Flow of Gratitude

Namaste dear yogi friend. Today we're going to flow through a sequence together in gratitude. So gratitude is a very powerful vibration that drops us, when we truly feel gratitude it drops us out of the mind and into the heart. And this is the path of Bhakti Yoga. We employ tools and practices to drop us into the heart center and ultimately to awaken a remembrance in the heart of our true nature as divine love to remember that we are all connected that we are all one.

And so this has many positive effects as we bring these vibrations into the heart center it has many positive effects on our physical, emotional, mental well-being and generally brings us into a higher, happier, healthier state of being. So my hope for you today is that you will feel gratitude in the body and you will start to feel what it is to just choose gratitude over and over and over again as we move through the practice so that when you're out there in the world in the busyness of life facing challenges you have that ability to choose a higher vibration to drop back into the heart center to uplift your spirit. Beautiful so what we're going to do today is we're just going to take a couple of simple opening stretches and then I'm going to invite you into a very gentle way of connecting with gratitude and then we will flow together. So find yourself in a comfortable cross-legged position just bringing the right shin in front of the left and then we're going to just rock to one side bring the flesh from underneath the sit bone rock to the other side bring the flesh from underneath the sit bone so you can get a nice grounding down through the base of the spine down into the earth. Take a deep inhale and exhale out through the mouth just allowing the belly to relax and soften on the exhale deep inhale exhale out through the mouth beautiful and then we're going to start just by starting to bring some fluidity into the spine so have your hands on your knees and then just allow your back to round and your head to come down towards your chest and then inhale draw the hands along your thighs towards you allow the heart to shine forward the shoulders to move back and then exhale rounding the body so just moving between rounding the back and arching the back arching the back inhaling feeling the heart open exhaling rounding the back allowing the breath and the movement to link up just starting to awaken the spine closing your eyes dropping your awareness deep inside the body feeling the spine just opening and rounding and then coming back to center deep inhale and exhale beautiful we're going to inhale and reach the arms up and exhale just dropping down to your left allowing the left hand to press down into the earth lifting the underside of the body away from the earth and reaching up along through the right fingertips allow the right hip the right knee to come off of the earth as you reach and then exhale let that right knee and hip drop down towards the earth beautiful inhale pressing down through the left hand reaching up through the right fingertips exhale softening the right hip and knee down towards the earth one more deep inhale reaching through the fingertips exhale allowing the right hip and knee to soften down inhale pressing down through that left hand coming up just resting the hands on the knees for one breath taking a deep inhale and exhale everything close the eyes for a moment and allow your awareness to drop down into the right side of the body just see if you can taste the release of contraction in that side of the body just starting to allow your awareness to drop away from the mind and into the body beautiful deep inhale and exhale everything we're going to inhale reach the arms up draw the belly in towards the spine lengthen the side body and exhale dropping down to the right allowing the left arm to reach reaching the fingertips and then exhale the left hip and knee drop down towards the earth inhale pressing down through that bottom hand lifting the underside of the body away from the earth reaching through the fingertips and then exhale dropping the left knee and hip down to the earth one more time inhale reaching extending and then exhale letting the hip and the knees soften down then inhale bring you back up to sitting resting the hands on the thighs take a deep inhale and exhale everything beautiful now just allowing again to close your eyes and the awareness to drop down into the left side of the body just feeling and noticing what it feels like to open to extend to release contraction in the hip in the side of the body beautiful deep inhale and exhale just allowing the base of the spine to drop down into the earth as you inhale reach the crown of the head all the way up to the sky allow the chin to gently draw in towards the neck exhale soften inhaling gently lift the shoulders and hug the shoulder blades back onto the back so the heart opens so feeling the spine long the heart open and just allow the inner body to soften take a deep breath in exhale everything beautiful just for a moment just closing the eyes feel the breath coming into the heart center expanding the heart and exhale feeling the heart soften inhale feeling the heart expand exhale feeling the heart soften I'm going to invite you to find something that inspires gratitude in you so it might be a person a place a flower a smile on a passing stranger something that you've experienced recently or that is in your life that truly inspires gratitude in you and it might take a few things that come and go until you really find that deep gratitude that you can feel in the heart that opens the heart that softens the face that brightens the eyes so with the eyes closed just allowing yourself to connect with one thing that inspires a sense of gratitude beautiful and just starting to notice what that does on the inside of the body notice how that feels in the hands in the heart in the face perhaps feeling the vibration in the body change and take a deep inhale into that and as you exhale just allowing it to expand out through your whole energy field deep inhale exhale allowing gratitude to fill you up beautiful so just bringing the hands to gently touch in front of the heart center and we're going to send this gratitude out together with one long on sound so inhaling exhale clearing breath and inhale for on beautiful deep breath in and exhale so now we're going to move into our practice so just moving onto your mat and finding a wide-legged child's pose we're going to bring the knees wide the toes touching and then extend the arms forward allowing the forehead to come down towards the earth take a deep inhale down into the belly and exhale allow the belly to soften breathing in and exhale softening and seeing here if you can just connect with that object that inspires gratitude in you and find that sense of gratitude in the body breathing in feeling gratitude expand as you breathe in and exhale allowing it to soften you from the inside and inhale looking forward just coming up onto your hands and your knees so bring the knees hip width and slightly behind the hips you get a gentle curve in the lumbar spine have the shoulders directly over the wrists and we're going to inhale and allow the belly to drop the shoulders to move away from the ears the heart to shine forward looking up and then exhale tilting the tailbone allowing the back to arch and the head to come down to the earth inhale gently arching the back looking up gentle pause exhale rounding the back gentle pause just flowing a couple of times inhaling as you look up exhaling as you round and then tucking the toes under lifting the hips and coming up into a downward dog pressing down through the hands extending the side body tilting the tailbone up to the sky bend that right knee and allow the back of the left leg to straighten bend the right left knee and allow the back of the right leg to straighten just a couple of times just alternating opening the backs of the legs and then eventually just holding here and bringing your awareness onto the breath and see here if you can find that object that inspires gratitude in you and awaken that feeling that vibration of gratitude in the heart in the hands in the face in the whole body breathing into that and exhale beautiful one more inhale exhale everything draw the belly in towards the spine bend the knees and then just walk the feet up towards the hands we're going to take an inhale look forward with a flat back and then exhale bending over allow the knees to bend bring the hands to the hips and then inhale coming up with a flat back beautiful release the hands just allow the knees to bend a little bit and we're going to inhale and on the exhale just let the belly drop just feeling your energy grounding down into the earth beautiful one more deep inhale and exhale beautiful releasing the hands just aligning the feet so that they're hip width apart and facing forward I'm going to find Tadasana so just lifting the toes activating the arches of the feet draw the thighs in and up draw the belly in towards the spine gently lift the shoulders and allow those shoulder blades to hug onto the back so the heart blossoms open reach up with the crown of the head so the spine lengthens deep inhale and exhale just soften the inner body beautiful one more inhale exhale softening the inner body and then we're going to inhale reach tall lengthen the sides of the body and exhale bending over hands towards the earth inhale look forward with a flat back and then exhale coming down and we're just going to step this right leg back dropping the right knee down onto the earth inhale allow the heart to shine forward the shoulders to move back and then exhale we're going to just lift the toes of the front foot keeping the foot and the hands where they are and bring the head down towards that left leg gently feeling an opening in the back of the left leg inhale coming forward allowing the heart to shine forward and exhale coming back beautiful inhale coming forward bringing the hands on top of that left knee exhale softening the hips down inhale reaching the arms up exhale allowing the hips to soften down so just see here can you find that sense of gratitude can you connect with that thing that inspires gratitude in you and allow that to align you in this moment breathing into that of allowing gratitude to open the heart let the face brighten and exhale coming down beautiful inhale lift the back knee and exhale we're going to step both feet back finding a plank position so the body is long here energy moves out through the back of the heels and the heart moves forward the shoulders move away from the ears so this isn't necessarily the easiest position and just seeing as you're fully engaged and fully holding if you can find gratitude and allow that to soften you in this moment can I be fully engaged fully active and fully in gratitude beautiful deep inhale and then exhale allowing the knees the chest and the chin to come down to the earth inhale scoop the heart forward and exhale tucking the toes under coming up into one downward dog deep inhale and then exhale and stepping that right foot forward dropping the back knee down onto the earth inhale shining the heart forward exhale just lifting the front toes and bringing the head down towards that front knee feeling the opening in the back of the right leg inhale forward and exhale back inhale forward and then just bringing the hands on top of that and front knee exhale dropping the hips down inhale reaching the arms up lengthening the side body belly draws in towards the spine and connecting with that object that inspires gratitude can you remember what gratitude feels like in the body deep inhale and exhale hands come down either side of that front foot we're going to lift the back knee and step the back foot back bringing both knees wide toes touching and just resting for a moment in child's pose deep inhale and exhale everything maybe repeating this ancient mantra of thank you and to that object personal place that inspires gratitude allowing thank you just to soften you from the inside beautiful one more deep inhale and exhale everything inhale look forward and we're going to come up tucking the toes under lifting the hips coming into a downward dog one breath here exhale everything and then we're going to inhale and lift the right foot up to the sky pointing the toes one more inhale and then exhale and bring that right knee in towards the chest just holding it here for one moment strong back leg inhale and then exhale bringing the right foot down onto the earth we're going to drop that back heel down and then we're going to come up bringing the right forearm to rest on top of the right knee we're going to bring the left hand and place it just at the base of the skull and press the head back into the hand so there's two things happening here with the hand you're almost bringing the head away from the torso lengthening the neck and as you press the head back into the hand the heart opens a little bit further up towards the sky press down strongly through that back heel lift the back inner thigh and exhale release the top hand overhead beautiful deep inhale and exhale can you connect with gratitude in this moment and allow it to align you in this posture from the inside inhale bringing that left arm alongside the body and coming up into warrior two we're going to dance with gratitude here so as you inhale straighten that front leg gather all of the blessings in your life between your hands and then exhale and expand the breath with gratitude sending gratitude out so that as you inhale even more blessings come back receiving the blessings of life and then exhale and expanding gratitude out through your being inhaling receiving thank you thank you thank you exhale allowing gratitude to fill you up to shine out through your fingertips your feet your eyes your head beautiful deep inhale and then exhale bringing the hands down onto the earth we're going to step back into a plank holding here for one breath deep inhale and then exhale and just lowering down through chaturanga inhale scooping the heart up off of the earth and then exhale lifting the hips coming up into a downward dog deep inhale and exhale everything beautiful inhale lifting that left foot up into the sky pressing down through the hands lengthening the side body and then exhale bringing the knee in towards the chest drawing the belly in towards the spine just holding here for one breath and then exhale we're going to step that left foot forward dropping the back heel down so it's in line with the front heel inhale bringing the left arm onto the left knee beautiful we're going to bring that right hand to the base of the skull and then press the head back into the hand lengthening the neck and allowing the heart to open pressing down through that back heel allowing the inner thigh to lift beautiful and then exhale releasing that top arm overhead see if you can find gratitude in this moment allow that being that person that place that object that inspires gratitude to align you deep inhale and exhale beautiful inhale bringing that top arm behind you and coming up into warrior two so again we're just going to dance with gratitude so inhale straightening that front leg gathering the blessings exhale expanding gratitude out through your whole energy field inhale gathering exhale expanding inhale thank you thank you thank you exhale expanding seeing if you can really feel it as you rest here in warrior two so allow your feet to press down firmly into the earth in opposite directions stretching them out in opposite directions strong base and see if you can soften your heart soften your hands and just rest in a thank you for one breath beautiful inhale and exhale coming down we're going to step back into a plank position holding for one breath and then exhale lowering all the way down and just resting on the earth allowing one cheek to rest on the earth and letting everything rest just allowing everything to rest soften down into the earth beautiful deep inhale and exhale everything and then inhale bring the forehead to the earth we're going to bring the hands just underneath the shoulders pressing the backs of the feet down into the earth going to inhale and just lift the chest the hands up off of the earth allow the buttock muscles to relax deep inhale allowing the heart to open the chest to lift see here in this moment if you can find that sense of gratitude allowing that being that place that object to inspire you and see if as you breathe the gratitude in you can lift just a little higher beautiful exhale softening down and just turning the head to the other direction relaxing everything deep inhale and exhale just allowing a sigh to relax you on the exhale one more breath in and exhale again inhaling bringing the forehead to the center we're going to bend the knees flex the feet and bring the hands just into the front of the ankles so maybe using a strap here if you if it's not so easy to reach the feet you can always have a strap around the ankles so taking your grip in whatever way you can taking a deep inhale and as you exhale lift the thighs up off of the earth let the legs do the work here keep the feet flexed and let the legs pull your arms back so the upper body isn't really doing too much here deep inhale exhale soften and one more time seeing can you find gratitude in this position can you allow it to open your chest and to lift you just a little higher beautiful and exhale softening down releasing everything just resting the head on one side deep inhale and exhale inhale bring the forehead to the center extend the arms out in front of you just allow the hips just to wiggle gently from side to side just releasing the lower back inhale extending and exhale softening and we're just going to gently turn over onto our back allowing yourself just to rest on the back for a couple of breaths deep inhale and exhale out through the mouth letting a sigh release the body deep inhale exhale out and maybe again just finding that object that inspires gratitude or maybe now you know what gratitude feels like in the body you can just go there directly allowing yourself to soften into that one more breath in and exhale inhale bring the knees in towards the chest and gently wobble from side to side just massaging the lower back beautiful and then just release the soles of the feet onto the earth just below the sit bones placing them hip width apart we're going to bring the arms alongside the body bend at the elbows fingers point up towards the sky allow the jaw to soften the face to soften deep inhale and as you exhale allow the hips just to float up towards the sky allow the arms to rest down on the earth just rocking to one side bringing the shoulders underneath the back rocking to the other side bringing the shoulder underneath the back so you can lift a little bit higher here either the hands rest on the earth or maybe interlacing underneath the back press down strongly through both feet allow the thighs to press towards each other and see if you can release again the buttock muscles here so the legs are doing the work breathing in feeling the heart open the chest open feeling a thank you a sense of gratitude naturally bursting out from the heart beautiful and then inhale coming up onto the balls of the feet reach the fingers up towards the sky exhale slowly lowering the back down onto the earth releasing the arms alongside the body and just having the feet come slightly wider than the hips knees resting against each other take a deep breath in and exhale softening down allowing the whole body to soften down into the earth beautiful and bringing the knees in towards you allow the arms to come inside the knees finding the outer edges of the soles of the feet with the hands and then rocking in happy baby from side to side beautiful releasing soles of the feet and extending the arms out shoulder height bending the knees so the shins are parallel to the earth the feet are flexed gonna take an inhale and as you exhale just allow the knees to fall down to the right side and hold them just off of the earth so feet are flexed energy is moving out through the feet allow that bottom leg to press up towards the sky barely draws in towards the spine deep inhale exhale soften the face one more inhale and then exhale drop the knees down onto the earth allow a hand to place on that top knee maybe just scooching the shoulders gently towards the knees so that the left shoulder can come down head either looks up or to the side deep inhale and exhale allow everything to soften just take a moment and just scan your body and just notice anywhere that's gripping that's contracting that's holding on and take a deep breath into that place exhale allow it to soften beautiful now just experimenting with gratitude what happens if I find gratitude in this moment how does that affect my body and just allowing gratitude to soften you from the inside using this mantra of thank you to encourage that vibration beautiful inhale exhale everything inhale let the knees come back up to center extending the arms out shoulder height bending at the knees shins parallel to the earth feet flexed exhale allow the legs to come over to the other side holding them just off of the earth pressing up with the bottom knee with the bottom leg pressing up to the sky feet flexed barely draws in towards the spine exhale one more deep inhale and exhale dropping the knees over onto the earth allow that left hand to rest on the right knee and then maybe just scooching the shoulders over in the direction of the knees so that the right shoulder can come down towards the earth the head either looks up or to the side deep inhale and exhale allowing everything to soften just noticing anywhere in the body that's holding on contracting or tightening and allowing your breath to move into those places and soften them on the exhale once again maybe finding a sense of gratitude in the body and just noticing how that affects you in this moment allowing that to soften you from the inside beautiful inhale let the knees come back up to center hug the knees into the chest gently wobbling side to side and then releasing the knees just making some gentle circles around the hips in one direction massaging that lower back area and then making some gentle circles in the other direction just as it feels good to you beautiful and then just releasing the legs along the earth allowing the arms to rest alongside the body just away from the body palms face up take a deep inhale and exhale out through the mouth feeling everything softened down allowing the soles of the feet to relax allowing the centers of the palms of the hands to relax allowing the center of the forehead to relax allowing the center of the chest the heart center to relax beautiful deep inhale exhale everything and just if it feels right for you allowing gratitude to soften you here maybe just saying to yourself saying to life thank you for this breath thank you for this body thank you for this life allowing yourself to dissolve into gratitude Thank you.

Starting to bring your awareness back onto the breath. Breathing down into your fingers and your toes, gently wiggling your fingers, wiggling your toes, finding some circles with the wrists and the ankles. Let a deep inhale just open the body, maybe reaching the arms overhead and as you exhale just curling over onto one side and just resting here. Deep inhale and exhale softening, inhaling, exhale softening, beautiful and then very gently just making your way up to sitting, finding a comfortable seat, just allowing the palms to rest face up on the knees, thumb and index finger lightly touch. Deep inhale, exhale let the belly soften.

Just closing the eyes, another deep inhale, exhale out through the mouth let the belly soften, allow the pelvic floor muscles to soften, allow the tailbone to drop. Inhale let the crown of the head reach for the sky so the spine lengthens, chin draws gently towards the neck and feel the heart blossom open, just allow yourself to connect with that thing that inspires gratitude, to connect with gratitude, just resting here for a couple of breaths, resting in the heart center. Exhaling the vibration in your body, deep inhale, exhale everything, gently bringing the hands to touch in front of the heart. We'll finish with one on, inhaling. From my heart to yours, so much love, blessings on your journey, namaste.