Rediscover Your Flow

Welcome back. So glad you're here. This practice is all about rediscovering your flow. You know, as new moms we spend so much time kind of in a recovery position, holding and caring for babe, that it's hard to remember who we are and what it felt like to move in a fluid way. So we're going to rediscover that in this new body. Always moving at your own pace will move in a very slow and mindful way and see how it feels as we go. So join me in a child's pose and you might have support under your knees, a blanket, really customize it for your body. And take a few moments in child's pose to land, feel the weight of the body settle, the weight of the bones releasing, and perhaps allowing the mind to rest for a moment. As you're ready, begin to stretch and lengthen through the arms. And what would it feel like to kind of press through the fingers and reach and lengthen back through the tailbone? Exploring a side body opening, walk your arms over to your right, root through your left fingers as you reach through the left side body. Might feel nice to take a full breath into the ribs, awakening the left side. As you're ready, walk the arms back to center and over to the left, root through your right fingers, reach and lengthen through the right side body. Take a nice full breath, expanding, waking up the intercostals, which can get so tight and sticky. And as you're ready, back to center. Inhale back into tabletop, spread the fingers wide. We'll explore Cat-Cow through the spine, tuck the toes under, inhale to arch, exhale, curl around, stretch, releasing the head and neck. You might soften the hips back towards the heels. Inhale, shoulders over the wrists, feel the space through the collarbones, front body lengthens. Exhale, pull the front ribs in, navel to spine, round and stretch your back. A few times like this, you might keep the gaze soft and inward. It might feel nice to lean a little bit side to side, forward and back, moving through the ribs, the shoulder blades up through the neck. Find what feels good for you in your Cat-Cow movement. Hands might stay where they are, you might play with spinning your wrists towards the knees a little bit, or out to the sides. Breathing, play with walking the hands back. You might bring the knees a little closer together, climb up onto the thighs, tuck the toes under for a nice big toe stretch, kind of awakening the plantar fascia, softening the jaw if it feels good. You can interlace the fingers, reach the arms up towards the sky. If you're going into a little slight backbend, feel how you can gently draw the front ribs in, feel the fullness of the back body, feel that grounding through the sitting bones, out through the feet, easy in your neck. And then just slow release the arms, roll the shoulders up, back and down. That's fiery in the feet. Walk your arms forward, let's ease into a side plank variation. So extend back through your left leg, transfer your weight onto your right arm and hand, and stretch your left arm up towards the sky. If it feels nice, sweep the arm down in front of the face and reach it overhead to lengthen. You might do that a few times, circling through the shoulder, moving any stagnant, stuck energy. Pause, root through the outer edge of that left foot, up through the fingers. You might spiral the heart open, inhale, exhale, release back into your tabletop. Other side, extend through your right foot, transfer the weight into the left shoulder, wrist. Stretch the right arm up towards the sky. You might stay here, sweep the right arm down overhead and lengthen, maybe a few circles like that.

Opening, lengthening, creating space from within. Eventually, root through the outer edge of the right foot as you reach up through the fingers. Again, you might spiral the ribs, the lungs, the heart towards the sky. Inhale, exhale, sweep that right arm down. Come back into your tabletop. Let's ease into down dog. So spread the fingers a little wider apart, tuck the toes under, lift up and find your downward dog in this moment. It might feel nice to pedal out the feet, bending one knee and stretch the leg, opposite calf and heel to the floor. Bend that knee and stretch the other calf and heel down and a few times, easing in to your practice. And slowly walking the hands to the back of the mat, bend the knees forward fold, releasing the weight of the head. You might even bring the hands around the elbows and let yourself dangle here, releasing. As you're ready, soft bend in the knees, chin into the chest and just slowly begin to roll and round your way up, feeling the heart, feeling the throat, feeling the head, softening the shoulders down the back. And let's walk towards the top of the mat, spreading the toes. Let's inhale, stretch the arms up towards the sky, clasp the right hand around the left wrist and just begin to stretch over to the right, press through your left foot, lengthen through the left side. And now back to center, clasp the left hand around the right wrist, root through the right foot as you lengthen to the left. Inhale back to center, slowly release the arms. You might roll the shoulders forward, find the interlaces. You inhale, lift the heart, exhale, bend the knees. Nice and easy, forward fold, releasing the head, stretching the arms up out and over, finding that appropriate edge of sensation for your shoulders. Beautiful. Bend the knees, release the arms, chin into the chest, slowly, mindfully, lovingly roll your spine back up, stacking the bones one vertebrae at a time, feeling the heart, the shoulders, the head, and then joining the hands together at the heart for half Sun Salutation. As you're ready, we'll inhale and just sweep the arms up towards the sky. Exhale, soft, bend through the knees, forward fold. Bend the knees, release the head, release the arms.

As you inhale, half arch, draw the hands up the legs, lengthen the spine. Exhale, bend the knees, forward fold, finding your rhythm. Bend the knees, inhale, circle the arms up, reach and lengthen. Exhale, draw the hands together at the heart. Let's find one more like that. Inhale, arms sweep up. Exhale, forward fold, soft bend in your knees, easing down and in. As you inhale, half arch, lengthen your spine. As you exhale, bend your knees, find your fold. Strong legs, bend the knees, inhale, sweep the arms up to lengthen. Exhale, hands together at the heart, pause and notice how you feel. Nice. So we'll add on. As you're ready, inhale, sweep your arms up. Exhale, forward fold, diving forward and in. Inhale, half arch to lengthen. This time as you exhale, bend the knees, ground the hands, step back into your downward dog. Take your time, nice and easy, spreading the fingers, bending the knees, lifting up through the sitting bones. Lower the knees, find your plank pose, draw the shoulders over the wrists, feel the belly, the core muscles waking up, the pelvic floor waking up. You might keep your knees on the floor in this moment. You might play with lifting the knees up. If you're lifting the knees up, reaching back through the heels, forward through the heart, lengthening through the tailbone, feeling that buoyancy in the chest, in the heart, energy in the legs, back into your downward dog for a breath or two.

Beautiful. As you're ready, walk the feet forward. Once you arrive, inhale, half arch, lengthen. Exhale, bend the knees, forward fold. Bend the knees, inhale, sweep the arms up to lengthen. Exhale, hands together at the heart. Take a moment to pause and notice, feeling your heart beat, feeling the blood and energy moving through the body. We'll move into a lunge salute. As you're ready, inhale, circle the arms up. As you exhale, forward fold, releasing the head and the arms. As you inhale, half arch, lengthen. As you exhale, bend the knees, step your right foot all the way back into the shape of a lunge. Let the left knee bend. Pause here and then lower the back knee. And you might even bring a blanket in for the back knee or blocks under the hands. You might stay low, you might climb up onto that front leg. Maybe inhale, sweep your arms up into a low crescent lunge. Feel how you can lengthen and lift, feeling that essence of support from within. Ease in the neck, inhale, exhale, release. Lift the back knee up, step back downward facing dog. As you're ready, step the right foot forward between the hands. You can kind of help it along. Reach back through the left heel, forward through the heart. Lower the back left knee down. You might stay low here. You might rise up into the low lunge or sweep your arms up, low crescent lunge. And feeling that lift from the back of the heart all the way up. Breathing, inhale, exhale, release. Lift the back knee, rock and roll a little bit forward and back and then step the left foot forward to meet the right. Bend the knees, forward fold. Inhale, half arch to lengthen again. Exhale, bend the knees, forward fold, release the head. Bend the knees, inhale, sweep your arms up to the sky. Feel the support of your legs. Exhale, hands together at the heart. Moment or two to pause. Notice. Second side, inhale, arms sweep up. Exhale, forward fold, releasing the head and the arms. Inhale, half arch, lengthen. Exhale, bend the knees. Step your left foot back again. Right knee bends. Lower the back left knee. Inhale, sweep your arms up if you'd like to. This time you might cactus the arms.

Open the chest. Inhale, arms up. Exhale, release the hands down and step back into your downward facing dog. As you're ready, step the left foot forward between the hands. Wiggle on back through the ball, the right foot. Lower the right knee. Stay low or inhale, sweep your arms up. You might stay with the arms up or play with little cactus arms as you bend and then lift, releasing the hands. Tuck the back toes. Lift the back knee. Rock and roll. Step the right foot forward. Inhale, half arch. Exhale, forward fold. Bend the knees. Inhale, sweep your arms up to the sky. Exhale, hands together at the heart. Pause and notice how you feel. Noticing the pulsations and sensations through the body. Step your feet about hips width apart. We'll play with a little chair flow here, spreading the toes. We'll inhale, sweep the arms up and feel how you can really lengthen here, drawing the front ribs in, lengthening down through your tailbone. We'll inhale, bend the knees, sweep the arms back as you come into your chair. Inhale, sweep the arms up. Keep the knees bent. Exhale, bend the knees, sweep the arms back. Three more times. Inhale, lift up into your chair. Exhale, sweep the arms back. Lower the gaze. Inhale, arms sweep. Exhale, lower. Let's do one more. Inhale, arms sweep. Hold your chair.

Press through the feet. Reach the arms up. Straighten the legs. Lengthen. Exhale, arms release down. Feeling that warmth, that heat, that energy in the legs, the lungs, the body. Ah, beautiful. Let's step our feet wide and revisit maybe some familiar shapes together. Turn the left foot in, the right foot out. Find your Warrior II stand. So that right heel in line with the left inner arch. Sweep the arms out to your sides. Let the palms open. Warrior Dance. As you're ready, inhale. Press through the ball of your right foot. Straighten your leg. Arms reach. Exhale, Warrior II. Inhale, arms reach up.

Exhale, right knee bends. Warrior II. Let's do three more. Inhale, arms up. Exhale, inhale, arms up. Exhale, last one. Inhale, arms up. Exhale, Warrior II. We'll pause in Warrior II and then reverse. Sweep the left hand down. Right arm up. Reverse Warrior. Then extended side angle. Bring your right forearm onto your right leg. Left hand on the hip. Feel how you can just spiral through the body. So the bottom lung floating upward. You might stay here. You might reach your top left arm up towards the sky or lengthen it. Finding that beautiful side body opening here. Few breaths. Feeling the strength of your legs, your hips. Bring your top hand on your hip. Begin to straighten your right leg towards Triangle Pose. You might toe heel that back foot in a little bit. Bring the hand down towards the shin or maybe a block. Top arm might reach towards the sky in Triangle Pose or sweep in front of the face and lengthen. Again, feeling that long line of energy through the body. You might look down towards the floor, straight ahead or up. Let that top left arm reach. Ground through the feet. Inhale. Come all the way up. We'll find the other side. Turn the right foot in. The left foot out. Finding your Warrior II. Feet and legs. Open the arms. Settling in. Palms open. As you're ready, inhale. Reach the arms up. Exhale. Left knee bends. Warrior II. Inhale. Press through the ball of the left foot. Arms reach. Exhale. Warrior II. Three more with the breath. Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Arms up. Exhale. Knee bends. Last one. Inhale.

Gather the energy. Reach. Exhale. Settle into your Warrior II and reverse. Right hand down the leg. Inhale. Left arm reaches up. Exhale. Side angle. Left forearm onto the left leg. Right hand on the right hip. Feel like you can open the chest. The top arm might reach and lengthen overhead if that feels nice. Feeling that long line of energy through the spine. You might stay here. Ease into your triangle. Bring the top hand to the hip. Begin to press through the ball of the left foot. As you straighten the leg, you might toe heel that back foot in a little bit. Left hand finds the shin or a block. Top arm might reach up towards the sky, lengthening the spine. Lengthening the bottom ribs and maybe sweeping that arm over the head as you lengthen and reach. Find a place where your neck feels good. Breathing. Nice. Reach the top arm up. Press through the feet. Inhale. Come all the way back. Go ahead and turn both heels in, both feet out, and find your goddess stance. Hands might rest on the thighs as you sink in for a moment. Feeling that stretch through the pelvis, the hips, the strength in the legs. We'll do a little twist and dip. So you'll press through the feet. Lift up a little bit. Exhale. Twist to the right at the left shoulder. Press through the feet. Inhale. Back up. Exhale. Dip. Twist to the left. Let's do one more on each side. Lifting up. Exhale.

Twist to the right. Inhale. Back up. Exhale. Twist to the left. I'm feeling it in my legs. Inhale. Come back up. Press through the feet. Straighten the legs. We're going to turn the toes forward, maybe slightly in. Hands on the hips. Inhale. Lengthen. Exhale. Fold. Coming into a wide forward fold. Releasing the hands right underneath the shoulders. Lengthening the spine. It might feel nice to walk the hands forward for a hammock pose. Soft bend through the knees. Wiggle your sitting bones back. So you soften the heart forward or down towards the earth. Easy. And then back. Breathing here. Walking the hands back underneath the shoulders. Turn the heels and toes out a little bit. Bend the right knee. Shift the hips to the right. Bend the left knee. Shift the hips to the left. And a little bit side to side. Waking up the inner leg lines, the hamstrings, the hips. Nice. And then let's heel toe our feet a little closer.

Turn the heels and the toes out, easing our way into a squat. Easing our way into a malasana, which is nice for the low back. Spent a lot of my pregnancy time in a squat. And then forward fold. Toe heel the feet underneath the hips. Soft bend through the knees. Release the spine. Chin into the chest. We'll roll it nice and slow as you're ready. Unfurling, feeling the heart, the shoulders, the head. Pause with the palms open. Find that ease in the neck. Moment or two here in tadasana, mountain pose. Feeling the flow of energy moving through you. We'll meet at the top of our mat, finding a sun salutation down towards the earth, spreading the toes, hands at the heart. As you're ready, inhale, sweep your arms up. Exhale, forward fold, releasing the head. Inhale, half arch to lengthen. Exhale, bend the knees, step back, find your downward dog. From your down dog, lower the knees.

We'll find one more plank just to feel that strength and energy in the body. Spreading the fingers, shoulders over the wrists, lengthening through the tailbone. Again, you might stay with your knees on the floor in this moment. You might play with lifting the knees up, reaching back through the heels, forward through the heart, feeling the energy in the legs, the length through the crown of the head, and then back into your downward dog. Beautiful. Let's lower the knees and rest in child's pose for a beat. Soften the hips back towards the heels, let the forehead rest. Inhale, a nice full exhale. From your child's pose, you can take your time. When you're ready, just slowly roll back up and let's transition on to our back for a little bit more bridge work in the season because it's so good for us. Bring the feet about hips width apart, spread the toes, heels in line with the sitting bones, and just feel the essence of cat cow through the spine. Be a lot more freedom now through the spine and the hips. And then curl the tailbone, press through the feet, lift your pelvis up, and lengthen. Fingers might reach towards your heels, you might roll and tuck your shoulders under your back, maybe finding the interlace, maybe not. As you ground through the heels and lengthen through the front body, notice where you can soften a little bit.

Beautiful. And then slow, if you have that interlace, release it. You might come high up onto the balls of your feet, lift the heels, stretch your arms up towards the ceiling, and then round and drape your upper body down. Arms might rest overhead as you roll the upper back, mid-back, low back to the floor. Clearing breath. Draw your knees into your chest for a spinal twist. Just roll over to your right side, stack your arms, you might have a blanket under your head. Sweep your top left arm overhead like you're doing a big circle, opening the chest and the shoulder, and you might do that a few times. It feels pretty yummy, pretty good. Find that big circle and let the arm eventually release. Allow for an inhale. Exhale, soften. Just allowing yourself to rest in this shape for a few more moments. Releasing the lower back. Appreciating everything your body does and its ability to heal and move and rest and flow and give life. When you're ready, slowly unwind. Lead with the top leg. We'll roll over to the other side, stacking the arms, the shoulders, the hips. You might sweep that right arm overhead and make a big circle as you feel that nice stretch through the shoulder, the chest, and then sweep it forward. Another big circle. Eventually you might let that right arm release into your twist. Allow for an inhale. Soften the belly as you exhale. Find that ease in the neck.

Feeling the flow of breath. You're welcome to stay here a bit longer. You feel ready to slowly unwind. Hug the knees into the chest. Rock a little bit from side to side. From here you might stretch your legs out into the shape of Shavasana, letting yourself take up space. You might slowly roll to your side and join me in a seat and honoring and trusting the wisdom of your body in this moment and exactly what it needs. Resting in your center, in the space you've created through your practice.

You have a sense of coming home and returning to the self, this beautiful evolving self. If you're seated, joining your hands together at the heart. Allow for an inhale. Nice generous exhale. Thanking yourself for showing up for you, for your practice. Thank you so much for being here. Stay close. We're in this together. So much love to you and your family.