Joyful Heart

Namaste and Namaskaram friends and welcome, welcome as we come today and joining in on this practice at the heart center and be really coming into that place of love and the divine energy and love as we think about backbends as most of us in the yoga community call them really taking it beyond just calling it a backbend into really a heart opening so we'll be really calling into our life right so just come in let the eyes soften and let the hands move across your thighs rise up in front of you and as you draw down over the body feel that calling into your life just feel that radiance of life flowing down let the arms softly rise and then just feel as you draw heaven down this is call of the breath here flowing together like a gentle wave washing over you allowing yourself here just to receive this moving meditation is a prayer wheel of receiving of calling into your life so much time in our life we spent racing and giving to others here allowing yourself to receive the gift of this practice this practice of the heart so let the breath just guide you let it call to you as we offer together here the sound of arms so feel the hands softly rise oh and just continue letting the arms be in this fluid motion this fluid movement this time as you draw down let the right arm sweep out in front of you left can rest to the earth and just take this giant circle all around the body feel the space around you and then change left arm out in front circle it around feel as it rises right and again as we come into this practice really allowing the heart right that heart energy to shine so bright eyes big smiles letting it all just flow from within right it's a beautiful practice when we open our heart to really letting our inner light just shine take one more cycle right arm and then feeling the left big movements huge rotation all the way around as you draw both hands out and then drawing into the heart center as you come forward now onto all fours i'm just taking a little movement right let the spine be free let the shoulders sway a little right and left letting the head and the neck roll and there's a beauty in the sahaja practice sahaja being the free flow right we're not restricting the spine we're not restricting the body letting it just be free it feels so good it's like waking up in the morning and taking a big yawn right you're like and it's a freedom in that movement and that body awakening take another big breath here and i want you to make a big sigh let it out as we come back to center send the hips back and then feel the sacrum as you rise up into down dog just take a little movement whether you want to sway a little again freeing up right and left or maybe that fluid movement of waving the spine just letting the body just find its own natural rhythm so not restricting the flow but allowing to really be in this moving meditation we call our sadhana our yoga practice so let the feet come together inhale send the right leg let it rise out and back feel the space all the way to the heavens exhale as you step the right foot forward lowering your left knee down bring your left arm and that same opening movement let it come out in front of you and as you circle it around lifting the heart up left hand either to the hip or to the earth right arm comes out in front and then feel just the space around opening wide let the body come forward both arms sweep across the earth and then let it rise lifting to the heavens and i'm releasing all the way out just pause letting yourself shine from within coming down to the earth bringing your right knee to meet the left knee gently just walk the hands out coming in again anahatasana love to feel this asana this body mudra really letting the heart just bow to the earth to the divine let yourself know slide forward onto the belly bringing your hands by your ribs and gently ride this wave lifting the heart lifting the heart bull john gossum feel as you lift up exhale coming down to the earth take your right arm and extend it straight out to the right right in line with the shoulder and then turning your gaze to the left as you bend your left knee and then let your body roll all the way over to the right and just pause feel the shoulder just release letting go and coming back onto the belly changing sides extending the left arm out to the left turn your gaze to the right as you bring your right hand in and as you bend the right knee roll your body over to the left and just pause again let the head be heavy resting down to the earth as if you're listening to the earth hearing what you had to say rolling back onto the belly hands by their ribs tend the fingers feel the heart rising bull john gossum lifting and exhaling down and taking this giant rise either stay low for cobra or lifting high and as you come up just pause a moment breathing here drawing back into down dog the feet come together left leg inhale let it rise lift into the heavens exhale softly stepping through as you lower the right knee down taking the right arm this time bring it out to the right come in front and as you lift up circling it around the whole body their hand to the hip or to the left arm bring it out in front take it over the crown circle it all the way giant movements now both arms come forward lifting high and then letting it softly open and just pause a moment breathing in here big smiles for your life for your heart today as you release down to the earth bring your left knee to meet the right knee and gently walk the hands out heart towards the earth again either resting to the forehead or resting eventually onto the chin letting the heart just melt to the earth sliding coming through onto the belly hands by the ribs tend the fingers and feel the heart rising bull john gossum and exhaling to the earth so this time start with the left hand taking the left hand out to the side and let the elbow bend to a 90 degree so you get this nice l shape turn your gaze to the right bend your right knee and then roll your body over to the left just let the head go letting yourself just soften and just breathing down as you come back onto the belly changing sides so bringing the left hand in take the right arm out bend the right elbow so that the elbows in line with the shoulder gaze turns looking to the left and as you bend the left knee roll your body over to the right and pause feeling the shoulder pectoral all that release just letting go big breath here and slowly coming back onto the belly hands by the ribs tend the fingers feel it rise up bull john gossum and exhaling down press and rise take up dog or cobra and as you come up pause the moment breathing in letting the heart shine and drawing back into down dog it's going to take one more cycle so feet together right leg let it rise softly and as you exhale stepping through and now letting yourself go let it be free left knee to the earth we'll start with the left arm bring it out in front circle it around and just feel heaven shining down the right arm out to the side left hand either at the hip or the earth and then circle it all the way around and now both arms lift to the heavens rising up and then softly open out letting yourself shine today through your practice as you come to the earth bring your right knee to meet the left knee walk the hands out letting the heart come to the earth and back and slide through onto the belly this time we'll go a little deeper hands by the ribs tend the fingers bull john gossum and exhale down so we'll start with the straight arm take your right arm straight out turn your gaze to the left bend the left knee and this time as you roll to the right pause here now some of you this might be enough done keep opening the shoulder some can go a little deeper keep rolling onto the right arm and maybe bend the right knee right and just breathing here and then release the right leg rolling back onto the belly right hand comes in left arm extends gaze turns to the right and as you roll to the left head is heavy and again today maybe you're a little tight through the shoulders maybe you just need to pause and breathe here a little longer and some of you are going to bend the left knee and breathe here and then releasing back onto the belly hands by the ribs riding that wave bull john gossum feel the heart lift and to the earth press and rise up dog or cobra lift high stay low and pause for a breath lifting up and out and then drawing it back into down dog so left side feet together left leg inhale to the sky exhale stepping through right knee to the earth start with the right arm feel that fluidity of the shoulder of the spine circle around taking the left arm bring it out in front wave of life flowing and then both arms sweep out let it rise and then let heaven just wash down over the body breathing here as you release down to the earth bring your left knee meet the meet the right and then walking your hands out letting yourself pause bow to the earth and a sliding foot so this cycle going a little deeper for those who are ready hands by the ribs rising first bull john gossum and coming down so take the right arm left arm excuse me out to the left bend the elbow making sure the elbows in line with the shoulder as you turn your gaze to the right bend your right knee now this time as you roll to the left reach your right hand to the right foot half bow pose and then keep rolling to the left as you kick the right foot away from the body and then releasing change sides right arm out to the right bend the elbow now gaze turns to the left as you bend your left knee start to roll to the right reach your left hand back take hold top of the foot or ankle and then kick the foot away and just feel the shoulder off through the body just open release breathing in and surrender down hands make a little pillow or coming out into prayer and just bowing the third eye down just a moment just to pause letting the heart connect down to the earth peeling the divine flow so the hands now draw back by your side feel that big rise bull john gossum and it should feel so amazing sweetness right ah the sweetness of the heart energy flowing through and now that big up dog or cobra and pause as you rise take a moment be right here and then drawing it back into down dog take a breath inhale and exhale and again letting the spine either wave or sway or even bending one knee in the next or heel side to side okay just letting the sacrum be free let the spine be free very healthy in a way to really letting the body find that natural freedom in the flow so as we come into this namaskar now feeling the sideways to the body open so feet together right leg inhale let it rise up and back exhale as you step the right foot forward between your hands let the left foot turn so it's parallel back edge left arm sweep it out and let the body rise coming up vera two pause feel that moment as you settle in take your left hand to your hip bring your right palm to face up and now as you inhale lift up as you exhale send your left hand across the belly right hand reaching back and just go deeper feel the length through both sideways inhale as you come forward right forearm can rest to the thigh left arm extending up and as you exhale go deeper reach your right hand to the back as the left reaching for let the body rise up vera two and then car wheel down to the earth your first vinyasa stepping back half or full chaturanga dandas and feeling that danda high to low and then let the heart rise up dog or cobra lifting up and drawing it back into down dog take a moment and just pause and again feel the weave feel the spine just starting to be freed the flow of life right so feet together left leg inhale softly to the sky exhale set the left foot through right heel turns parallel right arm in breath to lift you and then softly just feel the exhale root down ground in right hand coming to the hip up left palm turning up inhale feel that lifting upwards and then exhale right hand across the belly as the left hand reaching back go deep inhale left forearm to the thigh right arm coming up and then go a little deeper left hand reaching to the back right arm reaching forward let it rise up into vera two and then cartwheel down stepping back again chaturanga either with the knees down or straight legs and then letting the heart rising and draw back into down dog take a moment breathing here big inhale and exhaling so we're going to stay with that just being a little bit mindful of the breath as we flow as one so feet together right leg let it rise inhale exhale as you step through vera two on the in breath left arm sweep out and then feel that come up and exhale root down left hand to the sideways inhale lift up exhale go deeper reach out so you can feel the right side grow longer here inhale extended side and exhale inhale vera two cartwheel it down stepping back chaturanga half or full inhale let it rise and exhale drawing back feet together left leg inhale lifting high touch the heavens exhale step it through right heel turns right arm sweeps out and let yourself heal from the root rise and then root land right hand to the sideways left arm in breath exhale right arm reaching for left arm back inhale parsvokanasana and then exhale go deeper reaching extending out inhale vera two exhale down stepping back your vinyasa and then rising nice and down dog biggest breath inhale open the mouth with sound so we're going to do one more cycle and this time as we do this final cycle really just be in the flow if it helps you can close the eyes look into your heart feel that power of the divine mind so feet together right leg inhale and exhale so less from me really letting yourself begin to feel inhale vera two and then feel that pulse of life just settle quiet inhale reverse and really allowing the wave to wash over you coming through each breath taking you deeper each breath guiding you into that place a full sweet surrender flowing back and when you feel this cobra or up talk really shine your heart let it lift to the heavens drawing back feet together left leg inhale to the sky exhale and stand vera two from the root rising up and then feel that moment of landing inhale reverse go deeper exhale just extend all the way out inhale extended side angle and exhaling rising and cartwheeling down nice and this last one here really allowing yourself to come to the belly bhujangasana feeling that deepness of the heart shining big smile and then exhaling down and just take a moment hands prayer or bowing the third eye and just letting yourself just pause here breathing in so coming onto our forearms yeah elbows in line with the shoulders right finding this nice l shape strong lifted and then take your left hand slightly across keep the heart lifted so the body tends to want to drop into the shoulder so really lift up and then bend your right knee take your right hand back and then drawing the right foot down if you can pivot on the right palm tuck the right toes under and again as you stretch the quads right the body wants to drop forward resist lift up breathing here and then releasing ah yeah the quads feel so good nice and juicy ready ready if we're going deeper today so changing sides bend the left knee taking your left hand back and then drawing the left right and some of you are going to stay right here some going to pivot on the palm tuck the toes under and bringing the heart forward and again resist dropping into that shoulder i want you to keep your heart lifted the whole practice today shining your heart big breath and exhale as you release so bringing the forearms on the ground elbows under the shoulders so we're going to come on to one little bit engaging the fire right i like to have a little fire even though we're probably all sweating right now it's okay it's good to let the water pour right i know we talk about the body as a temple and if the body is a temple and water is pouring out of you aka sweat it's just holy water so it's okay to have the holy water pour right yeah who doesn't like a little holy water so curl the toes under tuck the tailbone lift the hips yay yes pinchy set up so forearm plank right i'm gonna be here you might as well smile i know some of you are at home are like nope i'm not gonna do this it's okay you can do it with me or not but i'm gonna do it right here we're awakening the fire right and as we play with the heart it's good to really tap into the fire the fire is that moving us forward so i know it's always beautiful to be in the space of love love love but love without action right you have to have the action of love so living in that place of igniting yes so we won't stay here forever don't worry the big inhale through the nose open the mouth ah yes and then coming down just take a moment pause again hands either making a pillow or full prostration just bowing to the earth so we're gonna set up now for bow pose done your awesome so you bend both knees taking the hands back tops of the feet ankles press through the balls of the feet keeping the legs active and then as you press in lift up and start to kick back so you can rise keep lifting and you'll notice you might rock a little it's okay and then softly releasing coming down and just pausing here just let yourself let go and in this moment just be so bringing your hands by your side press and rise up dog or cobra lift high or low and then drawing it back into down dog and this breathing here so notice how as we shift as we move down dog might begin to take on a new feeling new sensations right and as you liberate your dog that flowing of the spine or the flowing of the hips or legs and there's a liberation not holding your energy but allowing that energy that you're cultivating to be flow through you so as we come together feet coming together right leg inhale let it rise exhale as you step it through lower the left knee down sweep the arms out let it rise up and as you open out just softly pause each time here in that expansiveness I let it radiate out from your center hands coming around into the heart and then taking a twist to the right so left elbow coming across pressing in and just letting yourself spend this moment here breathing in so twist can be very cleansing but also we can start to feel ourselves lose the breath so take a moment not to force it let it open let the breath naturally flow as you inhale rising back center lift up high and then exhale releasing down to the earth sending that as you lift the left knee right leg out in back down dog split and just pause moment so for some this can be a bit of a challenge so we're going to take it in stages so take your left hand as you bend the right knee take your left hand out to the side reach your left hand if you feel balance towards the left hip and then if it's there left hand to the right foot and kick the foot feel that half bow shape yes and then soften a little kick the foot into the hand feel half bow here and then soften take one more and then release the left hand extend the right leg let it rise yes yes step the right foot forward left foot turns parallel left arm sweeps out and let the body rise up into vera two so those hips should feel nice and warmed up here now inhale reverse pause the vera two and as you exhale right forearm to the thigh left arm coming up you know just this left arm this movement for the shoulder to really open it up left hand along the horizon and follow it reach it back bring the left hand again along the horizon as you roll the heart up left arm along the horizon reaching back right arm along the horizon heart rolling up and now this time left hand along the horizon coming around behind reach for your inner right thigh and again roll the heart so you get that nice opening through the hip through the shoulder breathing here and as you release left arm back along the horizon stay with it over the crown rise up vera two and cartwheel down to the earth lower the left knee straighten the right leg ah and it feels so juicy now arda hanuman right feel that little ripple as you lengthen inhale and exhale as you fall one more and bowing the third eye so as we come forward keep your left knee on the ground take your left hand out it could be off your mat it's good to get off our mats pivot on the right heel and open the right foot just about a slight angle 45 degree maybe and bring your right hand into your right thigh and just kind of open it press it away and then taking your right hand bring it to the heart and then the left knee so you're not on your kneecap here let the heart open right hand out to the side as it comes around behind you take hold of the right foot and inhale kick back go back look back like you're in bow pose and then now deeper into the quad bend the left elbow while drawing the left foot in third eye towards here and then with the breath we come up inhale in this half bow pose exhale draw it in and bowing towards the earth one more cycle in breath feel and exhale as you're releasing the right foot left foot excuse me hands pause on the inside bring your right knee to meet the left and ah on a hatasa yay so you're more opening for the heart allowing the heart just to bow towards the earth notice where you began you might now start to feel wow greater opening through the shoulders the front of the body and let yourself slide onto the belly hands by the ribs feel that big rise bhoojangasana and exhaling down you know again that big rise and we'll pause with the breath breath let the neck be fluid but let the heart rise up and drawing it back into down dog take a big inhale open the mouth you can feel that fluidity of the spine the softness of the body and the breath letting yourself just let go surrender into the flow so feet together left side left leg in breath let it rise exhale step it softly through right knee to the ground arms rising coming up and then open just pause breathing here hands coming around into the heart and then twisting to the left right so let the right elbow press in lengthen so not too intense but you find that pulse of the breath letting yourself still breathe deep and as you come back center sweep out rising up and exhaling down to the earth so send the left leg out and back down dog split pause so bend the left knee and again each stage here you may not be grabbing the foot and that's okay take your right hand out to the right right hand out towards the right hip and then if it's there you find your foot and you feel that pulse lifting the heart soften lift the heart and soften release extend the left leg big inhale exhale step the left foot through now right foot turns right arm reaching out big inhale to lift you into Viratul in this land left palm turns up inhale reverse and exhale left form to the fly right arm by your ear now just follow the right arm let it move along the horizon reaching back bring it back along the horizon and extend heart rolling up exhale back inhale as you reach this time as it comes back bringing it behind your back for your inner left thigh if you need to scoot in a little and then bend into that left knee and roll the heart up now right arm back along the horizon over the crown Viratul and cartwheel down right knee to the earth left leg will straighten flex the foot and then bowing over inhale feel that little ripple exhale one more as you come back forward keeping right knee on the ground take your right hand out lean slightly forward so you're on the thigh and pivot the left ball the foot out and you can open the foot a little more if you're a little tighter in the hip now left hand to the inner left thigh big opening for the hip ah and now bending the right knee so you're not on the kneecap left hand to the heart and then open the left hand big movement reach back so in this half bow right kick back go back ah and then here's that big opening everyone's quad right as you bow third eye coming down two more just like this inhale kick up go back and exhale draw it in and bow one more in breath reaching and exhale bringing it in and then as you release the right foot coming up hand move to the inside bring your left knee to meet the right knee releasing and then walk the hands out on a hatasana just letting the heart melt towards the earth let the body slide forward onto the belly hands by the ribs feel that rising bhujangasana lifting up rising and releasing down take a moment and just pausing in prostration just letting the heart connect down to the earth and just breathe a moment so drawing back feel your rising up dog or cobra lift high a big breath and drawing it back into down dog so feet together coming here at the end wave right leg in breath let it rise draw the right knee forward towards the right wrist turning the right shin onto the earth and walking the hands and again i'm gonna feel that opening for the heart here so let the hand come at the heart and then from here open out your right hand coming behind bend your left knee and take hold of the foot now this time not looking back stay centered stay square kick the foot away lift the heart and then bringing the foot with you as you lead with your heart coming down again inhale round the spine feel the waves lifting you up and back and as you exhale draw it in and bow one more cycle feel that rising and then drawing it in as you release the left foot draw the back toes under walk the hands and lifting the body rolling up and then send your right foot out and back down dog split and just free the hip up a moment let it extend up and out and step the right foot forward between your hands lower the left knee and then bringing your hands up onto your right thigh so we're going to set up and then finding a strap mine's a little far and i'll grab it so finding a strap you can you also use a towel you can use you can use even an old tie from your husband or anybody so strap if it's there towels if you have it most of us do so you don't need to buckle the strap just finding a little piece that you can fold in half and let your right form rest on to the right thigh and you're going to feel this little turn to the left but when we finish we want to come back center let yourself open and that rolling over the knees you're not on the kneecap if you need to put a towel under the knee place it under the knee and then taking hold of the strap at the base you can always slide down the strap but it's harder to get back deeper so start at the base now sinking the hips towards your heel bring your left elbow in to the rib cage right and again as you take it out and up you can let the strap slide through or for those who have nice deep opening here now right hold at the base of the strap elbow comes in rises up and we lift our heart right the crown of your head is working towards the foot breathing in and then let the strap go all right big opening you can take a moment sometimes we're a little tied up and just place the strap off to the side we have the other side to do don't worry i won't forget the other side lift up and step back into down dog right and you're like oh yeah and so now really feel that wave of the spine let the fluid and energy flow through you you so taking the other side feet together left leg in breath and then draw the left knee towards the left wrist turn the shin onto the earth we walk the hands in coming up right and then bring your left hand to the heart bend your right knee and take your left hand back and now square off i want you to shine the heart forward so as you kick back heart rising and then lead with the heart as you draw down tuck the chin in inhale feel that rounding of the spine lifting up and back resting up and back and exhale one more and as you lead with the heart coming down towards the earth release the right foot press in round the spine roll the body up curl the right toes under send the right foot left foot out and back down dog split and then step the left foot forward between your hands right knee to the earth bringing your hands onto your left thigh so the left hand is going to stay here for support find your lovely assistant aka a strap and then as you bend the right knee reach your right hand back and take hold so you come up a little and then sink the hips down again bring your right elbow in take it out to the side and then up and letting the heart right is shining out big rising and let the strap slide then through your hands and taking your assistant and this off to the side just for a moment and as you curl the toes under set it back into down dog and just enjoy big inhale through the nose open the mouth and let yourself come down into child's pose sit down onto the heels and just take a moment as you pause here breathing take a big inhale open the mouth so we're going to set up coming in for headstand so as we come into this really headstand in a beautiful way as we're working with heart rising deep back bends we can feel a lot of energy at the base of the spine resting at the sacrum and so inverting is a beautiful beautiful way to really let that energy feel that release so as we do whether you're doing half or full it's a beautiful way of really just allowing yourself to feel the spine grow longer here so coming on to your forearms take hold of opposite triceps bring the hands out interlace your fingers bring the crown of the head down and as you cut the back curl the toes under lift your hips and just walk the feet in again stay here for a bit this might be it today and it feels great just to have this lifting of the hips right there's freedom happening in your sacrum now and some of you are going to take one leg up maybe you stay there you stay for a few breaths and some of you might change legs and then some are going to lift up and just letting yourself just for a few breaths just breathe here if you're up squeeze the inner thighs press through the balls of the feet so not just resting onto the head use your arms use that strength in the body to lift up and just breathing in and slowly now coming back down as you do take a moment we'll rest into child's pose just breathing here big inhale and exhale and then walk the hands back coming up so nice way after that coming in for a nice forward fold we've released the spine so really allowing another way of letting the spine just feel that freedom that space so feet active inhale lift up hinging forward and take hold toes sides of the feet lengthen the spine draw the heart and then letting the heart lead bowing your head the hands let go let the toes relax just allow yourself to receive as you roll the body up coming down onto your back and just letting yourself now just drop down into the earth yes let yourself just surrender to feel the body melt down the rising of the divine the earth lifting up to cradle the body and let go nothing left just allowing to be to surrender down so so so so my friends you take a deep inhale and exhale completely gently start to feel movement and awareness the body softly awakens as you inhale the arms up and then rolling off to your right it's drawing the knees in and pressing yourself up as you feel ready and rising up to seated just bringing your right hand onto your heart and the left hand on top and to see the bead of the heart here and sacred current of life that divine pulse allowing to receive the gifts of your practice the joy of your heart from the heart center letting the arms open out like a great ball like the sun was awakened rising opening out to the side letting the heart be lifted as you offer your practice as we offer here in closing the sound of all inhale um as you draw back to the center to the one um namaste