Day 8: Reset

So you've made it halfway through. And today, we'll be having a little gentle reset day 8. You'll need for practice a bolster and a blanket. And we'll start out today taking the blanket Open it out like so, and then make a role with it. And set that role toward the back 3rd of your mom.

Come lie back. So that the blanket roll is right against the bottom tip of your shoulder blades. Allow the top of your shoulders to release back toward the earth. Below you. And then any position in the arms that feels best in your body so they can be straight to the side.

If you prefer more of a bend like a cactus arm, explore until you find what works best for you. And then we'll play with the position of the legs until we find what feels best in the lower back. So those are us that are a bit tender through the low back. It may feel best to separate your feet as wide as your mat. Turn your toes slightly in and let your knees fall forward each other. If you're craving some hip opening right from the start and you didn't get enough yesterday, by all means, soles of the feet together, knees open to the side.

Otherwise, classically, we simply stretch the legs out long. And allow the feet to flop open. Shavasana. As you settle in, either close your eye or if you prefer, find a point to softly focus on. And shift your awareness to the blanket role that's against your upper back.

Breathe into the resistance. And with each axial, soften round that resistance, almost melting into it. Follow this pattern of your breath several times through. Inviting each inhale to grow a little longer than the one that came before it. And letting each exhale stretch in length to match it.

As you find that balance of your breath, set an intention for our time together. Once you have that gathered, if you'd like from this place of support, you can join me in an opening Nice full breath in. If you closed your eyes, blink them back open, rebend your knees placing your feet on the ground about the distance of your front hook points. And mindfully roll on to your left side. Take your blanket roll and slide it up so that it's now underneath the side of your head.

And feel free to adjust the height of the role to whatever feels most supportive for your neck. Reach your left arm straight out in front of you. And take your right hand on top of your left hand. With an inhale, reach your right hand forward stretching a bit beyond your bottom fingertip you get some width through your upper back. And then in, I'll take your hand up to the sky.

And as you exh, how roll open through your heart take your right hand toward the earth behind you. In how hand back up to the sky, And as you exh, I'll bring the hand back down. Do that again in how take your top hand beyond your bottom fingertips. Inhale, stretch it up to the sky. Xhale, revolve open through your chest.

In how bring it back up and exhale hands together. One more time just like that. Reach your top arm forward. Inhale. Reach to the sky. And as you exh, I'll find that open expanse of your chest.

In how hand back up. And exhale hands together. So we're gonna move once again into a twist, but the pattern that the top arm follows will change, like you're drawing a little rainbow above your head. So reach your right arm now in line with your ear, turn open through the chest, half circle, ending up once again with right arm open to the side. In how arm in line with your ear and exh how hands together.

Do that again. Inhale. Circle through. Turn open through your chest. And I'll bring it back.

Returning to where you started. Last one, inhale. Turn open through your heart. Take an added pause here. And carefully roll all the way onto your back.

Keep going. Roll fully on to your right side. You can stay where you are. I'm just gonna turn myself around. So that in my mind, it's like I can see you. So knees toward your chest reach.

Your right arm straightforward and take your left hand on top of your right. Stretch your top hand beyond the bottom fingertips a bit. And in how reach it back up to the sky, turn open through your chest. Inhale. Bring your hand back up and exhale. Lower the hand back down. Reach a bit forward.

And then in, how stretch it up. X, how revolve open. Inhale back up and exhale together. Last one, reach forward, inhale lift, and exhale revolve. Take your top hand back up and return it to where it started.

Slice through the air with the thumb side of your hand this time. Revolve open through your chest, ending up right back where you started. And how retrace that half circle above your head? Right back to the beginning. Inhalte.

Get back up and turn open through your heart. And I'll bring it back up and exile together. One more time. In how trace that half circle, revolve, in how this time rule act actually return so that you're completely on your right side. Press the earth away, bring yourself upright, and draw your blanket up and set it off to the side.

Grab your bolster. Make sure that it's in reaching distance and then come lie down on your back. Bend your knees and place your feet on the ground about the distance of your front hip points. Press down through your feet down through your arms, lift your hips, and slide your bolster underneath your sacrum. So underneath the back ridge of your pelvis.

Press into the back of your arms, walk your shoulders underneath your chest, adding to the subtle lift of your heart. And then bring your right knee in toward your chest to help draw a bit of added length to your lower back. If it feels alright on your low back and through your hamstrings, stretch your left leg out long. And let it do whatever it naturally does. So the foot can relax.

The leg can roll open. Breathe. Inhaling to wherever you feel there is a sense, the greatest. Next, how down and out through your leg. And release your right knee.

Return right foot to the ground, and draw your left knee all the way into your chest. Keep the right knee close as you stretch your, or left knee close as you stretch your right leg out long. And if holding the knee is more of a bother than a help, you can absolutely keep your left foot on the ground the whole time. Simply stretching the right leg out long. If you're still holding your left knee, Set the left foot back down.

Rebend your right knee, placing the base of your right foot on the ground. Press into your feet, lift your hips just enough to slide the bolster out from under you and roll back to the mat. Roll on to your right side and press the floor away, bringing yourself up to seed it. Come face one of the long edges of your mat, grab your bolster once again, and set the short end of your bolster to the out side of your right hip. Shift your feet off to the left.

You can either stagger them or stack them whatever feels best in your body. Inhale up the front of your body. And as you exhale, revolve to face your bolster. Walk your hands down either side, And you can either keep your head in the direction of your knees for a more gentle twist or elongate through your spine and turn your head away from the knees to deepen your twist. If you feel it all squash through the chest, or like your neck is being held at an uncomfortable angle, feel free to put your blanket underneath your head, like a little pillow.

And breathe sweetly up the length of your spine. Let each exhale soften you a bit more into this supported twist. So we've been talking this last few classes about the obstacles to practice. The last of which is Abhinivaysha, fear or clinging to bodily life. If ignorance was the root of all that follow, fear is the culmination.

Slowly. Walk yourself back up. Right? Bring your feed in front of you, and move your bolster over to the second side. If you prefer, you can simply turn your body around as well so that Short end is now against your outer left hit. Shift your feet off to the right, either staggering the legs or stacking them.

What feels best in your body. In how length and through your spine, as you exhale, turn to face the bolster. Inhale up the length of your body. And with your ex, how walk it forward. You can either Keep your head in the same direction as your knees for a more gentle twist or elongate through your spine.

Turn your head away from low knees. Deepening your twist. And, again, as you settle into it, draw length up the spine as you inhale. Soft and melting at the back of the heart as you exhale. So fear like all the obstacles that came before it can have a way of stunting our growth.

That can keep us small. If you've been burned before, it's not true to develop a little fear around something. But what if instead you took that fear and shifted it to respect or awareness? What if what scares you is actually just a reminder to slow down. To move in a more focused way.

To do the work you need to understand the thing. What scares us is generally just what we don't understand. Slowly walk yourself back up. Turn. So that your back is at the bolster.

And come lie down so that your bolster is running the length of your spine. If your chin is tilting up to the sky, consider grabbing your blanket and placing it underneath the back of your head to bring your chin a little more in toward your chest. If the bolster under your spine is not a kindness to your back, roll to your side and instead put your bolster underneath your knees as you stretch your legs out long. Neither close your eyes or find a point to softly focus on. Melt from behind your ears.

Down your jaw line and down the sides of your neck. Unstick your tongue from the roof of your mouth, freeing the passage of breath. Allowing the breath to unravel. Any knots, any resistance at the heart center. Allowing the light to shine through.

You may stay here as long as is of service to you. Otherwise, sweep your arms overhead. Maybe grab hold of opposite elbow and bend your knees, placing your feet on the ground. Roll carefully off of your props onto your side. Take your time.

Press the floor away. Bringing yourself up to seated. Bring hands together at your heart. And thank you and thank yourself for taking the time to slow down. So that we don't burn out Namaste.