Shiva Flow: Embody Bliss

Namaste, friend. So today we're going to start with a chant. It's one of my favorite ones and it begins, Shiva Ananda Rupa, which means Shiva is the embodiment of bliss. So what it's pointing towards is that presence within you, within me, that witness, the one that sees everything coming and going, but itself remains constant, is the true source of our bliss, our joy. And everything that we do to try and obtain joy or happiness takes us away and out of that, which is always already here. So Shiva Ananda Rupa, Shiva, the witness presence is the embodiment of bliss, the form of bliss. And then it says, Shiva hum, Shiva hum, Shiva hum, I am Shiva, I am Shiva, I am Shiva. And then it says, so hum, so hum, so hum, I am that, I am that, I am that. So just join me as you get the words and invoking that presence of joy and peace within you that is always here. Deep breath in and letting it go with a hum. Shiva Ananda Rupa, Shiva hum, Shiva hum, Shiva hum, Shiva Ananda Rupa, Shiva hum, Shiva hum, Sohang Sohang Sohang Sohang Sohang Shiba Anandarupa Shiba Oham, Shiba Oham, Shiba Oham, Shiba Oham, Shiba Anandarupa, Shiba Shivoham, Tsoham, Tsoham, Tsoham, Tsoham, Tsoham. Shivananda Wrapah, Shivoham, Shivoham, Shivoham, Sivoham, Sivoham, Sivoham. Shiva Ananda Rupa. Sivoham, Sivoham, Sivoham.

Soham, Soham, Soham. Soham. Soham. Soham, Soham! Soham, Soham, bring one hand to your belly, one hand to your heart start to witness the breath as it comes and it goes moving from the belly up to the chest and then softening the chest and the belly as you exhale inviting the breath all the way in from the belly up to the chest just witnessing the breath as it releases slowing the breath down breathing in through the nose all the way up to the chest pausing at the top of the breath exhaling through the nose and slowly drawing the belly in releasing the breath pausing at the bottom of the inhale exhale one more like that inhaling all the way up through the nose pausing at the top and exhaling through the nose slowly bring the hand from the belly onto the heart deep breath in as you exhale just let your attention, your awareness settle in the heart center feel your hands touching your chest and calling your awareness here into that pure presence within the heart so hum, so hum, so hum, I am that beautiful deep breath in and exhale release gently let the eyes open and we're going to meet you on our backs taking a deeper breath in and as you exhale just dropping down into the earth beneath you hug the knees into the chest and gently wobble side to side release the soles of the feet down onto the ground have them as wide as the mat inhale reach the arms overhead and exhale let the knees fall down to the right inhale knees up to center and exhale over to the left inhale up to center exhale over to the right pick up your right foot place it on top of the left thigh hold the left wrist inhale stretch through the left side and exhale release the wrist release the foot knees up to center and over to the left picking up that left foot place it on the right thigh hold the right wrist nice big stretch inhale and then exhale release bring the foot back down onto the ground and hug the knees in towards you gently wobble side to side beautiful we're going to bend the knees flex the feet so you're like you're sitting on a chair but you're lying on your back bring one hand to your lower belly and the other hand to the base of the skull you're going to inhale and as you exhale lift the head up towards the knees feel underneath your hand on your belly feel the core muscles engage and then release the head back down and again inhaling lifting up and head back down so keeping the awareness in the core both hands behind the head exhale lift up and inhale release the head back down three more times beautiful two more times see if you can do it with a smile on the last one beautiful release back down bring the knees into the chest hug them and wobble side to side deep breath in and exhaling we're going to extend the legs up straight this time bring your hand slightly higher up the belly so it's just around the solar plexus above the navel other hand behind the base of the skull and then inhale as you exhale lift the head up and release the head back down so you're activating slightly higher up now in the belly lifting the head finding that place and then you can bring both hands behind the head three more times exhale lifting inhale release exhale release beautiful just opening up activating that strength of the core of your spine and then hug the knees in towards you gently wobble side to side and release the legs take a deeper breath in and exhale let it go and just start to witness the sensation in the body any heat any energy from that movement just noticing the sensation comes and goes and what's here right now and then we'll hug then bring the knees together bring the hands around the backs of the thighs and rock backwards and forwards a couple of times energizing the spine and across the shins bring your hands to the front of the mat and step back into a plank shoulders over the wrists press out through the heels draw the belly in so now we get to use those core muscles wahoo one breath here and then exhale drop the knees lengthen through the back inhale dive it forward and then fingertips just in front of the shoulders mini cobra draw the belly in and exhale back down lift the legs reach the arms back for shalabhasana beautiful and then exhale downward dog binding two breaths in through the nose out through the nose you're going to press through that left foot inhale lift the right leg up and then exhale draw that knee in towards the chest and hover and again inhale lift the leg up and exhale draw the knee in and one more time inhale lift it up and bring that foot all the way forward between the hands come on to the fingertips inhale and then as you exhale fold forward inhale bend the knee and exhale just moving it forward and backwards here just saying hello to the stretch to the opening through the body one extra breath on this forward fold and then bringing the back knee down onto the ground we're going to release the top of the back foot onto the earth and bring the hands inside of that left leg so move the left foot out to the left deep breath in and exhaling with aha so here we're going to come down onto our forearms you might want to use a block to bring the earth a little closer towards you and bring the forearms together, palms together have your thumbs reaching up towards the sky and you're going to actually rest your third eye between the eyebrows on your thumbs so just dropping in here take a breath in and then exhale, release that head down to rest on your thumbs so you're activating the third eye that seat of consciousness inner seeing the witness and I'm going to invite you either to stay here or to tuck the back toes under and lift that back knee roll the shoulders away from the ears draw the belly in strong through the core and just visualize the beautiful deep blue midnight sky in that centre ajna chakra between the eyebrows see it clear, vibrant and alive, peaceful one more breath here exhaling and if you're on the block you're just going to remove the block and bring the forearms down onto the ground engage your belly and step back with that front foot back so you're coming into a forearm plank take a breath here and then exhale, drop the hips we're going to lift up through the chest and just wiggle the hips side to side nice, releasing through the lower back deep breath in and exhaling and allow yourself just to come forward and we'll come up again, inhale we're going to bend that left knee bring the right hand underneath the left shoulder and take your left hand back and find that foot drop the left hip and turn and look over the right shoulder deep breath in exhale and release, let's take the other side so place the left hand underneath your right shoulder bend the back knee, the right knee and just reach back, so you lift up to find that foot and then allow your hand to draw that foot in towards you as you look over the opposite shoulder drop the right hip, look over the left shoulder lift up through the chest, inhale and then exhale, release and allow the head to come forward wiggle the hips side to side tuck the toes under and just come back into a child's pose deep breath in and exhale, you can have the arms alongside the body or in front of you, whatever you prefer just find the breath again, so come back to the breath just connecting with the sensation in this moment allowing the thoughts of the past or the future what needs to happen later or what did happen before just letting that go, noticing their thoughts coming and going bringing your attention to your breath deep breath in and exhale inhale, lift the head come up onto all fours and exhale round the back inhale arching and exhale, tuck the toes under, downward dog lift that left leg up to the sky, point the toes and then exhale, draw the knee in towards the chest inhale, lift it up exhale, draw it in one more time, inhale, lift it up and then exhale, draw it in and step forward with that foot just moving it a little backwards and forwards here and then we're going to take a forward fold lifting the toes of the left foot exhaling, inhale forward exhale back just moving with the breath inhale forward and exhale back, take an extra breath here and then we'll come forward and drop that back knee down you're going to walk the left foot out to the left and bring both hands inside so you can always stay here please feel free to stay where your body is telling you to if you'd like to come down onto the forearms you might bring them onto the earth or you might use the block and bring the palms together so I'm just going to show you without the block for this one bringing the palms together, the thumbs up to the sky allow that third eye to rest on the thumbs and then either keep the back knee down or lift the back knee, press out through the back heel find a steady breath here in through the nose, out through the nose and as the thumbs press into the third eye just with the breath you're focusing on that third eye and clearing the energy there see a beautiful deep blue clear light one more breath here and then exhale, remove the block bring the palms down onto the ground and you're going to step back with that left foot and come into a forearm plank one breath here and then start to walk the feet towards you lifting the hips and looking up roll the shoulders up towards the hips deep breath in and then exhale, drop the knees into a child's pose let everything relax, deep breath in and let it go with a big haaa relax the jaw shoulders nice, one more breath here and inhale, lift the head bring the knees together roll onto the tops of the feet bring the hands behind you, lift the knees get a nice stretch through the tops of the feet beautiful, and then release come up into Uttanasana, forward fold and just gently inhale, lift the chest and exhale, fold it forward bring the hands behind you reach the hands up to the sky shoulder blades hug together on the back inhale, exhale, draw the belly in and drop forward breathe into the front of the chest and exhaling and then bend the knees, reach the arms forward Uttasana, all the way up and exhale, palms together thumbs to the heart, bring yourself back into the center of the heart that pure presence that witness consciousness, and feel your feet pressing down through the earth breathe in, and as you exhale, breathe out through the soles of your feet inhale, lift up taller and exhale, release bring the hands onto the hips look ahead of you and find a spot to balance, to find your drishti or focus and we're going to lean more weight into the right foot and then allow that left leg to bend and you're going to hold onto the left foot so you might take the inner arch and then reaching that right arm up strong through the base of the right foot draw the belly in, engage your core and then press that left foot back into the hand and allow that leg to lift keep lifting through the chest, engage the core muscles Shiva, the dancer, nataraj and then exhale, we're going to bring that knee forward and then step it back into crescent pulsing a little here exhale, release the heel down and open to warrior two nice reach back, peaceful warrior and exhale forward bring one hand onto the belly, one hand onto your chest and just connect with your breath feel the breath in through the nose out through the nose witness the sensation and the sound of the breath keep that attention on the breath, open the arms wide pure present warrior feel that joy starting to bubble up inside as your leg burns a little and release the arm down inhale, lifting pointing the toes up to the sky bend the knee, drop the foot over to the left and exhale coming through plank lowering chandaranga, inhale up dog or cobra and exhale down dog inhale, look forward and hop or walk the feet to the front of the mat inhaling flat back and exhaling folding forward finding utkatasana and coming all the way up and bringing the energy back to the heart center so hum, so hum, so hum I am that presence within the heart that silence within the heart just finding that sanctuary that place of peace, of rest in the heart feeling your heart beating deep breath in and exhale release and bring your hands to your hips and just find a spot ahead of you to hold your gaze, your focus, your drishti let the knees be soft and bring your weight into your left foot engage your core muscles and then bending that right knee bring the hand to the inside of the arch of the foot lifting your left arm press through the left foot draw the belly in, lift through the chest either stay here or press that right foot back into your hand lifting through the chest becoming shiva, that dancer who dances all of creation into a being and releasing the leg bringing the knee into the chest step back into crescent dropping the back heel opening into warrior 2 just pulsing a little here and then finding reverse warrior deep breath in and exhale coming forward bring one hand onto your belly, one hand onto your chest and again just connect with the sensation of the breath moving in through the nose, out through the nose and keeping your attention on the breath allow the arms to expand stay connected with the breath awakening that witness, that presence within you that sees everything that comes and goes release the hands down and lift that left leg up to the sky and exhale just flowing down to the earth and inhaling up dog or cobra coming back into child's pose deep breath in and exhale letting it all go with a long sigh allow your shoulders to relax and your jaw to relax gently inhale, walk the hands back towards you we'll bring the legs forward and bring the flesh from underneath the sit bones and inhale lift through the chest and exhale just a very gentle forward fold allowing the head to drop and the spine to round you can bend the knees here if you need to deep breath in and exhale just letting it go letting the mind drop the head release feeling the breath in the body one more breath here and inhale gently coming up so we're going to lie back down onto our back so I'm just going to turn around allow yourself, if you have a block, to bring a block nearby just one breath here letting everything relax down into the earth and place the soles of the feet on the ground just beneath the hips just close to the sit bones you're going to lift the hips and bring the block underneath the sacrum underneath the flat part of the lower back take a deep breath in and as you exhale allow the pelvic floor muscles to soften allow the hips to drop down into your block let the jaw relax again deep breath in and exhaling let it all drop down into the block so you may want to stay here or you may want a little bit more height you can turn the block up higher just feeling that breath moving up to the heart centre and either stay here or lift the legs finding an inversion three breaths here noticing the breath coming and going and then dropping the left foot down drop the right foot down lift the hips and remove the block out of the way release the hips down onto the ground and just rest the knees against each other take a breath in and exhaling reach the arms overhead you're going to allow the knees to fall down to the right inhale up to centre and exhale over to the left one more time each side and then inhale knees up to centre hug them in towards you and gently wobble side to side lift the head up towards the knees and exhale release back down finally allowing your legs to extend just coming into shavasana final resting pose deeper breath in and exhale releasing just dropping down into the earth soften through the centres of the soles of your feet soften through the hips the pelvic floor muscles relax the shoulders feel that third eye ajna chakra between the eyebrows open and illuminated bringing that presence into the heart centre the centre of your chest just resting shivoham, shivoham, shivoham I am that Shiva presence within the heart keep a breath in and exhaling letting it all go with the haaa if you have more time I invite you to stay here in shavasana and eventually when you are ready we will come up just bringing the knees in towards you gently wobbling side to side just coming up finding a comfortable seated position let the thumb and the index finger lightly touch connecting the small self with the big self the small me with that infinite presence that you are the index finger and the thumb touch close the eyes deep breath in exhale release the belly gently draw the belly in lift through the crown of the head tall spine melt the shoulders down the back resting your awareness in the heart centre just hearing the sounds coming and going the breath coming and going resting as that which sees all of this and itself remains constant bringing the palms together Namaste