Any February yoga flow sequence is always dominated by heart openers. Ostensibly, it’s a reference the Valentine’s Day (or Galentine’s, or whatever you might be celebrating). But heart openers–or any postures that help the chest open up–are extremely appropriate in the winter months. Especially in the frozen northern midwestern states like Minnesota.
Heart openers have many benefits, but one thing that is especially helpful in the cold months is the effect on the respiratory system. While these particular postures tend to include cues focused on shoulders, pectorals, etc., they also do a great job of relieving pressure on the lungs and can help “clear the air” literally for folks with blockages.
February Yoga Flow Sequence
My February sequence is, naturally, chock full of these kinds of postures. We start slow and on the bellies, then end sunny side up.
Warm up
- Crocodile
- Side lying shoulder stretch
- Sphinx
- Baby cobra into king cobra
- Extended childs pose
- Cat/Cow
Sun A (with optional low lunge sequence if time allows – it does not in my 45 min classes, for example) 3x
Sun B 3x
- Chair w/ airplane arms
- One legged tadasana
- Dancing Ganesh x2
- Airplane
- Warrior 2
- Ext side angle with heart opening bind
- Ext triangle
- Revolved triangle with block
- Chaturanga
Standing series
- Warrior 1
- Kali mudra 2x
- Walk hands to side for wide legged forward fold, options for inversions, etc
- Single arm twist
- Star pose
- Horse pose with cactus arms
- Star
- Warrior 2 into chaturanga
Seated postures
- Camel
- Rabbit
- Supta virasana
Restorative postures
- Supported fish pose with block
- Bridge (activated, chest expansion options)
- Supine spinal twist
- Apanasana into Savasana
Just typing this out makes me want to say ahhh =D
Playlist Options
Shakespeare noted that, “if music be the food of love, play on…” and that’s the inspiration I used for this playlist made up of classic 90s love songs. They double as a kind of soundtrack to my pre-teen years.
Meditation for February Flow Sequencing
Making space for a moment of meditation can feel at odds with the heat and flow we generate in a vinyasa class. But I love to bring in some element of meditation in all of my classes, moments of reflection, guided and unguided. For this month, as we start to feel the budding of spring, I’m using a classic from ee cummings:
i carry your heart with me(i carry it in
my heart)i am never without it(anywhere
i go you go,my dear;and whatever is done
by only me is your doing,my darling)
i fear
no fate(for you are my fate,my sweet)i want
no world(for beautiful you are my world,my true)
and it’s you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you
here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life;which grows
higher than soul can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that’s keeping the stars apart
i carry your heart(i carry it in my heart)
ee cummings
How are you sequencing February flows this month?
Minnesconsin Yoga 