Day 7: Cultivate Joy

Welcome to Day 7 of our Summer Challenge. I'm so grateful you're here. Today's practice will be a culmination of our previous six days together. Through this work, we'll bloom from the inside out to enjoy ourselves, both in our minds, our breath, and our bodies. This practice helps us take our work off the mat and into the world to really have more fun. Join me on a block or a blanket, or like before, you're welcome to start in a chair if sitting on the floor is challenging. Come to find yourself with your pelvis, the front and the back, really into the earth below you, whatever it is you sit on. And then join me by taking your hands out to a big W. On an inhale, come up to reach, and on an exhale curl in. Then inhale on the curl in, and exhale on the way out. Just like this, we'll inhale to gently close, exhale to come out. Pull the elbows behind you on the exhale, and even look up. Go for five, four, three, two, one. Inhale, hands up overhead, reach your thumbs together, look up, feel up from the belly, the heart, and the mouth. Hold, pop it like a cork. You've arrived. Let's practice. Here, breathe slowly, just for three rounds before we move. Practice moving within yourself, even if your body does not change. One more smooth breath. Very good. Come to hands and knees facing the top of your mat. Use your block again to check the vertical positioning of your legs and of your arms, so that the measure for cats and cows is just right. Press the tops of your feet down, exhale to cow, exhale to cow, exhale to cow, inhale to cat. Stay here are yogi's choice to flip it up, to move it up, to start and go beyond what you think you can do and find more play in the practice. Yoga's not about pretending you're a statue, it's about strutting through life. So go, get out there and have some fun. Three, two, one, good, inhale and exhale. Remember you don't have to go fast, you just have the opportunity to play if you want to. We'll flip the wrists to the back of the mat or you're welcome to come to fingertip. After this amount of time together, yogi's choice. Then again, inhale to cat, exhale, stick it out to cow, inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale. Stay there with that pace or get it going. Extra points if you flip your ponytail across the room. Go for it. Three, two, one, inhale, exhale, child's pose. Hands extend forward, knees widen, hips to heels and breathe. From here, press into your hands and come up to all fours. Plant your hands underneath your shoulders, curl your toes under, stick your butt out like cow and look forward. Keep this engagement in the low belly and low spine. Bend your knees and lift yourself up to a down dog, lengthening in the low back and pressing into the hands. From here, we'll lift our right foot tall to the sky. You can start to lengthen the left leg but don't hyperextend it, give it a gentle bend. Press through the right foot and through both hands.

Then when you're stable and ready, lift the right knee higher and open it up, roll out the ankle. Stretch the leg long on an inhale and exhale, bend it again. Then place it back down to the earth, bend your knees and refind a strong down dog. Look slightly forward. Then press into your right foot, lift your left foot nice and long, roll your left hip forward, bend your right knee slightly and press through the left foot and both hands. Then open up the hip, roll out the ankle, inhale, lengthen the leg, exhale, bend it and then set it back down. Down dog. From here, look forward, step one foot and then the other to the top of your mat. Inhale, find a halfway lift. Good. Exhale and fold. One more. Inhale, halfway lift. Exhale and fold. Press your hands into the mat, step one foot back and then the other. Down dog. There is some joy that comes from moments where you get to step beyond what you think you can do and surprise yourself. Try this here. There's always a way to modify by taking the knee to the ground or skipping the windshield. You'll know what I mean in a moment. Inhale your right leg high, then exhale, take your right knee to your right tricep, high lunge. Take your right knee to your left tricep, then back over to your right, then inhale the right leg high. Exhale, set it down. Good. It's a little funny when it sneaks up on you, but that's good. Inhale the left heel high, exhale the left knee to the left tricep, take it across to the right, then back to the left and up in the air. Down dog. Your belly should be on now. Inhale, look forward to a high plank and exhale to a down dog. Try some more. Inhale, high plank. Good. Exhale, down dog. Strong belly. Inhale, high plank. Exhale, down dog. Look forward and then step your right foot to the top of your mat. Low lunge. Lower your left knee to the mat. Unduck your left toes and find the right knee in the right armpit. Your strong low lunge. Inhale, hands high, up overhead. Then exhale, grab your left wrist with your right hand. Bend into the front right knee, but also press into the back left knee. Inhale, up and over. Exhale, here. Inhale, hands overhead. Curl your left toes under and on an exhale, press your hands back to an airplane. Use your belly and the strength in your legs. Inhale, hands go high, up overhead. And then exhale to opposite elbow. Inhale, up and over. Side body stretch. And then exhale, release your hands. High lunge. Inhale, open up to warrior two. The first time here. Pause and breathe. Lengthen your hands. Bend into the front right knee. Inhale to extended. Exhale, stay here. Inhale, reverse your warrior. Reach up and back. Keep bending the front right knee. And then exhale, back to your low lunge. Trusty old friends. Inhale, high plank. Press through your hands. Lift your hip. Down dog. Inhale, look forward. Exhale, step your left foot to the top of your mat and lower your right knee to the ground. Uncurl your toes and find a good old low lunge. Feel powerful here. Grounded and safe and supported to rise up beyond your conception of yourself and into a high lunge. Reaching into hope, into the future. And proudly displaying your heart. Take left hand to right wrist and inhale up and over to the side body stretch. Inhale, back to center. And then exhale, curl your right toes under. Lengthen the right leg and press the hands back for airplane. Then inhale, rise up, high lunge. Whoa, shaking is good. Growing is great. Bend to opposite elbow.

Press through the right foot and inhale up and over for the side body stretch. Inhale, back to center. And then exhale to warrior two. Inhale, reach forward, extend it. Exhale to extended side angle. Right hand up overhead, left elbow to left knee. Inhale, reverse warrior reach up and back. And then exhale to a low lunge, top of the mat. Inhale, high plank. Exhale, down dog. Breathe here, three long breaths. Last breath here, big breath in. Full breath out from the top. Inhale, right heel high, down dog kick. Exhale to the right tricep. Inhale to the left tricep. Exhale to the right. Inhale, right leg goes up and back. And then exhale, step it through, low lunge. Lay the left knee on the ground. Inhale, rise up, high lunge. Grab for left wrist, exhale, side body stretch to the right. Inhale, hands overhead. Curl left toes under and exhale, airplane arms. Inhale, high lunge with long legs. And then exhale to opposite elbow and stretch over to the right. Inhale, hands overhead. And then exhale, warrior to open up. Inhale, reach forward. Exhale, extended side angle, left hand overhead. Inhale, reverse warrior, reach up and back. And then exhale to our low lunge. Inhale, high plank rather. Exhale, down dog. Right away, big breath in. Full breath out. Left side, inhale, heel high. Exhale, left knee to left tricep. Inhale, right tricep. Good. Exhale, left tricep. Inhale, left heel high. Exhale, step it through, low lunge. Lay your right knee on the earth. Inhale, rise up with joy. Exhale, grab right wrist and bend over to the left. Inhale, hands overhead. Curl right toes under, exhale, airplane arms. Inhale, high lunge. Grab opposite elbow and exhale over to the left. Inhale, high lunge, hands overhead. Exhale, open up warrior two. Inhale, reach forward. Exhale, extended side angle. Inhale, reverse warrior. Exhale, low lunge. Inhale, high plank. Stay for the exhale. Work here. You've got it. Inhale. Come on, exhale. It's summer. It's the time to do so. Go. Inhale. Good. Exhale, child's pose. Hips move back, hands reach forward, and breathe. Enjoying yourself doesn't mean you have to run to the finish at every opportunity. You can skip, jump, and play on the way there. Try a little, then take it off, then try again.

Part of joy coming out to be joyous in the world includes unraveling your potential and pairing it with capacity. Press into your hands and slowly come up to all fours. Stack your right hand right underneath your right shoulder, step your right foot to the long side of your mat, and your left foot to the back side of your mat, modified side plank. Again, like we have before, inhale the left hand up over your head to lengthen left side body, and then swing it down to the mat on the exhale. Just once more. Inhale, reach up and over, and then exhale. Know that you could stay here and continue to practice this shape, but if you'd like to move on and move forward in your work, press into your right hand, step your right foot back underneath your left, and find a full side plank. Here, lift up to your outer left hip, stretch through your left hand, and lengthen your neck. Find your belly, inhale, reach up overhead, exhale. One more, and then come through a high plank. Use your belly and stay for a breath. Good. And then lower your knees down, second side. Left knee underneath the left hip, left hand to the earth, left shoulder over the left hand, and right foot to the back of your space. Inhale your right hand high. Maybe you even roll out the wrist. Inhale the hand overhead, and then exhale, make a big circle. Two more, warming up the shoulder, finding the openness through the windows of the lungs and the chest. We're also noticing how capable you are to move. Staying here, or adding on side plank.

Left foot underneath the right, reach your right hand high. Lift your outer right hip and stretch long through the side bodies. Right hand can come up overhead. Breathe. Good. And high plank. Inhale here, take a breath, and then exhale, child's pose. From here, take a moment to breathe. Feel your heart rate and your breath recover if it's caught up. And know that part of your joy is learning when you can run, and then how to return to your peace. Being the modulator and the meditator in your own biology, your brain, and your life. Cross through your hands and slowly come up to all fours. We'll come to sit on your bum. Let your right shin come in front of you, facing across the front of your space. Your left knee comes into the sole of your right foot, and your left shin runs back behind you or to the side of you. From here, let's bow over to the left and try to take your right hand as far left as you can. And then turn it out to the right and sit up. Exhale, twist and turn down. Inhale, right and sit up. Then exhale, press your right hand outside of your right hip, and then inhale your left hand up overhead, lengthening long. Good. Stay here for a breath and breathe. Last inhale, reach up. And then exhale, lower your hips to the earth. From here, you can either just turn your knees the other way or set them up so that the shin is at the front of your space, left shin, right in front of you. Right knee into the sole of the left foot. We'll start by turning to the right. Feel a stretch to the left side of the back, and then over to the left. Inhale here. Exhale to the right. Inhale over to the left and plant the left hand behind the left hip. And when you're ready, inhale the right hand up. Stretching the hips forward, pressing into the left hand and lengthening through the right side body. Inhale here in all of your extraordinary powers, and then exhale back to the earth and bring them with you. Good. From here, slowly turn to face the top of your mat and find your blankets. Again, I like to use two blankets. The taller, the better in this case. Over time, you'll get closer to the ground, but there's no need to skip the support. From here, step your right foot over the top of the blankets and lie your right shin across the top of your space for pigeon. You're welcome to tuck the right foot to the left hip. Look back and try to roll the left hip slightly out. From here today, we'll walk the hands forward, bowing the chest towards the earth, but then walk the hands like a tick tock over to the right, reaching to about two o'clock on the clock. Left hip pulling back, left hand reaching forward. Full breath in. Full breath out. Stay here. One more. Be in the work of it. Lying on both sides of the pelvis and breathing through the belly. Then look past the fingertips on the hands and then walk the fingertips through center and over to the left, reaching right hand forward, stretching the right hip back. Maybe your nose comes towards your toes, but that is not the goal here. We are working the right side body open in the right hip. So don't feel like your nose has to touch your toes. Walk yourself back towards center.

If it feels good to you and you could always use a single block between the shin and the pelvis, come up to unfold your pigeon. Sit up nice and tall and breathe. Over time you might make this a bigger posture, but for now this is more than enough. If you'd like, you can fold it slightly and unfold it. And then slowly release the hands. Roll to the outer right hip and move the block if you've used it. Roll onto your bum and swap the legs out. Coming through all fours. Take one cow and cat. Left foot stepping over the blanket here. Walking the left foot to the right. Lowering the left shin down onto the mat. Standing the right knee back. Finding both hips soundly on the blanket. Look back to check the leg so it's not catty wampus, left or right, but instead right over the knee and ankle. From here, walk the hands forward. On this side, start by going left, walking over to about 10 o'clock. Breathing and stretching. Walking the hands through center. Really trying to find the weight on both sides of the pelvis. Looking past the fingertips as you walk over to about two o'clock. You could always take the block underneath your forehead, but see what you can do to hold yourself up in space so that you continue to stretch both the fibers of the body, but also the space for the bones, giving the joints more space. Take a full breath in, and a full breath out. Letting the breath cool us, even though it's a warm time outside. Letting the shapes that even feel like you might drop yourself in a hot cup of tea that after time, you cool down here and you soften in. Walk your hands back to center, and even as the shape changes, find the stability of the pelvis. Maybe using the block against the shin and the front of the pelvis, the center of the pelvis, so you can lift up through the low back. Maybe grabbing hands overhead. Looking forward, looking out into the world. Good, and then release. Move the block. Walk the hands forward. Then walk them back underneath the shoulders. We'll all roll to the outside of the left hip. Slide the blankets out of your way. Thank you, blankets. From here, we'll roll down to the back. From here, keep your low back on the mat, and step your right knee towards your right armpit. Hook your right arm behind your knee, and then do the same with your left. Left knee to left armpit, hook your left hand behind your left knee. From this place, roll out the ankles, lengthen the spine, broaden across the upper back, and find a version of dead bugs. From here, you can do a little rocking left or right, and if it feels more comfortable to grab the tops of the knees and pull a bit wider, you could do this as well. If you prefer a happy baby, you could reach for your feet, but do what you can to keep the low back on the mat. From here, narrow the knees into the midline of the body, and release your feet to the earth. Walk your feet out nice and wide, and then drop your knees over to the left. Pause for a moment where inner right knee falls towards inner left ankle, and then down and inhale, roll through center, knees point towards the ceiling, and then take your knees over to the right. Left inner knee towards inner right ankle, and then again, inhale through center. This time, exhale, pause on the left side, reach your right hand over your head if it feels good, and if it improves your experience, take your left ankle over the outer right knee. But if it doesn't, it's not necessary. Very good. Uncross the left ankle over the right knee, inhale through center, and dip the knees over to the right. Right ankle can cross over left knee, but not necessary. If it doesn't improve the experience, left hand can reach up overhead. Here, enjoy yourself for a moment, feeling the left side body lengthen, and then uncross the right ankle, inhale knees through center, curl your knees into your chest, your hands around your shins, roll up to a gentle squeeze, big breath in, and then exhale final Shavasana. Extend your legs and arms long across the mat. Soften your feet, your knees, your hands, your belly. Find yourself here and nowhere else. See how these series of seven days have sparked a new love of the practice within you, a consistency that grows your consciousness and curates your inner world. Go into yourself here and just breathe to just be nothing else to do. Know that you could stay here as long as you like, basking in joy and breathing slowly.

But if you're ready to go on, start to wiggle your fingers. And then when you're ready, extend your hands up overhead, roll onto your right side and press your way up to sit. Here you'll find your block again, kneel on your knees, take the block between your ankles and come to sit. Even if I don't have time for a full yoga practice, I love this practice of joy, this breath work. So join me in taking your hands over your head and make cups with your hands, turn them towards the sky, extend your arms long, find your pelvis in your feet and then lift up to your heart. From here, we'll take short little inhales and exhales, mostly the exhale though. It'll sound like this. Pull your belly in as you do so. Let's go. Keep working, pulling the breath in, filling your cup and your body with joy. Use the breath to modulate and meditate and mediate to joy. Go, go, go. Five, four, three, two, one, lift up, interlace your thumbs, big breath in. Three sips at the top. Hold and then exhale, let it go. Hands to thighs, simple breath. Feel how the practice moves you. Be proud of your work. Choose to move forward in time. Spark life with joy. Take your hands to heart center and join me by connecting your thumbs to your forehead. May your thoughts be full of happiness. Thumbs to your lips and may your words be full of kindness. Thumbs to your chest. May this practice and this series bring you new joy in your body and in your life. Let the challenge be from the inside out. Thank you for joining me. Namaste.