Eagle Flow

(wave crashing) Alright, hi yogis, so good to see you again. We'll be moving through an Eagle-focused flow, so find a cross-legged seat in Sukhasana, whatever is comfortable for you. Close your eyes as you keep your hands together at your heart. Take a moment to set an intention for your practice today. Take a deep breath in.

And a big sigh out. Twice more, a full inhale. A full exhale. One more big breath in. And a big breath out.

On your inhale, stretch your arms up. As you exhale, send your left arm underneath your right for Eagle wrap, Garuda arms. Lift your elbows so they align with your shoulders. Press your wrist slightly forward as you squeeze your arms together and soften your traps, soften your shoulders. Stay here as you breathe in.

Stay here as you breathe out. Then begin to lift your forearms up, lift your elbows up, maybe drop your head back slightly. As you unwind, sweep your arms up once again. And bring your right arm underneath your left. Cross at your wrists or press the backs of your hands together.

Lift your elbows to shoulder height, press your wrist forward, breathe. Squeezing your arms together, softening your shoulders simultaneously. Then lift your elbows, lift your forearms up. And drop your arms down, stretch up as you inhale. Hands through center, lace the fingers, press up through your palms, take a deep breath in.

And hands down as you exhale. Come all the way around to all fours and to Downward-Facing Dog. Take a moment to just land in your posture. Press your chest back toward your thighs. Press the tops of your thigh bones back and let your gaze rest between your feet or at your navel.

Come forward to Plank Pose, top of a push-up, and lower all the way to your belly. Now extend your left arm directly out from your shoulder. Ground down through your palm and begin to roll toward your left arm. You can bend your right knee and bring the sole of your foot to the earth. Come up onto your right fingertips and just roll your chest open.

Take a couple breaths here. And come back around onto your belly. Extend your right arm out to the side and roll your body to the right. Kick your left foot behind you like a kickstand and then roll your chest open. Back onto your belly.

Press back to a Wide-Kneed Child's Pose. And come back to Downward-Facing Dog. Step your feet up, hip distance apart. Uttanasana, lifting your chest. And fold forward over your legs.

Inhale to rise all the way up. And hands to your heart in prayer. Inhale to stretch up. As you exhale, send your left arm underneath your right in an Eagle wrap. Inhale to lift your forearms up.

Keep your arms crossed as you catch your calves and fold in, drop your head down. Release your calves, lift to a flat back, and step your left leg back. Inhale to tap your back knee down. Exhale to straighten and fold. Inhale to drop your back knee, stretch your arms up.

Anjaneyasana. Exhale to Cactus your arms. Inhale to stretch up, palms press. And hands all the way down. Step to a flat back, breathe in.

Exhale to fold forward. Inhale to rise up. Right arm under left as you exhale. Inhale to lift your forearms. Exhale to keep your arms crossed, catch your calves and fold.

Lift your chest, flat back. Step your right leg all the way back as you exhale. Tap your back knee down as you pull your chest forward, breathe in. Straighten both legs, flex your left foot and fold. Tap your back knee down, stretch your arms up.

Anjaneyasana. Exhale to Cactus your arms. Inhale to stretch your arms up. Exhale your hands to the earth. Step back to Plank this time.

Lower halfway, Chaturanga. Inhale to Upward-Facing Dog. Exhale to Down Dog. Breathe in. Breathe out.

Breathe in. Breathe out. Breathe in. Sigh out. Step to the top, feet hip distance, chest lifts.

Exhale to fold. Inhale to rise. And hands to your heart in prayer. Inhale to stretch up. Right arm underneath the left this time, exhaling.

Inhale to lift your forearms. Catch your calves as you fold, drop your head down. Lift to a flat back. Step your right foot back as you exhale. Back knee down, pull the chest forward.

Straighten both legs, flex the foot and fold. Anjaneyasana as you breathe in. Cactus your arms as you breathe out. Inhale to stretch up, palms press. Exhale to the earth.

Step forward, feet hip distance, chest lifts. Exhale to fold. Inhale to rise. Left arm underneath the right, exhaling. Inhale to lift your forearms up.

Exhale to fold, catch your calves. Hands to the earth, lift your chest. Lunge your left foot back as you exhale. Tap your back knee down, pull the chest forward. Straighten both legs, flex your foot and fold.

Back knee to the mat, stretch your arms up. Cactus your arms as you exhale. Stretch up as you breathe in, palms press. And hands to either side of your foot. Step to Plank, lower slow.

Sweep through Upward-Facing Dog and pull back Down Dog. Breathe in. Breathe out. Breathe in. Breathe out.

Breathe in one final time. And sigh out. Inhale to bend. Exhale to spring or step. Feet together this time, chest lifts.

Fold over your legs. Inhale to rise, sweep your arms up. Hands to your heart in prayer. Utkatasana, Chair Pose. Drop your bum, stretch your arms skyward.

Exhale to fold forward. Lift to a flat back. Chaturanga, step back and lower or land with bent elbows. Inhale to Up Dog. Exhale to Down Dog.

Step your right foot forward, seal your back heel. Rise to Warrior I. Left arm under right. Lift your forearms up as you inhale. And then fold to the inside of your right leg for a little Humble Warrior variation.

Hug your right hip back as you drop your head, drop your forearms toward the earth. Stretch up as you inhale. Unwind and open to Warrior II as you exhale. Flip your palm, straighten your leg, breathe in. And hands to the earth, breathe out.

Vinyasa or step right back to Down Dog. Step your left foot forward, seal your back heel. Rise up, Warrior I. Right arm weaves underneath the left. Squeeze your arms together, lift your forearms.

And then dive to the inside of your left leg. Hug your left hip back as you drop your head. Inhale to lift up, powerfully rise. Unfurl, open to Warrior II. Flip your palm, straighten your leg, and reverse.

And hands to either side of your foot. Step to Plank, lower. Inhale to Up Dog. Exhale to Down Dog. Breathe in.

Breathe out. Bend your knees, spring or step. Chest lifts. Exhale to fold. Bend your knees, sit back into Chair.

And standing, hands to your heart. Bend your knees, Chair Pose. Exhale to fold. Inhale to lift. Exhale, Chaturanga.

Inhale to Up Dog. Exhale to Down Dog. Right foot forward, rise to Warrior I. Left arm underneath as you exhale. Inhale to lift up.

Exhale to fold, just a breath. Inhale to lift up. Open to Warrior II. Flip your palm, tip it back, breathe in. And hands down, breathe out.

Step to Plank and lower. Inhale to Up Dog. Exhale to Down Dog. Step your left foot forward, rise up, Warrior I. Right arm underneath your left as you exhale.

Inhale to lift. Exhale to fold. Inhale to lift up. Open to Warrior II. Flip your palm, straighten your leg, tip it back.

And hands down. Step to Plank and lower. Inhale to Up Dog. Exhale to Down Dog. Breathe in.

Breathe out. Bend your knees, spring or step. Chest lifts. Fold forward. Bend your knees.

Rise to stand. Bend your knees. Exhale to fold. Inhale to lift. Exhale, Chaturanga.

Inhale to Up Dog. Exhale to Down Dog. Step your right foot forward. Rise up to Crescent this time. Left arm underneath the right, so the back heel is lifted.

Squeeze your arms together. Steady your gaze and then lift all the way up, left knee to hip height. Use your toes to steady yourself if you need to, and then wrap your leg around your right and start to sit low. Squeeze your legs together, squeeze your arms together. Nesting Eagle, begin to fold.

Bring your elbows in front of your knees. Then as you unwind your leg, you'll bring your right hand toward the earth, left hand to your hip, and open into Ardha Chandrasana. If you take a couple wobbles to get there, it's all good. Lift your left arm up. And step back to Warrior II.

Straighten your leg. Reach forward, hand to your shin or the earth. Reach your left arm up. Feel the support of your own body, the sense of grounding through your feet really evenly. Trust in your breath.

And then bend into your knee, hands down. Step to Down Dog, vinyasa or not. Step your left foot forward. Keep your back heel lifted, rise to Crescent. Right arm underneath your left, Eagle wrap.

Squeeze your arms together. Rise to standing, right knee to hip height. And then circle the right leg around your left. You can always bring your toes to the earth like a little kickstand. Start to sit a little lower.

Nest your Eagle, fold in. Unwind, left fingertips down. Right leg lifts, oops, and open into Ardha Chandrasana. So take up space, you're moving from that really contracted space and then extending open and away from each other. Legs extend, arms extend.

Breath all in between. Go ahead and step to Vira II. Straighten. Stretch forward. Hands circle down.

Straight back, Down Dog or a slow vinyasa. To your knees, Child's Pose. So as you come on up, come to seated. If you have a blanket and you'd like to place a blanket underneath your seat, or a pillow, you're more than welcome. You'll slide your left knee underneath and your right knee on top for Gomukhasana, Cow Face Pose.

Flex through your feet and find a tall seat to begin. Breath at a sense of length. You can either stay like this or find Eagle once again, so left arm underneath the right. Gaze through your forearms. Then if you're really ready to go for it, you will fold and bring your elbows in front of your knees.

It would help perhaps to have a block here. And then drop your head down and take a few deep breaths. You can unwind your arms at any time. You can come out of this stretch. But breathe, breathe into whatever resistance comes up.

Soften your shoulders, soften your jaw. And as you unwind, you'll lift back up and switch so right knee is underneath, left knee on top. And start by just sitting tall, finding this shape, settling into it. Then you can bring your right arm underneath your left, Garuda wrap. Perhaps folding forward.

As you lift up, you'll unwind. Soles of your feet together, knees open for Baddha Konasana. Catch your shins and lift your chest up. You could fold here, perhaps cupping the tops of your feet with your hands and dropping your head. As you lift back up, you'll transition onto your back.

Come all the way down. Cross your right ankle above your left knee and weave your hands through for Reclining Pigeon. Interlace your fingers at the top of your shin and keep your shoulders soft. Then keep this figure four shape and let your legs drop to the left, exactly as they are so the sole of your right foot comes to the earth. Bring your left hand to your right thigh and press your thigh bone forward.

And take a few breaths here. Go ahead and come back through center, hug your knees in. Left ankle crosses above your right knee, weave your hands through, and interlace at the top of your shin. Keep this figure four shape, we'll use this to stretch the hip flexor. Right palm to your left thigh, press your knee away from you.

And gather your knees back into your chest in Apanasana. Catch the outer edges of your feet, Happy Baby, you could rock a little side-to-side. Little smile to your lips. Hug your knees into your chest, give yourself a squeeze. And soften into Shavasana, extend your legs long and turn your palms to face up.

And relax, let go of any effort. As you start to deepen your breath, roll on over to your right side and rest your head on your bicep. And then come on up to sit, a cross-legged seat. Hands grounded at your heart in prayer and bowing. Truly honoring your body, breath, and practice.

And deep breath in. A big sigh out. May there be peace in your hearts, in your homes, and in our world, namaste.