Heart Rising Flow

(relaxing ocean waves) Namaste namaskaram. So welcome today's, today's practice I'm going to be focusing at the heart center. A beautiful place, I love to really expand and really feel that energy of the heart. And I often refer to it as we do heart risings, instead of calling them back bends, I love to call them a heart rising. Because we're raising the vibrational energy here at the fourth chakra.

And just the balance place between the upper and the lower chakras here at the heart. So we'll be expanding, the heart heart expansion practice today, with opening our heart. So as we come together with the hands come at the heart, fingers lightly parted. Lotus Mudra, as if you're holding lotus flower here in your hand. You can allow the eyes to soften and feeling that internal gaze awaken.

And just take a moment. Feel the hands here at the heart. Connecting to that intention of what you are awakening. Not only through this practice together but in your life, what are you awakening here at your heart? What is your heart's desire?

And as you inhale, let the hands rise lifting to the heavens. Let the arms be soft. And from the heavens opening out to the side, just feel that expansion radiate out, opening to the heavens. Let the hands cascade down towards the earth, coming back round into the heart. And from the heart, feel as it rises up just soft, take your time.

As you lift up, opening out, radiate out from the center. Floating down towards the earth. This time again, coming to the heart we'll offer our sound of om. Inhale, feel as it rises. Om.

And as you draw back to the center, to the one. And softly allowing your eyes to open. As you come forward, on to all fours now. Coming in to table. And as you inhale just drop the belly, lifting the head.

As you exhale, tuck the chin in, round the spine. Just a few moments here, Cat and Cow. Inhale just drop the belly, lifting the head. And as you exhale, coil in, up and in. Once more, inhale, drop the belly, lifting the head, curl your toes under.

And as you exhale, pressing up, feel the rising into Down Dog. As you come into your Down Dog, this time let the feet be a little bit wider maybe. Let the heels rock over to the right. Let the feet be like windshield wipers and heels coming up and over to the left, not stacking. I'm just rocking, feel the side waist coming over to the right.

Lifting up, take it over to the left. One more cycle, to the right. And coming over to the left. And pressing back into Down Dog. Feel just a little moment.

Over exaggerate your Down Dog, so let the heart melt, crown of the head coming down. Just feel the opening for your shoulders. Then expand, feel just a little ripple. So let the heart come down towards the earth, crown of the head coming down. And then pull up to the center, one more.

Crown of the head coming down, heart open, release the shoulders. And coming pressing up. And just notice, as you come back into your Down Dog, notice how the body feels as you reset. Breathing here, take a deep inhale through the nose, open the mouth, let it out. Ahh, just melting in.

As we come together into this flow, into this rhythm of the breath. So feet together, inhale, the right leg softly let it rise. Exhale, set the right foot forward between your hands. Interlace your fingers behind your back and as you do, draw the palms together, riding that wave of the breath. Heart shining to the heavens.

As you exhale, releasing your hands down to the earth. Step your right foot back into plank, and let the right foot just hover. Let it radiate out. As the heels drop over to the left now. Take your right hand across the earth, lift the right arm, lift the right knee.

And then let the right foot just touch the back of the left thigh, press down into the earth as that right arm just dangles, like creating this arc. Letting yourself, just let the right wrist be heavy, not holding on. As you bring your right hand back down, draw in the right knee in, come forward into plank. Send your right foot over to the left and now lowering the left heel, taking the left arm out and up, expanding. Bringing your left hand down, lift the left heel, gaze out in front of you.

And then take a moment, Chaturanga Dandasana. Pressing, draw up and back, pull the right knee in. Send it out and back, Down Dog Split. And then bend the right knee, lift the heart, lift the gaze, like a scorpion's tail as you come forward. Release the toes and then lowering Chaturanga all the way to the belly.

Tent the fingers, inhale, Bhujangasana. And exhaling towards the earth. Press and rise, take Cobra or Up Dog high or low, up to you. Lifting. And then drawing it up and back into Down Dog.

Let's take a moment, resetting. Breathing here. Feet come together. Left side, inhale, the left leg let it rise up and back. Exhale, set the left foot forward.

Hands interlace, back heel lifted, and then draw the palms together, lifting your heart. Let it shine to the heaven, radiate out. Exhale, hands down to the earth. Step your left foot back, let it hover in plank. Heels to the right side, draw the left hand across the earth, lift the left knee.

And then let the left arm come over as that left foot touches down. Press the hips higher and let the left arm just hang, let it dangle. Moving that left arm around, come back over to plank. Draw the left knee in. Send your left foot over to the right side.

Drop the right heel and extend your right arm up. As you bring your right hand down, take a moment. Pause, maybe the Chaturanga's not there today or if it is, maintaining the Danda Chaturanga. Pressing up, draw the left knee in. Send it out and back, Down Dog Split first.

Bend the left knee, lift the heart. Down Dog Scorpion as you come forward. And then release your toes, Chaturanga to the belly. Inhale, Bhujangasana, feel the heart rise. And exhale down.

Press and rise. Take Up Dog or Cobra. Stay low or go high and then drawing it back into Down Dog. Let's take a moment. So we're gonna take two more cycles just like this flowing together.

Feel that rhythm of the breath, that flow of the heart here as one. So feet together, right leg, inhale. Let it rise. Exhale, right foot steps through, hands interlace. Inhale, lift it, heart rising.

Exhale, back to the earth. Right foot steps back, let it hover. Heels to the left, right arm, right knee lift. Right foot touches down and it's that right arm just hangs out. Bring it over into plank, right knee pulls in.

Right foot to the left side, left heel drown as that left arm rising up. Left hand comes down, lift the back heel, gaze out, option, stay here or take Chaturanga. Press up. Back Down Dog Split. Down Dog Scorpion as you float forward.

And release. Inhale, Bhujangasana. Exhale to the earth. Inhale, Up Dog or Cobra, again up to you. Drawing back into Down Dog.

Left side, inhale, left leg let it rise. Exhale, left foot stepping through. Hands interlace. Inhale, lifting the heart. Exhale down to the earth.

Step back to plank, heels to the right. Left arm, left knee lift up. Left foot touches down as that left arm just hangs. Bring it over into plank, left knee pulls in. Left foot to the right, lower the right heel, lift the right arm.

Right hand comes down, right heel lifts, pause or taking Chaturanga. Pressing up and back, Down Dog Split. Down Dog Scorpion and then come forward. Lower to the belly. Inhale, Bhujangasana, feel the heart rise.

Exhaling. Press and rise Up Dog or Cobra, lift high or low. And drawing it back into Down Dog. One more cycle, feet together. Right leg, inhaling.

Exhale, stepping through. Hands interlace, heart to the sky. Let it rising, let the heaven just shine down exhaling to the earth. Right foot steps back, hovers. Heel to the left.

Right arm, right knee lift and then that right foot touches down. Right arm hanging. Bring it over to plank, pull the right knee in, right foot to the left. Lower the left heel and lift the left arm. So we'll feel that moving from right to left back and forth.

As you gaze out, option, Chaturanga. Up and back into Down Dog Split. Down Dog Scorpion and then coming to the earth. Inhale, Bhujangasana. Exhaling.

Inhaling, Up Dog or Cobra. Lift high or low and drawing it back into Down Dog. Left side, last cycle, feet together. Left leg, inhale. And exhaling.

Hands interlace. Inhale, heart rise. Exhale back to the earth. Left foot back, hover. Heels to the right.

Inhale, feel that lift. Exhale, soft. Bring it over, come into plank. Pull the left knee in, left foot to the right. Right arm arising.

Right hand down. Option of Chaturanga. Pressing up and back. Down Dog Split, Down Dog Scorpion. And as you come forward this time, Chaturanga down to your belly.

Inhale, Bhujangasana and then take a moment as you come down. Full prostration, hands into prayer and just letting yourself, just let go. Just take a moment, just feel the heart as it connects to the earth, a moment of surrender. So as you draw your hands back, once again inhale, Bhujangasana. And exhaling, coming down.

And take your right arm and extend it straight out to the right, right in line with your shoulder. Turn your gaze to the left like you were listening to the earth. Bend your left knee. And then let your body roll all the way over to the right and just pause here. You don't have to go any deeper.

This might be it for the brothers out there who are practicing. This is probably plenty as most of us know the tension of our day in life. We feel the shoulders so tight sometimes. So, you might just pause here but some of you feeling even more open, keep rolling to the right, bend the right knee. And some of you are gonna keep rolling and taking that left arm up and around.

Yeah. Coming back onto the belly, extend the right leg, extend your left hands by your ribs. Inhale, Bhujangasana, feel the heart rising. And exhaling down. So just the left side.

Take your left arm out, extending. Turn the gaze to the right. And as you bend your right knee, roll your body to the left. Head is heavy. Just listen to the earth.

Okay, pause here and this could be enough. For most of us this is plenty today. Some of us can go a little deeper, bending of the left knee. And some of you might be going all the way coming around. Hands interlace.

And then releasing, back on to the belly. Hands by the ribs, heart rising. Yeah. And as you come back down, full prostration. Once again, third eye to the earth, hands in prayer.

Just pause. Notice how the body feels. So as you draw back, your choice. Either Cobra or Up Dog, feel that rising, lifting high. And withdraw back into Down Dog as we pause.

Take a moment. Feeling how that expansion across the heart, through the Namaskaram. And just even that simple flow of really just opening the shoulders, breathing in, releasing. Notice how the body feels. As we come together, just one solar wave.

Exhale, feet together. Inhale, the right leg let it rise up and back. Exhale, step the right foot forward between your hands. Lower your left knee down. Sweep the arms out and let it rise coming up, yup, lifting high.

Now that same motion. Hands coming down behind you, interlace your fingers and then draw the hands down. And as you draw down, see if you can touch your fingers to the earth but let the heart shine to the heavens, rising. Hands releasing. Keep the left knee on the ground, draw the right foot back behind you with the knee bent.

And taking left hand out, so opposite hand to foot. Extend the left arm. Open your left arm in half circle, coming around reaching to that right foot, take hold. Inhale, feel it rise. And then exhale, soften.

Press the earth away. Inhale, lift higher. Exhale, soften. One more, inhale, and release your left hand down. Draw the right knee in rounding the spine.

Step the right foot forward. Curl your back toes under, lift the left knee and then charge the body, rise up high, crescent. And the arms open like wings, expanding. Feel that fullness of the breath coming around into the heart, hands to prayer. And as you exhale, now twist over to the right, taking left elbow across.

And again hands at the heart, press away. Lengthen the spine, breathe in here. And you can let your left hand touch your heart. Let the right hand rise to the heavens. And as you bring the right hand down, windmill the arms, open up into Warrior Two, Vira Two.

In that same opening movement, let the hands come down. Feel them drawing up to the heart. Feel Lotus Mudra here at the heart in Vira Two. Power rooted, awaken in that life force. Let it rise.

Inhale, lift up. Exhale, opening out. Once more bringing it up, inhale. Exhale. Right palm turns up.

Inhale, reverse your Warrior, Parsa Vira Two. And as you exhale, cartwheel down to the earth. Lower your left knee, straighten the right leg and then bowing over, Ardha Hanuman. Feel that little ripple. Inhale, lengthening.

Exhale as you bow. One more, inhale, lengthen. And exhale. As you come back forward to your lunge, keep your left knee on the ground and this time pull your right foot in just about an inch or two so that that right knee going beyond your ankle. This is gonna feel more opening through the quad, through the psoas.

As the arms come out in front of you, right arm on the bottom, left arm on top. Take eagle arms and then lifting up, go back. The hands, now releasing down to the earth. Lift the left knee. Send that right foot back into plank.

Let it hover. Last time, heels to the left. Lift the right arm, lift your right knee. Expand, let it radiate out. And then right foot coming down.

This time let it open a little wider and just shine your heart up. And I love this part, touch your heart. Feel the beat of your heart and then expand from your heart out. As you bring it back over, coming on to the knees, back the hips up. Walk the hands out on Uttanasana, heart to the earth.

Either rest to the forehead or resting to the chin and just bowing the heart. And then letting yourself slide forward. As you come forward, coming onto your forearms. Elbows under the shoulders, shoulders and elbows in a straight line. Yeah.

So here keeping the heart lifted. Relaxing your legs. So no clinching of the butt, right. No tight asses here. So, lifting up.

Take your left hand across, bend your right knee. Take your right hand, this time same foot to hand. Press the left form and lift and then draw that right foot down. And if it's there, pivot on the palm, tuck the toes under and then bringing your heart forward. Yeah, smile at your quads.

If this is too intense, you can bow your head but keep the heart lifted. It's good to just feel that opening here. Yeah. And then releasing coming back, Sphinx. So that right leg should feel nice and juicy.

So take the right hand across. Bend the left knee with the right form. Press in, lift up and take your left hand back, and then draw the left foot in. You may stop here but bring the heart forward. You may continue to bringing that foot down and in.

Try not to collapse in the shoulder. Lift up, and if it's there, tuck the toes under. All the runners and cyclist are going, oh yes. Don't worry, I love to run in cycle too so I do this every day, every day. Just breathing here, lift up.

You could even soften the eyes. And then releasing, coming down and once again, we get to come down prostration, beautiful prostration, really this honoring of coming down to the earth, to the divine. I bow to thee. And bowing to the earth, to the source, to the one, whatever that is for you. Take a deep inhale.

Open the mouth. And hands coming back by your side. Press and rise, Up Dog or Cobra, lift high or low. And then drawing it back into Down Dog. Yeah.

Breathing here, take a moment. Resetting. Exhale, feet together, left side. Inhale, left leg let it rise. Exhale, left foot stepping through, lower the right knee down.

Sweep out, inhale. And as the arms open coming behind you, interlace your fingers. Reach down from the back of the heart and then shining the heart, the front of the heart to the heavens, let it rise. Releasing the hands, keep the right knee on the ground. Draw the left foot back behind you, knee bent and then expand.

Take your right arm. Extend, reach out through the side. Open the right hand and half circle coming around reaching to your left foot and then press. Inhale, lift up. Exhale and soften.

So the breath guiding you, feel that inner wave. Exhale. One more time. Inhale, and then release your right hand down. Draw the left knee in.

Step the left foot forward. Curl your back toes under. Lift the right knee, rise up. High crescent, high to low. Hands open.

Come around, feel that expansion and then draw to the heart. Exhale as you twist to the left, taking right elbow across. And again here, lengthen the spine, exhale as you twist. Right hand to the heart, left hand to the sun. Bring the left hand down by your side.

Windmill the arms rising up, opening Vira Two. Let the hands come down to the end that opening movement. Draw to the heart, Lotus Mudra. What is your intention? What is your offering?

What are you awakening? Rise up. And then let it expand, fullness of life, fullness of breath. Once again inhale. Exhale.

Parsa Vira Two, lift the left arm. Inhale, reverse. Exhale, down to the earth. Lower the right knee. Back off, straighten the left leg.

Ardha Hanuman. Inhale as you lengthen. And exhale, fold. One more, just that ripple of breath. Lead with the heart.

Yes. As you come back forward, keep the right knee down but pull the left foot in, sink down. So feel the opening through the quad, through the psoas as the arms come in front of you. Left arm on the bottom, right arm on top and then take the arms up. Go back.

And then releasing down to the earth. As you lift the right knee, left foot steps back. Hover in plank, heels to the right. Lift that left knee, lift the left arm and then let everything shine. Yes.

Left foot come down behind the right. Let it open a little wider. As you roll, touch your heart and then expand out. As you bring it back over into Down Dog, lower the knees down, backing the hips up over the knees, walk the hands out. Heart to the earth.

And then slide forward onto the belly and this time bend both knees. Hands coming back, tops of the feet or your ankles. Kick back. Feel that rising and then lifting up. Coming softly, coming down, hands into prayer and bowing to the earth.

Just letting go. Take a moment as you pause here and just fully surrender. So bringing your hands by your side, pressing yourself back into Child's Pose. And then walk the hands back, roll up sitting onto your heels. So sitting off to your side, bringing your legs around and coming fully seated.

Knees bent, feet open about hip distance. So we're gonna take this in two cycles. Mandala of Urdhva Dhanurasana. Mandala meaning a full circle but for some half circle is gonna be plenty. So we'll do first the half circle together and then we'll start and take it into a full circle, full Mandala.

So taking your right hand, cartwheel it back behind you. So this movement is that same thing as we had that opening for our shoulder. Instead of here, we wanna rotate the fingers slightly in so that the thumb is pointing straight back. So you get that opening for your shoulder already. Take your left hand over to the left.

Bring it around in front of you over to the right and as you lift up, lift the hips, spot your right hand and now reach your left arm and keep going. All right, so just a half circle. Extend out. Bring that left hand back the way you came in and sit down. All right, and release, lift up.

So take the other side and again that motion is this opening that we felt way at the beginning if you remember. Might have to go back and remember but here we're feeling it again. So the left hand cartwheels back. Fingers turn slightly in. Thumb points away.

Right hand comes along the horizon. Lift the hips. Reach over. Spot your back hand and reach to the back. And then come back the same way.

So that's a half circle coming in and just pause. We'll take the legs out. Sit bones grounded. Inhale, lift and then hinge from the hips folding. Draw the heart forward.

Feel the spine lengthen and then lead with the heart as you bow. And then roll the body up. So now we're gonna come into a full Mandala. So and again if the full Mandala is not there, just do half Mandala. Half mean you go in one side, you come out the same way.

Full Mandala will go in one side and come out the other way, full circle. So the right hand, we'll start together. You choose which is gonna be right for you and you'll know if that opposite hand touches down, you're going in to a full circle. So the right hand, it's pretty simple. There's no getting away from that.

So right hand comes down, fingers turn in. Left arm along the horizon. Lift up, reach. Expand and then spot and if it's there, touch down, lift in place. Now to come out, same thing, fingers turn slightly in.

Thumb points away and the left hand and the right hand goes over to the left and we come down. Nice. When that hand is already placed, so we take it back in full Mandala. Right arm lifts, right hand touches down, lift, reset and then change. Right hand turns in, left arm comes around.

And it can get a little confusing but it's okay, right and left. We got to play with that. So, lengthen. Inhale, rise and hinging forward, fold. Now this Paschimottanasana, I know we're all used to grabbing our toes, getting hold.

Let the palms face up. Lengthen the spine, let your toes relax and then bow your head. This forward fold is one of just complete surrender, surrounding the back just in the opposite direction from the heart expansion. So let yourself soften. And then roll the body up.

As you roll all the way down onto your back and just letting yourself surrender. Let go and just feel that softness of the breath, the radiance of the divine. And just these moments here, before the to do list, before the rush of the day, plans, allowing just to surrender, even the practice, let it go. Whatever came up dissolves. Nothing down to the earth.

Nothing left to do. So sweetness of surrender here. So take a deep inhale now. Exhale completely. Keeping your right hand, palm the heart and the left hand to the belly.

Just feel that flow between the rise and flow of the belly, the beat of the heart in this moment here. As you allow yourself just to listen to witness. As you inhale, now the arms up over your head reaching. Exhale, soften. And draw the knees in as you roll off to your right and just take a moment.

And as you press in to the earth, feel the body rising coming up. And as you bring your hands, once again, to Lotus Mudra here at the heart. Connect to what it is you're awakening. Not only through your practice but through living, breathing every day, awakening to that divine flow, that beat to the heart. It is the heart that connects us.

It's the heart that unites us. It's the heart that draws us closer to the one, to the source, whatever that is for you. As we offer now in closing, the sound of om. Feel the hands inhale as they're rising up. We'll chant as they open.

Om. As you draw back to the source, to the one, let God guide us within satguru. Namaste.