Jai Ma: Honoring the Mother

Namaste. Thank you so much for joining me. We're going to begin our practice today with a heart opening chant, Jai Ma. So Jai means victory and Ma is mother. That force of creation that sustains us, that nourishes us, that supports us to grow and shine. So particularly in more challenging times, it can be very useful to remember the practice of gratitude. So as we sing to the mother, let's just together find one thing, just it might be a very tiny tiny thing that you are really grateful for. Maybe just this breath moving through the body, maybe a child or an animal you have. Let's take a moment and find one thing you're really grateful for. We'll just send that out with this song as we honor the mother. Deep breath in and exhale. Just join me as you get the tune. It's offering your heart out to the great heart. Jai Ma, jai Damo, jai Damo, jai Damo, jai Damo, jai Damo, jai Damo, jai Damo, jai Damo, Dje On Má, Dje On Má.. Dje On Má...

Dje On Má, Dje On Má... Dje On Má, Dje On Má... The palms together in Anjali Mudra in front of the heart, prayer position. Breathing in, feeling that gratitude in your heart, exhale feeling the heart get bigger and bigger, feeling the breath opening through the body, and shining that gratitude, that heart light out. One more breath here, and then exhale just release the hands up, Jaya Mudra, feeling the energy, moving all the way up through the spine, opening the arms wide, and exhale release.

I'll meet you at the front of the mat, come to standing. So just press down through the soles of the feet, draw the belly in, lift up through the heart, bring your hands to your heart centre, connect with that thing that inspires gratitude. And as you press down through the feet inhale and reach the heart up to the sky, lengthen through the spine, draw the belly in, and allowing the chest to open, and exhale bring the hands back to the heart, touch the thumbs to your heart centre, and inhale just feel like the heart is rising as you press through the feet, and let the heart blossom open, and exhale bring the hands to the heart, beautiful, this time inhale reach it up and fold it forward, inhale flat back, and exhale bending over, bend that left knee and straighten the right leg, take a breath in, and then bend the right knee, straighten the left leg, take a breath in, and then we're going to bend the left knee, lift the right arm up, and look up, exhale drop the right hand, bend the right knee, straighten the left leg and lift the left arm, deep breath in, and exhale, inhale lengthening through the spine, and exhale step back with the left foot, come on to your fingertips, just start to move easily backwards and forwards here, deep breath in, and then exhale fold forward lift the right toes, inhale bend the front knee, one more time, exhale fold it forward, and drop that back knee down, we're going to bring the hands onto the right thigh, lift up, and exhale just dropping the hips, a few times like this, just slowly easing into the opening through the thigh, the leg here, and one more time, inhale come up, and exhale dropping down, just move your right foot a little to the right, just so you get a little bit more stable there, nice, and then inhale come up, bring the palms together so the shoulders are over the hips, and we're going to turn to the left, the right, I mean the right, and then open the arms wide, feel a little twist here, drop that right hand onto the left thigh, and lean back looking over your right shoulder, and bring that left elbow to the outside of your right thigh, bring the palms together, press the hands together and lift up through the chest, as you exhale draw the belly in, squeezing out through that mid area, one more breath here, and then either stay here, or lift that back knee up, press out through the back heel, ooze your eye breath, breathing in through the nose, out through the nose, beautiful, release the hands down, lift that right leg up to the sky, point the toes, inhale, exhale bend the knee, so either keep on both hands like this, or you might drop that left elbow, just lifting up through that right leg, and swivel through the ankle, just circling the right ankle, and press through both hands, reach through the right toes, and drop that foot down, and then inhale, come forward, interplank, drop the knees, lengthen through the spine, and allow yourself to come forward onto the belly, reach the arms forward, forehead on the ground, wiggle the hips side to side, deep breath in, bring the palms together and the hands pointing up, and just again connecting with that thing that you're grateful for and feeling that full body prayer, nice, and bringing the hands underneath the shoulders, gently lifting through the chest, draw the belly in, lift the legs, and reach the arms up, so you're going to bend through the elbows, spread the fingers, draw the belly in, breathing into the chest, and then open the arms wide, lift, let's take a little smile here and just feel the heart lifting, the chest opening, beautiful, bring the hands alongside you and come back into child's pose, deep breath in, and exhale, just letting the whole body relax and soften, inhale, lift the head, we're going to walk the fingers over to the left, come up onto your fingertips, lift the chest, press your right hip back down into the right heel and then start to creep your fingers away from you, drop the head and turn and look underneath your right armpit, keep that right hip pressing down into the heel, deep breath in, and inhale, let's walk it round to the other side, so you keep this left hip pressing down into the heel as you lift up through the chest and then exhale and lengthen, extend the arm away from you and turn and look underneath your left armpit, deep breath in, and inhale lifting up, beautiful, let's come onto hands and knees and exhale round the back, inhale arching, and exhale rounding, tuck the toes under, we're going to find downward dog here, just walk out your dog, so you're going to bend the left knee, breathe into the right leg and take the other side, you know, press through that right foot, inhale, lift the left leg up, bend the knee and drop the foot over to the right, so either stay here or if you want to play with dropping that right forearm, come lifting a little higher through the left knee, let's all circle that left ankle together, beautiful, press through both hands, lengthen through the left leg and then bring that foot forward between the hands, allow yourself to move a little backwards and forwards here, deep breath in and then exhale and just rolling on that front heel, allow the head to drop forward and inhale lifting the chest, exhale rolling forward and inhale lifting the chest, one more time, exhale fold it forward and drop that back knee down and bring the hands onto the left thigh, nice, then lifting the shoulders over the hips and then exhale dropping forward, inhale lifting up and exhale dropping forward, one more time, inhale lift it up, exhale just easing into that right hip there and then lifting up, bring the palms together and we're going to turn to the left, nice, draw the belly in, lift up through the crown of the head and open the arms wide, you're going to release that left hand back to the right leg and find a nice twist here and then bring the right elbow to the outside of the left thigh, bring the palms together, draw the belly in as you exhale and lift up through the chest, nice, allow the hips to drop forward, find a ujjayi breath in through the nose, out through the nose and then stay here or if you want to lift that back knee press out through the back heel, nice, I'm going to release the hands down and you're going to roll rock back and then step forward, inhale flat back and exhale folding forward and then sit down into your heels, bring the palms together, just pulsing a little and can you, this is the test, can you be grateful here, can you find that thing that you're grateful for, activating the heart while the legs are engaged, nice and then send it up, inhale coming all the way up, lifting through the heart and bring the hands back down to the heart center, take a breath in and then exhale, release the hands, we're just going to bring the feet, you can stay at the front of your mat, I'm going to face you, bring the feet slightly apart, let the knees soften and just allow the spine to release, just letting the arms swing side to side, taking a deep breath in and exhaling with a ha, beautiful, let the knees bounce as you come through the middle and just feel how when you lift your arms it actually triggers different chemistry in the body and just opens the heart and just feeling that sense of gratitude, of thank you as you lift the arms, beautiful and just play with it here, nice and then come back to center, bring the palms together and then reach them out away from each other, so as you reach out through the palms of your hands you might feel a nice stretch through the underside of your arms, we're going to find a few circles with the arms, I'm just starting to open up through the heart meridian, the lung meridian and you can just take it a little faster even, feel like you might take off in a moment, beautiful and then bring the palms back together, deep breath in and exhaling and then we'll press the palms out, fingers down, roll the shoulders back and feel another stretch here through the arms and then we'll circle it the other way this time, just opening through the chest, nice and then roll the shoulders forward, interlace the fingers behind the back, lift the chest and exhale fold over, just breathing into the lower back, squeezing the shoulder blades towards each other and then bend the knees, sit into the heels and reach the arms up, press through the heels and lift all the way up, exhale coming back down, hands to the heart, okay so now join me at the front of the mat, you're going to press the palms together, inhale lift up and exhale sit down, bring the hands to the heart, sit a little lower and just again connecting with that one thing that you're really grateful for and then let's offer that out and just jayma, thank you, thank you, thank you, say to the universe thank you, bring the palms together, inhale and then exhale jayma, let's do it together one more time, inhaling and exhale jayma and then folding forward, inhale flat back and then exhale bringing the hands forward, so we're going to move into adhachandrasana, so if you have a block you might want to use it at this point in bringing it underneath your right hand, I'm going to lift that left leg up behind us and then lift the hip and bring the left hand onto the left hip, reaching the left arm up, you might even come up onto your fingertips, beautiful, bend that front knee and then stepping back, bring the right forearm onto the right thigh, bring the left hand behind the base of your skull and inhale, lift the head and lean it back into your hand as you press through the outer edge of the back foot, deep breath in and then release that left arm alongside the ear, enjoy this stretch all through the side body and then we're going to swing it round, just bring that left arm round and swivel the feet round to the other side, so you take the opposite, bring the right hand to the base of the skull, lean the head back into the hand, press through the outer edge of your right foot and then reach that right arm alongside the ear, oh yum that feels so good and then exhale, let's bring it back round, beautiful, extending through the left arm and then this time we're going to straighten through the front leg and reach back, finding a nice stretch through the right side, inhale, beautiful, and send the arms out wide, send the hips back, allow your right hand to find either the block or your leg and finding trikonasana, beautiful, bend the front knee, coming into warrior two, bring the palms together, connect with that thing that you're grateful for, breathe into the heart and then exhale and offer it out, one more time, inhale coming into the heart center and exhale, really make this posture and offering of gratitude to life and straighten that front leg, roll the shoulders forward, interlace the fingers behind you, I'm going to bend the front knee again and lean forward, lifting the arms, dropping the head, deep breath in, squeeze the shoulder blades together, breathe into the heart center and release the hands down, lifting that right leg up to the sky, inhale, either stay here or if you want to put in a little wild thing with that heart open, the jama and coming back and then coming down through plank, all the way down through chaturanga, inhale, up dog or cobra and exhale down with dog, one breath here and then exhale, look forward and walk or hop the feet to the hands, inhaling flat back and exhale, folding forward, bend the knees, reach the arms forward, utkatasana, come all the way up and bring the hands down to the heart center, release the arms, inhale, lift them wide and then holding on to your left wrist, lean over to the right, inhale up to center, bring the palms down and then open it up wide, holding on to the right wrist, leaning over to the left, deep breath in, beautiful and then bring the hands back down to the heart center, again bending the knees, offering from the heart, forward into utkatasana and exhale, forward fold and then if you want to use your block, you can bring it underneath your left hand or you might just be on the fingertips, you're going to inhale, lift that right leg up behind you and then lifting the right hip, bringing the right hand onto the right hip, maybe lifting through that right arm, you're going to bend the front knee and come onto the back foot, foot, left forearm on the left thigh and bring the right hand behind the base of the skull, lean the head back into the hand, drop the hips, press through the outer edge of your back foot, feel that heart lift up to the sky and then reach the right arm alongside the ear and we're going to swivel it round to the other side, just like we did before and find the left hand behind the base of the skull, leaning the head back, lifting through the heart, extend that arm overhead, beautiful and then swivel it round back to the front. I'm going to straighten that front leg and reach it back, nice stretch through the left side of the body, send the hips back and reach forward for trikonasana, maybe use your hand on a block or maybe on the leg or maybe down to the earth and then bend that front knee, come up into warrior too and bring the palms together, inhale into the heart, into gratitude and then exhale, sending it out and again, inhale into the heart center and exhale, send it out, roll the shoulders forward, interlace the fingers behind you, lift through the chest and let's lean it forward, reaching the arms up overhead, squeezing the shoulders together, nice deep breath in, exhale, dropping the head and then release the hands down, lifting that left leg up to the sky, inhale, either stay here or if you want to, finding another jama opening the heart and then bringing it back, coming down through plank and lowering down onto the belly, just allow yourself to rest on one cheek, release the arms, wiggle the hips side to side, deep breath in and exhale, let it all go with a hug, inhale, bring the head to center, bend the knees, I'm going to lift the thighs, reach the arms back behind you, draw the belly in, either stay here or if it's easily available, then you're going to hold on to the ankles, lift the thighs, maybe even rocking forwards and backwards a little bit, just stimulating the digestive system, lift through the legs, let the legs do the work and open the chest, breathing up into the heart, beautiful, big thank you, whatever you're grateful for and then exhale, release and rest on the other cheek, one breath here, inhale back to center, come back into a child's pose, deep breath in, and exhaling, and just lifting the torso up and we're going to come onto our backs, let everything relax, let the feet fall in and out, releasing through the hips, deep breath in and exhaling with a hug, nice, and place the soles of the feet on the ground, the knees in the air, just for a moment, you're just going to use the heels to allow the back to rub along the ground backwards and forwards and then just rest, again another breath in and exhale, and placing the feet just below the sit bones, hip width apart, inhale, lift the hips and walk the shoulders towards each other underneath the back, so you might interlace the fingers, you might bring the palms underneath the lower back, any version that you like here, just breathing up through the front body, up into the heart center and exhale, release, again inhale, strong feet pressing down into the earth and breathing up into the chest, and lift the heels, reach the arms up to the sky and slowly lower all the way back down, and finding happy baby and just moving a little side to side, I'm going to bring that right ankle onto the left thigh and thread the hands through the gap between the legs, hold on to the back of the left thigh or the front of the left shin, lift the head up towards that left knee and exhale, release, and just wobbling a little side to side here, nice, and then release the arms and you're going to slide that right leg over the left leg, maybe hooking the right foot behind the left shin and drop the knees over to the side, to the left, inch the shoulders to the left, so if that doesn't work for you then you can just have the knees together with the right knee resting on the left knee, deep breath in, exhaling, one more breath here, and then inhale, unwind the legs, bring them back up to center, hug the knees and wobble side to side, nice, we're going to bring that left ankle to the right thigh just below the knee, bring the hands through the gap between the legs, hold on to the back of the thigh or the front of the right shin and just wobble a little side to side, lift the head up towards that right knee and release the head back down, open the arms wide and then sliding that left leg around the right, hooking the foot behind, dropping the knees to the right, if that doesn't work for you then you can just bring the knees together, so you place the left knee on the right knee, inch the shoulders to the right, deep breath in, and then inhale, unwind, let the legs come back up to center, hug the knees in towards you, just wobbling side to side, 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, just feeling yourself held and supported by mother earth, held and supported by life, just allowing the bones to be heavy, feeling the shoulders relax, the head drop back and down, breathing all the way down into your pelvis and as you exhale let the pelvic floor muscles soften and relax, soles of the feet soften and relax, just finding that sense of gratitude in the heart, just that one thing that you're grateful for, just allowing yourself to bathe in that gratitude, in that holding, just bringing the knees into the chest, just rolling over onto your right side, and slowly coming all the way up, finding a comfortable seat, just pausing with the spine upright, hands resting on the legs, deep breath in, and as you exhale let the belly drop, let the tailbone drop down into the earth, again inhale and exhale dropping down into the earth, drawing the belly in, lift through the crown of the head, feel the heart broad, bright and spacious, bringing the palms together, just finding that quality of gratitude in the heart, and Jema namaste.