Yoga Shacharit
Hanefesh SA/TO Dance
9 February 2014
Tie hair back, take socks off, find your own space, relaxing music as background
Preliminary
Movement awakens the soul and re-energizes the spirit. Movement exercises as part of the Tefillah
experience reminds you of the body-soul interaction and engages the entire human experience with
the spirituality of Tefillah. Judaism is a religion of the body. Judaism has long had within it a strong
environmental and body consciousness. The body is not a place of sin or destruction; it is a site for
holiness.
A.J. Heschel;
“When I marched in Selma, my feet were praying.”
Note: People wearing tallit/tefillin may not be able to do all the movements. Do all you can.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Shacharit
Modeh Ani - page 2
Movement: Sun
Salutation
Birkot Hashachar - page 10
Explanation: Birkot Hashachar guides through all of our movements of the morning routine
1. Helps us to distinguish between day and
(k)night
Baruch She’amar - page 54
Explanation: praising hashem
Or lord of dance, grab foot and hold back, reach up
Ashrei - page 80
Explanation: an acrostic of happiness
Happy baby pose
Following Hatzi Kaddish:
Barchu/Yotzer Or - page 96
Explanation: Call to worship. Gather as a community. Flock of birds. Flock of pigeons, Pigeon pose.
Shema - page 100
seated pose, lotus or half lotus, eyes closed
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Following Mi Chamocha/Tzur Yisrael
Amidah - page 106
Explanation: Mountain pose
Following Kaddish Shalem
Aleinu - page 160
-------------------------------------------------------------------Shir Shel Yom and Psalm for Days of Awe
Adon Olam - page 6
Explanation: The last line of Adon Olam says: “Adonai li v’lo ira”
“God is with me, I shall not fear. Body and Spirit in His keep”
Last thing we say in yoga is Namaste - the light in my honors the light in you