Hip Fire Flow

(waves crashing along the beach) So namaste, namaskar, so welcome. So today I'm gonna start, and we're gonna really getting in deep, right? We're going into the root, root, root chakra. Muladhara right. I love this.

This practice for me is one especially in times of shifting, times of change, whenever things are sort of in an upheaval and the world is shifting. It's always good to come back to the root, right. The root is where we begin. Like a seed. So open the feet up even wider than you might normally stand.

Right, so really feeling that great width of the base. And we're going to bring our thumbs together hooking the thumbs. I like the right on top, left on top of the right and the fingers open. Garuda mudra. Garuda mudra is that phoenix.

It's the bird arising. So we're crossing here at the heart and just allowing the eyes to soften. And feel the internal gaze as it awakens. And connecting, feel at the root, at the base. What has shifted in your life?

What is changing? What is evolving? Change is a place of evolution, of transformation. And then from that place of change we rise. Let the arms and the hands lift up to the heavens.

And then opening out. Expanding wide. Like a tree opening to the sun, to the heavens. Hook the thumbs from the root and draw up and feel the opening expanding out. That fullness of life.

In this time together we're gonna offer the sound of oms. So hook the thumbs. Feel that rising, lifting. (chanting om) Just keeping the arms in that motion. Hook the thumbs, feel that rising.

Eyes open and this time as you open heels turn in, bend the knees and coming into high mulasa, right. Hook the thumbs, draw it up. A couple more cycles. Opening and expand. So you can feel that power right at the root.

Exhale. One more cycle. Rising come up. And expanding. Bringing the hands here Garuda mudra at the heart.

And again already you can feel it actively rooting down. That first chakra. That Muladhara. It's awakened hey. And feel as you rise, coming out, opening hands to the heart.

And as you step to the front of the mat to Tadasana. With the hands release, sweep it out, rise up, lift to the heavens and exhaling as you fold into Uttanasana. Inhale, lengthen half way, flat back. Exhale as you fold planting your hands. If you need to bend the knees.

Root the hands down. Step your right foot back into your lunge, taking your left foot back into plank. Feel that power from the center radiate out and your choice knees down or if you like straight legs. Chaturanga Dandasana. Gazing out.

Let the heart rise, up dog or cobra. And then drawing it back into down dog. And just breath in here. Take a moment. Just letting the body settle.

So feet coming together. Right leg, inhale. Feel as you rise. Exhale. Coil in, step the right foot forward.

And tent the fingers, coming onto all 10 fingers. Lengthen out and just feel this four movements of lunge as you inhale, coil in, round the spine. Keeping that right knee over the ankle. As you exhale press down and out. Lifting the heart.

Lifting the gaze. Bring your right hand to the inside, moving to the side of your Mana as you do. Draw the left foot in, ankle directly under the knee and then let your elbows press into the inner thighs. Hands resting just softly. Malasana.

Inhale, tuck the chin in, round the spine, pull to the belly and then lengthen the spine. Radiate out. Inhale to the back, come into your lunge and as you land just exhale, let it go. Four movements of lunge. Inhale coiling in.

And then exhale radiate down and out. As you step back into plank, feel that Danda, high to low. In again, remember to smile in your Chaturanga. Meeting it with love, meeting it with your heart and then letting the heart shine. And drawing it back into down dog.

So we're moving in a Mandala. So the feet coming together we'll take it all the way around. Full circle. Right leg will rise, same thing. Exhale, step the right foot forward.

Tent the fingers, lengthen, inhale, coil up and in and exhaling down and out. Right hand moves to the inside, moving to the side of your mat. Elbows pressed to the inner thighs and yes some of you may be getting my booty shot, I know it looks good. It's okay. So coiling in, and then exhale expanding out.

And then moving back to the front of the mat, tent the fingers. Lengthen, inhale as you round coil. Exhale expanding out. Stepping back into plank in your Vinyasa feeling high to low. And then rising up dog or cobra.

And then drawing up and back into down dogs. So we're taking it around the Mandulin. This time gonna have this evolution. It's growing deeper. Each of the cycles.

So left leg inhale, let it rise. Exhale, step the left foot forward between your hands. And then this time let the hands come wide either onto the fingertips or palms down. Left knee off to the side. Keep the left foot flexed.

If lunge and pigeon got together one night here's what they created. So lengthen and exhale, elbows bent and knee to the side. Inhale as you press up and exhale. Feel the breath deep within, at the root. Inhale and exhale.

And as you come up, left hand to the inside moving to the side of your mat and again find that Malasana shape, elbows pressed to the inner thighs. Lengthen the spine, one time, coil in and then expanding it out. Moving to the back of the mat hands move wide. Come to the little toe, lengthen and exhaling. Inhale, press either tent the fingers or palms flat exhale and rising.

Last time. And as you come up resetting, stepping back into plank Chaturanga. And then let the heart just shine. Lifting it up. And drawing it up and back into down dog.

So feet together, left leg inhale to the sky exhale, the left foot stepping through. So just once pulsation here. Hands wide, exhale knee to the side. Inhale, rise hand to the inside, moving to the side of the mat elbows pressing in lengthen, arrive. Arriving deep within.

Inhale, coil and exhale. Expand. Moving to the front. Inhale. Hands wide, knee to the side and exhale.

Ahh! As you're pressing up resetting, step back into plank, Chaturanga. And then up dog or cobra, and drawing it back into down dog. Just take a moment, letting yourself pause and just breathing here. Inhale through the nose open the mouth. Ahh! Let it out.

Again as we start to move into the root, noise, sound, whatever's within you really letting it out. Feel that, let it from within come out. So coming down onto the knees coming down into child's pose. And just pause. And gently now, roll the body up and just sit off to your side.

As you bring your legs around we're gonna roll on down onto our back. And then taking a little happy baby, and give a little rock. And again you can see this Malasanas shape here. We begun to feel this Mudra of Malasana. So here you can add a little bit, we're gonna bring a little bit fire, and I love the fire.

It's that engaging of the third chakra. So staying here, the happy baby right. So you can open the hip. Bringing your hands either behind the head if you have neck issues. If you don't have neck issues, bring your hands out and interlace your fingers.

And you can also do one hand behind the head. And here as we lift, soften. And then lift, pull from the center. Reach the distance. Soften and lift.

And then seeing that, your intention, feel that Mantra. Right at the root. Moving here third chakra awakening. And just staying. And again if you start to feel this in the neck or head, hands behind your head.

Elbows, those splaying out so you're not moving from the arm strength, you're moving from the center. Take two more. Rise and soften. And then one more coming up, taking it down, bringing the souls of the feet together and just letting the knees just drop off to the side. Supta Baddha Konasana, and just pause.

Let's bring one hand to the belly, and one hand to the heart, and just listen. Breathing within. So, as the hands come to the outside of the knees, drawing it in, hugging into the body, and begin to just rock forward and back, gain a little movement. And as you get some momentum, rock coming all the way up to standing into Tadasana, right. So yah, were gonna have just one solar wave.

We'll be moving again in that Mandala shape, so we'll be moving around the mat in a full circle, just like life. Life is always happening around us, no matter what is going on, it's still in the flow. So let the arms really sweep out, rising up, and exhale as you fold. Inhale as you lengthen halfway, exhale fold, planting hands, left foot stepping back to your lunge. Right foot coming back into plank.

In your vinyasa, or no vinyasa, it's up to you. Listen, feeling that dunda high to low, rising, heart lifting and drawing it up and back coming into your down dog. So feet together, right leg inhale, let it rise. Exhale, set the right foot forward between your hands. Let the left foot turn, so parallel to the back, left arm sweep out as you rise, coming up virattu.

Land, root, in. Feel that activation radiate out. Turn the right palm to face up. Inhale reverse, and as you exhale, right forearm to the thigh. Left arm by the ear, circle the left arm down.

Let the body come up, and as you do, pull from the root, bending to both knees, bring right arm on the bottom, left arm on top. High malasana with eagle arms. And as the arms release out, opening virattu to the back and then completing inhale reverse, exhale left forearm to the thigh, right arm by the ears, circle that right arm around, let it rise up virattu, and then cartwheel down, stepping back into plank, shining the heart forward, gazing out high to low, and letting it lifting up, up dog and drawing it back into down dog. Take a breath. Breathing here.

So we'll complete the Mandala, adding on right at the end, so feet together. Right leg, let it rise as you inhale. Exhale, set the right foot forward. Left foot turns, left arm sweeps out, rising up virattu. Inhale reverse, and exhale, right forearm to the thigh, left arm by the ear, circle the left arm, let it lift you into virattu.

Now pull it in. This time left arm on the bottom, right arm on top. High malasana with eagle arms, and as the arms release, open it out reverse warrior two. Inhale, reverse, pause for virattu. Exhale, left arm to the thigh.

Right arm circles, virattu. And this time, cartwheel down to the inside, hands on the inside, and then just pause. Take a moment. Hang out here. And for some, this may be enough, right?

Rock a little forward and back, and for others, you're coming down maybe onto a block, maybe forearms onto the ground, whatever is right for you, and just again, rock a little, forward and back. Bring some movement in the hip. It's how we open things up, by bringing that movement, energy flowing in. And as you press in, lifting up, step back into plank, resetting, half or full Chaturanga, and then let it rise. Up dog, or cobra, and drawing it back into down dog.

So taking this time, resetting, breathing in. So left side, we're just gonna take it around and change it slightly up. Feel a slight difference, so left leg, inhales to the sky, exhales, you step the left foot through. Right foot turns parallel to that back edge, right arm swings out, rise up, virattu. Left palm turns up, inhale, reverse, lifting up and back.

Exhale, left arm to the thigh, right arm by the ear, circle the right arm down, and as you lift up, bend into both knees, hands resting onto the thighs and this is the one time in your yoga practice where we just let the shoulders come up by your ears. Press that left knee away, bringing the left shoulder down to the center, and feel that body rising. Exhale, press the right knee away, bringing the right shoulder down to the center. Coming up, and then liking the opening, hands move through the inner thighs, hook your thumbs Garuda Mudra. Let it rise up out of the earth, opening virattu at the back.

Right palm turns up, inhale, reverse, pause with virattu. Exhale, right forearm to the thigh, left arm by the ear, and then circle that left arm around. Let it rise virattu. Cartwheel down to the earth, stepping back, and your vinyasa, high, Ahh! High to low. Heart rising, and drawing it back down dog.

Let's take a moment, pause. Slow down, breathe it in, and then completing this Mandala, left leg inhale, let it rise. Exhale, left foot stepping through. Right foot turns, parallel right arm sweeps up, rising off, inhale reverse, exhale, left forearm to the thigh, right arm coming up. Circle it around, and then feel that.

Pull it in, hands resting down. Last cycle, press that left knee away, bring the left shoulder to the center. Inhale coming up, exhale, the right. Inhale back center. Hands move through the inner thighs, hook the thumbs, draw it up and open warrior two.

My palm turns up, inhale reverse, exhale right forearm to the thigh. Left arm by the ear. Circle it around virattu, and then cartwheel down to the inside. And again, stay high. Bring a little movement into that hip.

Some of you lower into a block, lower to a pillow, whatever is convenient for you. And some will lower onto the forearms, again rocking forward and back, breathing in here. Feeling the hip awaken right at the root, and then pressing back up, stepping back to plank, and your vinyasa, right. Ahh! And skipping the vinyasa of Chaturanga if you need to, and drawing it back into down dog. Take a moment just breathing here, inhale.

Let it out. Ahh! So we're gonna walk the feet to the outside of the hands. As we come to the outside, sit towards the heels, and now, bring in your elbows to the knees. Hands to the heart, coming into Malasana. So we're gonna set up, and as we start for Bhujapidasana.

Now Bhujapidasana, it is Malasana. This is it. You could stay here the whole time, and if this suits you, and if you're feeling already the jaw clenching, then stay in Malasana. Let yourself breathe a little. Let it open.

The stages, as we'll come into kramas of Bhujapidasana, the next stage for those who are feeling ready. Both shoulders to the inside, and as you lift the hips up, hands will come to the back of the ankles. Can you create these little cups right there? And work both shoulders underneath. Maybe today, you're just gonna hang out here, or some of you are gonna sit to the triceps.

I'm gonna rise up, work a little deeper. Some of you will sit to the triceps, and lift up, and you do those pulsations, right? And then some of you will sit onto the triceps, hands will come down, hands to the little toe side of the feet, you'll heel toe the feet together. Hook your toes, and then you come up, make sure you smile if you're coming into Bhujapidasana, right? Whooo, yes! Active through Hasabanda, through the hands, and then the feet will come back down, and it's like we never left.

Ahh, Malasana! And we all come together, right? You don't have to do all this crazy arm balances. You know, some days you just don't feel like it, and you just gotta sit in Malasana, right. Like sitting under the bodhi tree. So maybe sit here for 100 years, it's okay.

Let's breathe. Hands will come down. Lifting the hips, yeah, and gently just walk the feet back into your down dog. Coming down towards the earth, feet together, right leg inhale, let it rise. Right knee towards the right wrist, turn the right shin onto the earth.

And as you walk the hands, lift up, feel the heart rise. And then leading with the heart, coming down, take a moment and just pause. Let the breath be soft, and let the body let go. Just allowing the mind to quiet. As you feel that deep flow of the breath, rooting in.

So gently now, walk the hands back, just coming up. We're gonna sit to the right here and I'm gonna turn towards you and bring the soles of the feet together. You can actually see how this connects to Malasana. Here we are, same thing going on, except we're just a little bit more rooted, more grounded, so open up the feet like pages of a book, lengthen lift the heart, and then bring in the heart forward, elbows pressed into the calves or thighs, and again, like I said, lead always when you fold, lead with your heart. Never try to let the mind lead.

It's a beautiful thing, it gets us to work, answers all those emails, but when it gets into our yoga practice, it gets in the way. Sometimes it just will not shut up, so let it lead with your heart. Your heart is allowing to bow to the divine. And then you can let the head go. And slowly, roll the body up, hands to the knees.

It doesn't matter how you got in, you just turn back into the front, step back and come into down dog. Feet coming together, Left leg inhale to the sky. Draw the left knee towards the left wrist, turning the shin onto the earth. And as you walk the hands, lift the heart and then leading with the heart, coming forward, hands can make to fist, hands can rest flat, letting it rest third eye down, letting go, letting yourself just pause. Just breathing here.

As the mind wanders as it will, come back to your breath, coming back to that intention as you slowly now rising up, and then again, sweeping the right leg back around, and this time, open the left leg out, right leg out. Feet are flexed, very active, lifting up. Press back, lift the heart, bring your heart forward, and again, as you come forward, hands here and just pause. It doesn't matter about getting down to the ground. I know so many students always fight.

They're just trying to get to the earth. All that's down there is the earth, right? Touch the earth. Okay, you've done it. You don't have to do it.

Those who feel it, if it's in you, it comes from your heart, not from your mind of having to get something, but from the heart of allowing to receive and bow and then fold to let yourself come down and bowing to the divine. As we slowly roll the body up, aah! Bringing the feet one foot in, heels in line, and just allowing the hands to rest, left hand into the lap, right hand on top here at the root. Allow your eyes to close. Allow the breath to soften, and for those who feel that they need to lay down, feel free to lay into Savasana. We're gonna stay here in a seated meditation in this moment, and as we feel at the root, the root of the earth, the seed that has been planted.

The seeds of change in your life. As the earth shifts, as the seasons change as all things do, all around us are always in a state of change and flow. And whenever we feel the earth wobble, the change that is upon us, we connect back to the root. We come back to the seeds of transformation here within us. And we embrace that change with the heart, with a sense of compassion, of looking into the past as a place of learning, but looking to the future and to see those intentions, those goals flourish in this moment here just for you.

As you take a deep inhale, open the mouth, let it out. Ahh! Feel that shift that has begun as you draw into the heart, hooking the thumbs, bringing the hands into Garuda mudra. Let the arms rise. We'll offer together the sound of om lifting up, (chanting om) as you honor the god, goddess within. Satguru.

Namaste.