Spacious Legs

(water crashing) Hi yogis, so great to have you here. In today's practice we'll be moving deeply into the hamstrings in a really fluid way. So, breathe deeply and stay present and enjoy the ride. So come onto your back. Bring your feet to the earth, about hip distance apart, and just relax your back onto the mat.

Then extend your right leg straight up and loosely interlace your fingers at the back of your thigh. Press up through the front of your heel, flex through your foot. You can stay right here or extend your left leg long and flex your foot as well. Some of you will keep sliding your palms in this loose interlace up your right leg towards your right calf. Now, as you do this continue to direct your right sit bone toward the top of your mat.

And breathe. So flex both feet. Press through the fronts of both heels. Keep your shoulders soft and your jaw soft. Take another full breath in.

A full breath out. Then bend your right knee, keep your left leg as it is, and guide your right knee all the way across your body and then look out over your right shoulder. And then just cactus your arm, bend your elbow, turn your palm to face up. You could use your left hand to guide your right leg across you, and stay here. Soften into your twist.

Right knee back into your chest. Draw your left knee to meet it and for a moment just notice the difference between your legs. Then lower both feet to the earth. Lift your left leg up and loosely interlace at the back of your thigh. Flex through your left foot.

Extend your right leg straight if you'd like, or choose to keep the knee bent. Press through the front of both heels as you flex through your feet. You can slide your hands up toward your calf perhaps. Direct your left sit bone toward the top of your mat. Take a deep breath in.

A deep breath out. Bend your left knee back into your chest. Guide it across your body and look out over your left shoulder, cactus your arm. Hug your left knee into your chest. Your right knee to meet it.

Reach down, catch the outer edges of your feet for Happy Baby. And if you can, catch your big toes and extend your legs out to the side in a straddle. Press through the fronts of your heels. Hug your knees back into your chest. Then you can rock on up.

And come around to all fours in your Table pose. Extend your right leg straight back. Press back through your heel and reach your left arm forward, turn your palm to face in. Lengthen and breathe. Back to Table.

Left leg extends. Right arm stretches forward. Lengthen and breathe, hug your navel in, knit your ribs into your core. Back to Table. And Downward Facing Dog.

Take a moment to just pause here in your posture. Press your chest back toward your thighs. Press the tops of your thigh bones back. And see if you can bring your heels a little closer toward the earth. Then walk your feet forward to meet your hands.

Lift to a flat back. And fold with your exhale. Inhale to rise up. Hands to your heart. Take a moment, bowing your head, just set your intention for your practice if you haven't done so already.

And we'll move from this space. Inhale to stretch up. Exhale to fold forward. Inhale to lift your chest. Back to Plank as you exhale.

Lower. Inhale to Up Dog. Exhale to Down Dog. Breathe in. Breathe out.

Breathe in. Breathe out. One more full inhale. Full exhale. Step or spring to the top.

Lift your chest. Fold forward. Inhale to rise tall. Exhale to your heart. Inhale to stretch up.

Exhale to fold. Inhale to lift. Step back and lower. Inhale to Up Dog. Exhale to Down Dog.

Three breaths. Make your breath as fluid and as expansive as you can. Step or spring. Chest lifts. Exhale to fold.

Inhale to rise. Exhale to your heart. Once more, inhale to stretch up. Exhale to fold. Chest lifts.

Exhale, Chaturanga. Inhale to Up Dog. Exhale to Down Dog. A full breath in. A full breath out.

Twice more. Step or spring. Chest lifts. Fold forward. Inhale to rise up.

Exhale to your heart. To get back to Down Dog stretch up. Exhale to fold. Inhale, chest lifts. Either Vinyasa or step right back.

Lift your right leg. Open up your hip and just pause for a moment, feel into this. Coil your knee to your nose. Step to your right thumb. Now tent your fingertips, tap your back knee to the mat as you breathe in.

Then straighten both legs, flex your foot and fold as you exhale. Two more times, tap your back knee down. Exhale to pull back. One more, inhaling. Exhaling.

Inhale to bend into your right knee. Step your left foot behind your right ankle. Lift your chest up. Fold forward. Stay here as you breathe in.

Your ankles are crossed. And then fold as you exhale. Lift your left leg up from your inner thigh for a standing split and bow toward your shin. Spread your left toes. Step back into a lunge.

Plant your left hand and reach your right arm up. Gaze up toward your thumb. Right hand to the earth. Either Vinyasa or step right back to Down Dog. Lift your left leg.

Open your hip. Coil knee to nose. Step to your left thumb. Tape your back knee down, inhale. Straighten and fold as your exhale.

Twice more, inhale to bend. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale. Inhale to bend your knee.

Exhale to step your right ankle behind your left. Chest lifts as you breathe in. Fold as you breathe out. Stay for your inhale. Stay for your exhale.

Lift your right leg up from your inner thigh. Spread your toes. Bow toward your shin. Step back into a lunge. Plant your right hand.

Reach your left arm up. Left hand down. Vinyasa or straight back, Downward Facing Dog. Lift your right leg up. Open up your hip.

This time if you'd like, flip over slowly, Camatkarasana. Come back around, coil knee to nose. Step to your right thumb. Tap your back knee down, inhale. Pull back and fold, exhale.

Inhale to re-bend your right knee. Exhale to cross the ankles. Lift your heart as you breathe in. Fold as you breathe out. Lift from your left inner thigh.

Bow toward your shin as you exhale. Step into a lunge. Revolve that lunge. Reach your right arm up. Stay here or roll to the outer edge of the left foot and step back Vasisthasana.

Separate your heels, lift your hips up. Draw your right hip slightly forward. Right hand down. Downward Facing Dog. Lift your left leg up.

Bend your knee, open your hip. Option to flip over. Camatkarasana, land lightly, lift your hips. Open your heart. Come back around, and step to your left thumb.

Drop your back knee and pull your chest forward. Straighten, flex your foot and fold. Inhale to bend your left knee. Exhale to slide your right ankle behind your left. Lift your chest.

Exhale to fold. Lift your right leg up, Standing Split. Bow toward your shin. Step back into a lunge. And then use your exhale to revolve that lunge.

Reach your left arm up. Vasisthasana on the right side. Lift your hips up. Maybe take your gaze up toward your thumb. Back to Plank pose.

Hips pulled back, Down Dog. Walk your hands to your feet. Catch your elbows and just sway a little side to side. Feel your spine release. Crown of your head release.

And crawl yourself back to your Down Dog. Lift your right leg up. Draw your right knee toward your left tricep. Extend your leg out. Roll to the inner edge of the left foot.

Reach your left arm up. Plant your hand. Extend your right leg straight back. And step to your thumb. Rise to Crescent pose.

Drop down into your right thigh. Inhale to lengthen. Exhale to hug the navel in. Inhale to look up, maybe press your palms to touch. Open to Warrior II.

Flip your right palms, straighten your right leg, and tip back. And then bend back into your right knee. Forearm to thigh, left arm up and over your ear. Two more times, inhale to rise, straighten your right leg and tip back. Exhale, forearm to thigh, left arm up and over.

Once more, inhale to straighten. Exhale. Inhale to Warrior II. Exhale your hands down. Step to Plank pose.

Lower. Inhale to Upward Facing Dog. Exhale to Down Dog. Left leg lifts. Left knee to right tricep, extend your leg out.

Reach your right arm up, inhaling. Hand to the earth, exhaling. Left leg extends. And step forward. Rise to your Crescent pose.

Stand tall. Drop down into your thigh. Inhale to stretch up. Exhale to sink. Inhale to lift your gaze.

Exhale to open, Warrior II. Flip your left palm, straighten your leg, tip back. Exhale, forearm to thigh, right arm up and over your ear. Inhale to straighten and tip back. Exhale, right arm up and over your ear.

One more time, inhale to straight. Exhale Side Angle. Inhale to Warrior II. Exhale to the earth. Step to Plank.

Lower. Inhale to Up Dog. Exhale to Down Dog. Breathe in. And breathe out.

Breathe in. Breathe out. Breathe in. Breathe out. Lift your right leg up.

Step to your thumb. Rise up to Crescent pose. Come forward, Vira III. Press back through your left heel. Hands to the earth for Standing Split.

This time reach for your calf with one hand, maybe both, and play with hovering here. Playing with your balance. Bring your left foot hip distance from your right. Lift your chest. Exhale out of the mouth and fold.

Now catch ahold of your right, big toe, so the leg that we've just been stretching, catch ahold of your right big toe, left hand to your hip and slowly rise up to standing. You can start with your right knee bent just to see where you're at. And then play with extending your leg forward, flexing through your foot. Drop your right sit bone down. Then stretch your arms up, use your belly, keep your leg lifted.

Hands behind you, hip distance, and fold. Drop your head. Give your head a shake. Maybe sigh out the breath. Take a couple of sweet breaths here.

And then hands down, lift to a flat back. And Vinyasa your way back to Down Dog. Lift your left leg up. Step to your thumb. Rise to Crescent.

Hands to heart. Warrior III. Press back through your heel. Standing Split. Hands toward your calf, maybe one, perhaps both.

Drop your head. And lower your right foot hip distance, chest lifts. Fold forward. Catch your left big toe with your peace fingers, right hand to your hip and rise up to standing. So it helps to stand tall, establish your Drishti, and then play with kicking your heel forward.

Keep the leg lifted, stretch your arms up. Foot down, hands behind you and drop your head. And hands to the earth, lift to a flat back. Step your left foot back. Drop your knee.

Shift back, straighten your right leg, flex your foot. Stay here or slide your heel forward toward your Full Splits. So as you slide your knee back, you can always slide a block, if you have it, underneath your right thigh. Wherever you're at sit tall and breathe deep. Maybe fold forward.

And then lift up. Slide your right knee back. Extend your left foot forward. Then shift back. I'm just approaching it a little differently.

Flex through your foot. Chest forward. You can slide your heel forward, slide your knee back and you'll notice that either side can be very, very different. So be patient with yourself, alright? Breathe.

We'll meet in Bitilasana. Slide your left knee back to meet your right. Hips back toward your heels and stretch your arms back. Rest here for three or four breaths. And then as you come up you can just come onto your back.

I'm just gonna switch around so you can see me better. So as you come onto your back, feet to the earth, hip distance apart. Begin to lift your hips up. Roll your shoulder heads underneath you. And you can either catch the outer edges of your yoga mat or interlace your fingers, depending on how deep you'd like to go.

Press through the fronts of your heels and draw your shins back. Draw your heart toward your chin and then relax your buns. Make your belly round with breath. Keep pressing your shins back to find more length. And then lower down and scooch your feet a little wider, knock your knees together.

One hand to the heart, one hand to the belly, for a breath. You can move into Bridge, once again, what we just did, or bring your hands to either side of your head, turn your fingertips toward your shoulders, hug your elbows in, hug your upper arms in, and then press up to the crown of your head, and all the way up into Urdhva Dhanurasana. Press through your heels and press your shins back. Keep you buns soft, once again. Breathe.

Press down through your thumb, your forefinger. And then soften all the way back down. Knock your knees together. Other hand to the heart, other hand to the belly. You can move into a third Urdhva Dhanurasana Wheel, or a Bridge pose, any back bend you'd like.

Come on up for five breaths. Whenever you lower down knock your knees together. Both hands to the belly. Cross your right knee on top of your left knee and then drop your legs to the left and look out over your right shoulder. Back through center.

Left knee on top of your right. Drop your legs to the right, look out over your left shoulder. Back through center. Loosely gather your knees into your chest. Then lower your feet to the earth.

You could come right into Savasana or soles of the feet together, knees open in Supta Baddha. I'm going to take Savasana here or you could extend your legs long. You can stay here as long as you'd like. If you're coming with me roll to your right side, rest your head on your bicep. Then come on up to sit in a comfortable, cross-legged seat.

Place your hands at your heart. And bow your head toward your heart, truly honoring your body, breath and practice. A deep inhale. A deep exhale. May there be peace in your hearts, in your homes, and in our world.

Namaste.