Day 3: Sweet Release

Welcome, friends, to day three of Trust the Connection. Thank you for being here, our online yoga, 20-day yoga retreat with Arturo, Miles, Suniti, Wade and myself. So delighted to be here together. So this practice will happen on the shag carpet. And it's designed to help identify tension and create a bit more space for whatever is arising and to help release and soften any tension or holding in the physical body and maybe energetically in the body.

So our practice today will kind of target and focus on the shoulders, releasing tension and the shoulders, the neck, the spine and the hips. We'll start today seated, just taking a few moments to settle in before we begin to move a little bit. So just find yourself in a comfortable position. Might prop yourself up. And just allow yourself to kind of lean a little bit side to side, forward and back.

Just noticing the parts of you that are touching earth, that are touching the ground. Just notice what has you, what has your attention, any thoughts swirling around, healing sensations in the body, and just beginning to draw your awareness towards the breath. Rather than do anything specific with the breath, just become aware of the body, the lungs receiving breath and releasing it and softening, letting go of allowing each inhale to invite a quality of laying through the spine, through the body and the exhale, kind of a softening and a settling, finding some ease through the face and the jaw. Letting your awareness drop down into the belly, a few moments here, just aware of the experience, the feeling of the breath in the belly. Feel how the base of the skull can gently drop back and up with each exhalation of softening and a settling, just arriving in your practice in this moment together, feeling the support beneath you, come aware of your next inhale and allow for a generous exhale and a sigh.

As you're ready, just take your time and stretch the legs out and we'll transition into a tabletop shape. For this practice, it might be helpful to have a block, we'll use it towards the end of the practice, hopefully, and set it off to the side. As you ease your way onto your knees, again, take care of your body, so you might have a blanket under your knees for some extra padding and support. Again, I'm on this fluffy rug, make sure you take care of yourself and you can let this practice be as chill as you'd like it to be or as challenging as you'd like it to be. You are in there.

We're going to start with the beloved toe torture pose. You're going to tuck your toes under. As you tuck your toes under, begin to draw the weight back towards the heels a little bit, opening up the bottoms of the feet, the connective tissue there. You might stay right here, even as it feels like maybe you could use some more pressure, you might begin to bring your hands up onto your legs, kind of feel your sitting bones maybe grounding a bit on the heels and check in. Allow for an inhale, nice, full exhale, nice.

From here, interlace your fingers and then stretch the arms forward and feel like you can kind of pull the hands away from each other a little bit and then let your back round here, kind of feeling into the back of the heart. So in day two with Arturo, we really got to feel and sense the shoulder blades, the scapula, the back of the heart and then turn the palms away and on your next inhale, feel the arms reach up if you'd like to and this sense of kind of lifting and lengthening through the spine. Be brightening through the heart, the throat, softening through the face, breathing in and exhale, the arms release, we'll take a few shoulder rolls here, maybe a nice lion or lioness breath as you stick the tongue out, action. And then as you're ready, go ahead and release from that. You might keep your hands facing forward, you might spin the fingers out a little bit or even experiment with spinning the fingers towards the knees, wrists away and maybe drawing back a little bit towards the soles of the feet, feeling into the wrists and allow for another exhale, beginning to round your way back into an active child.

So the first step, just feel how the back body begins to round and the sense of widening through the back ribs, deep into the kidneys, the low back, moving into cat cow, float the shoulders over the wrist, drop the belly, inhale, lift the heart, exhale, let the back round and as you round the back, you might keep your toes tucked under as you draw the hips back towards the heels and breathing into the back body again, float the shoulders over the wrist, drop the belly, inhale, lift the heart, feeling that extension and then exhale, curl and round, just kind of warming the spine, easing into the body slowly, dropping the belly, inhale to lengthen and then exhale, curl and round a few more rounds like this of your cat cow. You might stay with this, you might find some circles through your hips, through the rib cage, moving into the shoulder blades and the neck, softening the gaze inward and feeling into any tight sticky spots, creating space and room as you breathe into where you feel it. Nice, let the back round, draw the hips back towards the heels again, easing into downward dog, as you're ready, tuck the toes under, up and back, easing in downward facing dog. And then this first downward dog, let's walk it off a little bit, so you can bend one knee and stretch through the opposite calf and heel, and then bend the knee and just stretch through the opposite calf and heel, a few more times like this, just kind of walking it off, feeling into the back of the legs, like lowering the knees, and an easy side plank variation, extend back through your left leg and then spin onto the outer edge of the foot, transfer the weight into that right arm, stack the shoulder over the wrist as you float the top left arm up to the sky. Might feel nice to circle that top left arm a few times, reaching it over, use circles here, moving from the shoulder, and the next time you reach the arm overhead, pause and feel like you can reach from the outer left edge to the fingers, allow for an inhale and as you exhale, bend the left knee and begin to crouch, so you're bringing that left elbow towards the left knee and then re-reach and lengthen, and then bend and crouch like a tiger and then re-reach.

Let's do one more bend, exhale, re-reach, and then lower that left arm back down, back into your tabletop, a few rounds of cat-cow here, dropping the belly as you inhale to arch, exhale, curl and round, stretching the back body, good, one more time, inhale to arch, exhale to round, easing towards our second side, extend back through your right leg, spin onto the outer right edge, transfer into that left shoulder and wrist, extend that top right arm up to the sky, you might stay reaching, you might float the right arm down by your right foot, sweep it overhead, you'll find a few circles with the arm, moving from the right shoulder, next time you extend and reach it overhead, inhale to lengthen, exhale, bend the right knee, find your crouch and then extend and re-reach and then bend the right knee, draw the right elbow towards the knee and then re-reach, one more time, bend and then reach, inhale to lengthen, exhale, slow, release that right arm down, spin onto the ball of your back right foot, draw the right knee in and cat-cow a few times through the spine and dropping the belly on the inhale, finding your extension, exhale, curl and round, inhale to arch, leaning length, exhale, curl and round, easing back up into downward facing dog, in downward dog, you might bend the knees, feel how you can lift and find some buoyancy up through your sitting bones, really let that weight of the head release here, feeling the length of your spine, easing our way into plank pose, as you're ready, inhale, shift shoulders over wrists, feel like you can reach back through the balls of the feet, forward through the heart, draw the deep low belly up in towards the spine, you might even lower the knees down here and then exhale back downward facing dog, again inhale, building some heat, shoulders over wrists, reach back through the heels, forward through the heart, lower the knees, we'll lower slowly onto the belly for a few rounds of cobra, bend the knees, draw the heels towards the sitting bones, press through the palms and inhale baby cobra here, lifting up through the heart, exhale, lead with the heart, lower down, again bend the knees, draw the heels towards you, kick through the feet, press through the palms, inhale cobra and exhale, lower down, do one more like this, press through the palms, kick through the feet, inhale, lift up cobra, finding your edge of sensation, exhale, lower down and then press through the palms, round your way back towards child's pose again, and you might sink back drawing the heels towards the sitting bones, sitting bones towards the heels, from here let's walk the arms over to the right a bit and feel how you can root through the left fingertips as you draw the left hip back, now opening up the left side body, breathing wide, nice, walking the arms back through center and then over to the left you can root down through the right fingertips as you draw the right hip back, moving wide into the right side body, nice, coming back to center, here from your child's pose, stay round as you float the hips up, we're going to stay round, round, round as you bend the elbows, lower the hips, coming into your cobra, lift the heart and then exhale, lower down, we'll do this vinyasa a few times, bend the knees, kick through the feet, lift up cobra, exhale round the spine, draw the hips back towards the heels, lengthening, stay round, round, round as you inhale rise up, lower the hips to the floor, bend the elbows, lift the heart cobra, exhale lower down, feeling and finding your own internal rhythm and flow, kick through the feet, inhale cobra, exhale round back, child's pose, your child's pose ish, one more like this, stay round, round, round, able to spine wide through the back ribs, bend the elbows, lower the pelvis, lift the heart, cobra exhale lower down, bend the knees and kick through the feet, feel that momentum as you press through the palms, lift, exhale round, round, round, easing back into your child's pose and pause, as you're ready inhale float shoulders over wrists, downward facing dog, from downward dog as you're ready inhale lift the right leg up towards the sky, open the hip, bend the knee, just feel around in there and breathing into the back of the left leg as you open the right hip, good and then stretch the right leg up to the sky, inhale, exhale knee to nose, curl and round the spine, shoulders over wrists, inhale right leg reaches up to the sky, exhale knee to nose and step the right foot forward between the hands and just kind of help it along, kind of wiggle back through the ball of the left foot as you lengthen forward through the heart, twisting lunge, round the left hand, inhale reach the right arm up to the sky, feel you can reach back through the ball of that left foot, forward through the heart and find a place where your neck feels good, inhale here, exhale release that right arm down, walk the hands over to the left, turn the feet parallel, we're easing our way into skandasana here, bend the left knee and shift over, good bend the right knee, might travel and walk, feeling into the hamstrings, your groin hips and a few times side to side, just noticing how it feels in your body, good and then eventually travel back to the top of the mat, shape of the lunge, right foot forward, left foot back, step back into your downward dog, now from your down dog you might stay here, you might join me as you inhale, float forward plank pose, shoulders over wrists, exhale lower knees, come all the way down to the floor, bend the knees, kick through the feet, press through the palms, inhale find your cobra, exhale lead with the heart lower down, as you're ready press your way up and back downward facing dog, finding that on the other side inhale lift the left leg up, open the hip and the knee, kind of feel around in there breathing into the back of the right leg, stretching the left leg up towards the sky, inhale exhale need a nose curl and round, hover, inhale left leg reaches up to the sky, exhale step it through between your hands, twisting lunge ground through your right hand, inhale float the left arm up, reach back for the right heel forward through the heart and find that ease in your neck as you breathe here, enjoying the stretch, nice, inhale exhale release the left hand down walk the hands over to the right and come into hammock pose, feet parallel walk the hands forward, kind of soften the hips back towards the heels, let the back of the neck release here, breathing into the back of the heart, lovely, as you're ready travel the hands to the back to the top of the mat, shape of the lunge, hands around that left foot and then step back into your down dog and you might stay in down dog, lower in child's pose or inhale plank pose, shoulders over wrists, exhale lower yourself down however you'd like to and inhale cobra lifting the heart, exhale lower down, child's pose, nice, from child's pose downward dog and from down dog let's walk the hands towards the back of the mat, back towards the feet, toe heel the feet wide, bend the knees, come into your malasana squat pose here, easing in side to side, let's ground through the right hand and inhale lift the left arm up to the sky, it might feel nice to circle out through the wrist here, breathing, looking down, looking up and another side, ground through the left hand, inhale reach your right arm up, feel like you can kind of open up through that right hip and lengthen out of the low back, circling wrist, nice and then lowering down, butanasana forward fold, toe heel the feet a little closer together, soft bend in your knees, release the weight of the head, together let's roll it through the spine, bend the knees, curl the tailbone under, keep the chin into the chest as you slowly round, roll your way up and then furling, feeling the heart, the shoulders, the head and take a moment to pause, just feeling the blood, the energy, settle back down into feet and earth, finding a little bit more space through the shoulders and the neck, we'll start by rolling the shoulders up and releasing them down, again rolling the shoulders up and releasing them down one more time like this and releasing them down, we'll stretch the arms out and roll the shoulders forward, press through the feet, find that external rotation as you open and again round and roll the shoulders forward, press through the feet and open, one more time roll the shoulders forward, press through the feet and open, as you bring the arms back press and reach out, drawing the fingers towards the ears and feeling that you can extend from the center, from the heart, out through the heels of the hands and then draw the fingers in and stretch the top of the wrists here, allow for an inhale and exhale, let the arms release, shake it out, we'll bring the hands onto the shoulders and begin to make some circles here, we explored this with Wade on day one and it just felt so nice, we're circling from the shoulder joints, I like to bend the knees here and letting the arms release and a few circles with the arms like you're kind of taking off a big heavy winter coat, nice and release, shake it out, nice, let's reach the right arm out, we'll soften the chin down towards the chest and then roll the left ear towards the left shoulder, nice and then nodding the head down a little, nodding the head up, here you might begin to open up through your right palm and lengthen through the right fingers, you might stay right where you are, you might nod the head gently up and down, breathing into where you feel the sensation and you might want to pause and hang out, you might refer some movements, tuning your own instrument here, finding a clear on a note or you might want to pause and allow for an exhale, you might stay with this a bit longer when you feel ready, roll the chin back down towards the chest, roll the right ear towards the right shoulder as you reach out through your left arm, you might feel nice to open up through the palm and you might stay right here, you might nod the head down towards the right, maybe nod the head up and kind of tuning through that left shoulder and arm, finding maybe that internal and external rotation as you reach through the fingers, you might nod the head a little bit, again you might find a spot where you want to pause, allow for an inhale, the clearing, exhale, take your time when you feel ready, rolling the chin back down towards the chest, press through the feet, feel the heart lift and feel the head lift, interlacing the fingers, reaching the arms up to the sky, spreading the toes and feel how you can wiggle and lengthen up through your spine, feels so nice to lengthen, you might stay here, you might take it over to the right as you press through your left foot, opening up through left side body, inhale back up to center and over to your left, press through the right foot, open up, inhale back to center, exhale, roll the shoulders forward, find that interlace behind the back, inhale lift the heart, you might stay right here, you might take it into a forward fold as you bend the knees, hinge at the hips, release the head and feel the arms stretch up out and over, now lifting the shoulders towards the sky, towards the ceiling, releasing the weight of the head, trusting the support of your legs, as you're ready, bend the knees, release the hands, forward fold, and we'll round our way up, curl the tailbone, chin into the chest, nice and slow, feeling the heart, the shoulders, the head, taking a moment to pause and feeling the blood, the energy, move back down, from here moving into lunge salutations, finding your way towards the top of your mat, spreading your toes, bringing your hands together at the heart, letting the breath inspire the movement, as you're ready with an inhale, let the arms reach up, exhale, forward fold, maybe there's a soft bend in your knees as you release the head, inhale, half arch length in your spine, exhale, bend your knees, let's tuck the right foot back as the left knee bends and wiggle on back through the ball, that right foot again, lengthen forward through the heart and lower the right knee down, as you inhale, draw your hips back, extend through your left leg, feeling the hamstrings here, exhale, left knee bends, feeling into your lunge, back thigh hip flexor, inhale, hips draw back to lengthen, exhale, lunge, one more, inhale, hips draw back, exhale, lunge, you might stay low in your lunge, you might rise up, hands on that front leg, drawing the hips forward, the heart, you might stay here, you might inhale, reach your arms up towards the sky, low crescent lunge, feel that lift and support through the back of your heart, brightening through the throat and face, reaching that left hand down towards the floor as you stretch the right arm, up out and over towards the left, and then breathing, opening up through the right hip flexor, side body, reaching that right arm back up to the sky, exhale, release the hands, tuck the back toes, lift the back knee, step back, downward facing dog, you might stand your down dog, you might inhale, shift forward into plank, shoulders over wrists, exhale, lower down, inhale, cobra, lifting the heart, exhale, lead with the heart, lower down, tuck the toes, press up, downward facing dog, as you're ready, inhale, reach the right leg up to the sky, exhale, step it forward between the hands, shape of the lunge, wiggle back through the ball, that left foot forward through the heart, and then lower that left knee down, inhale, draw the hips back, stand through the right leg, exhale, find your lunge, two more, inhale, hips draw back, creating a bit of space, exhale, lunge, pass to one, inhale, hips draw back, exhale, lunge, stay low, hang out, rise up onto the thigh, hands on the front leg, inhale, arms reach up, and feeling that lift in length through the spine, support through the back of the heart, tapping into a quality of ease within the effort, the intensity, exhale, release the hands, tuck the back toes, lift the back left knee up, and then just step the left foot forward to meet the right, inhale, half arch, lengthen, exhale, bend the knees, forward fold, bend the knees, press through the feet, inhale, circle the arms up to the sky, wiggle and lengthen, exhale, hands together at the heart, and taking a moment to pause, second round, inhale, circle the arms up, and exhale, navel the spine, forward fold, releasing the head, inhale, half arch to lengthen, exhale, bend the knees, step the left foot back, again, right knee bends, lower that left knee down, stay low, inhale, rise up, any arm variation here, you might bend the elbows, bring the hands behind the head, open up through the lungs, the chest, and feeling that support through the back of your heart, hands reach up, lower down, tuck the back toes, lift the back knee, step back, downward dog, stay here, or inhale forward into your plank, exhale, lower down, inhale, pull over, press through the palms, draw the elbows and lift the heart, exhale, lead with the heart, lower down, tuck the toes, press up, downward dog, from downward dog, inhale, left leg reaches, exhale, step the left foot forward between the hands, wiggle back through your right foot, lower the right knee, as you're ready, inhale, rise up, you might bend the elbows, bring the hands behind the head, low crescent as you open up through the chest, breathing here, as you're ready, arms reach up, release the hands, tuck the back toes, lift the right knee, and step the right foot forward to meet the left, inhale, half arch, exhale, forward fold, bend the knees, press through the feet, inhale, circle the arms up, exhale, hands together at the heart, and pause and notice, check in, feeling the internal rhythms, pulsations, heart rate, adding on, as you're ready, utkatasana chair pose, inhale, stretch the arms up, exhale, bend the knees, shift the weight back into the heels, draw the navel towards the spine, nice and full through the back ribs, inhale here, exhale, forward fold, inhale, half arch, lengthen, exhale, bend the knees, step back into our plank, pause and plank pose, and then lowering down, knees or through your chaturanga, inhale to cobra, or maybe it's an upward dog at this point, listening to your body, exhale, back into your downward dog, as you're ready from down dog, inhale, reach the right leg up to the sky, exhale, knee to nose, step it through for warrior one, pivot onto the outer edge of the back foot, stay low in the legs, and inhale, rise up warrior one, kind of feel the tailbone draw under, that sense of lifting the ribcage up away from the pelvis, and then what would it feel like to bend and extend the right knee a few times? You might even circle the arms forward, up and open, nice. Next time you come back into the shape of warrior one, turn the palms away, interlace the fingers behind the back, and inhale, lift the heart, you might stay right here, you might, on an exhale, release into the shape of devotional warrior, on the inside of your right leg, gonna hug that right hip in, rooting through the outer edge of the left foot, as you're ready, strong through the legs, inhale, rise up, reach the arms up, and then opening up into your warrior two shape. From here, warrior dance, inhale, press through the ball, the right foot, arms reach, exhale, right knee bends, warrior two, and inhale, arms reach, lengthen, exhale, warrior two, let's find three more rounds, inhale, arms reach, exhale, warrior two, inhale, reach, exhale, bend, last one, inhale, arms reach, exhale, warrior two, and pause. From here, reverse, slide the left hand down the back leg, inhale, reach the right arm up, and then press through the ball of the right foot, as you straighten the right leg, moving into triangle pose, extend and reach. Let yourself really lengthen and reach across the room, reach, reach, reach. From here, the right hand might find the shin, the ankle, as you float the top arm up towards the sky, and maybe some circles here through the shoulder, opening, sweeping down, overhead, turning and opening the ribcage. Next time you reach the arm up towards the sky, you might explore a bit of internal rotation for the shoulder as you bend the elbow and maybe wrap the hand around that right thigh. Nice. Reaching and lengthening. Here you might explore a little bit of neck work as you roll the head, chin in towards the chest, and release it, really rooting and rounding through the outer edge of the back foot. A few more breaths here, opening the lungs, taking up space. Float that left arm back up to the sky, strong through the legs. As you're ready, reach with that top arm, inhale, come back up, bend the right knee back into your warrior two, and then we'll reverse again. Float the back, reach the back, hand down, float the top arm up, and then curl the hands down into your twisting lunge. Bring that left hand down, spin onto the ball of the back foot, reach that right arm up, lower that right hand down. Let's lower the back left knee down, bring the right hand on the inside of your right foot for lizard. I love this one. So, heal the right foot a little wider, you might turn the toes out, this little groovy stretch here, opening up through the back thigh. Here's where you might investigate, move from side to side. You might stay up on the hands, you might lower onto your forearms and release. Breathing into where you feel it. Here you might even play with grounding through the left hand, bringing the right hand onto the right thigh as you explore the twist here. Maybe you're bending that left knee, grabbing a hold of the back foot as you kind of kick and lift the heart. This might be a fun variation to play with. As you're already releasing that foot, come back into your lizard, back up onto the hands, and then just nice and slow, draw those hips back. So, heal that right foot back into the midline, a little half split here, Artahana Manasana. Love all that moaning and groaning we did with Arturo on day two. Nice work. Take your time, bend that front knee, tuck the back toes, step back into your down dog, and you might walk it off in your down dog. You might inhale into your plank pose, lower down knees or Chaturanga. Inhale to Cobra, or maybe an upward dog would feel nice, drawing the elbows in, and exhale lower, meeting downward dog, and you're ready. Last round here, and now left leg reaches up, exhale, knee to nose, and step it through between the hands. Move it onto the outer edge of the back foot, stay low on your legs as you inhale, rise up into your warrior one. Again, as you ease in, you might bend and extend your front left knee a few times, and maybe circle the arms down, up and open. So nice breathing. Eventually finding your warrior one, turn the palms away, interlace the fingers, maybe it's the opposite finger on top, open up through the chest, devotional warrior, drawing that left shoulder on the inside of the left knee. As you stretch the arms up out and over, you can feel the shoulders lift up towards the sky, stay rooted through the outer edge of the back foot. Stay low on the legs as you inhale, keep the fingers interlaced as you lift up, stretch the arms up, open up into your warrior two to the right. You might kind of readjust your feet here for your warrior two, and we'll dance. Inhale, press through the ball of the left foot, arms reach, exhale, warrior two. Inhale, press through the ball of the left foot, arms reach, left leg straight, exhale, warrior two. About three more rounds at your own pace, arms reach, exhale left knee bends, inhale, arms reach, exhale left knee bends. One more together, inhale, arms reach, exhale, warrior two. Slide the right hand down the back leg, reverse warrior, peaceful warrior, inhale, left arm reaches, and then press through the ball of that left foot, straightening the left leg, and then continue to reach into your triangle pose trikonasana. Extend and reach across the room here. Left hand might find the shin, the ankle, floor or block, as you reach the top right arm up to the sky. You might stay here, you might circle the right arm down to the floor, overhead and open, a few circles here, moving from the chest and the shoulder, and always keep a soft bend in that front left knee. Eventually, you might reach the right arm up to the sky and explore that internal rotation as you bend the elbow and maybe play with wrapping it around the front leg, bringing the back of the hand to the sacrum area, feeling that rotation of the ribs and the lungs towards the sky. You might drop the left shoulder towards the ear, holding the head and neck gently move a little bit down and up, breathing. When you're ready, slow, reach that right arm back up to the sky, press through the feet, inhale, reach back up, bend the left knee back into the shape of your warrior, too, and then reverse. Reach the right hand down, inhale, left arm reaches up, cartwheel the hands down into our twisting lunge, spin onto the ball of your back right foot, ground the right hand, inhale, lift the left arm up, feel that reach from the heart into the hands. So nice, inhale, exhale, left arm releases, lower the back right knee, toe heel, left foot a little wider for the lizard, easing in side to side, exploring the landscape of sensation through the back right eye, hip flexor. You might stay up on the hands and you might lower onto the forearms. You might ground for the right hand, bring the left hand onto the leg and find that kind of low groovy twist here. You play with bending the back knee and reaching for the foot as you kick back and open the chest. Eventually, if you have the foot unwrap or unwind, you might stay here in your lizard a bit longer, softening the jaw and releasing, feel ready, draw the hips back and just toe heel that front foot back into the midline, draw the hips back, come on to that left heel, little hamstring stretch here, allow for a exhale, bending the knee, tuck the back toes, step back downward facing dog. Maybe there's one more vinyasa here for lowering child or inhale to plank, exhale lower, inhale to cobra or maybe it's an upward dog, exhale lower, downward dog, moving right into pigeon, drawing that right knee forward and sliding it through for pigeon. The pigeon doesn't feel like the right thing on your hip and knee. You might roll onto your back and find that little sweet figure four shape, drawing that right ankle across the left leg. It's pretty awesome stretch or maybe it's a pigeon today. Listening to your body, you might stay upright. If and as the body bites you in a bit deeper, you might release maybe supporting the weight of the head or surrendering the weight of the head. We're honing our skills of deep inner listening, creating space for whatever is present. There is a rising within the moment.

It might stay a bit longer in your pigeon or figure four. It's slowly easing your way up. If you're in pigeon, we'll shift the weight into the right hip as we swing the left leg across for a seated twist. Artemisi Andrasa, settle into the sitting bones. Now right arm reaches, exhale, turning to the left. You might wrap the right hand around the left leg or hook the arm, bring the left hand behind you. Inhale, lengthen through the spine. Exhale, twisting towards the left. The spine and the kidneys draw into the back and then exhale and soften the belly as you rotate the ribs, lungs. Easy through the eyes. Stay in the shape of the twist and then just slowly rotate the head forward. This feels nice. Breathing. Take your time, unwind and wrap the legs. Lean back, free the legs. A little Navasana play as you cross the legs. Just find your way back nice and easy into your down dog. Second side pigeon, drawing the left knee or the other leg forward. We're even finding your way onto your back to the figure four shape. You might bring support underneath the hip. Feel really helpful. And tuning in and listening. You might stay right where you are. And as you need to feel more sensation, you might begin to lean in and forward. It's finding the right amount of support and space for your body. And finding that appropriate edge of sensation. Just allow for an inhale. Maybe an audible generous exhale. Breathing it out. Easy through the jaw. You might stay a bit longer in the shape you're in. Eventually taking your time if you're in the pigeon to slowly make your way up. And we'll shift the weight if you're in pigeon onto that left hip as you swing the right leg around for the twist. Ground for the ball, the right foot as you settle into your sitting bones, lengthen. Now reach the left arm up to the sky with an exhale, twist to the right. You might wrap the left hand around the right leg or hook the elbow there. Right fingertips down towards the floor or maybe support. Ground through the sitting bones. Inhale, find some length here. And then exhale, twisting, wringing it out. Breathing. And stay on the twist and slowly let the head unwind. Rotating forward.

Inhale. And then exhale. Unwind. Unwrap the legs. You might stretch the legs up to the sky for a moment. Stretch the legs out on the floor. Making a moment to lengthen here as you ground through the hands, lift up through the spine. Little staff pose, dandasana action. And then from here, roll your way onto your back. And I'll meet you there. Oh, my goodness. So nice on the carpet. Line your way onto your back. Open your arms up in the shape of cactus and we'll continue our cat cow movement here. Keeping your pelvis on the floor and as you inhale, let your back arch, lift the lumbar spine, soften the chin down. Exhale, curl the tailbone under. Without lifting your pelvis, just feel the back ribs, draw down a little spine. Inhale, relax the belly, chin softens down. Exhale, curl the tailbone under. And more like this. Inhale, arching the back, chin softens down. Exhale, curl the tailbone under, head rocks back and up. We'll take this into our bridge pose. So reaching the arms down alongside the body. Feel the essence here as you inhale. The arch and then exhale, curl the tailbone under. Press through the feet, lift your pelvis up. Finding your bridge pose. So feet are about hips width, feet parallel. And your tips might reach towards the heels or you might roll and tuck the shoulders under the back. Maybe finding that interlace. That's your thing. A little space in the throat, soft through the eyes. Feeling the buoyancy of the lungs and the heart here. As you relax some of the gripping through the butt. Feeling the muscles of the legs, hug into your bones, ground through the heels. Welcome to stay here a bit longer. When you feel ready, stretch your arms up to the sky, lift your heels up. Come high up onto the balls of your feet and slowly round your way down to the floor. Feeling the spine really slowly. And pause. Second round, you might hold yourself up. You might look for your block. Bring the block underneath the sacrum as you press through the feet.

Press the pelvis up. Slide that block underneath. Maybe at that first setting, second, or the highest setting, whatever feels right for you. You might pause here on the supported bridge. You might draw the knees in towards the chest and stretch the legs up for an inversion of the spine. Reaching through the balls of the feet here. Drawing the shoulders under the back. Maybe the palms open towards the sky. And the space through the throat, the eyes, the blood and the energy moving down into the pelvis, the heart, the warmth in the face, the lips. You can feel some kind of shaking through the legs. You might stay here a bit longer. When you feel ready to release, round the feet. Find the blueprint of your bridge. And then press. Lift the pelvis up. Remove the block. And just lowering down nice and easy. Stretch the arms up to the sky. Toeheel the feet nice and wide for windshield wipers. Let the knees fall over to the right. Now back up and over to the left. Just continue at your own pace. Letting the head rock away from the knees here. Releasing the spine. Next time the knees fall over to the right, you might pause there. Stay here. Maybe bring that right ankle on top of the left leg. Reaching up through that left arm a bit. Moments here. Eventually releasing that right leg down. Inhale the knees up and over to the left. Reaching up through that right arm. You might stay here. Bring that left ankle across the right leg. Breathing. Feeling the space slip in. You might stay here a bit longer. Release that left leg. Draw the knees up. Let's hug the knees into the chest. Easy rock from side to side. Re-tuning it if there's anything your body feels called to do. Release. Take your time. You might stretch the legs out for a moment in Shavasana. Bring the soles of the feet together. Knees wide into Baddha Konasana. Allow for an exhale. Bring the weight of the bones. Draw into earth. Resting in the space you created through your practice. And your awareness will gently expand. Most likely it'll feel really nice to stay in when you're longer. It's the beauty of the home practice. You can do that. Honoring your own internal timing and rhythm. You feel ready to transition. Bend the knees and roll to your side. Pause on your side. Using your arms to slowly press yourself up. If you're joining me in a seat, take a few moments. Sit together to settle. Allow for an exhale. Joining the hands together at the heart. Breathing in. Soft bow forward and in. Namaste.