Essential Flow

Welcome, everyone. Thanks for joining me. We're going to start on our backs. So go ahead and lie down. And you're welcome to extend the legs straight out, or you can bend your knees and plant the feet if that feels a little bit better for your low back. Just a personal choice. And then surrender the weight of the body into the earth. Let your eyes close and draw the hands to the belly or the heart wherever they're comfortable. Start to feel the rise and fall of your breath. And expanding with your inhales and releasing with your exhales. We're going to take an Om here. With the hands on the body, we can really feel the vibration of that sound. So exhale, release all the breath out. And then together a big inhale. Om. Consider your intention for your practice. And then gently let the eyes open. And bending the knees, draw the legs in towards the chest.

For now, wrap the arms around and rock the body a little side to side. And then take hold of the feet or the ankles and take a little happy baby. From here, we'll keep the right knee bent as is, and either extend the left leg all the way out and down, or you can bend the knee and plant the foot on the earth. And then just draw the right knee in and down towards the earth saying hello to that right hip. Yeah, if you feel for it, you can start to extend the right leg out. Kind of easing into it. And then with your exhale, go ahead and release that right leg. And again, you can extend it all the way out or you can bend the knee and plant the foot, hugging the left knee in for half happy baby on this side. Take hold, start to draw the knee towards the earth, breathing into that left hip. You're welcome to keep it here or you can extend it all the way out or you can bend the knee and that left hip. You're welcome to keep it here or explore extending a little or a lot. Another breath.

Yeah, and then big inhale and exhale, release that left leg all the way down or bend the knee, plant the foot. Good. Draw both knees back in towards the chest, rock the body a little side to side. And then start to rock yourself a little forward and back, massaging the spine, get some momentum until you're all the way up on your hands and your knees. And a little cat cow. Inhale, lifting the tailbone, the heart, the gaze. Exhale, round, inhale, lift, exhale, round. Once more, inhaling and exhaling. Then inhale, come back to a neutral spine. Keep grounding down through the left hand and with your inhale, take the right arm out and up. As you exhale, you'll thread it under, but not all the way down yet. Inhale, reach it back up. Exhale, thread it under, inhale up and this time exhale all the way through and down, come to the back of that right shoulder and then it's your choice. You can press down through the left hand, kind of guiding yourself deeper into the twist. You can walk it out or you can reach that left arm up and even wrap it behind. You choose breathing three and two.

Stay for your inhale and exhale. If the left arm is up, replace the hand to the earth. Inhale, thread the right arm all the way back to the sky and exhale, release both hands down. Take a neutral breath here and then press and root through the right hand and with your inhale, reach the left arm out and up and exhale, thread it under, but not all the way down yet. Inhale, back up and exhale under. Inhale, reach it up. This time go ahead and exhale, thread it all the way through and down and release. Root the right hand or reach it up or wrap it back and breathe here. Three, two, big inhale. If the right arm is up, exhale, root it back down. Inhale, thread the left arm all the way back to the sky and exhale, release. Hands to the earth again, neutral spine. Take a breath and then press and root through the hands. Tuck the toes and lift yourself all the way up and back into downward facing dog. Three breaths here, long spine. Just easing into it, awakening the back body.

Good. And then slowly with your inhale, just start to walk the feet forward towards the front of the mat and finding Uttanasana, easy forward fold and release down into it for a moment. And give this two more breaths, really soft through the neck, letting it all go. And then soft bend in the knees, inhale, rolling all the way up. And with your exhale, let the shoulders release down the back, step the feet together, hands to prayer at the heart. Big inhale, ground through the feet with your exhale and just one Surya A. Inhale, reach out and up, exhaling bow out and down. Inhale halfway, exhale, hop or step back and lower knees or chaturanga. Inhale, lifting the heart and exhale, take it all the way back, downward facing dog.

Take one breath in your down dog and then just finding a little fluidity through the body, through the spine. Let your inhale ripple you forward into plank pose. Lift from the center, exhale back into downward facing, leading with that heart. Inhale again, rolling forward. Exhale, floating back. Yeah, one more inhale, rippling out. And exhale, floating back. Nice. This time as you inhale, take it forward into your plank pose and exhale, root that right hand, step the feet together, spend the outer edge of the right foot, stack the feet and lift into Vasisthasana side plank. You're free to release the left knee to the earth or the left forearm, gazing down or up towards the left fingertips, holding three, two. Then with the exhale, release and switch directly to the second side. So grounding through that left hand, spin at the outer edge of the left foot and send the right arm up to the sky, gazing down or up past the fingertips, strong through the center, sail the hips to the sky, three, two. Exhale, returning to your plank pose. Stay right there, big inhale. Exhale, press straight back into your downward facing dog. Take a big inhale. Exhale, release it. And then hop or step the feet back to the front of the mat. Inhale, lengthen and exhale, full, strong center, flat back. Inhale, rise all the way up and exhale, hands to prayer, heart center. Surinamaskara B, bending the knees. Inhale, reach Utkatasana. Exhaling, bow out and down. Inhale halfway and exhale, hop or step back, lower knees or Chaturanga. Inhale, lifting the heart. Exhale, downward facing dog. Inhale, right leg to the sky. Exhale, step it forward, ground the back heel and inhale, warrior one, Virabhadrasana A. Holding steady, five, four, three, two. With your exhale, releasing hands to the earth, step back, knees are Chaturanga. Inhale, lift the heart. Exhale, down dog, left leg to the sky. Inhale, exhale, step it forward, grounding the back heel. Inhale, warrior one, second side, rise and hold, five, four, three, two. With your exhale, release hands to the earth, step back, knees or Chaturanga. Inhale, lift the heart and exhale, downward facing dog, pausing here, breathing for three, two. Good. We're just going to link that together, building the pace. Slow it down if you need to and rest if you feel for it. And inhale, lift the right leg up. Exhale, step it forward, ground the back heel. One inhale, lifts you up, warrior one, and one exhale, hands to the earth, step back and lower.

Inhale, lift the heart. Exhale, downward facing, left leg, inhale up. Exhale, float it forward, ground the back heel. Inhale, rise. Exhale, release, step back, lower knees or Chaturanga. Inhale, lift the heart. Exhale, press it all the way back, downward facing. Once again, each side, inhale, right leg up. Exhale, float it forward, ground the back heel, warrior one. Inhale, reach it up. Exhale, release, hands to the earth, step back, lower knees or Chaturanga. Inhale, lift the heart. Exhale, press it back, downward facing, left leg, inhale. Step it forward, root the back heel. Inhale, warrior one. Exhale, hands to the earth, step back and lower. Inhale, lifting the heart. Exhale, press it all the way back, downward facing up. Take a grounding breath or two here.

Feel the heat rising in the body, the breath deepening. And then again, we'll inhale, take it forward into plank pose and root the right hand, spin to the outer edge of the right foot for Vasisthasana. If you're newer to this pose or you just want to keep it simple today, feel free. If you want to start experimenting, you can draw the left foot in a tree pose or you might take hold of that left big toe with the left hand and start to rise through the left leg. Press through the right hand, reach it open and breathe, three, two, exhaling, release, and shift to the other side. Ground your left hand, spin to the outer edge of that left foot. And again, you can stay right here, keep the classic pose. You can take the right foot in a tree or you can find that big toe and start to lengthen the leg to the sky, three, two, and release. Come into plank, big inhale. Exhale, press it straight back and downward facing dog. Take a breath. From here, inhale, reach that right leg up and as you exhale, simply step it forward into a low lunge. If you want to pad the back knee, feel free. Start simply the hands on that front thigh. Just start to ease the hips forward as you lift the belly in and up, tall through the spine, soft through the shoulders. Welcome to keep the hands there, grounding, or inhale, reach it up.

And three, two, exhaling, release, hands to the earth. You can draw the hips back and just pause in Arda Hanumanasana or start to extend that right leg out, moving in towards full Hanuman. Doesn't have to be all the way down, just an exploration. If you have a block, you can slide it underneath that right thigh, easing into it. Use your breath. Five, four, three, two, and then the legs extend to draw it back in. If you're in Arda, ease the hips forward and then a little release. Just ease the upper body down, soft through the neck, breathing into any resistance. Three, two, okay. With your inhale, walk it back in and up. Exhale, hands either side of that front foot. Tuck your back toes, lift that knee. As you inhale, sail the right leg back to the sky. Give the hip a moment here. Just kind of shake it out, circle it around, soft through the neck, and then return to down dog. Left leg, inhale, reach it up and exhale, float it forward, low lunge, pad the back knee if you'd like. Start simply with the hands on that front thigh and ease the hips forward, breathing into the right hip flexors. Good. Keep the hands there or inhale, reach up. Three, two. With your exhale, let the hands float down. Again, it's your choice. You can draw the hips back for Arda or you can start to slide that leg out for full Hanumanasana. Go slowly, take a block under the left thigh if you'd like, and breathe. Five, four, three, two, and gently draw the leg back in or ease the hips forward. And let's meet hands inside of the front foot, melt the upper body towards the earth, and release down. And just three, two. Okay, inhale, walk the upper body back in and up, exhale, hands either side of that front foot, tuck your back toes, lift that knee, lift from the center, inhale, left leg back to the sky, exhale, open the hip, just kind of shake it out, whatever you need, and return to your downward facing. Take a breath. All right, and here we go. Inhale, right leg to the sky, exhale, open the hip and the knee. Inhale, back up. And with the exhale, step it forward, root the back heel, warrior two, inhale, reach it up. Breathing here, three, two. Okay, with your inhale, simply lengthen the right leg and with your exhale, reach out and then down for triangle pose. Place the right hand on the earth, ankle, block, whatever you need. Reach the left arm up and enjoy your choice. Keep it right here or some circles through the shoulders. So reach the left arm forward and then let it fall in front of the body. Inhale, reach it back and up, exhale, forward and down. Again, this direction. Inhale, back and up, exhale, forward and down, and then sway a little at the bottom and inhale, reach forward and up. Exhale, back and down, sending breath and energy into the shoulders. Again, inhale and exhale once more. This direction, inhale and exhale. This time, inhale, reach it all the way up and with that wide open shoulder, exhale, wrap the left arm behind the back, find the hip crease or the sacrum, roll that left shoulder open and turn the gaze to the earth. Ease the back foot in, artichandrasana. If you want to use a block, feel free. Plant that right hand out and float the left leg up. So many options. You might stay right where you are. You might take left hand to the hip or arm to the sky or if you feel really steady, you might explore tapasana, left hand holding left foot and then just start to open through the heart as the leg reaches back. Three, two, okay. If you have the foot, we'll let it go gently. Keep the leg lifted, but release the left hand down to the earth and then even out through the hip. So the left toes are pointing down.

Take a little micro bend in that right knee and then plant through the left hand, earth or block, take the right hand to the hip, pull that right hip back as you reach the heart out and then take the right arm up for twisting half moon. Do what you can. Breathing three, two, stay here. Big inhale. Keep the left leg lifted. Exhale, release the right hand down. Then inhale, reach out through the back heel and the heart and exhale. Step that left foot back. Two, three, four feet. Grounding through the feet. Inhale, just halfway up. Lift the belly to the spine. Exhale, hands to the hips. Press through the right foot. Inhale, rise all the way up. Exhale, ground. Then inhale, take the arms to the sky. And with the exhale, reach back. You can come either into reverse prayer. You can just hold your wrists or your elbows. Okay. And then once you found that, press down through the base of that right big toe. Inhale, lift up through your heart and exhale, fold forward. Good. Breathing into it.

Parjvatanasana, pyramid pose, three. Gazing at the big toe or up towards the navel. Two. And then we'll stay here. We're just releasing the hands down to the earth. Grab blocks if you'd like. Inhale, extend. Exhale, fold. You choose. Keep what you've got or moving into twisting triangle slowly, mindfully. Left hand, inner or outer edge of the front foot or plant it right on the foot itself. Grab blocks if you'd like. Take the right hand to the right hip and hook the thumb in the hip crease. Draw it back. As the hip goes back, send the heart out. Feel that length you're getting just in that slight adjustment. Then spiral open into your twist. Right arm up to the sky.

Yes. Holding steady. Three. Two. With the exhale, releasing that right hand back down. And then just ease the left foot back a little bit. And inhale, take your right leg back to the sky. You can shake it out. You can circle it around and then release. Nice work. Take a breath or two here. Inhale, left leg to the sky. Exhale, open the hip. Inhale, back up. Exhale, step it forward. Ground the back heel. Right arm opens you. Inhale, warrior two. Just easing down into it. Three. Two.

Inhale, lengthen the left leg. And exhale, reach out and down. Trikonasana, second side. Extending the right arm to the sky. Opening through the chest. And again, you're welcome to stay here or breathing into the shoulder. Extend the right arm forward and let it fall in front of the body. Inhale, reach it back and up. Exhale, forward and down. Inhale, back and up. Exhale, forward and down. Let it sway at the bottom and shift directions. Inhale, forward and up. Exhale, back and down. Inhale, reach. Exhale, back once again. Inhale. And exhale. This time, inhale, reach it up. And as you exhale, wrap it behind the back. Find the hip crease. Roll that heart and right shoulder open. Turn the gaze to the earth.

Ease the back foot in and start to rise. Ardachandrasana, second side. Plant the left hand on the earth or grab a block. And steady gaze. Keep it here or take the right hand to the right hip, arm to the sky. Or if you feel steady, invite chapasana. Holding that right foot, extending out. Three, two. If you're in chapasana, slowly release the foot. Keep that right leg lifted, release the right hand down and then neutral through the hips so the right toes point towards the earth. Pause here. Take a really slight bend in that left knee. Keep grounding through the right hand. Take your left hand to the left hip and then slowly lengthen out through the heart and the back heel and start to rise the left arm to the sky for twisting half moon. Do what you can. Breathing, three, two, and then exhaling. Release the hand down. Pause before you lower the leg. Inhale, extend through heart and back heel and then exhale. Step that right foot back, two, three, four feet. Hands on the earth or blocks. Inhale, halfway. Exhale, hands to the hips. Ground through the feet. Inhale, all the way up. Exhale, root. And then inhale, take the arms to the sky. And exhale, reach it back again. You can come to reverse prayer or simply hold opposite wrists or elbows. Then ground through that left foot. Inhale, reach through the heart and exhale, fold over the left leg. Three, two, two, and stay in your fold. Just release your arms to the earth. Inhale to lengthen, exhale to release. You two stay right where you are or root the right hand, inner or outer edge of that front foot or even on the foot itself, which can be really stabilizing. Begin by drawing the left thumb into that left hip crease and drawing it back. As the hip goes back, the heart extends out. And from there, complete the spiral by drawing that left arm up towards the sky for twisting triangle. Breathing three, two, and exhale, releasing the hand back to the earth.

And inhale, just lengthen, exhale, release, soft through the neck, ground the hands, step the right foot a little farther back, step the left foot back to meet it, shake it out a little bit, downward facing dog. Good. Take a breath here, home to your center and your intention. And here we go with a little Vasisthasana grand finale. Just explore, do what you can, let the rest go. Inhale, we'll take the right leg to the sky. And then exhale, draw the knee in towards the nose. See the space between left hand and left foot and extend that right leg through it as you kind of drop the hips to the right. Okay, so maybe this is it. Feel free to stay right there. Maybe you pick up that right leg, take hold of the outer edge of the foot with the left hand and start to extend the lay towards the front of the mat as you roll, roll, roll, roll, roll open. Yes, three, two, try not to let that right leg touch the earth as you bend the knee, draw it back in towards the body, reach it up into your down dog, right leg in the air. And exhale, release, let it go. Take a breath. See how the second side feels. Inhale, left leg up. Exhale, take the knee to the nose and then extend that left leg through the right hand, right foot as you kind of swing the hips towards the left and ground the right heel. Keep it here, right arm up, or take the outer edge of that left foot with your right hand and begin to extend all the way out. Roll it open, breathe three, two, and then draw the leg back in towards the body, plant the right hand, take it all the way back up into down dog, leg to the sky and shake it out, let it go.

Downward facing dog, big inhale, open the mouth, exhale, and give the body a moment here. And breathing three, two. All right, keep this nice and simple. As you exhale, just release the knees to the earth, cross the ankles and come all the way through to sit for Upavishta Konasana, wide angle pose. So if the back body is really tight, feel free to prop up the sit bones, the blanket at any height. We want the legs wide enough so that you feel the opening through the inner thighs, but not so much that you're suffering. Find that middle path and then start with the hands behind, plant through the fingertips and rise through the heart. Legs are awake, spine is tall. If this is your edge, beautiful, stay right there. If you'd like, start to walk the hands forward. And when you feel like you're at your edge in that forward fold, you're going to plant the hands on the earth and kind of pull the earth towards you to grow the spine. And then you can settle a little deeper, just finding your own edge for five, four, three, two. Inhale, walk yourself all the way back in and up. Exhale ground. And then just inhale, take the arms up. Exhale, ease to the right, reach the left arm up and over. Keep it simple. Three, two, one. Inhale, rise. Exhale to the left, reaching up and over. It doesn't have to be maxed out. Just kind of saying hello again to the side body. Three, two. And then inhaling, rise. As you exhale, let the arms release down. So after all of that hip opening and leg extending, we're going to balance it by drawing it in with Gomukhasana, right knee over the left. If this, however, does not feel appropriate in your body, doesn't work for your knees, or you're just not ready to close in, you can encounter with a simple Baddha Konasana, upright or folding. So take what you're in the mood for. When you find that Gomukhasana, just nestle down into it, rest the hands. And you can stay right there or inhale, rise. And exhale, fold, letting the back round and letting the head fall. So that connective tissue from the back of the skull, all the way down the length of the spine to the top of the hips, gets a really sweet opening. And yeah, five, drawing the energy back into your center, four, three, two, and then if you're in the fold, slowly inhale, just walk it back in and up.

If you're in Baddha Konasana, you can stay there, just keep deepening Gomukhasana, unwind, and simply switch so that the left leg is on top. Again, you want to kind of wiggle around until you feel you're pretty dialed in, no pain in the knees. So if you're experiencing that, come out of it, take the variation. Pause or inhale, rise. And exhale, fold. Again, go ahead and let the back round and the head fall. Breathing, five, four, three, two. And if you're in the fold, inhale slowly, walk it back in and up. Exhale, just rest the hands, grounding for a breath. And then supporting the legs as you unwind and make your way all the way down onto your back.

When you arrive, hug your legs in towards your chest, rock a little side to side, and then plant the feet on the earth, give them a little space, resting the arms out a little, and then just a gentle kind of windshield wiper through the legs. Twisting gently from side to side to release a little through the low back, letting all of that energy you've cultivated sort of to kind of settle and integrate and integrate again to the left. And then to center this time, let the knees fall to the right and just pause. Three, two, two, and inhale, center. Exhale, left and pause. Three, two, inhale, come on back. And then drawing the legs in, you can take just a soft cross of the ankles, wrap the arms around, and draw the forehead up towards the knees, curling the body into a little ball of energy, tucking it all in. Pause for a moment. Yeah, give yourself a lot of love, big hug, big inhale, and exhale, complete surrender into your final rest, shavasana. Legs roll open, arms rest, eyes closed, always free to support your shavasana if you'd like, and then let it go, gently inhaling through the nose and out through the mouth. Resting body, mind, heart, and subtle energetic body.

Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay.

Do you have time and space and you'd like to stay in shavasana, please do so. Let's soak in. When you're ready, deepen the breath, inhale, extend the arms, exhale, bend the knees, roll yourself to either side, and let's meet in a comfortable seat for just a moment of meditation. Prop yourself, if you'd like, rest the hands up or down on the knees, let the eyes close and let the awareness settle on the breath. Each inhale, each exhale, letting the rest go. And we keep the eyes closed, gently draw the hands to prayer at the heart center, exhale all the breath out. Together a big inhale, gently inhaling and a soft bow forward with your exhale. Namaste. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Enjoy.