Solar Flow

Welcome, everyone, such a joy to be together for this really kind of fun, fiery flow. Let's go right to it. Comfortable seat, hands to prayer heart center, softening the gaze or closing the eyes. Take a moment or two, feel into your breath. Feel into your body.

Open with a gentle ohm through the nose, big inhale. If it resonates, set an intention for the flow, let it root in the body, and then let the eyes open. Here we go. Inhale, reach arms out and up. And then with your exhale, go ahead and rock it forward.

Lift up onto the hands and the knees, spread fingers wide, press, base of thumb and first finger into the earth. Inhale, lift, tailbone, heart gaze. Exhale, round, belly to spine. Just a couple more, inhale, tailbone, heart gaze. Exhale, round, belly to spine.

Once again, big inhale. Inhale to round. And then with your inhale, come back to a neutral spine. Just ground on the exhale. Belly draws in and up so you're supported through the core.

And then with your inhale, reach the right arm out and up. And with your exhale, thread that arm under the left, come to the back of the right shoulder, the side of the head. Left hand can ground, it can walk out, or you can reach arm to the sky. A couple more breaths, bringing some movement, some heat and awareness into mid-back thoracic spine. Stay for the inhale, exhale, release left hand down, inhale, right arm all the way back to the sky, open it again, and exhale, release.

Neutral spine for a breath. And then with the next inhale, reach left arm out and up, and exhale, thread it under. Root that right hand, walk it forward a bit, or inhale, reach it up. Oh yeah, ring it out a bit. Big inhale.

And with the exhale, release, root right hand if it's up, inhale, left arm all the way back to the sky, exhale, return to hands and knees. Take a big inhale here, tuck the toes, exhale up and back, downward, facing dog, yes, big breath in, open the mouth, clear it out. Then inhale, come forward into plank pose and pause, engage the whole body for three, belly in and up, two, tailbone reaching to heels, heart reaching out, one more breath. Then stay for your inhale, and exhale, lower knees, or chaturanga. Inhale into cobra, up dog, and exhale, take it back, downward facing dog.

Right away on the inhale, come forward again, plank pose. Stay where you are, or if you'd like, lift that right leg a little, press actively through both heels, hold, strong center, three, two. If the leg is up, release it, again, exhale, lower knees, or chaturanga, building the strength and the heat. Inhale, lift the heart, exhale, up and back, downward facing dog, mm-hmm. Right away, again, inhale forward into plank, again, just pause as you are, or lift the left leg, press through both heels, strong and steady, three, engage that center, two.

If the leg is up, release, and again, exhale, lower as you choose. Inhale lift the heart, exhale, up and back, downward facing dog. Just pause here, feel the body warming, the breath deepening, yeah, nice and long through the spine, shoulders rolling away from ears, heels to earth, the bones to sky, one more breath. Okay, here we go, inhale, right leg to the sky, exhale, open the hip, bend the knee, give it a breath, then inhale, reach it up, exhale, step the right foot forward, ground your back heel, left arm opens you, rise into your warrior, two, exhale, settle ground, three breaths, feel that strength, nice, then inhale, lengthen the right leg, spin the feet to parallel, but then turn toes out, heels in, drop the sit bones into goddess, big inhale, reach arms out and up, exhale, swing right elbow under, interlace, inhale to lift arms and heart, exhale, curl in a little, draw the elbows towards the solar plexus, inhale, rise, exhale, draw it in. Inhale, rise, exhale, draw it in, unwind the arms, inhale, reach up, exhale, spin feet to parallel and fold forward, grounding through feet and hands, inhale halfway and then exhale, just fold for this first cycle, release into it, three, grounding down, two, nice, inhale, halfway, grow the spine, see the left foot, exhale, pivot to the back of the mat, step into plank, stay there for your inhale, exhale, knees are chaturanga, inhale, cobra, up dog, exhale, take it back, downward facing dog, take a breath here, and then come in full circle, inhale, right leg up again, exhale, open the hip, inhale to reach, exhale, float right foot forward, back heel down, left arm opens you, inhale, return to your warrior too, exhale, ground, good, then inhale, lengthen right leg, exhale, spin feet parallel but then toes out, heels in, big inhale, reach arms up, exhale again, swing right elbow under, just one cycle, inhale lift, exhale, curl it in, good, inhale, come all the way up and then with the exhale we're going to fold forward again, releasing to the earth, inhale, grow the spine, exhale, back down into the fold, and this time totally up to you, stay right where you are or if you feel for it, ground through the hands, root crown of head, lift from center for tripod headstand, just a few breaths, yeah, nice, with your exhale, release, draw the feet back down to the earth, then with the inhale, halfway, exhale, spin back to the front of the mat, step into plank, stay right there for your inhale, exhale through the vinyasa or you can let it go, of course always optional, we meet in downward facing dog, pausing here, take a breath or two, and leading with the left leg as you're ready, inhale, reach that left leg up, exhale, open the hip, give it a breath, inhale, rise, and exhale, float left foot forward, root the back heel, right arm opens you, inhale, warrior two, exhale, ground, take a few breaths, deep and in, feel that strength, good, then inhale, lengthen left leg, exhale, turn the feet to parallel but then toes out, heels in, deep and into it, inhale, reach the arms up, exhale, left elbow under, interlace, inhale, lift the arms and the heart, exhale, round curl in, draw the elbows to the solar plexus, inhale to rise, exhale, curl in, inhale, rise, exhale, curl in, good, unwind the arms, inhale, reach it up, feet parallel, trace the midline, exhale, return to your fold and just root here, inhale, halfway, exhale, release, this time grab big toes, first two fingers and thumb, inhale, lengthen, exhale, deepen into the fold, three, yeah, two, and hands essentially under the shoulders, inhale, halfway, exhale, pivot to the back of the mat, step back into plank, pause for your inhale, exhale, knees or chaturanga, inhale, cobra, up dog, exhale, take it back, downward facing dog, give it a breath, come in full circle, inhale, left leg up, exhale, lengthen the hip, inhale to reach, exhale, step forward, ground back heel, right arm opens you, inhale, warrior two, exhale, ground and deepen, take a moment, good, inhale, lengthen left leg, feet parallel, bend toes out, heels in, inhale, reach arms up, exhale, left elbow under, just one cycle, inhale, rise, exhale, curl in, elbows to solar plexus, inhale all the way up and exhale, fold forward, this time take any variation of prasarita you choose, you could come back to tripod, you could keep it classic, you can walk arms out or hands through, a few more breaths, move that heat you're generating into the back body, let it open, yeah, then to neutral, root hands under shoulders, inhale halfway, see the right foot, exhale, pivot back to the front of the mat, plank, pause, big inhale, exhale, lower as you choose, inhale to lift through the heart and exhale downward facing up, good, take a big inhale, open the mouth, clear it out, exhale, yeah, the bottom of the next exhale hopper step front of the mat, when you arrive inhale halfway, exhale, bow, fold, deep bend in the knees, inhale, utkatasana, rising up, strong legs, strong center, we're going to stay right here, inhale, and then exhale, draw the hands to prayer at the heart center, taking a round of kapalabhati breath, which is the pranayama associated with the solar plexus, building that heat, so big inhale, all the breath out, inhale, sip a little air in, and begin, all the breath out, stay right there, inhale, just reach arms to sky, and then exhale, bow, and fold, release into utkatasana, let that settle for a moment, hands fall or hold elbows, maybe sway, whatever you feel for, yeah, if you're holding elbows let the hands release, keep a gentle bend in the knees, circle through the spine, inhale rolling, all the way to stand, when you arrive exhale roll, shoulders back and down, just release, let it go, alright, let's come to samastitihi, taking feet together, hands to prayer, heart center, we're going to play with a little standing balance, so beginning really simply in tree pose, root down through that right foot, and take the left foot up, toes to earth, foot to calf, or all the way to inner thigh, just find your own sweet spot, draw the left knee back, lengthen up through that central channel, as is, or arms rise, and if you fall, you fall, no big deal, just come back, yeah, feel the length for a moment, maybe even lift the gaze, then if the arms are up, let's release that, draw the hands to prayer at heart center, and then cross left ankle over right knee, flex that left foot, sit the hips back and down, tilt upper body forward but keep rising through the heart, breathing into that outer left hip glute area, yeah, alright, from here, totally up to you, you can stay right where you are, or start to ease the hands to the earth to transition into the arm balance, you can just take this step, maybe lift that right heel, look forward, play with what it is to take the weight into the front of the feet, or you can bend the elbows enough to make that shelf with the triceps, upper arms, lift from your center, and then maybe the right foot lifts for a breath or two, maybe extends back, maybe not, just play for a few breaths, if you're still intrigued, great, once you're ready, root that right foot, lift from center, strong standing leg, inhale, come all the way back up, and exhale, just shake it out, let it go, whatever it was, samastitihi, and ground the left leg, steady the gaze, right foot to tree, oh medium or high, and once you're grounded, see if you can draw that right knee back a little, opening inner thigh, and maybe the arms rise, palms open or press, maybe the gaze lifts, maybe you're a little wobbly today, maybe you fall, kind of watch the undercurrent of the mind, practice being gentle with yourself, whatever arises, yeah, if arms are up, hands back to prayer at heart center, then cross that ankle over the knee, flexing the foot, sitting back and down, really feel that opening through outer right hip glute area, right, there's plenty to work with here, so if you'd like to stay where you are, feel free, if you want to just begin to taste the arm balance, start to draw the hands to the earth, wiggle around, find your sweet spot, and then bend the elbows enough to make a shelf with the upper arms, bend that left knee to get low enough, right foot kind of hooks around left arm, looking forward will help your balance, engaging deep belly in and up will help your balance and your strength, maybe you just come to the ball of the left foot and that's enough, maybe the foot rises, maybe the leg extends, right, see what's possible, give it a few breaths in any variation, and when you're ready, ground that left foot again, feel strength of center, let that support you as you inhale, rise, and exhale, shake it out, let it go, really strong work, keep playing with that, it evolves over time, samastitihi, deep breath, then with the next inhale, reach arms out enough, and exhale, let's just fold forward, and then stay in your fold, open the feet a little wider than hips distance, toes out, heels in, sink into malasana, yogi squat, spin a little on the balls of the feet, easing in, and then steady yourself, and support under the heels, you can even take a block under your sit bones in this pose, if you want that support, definitely take it, elbows encourage opening of knees, hands encourage lift of heart, then with the next inhale, reach the left arm out, gently tent the fingertips ground, then inhale, reach right arm up wide open, feel that spaciousness through solar plexus, stay right there, or maybe even wrap and bind around the left leg, gaze to sky for three, two, if you're in the bind unravel, inhale, reach arms up, and then exhale, drop back to center, take a breath, second side, inhale, reach right arm out, tent fingertips ground, with the next inhale, reach left arm up, yeah, feel that expanse, stay right there, or maybe wrap and bind, good, opening, three, two, if you have the bind unravel, big inhale, exhale back to center, really nice to have a neutral spine after a twist or an openings just steady here, and then release the hands to the earth, let the back around, let the head fall, creating this incredible stretch from the back of the skull all the way down to top of hips, another breath or two, if you're in that fold just slowly rise, and let's play with one more arm balance, really cultivating that kind of fiery strong energy, looking forward, again that's your other balance point, root the hands, lift that deep low belly, deep bend in the elbows, make that shelf, shins come to the arms, and maybe one foot lifts, maybe both rise, holding steady if you can, just a breath or two, you can shoot back through chaturanga or you can just release the feet, step it back, finding downward facing the really strong work, just pausing here, big inhale through the nose, open the mouth, exhale, clear it all out, and then the bottom of your next exhale, soft bend in the knees, hop or step through to sit and let's meet in dandasana seated staff, if the back body, the hamstring muscles or back muscles are tight, take some support under your sit bones, simple blanket is good, and then really wake up the legs, flex the feet, press through base of big toes and press the hands outside the hips, just a lot of energy, a lot of strength, a lot of fiery breath, let's take a moment to ground and draw it all back in, feel foundation, we cultivate all that heat and energy, you really want to center it, and ground it in the body, keep this inhale, reach the arms up and exhale ashimottanasana, you can hold big toes, sides of the feet, you can loop a strap or a towel around the feet, whatever you like, when you have it inhale, send the heart out and exhale, release, letting the background, letting the head fall, and again kind of drawing all that energy, heat, fire back home to center, grounding here, five, and four, three, and whatever grip you have, keep it, inhale halfway up, exhale to release, you might want to slide forward a little on your mat, make some space behind you, and then keep your foundation, inhale arms out and up, stay tall as you exhale just reach the arms straight out, palms open, strong center, draw it in and out, big inhale, and then really slowly start to ease to the earth, ten, let this strength come from the core, try to keep neck and shoulders kind of supple and soft, nine, eight, seven, six, five, be with it, just that four, three, almost home to, and then all the way down, let the body melt into the earth, take a breath, and then just draw the knees into the chest, rock yourself a little side to side, and as you're rocking, check in with yourself, if there's anything specific you want or need before you close your practice, go for it, when you are ready, no rush, just release out and down, let the body relax, some strong fiery work, give yourself a space to integrate and absorb, and when you have found the earth, just let the whole body release, and let's take a big inhale, fill it all the way up, hold the breath in at the top, hold, and then open the mouth, let it all go, just rest, allowing for the integration of your practice, just rest, and then open your mouth, let it all go, let it all go, let it all go, let it all go, let itiggling, okay, and open your mouth.