Relax and Rest

Hi, I'm so glad you're here. Today, let's find a practice for relaxation. Do you ever have trouble relaxing or falling asleep? I do sometimes. So, here's a nice practice, we'll move our spines, then we'll do some breathing to help us relax, and release, and maybe even fall asleep.

So, let's move the spine first. Sit in a comfortable criss-cross position, and start to walk your hands forward. Pause for a moment. Maybe, this is where you go with your body and your bones. This is perfect.

You might even walk your hands a little farther forward, and sometimes we bring the head to the earth, or not. Remember, it doesn't matter what it looks like. It matters how it feels. So as you pause here, take a few deep breaths, and know that you're perfect. Just like this.

Breathing. From here, inhale the arms up, pause, and then we'll switch the cross of the legs, and we'll do the same thing again, feeling it on the other side. So, take your time here. It takes time to feel your body. Breathing.

When you're ready, walk you hands forward, maybe even bring your forehead down to the earth. Everybody feels this. Breathe into your body. Feel the peace. Slowly inhale up, hands find the knees, take a breath.

So, the spine moves forward, it also moves back, so place your hands back behind you, roll your shoulders open, lift your heart, take a deep breath. This is a back bend. It brings energy into you. Breathe, and you might even drop your head back if that feels good for your neck. Ask your neck.

Deep breath here. And then, slowly come up, pause. Notice how a back bend makes you feel. Breathing. So, the spine moves forward and back, it also moves side to side, so let's find a side bend.

Reach one hand away, inhale the top arm up. Begin to tilt to the side. Excellent. And, you might even bring that forearm onto the earth. Let's open up the shoulder so roll your shoulder down, inhale up.

Do that a few more times, and notice how graceful you are as you explore your body. Perfect for you. Nice, eventually lengthen and really feel it through the side waist. This will help food move through your body smoothly. Digesting.

Take a deep breath here. Push through that bottom hand, inhale up, imagining you're picking an apple, lengthening, (inhales) You got it, and then bring that hand back to your knee. Now, close your eyes and notice how long that side feels. That means the yoga's working. So, let's switch the cross of our legs, and we'll find the other side.

Reach the other hand away from you. Inhale the top arm up, start to tilt, maybe the forearm comes on the ground. Now take this elbow, roll it down, inhale up. Let your breath guide you. Your breath is your best teacher.

Nice. Eventually lengthening and feel the stretch in that side waist. Breathe deeply. Inhale. Exhale.

Push into the bottom hand, inhale, reach up, pick another apple. Maybe, it's a mango this time. You got it, and then lower that hand, close your eyes, and feel the length in both side ways, the spine tall. Breathing. The spine moves forward and back, side to side, It also twists.

Place on hand on your knee. Place the opposite hand back behind you. Drop your head, get round in your back, and with an inhale, lift your spine, slowly twist toward that shoulder. Twists are great for digestion too. Your body loves this, from the inside out.

Breathe into the shape. Nice, come back the center, switch the cross of your legs, one more direction, twist to the other side. Place your hand on your knee, that hand back behind you. Drop your head, get round, ground. Inhale, lengthen as you exhale.

Look over that shoulder. Notice how much your spine loves to twist. Take a deep inhale. Exhale. Nice, come back to center, and pause here.

Close you eyes for a moment, and notice how it feels after you move the spine the six directions. My spine feels good. Let's move into a couple breathing patterns here, and this breath you can use anytime. Sometimes, it can feel good to do it to give you energy. Other times, maybe you need to relax.

You're the yogi scientist, so notice how it makes your body feel. We'll start with what we call horse breath. We'll purse our lips like a horse, and we're going to blow out of the mouth, like (exhales with force) Practice, and have fun making some noise. The body loves to make noise. Watch one time, we're going to drop forward, and then inhale up.

Take a deep inhale. (exhales with force) Empty completely, and when you're ready, take a big inhale up. (sighs) Two times of take a deep inhale, purse your lips, push the air out of your mouth. (exhales with force) Empty completely. Inhale up.

Pause. Last time. Deep inhale (exhales with force) Inhale up, and then close your eyes. Notice how you feel, maybe there's a word or a picture that comes to you. I feel energy and peace.

Second breathing pattern we'll find is what's known as the bunny breath. We'll breathe through the nose like the bunny. This is a great way to clean your belly as well as to lift your energy. Just try it, notice how you feel. We'll take a deep breath, and we're going to breathe, exhale through the nose in a sharp movement, just like a bunny.

Just do your best, have some fun. Take some deep inhales, exhales, and when you're ready, inhale. (breathes rapidly) Relax, place one hand on your belly. Feel it relax. Let's try that two more times.

It's like you're pushing the air out, cleaning, making space for the new. Take a deep inhale. (breathes rapidly) Pause, breathe. Okay, one more time, deep breath in. (breathes rapidly) Pause.

Notice how this makes your body feel. Makes my body feel warm, energized, also clears the throat. From here, let's lie down on our backs, so bring your feet forward. From here, let's slowly roll down onto our backs. Feel your spine connect to the earth.

And then, hug both knees into your chest, rock from side to side. Relax. Slowly straighten out both legs, and let's rest here. Roll your palms up towards the sky. Relax the whole body on the earth.

Stay right here as I sit up, and listen as I describe your body melting into the earth. As you relax your feet, take a deep inhale, exhale, feel them sink. Relax your legs. Feel them heavy. Relax your spine, loose, open.

Relax your hands, your arms, long, strong. Relax your face, your brain. Feel your eyes soften, your jaw relax. Feel your whole body supported by the earth, our home. As you relax here, feel the peace in your body, the support of the earth underneath you, the inspiration of the sky above us.

Trust this feeling of safety, of support, of peace as you breathe and feel your true self. Now, stay here as long as you would like, resting, feeling your true self. When you're ready, slowly roll to a side. Use both hands to sit up, and then bring your hands together at the heart, bow your chin, and thank yourself here for practicing yoga. Take a moment and feel all the gifts of your practice, the peace, the ease, the joy.

They're all the time just waiting for us. Peace.