Grounded and Fluid Flow

Welcome back everyone, we're going to start standing and just ground through the feet, let the arms drop and let your chin fall towards your chest, saying hello to the neck. Just ease the right ear over to your right shoulder, jaw is slack, eyes are soft. And then chin down to the chest and left ear to left shoulder. And then at your own pace, just kind of easing a little side to side, setting the tone for a relaxed neck and jaw throughout your practice. And just kind of shifting gears, softening the mind, dropping into the body.

When you're ready, drop back to neutral, let the shoulders roll a couple times, just unwinding. And then come to stand at the top of the mat, in samastitihi, feet together, hands to prayer at the heart center, let's close the eyes and open together with a gentle om. For now, exhale, all the breath leaves the body, take a big inhale, and a moment of stillness dropping into your intention for your practice, for your day. And then gently let the eyes open and begin by inhaling the arms out and up. For now, exhale, simply trace the midline, draw them back to the heart, do more like that, inhale, reaching out and up.

And exhale to the heart, inhale, rise, exhale, home to heart center, this time inhale, reaching out and up, and with your exhale, fold from the waist, bowing all the way out and down. With the inhale halfway, with the exhale just fold, all the way back up, inhale, rise, exhale, hands to the heart, two more like that, inhale, reach out and up, exhaling, bow out and down. Inhale halfway, and exhale, chest to thighs, all the way up, inhale, reach it out, and exhale, hands to the heart, once again like that, inhale, reach, exhale, fold, inhale halfway, exhale, bow, chest to thighs, rise on your inhale, reaching beyond the fingertips, and exhale, hands to prayer, heart center, moving on, inhale, rise, reach the arms up, exhaling, bow out and down, inhale halfway, and with your exhale, hop or step back into your plank pose, taking this first one slowly, pause in your plank, take a big inhale, exhale, lower the knees to the earth, elbows hug in, come all the way down, inhale, lifting lower high cobra, and exhale, melt back to the earth, inhale, press to hands and knees, and exhale, downward facing dog. You're first of the practice, so take your time with it, kind of easing into the back body, you can pedal the feet, shift the hips a little, relax the neck, three, two, and at the bottom of your exhale, take a soft bend in the knees, hop or just step to the front of the mat, inhale, lengthen halfway, exhale, bow and fold, inhale, rise all the way up, trace the midline, exhale, hands to the heart, two more like that, inhale, reach, exhale, fold, warming the body, inhale halfway, exhale, hop or step back, and lower knees or chaturanga, inhale cobra or up dog, and exhale back, downward facing dog, five breaths, rolling the shoulders away from the ears, sending the heels towards the earth as you lift through the sit bones, opening into it, three, and two, and at the bottom of your exhale, soft bend in the knees, hop or step to the front of the mat, inhale, halfway, and exhale, fold forward, all the way up, inhale to rise, exhale, hands to the heart, once again, inhale, float the arms up, exhale, fold forward, inhale halfway, exhale, hop or step back, lower knees or chaturanga, inhale cobra or up dog, and exhale, take it back, downward facing, breathing five, notice the breath deepening, the mind softening as you enter the practice, deepen into the body, three, and two, and one, bend those knees, hop or step to the front of the mat, inhale, lengthen it, exhaling, bow and fold, and then inhale, rise all the way up, completing that cycle, hands to the heart, and then directly into utkatasana, bending the knees, inhale, reach out and up, palms open or press, engage wherever it feels best for the neck, to the earth, the horizon, the sky, lifting that deep low belly, tall through the spine, and steady here for five, four, warming the body from the inside out, three, two, then with the exhale, reaching the arms back, interlace the fingers, inhale, lifting the heart, draw the hands away from the tailbone, then exhale, let the legs lengthen and start to ease into your fold, soft through that neck again, relaxing into the fold, and breathing into the chest and the shoulders, few more breaths here, opening it up, and always when you're clasping behind, if you need a strap or a towel, feel free to grab one, three, and two, good, bending the knees, inhale, take it back into your utkatasana, exhale, sit down into it a little bit, and then pressing through the feet, inhale, press, exhale, open arms, open heart, offer it up, and then inhale, back up, and exhale, hands to prayer, heart center, bend the knees, inhale, return to utkatasana, exhale, bow out and down, inhale, halfway, exhale, hopper, step back, and lower with the exhale, inhale, scoop the heart up, and exhale, downward facing, from here, press through the hands and inhale, reach that right leg to the sky, with the exhale, take the knee to the nose, build that core strength, inhale, go back up, and with your exhale, step the right foot forward, spin the back heel down, and rise into warrior one, Virabhadrasana, hey, slow and steady for this first cycle, really finding the alignment, sit down into it and reach through the fingertips, descending the tailbone and lifting through the belly, three, two, and then with your exhale, let's reach it back again and interlace the fingers, inhale, rise through the heart, and exhale, fold forward, let the head fall inside of that front knee, let the arms reach up and over, notice if the hips are swaying out to the right, draw them back towards the midline and breathe, three, two, ground through the feet as you inhale, take it back up, and as you exhale, hands to the earth, step back, lower knees or Chaturanga Dandasana, inhale, lifting the heart, exhale, downward facing dog, and then with the inhale, float the left leg to the sky, and with the exhale, take the knee to the nose, lifting the belly, inhale, go back up, and exhale, step that left foot forward, ground the back heel, inhale, warrior, one second side, again, take your time with this first cycle, descending through the tailbone, rise through the deep belly, extending out, three, two, and then a big inhale, exhale, reaching back, cross the other thumb on top, and then inhale, lift up through the heart, and with the exhale, fold it forward, grounding through that back heel, hips to the midline, reaching the arms up and over, deep, full breath, three, two, keep the legs strong, cross through the feet, inhale, take it back up, and with the exhale, release, hands to the earth, step back, and lower, inhale, lift the heart, exhale, downward facing dog, take one breath here, and then we'll link that all together, building the pace, keep rooting through the hands, inhale, right leg up, exhale, knee to nose, inhale, back up, exhale, step it forward, ground the back heel, one inhale, lift your warrior one, exhale, reach back, and release the fingers, inhale, lift the heart, exhale, fold forward, inhale, back up, warrior one, exhale, hands to the earth, step back, and lower, inhale, lift the heart, exhale, down dog, with the inhale, left leg floats up, exhale, knee to nose, inhale, back up, exhale, step it forward, ground the back heel, inhale, rise, warrior one, exhale, reach back, take the other thumb on top, inhale, lift through the heart, and exhale, fold forward, inhale, come back up, warrior one, exhale, hands to the earth, step back, and lower, inhale, lifting the heart, exhale, down dog, again, each side, inhale, right leg, exhale, knee to nose, inhale up, exhale, float it forward, ground the back heel, warrior one, inhale, exhale, reach back, and release, inhale, lift the heart, exhale, fold forward, inhale, back up, exhale, hands to the earth, and lower, inhale, heart up, exhale, down dog, last cycle, left leg, inhale, exhale, knee to the nose, inhale, back up, exhale, step it forward, grounding the back heel, inhale, warrior one, exhale, reach back, take the other thumb on top, inhale, lifting the heart, and exhale, fold forward, inhale, back up, warrior one, exhale, hands to the earth, step back, chaturanga dandasana, inhale, urdva, exhale, urdva, nice work, pause here, take a few deep breaths, moving that heat through the whole body as you warm it up, awaken it to one, this time, keep the feet where they are, and as you exhale, walk the hands to the back of the mat, and just take an easy forward fold for a moment, then padangusthasana, grab the big toes with first two fingers and thumb, inhale, send the heart out, reaching, and exhale, fold forward, tip the weight into the front of the feet, slide the shoulder blades up the back, breathe into the whole back body, soft through the neck, three, two, if this is intense in your body, simply stay there, keep working with it, if you want to take it a little deeper, padahastasana, inhale halfway up, exhale, slide the hands under the feet, toes against the wrists, inhale, extend, and exhale, come back into your fold, soft through the neck, five, four, three, two, keep your grip, with the inhale, lengthen, look forward, and with the exhale, simply release and shake out the hands and the wrists a little bit, inhale, lengthen again, and with your exhale, simply walk it back into your downward facing dog, take a moment here, reconnect with the breath and the intention, and then with your next inhale, float the right leg to the sky, and as you exhale, open the hip, bending the knee, sending left heel towards the earth, breathe into the outer right hip, breathe into the back of that left leg, and then inhale, float it straight up, as you exhale, draw the right knee outside of the right elbow, all the breath out, belly to spine, inhale, take it back up, exhale, step it forward, spin the back heel to the earth, and with your inhale, open it, warrior two, vervadrasana, be, sitting down into it, and out through the fingertips, and holding strong for five, four, three, two. Keep your foundation, take a big inhale, exhale, reverse, reaching back, breathing into that right side body, extending through the fingertips, and five, four, three, two.

Keep this for a big inhale, as you exhale, take the hands all the way back to the earth, with your inhale, take the right leg back to the sky, and exhale, open the hip, bend the knee, inhale, rise again, and exhale, right knee outside, right elbow, belly to spine, inhale, reach it up, and exhale, again, stepping the right foot forward, spin the back heel down, inhale, open it, warrior two, exhale, reverse, reach it back, and then slowly, as you inhale, start to lengthen the right leg, coming into reverse triangle, so pressing down through the right foot, reaching through the right fingertips, and breathe, three, two, keep those legs really strong, as you're ready, inhale, float the upper body up, keep the legs strong, keep that space in the side body, exhale, reach out and down, trikonasana, triangle pose, left arm floats to the sky, right hand roots wherever you like, and breathe into this, five, four, feel that expanse, three, and two. And then keep your foundation, take a big inhale, as you exhale, wrap your left arm behind the back, full inhale to open through that left shoulder, stay for the exhale, little more space, then turn your gaze down to the earth, start to draw the back foot in, and reach the right hand out for artichandrasana, half moon, if you have a block and you like using it, feel free to grab it, and start to rise through that left leg, you're welcome to keep the left arm bound, or take the hand of the hip, or reach the arm to the sky, take the variation you feel for, use your gaze, use your breath, and hold steady, another three, two, right, keep your foundation, take a big inhale, with the exhale, release the left hand down to the earth, and then even out through the hip, so the left toes are pointing towards the earth, stay there, send that left heel back as you inhale, reach the heart out, and then exhale, step the left foot back, two, three, four feet, shorter than most standing poses, right foot barely right of center, left barely left, inhale, lengthen it up, and exhale, simply fold, bowing over that right leg, saw through the neck, three, two, all right, with the inhale, send the heart out, with your exhale, bend that right knee and step the left foot back a little bit, and then right foot back to meet it, toes in plank, belly to spine, inhale, exhale, knees are chaturanga, inhale, cobra, up dog, and exhale, downward facing dog, give the body a breath or two here, keep coming home to your center, and with the inhale, float the left leg to the sky, exhale, opening the hip, bending the knee, breathe into it for a moment, strong through the hands, the arms, supporting that opening, and then inhale, take it back up, exhale, knee outside the elbow, lifting the belly, inhale, take it back up, with the exhale, step that left foot forward, root the back heel down, right arm opens you, inhale, warrior two, second side, easing down into it, reaching out through the fingertips, holding steady, five breaths, four, three, two, keeping the legs strong, fill the body, inhale, exhale, reverse, reaching back, breath into the left side, extending through those fingertips, and holding here, four, three, two, and big inhale, lift it back up, exhale, hands to the earth, and with the inhale, take the left leg back to the sky, exhale, open the hip, bending the knee, inhale, rise, again, exhale, knee outside the elbow, lifting the belly, inhale, back up, exhale, stepping the left foot forward, grounding the back heel, right arm opens you, inhale again, warrior two, exhale, reverse, reaching it back, keep this, and then slowly as you inhale, start to lengthen that left leg, keep both legs really strong, engaging the quad muscles, extending through the fingertips, and hold here, opening that left side, three, two, keep the length, and inhale, rise, exhale, extend out, and then down, trikonasana, second side, legs stay strong, heart and right shoulder roll open, extending through the right fingertips, and breathing, and three, two, and with your exhale, wrap that right arm behind the back, you can find the hip crease or the low back sacrum area, full inhale to open the right shoulder, stay for the exhale, then turn the gaze to the earth, easing the back foot in, and reaching the left hand out, grab a block if you'd like, and float the right leg to the sky, artichandrasana, second side, keep the right arm bound, or right hand to the hip, or right arm to the sky, open into it, five, using the gaze, and free to fall, just keep coming back, two more breaths, and then we keep that leg lifted, and with the exhale just release the right hand down, even out through the hips again, and then inhale, send that right heel back and the heart out, and exhale, step the right foot back, two, three, four feet, shorter than most of your standing poses, left, left of center, right, a little right of center, inhale, extend, and exhale, fold, saw through the neck, releasing down into it, breathing into the back of that left leg, all right, and then inhale, lengthen it out again, as you exhale, bend the left knee and step the right foot a little farther back and then left foot steps back to meet it, stay here, take a big inhale, lifting the belly, exhale, knees or chaturanga, inhale, lifting the heart, and exhale, downward facing dog, take a moment here, just breathing into it, come back to your center, and then grounding through the hands, when you're ready, inhale, take the right leg to the sky, exhale, open the hip, bending the knee, inhale, back up, exhale, right knee outside, right elbow, belly pulls to the spine, inhale, take it back up, exhale, step it forward, round your back heel, open it on the inhale to warrior two, and then exhale, let's come directly into side angle, you can rest the forearm to the thigh, you can take the hand to the earth, if you're working with a bind or a half bind, you're welcome to come into that, give your body a full 10 breaths here, just to explore this posture, maybe you start in one variation, and then it begins to deepen, and you shift the position of the right arm, right hand, keep pressing through the left heel and extending through those fingertips, few more breaths, three, two, strong through the legs, press through your feet, inhale, take it back up, with your exhale, take the hands to the earth, inhale, take the right leg back to the sky, exhale, open the hip, bending the knee, then inhale, reach that leg straight up, and just explore this, as you exhale, draw the right knee outside the right elbow, if that's enough for today, stay there, pulling the belly to the spine, that's building a ton of strength, if you'd like, you can hop the back foot in a little bit more, kind of hug the elbows in, start to bend the arms, and plant the body on the arms, maybe extending out, holding three, two, and then inhale, take that right leg back to the sky, and exhale, just shake it out, release, downward facing dog, give it a breath or two, if you loved it, beautiful, if you fell out of it, beautiful, no big deal, let's try the second side, inhale, lift the left leg up, exhale, open the hip, inhale back up, exhale, knee outside the elbow, inhale up, exhale, step it forward, ground your back heel, right arm opens, inhale, warrior two, exhale, side angle, again it's your variation, forearm to thigh, or hand to the earth, if you're working with a bind, feel free, just explore plenty of space and time, you're building into it, about five more breaths. Strong, through the legs, press through your feet, inhale, come on back into your warrior two, exhale, hands to the earth, inhale, take the left leg back to the sky, exhale, open that hip again, inhale, lengthen and exhale, here we go, draw the knee outside of the elbow and then you choose, stay there and just lifting belly to spine, keep working with that, or again you can bend the elbows, hook that knee on the left tricep and then maybe float it up, three, two and back into down dog, take the left leg to the sky, exhale, shake it out, release, downward facing dog and again just coming back to your center, take a couple breaths here, let that all go, if you have the space and time maybe try that again on each side and when you're ready just releasing, knees to the earth, hips to the heels, sinking down into child's paws, give the body a full five breaths here just to ground and settle, three, two and then nice and easy, inhale, draw it back up onto the hands and the knees, exhale, press back into downward facing dog just for a moment, coming into pigeon here, exhale, right leg to the sky and then exhale, draw the right knee, right shin towards the front of the mat, you can always pat it, give that right hip area a little support and you can always roll onto your back, once you're grounded inhale, extend and exhale, walk that upper body all the way out and down and take the breath into the hips, releasing to the mat, once you're settled, full five breaths, three, two, three, four, five, six, seven, two and slowly with the inhale, walking the upper body back in and up, okay, we'll keep the weight on that right leg and as you exhale swing your left leg around for double pigeon ankle to knee, we want the feet flex protecting the knee joints, that left shin stacking on top of the right, if this is really intense you can just make a little hammock with the hands and hold the top knee, just work on sitting up straight, if you're closer but not quite you can slide a blanket between the knee and the ankle and if this is really comfortable for you, you can inhale, reach up and exhale, add the fold, take the variation your body needs and surrendering into it, breathing again for five, four, three, two, if you're in the fold inhale slowly, walk it back up and kind of support the legs as you unwind and just for the transition very briefly engage the belly, pick it up, extend the arms out, take a big inhale, exhale cross the ankles, plant the hands, hopper step back, you can take the vinyasa, exhale chaturanga, inhale heart rising, exhale back and pigeon second side, inhale left leg, exhale take it through and down again give it as much support as you need or roll onto your back if you prefer and then inhale lengthen and again exhale just walk the upper body out and down, breathing here for five, four, three, two, nice and easy, inhale walk the upper body back in and up, exhale swing that right leg around again for double pigeon, take the modification you need, feet flexed, holding the knee supporting or inhale rise and exhale fold, eye, four, three, two, three, two, one, and slowly inhale walk it back in and up and you can lift the legs supporting them and from here just nice and easy roll yourself all the way down onto the back and when you arrive hug the knees in towards the chest rocking the body a little side to side, plant the feet, rest the arms alongside the body and we're taking just a simple backbend flow here as you press down through the feet inhale lift the hips scoop the tailbone and reach the arms up and over take a breath here stay for your inhale and then exhale let everything melt back down arms alongside the body hips back to the earth and then again inhale reach up and over exhale melt it down inhale reach up and over and exhale melt it down totally up to you you can stay with this flow or you can reach the arms up and over and keep them there or if you feel for full or on your awesome to plant the hands lift the hips and press all the way up more breathe whatever you've chosen just stay with it for five four three two and then release coming all the way down let's meet in Supta Baddha Konasana soles of the feet together knees out to the side hand to heart hand to belly close the eyes just three two and then draw the knees together hug your legs in towards the chest nice simple twist drop the knees to the right reach the left arm out to the left heavy through that left shoulder breathing here for three two if you took really deep backbends and you want to stay in the twist for a little more release feel free otherwise inhale back to center and exhale to the left reaching the right arm out and breathing here for three again give the twisting as long as you like when you're ready inhale back to center once again hug those knees in towards the chest rock yourself a little take happy baby for just a breath or two and then a big inhale exhale let it all go releasing the legs releasing the arms let the whole body you surrender down into a shavasana and as you relax the physical body invite the mind and the heart and the subtle energetic body to relax as well just rest deep breath Exhaling. Exhaling. Exhaling.

Exhaling.