Shoulder Opening Flow

(waves gently crashing) So, welcome, everyone. The essence of this practice is an opening through the chest and the shoulders to counter all of the driving and the sitting and the kinda rolling forward and closing in of day-to-day lives. The intention is to relax and open through the neck, the upper back, the chest, the shoulders, leaving you with your heart shining brightly. Let's dive in. Find a comfortable seat, rest the hands.

Nice and tall through the spine, with the shoulders rolling back and down. Let the gaze and the awareness drop in. Begin to notice the flow of your breath, expanding with each inhale, and relaxing a little with each exhale. In that stillness consider your intention for your practice, anything at all you wanna call in or offer away. Let's take the hands to prayer at the heart, and open together with the sound of ohm.

Exhale, empty the body of breath. And then, together, really big inhale. ? Ohm Resting that stillness for just a moment, gathering your energy. And then, as you're ready, let the eyes open, take a big inhale, and reach the arms out and up. As you exhale, go ahead and twist to the right.

Hook that left hand to the opposite knee. Spiral the spine. Gaze back over the right shoulder. Just a couple breaths here. Feel the shoulder blades easing down the back, gently easing open to the right.

One more breath. And then inhale, draw back to center, arms reach up. With your exhale, twist to the left, spiraling back. Gazing over that left shoulder, again, tall through the spine, shoulders easing back and down. One more breath.

Exhale all the air out, and let your inhale draw you back to center, reaching it up. And then exhale, simply rock it forward. Come on up to your hands and your knees. Spread the fingers really wide. Root through base of thumb and first finger.

Take a big inhale to tuck the toes. And exhale. Press all the way up and back into Downward-facing dog. Five breaths here, anything your body needs to arrive for your flow. Maybe pedal it out a little bit, bending one knee and then the other.

Maybe shake out arms, legs, gently through the neck, whatever feels good. One more breath. And then slowly with your inhale, walking the feet forward towards the front of the mat, take an easy Uttanasana, Standing Forward Fold. Just one breath here. And take a soft bend in the knees.

Head stays heavy. Slowly with your inhale, rolling the body all the way up to stand. And exhale, release the shoulders down the back. Let's step the feet together. Take the hands to prayer at the heart center.

One breath here. Diving right into two full Surya Namaskara As. Inhale, reach out and up. Pull the belly in, flat back. Exhaling, bow out and down.

Inhale to lengthen. Come halfway. For the first one, exhale, step back into Plank Pose. Stay for a big inhale. And exhale, knees first or Chaturanga.

Inhale, Cobra or Upward-facing. Lift through the heart. And exhale, go back. Downward-facing Dog. Three breaths.

Long through the spine. Good. At the bottom of your next exhale take a soft bend in the knees. Gently look forward. Hop or step to the front of the mat.

And inhale, lengthen halfway. Exhale, bow, and fold. Again, strong center, flat back. Inhale, rise all the way up. And then right down the midline, exhale, hands to prayer at heart center.

Once again, inhale, take it up. Exhaling, bow out and down. Inhale to lengthen halfway. And with your exhale, again, hop or step it back, and go directly into the vinyasa, knees first or Chaturanga. Inhale, lift the heart.

And exhale. Back to Downward-facing. Three breaths. Working the heels towards the earth gradually as you lift through the sit bones, easing the shoulders away from the ears. Then, at the bottom of your next exhale, soft bend in the knees, hop or step to the front of the mat.

Inhale, lengthen it halfway. And exhale. Back into the fold. Strong through the center. Inhale, rise all the way up.

And again, right back down to the heart, Surya Namaskara B. Bending the knees, inhale. Scoop it up. And exhale, bow, out and down. Inhale, lengthen halfway.

And exhale, hop or step back, and roll through. From Downward-facing, with your inhale, let's take the right leg to the sky. Exhale. Step the right foot forward. Root the back heel down.

One inhale to rise, Warrior I. One exhale. Hands to the earth. Step back. Take the vinyasa.

If you need an extra breath there, feel free to take it. Move with your breath. Downward-facing. Inhale, left leg to the sky. Exhale, step it forward, root the back heel.

Inhale, Warrior I. Exhale, release, step it back, and wash it away. Meeting in Downward-facing, three breaths. Long through the spine, easing into that back body, still warming it all up, arriving in the body for your practice. One more breath.

Bottom of the exhale, soft bend in the knees, hop or step the feet forward. Inhale, lengthen it halfway. Exhale, bow, and fold. Bending the knees, inhale. Utkatasana, reach it up.

And exhale. Samas tatihi. Let's take it again. Bend the knees. Inhale, rise.

Exhale, bow, and fold. Inhale, send that heart out. And exhale, take it back. Chaturanga Dandasana. Inhale, Urdhva Mukha, lift the heart.

And exhale, Adho Mukha. Again, inhale, right leg up. Exhale, step it forward. Ground your back heel. Inhale, rise.

And exhale, release, step it back. Any vinyasa that feels best. And left leg inhale up. Exhale, step it forward, ground your back heel. Rise on the inhale, Warrior I.

Exhale, release, step it back through your flow. And Downward-facing again, three breaths. Three, two. Bottom of the exhale, bend those knees. Hop or step to the front of the mat.

Inhale, lengthen it out. And exhale, fold forward. Utkatasana, bending the knees. Inhale, reach it up. And exhale, release.

Let's take one more, ending in Down Dog. Bending the knees, inhale, reach up. And exhale, fold. Inhale again, lift the heart. Exhale, hop or step it back.

And lower. Heart rising, shoulders down the back. And exhale, Downward-facing. Right leg, inhale up. Exhale, step it forward, root the back heel.

Inhale, rise. And exhale, release, step it back. Take it through the flow. Back to Downward-facing. Left leg, inhale to the sky.

Exhale forward. Root that heel. Rise on the inhale, Warrior I. And exhale, release. Step back, and roll through.

Good. In Downward-facing, take a breath or two, just gathering the energy. Notice the breath deepening, the body warming and waking up. And then, with your exhale, just release down onto the hands and the knees, and then lower down onto the forearms and the elbows. Palms open, or you can clasp the hands into a gentle fist.

As you're ready, inhale, tuck the toes. And exhale, lift the hips, lift the knees. We'll come into Dolphin. Slowly start to walk the feet forward towards the upper body as the heart goes back towards the legs. Feel that stretch through the upper back, through any points of resistance.

Breathing, three. Play with it as much as you like. Two. And then, keep the upper body as is, and slowly start to walk the feet back, coming into Forearm Plank for five deep slow steady breaths. Really strong through your core.

Send the heart out. Send the soles of the feet back. Five, four. Lift that low belly in and up. Three, two, and one.

Exhale, just release the knees to the earth. Lift the elbows, plant the hands. Take a big inhale, tuck the toes. And exhale, press it up and back, returning to Downward Dog. Take one breath here.

And here we go. With the inhale, right leg goes to the sky. Exhale, step that foot forward, root the back heel down. Inhale, return to Warrior I. And then exhale, open directly into Warrior II, Virabhadrasana B, reaching from the heart center all the way out through the fingertips, melting the shoulders down the back.

Keep this for a really big inhale, and then exhale, reach back, interlace the fingers. Keep opening through the left shoulder as well as the right knee. Feel the relationship between those two. Soft gaze to the earth or straight ahead. Nother breath or two.

And then inhale. Reach the arms wide again, keeping that opening between knee and shoulder. And as you exhale, just ground and settle into it. Inhale, take the arms up, and play with this. Take hold of the right wrist with your left hand, and then, easing into a variation of Reverse Warrior, keep the bend in the right knee, and open through that side body all the way up into the right shoulder, that left hand gently pulling to encourage the opening.

Breathing into it, three. Shake it out, two. And inhale, just wide open, returning to Warrior II. And exhale, hands to the earth, step back. Optional vinyasa.

Always listening to your body. Do what feels best. Second side. Inhale, left leg up. Exhale, step it forward, grounding the back heel.

Inhale, Warrior I. Exhale, open it, Warrior II. Keep this. Again, feel the expanse through the heart all the way out through the arms. Stay for a big inhale.

And then exhale, reach it back. Again, clasp the hands. Draw the right shoulder back. Keep the left knee open inline with the toes. And breathe.

With your next inhale, spread your wings again. Inhale, take the arms open. Exhale, kinda root down into it, settle a little bit. And then inhale, arms go up. Right hand holds left wrist.

And exhale, ease it back, breathing into the left side body, up into the shoulder. Play with it for three, two. And then inhale, open it out again, Warrior II. And exhale, hands to the earth. Step it back.

Take the vinyasa or let it go. Always up to your body. Take just one breath in Downward Dog. Then we'll rise again. Inhale, right leg to the sky.

Exhale, step it forward, grounding your back heel. With the inhale, begin again in Warrior I. Take it up. And then exhale, open it, Warrior II. From here, as you inhale, float the arms up to the sky.

And exhale, bend your left elbow, take your right hand to it. Begin to open through left shoulder, left tricep muscles. And then, reach the right arm up the back. See if you can find the bind. You can always grab your clothing or a strap if you have one handy.

Sink down into it. As you ground through the legs, lift up a little through the heart, and ease back into that left shoulder. Three breaths. Keep that bind. As you inhale, simply lengthen the right leg.

And exhale, turn the feet to parallel for a variation of Prostrata Patatanasa. Legs strong. Lift the belly. Inhale all the way up. And then exhale, fold forward, sustaining the bind.

Breathe into any areas of resistance. Three, two. Keep those legs really strong. Lift from the center. Inhale, come all the way back up.

Lift, lift, lift through the heart. And then exhale, wide open. Come right back into Warrior II. Take one inhale. And exhale, hands to the earth, step back.

Your vinyasa. Lift the heart. And float it back. Second side. Left leg to the sky, inhale.

Exhale, step it forward, ground your back heel. Warrior I. Inhale, rise strong. Exhale, wide open. Inhale, take the arms up.

Exhale, bend the right elbow, take the left hand to it. Breathe into that for a moment here. And then release the left arm, and reach up the back, finding a bind, a strap, your clothing, anything you can hold onto. And then sink down into it, and ease the head back. Breathe into the right shoulder.

As you're ready, with your inhale, lengthen the left leg. Exhale, spin the feet to parallel. And then again, strong legs. Inhale, lift, lift, lift through the heart. And exhale, fold it forward.

Just notice where any sticky spots are, any contraction might be, breathing into it for three, two. Strong legs, strong center. Inhale to rise. Exhale, wide open, returning to Warrior II. Stay for a big inhale.

And with your exhale, hands to the earth, step back, take the vinyasa. Inhale, lift the heart. And exhale, take it all the way back. Again, just one breath, gathering the energy. And begin again.

Inhale, right leg rising. Exhale, step it forward, ground your back heel. Inhale, take it up into Warrior I. Exhale, wide open, Warrior II. And then inhale, go ahead and lengthen the right leg.

And exhale, simply extend out and down, Trikonasana, Triangle Pose. Place the right hand where it serves the opening of the upper body, to the big toe, to the earth, to the ankle, even above the knee, whatever you need. Take just another breath here, opening through the chest. Left shoulder energy out through the fingertips. And then, as you exhale, extend that left arm up and over towards the front of your space, pinkie-side edge of the left arm rolling in and down.

Shoulder blade down the back. Stay here for your inhale. And then exhale, let the arm drop in front of the face down to the earth. Big circles. Inhale, reach it back and up.

And exhale, forward and down. Inhale, reaching up. Exhale, out and down. One more this direction. Inhale, rise.

Exhale, release. And then inhale, switch it. Reach it forward and up on the inhale. And exhale, back and down. Two more.

Inhale, rise. And exhale, release. This time inhale all the way up. And as you exhale, wrap that left arm behind the back. Maybe you find that right hip crease for the bind; maybe it just rests on the low back or sacrum.

Full breath to open through the left shoulder. If this is enough, enjoy it, keep working with it. If you're in the mood for it, try a full bind here, drawing the right arm under the right knee, reaching back for that left hand, and then slowly start to lengthen the right leg. Try to keep the left shoulder and the heart rolling up and open, and breathe for three, two. Entirely up to you.

If you have the bind and you're loving it, you can keep it as we transition into Artatrandasana; otherwise, just release that right arm, keep the left hand bound, and then step it forward, plant the right fingertips, float that left leg up. Strong left leg. Flex the foot; that will help your balance. If you're in the full bind and you're falling all over the place, awesome, keep playing with it; otherwise, just traditional Artachandra. Lift the left arm up, reaching out through the fingertips.

Three, two. Gently, as you exhale, we'll meet in Warrior II. So unwind, and float back. Take a really big inhale, reach the arms out. And then exhale, lengthen the right leg, and come directly into Prostrata Patatanasana C.

Hands clasp. Inhale, lift the heart. And exhale, fold forward. Feel the warmth and the opening in the shoulders already, as you reach the arms up and over. Can ease a little, side to side, through the upper back and the arms.

Two more breaths. Press through the feet, inhale, rise all the way up. Exhale directly into Warrior II. Spread it out. Take a big inhale.

And exhale, hands to the earth, step back. Your vinyasa. Downward-facing directly into the second side. Inhale, left leg rising. Exhale, step it forward, ground your back heel.

Inhale, Warrior I. Exhale, open it, Warrior II. And then inhale, lengthen that left leg. Strong through the legs, inhale, reach out. Exhale, down, Trikonasana, Triangle Pose.

Again, left hand wherever it serves. Open through the chest. Draw that right shoulder back. And then, keep your foundation big and hill. Extend through the right fingertips.

As you exhale, take that right arm up and over, turning the pinkie-side edge of the arm down and in a little, both shoulder blades down the back. Stay for your inhale. And then exhale, let the arm release, again, in front of the face, down to the earth. Inhale, reach it back and up. Exhale, forward and down.

Inhale, back and up. Exhale, forward and down. One more in this direction. Inhale, rise. Exhale, out and down.

And then switch it. Inhale, reach forward and up. And exhale, back and down. Warm through that shoulder. Again, inhale, forward and up.

And exhale, back and down. This time, inhale, reaching forward and up. And with the exhale, wrap it behind the back. Again, any bind here to the hip crease or the low back or the sacrum. And then a full breath to open through the chest and the right shoulder.

And play with a full bind here. See what's possible. Draw that left arm under the left leg. Reach it back, see if you can find that right hand. And then slowly start to lengthen the left leg and open through chest and right shoulder.

Play with it. Breathe into it. Three, two. And then again, if you're feeling really steady in the bind, you can keep it for your Half Moon; otherwise, release, draw the back foot in, reach out, plant the left hand, and float it up, Artatrandrasana. Both legs strong.

Flex the right foot. Reach that right arm out if you're steady, and hold for three, two. We'll meet in Warrior II. So as you exhale, bend that left knee, and gently float yourself back, grounding down. Inhale, lengthen the left leg.

Exhale, feet to parallel. Again, Prostrata Patatanasana C. Take the other thumb on top. Inhale, lift up through the front body. And exhale, fold it forward.

Arms go up and over, and move your breath into upper back, neck, and shoulders, for three, two. Pressing through the feet, inhale, rise again all the way up. Exhale directly into Warrior II. Take a really big inhale. And exhale, hands to the earth.

Step back into Plank Pose, and lower, Chaturanga. Inhale, Upward-facing, lift the heart. And exhale, Downward-facing, step it all the way back. Just a breath or two here, again, gathering the energy, coming back to your center and your intention. And then, as you're ready, gentle bend in the knees, hop or step the feet forward.

Inhale, lengthen it halfway. Exhale, bow, and fold. Just pausing in Uttanasana, open the feet about hips-distance. Take just a couple breaths here, hands dropping or holding opposite elbows. Let everything unwind and release.

If you have the elbows at the hands, gently drop. Heel-toe the feet back together. Utkatasana. Bending the knees, inhale, reaching up. Sinking down into it, nice and strong through the legs, lifting from the low belly.

Gaze where it feels best for the neck, and let's hold strong. Three, two. And pressing through the feet, inhale, rise all the way up. As you exhale, open the arms and open through the heart. Offer it up for a moment.

And then inhale back up. And exhale. Ohm tasamastati. Draw the hands to the heart. Steady the gaze.

Take a moment here, reconnect. Moving into Tree Pose on the right side, grounding down through that right foot, steady your gaze, and draw the left foot up. Can be low, medium, or all the way to that inner right thigh. Hands to prayer at heart center to begin. Check in, see if you can open that left knee a little wider, lengthening through the inner thigh.

And then, big inhale, reach the arms out. And exhale, take it back for reverse prayer, maybe holding opposite wrists or elbows, and lifting up through the heart. Three breaths. Shoulders back and down. So, from here, playing with the balance, we'll keep the arms as is.

With your inhale draw that left knee forward. And with your exhale, step the left foot back. Not too wide a stance, three or four feet, depending. All toes point forward. Hips, pelvis, neutral.

Then inhale. With the hands behind the heart, feel the back of the heart rising up. And exhale, folding forward, Parazo Tanasana. Easing down, keep drawing that outer right hip and sit bone up and back, dropping the outer left hip down, and melting the upper body towards that right leg. Lift the elbows.

Three, two. Keeping this, as you exhale, simply release the hands down either side of the front foot. Take an inhale to lengthen out through the heart, lift to the fingertips. And exhale, melt back into the fold. If you'd like to stay here, please enjoy what you've got; otherwise, Twisting Triangle.

Left hand can be inside, on top of, or outside of the right foot. If you have a block and you'd like to use it, feel free. Take the right hand to the right hip, draw it back, extend the heart out. And then, inhale, roll it open, right arm to the sky. Three.

Feel the heart extending out, spine long. Two. And stay for your inhale. And exhale, release, come on back down. From here, as you inhale, send the heart out, look forward.

And as you exhale, simply step the left foot to meet the right, and fold, release. One breath in your fold. And Utkatasana to come up. Bend the knees, and inhale, rise. Again, let's sink down into it.

Feel the shoulders just melting as they open down the back. Three, two. Pressing through the feet, let's rise again. Inhale, up. Exhale, open the heart, open the arms, offer it up.

And then inhale, back up. Exhale, hands to prayer, heart center. Second side. Steady the gaze, grounding through your left foot. Take the right foot up.

Again, any variation, any height. Once you're grounded, draw the right knee back a little. Take a moment with the hands at the heart center. And then inhale, reach the arms wide. And exhale, take them back, again, into Reverse Prayer.

Or, you can simply hold opposite wrists or elbows. Rising from the back of your heart, up and through, shoulder blades down, and breathing, three, two. Keep the gaze steady and the left leg strong for your transition. Inhale, draw that right knee forward. And then exhale, step the right foot back, again, three or four feet, not too wide.

And then, lifting, again, from the back of the heart, up and through, big inhale. And exhale, just releasing, bowing down to the earth, heart leading. Outer left hip, sit bone drawing up and back, outer right hip dropping down. And breathe. Three, two.

Stay in your fold. With your next exhale, we simply release the hands down either side of the front foot. Inhale to lengthen halfway, send the heart out. And exhale, melt back into the fold. Again, it's your choice.

You're welcome to stay where you are, keep deepening into what you've got, or, Twisting Triangle. Root your right hand wherever it serves, and it might be different on this side. Then draw left hand to the left hip. Draw it back as the heart goes out. And then, left arm floats open.

Breathing, three, two. With your exhale, release, hands come back to the earth. As you inhale, lengthen out through the spine, gently look forward, and lift to the fingertips. As you exhale, step the right foot to meet the left, and gently fold. One breath, again, in that fold.

And bend the knees, inhale, Utkatasana, rise up. Holding, three. Shoulders melting. Two. Press through the feet.

One last rise, inhale. And exhale, open arms, open heart, offer it up. Inhale, back up. And exhale, hands to prayer, heart center, one breath. Making our way back to Downward-facing, as you're ready, inhale, simply float the arms out and up.

Exhaling, bow out and down. Inhale to lengthen it. Exhale, hop or step back. Plank Pose. Lower Chaturanga.

Inhale, lift the heart, Upward-facing. And exhale, go back, in Downward-facing dog. Take a breath. And then, with your exhale, simply release down onto the hands and the knees. Take a moment here, make sure the hands are directly under the shoulders, knees under the hips, long through the spine.

And then keep rooting down through that left hand. Inhale, take the right arm up to the sky. And as you exhale, thread the right arm under for that upper-back shoulder twist, releasing to the back of the right shoulder, side of the head. You can keep rooting through the left hand, even kind of pressing deeper into the twist. You can walk it forward or you can reach it up, maybe even wrap it behind the back.

Two more breaths. And if the left arm is up, take a big inhale. And exhale, root the hand back to the earth. With your next inhale, float the right arm all the way up to the sky. And exhale, come back down to neutral.

Second side. Inhale, left arm up. And exhale, thread it under, twisting through that mid upper back. As you reach out through left arm and fingertips, draw back in the opposite direction through upper back, back of the heart. And, again, any variation with the right arm.

Keep it rooted, walk it out, or reach it up, even back. Two more breaths. And if the right arm is up, big inhale. Exhale, release it down. Inhale, thread your left arm all the way back up.

And then exhale, hands to the earth. Pausing here, take a big inhale. And then exhale into Anahatasana, walking the arms out, and release down either onto your forehead or your chin or maybe over time the heart center itself touches down. Give yourself a full five breaths here, feeling the opening you've generated in the shoulders, the chest. Good.

Stay with it for three, two. Big inhale. And, as you exhale, stay low, and simply sink yourself all the way back and down into Child's Pose. Let the hips be heavy. Breathe down the length of the spine into your low back.

And let the whole body release for a few breaths here, letting the whole body simply drop and rest. Breathing, three, two, and one. Then, gently with your inhale, float it back up onto your hands and your knees. And exhale, releasing down again to the forearms and the elbows. Palms open and rooted, or, again, you're free to clasp, gentle fist.

We'll return to Dolphin Pose. Big inhale, tuck the toes. And exhale, lift the hips, lift the knees. Slowly, again, begin to walk the feet in towards the upper body as the heart reaches back. Notice if the upper back, shoulders, chest, feel any different than the opening of the practice.

You're free to stay here, keep deepening into what you've got, or if you'd like, you can lift the gaze between the forearms, take one leg up for a few breaths, and then the other for a few breaths; or, if you feel for it in your practice today, you're welcome to jump or gently lift into your forearm stand. Give it three more breaths. Slowly easing all the way back down, feet to the earth if they were up. And then release, knees down, hips back, returning to Child's Pose. Take a breath or two, just let that settle.

As you're ready, with an inhale, float back up onto the hands and the knees, tuck the toes. And exhale, press it back into your Downward-facing. Take just one breath here. Then, at the bottom of the exhale, soft bend in the knees, and come all the way through to sit. We're gonna warm up the core a little bit before some back-bending.

So, three sets of Navasana, Boat Pose, bending the knee. Let's start gently. Lifting up through the spine, shoulders go back and down. Then pick up the feet. If there's any tenderness in your low back, keep your hands here, let it be supported.

If you'd like, reach the arms out; if you'd like, extend the legs out. Holding, five, four. Lift that deep low belly. Three, two. And then cross the ankles, plant the hands or the fingertips.

Pick it up. Back down. And rise again, any variation: holding with the hands, knees bent or extending, lift the low belly, offer it up. Five, four. Soft smile.

Three, two. And again, cross the ankles, pick it up. Release. Last one. Strong through that center.

Reach it out. Lift from the back of your heart up and through for five, four, three, two. This time, cross the ankles, roll forward, plant the hands, hop or step back, Plank Pose. And lower, Chaturanga. Inhale, lift the heart.

And exhale, back into Downward-facing. Stay for one breath. And then, inhale, come forward into Plank Pose. Strong through your center. Engage through the entire body so you stay in one long line of energy.

As you exhale, ease all the way down to the earth for Shalabhasana. Arms alongside the body. Gently rest the chin on the earth. Take a moment to ground. And then, as you're ready, let it rise.

Draw the legs up. Draw the chest and the head up. And lift the arms, heart wide open. Breathing, three, two. Inhale, lift.

And exhale, release. You can turn either cheek to the mat, and take just a breath or two. Then, coming back to center, same pose with the hands clasped behind the back. So, as you're ready, lift everything up: legs, chest, chin, hands rise away from the body. And again, breathe.

Three, two. Exhale, release, turn the other cheek, releasing to the earth. Last backbend here on the belly. If you'd like, stay with either of those two previous postures; or, bending the knees for Dhanurasana. Reaching back, take hold of the ankles or the sides of the feet.

And then, as you're ready, inhale, rise up. Feel all that opening through the chest and the front of the shoulders you created, wide open through the heart, and breathe. Three. Let it rock if you'd like. Two.

One more big inhale. And exhale, release. Plant the hands just outside the ribcage. Feet are about hips-distance. Tuck the toes.

That same lowering-down action, the body long in one line of energy, moving the other way. Big inhale here. And exhale directly into Plank. Big inhale. And exhale, Downward-facing dog.

Take one breath. And bottom of your exhale, soft bend in the knees, and come all the way through to sit, extending the legs out, moving flesh out from under the sit bones, and draw the legs in for Baddha Konasana. Soles of the feet together. Knees opening out. Take hold of the feet.

Thumbs on the inner arch. Take a big inhale, rolling all the way up through the heart. Shoulders down. And then exhale, fold forward. Let the head release, just breathing into any resistance.

Stay low, inhale, lift just a little. And then exhale, extend the arms out. Inhaling here. And exhale, gently walk yourself to the right. Be subtle or deep, whatever you feel for.

When you feel like you're at your edge, take your left hand on top of the right, and just melt down. Three, two. Gently with your inhale rise a little, and walk it all the way over to the left, right hand on top of the left, and melt down here. Doesn't need to be a huge expanse through the upper body. Let the focus be on the hips and the opening through the right side, and easing, slowing a little.

Two more breaths. Gently inhale, walk it back to center, and then all the way up. Draw the knees together. And then, just gently, roll all the way down onto your back. Hug the knees in as you land, and wrap your arms around the legs, rocking a little side to side, in preparation for just a simple Happy Baby.

Holding the ankles or the sides of the feet, keep it neutral here, or you can rock a little side to side, maybe lengthen one leg and then the other, just easing it out. If you're content here, just keep what you've got. If you have a practice of shoulder stand and you'd like to come into it, go ahead and draw the knees together, rest the arms alongside the body, and let's sweep the legs up and over, beginning in Plow Pose. Crawl the shoulders into place. Maybe clasp the hands.

And then, draw the hands to the back for support. And, as you're ready, extend the legs up towards the sky. Reaching out through the balls of the feet, and really long through the spine, long through the legs, sustaining this, if you can, for 10 full breaths. Nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two. And then, with the exhale, returning to Halasana, Plow Pose, let the legs extend up and over.

And, if you need the hands on the back for support, feel free to keep them there; otherwise, clasp the hands behind you, rest them on the earth. Full five breaths. Five, four, three, two. If this is intense enough, stay with what you've got. If you feel comfortable here, let's move into Karnapidasana, drawing the knees alongside the ears, and just easing a little deeper.

Do what you can. Doesn't have to be all the way to the earth. Again, breathing, five, four, three, two, and one. From here, extend the legs out again. We'll meet in Halasana, Plow.

And then, slowly rolling all the way down into Matsyasana, Fish Pose. Using the core strength as you ease to the earth, let the hips gently land on the hands; and as they do, press through the forearms and the elbows, let the legs lower, arching the spine, and gazing back towards the third eye. Five breaths. Five, four, three, two. And you can release here.

If you have a practice of Uttanapadasana and you'd like to try it, releasing the hands from under the hips, extend the legs straight out, and then extend through the arms, gazing past the tip of the nose for five, four, three, two. And exhale, release. There is anything else your body needs before your final rest, maybe another gentle Happy Baby, or anything you're feeling for, trust that, take your time. When you are ready, simply extend the legs all the way out and down, let 'em naturally roll open. Rest the arms alongside the body, palms open to the sky.

And, as the body releases deep into the earth, let the mind and the heart relax. Keep the body soft, and gently take a big inhale through the nose. Hold your breath in at the top. And then open the mouth, exhale. Let it all go.

Just rest. Gently drawing your awareness back to your body. Have the time and the space and you'd like to stay in Shavasana, please do so; otherwise, gently bringing a little movement into the hands and the feet. And, as you're ready, with an inhale, extend the arms up and over, reaching out through your fingers and your toes. And then, with your exhale, go ahead and bend the knees, and gently roll to the right.

Let's come up to a comfortable seat. Rest the hands. Let the eyes close. We'll sit together for just a moment here. Bring awareness back into the length of your spine.

Actively roll the shoulders back and down, resulting with the palms facing up. Feel that shift through the neck, the upper back, the shoulders, and the chest, letting your awareness rest there, letting your awareness simply follow the flow of your breath, as everything else simply rises and falls. The eyes remain closed. Hands come to prayer at the heart center. We'll close the practice together with the sound of ohm.

Together, really big inhale. ? Ohm And then gently inhaling. Just a soft bow forward with your exhale. Namaste. Thank you all so so much for sharing this practice.

I hope your neck and shoulders feel better and your heart feels wide open. Enjoy. Be well. Namaste.