Embrace the Flow

Welcome, and thank you for joining me for this practice. Romy says that life is a balance of holding on and letting go. So in this practice, we're going to explore those 2 qualities. Of holding and of also finding a place to release and let go, and we'll do that with the breath with movement and really just embracing this fluid practice together. So let's begin by coming on to our backs.

Please meet me there. And as you come onto your back, just go ahead and roll on down. Step your feet as wide as your yoga mat. And then let your knees knock into touch for constructive rest. And if it feels okay, just gently place your hands at your low belly, And if it feels safe where you are to close your eyes, just take a moment to let your eyes soften and close.

Shifting your gaze to the internal space. Take a moment to notice the ground, your mat, the earth beneath you feeling that connection. And then right away, let's begin to notice the breath underneath our hands. So as you breathe in, feel that receptive receiving quality of the inhale And that sense of letting go or releasing as you exhale. Feel the breath rise as you breathe in through the nose.

And then softening a little bit as you release and let go on the exhale. And then let's put a count to the breath. So we're gonna breathe in for the count of 4 and then extend the exhale by just a few counts, so we'll breathe out for the count of 6. As you're ready, breathe in for 1. 2.

3, 4. Breathe out for 1, 2, 3, 456. Again, breathe in 1, 2, 3, 4, extending the exhale 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Take another round or 2 on your own. And feel free to extend the exhale even more so you could extend it for a count of 7 or 8.

By extending the exhale, we just start to calm the nervous system And we really tap into that quality of releasing, of letting go. Take one more round. Perhaps setting an intention of something that you'd like to release here, something that you might let go of just a little bit more. Beautiful. And then we'll move with that intention. So as you're ready, sweep your arms all the way up over your ears and start to drop both knees to the right side.

So just take a nice, easy twist. You're welcome to keep your gaze up, or you could gaze over that left shoulder. And then on your breath in, draw the knees back through center. As you exhale drop the knees to the left, maybe gazing to the right, and then just gently windshield wiper the knees from side to side. So as you inhale, you'll come through center as you exhale, drop the knees off to one side.

Letting this be smooth and just moving at the rhythm of your own breath to clear any tension and the hips, low back, warming the spine a bit, and then finish up with the knees to the left just to balance it out and come back through center. We're gonna cross the right knee on top of the left. So setting up eagle legs, and you can float the right foot open, or you could hook that right foot behind your left calf up to you. And then eagle arms thread the right arm under your left, either bringing the back of your hands together, or you could bring the palms together. And then start to draw the elbows up and away from you as you inhale.

And as you exhale, draw the elbows to the knees and hover everything in center, exhale. Good. And we'll do that 2 more times. So inhale draw away and exhale elbow to knees, knees didn't know hover in, and one more as you inhale draw everything away from the midline. And then as you hill, draw everything in, and the hover. Beautiful. And then release that souls of the feet to the earth about hip distance coming up for bridge pose, press into the soles of the feet, the palms of the hands, and just come about 50% of your effort.

So just finding that gentle opening in the front line of the body as you lift your hips, breathe in. Exhale, put it all down, take a moment at the bottom, ground, and then we'll take that to the other side. So crossing your left knee on top of the right for eagle legs. This time, take your left arm under the right, wrap it up start to draw the elbows away from you. Big full breath in.

And then as you exhale, draw the elbows in and hover a little core work. And then as you inhale, draw everything away from center, and then that quality of drawing everything in, x hale, inhale, lengthen, release, and exhale, draw everything in. Cover. Good. And then pressing up into one more bridge pose unravel, press into the soles of the feet and the palms of your hands. Gently lift your hips, lift from your hamstrings, and just feel that nice expansion that opening in the front of the body.

Beautiful. And then let your hips lower take a moment to just land, feel the earth, Nice. And then hug your knees into your chest. Give it a little rock side to side. Maybe take the knees in circles in either directions, massaging through the low back, and then we'll start to take this up and down along the length of the spine and you can build some momentum even to come to tabletop. So we'll cross at the ankles, and make your way to all fours. So as you come to table, let your shoulders come right over the wrists, And then we're gonna take the same leg.

So cross your right knee behind your left, kinda like we did on our backs, and then let your feet come as wide or almost as wide as your yoga mat. And then from here, just start to take circles. So you could move clockwise or counterclockwise. And as you come back, we're feel into the hips a little as you come forward stretching through the wrists, and then it might feel good to take it any other direction. Kind of moving around in a way that it feels good to wake up your body today. Good. And then come back through center.

From here, tuck your toes so the legs stay crossed. We're gonna come into downward facing dog. From here, and you can keep as much of a bend in your knees as it feels good. So just lifting the hips up and back, the torso draped back toward the top of your thighs. Yeah. Might feel a little weird.

And then lower your knees down from here and float your right leg back behind you up off the earth reach your left arm forward like you're shaking someone's hand for bird dog, and then that same quality of reaching away big full breath in And as you exhale, draw the elbow to the knee and the knee to the elbow and hover. Good inhale. Reach forward and back. Draw away. Exhale, knee to nose, elbow to knee, and then one more inhale, reach forward and back.

Big breath in. Exhale. Draw everything into the midline. Beautiful. And then reach forward and back. Place your left hand down and your right knee down, and let's come to child's pose. Letting the hips just gently sink back to the heels.

Knees together or wide, whatever feels best for you. Then you can reach the arms forward actively, maybe wobble a little side to side. And as you breathe in and you receive that in house, feel the expansion. All the way through the lower back and your back body, the rib cage. And then feel free stay here or revisit child's pose as often and as long as you like.

Otherwise, we'll round back up to tabletop, and let's take that all to the other side. So cross your left knee, behind the right, take the feet a little wider, and then notice what direction feels good. So take some circles, move around, Circulate the energy, feel into your hips, and the side body. Let it feel good. Rule of thumb for all of these practice is let it feel good.

Good. And then come back through center. We'll tuck the toes coming into this cross legged downward facing dog, lift the hips up and back, bending through the knees, let the torso drain back toward the thighs. Can let the head hang heavy. Big full breath in. And then as you exhale, lower the knees back down, and this time float your left leg back.

Flex your left foot, let your hips stay level. And then reach that right arm forward like you're shaking someone's hand, reaching through the right fingertips back through the left heel, allowing a big expansive breath in, exhale knee to nose, elbow to knee, hovering, 2 more in how reach forward and back, long breath out to hover, inhale reach forward and back, and exhale need to nose, l to knee rounding through the spine. Good. And then length and one more time reach forward and back. Let your right hand find the earth and let your left knee come down. And then again, coming into ballast in a child's pose, let your hips sync back toward the heels, maybe the forehead rests on the earth, taking a moment to ground, noticing the expansion of the inhale, giving something away as you exhale, maybe sigh it out.

So nice. And then take your time. Let's round up. We'll come into traditional downward facing dogs, so tucking your toes. Lift the hips up and back, and then move around a little bit here. So you might pedal it out through the feet.

Maybe sway your hips a bit side to side. Feel free to bend your knees or even step the feet a little wider. Beautiful. And then as you're ready, letting the hands come about shoulder width apart, pressing through the inner in the outer hands, let your sitting bones reach up toward the sky. Beautiful blue skies here today in the Orchard. Nice. And then on your in breath, we'll glide into plate post top of a push up and taking a moment to find our length and our alignment here, letting the shoulders come over the wrists, hips, and line with your shoulder blades.

Reaching actively through the crown of your head and back through your heels, allowing a big full breath in, And then as you exhale, keeping that length in the spine, lift the hips up and back, downward facing dog. 2 more like that with the breath. Let the entire length of the inhale bring you forward, plank, and the entire length of the exhale bring you up and back, down dog. Again, feel free to soften the knees a little bit. One more inhale, plank pose, top of a push up, and exhale downward facing dog. Good. And then come forward to plank.

Welcome to lower the knees. Otherwise, we'll take a slow lower all the way down to the belly. Hug the elbows in as you lower down. Good. And then untuck your toes. As you get down to the earth, Take your hands on either side of your yoga mat and tent your fingertips so the elbows are facing up toward the sky And then we'll take this wide arm cobra. So pressing into the top of the feet on an in house start to peel the chest up any amount.

Good. And then as you exhale, just releasing that all down and 2 more like that with the breath inhale peel the chest up, and exhale release. Go one more in how COBRA and exhale, soften and release. And then let your hands come next to the side ribs, hug the elbows in. Tuck your toes, and you can either press up through hands and knees or plank and lift the hips all the way up and back to downward facing dog. Take one cleansing breath here, allowing a big full breath in in a long breath out, maybe releasing something as you exhale.

Good. And then take a slow walk to the front of the mat. So start to walk your feet up towards your hands. And then as we come to the front of the mat, step your feet about hips distance apart, soft and your knees and just let everything melt down into uttanasana forward fold. Feel free to put a nice, generous bend in your knees. Let the torso drape down.

Let your head hang heavy. Whatever feels good with the arms. I'm just bringing the back of my hands to the ground. Gentle release on the wrists. Good. And then with your knees soft, let's start to roll up one vertebra.

At a time, letting the head be the last thing to arrive. And as you come up to the top, maybe draw your shoulders up towards your ears, allow owing a big breath in, and then drop them down, and just take a moment to land in mountain pose, Tarasana. And we'll take a few variations of eagle pose working from the front of our mat. So you can have your feet about hips distance, And then we'll start by bending the knees and coming into chair pose. If you have a couple blocks, you might wanna have those.

They're not necessary, but it might be helpful as we come into some balancing poses. So again, coming into chair, sweep the arms up, bend the knees, and then start to transfer the weight into your right foot, pick up your left leg, and cross your left knee on top of the right. Now for this first variation, let's kickstand the left toes down to the earth, and you might have a block under that foot. And then let the hips sync back. Cross your left arm underneath the right.

So right arm on top, eagle arms. And then again, you could bring the back of the hands together or palms together. You could even gently hug the shoulders that feels more accessible to you today, go for it. Otherwise, start to draw the elbows away. Allow a big full breath in here.

And then we'll transition by unraveling the arms, bring the hands down to the earth or a couple block unravel the legs and step your left foot all the way to a runner's lunge. So coming into runner's lunge, left foot finds the back of the mat. And then let your left knee come down, and we'll come into low lunge on Janie Asana, as you in house sweep the arms forward and up, and just take a moment to land. So letting the right knee come over the right ankle, soften the shoulders a little bit, energize up through the fingertips. Beautiful. Big full breath in.

And then as you exhale, let your hands come down to the Earth, plant your palms, and we'll step back to downward facing dog. Let your right foot. Come back to meet the left. From here on an inhale glide into plank and then take a slow lower all the way down. Welcome to lower knees.

Untuck the toes coming into cobra pose. Bhujangasana peel the chest up, lift the heart. Big breath in, and then exhale pressing back to downward facing dog, nice work. Big full breath in and stay for the exhale. Let something go.

Good rise, high up onto your toes, bend your knees, and lightly step, or you could hop your feet forward to the front of the mat. On an inhale will lift halfway, maybe walk your hands up onto your shins and lengthen your spine. And then as you exhale, fold back over the legs, I'm gonna set up with my block so I can show you how they might be supportive to you for this round, and we'll root down through the feet to come all the way up in hell, arms sweep out and up. And exhale, draw your hands to your heart, and then we'll set up for the second side. So, again, you can have a slight separation between the feet that just allows me to have a transfer the weight into the left foot this time, pick up the right foot, cross the right knee on top of the left, and kicks down the right toes down on the earth or a block. Right arm sweeps under the left this time for eagle arms.

As you inhale draw the elbows away, squeeze the inner thighs together, and then sink into the shape a little bit. And it's helpful if you find one point to focus your gaze or your drishti. Good. And then as you unravel, we'll take the arms to the earth, maybe blocks, unravel the legs, step your right foot all the way to the back of the mat, runner's lunge. And then lower the right knee down. Once you have that stability in house sweep the arms up, low lunge, on Janie Asana.

I'm just seeing a few breaths in this low lunge lifting up and out of the sideways gently engage your core to protect your spine. Allow a big expansive breath in. And then exhale hands to the earth, tuck the back toes, step the left foot back downward facing dog, Beautiful inhale glide into plank. As you exhale, take a slow lower all the way down. Coming up into cobra, peel the chest up, draw the shoulders away from your ears, big breath in.

And then meet me back in downward facing dog, lifting the hips all the way up in back, cleansing breath, inhale, and let something go. Exhale. Beautiful rise high up onto toes. Bend your knees. Step or lightly float front of the mat on an in house lift halfway and lengthen and exhale fold, root down to rise, arms sweep out and up, and then taking a moment to gather your hands together, in front of your heart, feel your feet grounded on the earth.

Good. And then we'll take another variation of eagle, just kind of building into the full posture, adding a little bit with each round, coming back to chair, utska Tassana, bend the knees, arm sweep up, transfer the weight into your right foot, pick up the left leg, cross the left knee on top, maybe float that left foot up off the earth, and then left arm sweeps under the right, eagle arms. Again, you can always kickstand down, take any variation, start to draw the elbows up and away, big breath in, as you exhale sink in a little deeper. Beautiful. This time as we trans verbal. Unravel the arms, unravel the legs. Draw that left knee up into your chest.

Sweep the arms up. So you're standing up on one leg. And then we'll transfer back into crescent pose. So, again, you might have blocks under your hands as you reach the left leg back. Let your left toes find the back of the mat, and then we find high lunge. So softening the left knee a little bit, let the tailbone melt down.

Arms sweep up. Big full breath in here. And then as you exhale, let's open up to warrior 2. So spinning the back heel down, arms open wide, bending toward 90 degrees in that front knee, And then just take a moment to land. Check out the scenery. Let your shoulders soften.

Energize forward and back through the fingertip. Good. And then keeping the shape with the legs, flip your right palm as you inhale tilt back reverse warrior reach the right arm up and over your ear, allowing a big full breath in good and then circle your hands down to the earth Step right back to plank pose this time. Right foot meets the left, shift forward, lowering halfway, or all the way down through Chaturanga. Welcome to stay with COBRA. If you'd like to come up into upward facing dog, you can start to straighten out the arms.

From the thighs up off the earth, and then we'll meet back in down dog, beautiful home base, big breath in. And release on your exhale. As you're ready, rise high up onto the toes, knees bend look forward, step or flute front of the mat on an inhale lift halfway and lengthen. Exhale fold. Good root to rise. Inhale.

Arms sweep up. Exhale. Draw your hands to your heart. Good. Coming back to chair, bend the knees, arm, sweep up, transfer the weight this time into the left, pick the right leg cross. And on top of the left, maybe float the right foot up, sweep the right arm under your left for eagle arms. Draw the elbows up and away, allowing a big full breath in, sink the weight back, Beautiful. And then as you unravel, this time draw the right knee into the chest.

Arms sweep up, stand up tall on that left leg. And then slow transition, step the right toes to the back of the mat for crescent pose. Take a moment to land in crescent, soften that back knee, let the shoulders relax a little bit, energizing up through the fingertips, allowing a big full breath in, and then exhale open up warrior 2. Spin the keel down. Arms open wide.

Take a gaze out over that left hand. And then really engaging the back leg as well. So there's just as much attention to that back leg as the front. Keep the weight centered. Legs as they are.

Flip the left palm as you inhale tilt back reverse warrior. Beautiful. And then exhale, circle your hands down. We'll step right back to plank pose top of a push up shift forward, lower halfway, or all the way down. You could stay with COBRA or moving into upward facing dog, big breath, and Exhale, up and back, tuck the toes, down dog. Good. Big full breath in.

And exhale to release. Beautiful rise high up onto your toes. Bend your knees, look forward, step or float, front of the mat on an inhale lift halfway, lengthen. And exhale soften and fold, uttanasana. Go root down to rise.

Arms sweep out and up and then gathering hands together in front of your heart. Take a moment. Here at the top of the mat to just pause. Notice your breath. Notice where that movement lands in the body and then regrown so feel the souls of the feet rooted, feel your heartbeat, We'll take one more round with this adding on just a bit. Feel free to take any of those first variations.

Coming to chair, inhale, Utkatesana arms sweep up, transfer the weight into the right leg. Maybe you're coming into full eagle crossing left knee on top of the right, hooking that left foot behind the right shin. Right arm sweeps under the left. Stopping anywhere along the way. And if you fall out of it, just come back in.

No worries. Draw the elbows up and away. Big breath in. Good. This time as we unravel, let's come into dancer pose. So unravel the arms, bend your left knee, oop, reach back and find that left footer angle, reach your right arm up. You could stay right here or gently start to kick your left foot into your left hand and start to let the torso lean forward. Keep the heart lifted.

One point to focus your gaze. Good. And then as you release that foot come back into crescent pose, toes find the back of the mat. Arms sweep up big breath in. And then exhale back into warrior 2, open it up, arms open wide, spin the back heel down, bend the front knee, flip your front palm, reverse triangle start to straighten out through your right leg, reach the right arm up and over your ear, big breath in here, and then transfer the weight forward as you come into triangle pose. So reaching that right arm forward, let the right hand fall below the knee, lift your left arm up, and then really take up space here.

So feel that expansion, embrace the fluidity of the posture. So even though we're in this held shape, Where can you find that fluidity, that spaciousness, that ease? Good. And then up and back root down through the feet, reverse triangle, big breath in. Exhale, re bend through the front knee, circle your hands down. Step back plank pose.

Lower halfway or all the way down. Feel free to skip that as well as you inhale COBRA or upward facing dog, and then meeting back in downward facing dog. Nice work. Big breath in. Long breath out. Rising high up onto toads, bend knees, look forward, step or float front of the mat.

On an inhale lift halfway, lengthen, offer the heart forward, exhale release, root down to rise, arms sweep out, and up, and then take a moment to just let that side go. Observe. Come back to your breath. And then we'll take our last side with this as you're ready. Come back to chair. It's Katasana. Transfer the weight into the left foot, pick up the right leg, cross it on top of the left, maybe wiggle that right foot behind the left calf.

Sweep the right arm under your left, draw the elbows away, sink back, long spine, Find the breasts. Good. And then as you unravel unravel the arms, bend your right knee reach back, find your right foot whoop, rebalance, and then reach that left arm up. You're welcome to hold on to a wall here. And then start to kick your right foot into the hand. Keep the heart lifted.

That left arm by your left ear. Big full breath in. Good. And then gently without slingshotting that right leg back, let your right toes find the back of the mat. Sometimes it's graceful. Sometimes it's not.

So it's fine what works for you. We'll meet in crescent. Big full breath in arms sweep up, expanding, and exhale releasing warrior 2 arms open wide. In how reverse warrior tilt back start to straighten out through the left leg. Feel that nice length through the left side body.

And you might shorten your stance a little bit here. Reach the left arm forward. Keep the length in the left side body. And then let your left hand come anywhere below the knee, right arm reaches up, maybe spread the fingers wide, and then take up space. So maybe even lean back a little bit, feel the expansion across the heart space.

Beautiful. Find your breath. As you inhale, root down to rise, come up and back, reavers. And then then re bend through the left knee, circle my hands down to the ground, step back plank, chaturanga, COBRA or upward facing dog, big breath in, and then exhale downward facing dog. Breathing in.

I'm gonna open up the mouth, let out a sigh, let something go. Good. Sweep the right leg all the way up and back. Maybe put a bend in the right knee, open up through that right hip. And then setting up for a pigeon pose, straighten the right leg, gaze forward, draw the knee in towards your nose, and then start to parallel the shin toward the front of the mat. Feel free to take a block under that right hip or any other prop that you have.

And let's keep this active for a moment. So as you start to lower toward pigeon, tent your fingertips on either side of your mat. And then as you inhale, feel the lift in the heart space And then as you exhale soften the elbows, bow forward, as you inhale peel the chest up, lift up, lengthening exhale soften the elbows, bow forward. And then one more time. Inhale. Peel the chest up, receiving the inhale, and as you exhale, soften and release. Feel free to walk your hands forward.

Coming into this held shape Just a few breaths. Breathing into your right hip or any other sensations that you're feeling in the body, Feel the length of your inhale. The length of the exhale. I am breathing in. I am breathing out.

Beautiful. And then taking your time to transition, gently start to walk your hands back in towards you, and then we'll make our way back into downward facing dog. So tucking the left toes, step your right foot back, to meet the left. And then whatever you need here, you might peddle it out, maybe shake that right leg up to the sky, Take a moment to notice the right side versus your left side. Good. And then as you're ready, sweeping the left leg up and back. I can bend the left knee, open up through the left side for a moment. And then straightening out through the left leg, draw the knee in toward the nose, start to parallel the shin, toward the front of the mat. Again, feel free to take a prop under that left hip.

Take a moment up at the top to to settle in noticing that this side probably feels a little different, maybe a lot different, and then tent your fingertips on either side of the mat as you inhale expand as you exhale soften the elbows, bowing forward. 2 more like that. Inhale. Lift up in lengthen, exhale soft in the elbows and fold, one more inhale. Peel the chest up lengthening. And then exhale soften and fold and release.

Into pigeon. Just taking your time, finding your edge and softening, nowhere to get to being in the shape with our breath, embracing that flow, that fluidity, and that even in these held shapes, there's always movement. Noticing the length of the inhale. A length of the exhale, allowing 2 more full deep breaths. Letting something go with every exhale.

Always that opportunity to release. Good. And then take your time. Walk our hands back in, maybe coming back into downward facing dog, whatever you need to let go of that side, pedal it out, shake it out. Might even flow through a vinyasa coming forward to plank, lowering halfway or all the way. In Hell COBRA or updog.

Let's meet in child's pose, lowering the knees. Letting the hip sink back to the heels. You might even stack your hands and let your third eye rest on top of the hands for a moment. Breathing in, open up the mouth, let out a sigh. Let something go.

Beautiful. And then take your time. We'll roll up and come back onto our backs. So rolling on down. Take a moment to hug your knees into your chest. Little rocks side to side.

Oh, that feels good. Maybe noticing any changes from when we first started with this. And then let your feet come down to the earth, setting up for some rolling bridge poses. So let the feet be about hips distance. You might even brush the back of your heels with your fingertips on an inhale reach your arms up over your ears at the same time, press through the soles of the feet and lift the hips.

And then reverse that as you exhale. Lower the hips. Lower the arms. Take about 4 more with the breath, entire length of the inhale lift up the bridge, arms lift, hips lift, Exhale release. 3 inhale.

Exhale. 2 more fluid with the breath. Inhale. Exhale. Last one. And how arms lift, hips lift, maybe. Holding for a second longer as you come up.

And then vertebra by vertebra as slow as you can. Lower that back down, cross your right knee on top of the left, eagle legs, maybe hook that right foot behind the left calf or you can just float it open and then cactus your arms on either side of your shoulders. Maybe scoot the hips to the right a little and they'll let both knees drop to the left, maybe gazing over that right shoulder, and you could pick up your hand and gently place it on top of the right thigh, eagle twist. Ring it on out. Twists are a beautiful way to to release to let go. Couple more breaths.

Beautiful. And then come back through center unravel the legs, step the soles of the feet to the earth, maybe lift your hips and place them back down and then pick up your left knee, cross it on top of the right, could hook that left foot behind the right calf, cactus your arms, pick up the hips, Let them come over to the left a little and then drop both knees to the right, maybe gazing over the left shoulder. Eagle twists to the other side is wringing it out. Where might you soften just a little bit more? The eyes, your jaw, your gaze, what are you holding on to here? That you might let move through the body and release. Breathe in.

And unravel. Breathe out. It's taking a moment. Lift the hips. Place them back down. Gather the knees back into the chest.

Maybe take the knees a little wider wrapping your forearms around your shins rocking a little side to side if there's any last movement that your body is requesting. Honor that here. Otherwise, we'll hug everything into the midline just like how we started that balance of holding on here, big full breath in, hold the breath up at the top. And then as you exhale, that quality of letting go for Shavasana, let the legs go long on your mat, bring the palms to face up either side of your body and let your arms rest away from your body. So take up some space.

And then allow yourself this integration to let go and to let be. Just rest. Allow your breath to begin to deepen. Gently begin to invite some movement back into your body, the fingers, the toes, maybe roll out your ankles and your wrists a few times. And then reaching your arms all the way up over the ears, take a full body stretch, allowing a big breath in. And a full breath out.

And just take your time as you make your way to seated. So you might roll to one side. You might simply roll up to a seat. Just take a moment to gather here, bringing our hands together in front of the heart, bowing in toward yourself. Thanking yourself or showing up for you, for your practice. And thank you so much for sharing this practice with me today.

The light and love in me, grits and honors, the light and love in you. Namaste.