Moon Fire Flow

Welcome. We're going to dive right in, starting in child's pose. If you like a blanket or any kind of cushion under your knees and shins, feel free to take it. For this practice, let's have the knees together rather than wide and the arms drawing back rather than out. And then just ease the forehead to the earth and let your whole body surrender in and down. Bring it all behind and drawing your awareness into your body and your breath for your practice. Take three deep, intentional breaths here. One more. Moving from that deep, internal space. Slowly start to unravel, easing up onto your hands and your knees, hands under the shoulders, knees under the hips, and let's warm the spine with a few cycles of cat-cow. As you inhale, lift the tailbone, let the belly drop, lift the heart and the gaze, shoulders slide down the back. And as you exhale, round your back, tuck your tailbone, tuck your chin, throw your belly to your spine. Again, inhale, lifting through the heart. Exhale, round. Inhale, sending the heart up. Exhale, round. Take two more at your own pace, any variations.

Just following the breath and the sensations of the body. One more. And rounding. And we'll meet in a neutral spine. Just draw it back to the center, pressing down through the hands. Inhale, tuck your toes, and exhale, lift all the way up and back into downward facing dog. And when you find it, ease into it, pedaling the feet, easing the hips a little side to side, arriving and feeling into the back body. Three, two. And from here, we'll slowly with the inhale walk the feet forward towards the front of the mat and take an easy fold. Utanasana, feet about, hips distance, head heavy, neck soft. And you can drop the hands, you can hold the elbows, you can sway whatever you feel for, for three, two. And if you're swaying, find your center. If you have your elbows at the hands release, slight bend in the knees, head stays heavy, slowly inhale, roll all the way up to stand. And when you arrive, exhale at the shoulders, ease back and down, step the feet together, hands to prayer at the heart, close the eyes for just a moment, and let's open together the sound of Aum. Inhale all the breath out, and a big inhale. And then just a moment of stillness, dropping into your intention for your practice. Let the eyes open, releasing the arms, moving into our moon salutes. Inhale, reach the arms out and up, exhaling bow, out and down. Inhale, just lengthen, and as you exhale, step the right foot to the back of the mat, releasing the knee, and inhale, reach the arms up. This first cycle will be slow, giving the body a chance to arrive into it. It's just easing forward and breathing, three, two, and exhale, release the hands down, step it all the way back into downward facing dog. Take a breath, and then inhale, lift the right leg to the sky, and exhale, float it forward, releasing the back knee, and inhale, rise again, easing into it, tall through the spine, three, two, and exhale, release hands to the earth, step the back foot forward to meet the front, inhale to lengthen, and exhale to fold. Rise all the way up, inhale, exhale, draw the energy to the heart, good, and building the pace, inhale, reach out and up, exhaling bow, out and down, inhale halfway, exhale, step the left foot back, lower the knee, untuck the toes, inhale to rise, exhale, hands to the earth, step directly back into downward facing dog, left leg inhaling up, exhale, step it forward, release the back knee, inhale, rise, exhale hands to the earth, step the back foot forward, inhale, lengthen, and exhale, fold, all the way up, inhale, reach it out, exhale, hands to the heart, again, inhale, reach up, exhale, fold forward, inhale halfway, exhale, step the right foot back, lower the knee, untuck the toes, inhale, rise, offer the heart up, exhale, release, step into down dog, right leg to the sky, inhale, exhale, step it forward, lower the back knee, inhale, lift it up, exhale, hands to the earth, step forward, left foot meets the right, inhale, lengthen, and exhale, fold, all the way up, inhale, reach, exhale, hands to the heart, and again, inhale out and up, exhale, fold forward, inhale halfway, exhale, step the left foot back, lower that knee, inhale, rise, and let's hold this time, inviting the back bend, so interlace the fingers, offer the heart up, and reach towards the sky, just take it as far as feels appropriate in your body as is, or maybe hands to the earth, and offer a little more into the back bend, three, two, and then just easing forward, hands to the earth, tuck the back toes, step all the way back into down dog, then inhale the left leg up, and exhale, step it forward, releasing the back knee, inhale, rise, and again, just gently inviting the back bend, interlace the fingers, press it out, rise through the heart, listen to the body on your own edge, keep it here, or maybe the hands come back and down, and the heart rises a little higher, breathing three, two, and then exhale, just easing forward, hands to the earth, tuck the back toes, lift the back knee, step forward, right foot meets the left, inhale, lengthen, exhaling, inhale, rise all the way up, and exhale, hands to prayer, heart center, let the eyes close, let the awareness drop back down and in, take a breath, and then beginning to cultivate the fire and the heat, bending the knees, inhale, reach it up, utkatasana, simply press the palms together and release the index finger up, keep the core strong, keep the spine rising, steady the gaze, moving into a round of kapalabhati breath, so exhale, empty it all out, inhale a little air in, and begin. In a big inhale, and as you exhale, lengthen the legs and fold all the way out and down into uttanasana, take one breath, then again, bending the knees, inhale, scoop it up, press the hands, take a big inhale, exhale, let it go, another round, inhale, and begin.

Stay for a big inhale, this time exhale, reach back and interlace the fingers, inhale, open through the heart and exhale, fold forward again, this time with the hands clasped, release the head, send that heat you're building into the upper back, the neck, the shoulders, and three, two, mm-hmm, once again, bend the knees, inhale, scoop it up, and press the hands, interlace, just index finger rising, last cycle, exhale all the breath out, slip a little air in, and begin. Good, stay here, take a big inhale, lion's breath as you fold, exhale, howl, the air out, inhale halfway, and exhale, hop or step back, lower knees are chaturanga, inhale, lift the heart, and exhale, downward facing dog, take a couple breaths here, keep grounding through the hands as you're ready, inhale, take the right leg to the sky, exhale, float it forward, moving slowly into a high lunge, we'll press through the feet, and open the arms out to the side as you rise, so lifting through the torso, and then spread your wings wide open, and inviting that same quality of the back bend as you rise through the heart, extend through the fingertips, feel the strength in the legs supporting you, holding three, two, offer it up, and then keep your foundation as you inhale, reach the arms, and cross the palms, pressing them together, and breathing here, keep rising through the spine, three, two, good, and then we'll slowly transition into warrior three, so release the cross of the wrists, press the palms and just release the index finger, start to ease the back foot in little by little, grounding through that right foot, strong right leg, and shift the weight to balance, you can keep the arms as they are, or take any other variation, holding three, two, float it back into your high lunge, feel your feet, reach the arms straight up to the sky, releasing the bind, inhale, exhale wide open again, keep lifting through that heart center, keep the legs so strong supporting that opening, one more breath, and then inhale, reach it up, and exhale, release the hands down to the earth, just for a moment, lower that back knee, and draw the hips back, give that right leg a moment to release, inhale, extend through the heart, and exhale, fold, three, two, inhale, slowly easing forward, tuck the back toes, lift the back knee, step it straight back into plank, stay for your inhale, lift the belly, exhale lower, inhale, lift the heart, exhale, downward facing dog, take one breath, and then inhale, reach the left leg to the sky, exhale, float it forward, we're coming slowly into the high lunge with the arms out to the sky, so as you rise, extend them out, sitting down into it as you lift through the heart, offering it up, three, two, and then inhale, let the arms rise all the way up, crossing the wrists, pressing the palms, feel the arms engage, easing a little deeper through the legs as you continue to rise through the spine, three, two, and then transitioning to warrior three, release that cross, press the palms and extend through the index finger, then just slowly start to ease the back foot in, transfer the weight to the left leg, and float it up, and again you can take any arm variation, maybe even hands to the earth, holding steady for three, two, gently floating all the way back, returning to your high lunge, releasing the clasp, take a big inhale and exhale, extend the arms out wide again, lifting through the heart, good, stay for a big inhale, ground on the exhale, then inhale, arms up, exhale, release the hands down, lower the back knee, pull the hips back and pause, give that left leg a moment, inhale, reach through the heart, and exhale, fold, three, two, then inhale, drawing the hips forward, press through the hands, exhale, step straight back to plank, lifting belly to spine, big inhale, exhale to lower, inhale lifting the heart, exhale all the way back, take just a couple breaths, and then building on that high lunge, keep pressing through the hands, inhale right leg to the sky, exhale, float it all the way forward, press through the feet, this time reach the arms directly up, feel your foundation, and then bend that left elbow, take the right hand to the left elbow for a moment, just kind of encouraging it back a little bit, and then drop the right arm and reach it up the back, you can always grab a strap or a towel or even your clothing here, and then start to ease the heart forward as the head goes back into that left arm, three, two, yes, and then releasing the bind, inhale, take both arms up to the sky, and let's wash it away, exhale hands to the earth, step to your plank, and lower, inhale lift the heart, exhale downward facing dog, take a breath, and inhale left leg up, exhale, float it forward, returning to your high lunge, directly up, inhale, reaching the arms to the sky, sitting down into it, then bending that right elbow, take the left hand to that elbow, and again encourage it back a little bit, and then drop the left arm and reach it up the back, again maybe you find the bind, maybe you don't, grab a towel or a strap, do what you can, and then as you ease down into it, lift from the back of the heart and ease the head back into that right arm, three, two, and as you inhale, unwind the arms, float them all the way up, as you exhale, release the hands to the earth, step to plank pose, and lower chaturanga, inhale lift the heart, exhale press it back, downward facing dog, give the body three breaths here, home to center, and then again press through the hands, as you're ready, inhale the right leg to the sky, exhale, step it forward, lower the back knee, returning to a low lunge here to begin, press through your feet, and then inhale, reach the arms to the sky, as you exhale, take the hands to prayer at the heart, then inhale, lift through that front body a little bit, and as you exhale, twist, hook that left elbow outside of the right knee, preparing for twisting side angle, there are lots of options here, you're welcome to stay right where you are, just kind of easing into it, or you can tuck the back toes and lift that back knee, pressing gently out with a knee in with the elbow, keep it there, or maybe the left hand comes outside of the front foot and the right arm reaches to the sky, breathing, three, two, so whatever variation you're in, just with the next inhale start to unwind from it and transition back into a high lunge, just for that inhale, and then exhale, open it, warrior two, letting the hips expand, sitting down into it, extending out through the fingertips, and strong and steady, five, four, three, two, as you inhale, lengthen that right leg, and as you exhale, extend out and then down, triangle pose, place the right hand wherever you'd like, left arm reaches out, rolling open through the torso, the heart, the left shoulder, pressing through that left heel, breathing, five, four, three, two, grounding through your feet with the inhale, take it back up into your warrior two, with the exhale, hands to the earth, step to plank, and lower, chaturanga dandasana, inhale, lift your heart, exhale, downward facing dog, take one breath, with the next inhale, lift the left leg to the sky, exhale, float it forward, lower the back knee, and inhale, lifting through the arms, and then exhale, take the hands to prayer at the heart center, before you twist, find a little more length, so inhale up through the front body, and then exhale, hook that right elbow outside of the left knee, and then gently pressing out with the knee and with the elbow to deepen the twist, if this is enough, let it be enough, if you'd like, you can tuck the back toes and lift the back knee, keeping this exploring, or take that right hand outside of the front foot, and then reach the left arm to the sky, twist it out, five, four, three, two, and from any variation you've chosen, we'll meet in high lunge, so unwinding from the twist, draw it all the way back up, extending through the fingertips, big inhale, and exhale wide open, warrior two, reaching it out, sit way down into it, and let the heart center extend out through the fingertips for five, four, three, two, exhale, lengthen the left leg, extend it way, way out, inhale, and exhale, trikonasana, again, any variation with that left hand, rolling torso, heart, and right shoulder open, extending out, five, four, enjoy the breath, three, two, and then grounding through the feet, inhale, float it back up, finding your warrior two, exhale, hands to the earth, step into plank pose, and lower, inhale, lifting the heart, and exhale, downward facing dog, one breath, at the bottom of your exhale, coming all the way through to sit, and simply extending the legs out, taking a moment to ground, and simply drawing in the legs in for bada konasana, take the soles of the feet together, and then thumbs inside, fingers wrap around, give those hips a moment to open and release, after all that deep work, start with your tall spine, and then inhale, lift through your heart, and exhale, bow forward, you can work with a straight spine, or you can let the back round and the head fall, if you happen to have a block, you can place it under the forehead, just giving the neck a little release, not necessary, but can be sweet, and then just breathing into it, for three, two, okay, and slowly inhale, draw it all the way back up, and as you exhale, we'll simply slide the feet out, drawing the legs into more of a diamond shape, shifting the opening a little bit, so you can hold the ankles or the feet, let's take another moment to inhale and extend, and then exhale, melt here, in this case, the block can come inside of the feet, and then just resting down, again, for five, four, three, two, three, and then slowly inhale, draw it up, as you exhale, take the knees together, sliding forward a little bit, and then just rolling all the way down onto the back, and before we back bend, let's do a little strengthening for the core, to begin, we're gonna lift the hips a little bit, and then slide the hands under the hips, and then take those legs straight up to the sky, if you have any tenderness in your low back, you'll keep the knees bent or even plant one foot on the earth, then draw that deep low belly in and up, and slowly lower the legs about halfway down, and hold, three, two, good, draw it back up, and again lower, maybe a little closer to the earth this time, you want somewhere where you really feel it, but it's also sustainable, hover, three, two, good, draw the legs back up, and then with control, not momentum, so you're really coming from the abdominal muscles, we'll slowly lower, almost all the way down, and then lift it back up, let's do five more, slowly lower, and draw it back up, three, and rise, two, and rise, last one, lower down, again we'll hold, you can keep it right there if you feel really strong in this moment, lifting the head and the chest, and extending through the arms, holding here for three, two, and then legs go back up, head and chest go back down, just squeeze the belly in, send the legs straight up to the sky, and release, feet on the earth, take a big inhale into the belly, open the mouth, and grounding through the feet, scoop the tailbone and lift the hips to the sky, this first one is just to warm the body, you can keep the arms at rest or you can interlace and crawl those shoulders in and under, breathing, stretching through the center, opening through the heart, three, two, if the hands are class, let them go, open the shoulders a little, and release the spine all the way back to the earth, take a grounding breath, always listening to the body, especially in the backbend progression, stay with that variation with or without a block, or plant the hands under the shoulders and press into full Irvadhanurasana, grounding into the earth, and when you're ready, inhale, eyes all the way up, and breathe, five, four, three, two, and release, come on down, and again, just grounding, neutral breath, third and final backbend, take what serves, grounding through the feet, and maybe the hands if you're coming all the way up, and rise on your inhale, breathe right into the heart, fanning the flames, five, four, three, two, one more breath, and then surrender, easing all the way down. And when you learned, Supta Baddha Konasana, our souls of the feet together, knees out to the side, right hand to heart, left to belly, and close the eyes, let the body settle, feel the breath, and then gently draw the knees together, hug them back in towards the chest, rock yourself a little side to side, twisting to release the low back after your back bending, so legs as is, or either leg on top, and then let them fall to the right and reach your left arm all the way out to the left, and let that left shoulder be heavy, let the breath move into low back and sacrum, and three, two, inhale, come on back to center, and exhale, let the hips move to the right just a little bit, and if the legs are crossed, take your other leg on top, and the legs fall to the left, right arm reaches out to the right, and breathing into it, five, four, three, two, and then gently inhale back to center, hugging the legs back in towards the chest, we're going to return to that feminine energy of the moon flow with a more restorative inversion shoulder stand, setting up with blankets if you'd like, or maybe even moving your mat to the wall and taking legs up the wall as you're ready, sweeping the legs up and over, and supporting the back, and then drawing the legs to the sky, and we'll hold steady for 10, 9, 8, 11, 6, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 8, 9, 10, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 19, 20, 21, 22, 22, 23, 23, 24, 22, 23, 24, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 37, 37, 38, 39, 39, 40, 41, 42, 42, 42. And then rolling yourself down to Mahasana fish pose as the spine releases to the earth, the hips land on the hands, pressing through forearms and elbows, and then arching the spine, mind, head falls back, gazing towards that third eye, five, four, three, two. Press through the elbows and the forearms to rise and release.

If you need anything at all before shavasana, take it. If you want any support in your shavasana, take it and then just let it go. The legs extend and roll open, the arms rest, palms face the sky. Let the eyes close and let the body simply dissolve into the earth. We'll stay soft here and just take one last intentional breath, inhaling through the nose, holding and then exhaling out through the mouth.

So as you're ready, take a big inhale, hold, open the mouth, exhale, let it all go, throwing it into the fire and letting yourself rest. Fed it all the way up to the centre.