Strong Center, Open Heart

Welcome, everyone, it's such a joy to be together again. This is the last of our eight practices, those of you who are joining me live over the past couple of months. Thanks for taking the ride with me. And those of you who have been practicing on demand, it's a joy to share the practices where, anytime, anywhere, thank you. So I'm saving the best, the personal best for last.

One of the most meaningful aspects of the practice for me has to do with heart opening and deep back bending. So we're going to be playing with that in the practice today. However, this doesn't happen in isolation, right? In order to safely, intelligently move into deeper backbends, we really need a strong foundation and core. And what's really compelling to me about this is that it happens on the physical level and on the energetic level, right?

As you might imagine, the physical is pretty obvious. You need strong legs, strong core, in order to support the backbend, right? We fall asleep through the foundation, the center, and we can collapse into the low back and we just don't have the strength to rise up. And then on the energetic level, this is like a mini, mini taste of the chakra system. The strong foundation, right?

Healthy body, healthy mind, right livelihood, steady, strong relationships, and a strong center, a connection with our creativity and our source, and a strong sense of self, right? Allow us to open the heart safely. Otherwise, it's just kind of an unsupported free for all, right? And the power of the practice is you don't necessarily need to understand all of that. You don't need to study the energetic system at all in order to benefit from the practice, right?

And if you're working with things on an intelligent level physically, then the energetics are going to take care of themselves, right? It's part of the reason we're so drawn to this practice, right? Whether there's a conscious understanding there or not. Okay, all that being said, let it go and let's drop into the felt experience. It's a comfortable seat, rooting down through the sit bones, feeling all points of contact with the earth, hands rest wherever they're comfortable, soft gaze or close the eyes.

And let's feel into that relationship right off the bat. Feel foundation sinking and rooting into the earth. And then feel that slight engagement from the deep lower belly drawing in and out. It's Mulabanda and Uddiyana Bandha. Again, if you know them, beautiful.

If you don't, it doesn't matter. It's the lift of the pelvic floor and a lift of the deep center. Yeah? It doesn't mean hardening or strain. Just kind of lift and energetic awareness.

And then notice if connecting there just kind of translates naturally to tall, vibrant spine. Physical informs energetic, energetic informs physical. And notice how that creates the stability and the strength through the center line that will be needed as we start to move deeper into the heart throughout the flow. And let's breathe. Expanding with each inhale and deepening, settling with each exhale.

Really transitioning into Ujjayi breath, victorious breath. Hearing the sound of the breath, let it start to circulate more energy and oxygen throughout the body and let the sound become a point of focus for the mind. And then we simply draw the hands to prayer at the heart center and very slightly let the head bow to the wisdom of the heart. And we'll open together with a gentle exhale, empty it all out. And then together through the nose, a big inhale.

And just a moment to pause in that vibration and consider your personal intention for your practice and if anything has resonated from you, from root all the way up through the center, through the heart, just feel into that. Maybe that's connected to intention. And then as you feel ready, gently let the eyes open, lift the gaze, let's take a big inhale and reach the arms out and up, interlacing the fingers, exhale, press the palms to the sky. And we're just going to feel into it right here, nice and simple. Lifting from the back of the heart up and through, offer it towards the sky and just kind of notice, especially if you're hyper flexible through the spine, if you just splay out through the belly and kind of collapse, resist that by drawing in and out through the core.

Right? So foundation and center remain engaged as the heart lifts. Feel into that, a couple more breaths, offer it away, and we'll just stay here, big inhale. And then with the exhale, rock it forward up onto the hands and the knees, hands directly under the shoulders, root through, base of thumb and first finger. Feel the knees grounding directly under the hips.

That's your foundation. Then with the inhale, lift the tailbone, the heart, the gaze. And with your exhale, round, drawing the belly to the spine, release the weight of the head. So super simple actions that you've done a million times, cat, cow on the inhale and the exhale. But we bring a slightly different awareness into that.

As you round an arch, continuing at your own pace, see if you can sustain the connection through the center, especially in the backbend, right, as the heart opens and lifts. Obviously the belly's dropping down, but not losing engagement, there's still a lift up to the spine. Let's take a few more breaths here. Notice what you notice, warming through the back, synchronizing breath and body. And then just gradually, let's meet in a neutral spine.

Take a big inhale, tuck the toes, and as you exhale, press up and back, lifting into downward facing dog, and let's give this three or five breaths, pedaling the feet, shifting the hips a little side to side, just continuing to warm the body and to open through the backs of the legs. Exhaling in, and take a moment just to steady yourself, finding stillness in your down dog. Leading with the heart, inhale, let's ripple forward into plank pose, keep this simple with the exhale, just lower the knees to the earth and come all the way down. And then we're going to slide the forearms and the elbows out in the Sphinx pose, and we're going to tune into this for a moment, starting with foundation. So feel the legs pressing down into the earth and send the tailbone, really the base of the root chakra down towards the heels, right?

So it's slight movement physically, but there's a shift energetically. So the legs pressing down, tailbone reaching to the heels, and then feel the deep low belly draw in and up. Notice how that lengthens up and out from the low back. And then again, just naturally ripples up the spine. That's foundation and core supporting the back bend.

It's very subtle here, but planting seeds. So feeling into that back muscles engaged, heart shining forward, legs rooting to elbow and reaching to the back of the mat, give it another breath or two and just kind of move your awareness through it. Notice if it feels any different than when you just kind of pass through the pose. Are you working it a little bit differently? Yeah, then with your exhale, just release, melt it all the way back to the earth, hands outside of the rib cage.

So lift the hands and knees, tucking the toes and exhale, press up and back, downward facing dog. Big inhale through the nose, go ahead and open the mouth, exhale, let it go. Then inhale rippling forward, plank pose. This time with your exhale, lower the knees to the earth, elbows hugging, come all the way down. And with the inhale, just a gentle cobra, see if you can keep some of that awareness.

And then exhale, release and press it all the way back, downward facing dog. Take a breath here and again, inhale, roll it forward into plank. With your exhale, stay with knees or shift to chaturanga dandasana, inhale to cobra or upward facing dog, same principles of foundation and core, lifting the heart. Exhale all the way back, downward facing dog, take a breath, good, last cycle, inhale, ripple forward plank, exhale, knees are chaturanga, inhale, cobra up dog and exhale all the way back, downward facing dog, slowly on the inhale, just start walking it forward to the front of the mat. As you arrive, easy forward fold, let it all go, soften the knees, drop hands, take any bind you feel for, let's give this three, four, five breaths, continuing to warm through the whole back body and just feeling into this sense of release through the upper body.

So needed, never possible, just letting a little something go. And then as you're ready, finding center if you're swaying, release any bind you may have chosen, keep the gentle bend in the knees, keep the head heavy and then slowly on your inhale, begin to roll all the way to stand. And then as you arrive, exhale, rolling the shoulders down the back and we meet in Samastitihi, equal standing pause. And just pausing here, stay with your own ujjayi breath rhythm, stay connected to your center and then feel tailbone descending down into the earth, deep belly drawing in and up and reconnect without sensation, how does it affect the alignment of the spine, supporting yourself internally, really tuning into that center line alignment. Here we go, as you're ready, inhale, reaching the arms out and exhaling bow out and down.

Just halfway, inhale to lengthen and then root the hands, hop or step it back, exhale lower knees or chutter under the nest. Inhale lift the heart, cobra up dog and exhale, take it back, downward facing dog, five breaths long through the spine, rolling the shoulders away from the ears, continuing to ease into it in whatever way feels good for you. Now, a couple more breath, still warming the body, still landing, arriving in practice. Bottom of your exhale, soft bend in the knees, hop or step to the front of the mat. As you arrive, inhale, lengthen halfway, exhale, bow and hold, strong through your center, inhale to rise all the way up, exhaling hands to prayer, heart center, two more, inhale, reach up, exhaling, bow out and down, good, halfway up, inhale, heart shines, root the hands, hop or step it back, exhale lower as you choose, inhale, lift the heart, shoulders back and down, exhale, downward facing dog for five, five, four, three, four, five, six, two, bottom of the exhale, soft bend in the knees, hop or step front of the mat, inhale, lengthen halfway, exhale back into the fold, strong center, inhale to rise all the way up, exhale, draw the energy into the heart.

Last one, inhale, reach up, exhale, bow and fold, inhaling halfway, root the hands, hop or step back, exhale lower, inhale, lift the heart, exhale, float it back, downward facing dog, breathing five, good, four, dropping in, the opening sun salutes, whatever the variation all serve to warm the body and also to kind of soften fluctuation of thought and drop us into the flow of the practice, another breath or two here, bottom of your exhale, soft bend in the knees, hop or step it forward, inhale, lengthen halfway, exhale, deepen into the fold, from here deep bend in the knees, inhale, scooping it up, utkatasana, chair pose, ears pose, exhale, sit a little deeper, feel the strength of the foundation, muscles hugging in towards the bone, lift from that deep lower belly, strong through your center and then just slowly to the extent that it serves, start to sit a little deeper, really tuning into foundation and core strength, we're going to give it about five more breaths, just be with your own edge, spine is tall, shoulders are soft, deepening, deepening, deepening just as far as serves, three, two, legs and center, pressing through the feet, inhale, we're going to rise all the way up and then with your exhale, open arms, open heart, there's the back bend, offer it up, just for a moment, then inhale, rise again and exhale, bow, go right back down into your fold, take a breath here, good, then again deep bend in the knees, inhale, return to utkatasana, that same strength through foundation and center, this time on your exhale, reach back and interlace the fingers, inhale, opening through the heart and exhale, ease into the fold with the spine, now arms go up and over, breathing into the shoulders are the key component of deep back bending, flexibility, warmth, right through the shoulders, yeah, be with this, three, two, all right, just for a moment, deep bend in those knees, inhale, we scoop it back up into utkatasana, exhale, sit a little deeper, pressing through the feet, inhale, rise, strong foundation, exhale, open arms, open heart, good, inhale to rise and exhale, dive out and down, return to the fold, this time with the inhale, lengthen halfway, root the hands, hop or step it back, exhale, lower, lift the heart and exhale, take it back, downward facing down, grounding through the hands, with the next inhale, reach the right leg to the sky and with your exhale, go ahead and open the hip and bend the knee, just a couple of breaths, check out that our right hip, and then inhale, reach right leg to the sky and with your exhale, draw the knee to the nose and lift the belly to the spine, we're gonna stay here for a moment, feel the engagement through the center, feel the lift, good, with the next inhale, reach right leg to the sky, with the exhale, step that right foot forward, spin the back heel down to the earth and just pause, we're gonna build into warrior one really slowly so that you really connect with the strength, send the tailbone towards that back heel, lift the belly up towards the heart, keep all of that engaged, draw the arms alongside the body, feel strength of foundation and center, that's what builds the pose, then from there, inhale, draw the arms alongside the ears, draw shoulders down the back, keep all of that engaged and then inhale to rise, warrior one, be able to draw, exhale, settle in, five breaths, just be in it, good, big inhale, with the exhale wide open, warrior two, Virabhadrasana B, settle in, soft through the shoulders, lifting through the heart, steady to gaze, five, four, just this, beautiful, keep your foundation steady, big inhale, reverse, reach it back, opening through the side body, creating space, three, two, good, stay for your inhale, with the exhale directly in the side angle, forearm rests a thigh or hand comes down to the earth or a block, left arm goes up and over, anchor through the left heel, reach through the left fingertips, five, good, before you move, picture your reverse, warrior, we were just there, on the inhale, we move all the way back into it, and with the exhale, hands all the way back to the earth, step into plank and lower as you choose, inhale, lift the heart, exhale, downward facing dog, take a breath here, back to center and intention, good, left leg, inhale, reaches to the sky, exhale, open the hip, bend the knee, take a moment, pause the outer left hip, yeah, then inhale, reach it up, and with the exhale, draw the knee to the nose, pull the belly to the spine, feel a little round thing in the back, stay for a full breath, waking up center line, good, inhale, left leg back to the sky, exhale, step left foot forward, spin the back heel down to the earth, pause, let's really connect with the strength, send tailbone to right heel, foundation firing up, deep low belly drawing up towards the heart, strong through the back, arms alongside the body, pull the shoulder blades down, reach through the fingertips, keep all of that, and then inhale, arms alongside the ears, yes, lifting from the center, inhale, rise up, warrior one, second side, settle in, five, good, feel into it in your own body, what's there, uh-huh, big inhale, exhale wide open, warrior two, settle in, five breaths, ah, be with that, feel the strength of your foundation, keep that intact, big inhale, reverse, reach it back, extending out through the fingertips, breathe, opening lengthening side body, creating space, yes, big inhale here, and then with the exhale resting left forearm to thigh or hand to earth or block and reach the right arm up and over, send the tailbone towards that right heel, draw the belly up to the heart, roll the whole torso open, and breathe, mm-hmm, couple more breaths, right again, before you move, picture that reverse warrior, then on the inhale, reach it all the way up and back, and on the exhale, hands to the earth, step back into plank and lower, inhale, cobra, up dog, exhale, downward facing dog, pause, breathe, feel into the sensations in your body, good, in a moment we're going to start linking that all together, really intentionally building the pace, the fluidity, the heat in the body, of course, always you can slow it down, take it at your own pace or even pause anywhere along the way, stay in down dog, drop to child's, make it yours, here we go, inhale, right leg rising, exhale, knee to nose, inhale, go back up, exhale, stop, right foot forward, spin the back heel down, inhale, warrior one, exhale, open it, warrior two, inhale, reverse, exhale, side angle, inhale, reverse, come right back into it, exhale, hands to the earth, step into plank, lower knees or chaturanga dandasana, inhale, lift the heart, exhale, down dog, left leg inhale to the sky, exhale, knee to nose, inhale, rise up, exhale, stop, left foot forward, root the back heel down, inhale, warrior one, exhale, open, warrior two, inhale, reverse, exhale, side angle, inhale, reverse it again, float back, exhale, hands to the earth, step it back, optional vinyasa, again, right leg inhale to the sky, exhale, knee to nose, back up, inhale, exhale, step it forward, root your back heel, inhale, warrior one, exhale, open it, warrior two, inhale, reverse, exhale, side angle, inhale, reverse again, reach it back, exhale, hands to the earth, step into plank and lower, lift the heart, lower, take it back, down dog, left leg, inhale up, exhale, knee to nose, back up, inhale, step it forward, exhale, root back heel, warrior one, rise on the inhale, exhale, open warrior two, inhale, reverse, exhale, side angle, inhale, reverse, reach it back, exhale, hands to the earth, step back and lower, lifting the heart, all the way back, down dog, last cycle, inhale, right leg up, exhale, knee to nose, inhale, reach, step it forward, exhale, root back heel, modify as needed, inhale, warrior one, exhale, warrior two, inhale, reverse, exhale, side angle, lost in the flow, inhale, back up, reverse it, exhale, hands to the earth, step back and lower, lift the heart, exhale, down dog, last one, left leg, inhale, exhale, knee to nose, back up, inhale, step it forward, root back heel, warrior one, rise and inhale, exhale, open, inhale, reverse, exhale, side angle, inhale, reverse it again, fluid and open, exhale, hands to the earth, step it back, your vinyasa, good, meeting a downward facing dog, pausing there, feel into your breath, notice any shift in energy, intentionally cultivating that strength and cultivating that fire, specifically related to the third chakra which is directly of course below the fourth, the heart, we need that strength, that fire, that sense of wholeness of self in order to safely and intelligently open the heart, good, all right, from here, steady and mindful, inhale, just reach right leg to the sky, exhale, knee to nose, belly to spine, inhale, go back up, and then with the exhale, step the right foot forward, spin the back heel down, and then inhale, just opening into warrior two, yeah, and then exhale, settle, okay, then inhale, reach both arms up to the sky, and exhale, bend the left elbow, take the right hand to it, yeah, then we reach, the right arm goes up the back, good, you can find your fingertips, grab a strap, a towel, your clothing, doesn't matter, just feel into this for a moment, head kind of easing back into the left elbow, good, then we inhale, lengthen the right leg, and exhale, spin the feet to parallel for prasadapatanasana variation, dropping down through the tailbone, inhale, draw up from the deep belly all the way through the heart, then exhale into your fold, sustain the bind if possible, if you're just not feeling for it, let it go, take the hands to the air, breathe, all that heat and fire you've generated moves into any stickiness in the shoulders, breathing space, opening, good, big inhale here, and then with the exhale just release the hands down to the earth, with your inhale come halfway up, and then with your exhale begin to walk the arms straight out in front for a hammock variation, heart releasing to the earth, soft between the shoulder blades, keep the legs strong, a couple more breaths, yeah and then just gently start to walk the hands back in under the shoulders, with your inhale just come about halfway up, and with your exhale pivot to the front of the mat, lift the back heel, and then lower the back knee and just start to draw the hips back for Arda Hanumanasana, hands can be on blocks of course as needed, and then inhale reach through your heart and exhale deep and into the fold, just touching in here for a few breaths, remembering the strength in the legs, and tuning into them, tending to them, yeah before we ask for that huge support, all right slowly with the inhale easing forward, bending the front knee, and then exhale hands inside of the front foot for lizard, right knee can hug in or open out, stay on the hands or come down to forearms and elbows, okay, yeah, yeah, okay I'm just working with the legs honoring the foundation, you can keep it right here, if you want to add the quad stretch, right hand back for left foot, just a few more breaths, take it wherever it needs to go, okay if you have that back foot really gently release, and then inhale walk the upper body back in and up, and with your exhale take the hands either side of the front foot, we're going to tuck the back toes, lift the back knee from your core, inhale reach the right leg goes back to the sky, and as you exhale open the hip, bend the knee entirely up to you, you can stay right here and just kind of shake it out a little bit, or you can flip it open right foot grounding, spin on the ball the left foot and offer it up, reaching through the heart, reaching through the right fingertips, a couple more breaths, good, and then we slowly unravel releasing right hand back to the earth, and then right foot comes home and we're back and down down, just pause, couple breaths, and then left leg inhale to the sky, exhale need a nose, inhale back up, exhale step, left foot forward, root down through the back heel, right arm opens you, inhaling warrior two, second side, exhale settle in, good, okay keep that, inhale just reach arms to the sky, and exhale bend the left elbow, take the right hand to it, yeah, and then reaching the right arm up the back, maybe you find fingertips, strap, towel, doesn't matter, just ease the head back into that left arm a little, read into the left shoulder, keep that, inhale, lengthen left leg, and exhale, spin the feet to parallel, good, drop the tailbone, inhale lift from the deep belly all the way up through the heart, exhale fold forward, you can sustain the biome do so if not no big deal, releasing down, okay one more breath, and just stay in the fold, as you're ready exhale release, and let's take press right upon the tenasana d which just means grabbing the big toes with first two fingers and thumb, inhale to lengthen, and exhale fold working the crown of the head down towards the earth, no strain no rush, just a very grounding classic shape, bring us back to center, back to foundation in the earth, one more breath, good keep that grip, inhale halfway, and then exhale see that left foot and exhale just pivot back to the front of the mat, release the back knee down, pull the hips back, arada, hanamanasana, inhale heart shines out, exhale fold, honoring foundation, deep mindful stretch through the legs, one more breath, yeah and then inhale easing forward bending that front knee and with your exhale hands inside with the front foot, you can keep that left knee hugging in or you can open it out, stay on hands or release to forms, yeah that's enough, good, you must enjoy it, you'd like left hand back for the right foot, a few more breaths, okay slowly unravel, release back foot if you have it, walk the upper body back in and up, hands either side of the front foot, tuck the back toes lift that knee, inhale reach the left leg back to the sky and exhale open the hip again then mini, stay here or maybe flip it open, left foot grounding, heart rising, breathe three, reach it out, offer it up two, two, beautiful, left hand back to the earth, left foot back to the earth, downward facing dog, take a big inhale through the nose, open the mouth, exhale, yeah and then inhale slowly just roll it forward into plank and with your exhale come all the way down onto the earth, good, we're going to move into a relatively deep shoulder opening so please please please listen into your body to your shoulder joints and just go as far as serves, right, we get the benefits of the pose when we honor the edge not when we blow past them, left arm reaches out left palm on the earth, the right fingertips, tent just kind of out and to the right a little of the right shoulder and then you're going to lift the upper body twist and roll to clear some space and then bending that right knee start to ease it up and over and just plant the right foot on the earth, yeah good, this is enough, it's enough if you want to reach the right arm up and wrap it back you're welcome to make it yours breathing through the chest and front of left shoulder, now one more breath, we want to unravel really slowly keep your right hand grounded for support and then just start to use right leg, right hip, back down, good, let's take the hands under the forehead and just stabilize neutral spine for a breath, same mindfulness as we move to the second side, reach that right arm out, right hand on the earth here and then tenting the left fingertips, the bending the left knee kind of lift the torso a little twisting and rolling over to the right, yeah, left foot grounds, maybe the left arm reaches up or even draws back, maybe not, a few breaths, yeah slowly unraveling use this left hand for support as you ease left leg, left hip back home, hands under the forehead, stabilize neutral spine, okay moving into the back bending but before we do just a little love directly for the core so we can feel into that connection, rooting elbows under the shoulders, forearms grounding, tuck your toes and lift up, forearm playing, send energy back through the soles of the feet, shine out through the heart and just breathe, feel the strength of the center line, that's the energy that's needed to move into the deeper backbends, stay with it five, four, feeling into the strength of your own center, three, two, exhale, release, first back bend, relatively gentle shalabhasana, legs together, arms alongside the body and then feel the back body strengthen and engage and inhale, rise up, draw the shoulder blades down the back, reach through the fingertips, three, two, exhale, release, you can just rest arms alongside the body either cheek to the mat or we keep cultivating the core, root through forearms and elbows, tuck the toes, lift it up, yeah five breaths, if you're working towards this but don't feel you can sustain it the whole time, you can take the knees down, gather the energy, lift them back up again, three, three, two and release, same idea, legs together, arms alongside the body and then we just deepen it a little bit, interlace hands behind the back, rise up, variation of shalabhasana, five, heart rising, four, three, two, exhale, release again, just rest either cheek to the mat or forearm plank, lift it up, tailbone reaching to heels, belly draws up to the heart, feel the strength of foundation, center, three, two and release, last back bend here on the belly, you can repeat either of those variations of shalabhasana or none your asana, bending the knees, reach back for the feet or the ankles, knees no wider than hips, on the inhale rise up, shine through the heart, five, four, three, two, now stay for your inhale, rise a little and exhale, release, beautiful work, maybe rest forehand on hands, whatever is comfortable with upper body and just windshield wiper the feet for a moment, good and then release the feet to the earth, just nice and easy, hands outside of the rib cage, inhale, press up to hands and knees and then tuck the toes and exhale to get back into downward facing dog, just for a moment, pause, yeah, big inhale, bottom of the exhale, soft bend in the knees, hop or step all the way through to sit and then just roll directly down onto the back, if you like a block under the sacrum for bridge pose, have it close by, hug the knees into the chest, rock a little side to side, good, just reconnecting with the core for a moment, keep the legs lifted, calves parallel to the earth, press the hands into the thighs, thighs back into hands and as you do, scoop the tailbone and draw the belly in and up, notice how just that reconnects, reengages through the center, yeah, so whenever you start to slip out of that, reconnect, okay, just one more breath, just wanted you to taste it, good, then release feet on the earth, arms alongside the body, three back bends here, you've already done quite a few, so if you're ready to float up, then by all means go for it, if you want to build this a little more gently, press through the feet, lift the hips, simple bridge and again block under sacrum, always available, maybe hands clasped, maybe not, maybe we crawl the shoulders in and under a little bit more, this is all the strengthening and the warming and the opening that we did in the legs, notice how much work they're doing here to support you, a couple more breaths and then slowly, unless you're on a block, release down to the earth, final two back bends, stay with bridge, with or without the block or urdhva dhanurasana, hands under the shoulders, grounding through the feet, pressing through the hands with those wide open warm shoulders, inhale, rise all the way up, great, and then feel into it, be aware of the strength in the foundation, the legs working to support you, be still connected to the center, drawing belly in and out, yeah, notice how all that work you've done supports the opening of the heart, yeah, so it's resting on a strong and steady base, another breath or two, mm-hmm, and then slowly chin the chest, release to the back of the head, upper back, shoulders, all the way down the length of the spine, take a breath or two, last back bend, any variation you feel for, root, connect with the earth and then when you're ready, rise up, yeah, and then forget about all of the technicalities and just be with the breath and be with the sensation of an opening heart, see what's there, three, three, two, good, when you feel ready, releasing all the way back down to the earth, and find Supta, Baddha Konasana, soles of the feet together, knees falling open, right hand rests on the heart and the left hand rests on the belly, connecting the center with the heart, just rest, feel the rise and fall of your breath under your hands, feel the vitality in your own body, and then as you're ready, gently draw the knees together, hug your legs in towards the chest, rock yourself a little side to side, keep the legs as is or wrap either leg on top and let the legs roll to the left for a simple supine twist, reaching right arm out to the right, heavy through that right shoulder, releasing the lower back, back, good, three, two, slowly on the inhale, draw yourself back to center, move the hips to the left just a little bit, if the legs were wrapped to other leg on top, let them fall to the right, and reach left arm out to the left, so important to give yourself counter poses after deep back bending, twisting on the back, and maybe a seated forward fold, or both, yeah a few more breaths here, and bring it all out, okay, as you're ready, inhale, we draw it back to center, and then with the exhale, hug the legs in towards the chest again, and rock yourself a little side to side, then rock yourself a little forward and back, kind of massaging the spine, until you rock all the way up into a comfortable seat, okay, we're going to move this into a brief meditation before shavasana, right, it's two or three minutes, not too long at all, wrap up the sit bones if you'd like, take any seat that works for you, rest your hands wherever you'd like, and just settle into an effortless breath, the idea is to move almost directly from the back bending into the meditation, to really tune in to how you feel, let's rest, left hand on the heart, and right hand on top of the left, and then just gently let the head bow, as symbolically and energetically surrendering the thinking mind to the wisdom and the vast capacity of the heart, yeah, and then just kind of listening in, and what are you aware of, how do you feel physically, energetically, emotionally, was anything stirred up, liberated, there is no wrong answer, what is learning to strengthen that connection, learning to listen in anything that arises, it's allowing space for that for another moment or so, while sustaining a gentle awareness of breath, beautiful, some of you might want to remain here, if so feel free as long as you'd like, and as you are ready, that would be really simple, just unravel legs, and roll back, take any support you need for your final breath, and then lay it all down, you worked deeply, strong physical practice and deep energetic practice, so take rest, letting it all go, and letting yourself integrate all the many, many seen and unseen benefits of your practice, all the many, many seen and unseen benefits of an opening heart, just gently through the nose, inhale, and open the mouth, exhale, let it go, and rest, and then just gently deepening the breath, bringing some awareness back, some movement into hands and feet, with your inhale, reaching the arms up and over, with your exhale, bending the knees, feet to the earth, rolling to either side, maybe stay there for a little while if you have time and space, and when you're ready for turning to any comfortable seat, letting the hands rest wherever you'd like, okay, move awareness back down into foundation, we always start at the root, and then lift, deep belly all the way up, through heart center, through crown of the hand, cultivating tall and vibrant and integrated center line, let awareness rest there for a moment, and then drawing the hands to prayer at the heart center, thank you so much, it's an endless honor and joy to share the practice, thank you and namaste, deep inhale,