Get Stretchy!

(rushing ocean waves) Hi, I'm so glad you're here. Today we'll have a practice for yoga for flexibility to help open the legs, the spine, the hips. So let's start first in downward facing dog. So turn towards the front of your mat, spread your fingers wide, bend one knee, bend the other. Rock a little from side to side.

Wag your tail and notice how your body needs to stretch here. Breathing. Now from here, bring one leg forward into our high lunge. Gently drop the back knee to the earth and then bend and straighten your knee a few times. Easing into the shape.

From here, bring both hands to the inner foot and now picture a lizard. Lizards are very relaxed, peaceful. Close your eyes and see the lizard. Take your time. Now some of you might stay right here.

This might be perfect for your body. It might feel good for you to come down onto an elbow, or maybe even two. Notice what works for you. And you can take that bent knee and roll it to the side. Rock a little from side to side.

Bring your foot to the earth, your back foot. Now picture that lizard stick your tongue out. (exhaled breath) Soften. Breathing. Excellent.

From here come back up onto your hands. Walk your hand around and we'll move into a pose called pigeon, a great hip stretch. So walk that front foot forward, to the side, and then release your knee, your hip down to the earth. Rock a little from side to side. Inhale up, picture a pigeon.

Breathe into your throat, lift your beak. Excellent, and then from here walk your hands forward. You might make a pillow and you might stop right here, this might be enough for your body. You might even bring your forehead to the earth. Soften.

Make sure it doesn't hurt. Breathing. And then from here walk your hands back up. Spread your fingers and we'll come back to our downward facing dog, walk it off. Make sure it feels good.

Then from here bring the other side forward, the other leg, high lunge, come down to your low lunge. Bend and straighten and notice how this hip feels. This side is different, unique. Now if it helps you, and remember the shapes came from the animals, watching the animals. Picture a lizard.

Bring your hands to your inner foot, close your eyes and you might stay here for your body, your bones. You might bring a forearm down, maybe even two. Maybe this knee opens. Wobble from side to side, take a deep breath, stick your tongue out. Relax in the shape.

Breathing, soften your bones. Your muscles. It takes time to stretch. Come back up onto your hands and then we'll find pigeon on this side. So walk your foot over.

Release the knee. Picture your pigeon, inhale, arch up, and if it feels good make some noise. You can even coo. Coo, coo, coo. Feels good.

Breathe. Walk your hands forward and then relax your spine. Maybe there's a pillow. There's no wrong way to do this, just do it. Breathe, soften.

Excellent. From here, inhale back up, arching. We'll bring this foot back to the earth. Step back to your down dog. Walk it off for a few more breaths.

And then let's go ahead and sit down and we'll find a few more poses for our hips. So let's come into a pose called half butterfly. Straighten out one leg. Bring your other foot to the inner thigh. Inhale, lengthen your arms up.

Get long. Excellent. And then from here, reach out towards that foot. Some of you will hold your knee. Maybe you'll hold onto your ankle.

You might even hold on to the foot as you lengthen and drop. A great pose to stretch your legs, your spine, your hips, notice where you feel it. See if you can relax a little deeper. Soften. From here, walk your hands back up, pause.

Perfect. And if we do one side, we want to do the other, so change sides. Notice how graceful you are as you move, set yourself up. Inhale the arms up. Exhale lengthen forward.

Notice where you need to go to feel it. You might even hold onto your foot. And then relax. Soften into the shape. Go ahead and walk your hands back up.

Pause, nice. And then let's shake out both legs. Feel the energy in your legs. We'll come into one of my favorite poses, cow pose. So go ahead and cross one leg over, pause.

Now you might keep this bottom leg straight, you might bend it. Notice how it feels for your body. Now this is the nose of the cow and here are the ears. Take a moment, close your eyes and feel the cow inside of you. Now you might stay sitting upright.

This might be perfect for your body. It might feel good to go ahead and walk your hands forward, stretching your hips, stretching your spine. Softening, drop your head. Breathing. Deep inhale.

Exhale. Slowly walk your hands up, pause. Place your hands on your cow nose, wide, wet, soft. And then from here, place your hands back behind you and then switch the cross of your legs. Bring the opposite foot on top.

Rock. Nice. Hold on to your horns for a moment. Lengthen your spine. Stay here or walk your hands forward.

Softening. Cow pose helps us connect to our higher intelligence. Breathe deeply into your forehead. The back of your body. Softening.

From here, inhale up, pause. Hands find your nose. Close your eyes for a moment. Cow pose helps us observe, get quiet, noticing. Take a deep breath and feel that in you.

Excellent. So from here let's come into child's pose. We'll bring our knees down to the earth. Bring your forehead to the floor. Rock a little from side to side.

You might bring your arms back by your sides. And then breathe into your back body, your spine. The back of your heart, your kidneys right below your ribs. Feel your spine lift with your inhale, drop with your exhale. Enjoy the rhythm.

Notice the soft quality in your belly. And then from here we'll slide forward onto our bellies and rest for a few beats. Make a pillow. Bring one cheek to the pillow. Rock your hips gently.

And as you breathe here, belly on the earth, feel your hips wide, your belly soft, your legs strong, flexible. Feel all the gifts of your yoga practice. Stay here as long as you would like, resting. Feeling your body. When you're ready, eventually sit up.

Come to a comfortable seat. Close your eyes, bring your hands together at your heart, and bow your chin gently. Thank yourself for practicing yoga and notice all the gifts that your practice brings to you. Feel your flexibility. Peace.