Neck & Shoulder Flow

Welcome, everyone, as always, so good to have you with us. Let's take a moment to ground and transition. Just find your seat, soften your gaze, or close your eyes. Feel the length of your spine and really draw the shoulders back and down, feeling into the opening through the chest and the length through the neck. Taking hands to prayer at heart center will open with the sound of om.

Exhale, empty it all out through the nose. Big inhale. Om. If you feel for an intention, go ahead and set one, let it root in the body. And as you're ready, let the eyes open. Let's take a big inhale. Reach the arms out enough. Interlace the fingers.

Exhale, press palms to sky, lift through the heart. Yeah, big inhale here. And then exhale, just release. And as you do, let the chin fall to the chest and let right ear roll over to the right shoulder. Gently hook the right hand to the side of the head and reach the left arm out. Fingertips suspended or grounding on the earth, really breathing into the left side of that neck.

Another moment here. Yeah, stay for your inhale. And then with the exhale, release hands to knees, chin to chest, and then left ear to left shoulder, gently hooking the left hand and reaching out through right fingertips. Feel that opening through right side of the neck. Another breath. And then stay for the inhale. As you exhale, release hands to knees, roll chin to chest, and then just at your own pace, take a few more head neck rolls, opening, releasing, and just kind of getting a little bit of fluidity and blood flow and some awareness into that part of the body.

And then back to neutral. Big inhale, arms out and up. And with your exhale, rock it forward. Let's come up onto the hands and the knees. Spread those fingers, root palms into the earth. Just take a couple rounds of Cat-Cow. Inhale, lift heart, exhale around, belly to spine. Again, together, inhale, lift the heart, exhale around.

Right, then we're going to come to a neutral spine. Keep the belly drawing in and up so you're strong through your center. And with your inhale, take the right leg straight back, pressing through the heel. Keep that. Inhale, reach the left arm out. Keep the shoulder blade down the back. Stay for your inhale. And as you exhale, let the back round, belly to spine, knee to elbow, elbow to knee.

Inhale, reach. A couple more like that. Exhale, draw it in. Inhale, extend. Exhale, draw it in. Inhale, extend. And then from here, it's your choice. You can stay where you are, release, or maybe the left hand goes back for the right foot or a strap or a towel. And then we rise. Let this open the chest, the left shoulder, lifting the head a little, including the opening through the front of the neck. One more breath. Yeah, and then slowly as you inhale, reach right leg back, left arm out.

And exhale, release, head and knee to the earth. Second side, keep that belly strong. Inhale, reach left leg straight back. And with the next inhale, reach the right arm out. Shoulder blade on the back. Stay for the inhale. Exhale, rounding, knee to elbow, elbow to knee. Inhale, reach. Exhale, round. Inhale, reach. And exhale, draw it in, belly to spine. Inhale, extend.

Stay there, release, or right hand goes back for left foot, strap or towel. Open through chest and right shoulder. And as you lift the gaze a little, feel the opening through the front of the neck. Another breath. With your inhale, extend the arm and the leg again. And with your exhale, just release, circle the head, next day soft. And then back to neutral, ground your hands. Inhale, tuck the toes, exhale, downward facing dog.

Few breaths here, just kind of pedal it out. Bend one knee and then the other. Shift the hips a little. And then slowly as you're ready, inhale, just walk it forward, find the front of your mat. An easy forward fold, Uttanasana, soft bend in the knees, head heavy. Really intentionally let the head fall to help lengthen the neck.

Hands can release or hold elbows. Another breath or two. Let it all unravel. Good. Find center, release the bind, keep the head heavy. And then slowly with your inhale, roll all the way to stand. And as you arrive, exhale, roll shoulders back and down.

Heel-toe feet together, Samasthiti. Let's synchronize the breath through the nose, inhale, and through the nose, exhale. Surinamaskara A, inhale, sweep the arms out and up. Strong through center, flat back, exhale, bow out and down. With your inhale, lengthen halfway, root the hands, hop or step into plank pose as you exhale lower knees or chaturanga.

Inhale to cobra, up dog. Exhale, downward facing dog. Just three breaths here, roll shoulders away from ears. Send heels to earth, lift through, sit bones, three. Yeah, two. At the bottom of your exhale, soft bend in the knees, hop or step front of your mat.

Inhale to lengthen as you arrive. Exhale, deepen into the fold from center. Inhale all the way up. Tracing the midline, exhale, hands to the heart. Let's do that again. Inhale, reach out and up.

Exhaling, bow. Halfway, inhale, root the hands, hop or step back. Exhale, lower knees or chaturanga. Inhale, cobra, up dog. Exhale, take it back, downward facing dog. Breathe into it, three.

Just warming the body, dropping in. Two. Bottom of the exhale, soft bend in the knees, hop or step front of mat. Inhale halfway, exhale, bow, fold from center. Inhale all the way up.

Exhale, hands to the heart. Once again, inhale, we reach, lifting up. Exhale, bow, out and down. Halfway, inhale, hop or step back with the exhale, lower knees or chaturanga. Inhale, lifting through the heart.

Exhale, downward facing dog. Just a couple breaths here. Yeah, and then with the next inhale, reach the right leg to the sky. Exhale, open the hip, bend the knee. Inhale, we go right back up.

And then with the exhale, float that right foot forward, lower the back knee, simple low lunge. Inhale, rise. And then with your exhale, interlace the hands at the base of the skull. Keep the core strong, belly rising, allow the back bend, lift the gaze, open through the throat. Another breath or two.

Yeah, and then with the next inhale, just reach back to neutral spine. Exhale, release, hands to earth, step straight into your down dog. Inhale, left leg to the sky. Exhale, open the hip, bend the knee. Inhale, go right back up.

Exhale, float left foot forward. Release the back knee. Inhale, find your low lunge. Exhale, deepen into it. Stay for a big inhale.

And again, exhale, interlace hands, cradle the head, allowing opening of chest all the way up through the neck. Another breath or two. Yeah, and then with your next inhale, find center, arms rise. Exhale, release, hands to the earth, step straight back into your down dog. Take a breath here.

This time inhale, right leg to sky. Exhale, open the hip. Inhale, back up. Exhale, step right foot forward, rise into high lunge, cross and pose. Inhale up.

Exhale, deepen, drop the tailbone, engage the belly. Take a big inhale, and then exhale, open the arms into a cactus shape, really expanding across the front of the chest through the front of the shoulders. And again, lift the gaze a little, couple breaths here. Yeah, inhale to rise. Exhale, hands to the earth, step straight back downwards, facing dog.

Second side, inhale, left leg up. Exhale, open the hip, bend the knee. Inhale, go back up. Exhale, float left foot forward. Inhale, we rise.

Find that high lunge. Exhale, deepen in. Good, big inhale here. Exhale, arms wide, open, bending at the elbows. Lift the gaze a little, feel that expanse through the front of the body, another breath or two.

Inhale, reach straight up. Exhale, release, hands to the earth, step back downward, facing dog. Next work, pause for a couple breaths. Yeah. Then with the inhale, reach right leg to sky again.

Exhale, open the hip, bend the knee. Let's take a full breath here. Inhale, reach it up. With the exhale, float that right foot forward. Spin the back heel to the earth.

Left arm opens you. Inhale, warrior two. Virabhadrasana, be grounding in it. Take a few breaths, build that strength. Then with the inhale, lengthen the right leg.

And with your exhale, reach out and down, triangle pose. Any placement of that right hand as long as it's not on the knee joint. Open through the chest, through the left shoulder, and reach out in all directions. Yeah, feel that expanse. A few more breaths.

Okay, we're going to stay here for the inhale. And then with your exhale, wrap the left arm around behind the back. You might find the hip crease, lower back or left hip. Turn the gaze to the earth. Inch that back foot in.

Reach the right hand out. Let's rise into half moon. Feel free to grab a block for that right hand. And then maybe you keep the arm where it is or reach left arm to the sky. Left leg is strong and awake.

Press through that heel. Yeah, feel free to stay right where you are or maybe add the bind, taking it into chapasana, similar to what we did on hands and knees. Reach back for that foot. Open through the chest. Allow the back bend.

Three, two, good. With your inhale, reach the leg back, the arm up. And then steady on the exhale, bend that right knee. Float the left foot all the way back, returning to your warrior two. Mm-hmm, ground here.

Steady breath and gaze. Then we'll take a really big inhale. And with the exhale, hands to the earth, inhale, right leg goes back to the sky. Exhale, open the hip again, bending the knee, full breath right into that hip. Inhale, reach it up.

With the exhale, we're going to step the foot forward again. Spin the back heel down to the earth. Inhale, left arm opens. Exhale, ground, warrior two. One breath.

Now then again, inhale, lengthen right leg. Exhale, reach out and down. Bring to triangle pose. This time, big inhale. Exhale, find that same bind, whatever serves in your body.

And then we're going to ease the right ear to the right shoulder. And then play with it, maybe chin to chest, maybe chin down to shoulder. It's that similar stretch from the opening through the side of the neck. So just kind of gently maneuver until you find your own sweet spot. Take the breath into it.

Three, two, yeah. Draw the head back to neutral first. Press through the feet. Inhale, rise, warrior two, exhale, ground. Stay for a really big inhale.

And with the exhale, hands to the earth. Let's step into plank. Pause for a moment. Engage the whole body. Keep the heat building in the body.

Stay for your inhale. Exhale, knees are chaturanga. Inhale, cobra, up dog. Exhale, take it back down. We're facing dog.

One breath here, home to center. Inhale, left leg to the sky. Exhale, open the hip, bend the knee, full breath. Inhale, reach. Exhale, float, left foot forward, right heel grounds.

Inhale, left arm opens you. Exhale, settle, warrior two, ground in it, nice and strong. A couple more breaths. And then inhale, lengthen the left leg. With the exhale, reach out and down, triangle, second side.

Find the placement of the left hand that serves your body, that allows this opening through the chest. Soften the right shoulder, right ribcage a little bit, and open the right shoulder. A couple more breaths. Yeah, feel into that expanse. Big inhale.

Exhale, wrap that arm behind the back. Find the hip crease, low back or right hip. And then turn the gaze down to the earth. Start to ease the back foot in. Reach the left hand out.

Ardachandrasana, half moon. Grab a block if you'd like. Press back through that right heel, wake up the leg, and then stay right where you are or reach right arm to sky. Keep this or add the bind. Right hand finds right foot.

Press that left foot deep into the earth, standing leg, and then really open the leg. Gently kick back and take the arm with it to open shoulder and chest. Three. Yeah, two. If you have the foot, gently release it.

Extend the leg straight back, the arm up. Take a big inhale. Exhale to float back, returning to your warrior two. Ground here, steady gaze, steady breath. Big inhale.

And then exhale, hands to the earth. Inhale, left leg goes back to the sky. Exhale, open the hip again, bend the knee, give it a full breath. Inhale, reach. And again, exhale.

Step left foot forward, root back heel. Right arm opens you, inhale, warrior two. Exhale to ground. Inhale, lengthen the left leg. Exhale, reach out and down, returning to triangle.

Find that expanse first. And on your exhale, wrap the right arm behind the back. Find the bind that serves. And then slowly, feel this in your own body. Left ear to left shoulder.

Maybe chin down to chest or shoulder. Even ease back a little bit. Feel for any tension, stickiness in that right side of the neck. Breathe into it, three. And two.

And yeah. Head comes back to neutral, arm reaches back to the sky, press through the feet. Inhale, return to your warrior two. Exhale to ground. Take a really big inhale.

And with the exhale, hands to the earth, step into your plank pose, pause again, build that heat. Lift belly to spine, take a big inhale. Exhale, knees or chaturanga. Inhale, lift through the heart. Exhale, downward facing dog.

Good, take a really big inhale. Exhale, let it go. And just release. Knees to the earth, hips to the heels, child's pose. Just a couple breaths here, let yourself settle and ground.

As you're ready, no rush. Inhale, lift to hands and knees. And then we're just going to rise to stand on the knees in preparation for Ustrasana Kamal. Before we move into the back bending, one hand on the belly, one hand on the low back, drop tailbone, lift deep belly, just a little strengthening for the core. Keep this line of energy from knees up through crown of head intact as you ease back.

Legs and the center engage and exhale up. Inhale back, exhale up. Inhale, exhale, switch the hands. Inhale, knees back, strong center. Exhale, couple more, inhale back.

And exhale, last one, inhale. Exhale up, good. Then grounding here, hands to hips, thumbs kind of on the sacrum encouraging it down. And then from the deep belly all the way up through the heart, rise towards the sky, press the hips forward, lift through the heart, head can fall back or not. That's personal preference.

Just this for now. A few more breaths. Then inhale, rise. And exhale, we're just going to sit back on the heels, rest the hands, steady the gaze, take a moment, let that settle. Mm-hmm.

Good. Two more. Come back to the knees, hands to the hips. Please feel free to stay with that variation. Or if you feel for it, you can reach back for the heels.

If the toes are tucked, there's a little less distance to cover, so your choice. Start with hands on hips, drop tailbone, inhale, reach all the way up. And then maybe exhale, reach back for the heels. Yeah. Feel the opening through the chest and the shoulders, and if the head releases, feel that opening through the neck.

For three. Yeah. Two. Strong center. Inhale up.

Exhale, sit back. If you want to add the sole of the foot stretch, keep the toes tucked. Steady gaze, just ground for a moment. Last one, your variation. Go wherever the body wants to go with it.

Feeling it from the inside out, let that be your guide. Hips forward, heart rising. Maybe reaching back, then maybe letting the head fall. Breathing into it. Three.

Two. Use the strength of legs and center. Inhale, rise. And exhale, sit down, steady the gaze. Let that land and settle just a breath or two.

Good. Ease forward onto the hands and the knees. Take a big inhale, tuck the toes. And as you're ready, exhale, press up and back, downward facing dog. One last vinyasa to clear it all away.

Inhale, plank. Exhale, lower. Inhale, heart rising. Exhale, downward facing dog. Good.

From here, bottom of the exhale, soft bend in the knees. Hopper step through to sit and go ahead and roll all the way down onto the back. As you do, draw your legs in towards the chest. Wrap your arms around the legs and rock a little side to side. So, lots of options from here.

If you're ready for really grounding, restorative energy, you can move to the wall, take your legs up the wall. If you have a block, you can lift hips, slide block under sacrum and take the legs up from there. Or if you have a practice of shoulder stand and you feel forward in this moment, just begin to draw the knees to chest. And then lift them all the way up and over into halasana plow. Maybe the toes touch, maybe they don't.

It really doesn't matter. Then once you've breathed into this for a moment, glass the hands, draw the shoulders a little closer, and then hands support the back as the legs go to the sky. Legs are strong and reaching up. Now extend through the balls of the feet. Maybe elbows walk in a little, maybe hands walk up the back a little.

Let's breathe here. Your chosen inversion, five, four, three, two. Now let's return to halasana. Lower the legs over the head again. Just breathe into this.

Couple more breaths. Feeling that stimulation right at the base of the throat. The body kind of closes in there. Then slowly, as you're ready, we're going to roll down. Let the spine release to the earth.

Palms are pressing down into the mat. Then just as the hips are kind of landing on the wrists and the hands, the legs lowering, we press down through forearms and elbows, lift up through the heart, head falls back. Variation of fish. Feel that amazing opening through the front of the neck, allowing the air to flow through the throat. Feel that opening, three, two.

Yeah, to come out of it, press again through forearms and elbows to lift the head and then just release. Draw knees in towards chest again. Whatever feels good here. Rock it a little side to side. Maybe take happy baby.

Whatever else you need to close your practice. Then when you are ready, release. Legs extend all the way out and down. Palms roll open. Let the weight of the body relax into the earth.

Together, we'll take a really big inhale through the nose. Open the mouth, exhale. Let it go. Whatever it is, as much as possible, at least for the time being, let it go and just rest. Exhale.

If you have the space, continue resting here as long as you'd like. As you're ready, bring a little movement into hands and feet. You can reach arms up and over. You can roll to the side. You can rock right on up.

Whatever feels best to you, we're going to meet in a comfortable seat. Let the hands rest. Soften the gaze or close the eyes. Then let's take a big inhale. Open the mouth, all the breath out, and then fill it up.

Big inhale through the nose. Pause, holding the breath in, slight drop of the chin. Feel that energy right around base of throat. Hold, hold, hold. Lift the chin, open the mouth, exhale.

Once again, big inhale through the nose. Hold the breath in, dropping the chin, hold. Lift the chin, open the mouth, exhale. If you have the time, you could stay with that beautiful way to cultivate energy. When you're ready, hands to prayer, heart center, and we'll close with a gentle arm. Exhale, empty.

Through the nose, inhale. Om. Gently inhaling. Soft mouth forward with your exhale. Namaste.

Thank you, thank you, thank you. Such a joy. Be well. Namaste.