One Love: Heart Opening Flow

Namaste family welcome back let's go ahead and actually get started in Virasana and take a couple moments there so just come on to your hands and your knees take your shins up behind you a blanket is really really nice or even a block or two blocks so that your knees can come slightly towards one another but then you fan out your heels towards the pinky toe sides of your feet and then you can just drop the calves down a little bit no need to really crank the calves out to the side but then see if the sitting bones can really begin to move to the inside of the heels as you begin to roll them open this is going to make space in the knees and open up the tops of the quadriceps as we move into some backward bending today so let's start with the mudra Vajra Pradhamma so that's the mudra of unshakable faith so you just start with interlacing your fingers and as so and then place them on top of your heart so that every time you inhale it's literally like bench pressing your heart up and then the shoulders can roll back and absolutely at the same time if you can knit those very bottom ribs into the back body so that you can lift out of your low back that would be awesome we'll take a couple moments to breathe here faith it's a beautiful word trust faith can be in the divine faith can be within ourselves there's even a beautiful word in Sanskrit called Shraddha which means faith faith in the divine but the same word means self-confidence so this great devotion and confidence or confide to trust in ourselves in this great presence the divine that permeates everything so of course it's in the heart Anahata connects us and to all beings so it's this interconnectedness if we have faith in ourselves and we can begin to have faith in others in this connection faith in our union our oneness gently let your eyes soften down towards your heart just breathe right into your heart this unstruct sound Anahata of oneness great union so Krishna great Bhagavad Gita the text on Bhakti yoga mostly or Karma yoga self-transcendent action it says I exist within everything everything everyone we begin to bow to it's faith a couple of more breaths one more big inhale wide across your chest and then exhale and release your hands lightness and lift and then right from there roll onto your hands and your knees it's gonna feel pretty nice to begin to move your padding out to the side now and then you'll lengthen one leg out behind you and then the other one so that these great channels are nadis and streams begin to clear carrying this nadam or sound throughout the body and then begin to offer yourselves all the way down to the ground rise up into a sphinx pose for a moment so it's a very very subtle movement of the shoulders drawing back and dropping down through the inner arms but the heart opens sphinx being that great lion like and man our humanity take one more breath like it's almost like you're dragging your heart forward as the shoulders draw back in the back part of the heart the thoracic part of the heart and from here you're gonna lower right down onto your bellies and open up your arms I love you this much everyone and then check out rolling right to the inside of your right armpit you can bend through the left hand like a little cobra and then step the left foot behind you so that you're breathing into the inside of the shoulder right shoulder and then your left hand can stay here it can lengthen out long it can begin to wing back behind you just take a big old inhale and then come on through center and take it over to the other side so the right hand slides back like you would a cobra and then roll into the inside of the left armpit step the right foot behind you press into the right hand a little bit inside of the left shoulder and you can breathe the right arm up and then come right back towards center slide your hands back towards your chest and then rise on up through cobra so it can be a little bit of a higher one as the chest lifts up and then send your hips towards your heels towards the child's pose and then right away roll up tent your fingertips back behind you that you can expand open through the chest and then drag the tailbone under so that you can press the pelvis up towards the sky a big breath in here and then rise on up onto your shims and step the right foot forward interlace your hands behind your head so that you can breathe wide across the chest but the chin can move in towards the throat so the back of the neck is long allow the pelvis to sink down as you open up through the chest and then interlace your fingers back towards that mudra but interlace it press it up arch back and then take a little bend through that left elbow behind your head the right hand can join it for today's practice a belt is gonna be really nice maybe a little bit of a pool to open up and then from there release the left hand down and tuck the left toes under as you lift open and then one more big old peeling open of the chest you can stay here for a breath but it might be nice to step all the way back and you're in a big old rock star flip it forward you're in a plank pose slowly lower yourselves down right in here open up the chest and then this time first roll to the inside of the left you can just be a little rolling action and then right over to the other side go on through center cobra so the pelvis really sinks down toes roll in heels are wide and then send your hips back just so that you can tent the fingertips press down and lift up and then rise on up and this time step the left foot forward so you do want the tailbone to really sink down the pubis lift and then sink down as you interlace your hands behind your head wide across the chest as you open again that mudra guiding the back of your brain of faith and then press your palms up towards the sky the right hand come behind the heart so that we feel both sides the front but then also the back back of the heart and then again right from there right hand down begin to float the top of the right thigh up and then peel open through the chest it's pretty simple and yoga how can my heart stay open here how can it stay open there this person this experience how can it stay open and I not lose this faith and sink down a little bit so that you can rise up arch back and then come back and forward last time drop down Sphinx pose and then tuck the toes under so that you move into a forearm plank just for a breath so that you know the heart doesn't close off even right here and then begin to lift your hips up towards the sky towards the dolphin so a little bend through the knees and allow your chest to really drop down so for here it's really allowing the chest to move towards the tops of the thighs and then from there begin to lengthen hugging the elbows in into your downward facing dog you may have to walk back a little bit on to your sticky mat so we're gonna step right into warrior once a son the left foot center a little bit as you extend the right leg long and then drag the knee and step between your hands because it is this great courage of course the great cool heart the great courage of the warrior to stay vulnerable and then this open and take one breath into the shape as you spiral the pelvis forward and then right from there you're gonna pop the left foot behind the right this is called Krishna whistling is always wonderful to play this great music that exists in everything and then even a big old swoop up into an early warrior three so there's great lightness and this great lift of faith as you step back it's gonna be right back into this Anjana asana the hands can always drop the prayer behind your head and then right from here you're gonna use the power of the breath in the back toes to drop right into devotional bhakti warrior in a big old bow to your heart peaceful warrior as you rise up but send the left tip a little further forward than you may normally and move towards go muk cow face that's when we see the sacred in all creatures and all beings a little pool of the hands will allow the heart to pop open and then from here unravel your hands down and then you got it today's vinyasa is a big old opening up at the heart from there you can lower down in your own way cobras are upward dogs and downward dog and then send your right foot forward extend your left leg up in high step forward seal the back heel warrior one even with this great prayer at the heart before you send it up and then Sri Krishna your offer to awesome a three allowing the great expansiveness of the heart to see to see this great faith step it back drop down arch back and then it's right into devotion a deep bow humble bow is back team peaceful as you rise up and then right into the go muk feeling the back of the heart as you pull a little bit open up and then circle the hands down step it back burst it on up come back through center so that the chest is lifted as you lower down and we'll meet in downward dog I'll take a deep breath in complete breath out and then look forward towards the tops of your mats you can step there you can walk there okay soften into your legs bow on in and then begin to slowly roll up vertebrae by vertebrae just an unfurling as you rise up and find your hands back at your heart and take a big inhale and then exhale release your hands down so we're gonna take a little bit more of this leap of faith into into a deeper back bend so it is gonna be a standing balance and so beautiful to stay rooted and this brave expansive heart so a belt's gonna be nice to use as we move our way into the great dancer and I'd like to take the belt and first just find a little bit of a pool that begins to open up through the shoulders in the chest but just minding that the front of the ribs still move in so that your heart can expand and then let it just drape back in behind you you may want to watch it the first time the sequence and check it out or just move with me if you can look and do it at the same time but you're gonna start by taking the elbows in this time both of them and take the top of the knees the knees in towards one another but drag the tailbone down so that you're really breathing into the top of that right quadricep so it's the whole front of the body that opens all these blocks that have us constricted inward to be this open to the world and then from here you can begin to reach forward and back into the world with this beautiful open heart and then from here you're gonna let yourself just drop into a handstand so your hands are gonna come to the ground it can be just a standing split and then as the hands come down there's just a little bit of a pop just a little pop of the tailbone and then as you sink down you'll rise back as your hands come down do point the right toes and it's towards that Virasana so your hips are gonna move towards the inside of the right heel and then spin over onto this left hip turn your left hand all the way out and you can just hang out here much to do but then to rise up I really want to press into the top of the right foot a bend into the left knee so again you can burst out it can be towards this rock star but see if you can go ahead and grab the top of the right foot so that you have that same shape this way face face and then they're gonna flip it right back to the back of your mat there's gonna be a little bit of a movement and your right leg will stay lifted from here try to walk your hands back just a couple of inches I like to turn my palms out a little bit to stabilize my shoulders and then keeping the right leg lifted as you bend your elbows I'm doing a crosshopper the knees can bend and then you'll drop down your arms can come forward you'll rise on up and then we'll move into downward facing dog take a couple moments find the ground again it's a lot of openness and then you'll make your way to the back of your mat which is now the front and bow down on your way up to stand reach for your belt and then come on up a little pull on the belt will allow the chest to open even moving into those areas that you can feel behind the back and then allow the arms to move back so this time you're balancing on the right foot and strapping the left foot in but coming up with the elbows on either side of your ears try not to rush it so you can have safe back bending keeping the lower back long and the adrenals nice and protect it and then you can begin to walk the hands back that's faith we've got blue breath so ever far you'd like to go and then begin to lose it so that the hands come down and you're just letting yourself fall like when we fall in love you fall and then let yourselves drop it's not graceful and then your hands come down send your hips back towards that half of your asana to the inside of the left foot and then you'll just roll onto your right hip you can really plant the right hand down onto the sticky mat the top of your left foot is what's on the ground so it's not the ball and with a little bend in the right knee you're pressing down to begin to rise up and then take one more big reach of that back foot first the heart free and then you'll flip it lock the hands back a tiny bit keep the leg long and then you'll burst the chest down towards the ground or land here anywhere that's the whole point is to let go and then rise up and then send your hips towards your heels tent the fingertips behind you one more time lift and open the chest and then have a seat back on your heels this next to last pose kind of our final maha backband is called rish chaka which means a scorpion so it's like all those different parts of ourselves and other people too how can we keep our hearts open those parts that we kind of want to run from I just notice our own judgments yeah like you go into nature and there's the butterflies and then the scorpions everything all right that's all part of nature and still we try to keep our hearts open and see the sacred that exists within everything so that's why I love this pose and especially because it's such a big back then it starts with peacocks tail and of course that's associated with Krishna and the attraction you know so it's a mating dance it first comes out the peacocks are all flying their feathers everywhere right like when we let our best parts come out but then what about the other parts and ourselves in our partner right so we learn this incredible practice of equanimity equanimity our versions our attachments we stay open okay family so it starts with the forearms down onto the ground it could be that you hang out here again in the dolphin that we were it feels really good and opens up to the thoracic part of the heart really because generally we're in our lower back or our necks and this really breeds space the shoulders that tend to go here begin to open so sometimes the block feels nice to frame and stabilize the forearms so you can leave it here I'm not the biggest fan sometimes I fall on it so in case I'll keep it free and then elbows right underneath your shoulders roll to the inner edges of the hands shoulders back and then you can begin to tuck your toes under as the hips lift your knees can bend it can be that you hang out right here you want to begin to explore lifting the right leg up there's a little bend through the left knee and then you play with popping up so this is the first step it's like those crescents that we were doing all right one knee can begin to bend it's like a little balancing it's a little bit easier here and if you wanted to begin to bend through both knees you have that little stinger like we all have and the head can begin to lift up a little bit your legs can lift you can come down take a little rest and then flip it over so you'll come down onto your back and prepare for a bridge it's been a very back bending practice you don't want to overstress the lower back so please if you're feeling that you can support your back in a supported bridge back bend so it's still having this great expanse across the chest without there being strain so really explore what that is for yourself but do begin to with your inner eyes draw the inner toes and the heels a little wide so that the sacrum spreads and the hip points narrow and then from there you may begin to lift up keep drawing down you can stay here you can interlace your hands underneath you and really scoop the back of the heart up and then for those of you moving on here you go a big old one love you can lift up to the crown of your head elbows in and then this great chakrasana reward vada on your ass and now your feet can move in and then chins in towards your throats as you lower down and rinse out the lower back it's a windshield wiper get to clear our perceptions and then a hug of your knees and towards your chest rock over onto your hands and your knees tuck your toes under length and one more time so that the head is bowing to the heart we really get this switch of perspective and let it guide and heal your right leg up let's come forward through a pigeon if you've got one last back bend in you you'll reach for your back foot otherwise come forward and down as a great offering we begin to worship and serve everyone as the divine begin to weave your left shoulder to the ground and peel the right arm up weave it behind you and then walk your hands back and switch your legs walk the hands back lift and open your chest and then dive forward leave the right shoulder under you come on through center swing the right leg in front of you press down lift the hips up to the sky alter pose as you exhale big old offering and release your hips down and we're gonna lower yourself down right into shavasana so again blankets make yourselves really comfortable especially after the back bending this just it's wonderful to place it underneath your knees and then lower yourself down you can even take a little bit more space today like how you used to make snow angels remember that we're here on the sand but it could be concrete urban angel you make that impression new ones let go it says that we come from harmony and then it's our way back through the a hot sour through these actions that we make this music and continue to stay here for a few more breaths or and bring your way back into your breath that connects us into every living being move your fingers and your toes as an instrument come back into your body to play this music you're made of up and then a big hug of your knees into your chest make your way up to sit hmm your hands back on your heart you know when there's that great mantra it's in many many different traditions probably all traditions when in Sanskrit when Buddhism goes you know may all beings everywhere be happy and free from suffering and it's not just a prayer you know prayers are wonderful to never underestimate the power of your prayers and intentions but it's a living breathing prayer of action or every word every thought every deed we believe that it helps to contribute directly in some way and so your hands into lace and your great faith in love and during times of darkness in times of heat we can keep our hearts open our heads high faith in light faith in love faith in the divine and everyone mm-hmm join your hands to your heart and prayer and we'll sing this mantra once together loka samastha suki no bhavantu om shanti shanti shanti bowing down to the light within each and every one of you namaste