Foundational Flow

Welcome, everyone. Namaste. Thank you so much for joining me for this practice. Let's dive right in. Let the eyes close or soften the gaze. Move your awareness down into your seat and feel into your foundation. From there, connect with the flow of your breath. Notice where it's landing in the body. And just gently welcome the expanse of your breath. We're going to be warming, stretching, strengthening the foundation, and also exploring moving into a peak pose in this flow. As always, we meet ourselves at our own edge and we just take it as far as feels good. If you happen to have a block and a strap, you might want them handy, if not, we'll improvise. Awareness back to the breath. Let your inhales expand out in all directions. And let your exhales root down through all points of contact with the earth. Just another moment of stillness here, feeling into your root. Beautiful. Hands come to prayer at heart center, open together with a gentle ohm. Exhale, empty it all out through the nose, big inhale. Settle into an intention for your practice, anything at all that resonates. And as you feel ready, let your eyes open, take a big inhale, reach the arms out and up, interlacing the fingers. Exhale, press the palms to the sky. Keep the core engaged as you welcome the beginnings of a backbend. So the back of the heart kind of rising up and through front of heart, offer it, offer it, offer it. Let's take another full inhale. And then with your exhale, you're going to reach the hands back behind and interlaced right around the sacrum. Again, belly is engaged. Let it rise. Inhale, opening through the chest on the front of the shoulders as the hands draw away from the low back, breathing through chest and front of shoulders. Give this one more breath. And then with your next inhale, let the arms rise again, lifting. And with your exhale, rocket forward, let's come up onto the hands and the knees, rooting down through a base of thumb and first finger. And let's take a big inhale, lifting through tailbone, heart, gaze. And with your exhale, round belly to spine, two more Cat-Cow, inhale, lifting tailbone, heart, gaze. Exhale, rounding, release the head, rise through the belly. Once again, big inhale and rounding on the exhale. Good. Then we inhale, come back to a neutral spine. Exhale, just root down through the hands and really wake up. Arms, shoulders, chest, upper back. Draw a belly in and up. And with your next inhale, reach the right leg straight back about the height of your hip. Keep it active. And with the next inhale, reach the left arm out. With the exhale, pull that left shoulder blade down the back. Yeah? Feel that for a moment. Take another big inhale. And then with your exhale, rounding the back, belly to spine, elbow to knee, knee to elbow. Two more. Inhale, reach and extend. Exhale, round and curl in, waking up through the center.

Inhale, extend. Exhale, round and curl in. This time, inhale, reach and extend. You're welcome to stay here. You're welcome to release to hands and knees or play with the bind. Left hand back for the right foot or your strap or a towel, whenever you have handy. And then keep belly rising to support this as the leg lifts, as the heart opens, as the left shoulder opens. One more really big inhale. As you exhale, extend the arm out and the leg back. Keep the belly engaged. Stay here for a big inhale. And with the exhale, release hand and knee to the earth. Soft head rolls. Just relax the neck. And then draw yourself back to a neutral spine. Press hands into the earth. Inhale, reach the left leg straight back, pressing through that heel. Then with your next inhale, we add the right arm, reaching it out. With the exhale, draw that right shoulder blade down the back. Yeah, feel into that for a moment. Big inhale. Exhale, draw a knee to elbow, elbow to knee, belly to spine. Two more. Inhale, reach it. Exhale, draw it in. Inhale, reach. Exhale, draw it in. This time inhale to reach. You have the option to stay here or release, or right hand goes back for that left foot, strap or towel, whatever you have handy. And then let the leg rise and let it take the right arm with it, opening through chest and front of right shoulder. Feel into that. Take a big inhale. It's controlled with the exhale. Stay integrated. Extend the leg back, the arm out. Pause, inhaling. And exhale, release. Hand and knee to the earth. Again, just kind of soft through the neck. Roll the head a little. Good. Then draw yourself back to neutral. Keep rooting through the hands. Big inhale, tuck your toes. And exhale, get all the way up and back, downward facing dog. Big inhale through the nose. Exhale, let it go. Then with your next inhale, roll forward into your plank pose. We're going to come all the way to the earth. So elbows hug in, slow lower, all the way down on your exhale. Let's take three gentle cobras. Inhale, letting the heart rise. Shoulders back and down, legs pressed into the earth. Exhale, release. Back down two more. Just go as high as feels. Good. Inhale to rise. Feeling into the back bending. Really kind of getting an awareness there. Exhale, release. Back to the earth. Once again, inhale, we rise. Belly in and up, heart opening. And exhale, all the way back to the earth. Hands outside of rib cage. Inhale, lift to hands and knees. Tuck toes. And exhale, take it all the way back, downward facing dog. Big inhale. Ground on the exhale. And then slowly inhale, just walking it forward to the front of the mat. When you arrive, easy fold, just a breath or two here. Let it unravel. And then soft bend in the knees, head heavy. Slowly on the inhale, we roll all the way to stand. And as you arrive, exhale, roll the shoulders down the back. Heel toe the feet together. Samas diti hi. Steady the gaze. Let's synchronize our breath. Inhale through the nose. Exhale through the nose. Good. Inhale, reach the arms out and up. Surya a. Exhale to bow out and down. Inhale to lengthen halfway. With your exhale, hop or step back, lower knees or chaturanga dandasana. Inhale to cobra or up dog. And exhale, take it back, downward facing dog. Just for three. Two. Bottom of the exhale, soft bend in the knees. Hop or step front of the mat. Inhale, we lengthen halfway. Exhale, dive back into the fold, strong center. Inhale, rise all the way up.

Exhale, hands to the heart. Once again, just warming the body. Inhale, out and up. Exhale, out and down. Halfway, inhale. Hop or step back. Exhale to lower as you choose. Inhale, lift the heart, shoulders way down the back. Exhale, downward facing dog. Roll shoulders away from ears. Heels to the earth, the bones to the sky. Three. Two. Bottom of the exhale, soft bend in the knees. Hop or step it forward as you arrive. Inhale, lengthen halfway. Exhale, bow and fold, strong through your center. Inhale, come all the way up. And with the exhale, hands to prayer, heart center. Take a big inhale here. Exhale to ground. Beautiful. Then inhale, we reach out and up. With the exhale, we bow, out and down. Inhaling halfway up. With the exhale, hop or step it back through the vinyasa or you can let it go, always optional. Down dog. And then in this cycle, we root through the hands with the inhale. Reach the right leg to the sky. With your exhale, step the right foot forward, descending down, rooting through the feet, then rising from the center. Inhale, high lunge, crescent. Exhale, sink the hips down to the earth and then we're going to pause here for a moment. Bend the back knee. Let that drop the tailbone a little bit more and pull the belly in and up. Keep that orientation through the whole bowl of the pelvis and lengthen the back leg again. Right into hip flexors. Give it another breath. Stay for a big inhale. And then exhale, release. Hands to the earth, stepping into plank and lower. Inhale, lift the heart. Exhale, down dog, left leg. Inhale, reach. Exhale, float it forward. Legs strong, lift from center.

Inhale, we rise, high lunge. Exhale, deepen. Good. Same thing. Bend the back knee. Really drop the tailbone and really draw a deep low belly in and up. Feel that through the pelvis. Keep it as you lengthen the back leg again. And then just breathe into this. Nice work. Stay for a big inhale. And then with the exhale, release. Hands to the earth, step into plank, vinyasa, lower as you choose. Lift the heart. Inhale. Take it back. Exhale, down dog. Just pause for a moment. Kind of gather your energy. Come back to your center. In a moment, we're going to link that together, intentionally building the pace and the heat. You can always slow it down, skip cycles, modify, make it yours. On the next inhale, right leg up. Exhale, step it forward. Inhale, high lunge. Rise up. Exhale, immediately. Hands come right back down to the earth. Step into plank and lower. Inhale, lift the heart. Exhale, down dog. Left leg, inhale up. Exhale, forward. Inhale, high lunge. Right away on the exhale, hands to the earth. Step into plank and lower. Inhale, heart up. Exhale, down dog. Again, each side. Inhale, right leg. Exhale, forward. Inhale, rise. Exhale, release. Float back and lower. Inhale, cobra, up dog. Exhale, forward. Inhale, high lunge. Exhale, hands to the earth. Step back, chaturanga dandasana. Inhale, lift the heart. Exhale, down dog. Beautiful work. Take a big inhale. Open the mouth. Exhale. Let it go. From here, keep grounding through your hands. Inhale, reach the right leg of the sky. This time with your exhale, open the hip and the knee. Give it a moment. Then inhale, reach. With your exhale, step the right foot forward between the hands. Spin the back heel down to the earth. With your next inhale, let the left arm reach forward, up and back. Landing in your warrior II. Pause for a moment. Reconnect. Steady gaze and breath. Steady body and mind. Three, two. Yeah, nice and simple. Inhale, just lengthen the right leg. Exhale, reach out and down. Trikonasana, any placement of the right hand. Reaching left arm to the sky. Sink and soften that left rib cage a little bit and feel how that lengthens the right side body. Opening through heart. Good. With your next exhale, wrap that left arm behind the back. You might find the right hip, low back, even left hip. It's fine. Then turn the gaze to the earth. Start to ease the back foot in. We're moving into half moon. If you'd like, grab the block. Plant that right hand and rise up. If you feel steady, shift the left arm and the hip or arm to sky. Use your gaze, use your breath. This is enough, it's enough. If it's available to you, left hand holds left foot, similar to the bind on hands and knees. Strap, always an option.

And then if you have the bind, start to open through the heart. Reach it out as the leg draws back. Good. Another breath or two. Enjoy it. So those of you in chapasana, the bind, slowly release first. Reach that left arm back to the sky and the left leg straight back. Stay for a big inhale. And then slowly with your exhale, we float back into warrior two. Grounding, let the arms open, let yourself settle. Steady gaze. Big inhale. And with the exhale, release hands to the earth. We're going to pause here, spinning the back heel up, lower the back knee down, taking this into lizard. So hands come inside of the front foot and you can stay there or release down onto forearms and elbows. That right knee can hug in or open out. And then again, it's your choice. If this is enough, it's enough. If you want to keep working with that bind exploration, right hand goes back for the left foot or the strap and then you ease into it. Breathe into quad muscles. Relax the face, the eyes, the brow. Two. Yeah. It's a gentle release. If you have the foot, let it go. And then we'll meet here. Inhale, slowly walk the upper body back in and out. Exhale, hands either side of the front foot. Tucking the back toes, lift the back knee on your inhale, sweep the right leg back to the sky. And exhale, just kind of shake it out. Let it go. Come home to your down dog. Stay right there if you'd like. Or here we go. Inhale, plank. Exhale, lower. Inhale, lift the heart. Exhale, downward facing dog. Inhale, left leg to the sky. Exhale, open the head. Give it a moment. Inhale, back up. Exhale, float. Left foot forward. Spin the back heel down to the earth. Right arm opens you on your inhale. Warrior two. Exhale, ground and settle. Steady your gaze. Three. Two. With an exhale, lengthen that left leg. And with the exhale, reach out and down. Trikonasana, second side. Grounding that left hand. Reaching right arm to the sky. Find a little softening through the right ribcage. Opening through the heart. Just expanding out in all directions. Another breath here. Big inhale. Exhale, wrap the right arm behind the back. You might find the hip crease or low back or right hip. And then just gently turn the gaze down to the earth. Start to ease the back foot in and reach out for your half moon. Ardachandrasana, block is optional. Strong through the right leg. It will help your balance. Use your gaze. And then if you'd like, right hand to right hip or arm to sky. Yeah. Enjoy this. So beautiful. Let it be just what it is. And or if you'd like at any point, right hand to right foot for chapasana. Same principles on hands and knees. Let the heart open as the leg draws back. Taking the arm with it. Another breath here. And then a gentle mindful release. Inhale, extend the leg back and the arm up. And then gently on the exhale, just float it back into your warrior two. Grounding. Steady gaze and breath. Reconnect. Big inhale. And with the exhale, hands to the earth. Pause. Spin the back heel up. Lower the back knee. We're going to move it into lizard. Hands inside of the front foot. Remember all the options. Take what serves. Hands on the earth or down to the forearms and elbows. Knee hugging in or opening out. And then if you'd like, left hand back for the right foot or the strap. Continuing to open through those right quad muscles. Breathing here. Three. And two. If you have the foot, it's a gentle release. Let it go. And then from your fold, inhale, walk it back in and up. Exhale, hands either side of the front foot. Tuck the back toes. Lift the knee. Inhale, reach. Left leg goes back to the sky. And then with the exhale, release. Downward facing dog. You can pause right where you are. Or inhale, ripple forward into your plank. Exhale, lower knees or chaturanga. Exhale, lift the heart. And exhale, take it back. Downward facing dog. Really strong work. Take a big inhale here. Exhale to settle. With the next inhale, sweep the right leg to the sky. We're coming into pigeon from here. So exhale, draw the right knee, right shin through and down. You're welcome to take support underneath that right hip glute area. And then we pause. Lots of different paths from here. If you're ready to just release, fold yourself forward. Let it go. Focus on the hip opening. If you'd like to move into the peak pose exploration with all of that preparation, you'll start by rooting down through right fingertips or right palm. Feel the deep low belly draw in and up so you're really supported through the low back. And then try this. Take the left hand back for the left foot, just as you've been doing through the flow. That's enough. It's enough. You breathe into it for a little while and you release. If this is pretty soft and supple, explore sliding that foot into the left elbow crease. It's like magic. That's enough. That's enough. Or reach that left hand up. Big inhale, reach the right arm up and exhale. See if you can find your fingertips. Strap is always welcome. Keep rising through deep belly, lifting through heart. And let's just be in it for a few breaths. Three. Two. Yeah, big inhale.

Let the heart open a little more. And then exhale, just gently release. The foot comes down to the earth. The hands come down to the earth. Tuck the back toes. Lift that knee. Inhaling, lift the right leg and just step back into your downward facing dog. Pedal it out a little bit. And let's see how the second side feels. Inhale, reaching left leg to the sky. Exhale, draw it into pigeon again. Support that hip glute area as much as you'd like. And if you're in the mood to simply release, fold, make it just about the hip opener, then do that. If you want to explore this bind, tent left fingertips or root left palm, reach the right hand back. Find the foot or the strap. If that's your edge, that's your edge. Be with it. Otherwise slide the foot into the elbow crease. Keep that sense of rising from deep belly. That's your strength and your center. Stay here or inhale, reach left arm up and exhale. Take it back for the bind. Yeah. Offer the heart up. Three, two. Stay for a big inhale. Lift through heart center. And with your exhale, unravel. Release the foot to the earth, the hands to the earth. Inhale, tuck the back toes. Lift that back knee and then just ease it back into your downward facing dog. Excellent. Pedal it out a little bit. Let it go. Soft through head, neck, jaw. And then nice and easy. On the next exhale, simply release, knees to the earth. Swing the feet to either side and we're going to come all the way down onto the back. Hug the knees into the chest. Wrap the arms around the legs. Rock yourself side to side. And then from that gentle rocking, simply release the feet down to the earth. And let's take the feet about as wide as the mat and just draw the arms out to the side and whatever shape is most comfortable, straight out or cactus shape. And then a gentle release for the low back. Just kind of windshield wiper the knees to the right. Inhale into center. And exhale to the left. And float side to side at your own pace. If the back bending felt really deep to you, then you might stay in the supine twist on either side for a little longer. Take what you need. And then as you're ready just finding neutral. Spine resting on the earth. Knees are still bent. Feet grounding. Take a big inhale here. And with your exhale, let it all go. Extending the legs out. Resting arms alongside the body. Take any support you need. Cover the body. Cover the eyes if you'd like. This was a deep practice moving into really subtle realms. So if you want support here in your shavasana, listen to that. And then let the weight of the physical body relax into the earth. Let mind and heart and subtle body follow. Gently together let's take a big inhale. And open the mouth. Exhale. Just rest. Exhale.

Exhale. Exhale. Exhale. Exhale. Exhale.

Try to rest here as long as you'd like. So you're ready, gently deepening the breath. Bring some movement into the hands and the feet. Inhale, reach arms up and over and exhale, bend the knees. Roll to either side and gently transition back to a comfortable seat. Grounding here together. Hands at rest, soft gaze or close the eyes. Just let yourself settle, focusing on the exhales, moving energy down into foundation. Gently drawing hands to prayer at the heart, offering the benefits of the practice up and out, all beings everywhere through the nose, inhaling. Gentle inhale, soft bow forward with your exhale. Namaste. Thank you all so much. Be safe, be well.