Day 1: Light

Hi. I'm Ashley, and welcome to day 1 of the Byrne Bright Challenge. Our 1st class is seeking light And we're gonna begin in a cross leg seat, sukhasana. So cross as close to the center of your shins as you can manage and then flex through your feet, like you could draw your toes back to meet your knees. And if you see that your knees are sitting higher than your hips or your rounding through your back, come sit on the folded edge of a blanket like I am. Right? Take your hands and place them right on your heart center and just breathe into this present moment.

No matter what happens here on the mat today, you've already accomplished so much by just making the choice to show up. Right? Take a full breath in. Lift your chest, bow your chin, Return your hands to your thighs and blink your eyes back open. Hi. In house sweep your arms up and overhead, And as you exh, how lower your left hand down by your side, and how get a little taller.

And as you exh, how reach it to the side. Look down, sweep through, and reach, sweep through, and reach. Pause here. Roll the bottom side of your rib cage forward and up the top side of your rib cage back and down. And as you try to turn your heart to the sky, spin your outer upper arm toward your face. Press down in how take both arms back up Keep them up as you exhale twist to your right. Root into the earth, try to touch the ceiling.

And as you exhale, take your right, Left hand to your right knee, right hand behind you. Sometimes you gotta look at them to make sure which one is which. Press into the earth, float up to the crown of your head, and let your exhale revolve you a touch deeper. And exhale unwind. Switch the cross of your legs opposite shin in front.

Again, crosses close to the center of your shins as you can manage and flex through your feet. Press into the earth in house sweep up to the sky as you exhale lower your right hand down this time. Press into the earth grow taller And as you exhale, reach it to the side. Look down, sweep through, and do that again. Sweep back.

And hold, roll the bottom side of your rib cage forward and up the top side of your rib cage back and down. Broaden across your chest as you spin your outer arm toward your face. Press down in how draw your body back upright. Keep your arms up as you exhale revolve to the left, inhale, get a little taller, and as you exhale right hand to left knee, left hand behind you. See I'm learning.

And I'll get a little bit taller. And as you exhale unwind. Take one more up just to clear the slate and then lower your hands by your sides. Make your way to your hands and your knees. Place your hands about 3 inches ahead of your shoulders, and parallel the creases of your wrist to the top of your mat. As you inhale glide forward stack your shoulders over your wrists, lift your heart, exhale, tuck your toes, lift your knees, take your hips up and back.

Downward facing dog. And how high did it be toes as you exhale send your heels to the left, your toes to the right. Stretch through your right side body, and inhale bring it back center. Exhale, heels to the right, toes to the left stretch through your left side body. In how come back center, come high onto your tippy toes, give a deep bend to your knees, look to your hands, step, or mindfully hop your feet up to meet them.

In how press your thighs back as you reach your chest forward. X, how hollow your abdomen as you fold in. Root down in how rise up, reach up, maybe look up, and exhale join hands at your heart. Press into the earth, inhale sweet back up to the sky, or vahastasana. Ex, I'll wait a little forward in your feet, fold in half. Bend the knees if you're feeling any strain.

Inhale. Grow your heart forward. And then how bend your knees, plant your hands, step it back to plank pose, top of a push up. X, how glide forward to stack elbows over wrists. Take your time lower all the way to meet the mat. Brush your toes back.

Peel your heart forward and up broadening your chest, low cobra. X, I'll give it back to the earth. Tuck your toes under, walk them in, inhale to plank or hands and knees for the added support. And then exhale. Take your hips up and back.

Observe the quality of your breath. Slow down, even out. In how high to tippy toe, exhale deep bend to your knees, Look to your hands, step or flute. In holly, longy. Ax how unfold.

Press down inhale, rise up, reach up, and exhale to your heart, adding on. Inhale again, lift, Oodva hastasana, exhale fold lovingly into south, Oodanasana. Inhale, heart forward. Bend your knees, plant your hands, step it back once again to your plank. Ship forward, lower halfway, either greet the earth for cobra, or keep your thighs lifted as you roll through to upward facing dog.

Exhale downward facing dog. Inhale lift your left leg Ex, how knee to your nose, float shoulders over your wrists, step your left foot forward between your hands. Help it if it didn't get there on its own. Set your back knee down, pat it if it's tender. Uncurl your toes root down, inhale, rise up, reach up.

Grab your right forearm, get a little taller. And as you exhale, reach it to the left, turn and gaze down. Press down in how both arms up exhale hips forward, hands to the mat. He'll toe your left foot over to the left till it meets the outer edge of your mat. And then rotate your left leg so toes angle slightly off the mat.

Press down to the top of your back foot. Shift your hips forward and smooth your bum away from your waist as you lift through your heart center. If you've met your edge, honor this edge. Stay here. Otherwise, we're gonna add back in a lateral stretch. Walk your hands over to the right.

Maybe you set your right elbow down. And as you continue to lengthen your inner left thigh away from you, crawl your left fingertips in the opposite direction, seeing if you can find the stretch through the right side of your back. And by right, I mean, left. But if you find it on that other side too, by all means, live that dream. Walk your hands back underneath your shoulders.

Bring your front foot back into the midline. Tuck your back toes under, lift your knee, and step it back to your plank pose. Rock forward, lower Chaturanga, inhale cobra or upward facing dog, and exhale hips up and back downward facing dog. In how lift your right leg, X. How hug knee to your nose, float shoulders over your wrists, step right foot forward between your hands. Get your knee directly over your ankle, set your back knee down, uncurl your toes.

Press down, inhale, rise up, reach up, Half crescent. Grab your left forearm, stretch taller. Reach it to the right. Turn and gaze down. And press down inhale, bring both arms up, exhale hips forward, hands to your mat.

He'll toe your front foot over to the right till it meets the outer edge of your mat, and then rotate right leg so toes come slightly off the mat. Bring both hands inside your front foot. Press down for the top of your back foot. And as you shift your hips forward, smooth your bum away from your waist and lift your heart. Keep your right leg as it is.

Walk your hands around to the left. Reach out, especially through your right fingertips. Welcoming the stretch truly to the right side body as you continue to open your inner right thigh. Walk your hands back underneath your shoulders and bring your front foot back into the midline. Tuck your back toes under, lift your knee, step to plank, and choose your vinyasa.

That may mean what we've been doing up to this point. Perhaps you skip it and move straight to down dog, or at any point in time, if you need child's posts. In how lift your left leg, exhale knee to nose, foot shoulders over your wrists, step your foot between your hands. Set your back knee down, pivot on your right leg so that your right toes angle a bit off to the left. And then inch warm your front foot forward a good 2 to 3 inches.

Scoop your left cheek under you. Press down in windmill up and open. Like you're going into warrior 2 with your back shin down. Sit a little deeper into the front thigh welcoming length from growing to inner knee, straighten your front leg, reach up. X, how lower it right back in, root down in how it'll reach it up.

One more time, lower and stay. Rotate front arms. So palm faces the sky. Reverse your warrior. Reach it back.

In how bring it up, right? Take left forearm to your thigh, or if you can do so without strain, fingertips to the earth inside your front leg. Grow longer through the whole right side of your body, and then press down in how bring yourself back up. Take your hands to your hips, pivot on your back leg so that your right toes point straight back, heel toe left foot forward, until it's just ahead of the line of your knee, straighten through your left leg, and then draw that left heel toward you. Maybe an inch. Send the ball of your foot to the ground to create a touch of a bend in your knee. If the calf muscle feels like it's being pulled too much, be kind to it, you can bend that knee as much as you need. Deepen the indent in your left hip crease and pin your right side hip in.

Press down inhale, reach up. Exhale. Left hand to your thigh. Inhale. Get taller and reach. You will notice your booty is gonna wanna do all kinds of things here. Namely, it's gonna poke back. Instead, smooth your bum away from your waist draw your right cheek in and underneath you.

Roll open through your heart as you spin your outer arm toward your face, Paragasana. Take your top hand to the sky, press down, pick it up. Bring hands to your hips, shift your butt back a little bit. Put your hands down, pivot on your right leg. So toes point off to the left.

And then take left forearm to the earth or your leg. Choose the option that lets you breathe. Turn open through your chest. Take your top hand to the sky. Rotate your top arm so pump face as your left foot, and then reach.

If the foot is accessible, without closing your heart, you can hold on to the foot. If that seems like a horrible idea, just keep reaching your arm in line with the ear. Or split the difference, fingertips at the back of your head. Parevita John Nuscher Sauceana. Take top hand back up to the sky.

Press down. Pick your body up. Bend your left knee. Turn to face the top short end of your mat. Roll over your shins, plant your hands, step, or float back, Chaturanga, and through your vinyasa. In how lift your right leg acts how foot forward between your hands.

Set your back knee down, pivot on your back leg, so toes angle off to the right. Inch warm your right foot forward a few inches, press down, and windmill up and open. Warrior 2. Right? Straighten your front leg reach up. X. I'll lower it back in. Do that again. Route down inhale reach up.

X how lower in. Rotate your front arm. So palm faces the sky reverse and return. Forearm to your thigh or fingertips to the earth, reach your top arm long in line with your ear, and then press down pick it up. Take your hands to your hips, pivot on your left leg so toes point straight back, heel to right foot forward. And then straighten your leg.

Draw your heel toward you just an inch. Send the ball of your foot to the ground. Keep in the indent in your right hip crease, pin left side hip in. In how take both arms up, exhale right hand down. In how grow taller.

And as you exhale, And if your bum shifts back, scoop it in and underneath you, turn your heart open to the sky. Seap that light. See what I did there. Press it down, and I'll bring yourself back up. Exhull both hands to your hips.

Come to the heel of your right foot. Stick your butt back a little bit. Put your hands down. Pivot on your left leg so toes point off to the right. Take your forearm to the earth or a prop inside your leg. Turn open through your chest.

Take your top hand to the sky. Rotate top arms. So palm faces your right foot and reach either holding the foot. Stretching long, or binge your top elbow, put fingertips at the back of your head. Parvrit dejanu shirasana, revolved head to knee pose. Take your top hand back up to the sky, press down, draw it up.

This time, bend your right knee, bring both feet forward. Right? Grab your strap and make a small loop in it. Foot sized, like so. Bring your right knee in toward your chest and take your hands to the front of your shin. Press hands against shin from shoulders against your back. Pick up your foot.

Take your left hand to the heel of the foot. From your hip socket, rotate your leg and set your foot just past your thigh. Put your hands behind you like kickstands, lift your heart, bend your knee, and maybe scoot your bum a little closer to your heel. Place your strap over your foot just in case you decide you want it. Lift your heart.

Take left arm around your foot, right arm around your thigh, interlace your fingers. Heal toe your left foot over to the right and release your outer thigh to the mat. You may get here and say, enough of you, Ashley. I'm staying here. Live that dream.

Otherwise, separate your hands and carefully bring your right foot into your left hand. From your hip socket, rotate your leg so base of the foot faces forward. Take your right arm up. Bring it inside your leg and put your hand on your calf muscle. Press your thigh back and wiggle your shoulder or as much of the arm as you can underneath your leg.

Take your left hand On top of the foot, wrap fingers around pinky toe side, or grab your strap for more space. Put your right hand down. Might be. Did the sound effect help turning gaze underneath your top arm? If your hamstrings are growing, say, I'm not coming with you. Grab your strap.

Give yourself a little more freedom of space to play with. This is your practice. Ruben journey. Unwind your arm and your body. Put your foot down. Take the strap from around your foot.

Stretch both legs out long. Bring your left knee in this time. Hands the front of shin. Lift your heart. Pick up your foot.

From your hip socket, rotate your legs at your foot just past your thigh. Flex it the whole time to protect your knee. Put your hands behind you, lift your heart, bend your knee, and maybe scoop bum a little closer to your heel. If the strap was helpful on the first side, put it on your foot here once again. Take an arm around your foot, take an arm around your thigh, interlace your fingers.

He'll tow your right foot over to the left, release your outer thigh to the earth. You may stay here. If you're adding on separate your hands, bring left foot into your right hand. From your hip socket, rotate your leg so base of the foot faces forward, take your left arm up, arm inside the leg, put your hand on your cast muscle. Press the top of your thigh back, wiggle your shoulder, or as much of the arm as you can underneath your leg.

Take right hand. Place it on top of the foot. Wrap your fingers around pinky toe side. Place your left fingertips down. Straighten through your leg and turn in gaze underneath your top arm.

Again, you can hold the strap to give yourself more freedom of space. Sera Yantrasana, sundial, or Compass posts. Rebing journey. Unwind your arm. Remove the strap and set it off to the side.

You've made it to the end. We found the lights. Come lay your body back. Scoot your hips over to the right a few inches. Serial a little crooked on your mat.

And then take your right leg and cross it over your left, tucking knee behind knee. Draw your knees in toward your chest. And as you exh, how lower them to the left. Open your right arm to the right. And if this twist feels like a little too much on your back with your legs crossed in this way, uncross them. Stack your knees, stack your hips.

So part of seeking light or finding our direction in life is tuning into what we need as opposed to what ego may be telling us we should be doing. In how come back center, scoot your hips back into the midline, uncross your left leg. Take nothing instead, scoot your hips over to the left, and then take your left foot up cross. Have your knees in toward your chest. And as you how low were your knees to the right?

Open your left arm to the left. And if it feels a right in your neck, turning gaze to the left. And the beautiful and frustrating thing at times about finding your direction is that we're constantly being rerouted in life. You put your destination into the GPS, and then it does recalculating. And how come back center?

Scoot your hips back into the midline and bring both knees to your chest up, Anasana. Take a full breath into your back. And as you exhale, return your feet to the earth. You can keep your knees bent, particularly if the low back is tender. Otherwise, stretch your legs out long.

Take your feet a bit wider than your side hips. Walk your shoulders under your chest, adding to the lift of your heart. Rotate your arms so palms face the sky, allowing them to rest alongside your body. It's frustrating as it can feel at times when you get rerouted. If we look at the larger picture, there's usually purpose in it.

So when we're on the road, literally, It might be rerouting you around an accident or some unforeseen trouble up ahead. And the same is true of life. So what if we embrace the shifts, the changes? Understanding that frustration doesn't get us where we're trying to go more quickly. It's just now we're going there slowly and we're mad about it.

What if instead you took the time to look around? To take in new things, allowing this shift in perspective, to help you see the light more clearly at the end of the tunnel. If you're at ease as you are, please stay here in your Shavasana as long as you'd like. You're already home. Otherwise, give a little wiggle to your fingers, to your toes. With an in home, maybe sweep your arms overhead, stretch through the full length of your body.

And as you exhale, bend your knees, place your feet on the ground. We'll carefully onto your side. Make a little pillow with your arm and pause for a few breaths. Just letting your body catch up with where it's been. Press the earth away.

Let your head be the last thing to follow you up. Returning to where we began. Join your hands at your heart center. Lift your chest. We bow our chins and gratitude.

Namaste.