Day 4: Take a Stand

Welcome to day four. We're approaching halfway and the intensity today's practice is going to be turned up a little bit. I just want you to be mindful and take what you need in terms of props. Let's begin. We'll start in child's pose. Knees together, feet together, leaning forward, arms beside you, palms turned up. Consciously slow your breath down. Each inhale, feeling the fullness of your breath through the back, the full length of your torso. Each exhale, soften the collarbones, feel your shoulders drop, feel the elbows drop, gravity pulling you onto your legs deeper. And now arms straight out to the sides, in line with your shoulders. Walk the hands as wide apart as you can, arms straight, elbows off the floor. Keep breathing through the back slowly, three to four second inhale, three to four second exhale. Feeling the shoulders release, belly and ribs softened. Bending your right arm, turn your face to the right, drop the right hip to the floor beside you. Each inhale, following the breath into the right buttock, feel the skin of the buttock spread a little. Each exhale, diaphragm softens, abdominal organs recede a little. Lift the right shoulder higher, press the left shoulder lower. With an inhale, back to the center. And to the left, left arm bending, right arm straight, left hip to the floor beside you. Each inhale, feeling the breath through the back into the left buttock, skin spreading. Each exhale, softening through the belly, turning through the shoulders. Right ribcage heavy on your thigh. With an inhale, come back to the center. Again to the right, right arm bent, left arm straight. Turn your face right, gaze at the right hand. Inhale back to the center and last one to the left. Left arm bent, right arm straight, left hip to the floor. With an inhale, sit up. Clench your fists lightly over your thumbs, placing the back of the fist right at the top of the thigh near the hip crease and gently fold over your fists. If this is too much, keep your forearms forward on the floor. Here, leading through the back into the space behind your heart. Each exhale, soften where the fists and ribs meet. Re-release your arms, elbows sinking. Release your head. And gently press the knuckles up into the navel. Holding the pressure up, slide the knuckles towards your pubic bone. Then circle the knuckles back to your navel and keep circling. Change direction. Circle the other way. Then alternately pump your knuckles up and down rapidly, pumping the belly with your fists. Releasing the fists, arms forward. Walk the hands as far forward as you can. Arms straight, palms flat. Release your collarbones. Then take your arms behind the back. Interlock your fingers, palms apart, hands over the head. Each exhale, re-release your shoulders. They drop a little, simultaneously move your hands a little further. Each inhale like a pause. Each exhale, re-release the shoulders, move the hands further. Releasing your hands to the floor beside your knees, roll up under the crown of your hand. Tuck your toes forward.

You can stay here if you want to go deeper. Straighten your legs, pressing down into your hands. Lift the collarbones away from the floor. Keep your breathing slow. If you want a little more, walk your feet apart, just to the edges of your mat. Roll onto the tips of your big toes. If your balance is steady, lift one arm, reach for the ceiling. And if you're still steady, lift both arms. Palms face each other, lift your collarbones away from the floor. Then hands return to the mat, roll out. Sit on your heels, knees wide apart. If you prefer using a bolster between the butt and the heels, take it. Place the back of your right wrist on the side waist. Drop the right elbow inside the knee to the floor. Stand slowly to the right. Turn your face, look straight down at the floor. Breathe into your right shoulder. Exhale, soften the collarbone, lean a little further. With an inhale, come back to the center. Change arms. Back of the left wrist on the side waist, left elbow inside the knee to the floor. Turn your face, look straight down. Each inhale, fall the breath into the shoulder. Each exhale, soften the left collarbone, lean a little further. With an inhale, slowly come out. Sit cross-legged. Line the feet and the knees, shin bones parallel, palms flat on the floor in front of you, arms straight, head in line with your neck. Breathe through the back. Exhale, release the collarbones, inch the fingers forward. Each inhale, let the breath lift you out of the pose slightly. Each exhale, release through the front body, extend through the back body, inch the fingers forward. If you're flat, chest on your legs, let your forehead rest. Then inhale, sit up, change the crossing of your legs. Feet lying with the knees, palms flat, arms straight. Keep your head in line with the neck. Each exhale, release through the front body, extend through the back body, inch the hands forward. If you're flat, chest on the legs, let your forehead drop towards the floor. With an inhale, coming up, hands on the waist, above the hips, below the ribs, release your head forward, open your collarbones, press the elbows forward. Each exhale, top of the lungs softens, heart drops, throat softens, chin drops. With an inhale, head upright, press the right hand in strongly, slowly, exhale to the right, head falls to the side. Breathe into the left lung, left shoulder and left side of the neck. Exhale, soften the right ribs, let gravity take you deeper. Release the left arm, extend the fingers down towards the floor, pull the head back an inch, then pull the head back another inch. Slowly extend the chin forward. Slowly lift your head in line with the neck, turn your face, look up, slowly pull the chin in towards your throat. Sweep the left arm up, reach for the ceiling. If you're going for more, straight arm next to the ear. Bending the arm, touch the back of the heart, pull the elbow back. With the left hand, cup the back of your skull, pull the head up, chin drops. Releasing the hand, clench the fist, extend the elbow over the crown, look straight up at the ceiling. And slowly turn your face, look straight down at the floor, extend the elbow more. Sweeping the left arm behind your back, reach for the right wrist. As you gaze down, turn the heart up, lean back a little. With an inhale, come back to the center, readjust your hands. Pressing the left hand in strongly, exhale to the left, head falls to the side.

Breathe into the right lung, right shoulder and right side of the neck. Exhale, soften the left ribs, gravity takes you lower. And pull your forehead back an inch, release the right hand, extend the fingers down, pull the forehead back another inch. Slowly extend the chin forward. Slowly lift your head in line, turn the face, look up. Slowly pull the chin in toward your throat, extend the back of the skull. Sweep the right arm up, reach for the ceiling. If you're going for more, straight arm next to the ear. Bending the arm, touch the back of the heart, pull the elbow back. With the right hand, cup the back of your skull, pull the head up, chin drops toward your throat. Releasing the hand, clench the fist, extend the elbow over the crown, looking straight up. And slowly turn your face, look straight down, extend the elbow more. Sweep the right arm behind the back, reach for the left wrist. Looking down, turn the heart up. With an inhale, come back to the center. Re-adjust your hands, head upright. Slowly roll your head, tiny circles. And then slow it down, make the circles bigger. Slow wherever you meet resistance in your neck. One more. Finish with your head falling forward. Re-release your collarbones, press your elbows forward. Breathe into the back of the heart, spread the skin. Exhale, top of the lungs softens, heart drops. With an inhale, head upright, either direction, tiny circles. Slow it down, big circles. One more. Finish with your head forward. Re-release your collarbones, push your elbows forward. Curl the tips of your fingers into the gut along the edge of the rectus abdominis muscles. With each inhale, hold the fingers in. With each exhale, soften the belly, press the fingers in deeper. One more. Slow inhale. Slow exhale till you're empty. When you're empty, hold the breath out, press the fingers in deep. Then quickly release your hands. Palms down on the tops of the thighs, roll your shoulders. Inhale up, exhale down. Inhale up, exhale down. Turn the palms up, curl the wrists, roll the shoulders back to front. Inhale up, exhale down. Inhale up, exhale down. Keeping the hands as they are, try to straighten your arms. Shoulders shrug, slowly roll your head. Change direction. And release. Now lifting the arms out to the side, shoulder height. Palms down, extend through the fingers, head upright. Breathe into the front side and back of the lungs. Simply turn your palms and face up, check your hands, make sure they're flat. Re-release your collarbones, extend out through the fingers. Turn your head, gaze at the right hand, and as you gaze at the hand, tip your left temple forward towards the front of your mat. Bring your head back to the center, gaze at the left hand. Re-release your collarbones, extend out through the fingers. As you gaze at the hand, tip your right temple forward. Head back to the center, pull the fingers down, flex the heel of the palms. Spin the fingers up, pull the tips in towards your ears, press out through the hands. Re-release your collarbones.

Slowly pull the arms back a foot, spread the skin across your chest. Curling the wrists, curl the fingers, slowly swing the arms forward until they're parallel. Re-release your collarbones, shoulders drop, press the wrists forward. Standing the fingers forward, turn the palms up, bend your arms, touch your shoulders. Lift your arms, right hand grabs the left elbow. Pull the left arm behind your head, sweep the right arm behind your back. Notice how much closer you are today. See if you can hook. And release, change arms. Left hand grabs the right elbow, sweep the left arm behind the back, hook the fingers, and release. Forearms together again. See if you can get one vertebrae lower on the spine. Elbows a little closer behind the head. Elbows out and back. Clench the fists, pump the biceps. Much bigger today. Interlock the fingers, press the palms up. As your arms extend, relax your diaphragm, organs drop, and simultaneously press the hands higher. Slowly draw the arms back, arching the upper back. Breathing through the back on the inhale, each exhale, top of the lungs softens, heart drops, simultaneously move the hands a little further. And hands return to the shoulders, squeeze the elbows in front of the nose, squeeze them strong. Slide your fingers under the shirt, hook the tips into the trapezius, pull the elbows down, slide the chin in toward your throat, head supported, back. Then chin up. With an inhale, elbows up. Exhale the hands forward, palms up. Inhale the arms apart. Exhale, right arm over the left, palm down, arms crossed. Inhale, arms apart. Exhale, left arm over. Inhale, arms apart. Exhale, right arm over, left arm bending. Hug the arm in. Inhale, release.

Exhale, left arm over, right arm bending. Inhale, release. Exhale, sweep the arms behind you, palms face each other, lift your hands. Turn the palms up, lift them higher, curl the wrists, lift your chest. Releasing the hands forward, shoulders passive, hands 12 inches apart, close your eyes. Feel that activation of the skin in your hands as they get closer. Open the warmth and the pressure of thick air between your hands. And slowly separate the hands. Open your eyes, hook your fingers, clench your fists, circle the wrists, change direction. And release. Let's come up onto the hands and knees. Knees wide, feet together. Drop the pelvis forward, arms straight, hands under your shoulders. Breathe through the back, into the pelvic floor, hips lift a little. On the exhale, release the sphincter muscles and the skin below the navel, hips drop. Turn the right wrist over, arms straight. If it's too intense, move the hand closer to your knee. Clench the fist and release. Left hand, turn the wrist over, arms straight. Clench the fist. You can repeat the first side or if you want to go for something new today, both hands on the wrists, bending the arms, slowly lower your chin to the floor. And pressing up, pull the knees in, hip width apart, turn the palms down, hands together, fingers pointing towards your feet. Tuck your toes forward, walk your knees back a little and slowly sit back, peeling the palms off the floor. When you reach your maximum, pause there. And then releasing through the collarbones, bend your elbows, peel the fingers off the floor till the elbows touch down and then gently press your wrists forward. And release. Curl the wrists over, turn the fist, press the back of the knuckles together and release. Take your left arm over the right, right hand over the left if you can, otherwise keep your hands like karate chops. Walk the knees back, thighs vertical, drop your head, cheek on the bicep. Breathe into the back of the heart, spread the skin. Exhale, top of the lungs softens, heart drops, gently pull your hips back. With an inhale lift your head up. Exhale, left shoulder to the mat. Inhale up, exhale right shoulder to the mat. Inhale up, release your arms, change, right arm over the left, left hand over the right. Walk your knees back if you need to. Each inhale like you're coming out of the pose, a little thoracic spine rounding up. Each exhale, top of the lungs softens, heart drops, gently pull your hips back. With an inhale lift your head up, exhale right shoulder to the mat. Inhale up, exhale left shoulder to the mat. Inhale up, release the arms. Sitting on your heels, toes tucked forward is optional. Palms forward. Turn the left hand over, thumb down. Take your right hand over the left, interlock the fingers, squeeze the palms. With your right hand pull the left hand back. With the left hand pull the right hand back. Hands in the middle, slowly wind the arms forward. Twist left, twist right, wind the arms back. Twist left, twist right, change. Right hand pulls the left hand back. Left hand pulls the right hand back. Hands in the middle, slowly wind the arms forward. Twist left, twist right, slowly wind the arms back. Twist left, twist right. Release the hands, arms up, elbows bent, slowly whip your hands side to side. Faster, as fast as you can. And release, slowly front to back. Faster, as fast as you can. Then right hand side to side, left hand front to back. Switch, switch, switch. Good, release. Fingertips to the floor.

Lift your knees up into a squat. Lift your knees, lift your heels. Walk your hands back to your point of balance. When you find your balance, interlock the fingers, press the palms up. Keeping your heels up, slowly stand. Keep the heels off the floor. At the top, press your palms higher, lift your heels higher. Squeeze your inner ankles together. Keeping your heels up, slowly squat back down. As the hips drop, lift your heels higher. Try to stay forward on the balls of your feet. When you're down, fingertips to the floor, drop your head forward and slowly straighten your legs. Doesn't matter how straight, working towards straight, release your head and shoulders. Breathe through the back into the pelvic floor. Spread the skin across your buttocks. Each exhale, release the sphincter muscles and the skin below the navel. Lift your heels higher, release your head and shoulders lower. Keeping your left leg straight, drop your right heel to the floor. Both heels up, keep your right leg straight. Drop your left heel to the floor. Both heels up, left leg straight, right heel to the floor. Both heels up, right leg straight, left heel to the floor. Then both heels to the floor. Inhale, slowly. Exhale, take your left leg out to the side. Heel flexed, standing leg strong. Inhale, feet together. Exhale, left leg out. Inhale, feet together. Last one. Exhale, left leg out. Inhale, feet together. Other side. Inhale. Exhale, right leg out. Standing leg straight. Inhale, feet together. Exhale, leg out. Inhale, feet together. Last one. Exhale. Inhale, feet together. Exhale, fold. Walk your hands back. Release your head and shoulders. Lean your hips forward. Inhale, gaze forward. Walk the hands as far forward as you can without the heels lifting. Palms flat. Release your head and shoulders. Each inhale coming out of the pose slightly. Each exhale, hips and shoulders soften. Arms and legs lengthen. Cross your right leg in front of the left. Feet side by side. Try to straighten your right leg. Feet together. Release. Change. And release. Each inhale, let the fullness of your breath spread the skin across your back, the full length of your torso. Each exhale, hips and shoulders soften. Arms and legs lengthen. Releasing the head, the sphincter muscles in the skin below your navel. With an inhale, gaze forward. Step forward with your right foot. Both legs straight. Line your heels up. If you need blocks here, grab the blocks. Adjust as needed. Palms flat on the blocks. Release your head and shoulders. Each inhale, press down into your hands. Take the weight off your right hip. Each exhale. Elbows bend a little. Release your head and shoulders. Weight into the hip. Inhale, push down. Exhale, elbows bend. One more. Inhale, push down. Exhale, elbows bend. Inhale, gaze forward. Lift the back heel off the floor. Bend your back leg. Keeping the front leg straight, push up onto the front leg. Move one block forward under your right hand. Take the left arm vertical. Turn your navel up. Turn your heart up. Standing leg strong.

Lifted leg extending through the heel. If your balance is steady, slowly turn your head. Look up at the ceiling. Slowly lower your left hip. Keep one hand down. The other arm comes forward for your three. If you're going for it, both arms up. Palms face each other. Both hands extending, left hip dropping. Take the left hand to the floor. Use a block as needed. Take the right arm up. Soften through the belly. Turn the navel. Turn the heart. If your balance is steady, turn your head. Look up. Keeping both legs straight, lean back. Drop the back foot to the floor. Bring the block with you. Revolving triangle. Soften through the belly. Turn the navel. Turn the heart. Turn the head. Look up. And then both arms coming forward. If you can, if it's too intense, keep one hand down. Palms face each other. Last right hand to the foot or the block. Left arm up. Turn the navel. Turn the heart. Turn the head. Look up. And then hands return to the floor. Step back into dog pose. Feel the asymmetry between the right and left sides of your body. Release the back of your skull. With an inhale, gaze forward. Step forward with your left foot. Both legs straight.

Line your heels up. Back foot turned forward 45 degrees. If you're using blocks, bring the blocks under your shoulders. Straight arms. If you've got long arms, block forward. Left hip medial. Right hip forward. Release your head and shoulders. Inhale. Push down into the hands. Take weight off your left hip. Exhale. Elbows bend. Weight into the hip. Release your head and shoulders. Inhale. Push down. Take weight off the hip. Exhale. Elbows bend. Release your head. One more. Inhale. Push down. Exhale. Elbows bend. Inhale. Gaze forward. Lift the back heel off the floor. Keep the front leg straight. Bend your back leg. Push up onto your front leg. Take the right arm vertical. Extend through the heel of the lifted foot. Turn the navel. Turn the heart. If your balance is steady, slowly turn your head. Look up. Then slowly lower your right hip. Right arm comes forward. If you're going for the full pose, both arms up. Palms face each other. Point the toes of the back foot. Then right hand to the floor or the block. Left arm vertical. Flex the heel. Revolving half moon. Soften through the belly. Turn the navel. Turn the heart. Turn the head. Look up. Keeping both legs straight, lean back. Drop the back foot to the floor. Keep your left arm up. Soften through the belly. Turn the navel. Turn the heart. Turn the head.

Look up. And now left arm comes forward. Keep your hand down. If needed, if you can, both arms up. Palms face each other. Left hip medial. Right hip forward. And then left hand to the floor or the block. Right arm up. Stents a little longer. Turn the navel. Turn the heart. Turn the head. Look up. And then hands return to the floor. Sands, blocks. Step back. Dog pose. Slow, even breathing. Lift your head. Look between your hands. Walk your hands back a foot on each side. Bend your neck strongly. Chin to your chest. Bend your elbows out. Or crown of the head to the floor. Keep half the weight on your hands. Half the weight on your head. Inhale slowly. If you're feeling it, if you're not feeling it, you can drop here down to your knees. But if you're feeling the call, soften your throat with an exhale. Use your head like a wheel. And we'll move the blocks out of the way. And lie down on your backs. Pull your knees to your chest. Wrap the arms around the legs. Grab your elbows if you can. Gently rock your legs side to side. Pull the chin down a little toward your throat. And release your feet to the floor. Drop your knees together. Walk the feet apart to the sides of your mat. Rest your hands on your belly. Pull the chin down a little toward your throat. Breathing through the back like the floor is part of your lungs, the full length of your torso. Each exhale, soften the diaphragm until your abdominal organs drop. Literally see your internal organs resting on the spine. And take your right arm over the head. Turn your face. Look over your right shoulder. Slowly lower the right knee towards the left foot. As the knee drops, press your left knee back towards the midline and squeeze your thighs. Breathe through the back the full length of your torso. Each exhale, soften the sphincter muscles, the skin below your navel. Soften the pubis. Simultaneously squeeze your thighs. Then cross your left leg on top of the right. Knees together. Use the weight of your left leg to help the right knee lower. Each exhale diaphragm releases organs drop, waist lengthens a little, knees drop a little. With an inhale, come back to the center. Knees together, feet apart, hands on your belly. Notice the asymmetry in your sacroiliac. The right sacroiliac joint feels a little more grounded. Then take the left arm over the head. Turn your face left. Look over the shoulder. Slowly lower the left knee towards the right foot. As the left knee drops, press the right knee back towards the midline, squeezing your thighs. Soften the right buttock. Soften the pubic bone. Squeeze your thighs. Then cross your right leg on top of the left. Use the weight of the right leg to help the left knee lower. Each exhale, consciously softening the diaphragm. Feel your internal organs sinking. Waist lengthens a little, knees drop a little. With an inhale, come back to the center. Knees together, feet apart, hands resting on your belly. Pull the chin down a little towards your throat. Breathe like the back was part of the floor. And place your hands on the floor beside you. Lift your legs vertically upward. With the legs vertical, move your feet away from you a little so the weight of your legs presses your sacrum flat.

And then just tiny circles with your legs, massaging the sacroiliac joints, toning the abdomen. And change directions. Circle the other way. And then back to the center. Inhale slowly. Lift the shoulders away from the floor. Try to spread the skin across your shoulder blades. And then slowly release the shoulders down. Pull the chin down a little towards your throat. And with an exhale, roll the legs over the head, bending the arms. Support your hips with your hands. Throat soft, chin sinking, shoulders passive. Breathe through the back, into the pelvic floor. Your legs are at a 45 degree angle over your head. The torso is a 45 degree angle going back. Deep breath, karate, Sanskrit. Each exhale, soften the top of the lung. Heart drops, throat softens, chin drops, collarbone softens, shoulders strong. You can stay here. If you prefer going deeper, bend your knees, slowly lowering them onto your cheeks or your forehead. Work your hands lower onto the sacrum. When you feel supported, slowly straighten your legs vertical now. Stack your legs over your pelvis. The wrists working strongly to support your hips. Keep your breathing slow. Throat soft, chin sinking, collarbone soft, shoulders dropping. Top of the lung softening, heart sinking. And those who want to go further, again bend your knees, resting on the cheeks or the forehead. Work your hands to your kidneys. And straighten your legs. Stack them over your pelvis. Throat soft, shoulders passive, heart sinking, tailbone lifting. When you're ready to come out, slowly lower the legs over the head into plow. If you need to, bend your knees. Then release the hands to the floor and slowly roll out. Bend your knees, feet flat. Sit up onto your forearms. Press the shoulders forward, lift the kidneys up, tilting the pelvis forward towards your sit bones. Then let the head slide in towards your throat, neck resting on the trapezius, shoulders pressing forward. If you feel the head at rest, the neck completely supported by the trapezius, turn your face to the left, look over the shoulder. Back to the center, look to the right. And then release, lying down. Now reach for your strap. If you're lucky, the yoga elves came and magically looped it for you. You're going to take one end of the loop around your neck and then lifting your legs up, place your feet into the other end of the loop. Make sure there's no twists. And you also want the buckle away from your neck. And you want to adjust the length of the strap so your feet are just past vertical. And pull the strap down right at the base of your neck where it meets the trapezius muscle. As you breathe, each exhale push into your feet a little more. It'll increase the traction on your neck. This is a delightful counter pose to shoulder stand and plow. Each exhale top of the lung softens, heart drops, gently increase the pressure with your feet. And bending your knees a little, move the strap up to the center of your neck. This is a little more sensitive, so if you're working with the neck stuff, just be mindful. As you exhale, top of the lung softens, heart drops, gently press into your feet. Air on the side of not doing too much. And last one, bending the knees, lift your head up, place the strap right on the back of your skull above the ears. And then drop your chin toward your chest. As your chin drops, you may have to slide the strap down a little so it doesn't slide off the top of your head. Same thing here, breathe through the back. On the exhale, soften the top of the lung, heart drops. Press into the feet a little. Head lifting, chin dropping. And then slowly release, remove the belt. Interlock your fingers behind the head, resting the back of the skull in your hands. Place the tips of the thumbs on the side of your neck just below the base of the skull. And squeezing the tips of the thumbs into that top cervical vertebrae, the transverse process, to your thumb bone hits neck bone.

You'll get a little dull headache kind of feeling. And then gently rock your face side to side, up and down, side to side, up and down. Releasing the thumbs one vertebrae lower, squeeze in. When thumb bone hits neck bone, pause there, gently rock the face side to side, up and down, side to side, up and down. And last one, tip of the thumbs one vertebrae lower, squeeze in, hit bone, gently rock your face side to side, up and down, side to side, up and down. And release. Lie flat for shavasana. Consciously slow your breath down. Following the sensation of your breath through the back, the full length of your torso, like your lungs were part of the floor. Three to four second inhale, three to four second exhale. Feel your bones deeply at rest. Feel your internal organs deeply at rest. Feel the mind at rest, free of thought. When you're ready, slowly roll to the right, bend your knees into a semi fetal position. Rest your head on your right arm, left arm resting on the side. Keep your breathing slow. In your own time, slowly make your way up to sitting. Keep your eyes close. Sit cross legged. Pull the flesh of your buttocks away from your sit bones. Rest your hands on the knees, palms down, head upright. Release your shoulders, chest, keep the spine engaged lightly from the back of the skull. Breathe into the front side and back of the lungs. Slowly bring the hands together at the heart. Keep the touch of your hands light. In your mind's eye, think of someone or something in your life that brings you intense joy and let that joy fill you into the pores of your skin. Thank you for sharing your practice. Namaste.