepping on your mat and replenishing. This sequence will also give your immune system a kick start and help you stay well over the winter months. This one's a keeper that you can practise on repeat.

THE BENEFITS OF GETTING MOVING
Relaxing over your Christmas holidays should definitely be a priority, but that doesn’t mean you don't also prioritise adding a bit of movement and fresh air into each day to stop the Christmas cobwebs. Movement benefits you physically and mentally by keeping your joints and muscles working functionally; reducing stress and anxiety; improving heart rate variability (HRV); building strong lungs; reducing fatigue; regulating your hormones; and most importantly boosting Christmas festive happiness. Make it your priority to move every day over the Christmas break – whether it is stepping on your mat and practising this sequence, going for a walk or a run, or maybe even braving a winter sea swim!

EXPLORING THE ULTIMATE CHRISTMAS FLOW IN YOUR PRACTICE
This sequence starts with Sun Salutations to get you warmed up and start linking your breath with your movement. For a longer practice you can add extra rounds of the Sun Salutation or for a shorter practice you can just do one Sun Salutation at the start of each mini flow. It then kicks into your standing mini flows on row two and three. There is a generous sprinkling of standing balancing poses to boost your energy and stamina. The standing mini flows also have plenty of hip openers to relieve stress and anxiety, and twists to boost your circulation and metabolism. Each mini flow ends with a gentle backbend to stimulate counteract festive indigestion and help keep you regular. Backbends and twists are both fantastic poses to support your immune system over the winter months.

ALIGNMENT CUES
There is no specific peak pose in this simple beginners flow sequence. Focus on how each pose of the sequence feels while in the pose and after the pose.

Have a read of the tips below and either print out the sequence or save it onto your device:

• Use the breath guide in the sequence to help you link breath with movement in the flow. Inhale is indicated with a ‘+’, exhale is a ‘-”.

• If there are specific poses that you would like to stay longer in, give yourself three deep breaths in those poses, and pick up the next pose with the allocated inhale or exhale as indicated by the sequence.

• For a longer practice add in a Sun Salutations at the start of each mini flow or repeat each mini flow.

To save the images for personal use click and hold down the image until the ‘save image’ option appears; on Mac hold down ‘control’ and click the image to get the option box; on PC right click on the image to get the option box. Scroll down in the ‘option box’ and click ‘save image’.

Ruth Delahunty Yogaru

A simple beginners flow

YOUR MIND BODY CONNECTION
If yoga is new to you, you are not alone. We were all beginners at some point and it is testament to the power of the benefits of yoga, that so many of us found our way back on to our mats after giving it a go. Learning how to move, and connecting body and mind, is a bit like learning a new language. Moving on your mat might feel awkward at first, but you will grasp this mind, body language very soon. The mind, body connection is one of the many benefits of yoga and is incredibly important for our physical and mental wellbeing. The body is a communication highway - hunger or satiety, tired or energised, happy or unhappy - yoga helps us read the signals our body is sending us, giving us the chance to adjust to meet its requirements before it hits a dead end.

Yoga also teaches us to cultivate a deep therapeutic and calming breath as we move. Consciously breathing stimulates a cranial nerve called the vagus nerve, which brings the body into the rest & restore nervous system response, or the parasympathetic nervous system response. This creates optimal conditions for the functionality of the organs of the body – strengthening the immune system, increasing lung capacity, increasing circulation, aiding digestion and increasing overall wellbeing. Initially you might find yourself holding your breath, which is very common when we are concentrating. Your first task is just to remember to breathe, once you master that you can start to link breath with movement as suggested by ‘+’ and ‘-’ in the sequence.

SELF CARE NOT SELF JUDGEMENT
Yoga is your practice. Regardless of whether you are doing self practice or attending classes, nobody will ever know how a pose feels to you, except you. For this reason you must embrace this as your very own unique experience and listen carefully to what your body is telling you. When you are using my illustrations or a teacher as a guide, it is exactly that – a guide. Your body will tell you how far it is ready to stretch or strengthen. Remember we are all very different on the outside and the inside too. A pose that one person is luxuriating in can feel pretty challenging to you and vice versa. Most importantly, practice without self judgement. If you have made it onto your mat, and care enough about yourself to give yoga a go, you are more than halfway there. In return for this brave step you have made, be kind and encourage yourself every step of the way. The best gift you can give yourself is to teach yourself to take Savasna at the end of each practice. This is simply lying down on your back for anything between 2-10 or more minutes and assimilating the work you have done. This allows your nervous system to settle down and prepares you for your day off the mat.

EXPLORING SIMPLE BEGINNERS FLOW IN YOUR PRACTICE
The first row gently warms you up with a child pose flow and a few rounds of Half Sun Salutation or Half Suryanamaskar (½ SURY). Rows two and three are your standing flows. You will hold each pose for 3 deep breaths to help, then you will repeat the same flow with the suggested inhale and exhale, as indicated by the illustrations. If the breath isn’t settling into a smooth rhythm as you move, repeat the first version where you hold the pose for 3 breaths again. At the start of each mini flow you can either step back from the top of your mat or you can add a Half Suryanamaskar from the first row and then step back into the flow.

TIPS TO GET YOU STARTED
Have a read of the follow tips to help you get started with your yoga practice:

Tip 1
Little and often is better than trying to get on your mat once a week to do a long practice. Start small with just 10 minutes, three times a week and let it naturally grow from there.

Tip 2
Make a commitment to yourself to give it your best shot, but if you don’t make it onto your mat don’t give up. The great thing about home practice is that it slots into your schedules.

Tip 3
Practise anywhere your mat fist – end of your bed, kitchen, sitting room. Politely let your ‘housemates’ know that your practice is your quiet time.

Tip 4
If possible try incorporating your home practice into your morning routine before you start your day.

Tip 5
Don’t panic or overcomplicate things. If there is a pose you are not sure about either skip it or if you have time use the asana section of my website to read the alignment cues for the pose.

Tip 6
When you are ready to move on to a new sequence you will find hundreds of sequences to try on my website. Some even come with a YouTube class of the sequence.

ALIGNMENT CUES
There is no specific peak pose in this simple beginners flow sequence. Move nice and slowly through your practice and enjoy being the boss. Get close to your breath, and take extra breaths in poses you are enjoying.

Have a read of the tips below and either print out the sequence or save it onto your device:

Use the breath guide in the sequence to help you link breath with movement in the flow. Inhale is indicated with a ‘+’, exhale is a ‘-”.

Move slowly from pose to pose taking 3 breaths in each pose. Scan your three platforms – feet, hips and shoulder – to check your alignment.

For a longer practice repeat each of the standing mini flows three times.

To save the images for personal use click and hold down the image until the ‘save image’ option appears; on Mac hold down ‘control’ and click the image to get the option box; on PC right click on the image to get the option box. Scroll down in the ‘option box’ and click ‘save image’.

Ruth Delahunty Yogaru

Restorative sleepy flow

This sequence is available on YouTube.

YOGA AND SLEEP
Sleep has been a hot topic of conversation for the last few years and is part of ‘the four pillars of health’ – nutrition, exercise, relaxation and sleep. Sleep is essential to our physical and mental wellbeing. Good sleeping habits help with focus and concentration, mental health, a strong immune system, lower inflammation, a healthy metabolism, weight maintenance, and muscle repair. The body works on a 24hr sleep-wake cycle, known as the circadian rhythm. When the sun rises, we are exposed to light and the body releases cortisol to give us energy for the day ahead. As the sun goes down, we are exposed to darkness and the body releases melatonin to make us drowsy and ready for sleep. Screen use, caffeine and alcohol inhibit this evening melatonin production and stop us from falling or staying asleep. To help you establish a healthy circadian rhythm, aim to get the sun in your eye within an hour after you wake and reduce stimulants, including light, for 4-6hrs before bed.

10 TIPS FOR GOOD SLEEP
Building good sleep habits will give you the best chance possible of establishing a good sleep routine. Below are 10 tips to help you along the way:

• Establish a regular sleep routine, sleep-wake times, even at weekends!

• Get some fresh air everyday.

• Get morning sunlight exposure within an hour after you wake.

• If you like strong exercise, schedule it in the morning or afternoon.

• Avoid caffeine (6hrs) before bedtime.

• Avoid alcohol (3hrs) before bedtime.

• Avoid screen (4hrs) use before bedtime.

• Avoid big or heavy meals (4hrs) before bedtime.

• Introduce relaxation techniques (warm bath, essential oils, gentle yoga) before bed.

• Keep your bedroom dark and cool (18o).

YOGA AND SLEEP
Yoga is perfect if you are looking for ways to support good sleep cycles and wake up feeling refreshed. It settles the mind and body, helping you fall and stay asleep. It also reduces stress which is one of the main causes of insomnia. Yoga calms the body and mind, relieving physical and mental tension. Yoga is a practice built on breath, movement and meditation. The breath is one of the fastest and most accessible ways to bring the body into a state of rest and tap into the parasympathetic ‘rest and restore’ nervous system response. The gentle movement of yoga releases muscle tension and relieves stiffness from long periods of sitting or standing. Yoga also creates a meditative, mindfulness flow which gives the brain a chance to shift gears away from work mode and increases levels of the sleep hormone melatonin. The perfect formula to gently nudge the body towards a good night sleep and to wake up feeling refreshed.

RESTORATIVE YOGA
While a gentle yoga practice is very calming, restorative yoga is the king of all yoga when it comes to helping you sleep better. Restorative is a healing practice of passive poses that targets the parasympathetic ‘rest and restore’ nervous system, and consciously relaxes the body to bring you into a deep state of rest. Practising restorative early in the day will help you feel refreshed and ready for the day ahead, while practising in the evening will help you prepare the nervous system for a good night's sleep. The poses are held for longer periods of time and are supported with props to create effortless comfort. The aim is to feel gentle opening sensations, which stimulate the parasympathetic ‘rest and restore’ response, rather than active and strong stretches, which stimulate the sympathetic ‘flight and flight’ response.

As we consciously breathe in our restorative practice the breath stimulates the vagus nerve, which travels to and from the brainstem straight to the throat, heart, diaphragm, stomach, kidneys, liver, pancreas, gallbladder, sphincter and reproductive organs. The vagus nerve is associated with 75% of the parasympathetic, rest and restore, nerve fibres. When it is stimulated it slows heart rate, reduces blood pressure, relaxes our airways, stimulates digestion and reproductive organs, inhibits the stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline production, stimulates happy hormone endorphin productions and relaxes the muscles. This helps create optimal conditions for sleep.

THE BENEFITS OF RESTORATIVE
Aids digestion, aids fertility, aids pain management, aids relaxation, balances emotions, balances hormones, balances nervous system, boosts immune system, boosts healing capacity, eases constipation & bloating, eases back pain, eases fatigue, eases headaches, eases insomnia, eases menstrual & menopause symptoms, eases muscle tension, eases neck pain, eases stress, tension & anxiety, improves healing capacity, improves posture, improves sleep, increases circulation, increases mindfulness, massages abdominal organs, reduces blood pressure, reduces inflammation, strengthens lungs, strengthens spine.

EXPLORING SLEEPY FLOW IN YOUR PRACTICE
After a busy day this sequence of gentle movement and restorative yoga will help your body and mind let go of the day's activities and prepare to flick the switch from doing to non-doing. The sequence starts with gentle movement using the breath to create a meditative flow by linking an inhale and an exhale with each pose. This stimulates the vagus nerve in the diaphragm and initiates the ‘rest and restore’ process. You will then transition into the king of all yoga for the nervous system – restorative yoga. It is important to make sure you are completely comfortable and adjust to find comfort if required. You will see the suggested hold times in the sequence for each pose. Props needed and alignment cues for your restorative poses are below:

ALIGNMENT CUES
Below are the restorative techniques used in this sequence. The props you’ll need are:
1 x bolster - or 2 towels, wrapped around a horizontally rolled pillow and tied to secure.
2 x yoga bricks - or 2 two thick similar sized dictionaries.
2 x yoga blankets - or any wool, thick cotton or fleece blanket with density.

No.1 - Chest opener
Quarter roll a four fold blanket and place it at the top of your mat with the roll towards you. Lie supine on your back, with the tip of your shoulder blades on the roll end of the blanket. Extend your arms overhead in cactus position or in a ‘T’ shape if your shoulders don’t comfortably reach the ground in the cactus position. Feel a gentle opening across the chest and shoulders.

No.2 - Supported bridge
Lie supine on your back, lift your hips up and place a bolster horizontally under your hips. Settle your hips down onto the support of the bolster. Knees bent, feet hip distance apart. Arms extended either side of the body, palms facing up. Feel a gentle opening in the front of the hips and across the chest.

No.3 - Reclined seated
Place two bricks horizontally at the top of your mat, One at its highest height and the other at its mid height. Lie your bolster over the bricks along the centre of your mat and place a folded blanket on the far end of your bolster where your head will rest. Sit with the back of your hips along the short end of the bolster. Roll up a folded blanket and place it under your knees. Gently lie back onto your bolster. Feel a gentle opening across the chest.

No.4 - Prone twist
Place your bolster vertically along the top centre of your mat. Sit with your right hip along the short end of the bolster. Place a folded blanket between your knees. Turn to face your bolster and place your hands on the ground either side. With an inhale lengthen through the whole spine and on an exhale gently place your front spine along the centre of the bolster. Place your right cheek on the bolster. Shift your elbows away slightly from the bolster to allow the arms to gently hang out of the shoulder sockets. Feel the gentle twist in the spine and abdominal region. Repeat on the left side.

No.5 - Supported childs
Come into a kneeling position with your hips on your heels. Nestle a bolster between your knees, vertically along your mat with a folded blanket on the far end. Place your hands either side of the bolster. With an inhale lengthen through the whole spine and on an exhale gently place your front spine along the centre of the bolster. Place your right cheek on the bolster. Feel the breath in the back of the ribs and lungs. Swap to your left cheek half way through the pose.

No.6 - Elevated legs up the wall or chair
Bring your mat to a wall or in front of a chair. Smooth out a two fold blanket along your mat and place a bolster about 5“ away from the wall. Sit on the right edge of your bolster with your left side up against the wall. Slowly recline over the bolster and swing your legs up along the wall or on the chair. Make sure there is space between the back of your hips and the wall or chair, so that your legs are at a slight angle to allow gravity to hold your legs in place.

No.7 - Mountain brook
Half roll a four fold blanket and place it at the top of your mat. Accordion fold the other blanket and place it below your top blanket where your shoulder blades will lie. Place the bolster towards the bottom of your mat where your knees will be. Lie supine on your back, nestle the rolled part of the top blanket in the curve of your neck, place the accordion folded blanket under the lower tips of your shoulder blades and the bolster under the creases of your knees. Legs and arms extended, palms facing up, feet fall out to the side. Feel the rise and fall of the props supporting your back body.

No.8 - Savasana
End your practice with at least 10 minutes of Savasana or Resting Pose. Lie supine on your back, legs stretched out, arms slightly away from your body, palms facing up. Legs slightly apart, feet fall out to the sides, soften your shoulder, back of the neck long. Gently close your eyes, let the body become heavy and melt into the support of the ground. Soften the muscles across your forehead, releasing all tension, gaze inwards. Let all the muscles and bones of your body release.

If you are enjoying restorative yoga you will find more restorative sequences here.

To save the images for personal use click and hold down the image until the ‘save image’ option appears; on Mac hold down ‘control’ and click the image to get the option box; on PC right click on the image to get the option box. Scroll down in the ‘option box’ and click ‘save image’.

Ruth Delahunty Yogaru