purpose sequence
a yoga sequence to connect to your power
by Leona Starnes
about this sequence
This is a practice designed to connect you to your core – the muscles that create stability and flexibility in your spine. In subtle anatomy this is the place in the body that houses your 3rd chakra. It is the seat of willpower, your ability to manifest your intentions and desires in the world. My hope is that by exploring this part of your body through mindful movement you feel grounded, strong, and ready to make shit happen.
If any of these movements cause you pain, or if you don’t feel comfortable practicing them (listen to your intuition, y’all) omit them! You can do this sequence on its own, add it to a practice, or pick out just a move or two to incorporate into your next yoga session. A quick note specifically about uddiyana kriya (the first exercise after centering): if you’ve eaten a large meal in the last couple of hours, if you’re currently pregnant or menstruating, or if you have heart disease, stomach or intestinal ulcers, hernia, glaucoma, or unmedicated high blood pressure please skip this step. You can breathe diaphragmatically, or practice another form of pranayama instead. In general, please move with kindness and patience towards yourself. When you start to bring honest awareness to your core, you may hit against ideas about yourself and your power that don’t always feel nice. Practicing with kindness can help break the cycle of negative self-criticism. Patience as your other pillar allows you to stay adaptable in the moment, and to practice with the right amount of effort for you.
start here
Start in any comfortable seated position. Take a minute or two here to focus inwards. Notice sensations in your body and the movement of your natural breath. Notice the thoughts and feelings that are present. Welcome yourself fully into this moment just as you are with kindness, patience, and honesty for what it’s like to be you today. Set the intention that for the rest of your practice you will be present with this same sense of kindness and honesty for your own experience. You can come back to simply be in stillness anytime during the practice you feel disconnected from this kind awareness.
Now begin to gently deepen your breath. Start by exhaling all the way out. Find the bottom of your breath, the point where you’re empty of air. Then let your belly soften as you inhale and feel the breath move your abdomen and ribcage. Continue to gradually lengthen and deepen the breath over the next 5-8 cycles. This is the first core connecting practice you’ll do in this sequence. Observe the movement in your abdomen and pelvic floor muscles as you breathe deep diaphragmatic breaths. There is a natural tone as you exhale that you can begin to emphasize at the bottom of your breath. Imagine gently pulling the pit of your abdomen (the space 3 inches below your navel) and your pelvic floor up and in towards your heart as you finish your exhale. When you inhale let your abdomen release and expand. Continue this breathing pattern for another minute or two, consciously releasing tension around your eyes, jaw, tongue, and shoulders. With your inhales feel your body expanding and your spine lengthening. With your exhales feel tension releasing and your energy gathering into the pit of your abdomen, bringing you home. When this feels complete to you take a deep breath in through your nose and sigh the breath out through an open mouth.
start here
Start in any comfortable seated position. Take a minute or two here to focus inwards. Notice sensations in your body and the movement of your natural breath. Notice the thoughts and feelings that are present. Welcome yourself fully into this moment just as you are with kindness, patience, and honesty for what it’s like to be you today. Set the intention that for the rest of your practice you will be present with this same sense of kindness and honesty for your own experience. You can come back to simply be in stillness anytime during the practice you feel disconnected from this kind awareness.
Now begin to gently deepen your breath. Start by exhaling all the way out. Find the bottom of your breath, the point where you’re empty of air. Then let your belly soften as you inhale and feel the breath move your abdomen and ribcage. Continue to gradually lengthen and deepen the breath over the next 5-8 cycles. This is the first core connecting practice you’ll do in this sequence. Observe the movement in your abdomen and pelvic floor muscles as you breathe deep diaphragmatic breaths. There is a natural tone as you exhale that you can begin to emphasize at the bottom of your breath. Imagine gently pulling the pit of your abdomen (the space 3 inches below your navel) and your pelvic floor up and in towards your heart as you finish your exhale. When you inhale let your abdomen release and expand. Continue this breathing pattern for another minute or two, consciously releasing tension around your eyes, jaw, tongue, and shoulders. With your inhales feel your body expanding and your spine lengthening. With your exhales feel tension releasing and your energy gathering into the pit of your abdomen, bringing you home. When this feels complete to you take a deep breath in through your nose and sigh the breath out through an open mouth.
uddiyana kriya
**Make sure you read the notes about this pose at the top of the page before beginning!**
Come up to standing with your feet hip distance apart for uddiyana kriya. Pulling your shirt up to see your belly is optional, but if it sounds fun go for it! Bend your knees a few inches and shift your hips back as if you were starting to sit into a chair. Place the heels of your hands into your hip creases and straighten your arms, pressing down with your hands as you let your tailbone drop towards the ground. You might feel this as a lengthening action in your low back. Take a deep breath in and a full breath out to let your body know something’s coming. Inhale fully, and exhale out through your mouth completely as if you’re blowing out candles on a birthday cake. When all the air is out of your lungs HOLD THE BREATH OUT. Pull back strongly on the pit of your abdomen, as if you could bring it to touch the back bottom ribs. Pull up on the pelvic floor as well. Feel your feet press down firmly and press through your hands to lengthen your low back. Hold for as long as you’re comfortable not breathing. When you need to inhale RELAX YOUR STOMACH FIRST, then breathe in and come up to standing. Take a few noticing breaths. Repeat 2-3 more times. Feel the warmth in your body and your heart beating.
uddiyana kriya
**Make sure you read the notes about this pose at the top of the page before beginning!**
Come up to standing with your feet hip distance apart for uddiyana kriya. Pulling your shirt up to see your belly is optional, but if it sounds fun go for it! Bend your knees a few inches and shift your hips back as if you were starting to sit into a chair. Place the heels of your hands into your hip creases and straighten your arms, pressing down with your hands as you let your tailbone drop towards the ground. You might feel this as a lengthening action in your low back. Take a deep breath in and a full breath out to let your body know something’s coming. Inhale fully, and exhale out through your mouth completely as if you’re blowing out candles on a birthday cake. When all the air is out of your lungs HOLD THE BREATH OUT. Pull back strongly on the pit of your abdomen, as if you could bring it to touch the back bottom ribs. Pull up on the pelvic floor as well. Feel your feet press down firmly and press through your hands to lengthen your low back. Hold for as long as you’re comfortable not breathing. When you need to inhale RELAX YOUR STOMACH FIRST, then breathe in and come up to standing. Take a few noticing breaths. Repeat 2-3 more times. Feel the warmth in your body and your heart beating.
cat spine
Come to the ground on your forearms and knees – knees under your hips and elbows under your shoulders. Interlace your fingers in front of you. On an exhale curl your tailbone under, press your mid and upper back to the sky and you let your head relax coming into cat spine. Contract the pit of your abdomen lightly.
cat spine
Come to the ground on your forearms and knees – knees under your hips and elbows under your shoulders. Interlace your fingers in front of you. On an exhale curl your tailbone under, press your mid and upper back to the sky and you let your head relax coming into cat spine. Contract the pit of your abdomen lightly.
cow spine
On your inhale come into cow spine, letting your tailbone move up towards the sky, your belly drop and heart pull forward. Continue to push through your forearms as you move with your own breath, alternating between cat and cow spine for 5-8 breath cycles.
cow spine
On your inhale come into cow spine, letting your tailbone move up towards the sky, your belly drop and heart pull forward. Continue to push through your forearms as you move with your own breath, alternating between cat and cow spine for 5-8 breath cycles.
hip circles
Slide your shins a little wider apart and your elbows a little in front of your shoulders and begin to draw clockwise circles with your hips. Move with your breath, inhaling the hips to the left and forward. Exhale as you circle your hips to the right and back towards your heels. The size of the circles is up to you. Do 3-5 repititions moving in one direction, then switch and take the circles counterclockwise. Continue to press through the forearms, and keep the pit of your abdomen slightly engaged throughout to keep your low back long.
hip circles
Slide your shins a little wider apart and your elbows a little in front of your shoulders and begin to draw clockwise circles with your hips. Move with your breath, inhaling the hips to the left and forward. Exhale as you circle your hips to the right and back towards your heels. The size of the circles is up to you. Do 3-5 repititions moving in one direction, then switch and take the circles counterclockwise. Continue to press through the forearms, and keep the pit of your abdomen slightly engaged throughout to keep your low back long.
forearm plank
Come back to center and realign your knees under your hips and elbows under shoulders. Press through your forearms and engage your abdomen as you exhale, stepping your feet back one at a time into forearm plank. Lift your thighs, navel, chest and forehead evenly away from the ground to engage your whole body. In addition to engaging the pit of your abdomen you can imagine drawing your frontal hip crests towards each other to contract your lowest layer of abdominal muscles. Hold as long as you’d like, maintaining a deep breath and kind presence. You can come in and out of the pose. You can practice half plank with your knees on the ground, or your hips lifted slightly higher than your shoulders to build strength patiently. If you want to make plank more challenging, do a few rounds of toe taps. Keep your hips and shoulders level as you bring one leg at a time off to the side and tap your toes on the ground before returning to center.
forearm plank
Come back to center and realign your knees under your hips and elbows under shoulders. Press through your forearms and engage your abdomen as you exhale, stepping your feet back one at a time into forearm plank. Lift your thighs, navel, chest and forehead evenly away from the ground to engage your whole body. In addition to engaging the pit of your abdomen you can imagine drawing your frontal hip crests towards each other to contract your lowest layer of abdominal muscles. Hold as long as you’d like, maintaining a deep breath and kind presence. You can come in and out of the pose. You can practice half plank with your knees on the ground, or your hips lifted slightly higher than your shoulders to build strength patiently. If you want to make plank more challenging, do a few rounds of toe taps. Keep your hips and shoulders level as you bring one leg at a time off to the side and tap your toes on the ground before returning to center.
dolphin pose
From forearm plank walk your feet towards your elbows to lift your hips into dolphin pose. You’re allowed to bend your knees, walk your feet farther apart and let your head relax. Press tremendously through your forearms to feel your hips lift up and away from your ribs. Hold 3-8 breaths.
dolphin pose
From forearm plank walk your feet towards your elbows to lift your hips into dolphin pose. You’re allowed to bend your knees, walk your feet farther apart and let your head relax. Press tremendously through your forearms to feel your hips lift up and away from your ribs. Hold 3-8 breaths.
child’s pose
Bring your knees to the ground and rest in child’s pose. Slide your big toes closer together and your knees farther apart. Make sure your head is resting either on the ground, your hands, or a prop. Stay for at least 5 soft belly breaths. Imagine your inhale is bringing space into the places in your body where you feel the echo of the previous poses. On the exhale soften into that space.
child's pose
Bring your knees to the ground and rest in child’s pose. Slide your big toes closer together and your knees farther apart. Make sure your head is resting either on the ground, your hands, or a prop. Stay for at least 5 soft belly breaths. Imagine your inhale is bringing space into the places in your body where you feel the echo of the previous poses. On the exhale soften into that space.
half locust
Make your way onto your stomach to prepare for half locust. Start by stretching your arms down by your sides, palms facing towards your thighs. Engage your core by pressing your toenails and the tops of your thighs down, and lengthening your tailbone towards your heels. Visualize pulling your frontal hip crests towards each other. Roll your shoulders up to your ears then lift them away from the ground. Keep them lifted, squeezing towards your spine, as you reach the tips of your shoulder blades and fingertips towards your toes. Keep that engagement in your back, and as you inhale lift your head and chest any amount off the ground. Hold 3-5 breaths and then release, resting completely. You can repeat up to 2 more times, or you can take full locust.
half locust
Make your way onto your stomach to prepare for half locust. Start by stretching your arms down by your sides, palms facing towards your thighs. Engage your core by pressing your toenails and the tops of your thighs down, and lengthening your tailbone towards your heels. Visualize pulling your frontal hip crests towards each other. Roll your shoulders up to your ears then lift them away from the ground. Keep them lifted, squeezing towards your spine, as you reach the tips of your shoulder blades and fingertips towards your toes. Keep that engagement in your back, and as you inhale lift your head and chest any amount off the ground. Hold 3-5 breaths and then release, resting completely. You can repeat up to 2 more times, or you can take full locust.
full locust
You’ll start with the same set up you did for half locust. When you lift your head and chest lift your legs as well. Think about getting longer rather than lifting higher. Hold 3-5 breaths then rest. You can repeat that or move on to bow pose.
full locust
You’ll start with the same set up you did for half locust. When you lift your head and chest lift your legs as well. Think about getting longer rather than lifting higher. Hold 3-5 breaths then rest. You can repeat that or move on to bow pose.
bow pose
Begin with the same core engagement as in the last two poses. Bend both knees and reach your hands back for your ankles. On an inhale, kick your feet into your hands to lift your head and chest any amount. Keep your neck in line with the rest of your spine, and your tailbone lengthening towards your knees. Hold 3-6 breaths, then rest in crocodile pose.
bow pose
Begin with the same core engagement as in the last two poses. Bend both knees and reach your hands back for your ankles. On an inhale, kick your feet into your hands to lift your head and chest any amount. Keep your neck in line with the rest of your spine, and your tailbone lengthening towards your knees. Hold 3-6 breaths, then rest in crocodile pose.
crocodile pose
For crocodile pose lie on your stomach. Stack your hands under your forehead using the back of your hands as a pillow. Let your feet turn out. Relax completely, and breathe deeply. Let your belly and low back move as you breathe. Stay for 6-8 breaths or more.
croc pose
For crocodile pose lie on your stomach. Stack your hands under your forehead using the back of your hands as a pillow. Let your feet turn out. Relax completely, and breathe deeply. Let your belly and low back move as you breathe. Stay for 6-8 breaths or more.
reclining twist
Roll onto your back. Bend your knees and press into your feet to lift you hips and shift them a few inches to the left. Stretch your arms out into a T shape. On an inhale bring your knees towards your chest. On an exhale let your legs fall to the right. You are welcome to stack or stagger the legs, or to turn your head towards or away from your knees. Find a place to rest your body and breathe deeply. Stay for 3-5 breaths before coming back to center. Rest for a few breaths before repeating on the other side.
reclining twist
Roll onto your back. Bend your knees and press into your feet to lift you hips and shift them a few inches to the left. Stretch your arms out into a T shape. On an inhale bring your knees towards your chest. On an exhale let your legs fall to the right. You are welcome to stack or stagger the legs, or to turn your head towards or away from your knees. Find a place to rest your body and breathe deeply. Stay for 3-5 breaths before coming back to center. Rest for a few breaths before repeating on the other side.
savasana
You’ve made it to savasana! Take your time to get as cozy as possible so your body can relax. Grab a blanket, pillow, bolster, or eye pillow. Put your favorite essential oil in the diffuser. Be as extra as you want to be. You can rest in stillness for as long as you’d like (I’d recommend at least 5 minutes) simply letting your muscles relax and your breath move effortlessly, or you can listen to the guided meditation below during savasana.
savasana
You’ve made it to savasana! Take your time to get as cozy as possible so your body can relax. Grab a blanket, pillow, bolster, or eye pillow. Put your favorite essential oil in the diffuser. Be as extra as you want to be. You can rest in stillness for as long as you’d like (I’d recommend at least 5 minutes) simply letting your muscles relax and your breath move effortlessly, or you can listen to the guided meditation below during savasana.
guided meditation
When you’re ready to come out of your resting pose, start by gently deepening your breath. Move slowly. Take your time to roll to one side and rest for a breath or two. Press up to an easy seat and take a moment to be grateful that you set aside this time for yourself. Honor the strength and wisdom of your body and breath. Send out gratitude like a wave to all the people in your life that help you to be present. Maybe even smile. Move on with your day a little more connected to your body and purpose.
When you’re ready to come out of your resting pose, start by gently deepening your breath. Move slowly. Take your time to roll to one side and rest for a breath or two. Press up to an easy seat and take a moment to be grateful that you set aside this time for yourself. Honor the strength and wisdom of your body and breath. Send out gratitude like a wave to all the people in your life that help you to be present. Maybe even smile. Move on with your day a little more connected to your body and purpose.
