Awaken the Inner Fire Flow

(wave crashes) Namaste namaskaram. Today's practice, as we come together, we're going to be focusing in on the fire. In this fire today, really going to be connecting down more into the first, second, and third chakras, definitely in this area, right? This area is really the root. It's connecting down into that power center.

We're not going to be all in this space up here, but really down, connecting to really our wants, our desires, those emotions. As we come together, just close the eyes. Open the feet nice and wide to really feel the base of the body. Then from the soles of the feet, as you inhale, take your arms out to the side. Open the fingers, lifting to the sun.

Lift to the Heavens, reaching high. As the palms come together, just softly draw down through the center. Let the arms sweep out to the side. Feel them rising up. Feel that lifting to the sun, reaching to the Heavens.

From Heaven, pulling down through the center. Feel that danda, that line of energy from Heaven to Earth As you inhale, let it sweep out rising. It's that lifting energy, prana, the rising force of life, and then Heaven to Earth, apana, and just letting yourself slow down a moment. Feel the flow of the divine current. As you set your intention here in this practice, what is your want?

What is your desire? What are you offering to this practice? Moving beyond just the asanas, the asana, that physical flow, but deeper. What is your intention? What is it that you're awakening?

Fire is a place of transformation. You offer anything to the fire and it will change. Water evaporates, wood to ash. We feel the transformation through this practice today. As we're here together in the flow, we're always in the flow, we'll offer up the sound of om.

Inhale, feel it rising. Om. The hands rest at the heart. Take a moment. Softly allowing the eyes to open, and just greeting yourself, welcoming to your mat today.

You step to the top of the mat, coming to Tadasana. Big toes together, heels just slightly apart. Let the hands release. In that same movement, sweep out, rising. Drawing down through the center, Forward Fold.

As you inhale, feel the spine lengthen halfway, flat back. If you need, hands to the shins. Exhale and fold. Two more just like that. Inhale, sweep out.

Rise, come up. Exhale as you fold, coming down, Uttanasana. Inhale as you lengthen halfway, lifting the heart. Folding, bow with the heart to the Earth. One more cycle.

Inhale, lengthen, and exhale as you fold tracing down. This time you need to lengthen halfway, flat back. Plant your hands and fold. Step the right foot back into your lunge. Taking your left foot back into plank, and here feeling that danda.

Tuck the tail bone, lengthen out. Feel the crown of the head reaching forward, and scooping. Notice if you're dropping into the lower back. Tuck the tail bone. Scoop the belly.

Press the Earth away. Gazing slightly out, inhale, and exhale, lifting up and back into your Down Dog. Again, just soften a moment. Take your time breathing here. Let the mind settle.

Let the breath soften, and really let the body begin to feel, witness. Take a deep inhale through the nose. Open the mouth, big sigh, big sound. (sighs) It's just another movement of prana, Udana Vayu, something within you that needs to come out, so let it out today any time you need to. Feet coming together, right leg, inhale, feel it rising up and back.

Exhale, set the right foot forward between your hands, finding your long lunge. This one, I like to think of it as if lunge and Pigeon connected together in a night, and here's what come out. Letting the hands go wide, either onto the tips of the fingers or palms flat. Right arm in front of the right shin, and keep that right foot flexed as you let the right knee just drop to the side. Now gaze out in front.

Exhale, letting the elbows bend. Inhale as you press up. Exhale, let the elbows bend, right knee off to the side, and just feel. Breathe into the hip, left leg active. Inhale, press up.

Three pulsations here, and exhaling. As you press back up, resetting, hands coming in, coming into your lunge, step back into plank. Feel that length. Again, we haven't taken Chataranga yet. Really scoop the belly.

Lengthen out. Feel the danda, that staff. Exhale, lifting up and back into Down Dog. Feet coming together, left leg, inhale, let it rise out and back. Extend to the Heavens.

Exhale, set the left foot forward between your hands. Lengthen out. Once again, hands moving wide. Knee to the side, and feel that, that nice rotation into the hip. Lengthen the spine, right leg active.

Exhale, lean forward and let the elbows bend. Inhale as you press up. You can feel that, right? Lunge and Pigeon connecting together. Exhale.

Inhale rising. Exhale as you bend the elbows. Inhale pressing up, resetting your lunge, stepping back into Plank. Lengthen out and exhale up and back into Down Dog. Don't worry, my friends, we will do Chatarangas.

I know some of us are Chataranga crazy in America. We love the Chataranga, love, love, love, right? We'll have plenty of Chatarangas, so just saving the body as we awaken the fire. Take a deep inhale. Exhale, let it go.

As we come together now in this Namaskar. Letting the feet come together. Right leg, inhale, let it rise out and back. Exhale, coiling in. Step the right foot forward.

Ground the back heel, slight angle, Vira I. Pada I through this foot pattern. Sweep the arms out like we opened, lifting, coming up. Again, reaching up, arms open together. Gaze out or look up.

Look to the Sun. Exhaling down to the Earth, stepping back into plank and yes, my friends, your first Chataranga Dandasana. Smile if you taking Chataranga. Inhale, let it lift, Up Dog or Cobra, and drawing it back into Down Dog. Feet together, left leg inhale to the sky.

Exhale as you coil in. Step the left foot between your hands. Back heel will ground, Vira I. Sweep out, rise coming up. Look to the Heavens or looking to the distance, reaching, extending out.

Sit a little deeper and exhale down to the Earth. Step back into Plank. Feel that danda, and if you're taking Chataranga, take it with a smile. (sighs) Exhale. Inhale, lift the heart rising, and then pull from the center, up and back into Down Dog.

Two more cycles, feet together. Right leg, inhale, let it rise. Exhale as you step. Ground root to rise. Inhale, lifting, Heaven.

Exhale, Heaven to Earth. Stepping back, find the danda radiate out from your center. Chataranga, don't forget to smile. I love it when we smile. I hope by the end of your practice, your face is sore from smiling, maybe not from the practice, but just from smiling.

Feet together, left leg, inhale, let it rise. Exhale as you step. Root to rise, Vira I. Exhale to the Earth. Stepping back, see that fire, and then taking it to the Earth.

Inhale, heart to the Sun, and then drawing back, Down Dog. One more cycle. Feet together, right leg inhale, and exhale. Pada I foot pattern, root to rise. Virabhadrasana I.

Stay low and exhaling down. Stepping back, and again smile. Chataranga, I love, heart lifting. You have to have compassion in Chataranga, right? Because if you don't have compassion for it, it will become just a pain, right?

Love the pose. Left leg, inhale. Exhale as you step. Root to rise, Vira I, lifting and coming down. See that fire.

See your intention. Look out to it. Chataranga Dandasan, and then rising and drawing the heart back, Down Dog. Take a moment. Just pause, breathing here, inhale.

Open the mouth. (sighs) Let yourself just surrender. As the feet come together, right leg, let it rise. Step the right foot between your hands. Bring your left foot up to meet it, and as you exhale, fold.

Inhale, bend the knees. Sweep out. Rise up, and then drawing hands to the heart, sit to the heels. Reach forward and we'll take it down. (sighs) Navasana.

All right, so again, (clears throat) excuse me, keeping that activation from Uddiyana Bandha. I know, we are talking about the first, second, and third chakra. Yes, I know it helps if you make a little crazy face when you're playing with the third chakra, because it is about fire, and that fire's awakening. Navasana, you're alive, you're breathing, and you may tremble. Trembling is good.

The Earth trembles. Everything trembles. You feel that awakeness. As you exhale now, extend it out. Lower the body.

Let it radiate out, feeling that danda here. Again, as we're here, feeling that activation from Uddiyana Bandha. Feel the right leg draw into the center, and then we're going to give a little extra, oh come up. Yes. Then send it out.

Left knee pulls from the center, pull in and then oh yes and send it out. Then that big rise. You got to get up. (sighs) I'm often reminded when I'm doing core work or usually in my practice, James Brown, you know, you got to get down if you want to get up. You got to get down in there, so exhale down and then pull it in.

Right, we're down and now you got to get up. Yes. Get down, and then we got to pull it in and you got to get on up, yes, and then take it out, and then feel from your center, here it is, active, rising, smiling, yes. One more, here we go. Coming down, hover, pull in.

Feel that intention, what you're transforming, what you need to change in your life. What is calling to you? Send it out, and then pull it in, and then lift. Feel that offer. Reach for it.

No one's going to do that work. You can do it, and we'll rise. We'll smile. Last one, coming down, coming down, coming down, hover, hover, you can do it. I know it shakes a lot.

It's okay, let the jelly shake, and then surrender. (exhales audibly) Just letting yourself release down a moment, just to feel, and we feel the fire awaken. The hands can be at the third chakra, Manipura. It's listening to the inner voice. We've all had that instance in our life where I had a gut feeling.

I should have listened. I should have heard that inner voice. What we're doing is awakening that inner voice, the inner fire, to feel the clarity that comes from within. Again, hug the knees, yes. Begin to rock up and down on the spine, gain some momentum, and then rock up (sighs) in Tadasana.

Yay. We're going to have just one solar wave here, coming together. Let the hands release down. Bend the knees, sweep out, rising up, and keeping the knees bent, draw the hands down through the center just like we opened with. Arising prana, lifting, and that line from Heaven pulling down through the center channel.

Let it lift, and this time as you draw down, forward fold. Inhale as the spine lengthens halfway, and then folding, planting your hands. Step the left foot back, taking your right foot back into Plank. Don't worry, we'll do more Chatarangas, but here just feel the plank. Feel that danda.

Lengthen out and then lifting up and back into Down Dog. Just one solar wave. Feet come together. Right leg, inhale to the sky. Draw the right knee forward towards the right wrist.

This time turn the shin on to the Earth, Flowing Pigeon, so we're not going to hold it yet. Don't worry, we will. I know everyone's like, "Pigeon, yay." Not yet, here we want to flow with it. Inhale. Exhale.

Lead with the heart, coming down to the Earth, and the hands can be wide so that you can feel that rhythm. Inhale, you can come up through the left side, and then exhale to the right or down through the left, either way. Inhale up through the right side, and then exhaling, any variation, taking a couple, and then roll the body up. Plant the hands, bringing it in. Curl the back toes under.

Send the right foot out and back into Down Dog Splits. As you step the right foot forward between your hands, keep the back heel lifted, rooting in. Let the body rise, come up High Crescent, and then drawing the hands down to the heart, lean slightly forward. Again, feel that line, back heel to the crown, hands at the heart. Root down, so feel Apana to rise into Prana, Vira III, lift, and then move from your center, drawing that left knee in.

Take your left ankle, just flex the foot and place it on top of the right knee. You find again that Pigeon shape here. All right? Ah, yes. You can stay up high or sit deeper.

Yeah, you'll feel that hip open. Now let the arms flow. Inhale, let them rise. Exhale, drawing down. Inhale, let it rise, and exhale drawing down.

One more cycle. Inhale, and drawing down, pull the knee in. Extend it out. Ah yes. Vira III, and then soften the right knee.

Step it back. Reach up High Crescent, and then open, and if you're still with me, you're smiling. Vira II, so sit, root down. I know some of us here take this lifting up out. Ski season's over in Vira II, my friend.

Root down. Yeah, you're like, "Woo, warrior," powerful. Turn the right palm up. Inhale, reverse. Exhale, right forearm to the thigh, left arm by the ear, and just this left arm, take the left arm in motion, bring it along the horizon.

Look back, and then bring that left hand back along the horizon, gaze up, as you flow exhale, and then inhale. This time, as that left arm comes around, reach it behind your back, taking hold of that inner right thigh. (sighs) You can stay here. You can take the hand down. I like to modify.

It's really nice just to be deep, really rooted. Then taking the left hand back along the horizon, over the crown, rise up, Warrior II, and then down to the Earth. Then, my friends, lower the left knee, because your hip needs this. (sighs) Straighten the right leg, and then lead with the heart. (sighs) Ardha Hanuman.

That hip says, "Thank you." All right, just giving your hamstring and your hip some love here to release. As you come back forward, stepping back into Plank, your Vinyasa, Chataranga with a smile from your heart, and then rising. Drawing it back into Down Dog. Breathing in your Down Dog, coming left side, feet together. Inhale the left leg.

Let it rise out and back. Draw the left knee towards the left wrist, turning the shin onto the Earth, and then releasing, walk the hands, lift the heart, let it shine, and then like a wave coming to the shore, heart leads to the Earth. Round the spine, inhale, and again, you could be straight on center, or you could move towards the right, come over to the left, and just letting yourself flow. We are moving beings. We're always in the flow.

The Earth isn't standing still. The wind, the trees, the ocean move with the current. Our body loves to move. No one in life wants to be restricted. We want to free the flow of prana, free the flow of energy, so move with it.

Plant the hands. Right toes curl under, left foot, send it out and back, Down Dog Split. Stepping the left foot between your hands, keep the back heel lifted. Let it rise, come up, and then drawing to the heart and feel that focus, that looking to the distance, that future, that intention. Lean forward.

Find the line, heel to crown, and then let it fly. Yes, energy radiating out every part of you. Now, soften the left knee. Pull the right knee in, just like we did in the core work. Flex the foot, and now bending, and let that right ankle rest onto that left thigh, and then the arms release.

As we open, inhale. As you draw down, if you like, sit a little deeper. We're preparing the body, opening the hip. We're setting up really for those as we come later into Galavasana, Flying Crow. As you draw down, pull the knee in, send it back, Vira III.

Again, softly step it back. Let it rise up, and then opening, Warrior II. Again, root down, powerful Vira II, and I know some of us, I know I'm not there in the room to watch you, so you're going to have to do yourself, but don't be up here. Don't be afraid of your hip. Get in it, powerful at the root chakra.

Left hand turns up. Inhale, reverse. Exhale, left forearm to the thigh, right arm by the ear and adjust. Find where the knee is over ankle, long line, and then let that right arm flow along the horizon, reaching back, and then just follow it. Take it along the horizon.

Look out. There's nothing bad about looking back behind you. We look to our past to learn, and then we look to the future to set our goals, our intention. Where are you going to? Where do striving for?

Here and then bringing the arm behind, Half Bind. Roll the heart up. Just feel that root down, powerful through soles of the feet. Then right hand comes along the horizon, and then we cartwheel down, and then that hip says, "Yes, thank you," Ardha Hanuman and just bowing. Feel that little ripple through the spine.

Lengthen and then fold, and then we lengthen one more time and fold. As you come forward, stepping back, and again, if you're doing Chataranga, do it. Do it with love. Do it with compassion, and do it with a smile. Rising and drawing back into Down Dog, just breathing here, inhale.

Exhale, soften. Inhaling and exhale. Feet together, left leg, let it rise to the sky. Set the left foot forward between your hands, bringing your right foot up to meet it, and exhale as you fold. As you bend the knees, sweep the arms out, rising up, Utkatasana, and then draw the hands down.

We felt this movement. We're used to it. We feel it now. Let it rise, and as you lift, pull the right knee up. Right ankle comes across, draw down and pause.

Let yourselves take a moment here, and for some this is the first krama. You're going to stay here and just breathe. There's no need to do anything else. I've done lots of yoga my whole life. Some days I just want to sit here, and be like, "Yeah, you all do what you want to do.

"I'm just going to breathe," right? You stay here. Breathe. Those of you who like, fold over. Hook the foot onto the arm.

Your shin, your right shin will create a ledge. Lean forward and pull the knee in and pull the foot in and stay here, and then if you like, extend and smile. Pull in, coming back, and our friends who went flying, have a joy of flying. Those who didn't fly, and you stayed here, stay here and then release. (sighs) Yay.

Let's take the other side. Arms in that same flow. This time, bend the knees, sweep out, left knee comes up, ankle comes across, and draw down, and again, stay here, listening to the inner wisdom. When the body says to go forward, move deeper, you do. When it says, "Hey, it's a day to back off," back off.

We hurt ourselves when we don't listen to the inner voice, but you want a challenge, so for those who like, fold over, left foot hooks on to the right arm. Create that ledge. Pull the knee in, and stay here. Again, let's say we stay modified. This is perfect.

You don't have to extend the leg. You come back, and you come in. Then you release, and then you rise, and then we'll fold. Just take a moment, bowing. Open the feet, and again couple options, peace fingers around the big toes and bow, or if you feel it in the wrists, step onto the palms of the hands, and then bow over.

Just releasing, and then we're just going to walk the feet back into Down Dog, not floating, not getting more Chatarangas, not burning the body out. This way, our practice, we can stay happy. We can stay healthy. We can smile. We're not forcing too much, but we're challenging from within.

Feet together, right leg, let it rise. Right knee towards the right wrist. Turn the shin onto the Earth, and then now all those who are craving that laying in Pigeon, here it is for you, and you're like, "Yes, yes, yes," and then leading with the heart, coming down, and just pause. Hands can make a pillow, and just let yourself slow down now. Just a few breaths, breathing here, just taking your time, letting yourself go.

Now gently just walk the hands in, coming up, and just sitting to the right hip. I'm going to bring the right shin out, and bringing your left leg coming around, and as you bring it around, we're going to stack the left shin on top, and just making sure the shins are aligned, feet are flexed, just like in Galavasana, just like in Pigeon, setting up into Double Pigeon. Some of you that knee might be high and want to place a block under or a pillow. Some here, press back and lift the heart. This is going to help you to lead.

All forward fold come from your heart. I know all of us are like, "Get your head down." No. No, no, no, my friends. Heart, right? Always come from your heart, and so as you bring the heart forward, and maybe today you're here. Maybe today you're here, and it doesn't matter where you are.

Just honor where the practice is taking you, this journey. I've been practicing for a long time, and I'm still always learning in my practice. Every time I come to my mat it's something new. Some days there's the challenge of, "Oh, I can't go deeper," and that's okay. Honor where you are.

Be where you are. Roll the body up. (sighs) Extend the legs out. Make sure the sit bones are grounded, feet are active. Inhale as you rise, and then again you get another chance to fold forward with your heart.

Lengthen, smile at your toes, and fold. Slowly roll the body up, just drawing the knees in. Again, stay very soft. Roll forward, plant the hands, and just step back into Down Dog. As we felt that first, second, third chakra, the fire, right now staying more rooted, staying in the base.

Left leg, inhale, let it rise, and then pull it in, left knee towards the left wrist, shin onto the Earth. Then walking the hands, let the heart light shine up, and then leading with the heart, coming down. You can make two fists, hands flat, whatever's comfortable. If you have a pillow, you can rest onto it, and just let yourself let go a moment. Slow down.

Let yourself not only listen to that mantra within you, but feel that inner voice, that inner guru. Slowing deep within. Gently walk the hands back. Other side, Double Pigeon. The left shin will come out, and the right comes around.

Again, you may notice it's up here, and that's okay. Be perfect where you are. We're all made unique and different, so really honor in your practice. Today it may be just staying right here, working this lengthening of the spine, lifting the heart, and that's okay. Others are going to want to challenge a little more, bringing the hands forward, and still heart is coming forward, heart to the Earth, and others of you are going to walk out, lengthen and just pause.

Breathe. The beautiful part of the practice here is we get to feel. For some of us, the hip's going, "Om Namah Shivaya, "Oh Lord," and others are like, "Mmm it's like honey from Heaven. "It's like yummy," and wherever you are, just breathing. Let it be.

Roll the body up, and this time taking the legs out. Feet are active to start. This time feel as you rise, come up, and then as you hinging forward, lengthen, reach for me. Look to the distance. Look to your intention.

Reach for it, and then coming down, and again, I love this Forward Fold, because it is really all about surrendering. Turn the palms up. Relax your toes, and let the head be heavy. This last Forward Fold is not about getting somewhere, not about reaching for, striving for anything. It's about listening within.

Let the head be heavy now. You gently roll up. Stay nice and heavy. Just take a moment as we just pause, just seated. Before coming to Savasana, I want you to just sit.

Listen a moment. Place one hand onto the heart and one to the belly. You feel the fire awaken, hearing your mantra today, an intention. As you softly open the eyes, turning and rolling down onto your back, and now just surrender. Surrender to that divine flow, to that oneness of breath, of life, and as we felt deep into that root chakra, second and third, feel that energy just subside, connecting.

Isn't that eternal flow of the divine that we rest, that we surrender, to allow yourself to feel and to witness. Take a deep inhale and exhaling completely. My friends, if you feel like staying here longer, feel free. Just let yourself rest in the divine. For those rolling off to your right, just take a moment as you pause.

Staying just heavy as you press yourself up, and just rising, coming to seated. Let the arms sweep out to the side, rising to the Heavens, lifting up, and as you feel that drawing down through the center line, Heaven to Earth. Once again, as the arms sweep out, feel that offering of your practice, your sadhana, this place of devotion, and feel that radiance from above flowing within. This time we'll offer together the sound of Om. Inhale, let it rise.

Om. As you honor that god, goddess within, satguru. Namaste.