Taking Flight

Welcome, welcome, welcome everyone. It's such a joy to be back with you. Good morning, good afternoon, good evening, wherever you may be in the world. I hope that you and yours are safe and sound. We're going to be working with taking flight in this flow and in so doing kind of cultivating an inner freedom, right? We're all holding and navigating so much in the external world. It calls us over and over and over again to go deeper and deeper within to find that internal refuge resource capacity, right? We'll also have a little bit of fun and just get lost in the flow. So comfortable seat rooting down through the sit bones, let your spine length and feel that energetic lift all the way up and out through the crown of the head. Rest the hands wherever they're most comfortable. Take a soft gaze or close your eyes and let's begin simply by noticing the breath like that simple and not powerful. Your own natural rhythm of breath for the time being we're not doing anything special with it at all. We're just connecting.

That awareness of the breath serves to draw us into the body and into the present moment. Okay, it's kind of being with and feeling into each inhale and each exhale. And then we gradually start to deepen the breath so that the inhales move out in all directions front and back and both sides of the rib cage up under the collarbones down to the base of the diaphragm filling yourself up with energy with oxygen with possibility. And then of course with each exhale we just let it go we ground we settle and we reconnect. Welcoming in that deep expansive Ujjayi breath. And the sound we generate with Ujjayi breath serves as another point of focus.

Another touchstone for awareness. And let's draw the hands to prayer at the heart center and open together with the sound of Aum. So exhale empty all the breath out. And then together through the nose a really big inhale. Aum. Rest in that vibration for a moment and consider your personal intention for this practice.

And if it resonates also considering anything that offers you a sense of internal freedom. Anything that means to you. Yeah all right and then just gently let the eyes open take a nice big inhale and let's reach the arms out and up. Then with your exhale you're going to sweep the right elbow underneath the left and interlace the forearms. Backs of hands or palms touching. With the next inhale lift the heart and lift the arms lift the elbows. With your exhale rounding the back curl in drawing the elbows kind of in towards the solar plexus. Two more here inhale lifting up through the heart through the arms through the gaze. Exhale rounding curling in draw the elbows towards the body. Again inhaling to rise and exhaling curling in. Good this time as you inhale release the bind reach the arms all the way up to the sky. And then with the exhale just sweep the left elbow underneath the right interlace. Big inhale lift the arms lift the gaze. With your exhale curl it in elbows draw towards solar plexus. Again inhale rise exhale curl in. Last one inhaling and exhaling breathe through the upper back across the back of the shoulders.

And then unwind from the bind inhale reaching the arms all the way up. And with your exhale just rocking it forward. Let's come on up to the hands and the knees unwrap all the legs. Okay planting the hands directly under the shoulders press through base of thumb and first finger. We're going to move into cat cow but take it a little slowly. So as you inhale lifting tailbone heart gaze and then as you exhale go ahead and round the back pull the belly to the spine release the head and just pause here. Yeah you can take your own natural breath and just stay with this and really move your awareness right into the upper back across the back of the shoulders into the back of the heart. Another breath. Okay and then again inhale lifting tailbone heart gaze. With your exhale again rounding belly to spine really draw awareness into that upper back last cycle. Inhale lift tailbone heart gaze. Exhale rounding belly to spine breathe between the shoulder blades. Upper back nice. Inhale just come back to neutral and then tucking the toes. Exhale press it all the way up and back downward facing down. Adho Mukha Svanasana. Pedal it out float hip side to side give yourself three four five breaths just easing in warming through the backs of the legs. Continuing to warm and lengthen through the spine. Now good and then take your time just finding stillness in your down dog as you're ready and then let's warm the upper body a little bit. Simple vinyasas. Inhale rolling forward plank pose. For this first cycle exhale lower the knees elbows hug in come all the way to the earth. Inhale lifting into cobra as high as you feel for and then exhale press it all the way back and downward facing down. With the next inhale roll it forward again plank pose. With your exhale stay with knees first or shift into chaturanga nasana halfway all the way down. Inhale stay with cobra or up dog and then exhale take it all the way back and downward facing dog.

Last cycle as you're ready on the next inhale roll it forward into plank. Exhale knees are chaturanga halfway all the way inhale cobra or upward facing dog and exhale all the way back downward facing dog. Go ahead take a nice big inhale through the nose and then open the mouth exhale. Let it go okay and then slowly with the next inhale just walking the feet forward to the front of your mat take your time and when you arrive it's an easy fold. Feet are hips distance there's a gentle bend in the knees hands drop or hold elbows. Let's give this three four five breaths continuing to open through the back body and in this pose specifically letting go a little surrendering into it a little. All right finding center release any bind you have keep the bend in the knees and then slowly inhale rolling all the way to stand. When you arrive exhale roll the shoulders down the back and just kind of shake it out a little bit let it go samasthiti equal standing pose feet together hands to prayer at the heart center together through the nose inhale and through the nose exhale surinamaskar inhaling to reach out and up exhaling to bow out and down with the inhale come halfway up reaching through your heart and then rooting the hands hop or step it back and exhale to lower knees or chaturama inhale cobra or up dog exhale take it back down dog a full five breaths continuing to drop in to warm the body and act with those internal layers another breath or two good at the bottom of your exhale a soft bend in the knees hop or step to the front of your mat as you arrive inhale to lengthen halfway exhale to fold strong through your center flat back inhale reach all the way up tracing the midline exhale hands home to the heart good let's do two more inhale rise up exhale bow out and down halfway inhale pop or step it back exhale lower as you choose inhale lift the heart shoulders way down the back and exhale downward facing dog again five breaths long spine roll the shoulders away from the ears send the heels towards the earth lift sit bones to sky breathe beautiful bottom of the exhale soft bend in the knees hop or step it forward inhale lengthen it halfway exhale bow and fold strong through your center flat back inhale to reach all the way up tracing the midline exhale hands to the heart once again inhale reaching out and up exhale to fold out and down just halfway inhale lengthen rooting the hands hop or step it back exhale lower elbows hugging inhale lift the heart exhale downward facing dog five breaths easing in strengthening that connection the awareness goes deep into your own center your own source letting everything else we're all navigating these days just kind of receive fade at least a little allowing yourself with space for your practice all right from your down dog keep grounding through your hands inhale reach right leg to the sky as you exhale go ahead and open the hip and the knee just easing into the outer right hip a little bit and then inhale take it up and with the exhale we're going to step right foot forward lower the back knee down and then inhale let's rise into a low lunge exhale deepen the bend in the front knee as the hips ease forward lift deep belly breathe into left hip flexors okay then just as a little taste stay here for your inhale exhale hands to prayer heart center inhale let's lift that front body a little more and then exhale twisting hook the left elbow outside of the front knee we're going to revisit this in variations throughout the flow so maybe this first one is kind of gentle right just a little exploration spiraling the spine lifting the gaze kind of feeling into the range of movement without any strain or force one more breath and then strong through your center inhale let's drop back up to the midline and then with the exhale we just release pull the hips back warming through the back of the right leg inhale extend for your heart and exhale deep and into your fold just a few breaths here yeah as you feel ready inhale to come forward bending the front knee with your exhale talk the back toes lift that knee step straight into plank let's pause inhale belly to spine exhale to lower inhale lift the heart exhale float it back downward facing dog second side inhale left leg to the sky exhale opening the hip bending the knee check out that outer left hip warming it up yeah and then inhale to reach and exhale nice and easy just stop left foot forward lower the back knee low lunge strong through legs and center inhale to rise exhale guide the hips forward how are the right hip flexors doing in this moment yeah and then stay for your inhale and with the exhale take the hands to prayer at the heart inhale lift that front body and exhale twist hook the elbow outside of the knee spiral the spine yeah good and again first of a few twists so maybe this one is gentle of exploratory see what's there good one more breath yeah and then from your center inhale just unwind drop back to the midline reach up and with your exhale release hands to the earth pull the hips straight back lengthen that left leg inhale extend through your heart and then exhale deepen into your fold really warming through the back of that left leg a couple more breath good slowly with the inhale easing forward bend the front knee exhale tuck the back toes lift the back knee step straight into plank and pause big inhale exhale lower inhale lifting through the heart and exhale take it all the way back downward facing dog pause here big inhale and then open the mouth exhale clear it out okay with the next exhale just release the knees down to the earth draw the hands in a little bit if you need to to take them directly under the shoulders and then keep grounding through your left hand inhale reach the right arm to the sky and exhale thread the right arm under come to the back of that right shoulder yeah and then reach maybe left hand roots maybe it lifts to the sky maybe it wraps behind the back your choice breathing low shoulders generating some warmth there then some opening a couple more breath nice okay if that left arm is up exhale release it back to the earth and then with your inhale reach the right arm all the way back to the sky and with your exhale release let's take a breath here neutral spine right then inhaling take the left arm to the sky and with your exhale thread that left arm under come to the back of the shoulder side of the head really extending out through that left arm and then right hand can root it can reach to the sky it can wrap behind your personal preference you know variations as left arm reaches away feel that sweet spot we're really warming and opening across the upper back move in the opposite direction three two if your right arm is up on an exhale release it root the right hand into the air right hand into the air inhale take the left arm all the way back to the sky and with your exhale release home to hands and knees take a big inhale just steady on the exhale maybe walking the hands forward a little take a big inhale tuck the toes and exhale let's lift it up and back returning to downward facing dog and big breath in open the mouth clear it out good and then at the bottom of the next exhale soften in the knees hopper step it forward as you arrive inhale just halfway exhale deep and into the fold then bending the knees inhale or katasana reach it up and exhale sit a little deeper yeah it's warming strengthening big inhale here and exhale reach back interlace the fingers heart open inhale and diving forward exhale arms go up and over breathing into it give up the weight of the head saw through the neck and when all we can to liberate the shoulders they're carrying so much clearing that out one more breath all right from here deep bend in the knees inhale scoop it back up into utkatasana pausing keep your foundation and as you exhale take your hands to prayer at your heart center here we go root down through your right foot pick up your left leg and wrap it around for garudasana eagle maybe that foot tucks behind the calf maybe not doesn't matter just do what's available if this is challenging you might stay right where you are otherwise inhale take your arms out wide and then with your exhale take the right elbow underneath the left and interlace the forearms back of the hands or palms touch good your choice you can stay right here nice and tall or like we did seated you can round the spine curl in draw the elbows towards the knees the forehead towards the wrists and breathe into it three two pause for a moment picture your warrior three and unlike an eagle taking flight moving off of your perch take a big inhale arms go wide exhale unwind the legs and extend the left leg straight back arms can go forward out or tucked in alongside the body your choice press back through that left heel reach out through your heart breathing three two standing splits hands to the earth sail that left leg to the sky and then reach reach reach reach reach reach out through that left leg hips open or neutral it's up to you we're going to give this a few breaths breathe into it nice and then very slowly if you've opened the hips draw them back to neutral really plant down through the fingertips press back through that left heel reach out through your heart inhale and then coming into a high lunge exhale float the left foot to the back of the mat inhale reach the arms all the way up to the sky exhale sink the sit bones down to the earth and then just be with us for a few breaths reconnecting to your own center good and a big inhale lift the heart with your exhale release hands to the earth with your inhale you're going to take the right leg back to the sky and with your exhale go ahead and open the hip bend the knee we're just going to give that leg hip area a little breather then inhale reach it straight up and with your exhale step the right foot forward again we're returning to high lunge grounding through the feet inhale float it all the way up exhale draw the hands to prayer at heart center right inhale lift the front body exhale twisting left elbow outside of the front knee right so this is what we were tasting in the low lunge towards the opening of practice notice if it's a little more spacious a little more warm and then you have a million options you can keep it right where it is you can lower the back knee returning to the low lunge variation or take it a little bit deeper drawing the left hand outside of the right foot and then inhale reach right arm to the sky that's enough beautiful stay with it if you'd like explore the body wrapping and taking hold your variation whatever serves no better no worse be with it three two all right we're going to keep the foundation and then just unravel on the inhale into high lunge again and exhale spin that back heel down arms go wide leading in warrior two just for a moment then inhale lengthen the right leg and exhale extend the out and down giving the body a little moment settle and regroup extend left arm straight up to the sky just a simple classic triangle pose wide open heart three two pressing through your feet inhale float up and then exhale bend that right knee again into side angle forearm to thigh or hand to earth okay extending out through left fingertips if you explored the bind in twisting side angle maybe you want to match that by binding here your choice roll the heart open breathe into it three two strong through that center press through the feet inhale to warrior two exhale just settle in for a moment take a big inhale and with the exhale hands to the earth step back into plank holds lower as you choose inhale lift the heart and exhale float it back downward facing up really strong work just pausing here reconnect with your breath yeah the rest fall away yeah all right bottom of the exhale soft bend in the knees upper step to the front of the mat as you arrive inhale halfway exhale bow and fold deep bend in the knees inhale scoop it up keep the foundation exhale hands to prayer heart center moving mindfully enjoy the ride root through that left foot pick up the right leg and wrap it around maybe foot tucks maybe not doesn't matter then if this is enough be with this if you want to add the arms inhale extend out wide and with your exhale left elbow under right interlace you can stay tall or on your exhale curling drawing the elbows towards the knees forehead to the wrist belly back to the spine breathe visualize that eagle perched ready to fly yeah and feeling into that quality internally as you spread your wings inhale reach the arms out wide exhale unravel the legs and extend that right leg straight back warrior three any arm variation take what you feel for wake it all up shining out through the heart pressing back through that right heel strong and steady flying all over the world three two standing splits hands to the earth so right leg to the sky hips neutral or open your choice yeah breathing into this feeling into that sense of lift length opening and then if you open the hips draw them back to neutral plant the fingertips on the earth take a big inhale as you press through the right heel and reach through the heart and then exhale just float the right foot to the back of the mat inhale to rise high lunge exhale deepen right we're just kind of settling into this feeling the initial layers we're most aware of in the body give it another breath good and then a big inhale and with the exhale release hands to the earth with your inhale take the left leg all the way up and back and with your exhale open the hip bend the knee just give it a moment here left leg is working hard for you let it relax for a moment good then inhale let it rise and with your exhale step the left foot forward strong and rooted through your foundation inhale return to your high lunge exhale sit a little deeper good here we go big inhale with your exhale hands to prayer at your heart inhale lift the front body and exhale twist feel into it for a moment and then just kind of check in with yourself you remember your options you can stay where you are you can lower the back knee just keep it simple and grounded or you can start to slide the right hand outside of that left foot and then inhale reach left arm to the sky for twisting side angle turning hard core of shangis out there you can spin the back heel down if it works for you if you'd like add the bind yeah and then roll the heart open to the sky if you're steady you can even lift the gaze breathing three two good steady through your foundation unravel from the twist inhale back to center line high lunge and exhale spin the back heel down wide open warrior two good inhale lengthen left leg and exhale reach out and down triangle pose just kind of opening everything up a little bit here giving the body a moment to regroup belly draws in and up tailbone reaches to back heel three two strong through your center inhale floating it up warrior two exhale side angle forearm to thigh or hand to earth right arm reaches up and over anchor that right heel and then again if you took the bind in the twisting side angle maybe you want to hear your choice then roll the torso of the heart open maybe lift the gaze and breathe three two nice strong center inhale unravel let's meet again in warrior two exhale just settle then a big inhale and exhale hands to the earth step it back wash it away with the vinyasa clearing it out excellent work find that down dog pause and breathe now notice any shift in energy notice any internal spaciousness and then we're going to keep the feet where they are and with the exhale simply walk the hands to the back of the mat easy fold for a breath or two here totally effortless and then grab the big toes first two fingers and thumb inhale lengthen and exhale deepen paragusthasana tip the weight into the front of the feet give up the weight of the head and the mat and slide the shoulder blades up the back breathing in the back body three two all right if you're loving this there's a lot going on in it then just stay with what you've got if you want to work with any other forward fold feel free one option this morning this afternoon this evening is to interlace the forearms again been loving this lately you're getting the same opening across the upper back back of the shoulders with the added weight of gravity assisting you your forward fold or try this fine upper more breath and then just switch the inner interlace few more blocks here letting it all go moving breath into any resistance okay and then whatever bind you've chosen just gently release it with your inhale lengthen it halfway up and with your exhale simply walk the hands back to the front of the mat returning to downward facing dog you're welcome to stay right here or through the cleansing vinyasa inhale forward exhale lower as you choose inhale lift the heart and exhale downward facing dog all right stay here inhale and then with the exhale just release sneeze to the earth hips to the heels child's pose knees together or wide arms out or back your preference just dropping down for a moment letting the body settle letting the nervous system settle being with the breath and lay it all down yeah as always just rest in your child as long as you like when you do feel ready inhale float up onto the hands and the knees tucking the toes exhale just for a moment let's move back into downward facing dog and then inhaling reach right leg to the sky and with your exhale draw it through and down into pigeon support it if you'd like take whatever you need and then just settling in kind of root in wiggle in find that sweet spot then with your inhale lengthen and exhale walk it out and down right the legs the glute muscles have worked hard through that flow give them a moment to release here full time breath lay it down again moving breath and awareness wherever you need it um a few more breaths stay with it and as you feel ready just very slowly on an inhale walk the upper body back in and out let's keep the weight on that right leg as you exhale swing the left leg around so we're going to move into gomukhasana a cow shape pose with the legs this can be a lot for some people for some knees so if it looks a little bit like that that's fine right just start to feel into your edge honor any tweaks any resistance and then after three four ten twenty breaths if it deepens it deepens if not stay with where you are if the knees are super happy and you have the range of motion you stack the left knee on top of the right the feet move away from the hips a little bit and let's just start with the hands on that top knee spine tall you can see the similar shape to eagle legs and then with the benefit of gravity and foundation we can open through outer hips it band if this is enough if you'd like inhale to reach up and exhale add the bind if you love it or just fold forward yeah we're slowing down we're balancing the intensity of the standing flow kind of longer deeper seated holds so arms on the earth head releasing down or resting on a block might feel really really good but if you love the arm binding by all means go for it yeah yeah a few more breaths here yeah one more breath yeah and then slowly inhale walk the upper body back in and up and let's just play here you're going to kind of flex the feet lift up through the sit bones plant the hems and then spin on the balls of the feet full circle all the way around to second side voila right knee on top of left or your approximation of Gomukhasana okay never any pain in the knees never any pain period right so modify as needed kind of ease out of the shape a little bit as needed and then just rest the hands soft gaze maybe even close the eye there's enough to play with stay with that otherwise inhale arms rise find if you really love it otherwise exhale just fold as is let the arms fall to the earth let the background let the head fall maybe resting on a block maybe just releasing those outer hip glute muscles it band really work to stabilize you through all that standing balance now we give it a moment to unravel and open here a few more breaths very slowly inhale just walk it back in and up and then as you exhale you're going to lift that right leg and take it back for pigeon second side we're just kind of reversing the flow so wiggle around again take what you need to settle in steady foundation allows the rest flow and then inhale tall spine and exhale walk it out and down um breathing in the left hip and glute muscle breathing into lower back inner thighs anywhere you feel any resistance surrender down into it uh about five more breath um take your time as you're ready we slowly unravel inhale walk the upper body back in and up and then exhale tuck the back toes lift the back knee from the belly inhale reach left leg to the sky exhale open the hip again bend the knee and then just reach it up let it go downward facing the long spine big inhale and with your exhale return to child's knees to the earth hips to the heels lay it down my so in a moment we're going to slowly rise up exploring headstand for some of you this is delicious and effortless for some of you it's terrifying all of that is okay okay just meet the pose where we are so those of you are super comfortable in headstand you can just come on up whenever you're ready those of you who have never done it before you can stay with me exploring the preparatory stages stopping whenever you feel like that's enough and returning to child's pose yeah or if you're just not feeling a full headstand inversion practice in this moment you can start to move towards the restorative pose of your choice really honor what you need as you are ready inhale lift a hand the knees and then exhale we'll release the forearms and the elbows down to the air okay then a little alignment check hands take hold of outer elbows we definitely don't want the elbows any wider than that starts to put strain on the joints over time okay then we release again reading down through forearms and elbows gently clasp the hands yeah and people have different preferences here some like to close the palms and draw the base of the wrist to the back of the head and some like a slightly open palm you kind of feel into it then the crown of the head comes to the earth and a very common tendency when we're new to headstanding is to move more towards the forehead and you can see how that is not a straight line through the neck and spine so really make sure forehead is not anywhere near the earth crown of the head is rooting so you're looking straight back at your thighs and then inhale tuck the toes exhale lift the knees straight to walk the feet in if you want to press through the forearms the elbows the hands and feel the head lift up off the earth that's how much strength is in the upper body right so you're not just bearing the weight on the crown of the head you're really holding it through arms shoulders chest upper back maybe this is your pose you stay with it for about five to ten breaths and you return to child otherwise you can try lifting one leg for a few breaths and then the other and then child or you can start to draw the knees into the chest and lift the legs to the sky right again honor your edge work with the preparatory stages until you feel like that's enough i don't need to go any further in this moment and then take child's or move to restorative pose of your choice if you're with me and head stand let's breathe good energy out through the balls of feet strong through that center line breathing five four three two if you're up let's see if we can lower slowly hinging at the hips legs start to move towards the earth the hips actually move back is a counterbalance and then very slowly the toes come all the way back to the earth and then release the knees down stay low and sink the hips to the heels let's meet in child's pull lay it down so important to take your time in your counter poses especially after deep inversions just drop and rest you're super comfortable and had stand beautiful work this morning and just enjoy that shift in perspective shift in energy if you're newer to it and you started to work with the beginning stages beautiful really strong and really brave just stay with each next step for as long as you need could be a day could be a few years and the next one will unfold when you're ready not through force or attachment or strain but from being really present with the step before okay when you do feel ready from your child's pose inhale lift to your hands and your knees and keep this simple exhale just swing the feet to the side ease the sit bones to the earth and then swing the feet around sliding forward and then gently rolling all the way down onto the back hug your knees in towards your chest wrap your arms around your legs and rock yourself a little side to side releasing that little back and then opening into happy baby so taking hold of the ankles or the feet let the legs open yeah you can rock a little side to side you can kind of play with lengthening one leg and then the other it's really what feels good here it's kind of unraveling slowing down letting that all go and if you're rocking find stillness release the bind hug the knees back in towards the chest drawing the energy back into the center and then pausing here take a big inhale and exhale let it all go shasana extending the legs out let them roll open unless any other final rest is better for your body maybe knees bent knees dropping in and then resting arms alongside the body palms open you can rock a little shake something out a little just settle in and feel free of course to support the knees maybe to cover the body or cover the eyes and as the physical body finds the earth lay it all down let it all go all physically energetically mentally emotionally just look for every opportunity to release and replenish to lay it down stay soft stick one last cleansing breath together through the nose inhaling and open the mouth exhale just breath just breath let it all go just breath you you you you you you feel the space and you like to remain in shavasana always do so when you do feel ready just gently start to expand the breath again a little bring some movement into the hands and the feet and then with an inhale reaching the arms up and over extend out through fingers and toes wake it all up again and exhale bending the knees feet to the earth you can roll to either side whatever intuitively feels better maybe you pause there just resting the head on the bottom arm for a little while when you are ready guide yourself up to a comfortable seat okay i'm gonna sit together for a few minutes so if you'd like to support the sit bones take a blanket a bolster hello whatever you have handy if you prefer virasana kneeling variation by all means take that maybe sitting up on props there okay your comfortable seat and then kind of wiggle in root through foundation and let your hands rest wherever you'd like settling in soft gaze or close your eyes yeah and then if it resonates for you we're going to draw the hands into garuda mudra garuda being the base of garudasana gently hooking at the thumbs letting the hands fan out and gently resting that on the heart center okay we all respond differently to different teachings different tools different practices some of us love the shape of the posture simple movement without any added layers some of us love the pranayama practice or the chanting prayer practice and some of us really love the mudra practice right there are many paths many techniques and tools i just wanted to offer this in case it resonates with you so sustaining this mudra or just letting the hand rest again and sustaining the soft gaze or the eyes closed and we'll sit together for the next two minutes or so awareness gently following the breath and then without any effort it's kind of allowing this to bubble up rise up from our own center feeling and do anything and everything that supports your sense of internal freedom your practices your family your friends a beautiful place on this planet your favorite foods colors art whatever it may be for you whatever it may be for you and again it won't come from the thinking mind let it just rise from the inside out and taking refuge in that sense that internal sense of connection and source and freedom because that's where it's born external conditions definitely help but they're out of our control so we work to cultivate the internal quality just a few more moments of stillness resting that awareness and then releasing the mudra lifting the hands from the legs take the hands to prayer heart center thank you again and again and again for going on these journeys with me it's such a joy i love hearing from you reach out at any time with questions with feedback and always go gently with yourselves with one another take sweet care let's close with the sound of ohm exhale empty it all out big inhale oh oh gently inhale and a soft off forward with your exhale namaste