Joint Rotations

Ankles, knees, hips, shoulders, neck — small circles, both directions.

8 breathsVataPittaKapha

How to do it

Stand or sit tall and work from the ground up — ankles, then knees, then hips, then shoulders, then neck. Circle each joint five times one way and five the other, slowly enough to feel where it catches. This is a survey of the body, not a stretch, so stop short of any sharp edge.

SeatedSeated — wrists, ankles and shoulders only.

The sequence

5 steps

1AnklesFive circles each direction, one foot at a time.
2KneesHands on knees, small circles both ways.
3HipsHands on hips, wide slow circles.
4ShouldersRoll backward five times, then forward five.
5NeckSlow half-circles, ear to chest to ear. Never roll the head back.

What it does

Wakes the joints before they're asked to carry anything.

When you'll be given it

Opens almost every session, in every protocol.

Where it comes from

Sandhi movement appears throughout the classical daily-routine texts.

Take care

Keep the neck circles small and slow, and skip them entirely if you have cervical spine problems.

Not sure whether it suits you? Ask a Vaidya.

There's no button here to start this. Your practice is prescribed each morning — that's what keeps the dose honest.