Energize and Ground

(waves crashing) Good morning Yogi. Thank you for being here. So delighted to practice together. So we'll begin with the usual, some Surya Namaskar A and B variations to move this morning and then moving towards horse stance. So sinking down into the hips, some hamstrings and then making our way down to the floor for seated twist and a close.

Okay, so as you're ready, mosey on to the top of your mat. And just taking a few moments to bring your attention down into your feet spreading the toes. And then inhale the arms up, interlace the fingers go down through the feet. Just take a few moments to lean from side to side. Beginning to bring some attention towards your breath.

And then releasing the arms. And then to heal the feet wide for Malasana, squat pose, sinking down into the hips. And you might bring one hand to the floor as you reach the arm up towards the sky. And then bring that hand to floor reaching up. One more time.

Nice. And bring the hands together, perhaps at the heart in prayer, feeling the heart lengthen. Inhale and then exhale, Uttenasana. Toe heel the feet slightly closer, soften the knees and then just let the head dangle, the arms release, you might bring your hands around the elbows. And then as your ready slowly roll up towards standing, keeping the chin in, inhale, reach the arms up.

Exhale, release the arms, bringing the hands together at the heart, moving towards Surya Namaskar A, two rounds. Deepening the breath with the Ujjayi, the ocean breath. (breaths deeply) And as you deepen the breath, beginning to bring some attention towards the bandhas, mula bandha, drawing up on the pelvic floor. Uddiyana bandha, naval, upwards towards the spine, that help encourage a lift up through the heart. And then moving with our breath, breathing in circle the arms up, exhale, dive forward and in, releasing, inhale half arch, lengthen the spine, exhale bend the knees, step the right foot back, left foot back, come into your downward facing dog, three to five breaths.

And spreading the fingers, spreading the toes, invite movement into the body. It might feel nice to lift one leg up and let the hip open and close. And on the other side. (breaths deeply) And as you're ready, take a look forward, step the right foot forward, step the left foot forward, inhale, half arch, exhale, forward fold. And inhale, circle the arms up, exhale release, one more round.

Breathing in, exhale, dive forward, and in, inhale, half arch, exhale, bend the knees step the left foot back, right foot back, come into downward facing dog. About three to five breaths. (breaths deep) And as your ready stepping the left foot forward and the right foot forward, inhale, half arch, exhale, forward fold, Uttenasana, inhale circle the arms up, reaching, exhale, release. Surya Namaskar B variation as you're ready. Utkatasana, bend the knees, inhale, circle the arms up, exhale, dive forward and in, inhale, half arch, exhale, bend the knees, step the right foot back, come into plank, from plank, lower the knees, come onto the belly inhale to cobra, exhale, release, come into downward facing dog, inhale the right leg high, exhale the right foot between the hands, inhale warrior one, exhale, release, plank, lower down, inhale to cobra, exhale, downward dog, inhale the left leg high, exhale, put the left foot between your hands, and inhale, warrior one.

Exhale, release. Exhale into downward facing dog, breathing. (breaths deeply) And as you're ready or on your next inhale, make your way forward to Uttenasana, inhale, half arch, exhale, forward fold, and then bend the knees for Utkatasana. Inhale, exhale, release. Hands together.

Right, second round, this time moving towards some standing Asanas. As you're ready bend the knees, inhale, exhale, inhale lengthen, exhale, step back into plank. Now you might find that first variation of lowering onto the knees, this morning you might play with keeping the elbows in, lowering down into Chaturanga, and then inhale to cobra or perhaps upward facing dog. And then exhale, downward facing dog. Inhale the right leg, exhale the right float between the hands, inhale, warrior one.

This time we'll open up to warrior two. Sinking down into the hips, breathing. And then letting the palms rotate up, we'll find warrior two dance. So as you're ready you'll inhale, circle the arms up, exhale, bend the right knee, open warrior two. Continue inhale and exhale and open.

And three more rounds. Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. And then releasing the arms down, spin onto the ball of the back foot, step back into plank, and you might lower onto the knees, you might lower Chaturanga.

Inhale to cobra or upward dog, exhale downward facing dog. And second side, inhale the left leg high Exhale float the left foot between the hands. Inhale float up, warrior one. And then opening up to warrior two, sinking down into the hips. And then rotating the palms up we'll find a warrior two dance.

Inhale, press into the ball of the left foot, circle the arms up. Exhale, open warrior two. And continue. Exhale and three more rounds. Take a moment to hold, softening the shoulders down the back.

And then releasing the left arm down, come into the shape of the lunge. You might step back into plank and lower onto your knees or lower down into Chaturanga, inhale to cobra or upward dog, exhale, downward facing dog. And breathing. (breaths deeply) Then as you're ready making your way forward towards Uttenasana, inhale, half arch, exhale, forward fold, and bend the knees, Utkatasana, inhale, exhale, press down, bring the hands together. Taking a moment to pause here, realign with the breath, and then releasing the arms.

So from here, we'll open our feet wide and find a wide leg forward fold. The feet about three feet apart and then as you're ready releasing the hands down. The hands underneath the shoulders and then beginning to fold forward. Bringing the head towards the floor. And breathing.

(breaths deeply) as you're ready, strong legs, hands on the hips inhale, come all the way up. Okay and then setting up for horse stance. So turning the feet wide, so finding an external rotation in the hips, and then we'll sink down, bring the hands on the hips. And I like to lean a little bit from side to side here, so this is a nice hip opener. And it can help to exhale, release the jaw, sink down, take a few moments here.

Really trust the support through the legs. And you might stay here. You might begin to play with pressing down through the feet staying low hips and bringing the hands together at the heart. Letting the tail bone get heavy and breathing. This is quite fiery through the legs.

Starting to feel the heat rise with it. Breathing. Good, and then once you've had enough or as you're ready press down through the feet, inhale, reach the arms up and then exhale, we're gonna fold forward. This time with the feet wide, slide the hands down the legs. Good, then bring the hands underneath you, toe heel the feet wide.

So we call this sometimes a squirt pose, or hamstring stretch. Leaning over to one side and then leaning over to the other side. So opening the hips, stretching the hamstrings. Good and then coming back into the center, coming into a forward fold releasing the head towards the floor. So now my feet are parallel.

Good, and then letting the hands find the hips, inhale, come all the way back up. Okay, we're gonna find that sequence one more time. So, bringing the heels in the feet wide for horse, sinking down into the hips, hands might rest on the thighs, you might lean a bit side to side here. You might stay low, you might play with letting the hands get light. Breathing.

It's like a standing meditation right here. Finding your center as you sink down into the hips. And notice if your knees want to collapse in, so finding that external rotation. Letting the sit bone drop. Good as your ready press down through the feet, inhale the arms up and then exhale release the hands down.

Again, you might toe heel the feet wide. And then lean from side to side. And you might use your hands here, you might play with letting the hands come up off the floor. Using your legs, feeling that support. Take one more round.

Good, and then coming back into the center, feet parallel with each other and head towards the floor. Good, as your ready let the hands come onto the hips and inhale, come all the way back up. And so from here we'll toe heel our feet closer coming into a Malasana, a squat pose, sinking down into the hips, bringing the hands together at the heart. Softening the jaw and then making our way down to the floor. Finding a Baddha Konasana, bringing the soles of the feet together, letting the knees go wide.

Taking a moment with the hands on the ankles to lengthen up through the spine, lifting the heart and then gently folding forward. And then slowly making your way back up. Coming into a seated twist, so Parivrtta Janu Sirsasana, so revolved head to knee pose. I'm going to keep my right foot in and extend through my left leg. Finding a wide angle here, and then taking a moment I'll find a twist.

Take a moment to inhale, lengthen up through the spine and then exhale gently twisting over to the right. So the left hand on the right knee. Taking a moment to brighten the heart. So I'm active in that left leg. It feels quite nice and then gently twisting towards the right.

So as you're ready slowly unwind and then slide the left hand down the left leg and then reaching the right arm up, taking a moment to lengthen. And eventually you might begin to play with taking it up, out, and over. I like to round the body forward and then brighten the heart up. You might do that a few times. Rounding forward and then brightening the heart.

You might continue this or take it up, out, and over towards the right. Breathing. Find a place where the head feels connected. So as you're ready inhale, come all the way back up. Taking a moment to pause.

Inhale, exhale. Then as you're ready slow second side. So drawing the left foot in, the right foot out. Just taking a moment together to inhale lengthen. And then exhale, right hand on that left thigh/knee inhale and then exhale gently twisting.

Softening the jaw. Here I'm active through that right leg and toes. And then as you're ready releasing. And then sliding the right hand down the right leg, inhale the left arm up. Taking a moment to go down through the sit bone as you begin to reach up, out, and over.

It might feel nice to round forward and then brighten up through the heart. You might do that a few times. And then eventually you might sink into the stretch. Breathing. And then as you're ready inhale come all the way back up.

And then setting up for a seated meditation. You might if you have a blanket nearby or a bolster or a cushion, you might set yourself up. Just taking a few moments to come into your seated meditation. Aligning with your breath and softening the shoulders. Widening through the base of the skull.

Inviting the mind to rest in the body. Notice what you choose to do with your hands. So the hands might be resting on your thighs or together, may find a mudra. And softening the jaw. For the last few moments notice what might have your attention.

If there's a thought or a worry or a sensation. Inviting your awareness back towards your breath. Gently guiding your awareness towards your heart. Bringing the hands together, offering gratitude for our practice this morning. Namaste.

Thank you for your practice and have a beautiful day. Namaste.