Strong Foundation and Core

(gentle waves lapping) Welcome everyone, this is all about strong legs and strong core to help us facilitate a strong foundation. So, to begin, let's ground a little, close the eyes, rest the hands wherever they're most comfortable. Tall through the spine, shoulders easing back and down. Take a moment or two to drop your awareness into your body, and start to connect with a deep full, ujjayi breath. And then from that stillness, from that awareness, consider your intention for your practice.

Any area of your life that needs a little grounding, support, strong, steady foundation. Imagine that, call that in here. And then gently let the eyes open, and let's inhale, float the arms out and up, and exhale, just bow forward, easing down to the earth. Let the back round, let your head fall, if your forehead's on the earth, beautiful, if it's not, beautiful. Either way is good.

Just offering it down to the greatest foundation we ever have, the earth itself. Feel that connection, that stability. Stay in the fold, but inhale, lift a little and then exhale, walk yourself over to the right. Keep the left hip and sit bone really grounding down and take your left hand on top of the right and then just melt down again. And then inhale, lift just a little and exhale, walk over to the left.

If the hips are tight and you feel like you need to switch the position of the legs, feel free. If you're comfortable where you are, that's good too. Heavy through right hip and sit bone, right hand on top of left, easing down. And then inhale, lift a little, walk it back to center, round again on the exhale, and inhale, roll yourself all the way up again, float the arms to the sky at the top, and exhale, let's rock up onto the hands and the knees. Hands under the shoulders, knees under the hips, and simple cat cow.

So as you inhale, lift the tailbone, let the belly drop, lift your heart and your gaze, shoulder blades down the back, and as you exhale, round your back, tuck the tailbone, tuck the chin, and pull your belly up towards the spine. And then again, inhale, lifting tailbone, heart gaze, exhale, round, let's take two or three more cycles, keep it simple. Or if you feel for it, start to circle through the head and neck, shoulders, hips. Truly, whatever feels best in your body. Just arriving, warming the spine, warming the back.

Finding the breath, and again, round. And then inhale, come on back to neutral, and tuck the toes, exhale, press yourself all the way up and back, into downward facing dog, adho mukha shvanasana. Give yourself about five breaths here, peddle the feet, shift the hips. Again, anything that feels good, just easing into the body, warming for your practice. Alright, warming through the upper body, let's take three deep and mindful cycles through the vinyasa.

So inhale, just ease forward into plank, exhale, lower the knees and come all the way down. Inhale, cobra, lift the heart to your own edge, exhale, release, press back to the hands and knees, tuck your toes, downward facing. Again, inhale, roll forward, plank pose, if you'd like to stay with your knees, feel free, otherwise chaturanga dandasana. Inhale, cobra, or urdhva, upward facing, and then exhale, back, downward facing. One more cycle here.

Inhale, roll it forward, really deep full breath, that's gonna warm the body a lot. Knees first or chaturanga, exhale. Inhale, lifting through the heart. Exhale, downward facing. Stay for one big inhale.

Complete exhale, and then inhale, walking the feet forward to the front of the mat. Uttanasana, standing forward, fold, feet hips distance, head heavy, neck soft, hands drop or hold the elbows. Take a few breaths here, just unraveling the spine, opening the back body. Take one more breath here. And if you have the elbows, let the hands release, gentle bend in the knees, head stays heavy.

Slowly inhale, rolling the body all the way up. Exhale, roll the shoulders down the back and step the feet together, take the hands to prayer at the heart center, one grounding breath. Together, inhale and exhale. And surya A with variations. So inhale, reach the arms out and up.

And exhale, bow out and down. Inhale to lengthen halfway. With your exhale, hop or step back and lower again, knees first or chaturanga. Inhale, lift the heart, and exhale, go back, downward facing. Ground your hands, inhale, take the right leg to the sky and exhale, step that right foot forward.

For this first cycle, lower the back knee and come on up. Hands can come to the front thigh or reach all the way up. As you ease forward, breathe into the left hip flexors, descend through the tailbone, lift the belly. Just warming the legs before we start to really work them. Stay for your inhale, and then exhale, hands down, ardha hanumanasana.

Hips go straight back, lengthen the right leg. Inhale, extend through your heart as the right sit bone pulls back, and exhale to fold, breathing three, and two, right into the back of that right leg, and one. Inhale, easing forward. Step directly into plank pose, strong through the center, and lower with your exhale, lift the heart, inhale, and downward facing, left leg, inhale, to the sky. Exhale, step forward, lower the back knee, hands on front thigh or all the way up for your lunge.

Keep the leg strong, keep the core lifting, ease the hips forward and breathe into right hip flexors. And tall spine, stay for a really big inhale, and exhale, hands to the earth, stay low, just pull the hips back, ardha hanuman. Inhale, extend through the heart. Exhale, fold, three breaths, opening the back of that left leg. Three, and two, and inhale, come forward, exhale directly into plank and lower as you choose.

Inhale, lift the heart and exhale, downward facing. Just two breaths here, long through the spine. One more. And then with your exhale, soft bend in the knees, hop or step to the front of the mat. Inhale, lengthen it halfway.

Exhale, bow and fold. Rise all the way to stand, inhale. And exhale, hands to the heart, shifting to a high lunge variation. As you inhale, reach it up again. Exhale, bow out and down.

Inhale, lengthen it halfway, hop or step back, and lower. Inhale, lift the heart. Exhale, downward facing, press the hands. Inhale, right leg up. Exhale, step it forward, high lunge.

Inhale, rise, deep bend in the front knee, drop the tailbone, lift the belly, lift all the way up through the heart and hold for three, strong through the legs, starting to really wake it up. Two. Big inhale. With the exhale, hands to the earth, step back, take the vinyasa or let it go. Inhale, lift.

Exhale, downward facing. Left leg, inhale, up. Exhale, step it forward, high lunge. Inhale to rise. And again, just sit down into it, build the strength in those legs, descending through the tailbone.

Three. And two. And exhale to release, step back and lower. Inhale, lift the heart. And exhale, go back.

Three breaths, long spine. Bottom of your exhale, soft bend in the knees, hop or step to the front of the mat. Inhale, lengthen it halfway. Exhale, bow and fold, strong center. Inhale, all the way up.

Exhale, hands to the heart. One more cycle like that, build the pace. Inhale, reach. Exhale to fold. Inhale, lengthen.

Exhale, hop or step back and lower. Inhale, lift, upward facing. Exhale, back, downward facing. Inhale, right leg up. Exhale, step it forward.

Inhale, high lunge, reach it up, strong through the center. Exhale, hands to the earth, step back, chaturanga. Inhale, urdhva mukha. Exhale, ardha mukha. Left leg rising.

Exhale, step it forward. Again, high lunge, inhale, rise. Exhale, hands to the earth, step back and lower. Lift the heart, inhale. Back to down dog, exhale, three breaths.

Bottom of your exhale, soft bend in those knees, hop or step to the front of the mat. As you inhale, lengthen it halfway up. As you exhale, release down into your fold. Uttanasana, take one breath here, and then open the feet just about hips distance. We're gonna sink down into bear pose, so deep bend in the knees, reach out through the arms, flat back, hollow out the belly and let's hold for 10, strong legs.

Sink down into it, nine, shoulder blades down the back. Eight. Seven, engaging the legs, engaging the glute muscles. Six. Five.

Four. Three. Two. As you exhale, just release down to the earth, grab the big toes. Inhale, lengthen halfway.

Exhale, fold, padangusthasana. Ease the weight forward into the front of the feet, soft through the neck, let the head just fall. Three. Two. And then inhale, lengthen it halfway.

As you exhale, you'll tent the left fingertips out in front and a little to the left of that front foot, transition the weight over to that left leg, and inhale, lift the right leg up. So maybe it lifts like an inch or two, and that's enough and you drop down and you try it again. Maybe it's parallel to the earth. Do what you can, reach the heart out and hold for five. Strong legs, four.

Press out through that right heel, three. Two. With control, exhale, ease it back to the earth. Shake it out a little bit. Grab the left big toe, plant the right hand and try the other side.

Strong right leg, shift the weight and lift the left leg. Send the heart out, five. Shoulders down, four. Three. Two.

And exhale, release. Nice, inhale, send the heart up and out. And exhale, padahastasana. Hands under the feet, just come right into the fold. Soften into it, legs stay strong, breathe into the back body.

Three. Two. Keep the hands where they are. Inhale, lengthen it halfway up. Exhale, then release and shake out the hands and the wrists a little bit.

Heel toe the feet together. Deep bend in the knees, inhale, lift it up. Utkatasana, and pause. Again, super strong through those legs, just three breaths. And here we go, through the flow.

As you inhale, rise up. As you exhale, open arms, open heart, offer it up. Inhale, come back up. Exhale, go right down into the fold. Inhale, lengthen halfway.

Exhale, hop or step it back. Lower knees first or chaturanga. Inhale, cobra, upward facing. And exhale, all the way back, downward facing dog. Pause here, take a full breathe, come back to your intention.

And then inhale, take the right leg to the sky. As you exhale, pull the knee to the nose, shoulders over the wrist. Hover here, three, strong core. Two. And inhale, right leg goes back up.

Then exhale, right knee outside right elbow. Keep lifting the belly. Inhale, up again. Exhale, outside the left elbow. Inhale, back up, and exhale, step the right foot forward, high lunge, strong legs, take it straight up.

And again, sit right down into it so the legs are super engaged. Tall through the spine. Breathing, three. And two. And transitioning up into warrior three.

Float it up, any arm variations, strong standing leg, extend through the heart, and again, holding, three. Two. Keep this, release the hands down to the earth. Root through the left fingertips, right hand to the hip or all the way up to the sky for twisting ardha chandrasana. Three.

Two. Exhale, release it, come on back down and then slowly float it all the way back into your high lunge. Bend that right knee, press through the feet. Inhale to rise. Take a breathe and then exhale, open it into warrior two, virabhadrasana B.

We're gonna hold this for 10 full breaths so commit to it, sink down into it. Strong through the legs. Eight. Seven. Six.

Stay with it, five. Four. Three. Two. Keep those legs super strong.

Don't come out of the bend in that right knee. Take a big inhale, exhale, reverse it for a moment. Just breathe into the right side body, take a huge inhale. As you exhale, hands come all the way down and then spin the back heel up and take hold of the right ankle with both hands. Deep into it.

Again, 10 breaths. Feel that right leg working for you, let it tremble, let it burn a little, eight. Seven. Six. Five.

Use the breath, use your intention, three. Two. And then release. Hands on the earth, spin the back heel down to the earth. We're coming back into warrior two, keep the bend in the knees.

Take a huge inhale. Exhale, reverse again. Stay for your inhale and exhale, hands to the earth, step back, through the flow. Inhale, lift the heart. Exhale, downward facing dog, just two breaths.

Keep the heat building. One more. And here we go, left side, inhale, float it up. As you exhale, drop the knee to the nose and again, just hover, pull the belly up, three. Waking up the core, two.

Inhale, take that leg back up. Exhale, left knee outside left elbow. Inhale, up. Exhale, under to the right elbow. Inhale, up.

Exhale, step it forward, high lunge, press through the feet. Inhale to rise and sit down into it. Let the legs burn a little, nice and strong, just another breath or two. And then float it up, warrior three. Strong standing leg, reach back through the right foot, right heel, any arm variation and again holding, three.

Two. Then releasing the hands down but keep the spine really long, root through the right fingertips, left hand at the hip or up to the sky for twisting ardha chandrasana. Holding steady, three. Two. And release, left hand comes down to the earth, float yourself back into your high lunge.

Big inhale, rise. And then exhale, open it warrior two, second side. 10 breaths. Starts pretty simply but if you can commit to it, sit down into it, legs will start to burn a little, building that strength. Eight.

Seven, use the breath. Six. Five. Four. Three.

Two. Keep the bend in that front knee, take a huge inhale. Exhale, reverse, just for a moment. Stay here for a big inhale, and exhale, hands come down, pause here. Spin the back heel up and then both hands inside that left leg, taking hold of the ankle, strong and steady.

Again for 10. Nine. Steady gaze and breath, body and mind. Seven. Six.

Five, when you want to come out of it, see if you can come deeper into it. Use the breath, three. Two. And one, release, excellent. Hands down either side of the front foot, root the back heel.

Inhale, come back into warrior two. Exhale, reverse, just for that moment, stay for your inhale. Exhale, hands to the earth, step it back. Chaturanga dandasana. Inhale, lift the heart.

Exhale, go back and downward facing. Take at least a full cycle of breath here. So, taking one more breath in your downward facing, we're gonna move through that sequence again a couple more times, building the pace. Stay with the breath, slow it down if you need to, and always feel free to rest if you need to. As you're ready.

Inhale, right leg to the sky. Exhale, knee to the nose. Inhale, go back up. Exhale, outside the right elbow. Inhale, back up.

Exhale, outside left elbow. Inhale, back up. Exhale, step the right foot forward, press through the feet. Inhale, high lunge, rise. Exhale, sink down into it.

Transitioning up into warrior three. As you inhale, float it up, balancing on that right leg, any arm variation. And exhale, hands to the earth. Root the left hand, inhale, take the right arm up for twisting half moon. Exhale, release it back down.

Float back into your high lunge, pressing through the feet. Inhale, rise up. And exhale, open it, warrior two. No 10 breaths this time. Big inhale.

Exhale, reverse. Stay for your inhale. And exhale, hands come down. Spin the back heel up, right arm inside, hold that right ankle for one full inhale, and exhale. Hands either side of front foot, root the back heel.

Back into warrior two. Inhale, up. Exhale, reverse. Stay for your inhale. And exhale, let's wash it away.

Take the hands down, step back, chaturanga. Inhale, lift the heart. Exhale, downward facing. Directly into second side. Inhale, left leg up.

Exhale, knee to the nose. Inhale, back up. Exhale, outside of left elbow. Inhale, up. Exhale, under, outside right elbow.

Inhale, up. Exhale, left foot forward, strong foundation. Inhale, rise, high lunge. Exhale, sink into it. Inhale, lift the heart.

Exhale, ardha chandrasana. Not at all, this is warrior three, stay here and breathe and then release, hands down. Right hand to the earth, twisting ardha chandrasana. Here it is, take the left arm up to the sky, open through the heart, stay for that big inhale. Exhale, release.

Step back, high lunge, pressing through the feet. Inhale, open, lift the heart. Exhale, warrior two. Big inhale. Exhale, reaching back, reverse warrior, stay for your inhale.

Exhale, hands to the earth. Take both hands inside, spin the back heel up, grab the ankle. Full inhale. And exhale. Hands down, root the back heel, float it up, inhale.

Exhale, reverse again. Stay for your inhale, and exhale, step it back. Chaturanga dandasana. Inhale, upward facing. Exhale, downward facing.

One more cycle. Right leg, inhale. Exhale, knee to nose. Inhale, up. Exhale, to right elbow.

Inhale, up. Exhale, left elbow. Inhale, up. Exhale, step forward, high lunge, rise on the inhale. Sink down into it, exhale.

Inhale, lift. Exhale, warrior three, float up. Strong and steady. Hands to the earth, root the left hand, twisting ardha chandrasana. Inhale, right arm up.

Exhale, release. And then float it back into your high lunge. Inhale, rise. Exhale, open warrior two. Keep that, inhale.

Exhale, reaching back, stay here, big inhale. And exhale, hands to the earth, spin the back heel up, grab that right ankle on the inside, full inhale. And exhale. Hands down, root the back heel, back to warrior two on the inhale. Exhale, reach it back.

Stay here, inhale. And all the way to the earth, step back, plank pose, inhale. Exhale, lower, lift the heart. And back, downward facing. Last cycle, use the breath.

Left leg, inhale. Knee to nose, exhale. Inhale, up. Knee to left elbow, exhale. Back up, inhale.

Knee to right elbow, exhale. Back up, inhale. Step it forward, inhale, rise high lunge. Exhale, sink down. Inhale, lift the heart.

And exhale, float it up. Warrior three, stay for your inhale. Exhale, hands to the earth. Root the right hand or fingertips. Twisting half moon, left arm up, big inhale.

Exhale, release, float it back, feel your feet. Back into high lunge, inhale. Exhale, warrior two. Big inhale. Exhale, reverse.

Stay for your inhale. Exhale, hands to the earth. Take both hands inside, spin the back heel up, grab the ankle. Full inhale. And exhale.

Hands down, root the back heel, float it up, inhale. Exhale, reverse again. Stay for your inhale. And exhale, hands to the earth, step it back, take the vinyasa. Inhale, lift the heart.

And exhale, downward facing dog, beautiful work. Stay here, use the breath, come back to your center for three. Two. And from here, soften those knees, hop or step the feet to the front of the mat. Inhale, lengthen halfway.

Exhale, bow and fold. Stay in the fold, open the feet just about hips distance. And then, bending the knees, come on back into bear. Use those strong legs, use the glute muscles, holding again for 10. Nine, long spine, reach through the fingertips, eight.

Seven. Six. Sit down into it, five. Four. Let it burn a little, build that strength, three.

Two. Pressing through the feet, inhale, rise all the way up. As you exhale, just open a little through the heart. Inhale, back up. Heel toe the feet together.

Exhale, directly back into your fold. Inhale, lengthen halfway. Exhale, just release again in the fold and open the feet a little wider than hips distance and turn the toes a little wider than the heels for malasana, yogi squat. And just kind of rock around, finding that middle path and then take the hands to the heart. Breathe deep into the hips.

Steady gaze or close the eyes, take a moment to come back to your center. Right, so from here we're just gonna play with this a little bit. You're welcome to stay in malasana. You can come up into just the arm balance and then back into malasana, or arm balance, tripod head stand, back to the balance and back home here. Just do what you can, enjoy it.

Definitely no judgment. So, hands to the earth, lift up through the hips. Gaze forward and make sure you have enough mat space in front of the hands for your head if you think you might try the headstand. Lift, lift, lift, make that shelf with the arms. Lift from the belly and pause, bakasana crow.

Lift from the center, three. Two. And then keep that lift for the transition for the head, the crown of the head to come down. Right, from there, strong through the center, press through the hands. And if you'd like to try, start extending the legs towards the sky.

Three. Two. With control, see if you can come on back down. Place the legs on the arms. This might be the hardest part.

Lift from the center to draw the head back up, and malasana. Easing back down into it, hands to prayer at heart center. Again, soft gaze or close the eyes. Come back to your breath. Nice and easy, just release the hands down to the earth.

Step it back into your downward facing dog, take one big inhale. And exhale. Inhale to plank. Exhale, chaturanga. Inhale, lift the heart, upward facing, and exhale back, downward facing.

Take a moment here, nice big inhale. And then exhale, release the knees to the earth, the hips to the heels, and child's pose. And just let the body drop and rest for at least two or three breaths. Let the body rest, release. And then as you're ready, inhale, come up onto the hands and the knees.

And exhale, tuck the toes, take it back into downward facing, reengage that deep full breath. And then, inhale, sweep the right leg to the sky, and exhale, step the right foot forward, release your back knee, let's come back into ardha hanumanasana. If you have a practice of full hanuman here, sliding the right leg out, feel free to come into it. When you're at your edge, inhale, lengthen, and exhale, fold and stretching out the legs that are working so hard for you in this practice. Breathe right into the hamstring muscles, couple more breaths.

And then inhale, easing forward, bend the front knee. Take this slowly, really mindful of the right knee. Hands down, inside the front foot. And then you can stay up on the hands or release down onto the forearms and elbows. And if this is enough, just pause here, resting on the forearms if you like.

Stay on the left arm, reach the right hand back for that left foot, and breathe into the left quad muscles for three. Gently pulling the foot in, two. And then let the foot go if you have it, release both hands down and then walk the upper body up, hands either side of that front foot. Tuck your back toes, lift the back knee with your inhale, sweep the right leg back to the sky, and exhale, just open the hip and the knee for a breath or two. And inhale, lengthen it.

Exhale, release back into downward facing. You can stay here or through the vinyasa. Inhale, plank. Exhale to lower. Inhale, lift the heart.

And exhale, back into downward facing, one breath. And then inhale, take your left leg up, and exhale, step it forward, lower the back knee, ardha hanumanasana, or slide the left leg out for full hanuman. At the edge, inhale, extend the heart. And exhale, just fold forward, breathing into the left hamstring muscles for three. Two.

And then slowly inhale, easing forward, bending the left knee. Hands come down inside, you can walk it out a little bit. Stay on the hands or release to the forearms and elbows. And then again, you can keep it right here, or stay on the right arm and reach the left hand back for the right foot. Then breathe into the right quad muscles, such a sweet, deep stretch here, easing into it, three.

Two. And then if you have the foot, gently let it go, hands to the earth if you're in the fold. Inhale, walk it all the way back up. Hands either side of the front foot. Tuck the back toes, lift the knee.

Inhale, left leg rising. Exhale, open the hip and the knee and just a couple breaths, whatever feels best here. Inhale, left leg to the sky. Exhale, downward facing, clear it out with the vinyasa. Inhale, plank.

Exhale, lower. Inhale, lift the heart upward facing. And exhale, back, downward facing. From here, with your inhale, easing forward into plank pose. Step the feet together, root the right hand, and let's come into vasisthasana, side plank.

Legs really strong, hand to the hip or to the sky. You can keep it simple or play with any variation you're in the mood for. Three. Two. And then as you exhale, release that left hand down, release just the right knee down, we're shifting into parighasana.

So left leg stays long, foot planted, and then inhale, float the left arm all the way up and just rise. Start with the arms extending. Stay here and ease the right foot back. Big inhale, and then exhale. Slide the left hand down that left leg and reach the right arm up and over.

Just go gently, finding the edge. And breathing into it for three. Two. And to unwind, inhale, float both arms up, and exhale, just swing that right foot back towards the left as you release the hands down and step directly into plank pose, inhale. Exhale, lower.

Inhale, lift the heart. And exhale all the way back. Let's take the second side, inhale, plank. Exhale, root the left hand. Spin the outer edge of left foot.

Vasisthasana, side plank on the left. And again, any variation you're in the mood for for three. Two. And exhale, release both hands, and lower the left knee, and then open that right foot like you're preparing for warrior one or two, and then inhale, float the right arm up, rise all the way as the left foot goes back. Right, stay here, big inhale, and then exhale, ease the right hand down the right leg.

Left arm goes up and over. Again, find your own edge. Three. And two. Strong through legs and center to stabilize as you inhale, back up and then exhale, just pivot back to the front of the mat, release the hands, step directly to plank, pull the belly in, inhale.

Exhale, lower. Inhale, lift the heart. And exhale, downward facing dog. Take a big inhale. And we're coming all the way through to sit, bottom of the exhale, bend the knees and hop or step all the way through for dandasana, seated stuff.

Grounded through the sit bones, really tall through the spine. Root the hands, and settle in. Alright, we won't be here long, just a moment to ground and reconnect with the earth, so one more full cycle of breath. And then shifting into upavistha konasana, so extend the legs out. Want them wide enough so that you can feel the stretch through the inner thighs, but not so much that you're suffering.

Start with the fingers behind the hips, inhale, tall spine. If this is your edge, please feel free to stay here, just enjoy this. If you like, hands come forward, start to walk it out. When you feel like you're at your edge, plant the hands on the earth and think about drawing it towards you as you inhale. Earth pulls in as the heart goes out, and then exhale, maybe ease a little deeper.

Keep the legs active, rolling the thighs open, breathing, three. Two. And one, then nice and easy, inhale, walk yourself all the way back up and take the arms to the sky. And exhale, right hand outside the right leg, left arm up and over. You can keep this or slide the right arm inside and maybe left hand finds the right toes, no forcing, just an option.

Breathing, three. Two. Inhale, come back up. And exhale into the second side. Left hand outside, reaching up and over, or inside, sliding all the way out, heavy right sit bone, maybe finding the toes, and breathing, three.

Two. And the inhale draws you all the way up, arms to the sky. Exhale, release. Hold behind the thighs, draw it in. Digging a little deeper into the core from here, starting with one navasana, full 10 breaths.

So pick it up, lower back is tender, keep holding. If you'd like to extend the arms and or the legs, feel free. We're at about eight. Soft smile, seven. Lift that lower belly, six.

Five. Four. Three. Almost there, two. And cross the ankles, pick it up, and take it all the way back through the flow.

Lower down, lift the heart upward. Exhale, back, downward dog. And then again, come all the way through to sit and go ahead and lie all the way down onto the back. Hug the knees into the chest, extend the legs straight up to the sky and couple options here. You can reach the arms directly up or if you need a little support for the neck, you can take one hand behind the head and alternate.

Really simple, as you exhale, you'll lift the leg, squeezing the belly, lifting the tailbone and the hips a little bit, simultaneously lifting the head and the chest. So stay here, inhale. Exhale, lift up and squeeze. Inhale, lower. Exhale, squeeze.

10. Nine. Eight. Seven. Six.

Five. Four. Three. Two. And release, melt down, feet to the earth, arms at rest, take one breath into the belly, and let it go.

And then, let's play with a little bicycle. So interlace the hands behind the head, draw the knees in and let's start slowly. So lift the head and the chest, twist that left shoulder, left elbow to the right knee, squeeze the belly in as you extend the left leg. Inhale, center. Exhale, twist to the left, extend the right leg.

Inhale, center. Exhale, right. Center. Left, center. Right, center.

Left, center. Slowly with control, so you're building the strength and not using momentum. Five more cycles, exhale, right, center. Left, center. Four, to the right.

Left, center. Three, right, center. Left, center. Two, right, center. Left, center.

To the right, extend the left arm past that leg, squeeze the belly in, lift the tailbone for three. Two. Inhale, center. Exhale, to the left, lift the tailbone, we're gonna hold three. Two.

And release, excellent. Just drop and rest, take a big inhale into the belly, and let it go. And I'm gonna turn it around. Just stay on your back, we're gonna transition into a few back bends. So start really simply, resting the arms, pressing through all four corners of the feet.

Then kinda scoop the tailbone and lift your hips straight up to the sky. Alright, arms at rest or you can crawl the shoulders in and under, and clasping the hands, and breathe into the abdominal muscles. Three. Two. With your exhale, gently melt yourself all the way back to the earth, and let the body rest for a breath or two.

And then we'll rise again. So you can stay with that variation. If you have a practice of full urdhva dhanurasana, hands under the shoulders and feel free to come all the way up. So pressing through the hands, pressing through the feet. Again, scoop that tailbone, lift the hips, and rise on your inhale, holding steady for five.

Four. Three. Two. Gently exhale, come on back down, and again, just rest for a breath or two. One last back bend, any variation, take what serves.

Press through the feet, scoop the tailbone, lift the hips, and inhale, rise. Again, breathing, five. Four. Three. Two.

And as you're ready, let the exhale just ease you all the way down to the earth and supta baddha konasana. Take the soles of the feet together, let the knees drop out to the side, resting the right hand on the heart, the left to the belly, let the eyes close and begin to slow the whole body down. Three breaths. And then draw the knees together, hug your legs in towards the chest, wrap your arms around the legs and rock your body a little side to side, and taking a twist to release the back after those deep back bends. So stay for your inhale, and then exhale, ease the knees over to the right.

Left arm to the left, gently follow the left fingertips with your gaze, and breathe, three. Two. Gently, as you're ready, inhale, come back to center, move the hips to the right just a little bit, drop the knees to the left and reach that right arm out, follow the fingertips with a soft gaze, unwinding the lower back. Three. Two.

Inhale, come back to center. Exhale, hug the knees in towards the chest, rock yourself again, a little side to side. If there is anything else your body is needing, calling out for, before your final rest, you can take it here, otherwise just simple happy baby holding the feet or the ankles. Neutral or rocking it out a little bit. And then finding center, big inhale.

And exhale, shavasana. Extend your legs, rest the arms, let the eyes close, let the gaze go deep within, and way beyond. And as you relax the physical body, let the mind and the heart and the subtle energetic body drop and relax as well. We'll stay soft, take a big inhale. And open the mouth, exhale.

Just rest. And gently deepening the breath, and drawing your awareness back. With your inhale, extend the arms up and over, reach it out. And exhale, bend the knees, feet to the earth and gently roll to the right and come all the way back up to a comfortable seat, and let's sit for just a moment, rest the hands, close the eyes and really tall through the spine. Dropping back into your foundation and into your center, feeling that strength and that grounding energy, and carrying it with you throughout the flow of your day, your evening.

Hands to prayer at the heart center, and just gently inhaling together and with the exhale, we'll take a soft bow forward to seal the practice. Namaste. Thank you, thank you, thank you.