Sunrise Flow

(waves flowing) Thank you for being here, so this flow is going to be a slow wake up for the body. So we'll gradually start to warm the body through some Sun Salutations and Standing Postures. We'll build some strength, some flexibility throughout. And I like to do this flow either when I first wake up in the morning as a way to just kind of warm-up for the day and start my day off on the right foot, or maybe anytime in the day where you just need to pause and hit the reset button and start on over. So if you'll join me we'll start lying on our backs.

So coming in to Suptabaddha-Konasana and we'll go ahead and roll down. Just bring the soles of the feet together, let the knees open up wide to the side. And you're welcome to bring your palms to face up. If you're looking to call in any energy, or if you're looking for more of a grounding energy go ahead and bring one hand to the belly, one hand to the heart and just close the eyes gently. And just start by stopping.

Just take a moment to notice what it is that you're bringing with you to your practice today. So how are you showing up and however that is, can you just allow it to be without judgement? Just meeting yourself wherever you're at. And then slowly bringing the awareness to the breath that's already occurring. Feeling the gentle rise and fall of the inhalations and the exhalations.

Let's take a full breath in together. Allow an easy inhale through the nose. And then open the mouth, sigh it out, let it go. Let's do that two more times. Allow an easy inhale through the nose.

And then opening the mouth, sigh it out. Last one, inhaling. And exhale. Just finding that same ha sound on the exhale, just gently closing the mouth and allowing the breath to travel in and out through the nose. Coming into Ujjayi.

Just finding that ocean-like sound in the back of the throat and if it would serve your practice, maybe setting an intention for your practice today. Just something you'd like to call in or maybe let go of what's no longer serving you. Maybe it's a positive affirmation. Whatever it is, the first thing that pops into mind. (deep breathing) And now whenever you feel ready, we'll bring our hands to the outsides of the legs, just hug the knees into the chest, just give yourself a gentle rock side to side.

Just massaging through the low back. Might take the knees in circles in one direction, then the other. Just wahtever you need to start to slowly wake up the spine, the hips, then go ahead and bring the feet back down to the Earth, soles of the feet to the Earth and take the feet a little bit wider your hips. And on your next inhale, sweep your arms all the way up over your head. And as you exhale just gently drop your knees to the right side for an easy spinal twist.

And you can take your gaze up, it might feel good to take the gaze toward your left, if that feels okay in the neck. So find a few full deep breaths through that left side body. And on your next inhale, come all the way back up through center with the legs and then drop them on over to the left. Take a full breath in through the nose. Long breath out.

A few more rounds of breath here. (deep breathing) Then continuing to warm the spine, on your inhale come back up through center and as you exhale, drop the knees to the right. And then windshield wipering the legs, inhale back through center, exhale left. And just moving from side to side a few times on your own with your breath, just slowly starting to wake up the body here. It's one of the best things to do first thing in the morning, for me anyway, always do this.

Good. Nice and then coming back to center, just hug the right knee into your chest and let the left leg go long so you can take the leg along the Earth for now. And just give the right leg a squeeze. You might roll the ankle in one direction, maybe the other. And thent take a full breath in.

As you exhale, switch legs so the right leg starts to straighten and the left knee comes in towards your chest. And then we'll move from side to side. So you'll inhale to the right and exhale the the left. If you want this to be a little bit more you can hover the heel up off the Earth about an inch. And maybe even start to lift the head and shoulders up.

So you inhale right, exhale left and just moving side to side on your own with your breath, just for about 10 more seconds. Just waking up the core here. See if you can draw the navel into your spine, keep the chin slightly tucked if the head and the shoulders are lifted. And then last round, inhaling right, exhaling left. Good and then hug both knees in, allow the shoulders to slowly melt back down to the Earth.

And then from here just one bridge pose to counterbalance the core work. So soles of the feet to the Earth. Press to the soles of the feet, press through the palms of your hands, and just lifting the hips, drawing the chest towards your chin. And then slowly roll it down, one vertabrae at a time. Good and then we're going to rock up to seated.

So your welcome to just sit up or you can start to rock and roll a couple times along the length of the spine if that feels okay. And then we get to the front of the mat, we're going to make our way into Tabletop. So coming to all fours, spreading the fingers wide, bringing the shoulders right over the wrists, and the knees just directly underneath the hips. So first we'll find this nice, neutral spine. And then we're going to push it back to Child's Pose.

So as you exhale, shift your hips back, maybe the forehead comes down towards the Earth. And then as you inhale, round your way back up and then exhale, melt your chest between your hands as you lift your heart, finding an arch in the back, good. And then exhale it back to Child's Pose. This time around your way up, you're going to bend your elbows and bring your chest and your chin down to the Earth so that the elbows are hugging into your side body, hips are lifted, and then scoot your way all the way through to a Low Cobra. So press through the tops of the feet, roll the shoulders down your back, and then draw the navel to the spine as you lift.

Nice, exhale lower down, come all the way back to Child's Pose. And then let's do that two more times. So inhale, round up, start to bend the elbows, bring the chest and the chin down to the Earth, and as you come up, take a full breath in, roll the shoulders away from the ears, lift your heart, lift your gaze, and then exhale. Come on back down, Child's Pose, beautiful. Let's do that one more time.

Inhale, rolling up, chest and chin come down, hips lifted, Cobra pose, inhale, draw the shoulders back, hug the elbows, and lift the gaze, shine the heart forward, beautiful. Exhale, Downward-Facing Dog, this time tucking your toes, lifting your hips up and back, and then find that first Downward-Facing Dog. Threading through the fingers, and you might take the feet as wide as the mat for this first one if the hamstrings are a little tight. Or you might start to pedal it out through the feet a couple times, pressing one heel toward the Earth as the other knee bends. So I'm just finding about five full-arounds of breath here to really feel into this first Downward-Facing Dog and taking anything that you may need to start to wake up the hamstrings.

Just let the head and the neck soften and relax. You might sway the head from side to side, shaking the head yes and no. And then when you're ready start to step the feet toward hips distance apart. And on an inhale we'll come high up onto the toes, lifting the sits bones up to the sky. And as you exhale, melt the heels back down to the Earth, coming into Downward-Facing Dog.

We'll do that two more times, inhale, come high up onto the toes, exhale press it back Down Dog. Good, inhale high up onto the toes and exhale melt the heels down to the Earth. Good from here, let's just pick up your hands and slowly walk them all the way to the back of the mat to meet your feet. And from here we'll take a nice forward fold. So just letting the torso drape down over the legs.

You might take hold of opposite elbows here. Or maybe interlace behind the back if that feels better for you. And just find a little bit more weight into the balls of the feet. Start to activate the hamstring. And again if it feels good to sway from side to side, or shake the head yes and no, you're welcome to do that.

And where can you soften just a little bit more in the body, see if you can let go of any tension you might be holding onto in the jaw. And then let your hands fall back down toward the Earth, just right under the shoulders. And as you inhale you might walk your hands up to your shins, coming halfway up. Draw the shoulders back, offer your heart forward. And then exhale, folding back in.

We'll do that two more times. Inhale, come halfway up, lengthen. And exhale, fold back in. Last one, inhale, halfway up. Exhale, fold.

And good and then slowly walk your hands back out, coming into Downward-Facing Dog. Good and from here sweep your right leg all the way up and back. And we'll go ahead bend the knee, open up the hip. See if you can keep pressing evenly through both hands so that the shoulders square toward the front of the mat. And then inhale, straighten out the legs, flex the foot, look forward and step your foot all the way through between your hands.

Good, lower your back knee down. And then lift the heart, good. And so from here you might start to walk the hands up onto your leg, coming into Crescent Moon. And then maybe you lift your arms all the way up over your head and then interlacing the fingers, finding Steeple Mudra and then soften the shoulders down the back. Notice if the shoulders came up toward your ears.

And then it might feel good to tilt over to the right side. Feeling that nice stretch along the left side body. Inhale, come back up through center. And as you exhale, take your hands back behind you. You might grab on to opposite elbows here or interlace the fingers behind your back.

And then inhale, just start to lift the heart any amount. Take a full breath in. Exhale, hands come back down to the Earth. Plant your palms, tuck your back toes and step back down to Downward-Facing Dog. Beautiful, so we'll come into the left side.

Inhaling the left leg all the way up and back, bend the knee, open up your hip, and then again, keep pressing evenly through both hands, squaring the shoulders, relaxing the head and the neck, and then start to straighten through that left leg. Square off the hips, look forward, step all the way through between your hands, lower your back knee down, lift the heart, inhale. And then reach your arms all the way up. Soften the shoulders down the back, take a couple breaths here. (deep breathing) And then interlacing the fingers, find Steeple Mudra with your hands and soften the shoulders.

Take a full breath in and then slowly start to tilt over to the left side. Feel that stretch in the right side body. And then coming all the way back up, maybe taking the hands behind you with the opposite thumb on top. Inhale, lift your heart. Draw the shoulder blades together behind the back.

Good and then release the hands, beautiful. Step back, Downward-Facing Dog, good. And let's come to the front of the mat. So we'll look forward, you might walk your feet or gently hop the feet forward, coming to Forward Fold at the front of the mat. And then as you inhale, come half-way up and lengthen.

Exhale, fall forward. And then root to rise, inhale, arms sweep all the out and up. and then gather your hands together at your heart center. Let's come into Surya Namaskara A , we'll move through one round. As you inhale, sweep your arms all the way out and up.

Exhale, forward fold. Inhale, come half-way up. Exhale, plant your palms and just step back to plank pose, top of a push-up, pausing here. And the lower your knees down to the Earth. And then we'll bend our elbows, bring our chin and chest up, and then inhale right back to that nice Cobra.

Draw the shoulders away from the ears, press into the tops of the feet, and then exhale, coming through Tabletop, tuck your toes, lift your hips up and mag Downward-Facing Dog, good. Take a couple full deep breaths here. If it still feels good to pedal it out through your feet, go for it. (breathing) And then inhale, come high up onto the toes, bend your knees look forward and step or lightly hop to your hands. Good, inhale, lengthen, come halfway up.

Exhale, folding in. Inhale root to rise, arms sweep all the way out and up. And exhale, draw your hands to your heart. So coming into Surya Namaskara B we'll inhale right to Chair Pose, sink the weight back down into the heels, lift your gaze, soften your shoulders. And then as you exhale, fold over the legs, inhale, come halfway up, lengthen, exhale, step back to Plank Pose.

You're welcome to take Chaturanga with the arms here or lowering the knees, chin, and chest. Inhale, Cobra Pose, exhale Downward-Facing Dog, good. Sweep the right leg all the way up and back. Exhale, step the foot through between the hand. Stay on the ball of the back foot this time.

And then inhale, sweep your arms all the way up for a Crescent Pose, good. And from here just open up the elbows, lifting the heart. And then inhale, arms reach all the way up. Take a hold of your left wrist and tilt on over to your right side. Good and then inhale, come back up through center.

And exhale, just open up the arms, spin the back heel down and find Warrior II, good. So taking a couple full deep breaths in Warrior II. Bending down toward 90 degrees in that front knee. Sealing the outer edge of your back foot to the Earth and then let's flip our front palm. Inhale, keep the legs how they are.

Reach up and back for reverse Warrior. And then exhale, circle everything down to the Earth, and then your choice to move through a Vinyasa here or just step it back to Downward-Facing Dog. Coming to the left side inhale, left leg sweeps up and back. Exhale, step it through between your hands. Stay on the ball of the back foot.

Inhale to Crescent. Soften a bit through that back knee so that tailbone can tuck down toward the Earth. Good and then open up the arms, bend the elbows, lift the heart. Maybe the gaze lifts up toward the sky. And then reaching the arms back up, take hold of your right wrist and gently tip over to your left side.

Good, full breath in. And as you exhale come back up through center, bring your hands to your heart, and we'll open in up Warrior II. Good, take the gaze right over that middle finger, bend down towards 90 degrees in that front knee. Find the breath. Good and then flipping the front palm, inhale, reach up and back reverse.

And then exhale, circle it down. And then again, your choice, step back to Plank and move through a Vinyasa or lift the hips up and back, find Downward-Facing Dog, beautiful. Let's take a full breath in through the nose. And just open the mouth, sigh it out, good. And then inhale, come high up onto the toes, bend the knees, just gently step to the front of the mat.

Inhale, come halfway up, exhale, folding in. And then sink the hips down and back, find Chair Pose, lifting up, and then press through the feet to come all the way up to a stem, straightening the legs, draw your hands to your heart. So let's come into a couple standing postures to start to build some strength in the legs and balance in the body. So we'll come into Tree Pose first. So start to bring your weight into both of your feet, spreading your toes and really grounding through the bottoms of your feet.

And then we're going to bring most of the weight into the right foot, and lift the left kneeup into your chests, roll the shoulders down the back, and lengthen through the spine. And then from here, take hold of that left ankle and find Tree Pose. So you'll bring the foot into the inner, upper right thigh. And then hands back to your heart. You can always bring the foot below the knee, to the calf, or maybe to the floor as well if you want to kickstand the foot and that feels better for you, those are wonderful options.

So from here if you have your balance and you'd like to start to lift the arms up, lifting the arms up into the sky, you're welcome to do that as well. Soften the shoulders, relax the gaze, and then find your breath. Beautiful, and then draw your hands back down to your heart, and then from here let's move into Temple Dancer. So cross the left ankle over the top of the right thigh, and shifting the weight back to your heels, so the hips are shifting back like you're sitting down into a chair, felxing through that left foot and then focusing the gaze, good find the breath. Just a couple breaths, beautiful.

By now that right leg's probably burning a little bit, mine is, good and then slowly stand all the way back up, release. Shake out the leg, shake out the hands. Then we'll come into the other side, nice you doing great. So start to bring the weight into your left foot this time. Hug the right knee into your chest, then soften the shoulders, lengthen through the spine.

And the again you take your choice here. So you might have the foot into the inner, upper right thigh maybe the foot's below on the calf, or maybe it's kickstanding on the floor. Good and see if you can get your frontal hip points to start to face forward, and we'll bring the hands back to the heart, and maybe lift your arms all the way up, focus the gaze, come back to the breath. And then feel all that energy, all that movement going on around that left ankle. Good.

And then slowly we'll transition to cross that right leg over the left, draw your hands to your heart, and sink down, Temple Dancer. Maybe really turn it into a dance. And then balance, good. Hip shift back, gaze is focued, toes are active. Beautiful and then release, stand up nice and tall, maybe sweep the arms all the way up over your head.

And exhale, hands to your heart. Good, let's come into Yogee Squat Malasana. So go ahead and step your feet as wide as your mat, toes out, heels are slightly in, and then bend the knees, sink the hips down, draw your hands to your heart. Just take a moment here, close the eyes. And just check in, notice.

(breathing) Good and the bringing the hands back down to the Earth, parallel the feet, straighten out the legs, and fold. Let everything drape down over the legs. And then slowly step your way back to Downward-Facing Dog. Good. From here shift your weight forward to Plank Pose.

And you're welcome to lower your knees down to the Earth or keep them lifted, we're going to bend the elbows and slowly lower our weight all the way down. Good, when you get there untuck the toes. Take your forehead down to the Earth and then take the hands back beside you. I'm going to interlace the fingers here for Shalabasana, Locust Pose. Draw the shoulders away from the ears, press into the tops of the feet, and then inhale, slowly start to lift the chest and the heart up off the Earth.

Keeping the chin tucked, spine long. And then if you feel like you want to add the legs, go for it, feet will lift, heart will lift, inhale, lift up, little bit higher. And then exhale, lower all the way back down to the Earth. And then find Child's Pose, toes together, knees wide, sink it back, and just take a couple full deep breaths here. Just slowly roll yourself back up, sitting back on your heels.

Go ahead and take your weight off to one side, take the legs out in front of you. And we'll come into Sukasana, so crossing. Comfortable crossed-leg seated position here. And come into a hip opener. So you're welcome to stay here with the legs crossed at the shins and walk your way forward from here.

And then you'll just let the head melt down, chin tucks find that, or if you want to come into something that's a little bit deeper of the hip opener, you can take Double Pigeons, stacking the ankles in the knees. So you'll take the right leg on top, and then resting the right knee on the left ankle, and the right ankle on the left knee, good. And then just taking a moment, you might stay right, upright here, resting the hands on your lap, closing the eyes, or if it feels okay for you, you can start to walk the hands forward any amount. Just coming into that right hip. And be here for about five full deep breaths.

So closing the eyes, breathing into any sensations that you're feeling in the body, especially that right hip. And then again, where can you soften just a little bit more. (breathing) Good and then slowly start to walk your hands back up. And switch sides, so crossing of the legs. Either coming into Sukasana, crossing at the shins or Double Pigeon.

Just take a moment to set yourself up. Tune in, notice and then you might slowly begin to walk yourself forward any amount. Five breaths. (deep steady breathing) Good and then making your way back up. Then we'll conclude our practice here.

So you're welcome to come into a comfortable cross-legs seated position for closing meditation. If you know you like to sit up on a blanket or a cushion, you're welcome to find that here. Or if you'd like to lay back for Savasana, you're welcome to do that as well. So just finding your closing posture to integrate. Start to notice all the efforts of the practice.

Sink down into the body. And just begin to let go of any effort. And the effort in the breath, coming back to that natural rhythm of your breathing. Let go of any effort in the body, mind. Just letting go, allowing.

(breathing) And please if you have the time you're welcome to stay here as long as you'd like. Just enjoying the sweetness, the stillness. And whenever you're ready, you'll come to meet me in a comfortable cross-legged seated position. And we'll gather our hands together at our heart. Thank you so much for sharing your practice this morning.

We're so happy you're here. Namaste.