Cleansing Flow

Hi there and welcome back to the mat. Today we have a cleansing practice together. Now I do hope that you get that cleansing feeling, that ringing out, that a good flow practice can bring, but I also hope that you enjoy the balances and the other yoga techniques that are in this practice so that you can cleanse your mind as well. Let's begin. We're going to come to child's pose.

If you can, keep your knees together today if that doesn't bother your knees in a more traditional child's pose, but reach your hands forward, breathing in, sigh it out. Again breathe in, let it go, walking your hands now forward and a little to the right. If you were a clock, you'd be reaching to two o'clock, breathing in, breathing out, breath in, breath out, walking the hands to center, investigating second side. Really reach as you sit your right hip back, breathing in, breathing out, again breath in, big dramatic sigh, walking to center and coming to tabletop, hands and knees. Knees can separate here and the toes can tuck.

We'll take a cow pose, swaying, looking up, exhale, rounding in, puffing up the back for the cat, inhale, exhale, exhale, exhale, exhale, exhale, exhale, exhale, exhale, exhale, exhale, exhale, adding the right leg now extend, exhale, knee to nose, get small, inhale, leg out, exhale, knee to nose, inhale, right leg out, this time knee towards upper left arm initiating a twist, inhale right leg out, take that twist, inhale right leg out, brief moment with the ball of the foot down, extending through the right leg and then find all fours. Bring your left arm up, maybe take a few circles of the wrist there and then thread the needle coming to the left shoulder and the side of the head, try to keep the hips square and play with bringing the right arm up, right hand can be free, articulating through those fingers, breathing in and breathing out, breathing in and then find your tabletop again, a few cows inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale, inhale, extend left leg, knee to nose, left leg out, knee to nose, left leg extends, twisting now, knee towards upper right arm, leg comes out, knee to upper right arm, extend left leg, place the ball of the left foot down and press a little bit, warming up the back of the leg, tabletop, bring the right hand up and on your next exhale thread it through, coming to the side of the head, the side of the shoulder, left hand can reach now and maybe a little more wrist warm up if that feels good, breathing in and breathing out, breathing in, hands and knees, walk your hands forward and tuck your toes for your first down dog, take that dog for a walk, bending one knee and then the other as you breathe in and breathe out, inhaling, lifting both heels, bending knees looking forward and taking a walk to the front of your mat, Uttanasana, forward fold, inhale to flat back, exhale, forward fold, let's rise, reaching arms overhead and tap that prayer to your heart, inhale, Urdhva Hastasana, hands overhead, exhale, Uttanasana and forward fold, take a flat back and step your left foot back to a low lunge, bring the right arm up, low lunge twist and try to stack those shoulders, on the inhale extend your right leg a little or a lot and exhale, bend, three more, try to keep the integrity in the twist, inhaling bringing the right hand down, tapping the back knee down and pulling the right toes back to you in this half Hanuman, walk your hands over to two o'clock, you might bend the right knee and you might even start to spin to the outer blade of the right foot, it's intense, breathe on, then walk your hands back to the middle, bend that right knee and step your way back to downward facing dog, inhale roll forward to plank pose and then lower your knees, your chest right between your thumbs and your chin will tap down too, inhale slide forward to cobra and we're going to flow this tapping chin or nose down, inhale lift up, exhale take it down, inhale lift up, play with no hands, a little pressure on the belly and a cleansing practice is a good idea here, then let's take it back downward facing dog, feel free to bend your knees this early in the practice, breathing in and breathing out, inhale raise heels, bend knees option to step or even float the feet between the hands, flat back, exhale forward fold, rise, reach your arms up, exhale hands find prayer, side inhale arms overhead, exhale forward fold, half lift and the right foot steps, bring the left hand up, find that twist, inhale lengthen your left leg a little or a lot and exhale bend, three more, opening up that outer hamstring, bring the left hand down, right knee down, lengthen left leg and pull those toes towards the nose and then find your personal ten o'clock maybe spinning towards the outer blade, totally find the bend that left knee as we get into IT band and glutes, breathing in, breathing out, take it back through center, step back downward facing dog, inhale plank posture, vinyasa push off the toes feel free to add that chaturanga, inhale upward facing and back to downward facing dog, breathing in and breathing out, breathing in, breathing out, inhale raise heels, bend knees look step or float your feet forward, inhale flat back, exhale forward fold, inhale rise, reach arms overhead, exhale prayer to the heart, drawing your low belly in, sit low into chair, graze the floor and inhale swing your arms up, let's twist hands to prayer, twist to the right elbow outside the knee, press the top hand into the bottom and look towards the sky getting around yourself, inhale, exhale seat a little lower, inhale right shoulder blade back a little bit, inhale back to chair, stay low, exhale hands to prayer, twist to the left, pressing top hand into bottom and looking past left shoulder, breathing in, drop your seat a little bit, breathing in, left shoulder scoops on the back, inhale back to chair pose, exhale forward fold, vinyasa your way, you could step or float right into chaturanga if you prefer, inhale upward facing dog, downward facing dog, breathing in, breathing out, inhale right leg lifts high, exhale high lunge, right foot over to the right thumb so you have some space for balance, bringing your arms up, you can bend that back knee just a smidge, keep the hips square, breathing in, breathing out, breathing in, open twist to the right, my right arm reaches back and you'll notice that I'm bending my left knee, the more you bend that left knee the more heat and activity you bring to that back leg, everybody breathe in and breathe out, inhale back to high lunge and stay, inhale lengthen front leg, warrior two, settle that back heel down, adjust your feet as you prefer, breathing in, breathing out, keep scooping in low belly, putting on the armor in your warrior two, breathing in, breathe out, flip that front palm to that peaceful warrior, breathing in, breath out, breathing in, exhale cartwheel hands all the way down to the mat and spin that back heel off the mat, inhale down dog split right leg lifts, exhale plank take the twist, knee towards upper left arm as high as you can go, inhale right leg up, vinyasa, feel free to keep the right foot up or lower it as you prefer, inhale traditional up dog, exhale back to downward facing dog, breathing in, breathing out, inhale left leg lifts, exhale low lunge left foot close to the left thumb, inhale rise up, you might soften that back knee just a smidge to focus on keeping those hips square, breathing in, breathing out, breathing in, let's twist, left hand goes back, the back knee bends, maybe a little lower, building some heat, dry your low belly in, breathing in and breathing out, inhale high lunge, stay for exhale, inhale lengthen front leg, exhale warrior two, first time through we hold, draw the low belly in, get bold in that warrior sinking that left leg parallel to the earth, breathing in and breathing out, find a place that is heating, it's heat that's cleansing, next exhale flip your front palm and tip back peaceful warrior, breathing in, breathing out, breathing in, hands to the mat, left leg lifts, exhale plank take that twist left knee to upper right arm maybe knee a little higher, inhale left leg lifts, vinyasa option to keep that foot up for your chaturanga, inhale upward facing, exhale downward facing dog, we're gonna flow, take a breath in, breath out, same shapes right leg lifts, exhale step forward low lunge, inhale high lunge, open twist to right, inhale high lunge and lengthen your front leg, exhale flow through warrior two, inhale peaceful warrior, exhale hands to the mat, inhale right leg lifts, exhale plank knee to upper left arm, inhale right leg up, vinyasa your way, you can always lower the foot, we're gonna meet in down dog, inhale left leg lifts, exhale low lunge, inhale high lunge, exhale twist to left, inhale high lunge and lengthen front leg, exhale warrior two, inhale peaceful warrior, exhale hands to the mat, inhale left leg lifts, exhale plank knee to upper right arm, inhale left leg high, exhale plank or three legged, take an inhale and then take that vinyasa, inhale upward facing, exhale downward facing dog adding on now guys, inhale right leg lifts, exhale low lunge, make it a high lunge, exhale twist to right, inhale high lunge, exhale hands to prayer, low abs in, gaze forward of your mat and lift that back leg to warrior three, breathing in, breathing out, breathing in, breathing out, if you got the strength you can bring those arms forward and softly bend the right knee coming back to high lunge, inhale lengthen front leg, exhale warrior two, inhale peaceful warrior, this time straighten your right leg and cheat that back foot in for a triangle pose, right hand to the shin, left arm comes up or maybe hand to the earth or to the big toe, breathing in, breathing out, find that subtle twist, breathing in and breathing out, one more breath, take it back warrior two, breathing in, exhale hands to mat, inhale right leg lifts, exhale knee to upper left arm, fall in triangle, push that foot through, lift your left hand and take up some space, breathing in, breathing out advanced variations that floating fall in triangle with the right heel up, one more breath, thread it through three-legged plank, vinyasa, up dog, downward facing dog, lift left leg up, exhale low lunge, inhale high lunge, exhale twist to left, inhale back to high lunge, hands to prayer and angle forward, get that gaze point, slide the right foot in warrior three, breathing in, breathing out, breathing in, breathing out, option to extend the arms, softly back high lunge, lengthen the front leg, exhale warrior two, peaceful warrior, exhale lengthen your front leg, heel toe the back foot in for an equilateral triangle pose, hand to the shin to begin and over time hand to the earth, twist towards the sky subtly, breathing in, breathing out, breathing in, breathing out, breathing in, back to warrior two, inhale exhale carte roll those hands down to the earth, inhale lift left leg up, plank knee to upper right arm, fall in triangle, sliding the foot across, reaching right arm up, option to draw the left leg back a little bit and float that left heel, one more breath in, take it through three-legged plank, exhale vinyasa, there's an up dog, there's a down dog, catch your breath, breathing in, breathing out, raise the heels, bend the knees, look past your hands and pause, the secret to cultivating this jump through is crossing your shins as you hop, look forward and cross those shins and come to sit, bring your legs out in front of you, dandasana pose, just finding the earth, catching up with your breath, then bend that right knee and draw your right heel in nice and snug, breathing in, breathing out, identify your left hand and bring your left hand over the top of the right foot for a stir up grip, right where your shoelaces would be, inhale reach your right arm up, kick through that right leg, opening up, send the gaze far past your right thumb and try to sit equally on your sit bones, breathing in, breathing out, for more of an outer leg stretch you might bring that leg across the midline for a moment, breathing in, breathing out, inhale right arm up, face forward, roll back, consider the twisted boat powering up from the abs and bringing that left leg up, breathing in, boat pose everybody, you can always bend the knees, you can always hold on to the back of the thighs, you'll still be in boat, drawing those bellies in, getting the benefits of this flow, inhale we're down, half boat, exhale we're up, inhale, exhale, two more, consider keeping the legs straight, if it's working out for you, consider keeping the arms straight and then rest, bring the heels in, maybe a little back bend and send your legs forward, breath in, breath out, bring your left heel in, nice and snug, you want that gentle pressure on your abdomen, now find the right hand and take it over the left foot, stir up grip, inhale left arm comes up, kick through that left leg and twist, breathing in, breathing out, send that gaze point past your left thumb, you have the option of going a little deeper in the stretch, angling the left foot towards the right, next inhale lift your left arm up, send your gaze forward, twisted boat, you might lean back from the belly, bring the right foot up with the left, we have another boat flow rowing together, I'm going to try the arms straight, we'll see how it goes, inhale take it down, exhale bring it up, inhale down, exhale up, inhale down, exhale up one more, inhale down, exhale up and you're done with those, put your feet down, for alter pose place your hands behind you and turn your left fingertips to the left and your right fingertips to the right, that way you can snuggle your shoulder blades on your back and open up your chest, we're going to lift up to alter and keep your chin tucked for me right now, the option here is the cleansing breath of bestrika, the bellows breath, it's short sharp inhalations and exhalations through the nose, you should see your belly bounce, like so, that's the idea, join in any time, feel free to let your head go if it feels good, sixteen more, set your hips down, cross your legs, moment of observation, see if you can catch that natural energy that comes with the cleansing breath, back to our feet now for the final standing flow, if you've got to jump through do it, I'm going to bring my hands forward and try to shoot those feet back chaturanga, inhale upward facing, exhale downward facing dog, breathing in and breathing out, now walk your hands back to your feet and you'll be standing at the back of your mat, take a flat back, exhale forward fold, inhale rise, reach those arms up, tap the hands to prayer, bring the big toes together now and zip up your inner legs, hug your low belly in, breathing in, breathing out, you want to find a gaze point at first that you can rely on, it's going to be there for you at horizon level or just above and then hug in your right knee, snuggle it in massaging low belly, left hand over the foot, stir up grip, if this is not in your practice today you can always hold on to the knee for the twist otherwise we've got the outer blade of the foot, inhale right arm lifts, kick through, peel open, get around yourself, breathing in and breathing out, breathing in, breathing out, inhale right arm comes up, gazes forward, left arm comes up, right leg stays up, big step to the middle of your mat, revisit warrior three with your arms forward in a T, breathing in, breathing out, breathing in, standing split everybody, put those hands down, lift the left leg up, surrender your head, breathing in and breath out, place the left foot right alongside your right, come into tip toe pose, bringing your hips all the way back to your heels and I'm going to turn so that you can see me, we're taking our side curl practice, now first reach your right fingertips over to the right, both sets of fingertips, it's that same two o'clock on your internal clock, breathing in, breathing out, keep walking until you're at a right angle and you can stay using that left elbow to guide the knee back for a deep abdominal cleanse or lift your seat, bend the elbows back like chaturanga, look forward, tip forward and those feet can lift, if you have any signature dance moves like lengthening the legs feel free to take them, otherwise this is a great place to stay, build your confidence, wean yourself away from using that right elbow and then place the feet down, forward fold, shake it out and then spin to face the front of your mat if you're somewhere else and separate your feet hips distance for a moment in a forward fold at the middle of your mat, inhale flat back, fold in again, rise, reach arms up and then place hands to the back of your sacrum where jean pockets would be, soft little bend in the knees and take a counter stretch across the front of your hips, nice easy extension, let's collect our feet together again in mountain, the hands in prayer, low belly in, collect your thoughts by finding that reliable gaze point your rishi, hug the right knee in, snuggle it in, of course you can continue to hold on to the knee for this twist or right hand over the left foot, inhale left arm lifts, kick through and twist, inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale, inhale, left arm up facing forward, right arm up, left leg up, big step, warrior three, reach those arms forward like a T, you're at the front of your mat, breathing in, breathing out, breathing in, breathing out, breathing in, standing split, surrender the head, lift the right leg, letting go, any tension in the neck or face, exhale, inhale, standing forward fold, right foot meets the left, tip to pose, bending deeply, hips all the way to the heels, you're going to walk your hands forward to ten o'clock, I'm going to stay facing this way to give you a better view, but what you really need to know is that we're going to the left, breathing in, breathing out, of course you're welcome to stay and use your elbow grease to get a little deeper into the digestive twist here, otherwise great time to be free of that second elbow everybody, you're going to lift your hips, bend your elbows back and send your gaze forward or to the right, tip forward until the feet become light and they want to come off the ground, I'd say stay here side crow, stay small or if you want to lengthen the legs, your call, breathing in, breathing out, breathing in and land that crow, walk your hands to the front of the mat, you're going to tip to pose towards the front of the mat and we're going to take our knees out left and right, this is garland pose, walk your hands forward, do your best to drop your heels low, surrender your head, letting go, we'll walk our hands back now and take the hips back to the mat, place the soles of the feet together and draw your heels in close to your root, walk your hands forward, bound angle pose, letting some size out your mouth, head is head if he, letting go, slowly walk your way back up right and swing your left leg around keeping the left knee bent, now if you have a block it can be useful for this next little sequence, we're focusing on this bottom leg, keeping this right leg in a right angle, with the right shin parallel to the front edge of the mat and the flexed foot parallel to the outer seam of the mat, then I'll turn towards that ten o'clock to the left and it's as if I'm trying to hook my ribs over that flexed right foot, getting deep into the hips, cleansing that deep joint, now if you're coming low you can also find your block and place your block lengthwise with one edge of your block on your mat and the other is using your shin as a shelf, then tuck your back set of toes, lift the hips using your hands to reorganize in a more traditional pigeon and now you're hooking the ribs up and over your block, block is pressing into the belly and organizing that right leg and hip into a deep hip opener, breathing in, maybe a sigh out, breathing in, breathing out, breath in, breath out, walk your way upright, keep the integrity now in that right leg and swing your left leg around for double pigeon practice, keeping both feet flexed, we know that this bottom leg is alright, it's just that the top leg might need a little help, that's what the equipment's for, placing a block underneath the left knee perhaps or I find that tipping forward might bring that knee closer to home, breathing in here, breathing out, you can take it into the twist over to two o'clock on the right or you can investigate how the elbow is made quite nicely for the cup of the instep taking your prayer twist, breathing in, breathing out, breathing in, breathe out, unwind, take your legs out in front of you, get a little floppy there and then let's look at second side, swing your right leg back, right knee stays bent and really dial into the integrity in this left leg, left shin parallel with front edge of mat, left foot is flexed and keen there on the front corner of the mat, you're going to turn first over to the right again, imagine that you could hook your ribs over that flexed foot, alternatively if you have some space you're using a block, one edge will be on your mat and the other will be perched on the shelf of the left shin, you'll need to tuck the toes and reorganize those hips and then lift your ribs up and over that block, go ahead, keep your belly soft here, allow the head to surrender and make a shell for the hands, breathing in, breathing out, breathing in, one more, let it go, walking your way upright, roll to your left seat, keep that integrity in the left leg, it's going to be our bottom leg now and try to get literal with it, ankle really to knee, the equipment's there to help you to bring the knee to the foot and I also find tipping forward can bring that right knee home, walking the hands over to the left or if the foot is there for you, get curious about this sacred geometry, the elbow into the instep, getting around yourself once more, let's unwind, bring the legs out in front of you, just a little floppy there and take an alter pose, sliding your feet onto the mat, fingertips pointing out so you can open up your chest just a smidge, come on up, that bhastrika if you want it, or just rocking and opening up shoulders and hips, make your way down, all the way down to your back, bridge pose, the block is nearby if you want a supported bridge today, walk your heels in close and touch your fingertips to the heels so that you know you're in the right measurement, begin to press the feet down, lift the hips and walk those shoulder blades underneath you, option to lace your fingers, one more chest and shoulder opener, breathing out, breathing in, breathing out, breath in, breath out, release any lacing, slow the back to the mat and just press your hands onto your thighs, windshield wiper your knees a little left and right, releasing, happy baby, finding the outer blade of the feet and drawing those knees into the armpits, focusing on grounding your low back, this can be soupy, it can be kind of free form, massaging low back, emphasis certainly on the exhale here, and then we'll take an easy back lengthener, watch me if you're unsure, I'm going to bring my legs up and walk my hands up my legs so my seat comes off the mat a little bit, today I'm going to come a little higher here, this is a back massage certainly, so you want to find the place in your back that really needs this love and care, and you can rock across it, but I want to remind you that your lungs are also in your back, breathe into that space, give yourself that internal massage, breathing into the back, you'll settle the whole back and sacrum down onto the mat and then hug your right knee in, massaging your abdomen, easy spinal twist, knee will come across, hips will scoot and you can reach that right arm up and get floppy, then back to center on your back and hugging your left knee, letting the right leg come long, breathing in, knees in, closer in, spinal twist, find that ease, left arm heavy, letting go, now lift your left arm, roll to your side and we're coming up to sit, coming to sit and placing your left hand softly, somewhere on your lap and place your right hand to your belly, all of our Asana's had that core engagement for the most part and now you get to let that belly go, tune in now to the natural pace of the breath, allow your eyes to dim or close entirely even better and as you inhale, say to yourself, let and as you exhale, say to yourself, go, inhale, let, exhale, go, let, go, let, go, two more times, you're invited to stay seated in meditation, repeating this simple mantra, inhale, let, exhale, go or come to rest in Shavasana as I close in a chant for peace. Peace behind me, peace before me, peace within me, haryam. Peace above me, peace below me, peace be with me, haryam. Om Shanti, Shanti, Om Shanti, Shanti, Shanti, Shanti, Shanti, Shanti, Shanti, Shanti, Shanti, peace be with you Feel free to make your way up to sit, placing your right hand to your belly once more, bringing your hands in prayer.

Take this last bit of the chant together, repeating one time after me, Hario, and then we'll home it out. Breathing in, Hario, complete breath, trusting what you've needed to let go, have let go of, breath in, home. Many thanks. Namaste. Namaste.

Namaste.