Personal Power

Welcome, and thank you for joining me for this practice, which is all about igniting our personal power and coming back to our center. So when we get to the solar plexes or the 3rd chakra, we can look at the emotions that might arise on the shadow side that are more fear based, maybe even a little depressed or shame might come up as a shadow emotion for this area. And then on the light side, on the other side, it's that quality of really finding your power, your personal power, of confidence, and really finding strength. So this practice is really energizing. It's heat building.

And we we will start in child's pose. So go ahead and meet me there. In this child's post, see if it would feel okay to bring your knees together and then let your hips settle back towards your heels. Rest your belly on your thighs. Reach your arms forward and let your head settle on something.

Maybe wobble a little side to side, massaging through the third eye, And then right away, just tune into your active breathing. So as you inhale through your nose, send it all the way down through the belly, exhale, release, and let something go. Good intentional with the breath, big, full breath in through your nose, maybe open up the mouth, side out, let something go. And then one more inhale. And exhale to release. Maybe coming into ujai breath is heeding breath from the inside out, allowing the breath to move in and out through your nose.

Beautiful. Know that you can come here at any time during the practice. Otherwise, we'll start to move. So take your time to come up through tabletop. Take a couple cat cows just to start to warm the spine. So as you inhale, arch your back look up and lengthen.

As you exhale round your spine, domed through the upper back. Got 2 more like that in how coming into cow pose. Exhale cat rounding, press the floor away. Good. And one more inhale brings you forward, and the exhale brings you back. Tuck your chin rounding through the spine.

And then find a neutral spine. So come to that place between cat and cow. Reach your left leg back and tuck your toes so that left leg is straight and start to shift your weight forward and back a few times. So we're stretching into the back of your left leg and then stretching the wrists a bit when you come forward. Good. And then center your weight and float your left leg up off the earth so that your leg is about the same height as your hips and you're flexing that back foot strongly.

Keep both hands down. Allow a big full breath in. And as you exhale, draw your knee to your nose and round your spine. Good. As you inhale, reach your left leg back, lengthen through your spine, exhale knee to nose rounding, and one more like that inhale, reach your left leg back, exhale, draw your knee to your nose, and then step that left foot all the way through between your hands. So you're in a low lunge.

You might scoot your right knee back a little bit. Come up onto your fingertips. Allow a big full breath in here as you exhale shift your weight back for a half split, Arda, ham, and asana. Just breathe into the back of your left leg. Good. And we'll do that 2 more times.

So inhale, rebend your left knee, lift the heart, lift the gaze, exhale shift back, hamstring stretch, Arda Hanumang, Good one more inhale, rebound, low lunge, and exhale shift back, half split. Beautiful. And then rebend your left knee. Slide your left knee back to meet the right and come back into your child's post squeeze and knees together. Send your breath all the way through your lower back. Breathing in.

Breathing out. Good. Coming back up to tabletop rounding back. And then this time, we'll reach the right leg back. Tuck your toes. Start with that stretch as you shift your weight forward and back.

Breathe into the back of your right leg. Stretch your wrists. Nice. And then center your weight, float your right leg up this time, really activate through the glutes, through that back heel, big breath in, exhale, knee to nose, and round. Good. 2 more like that in how reach your right leg back, lengthening, exhale knee to nose, and one more inhale reach your right leg back, exhale knee to nose, and a big step through between your hands, setting up for your low lunge, I'm gonna scoop my left knee back a bit, come up onto the fingertips, sink into your legs, feel that, and then allow a big full breath in.

And exhale, shift back for that hamstring stretch. Fold over your front leg. Good. 2 more like that. Inhale. Rebend the right knee. Look up and lengthen.

Excel shift back, flowing with the breath, inhale, rebend the right knee, and exhale shift back, half split, hamstring stretch. Good. Rebend your right knee. Good. And then just slide that right knee back. One more child's pose, hips sink back to the heels, reach your arms forward so they're active. Elbows up off the earth.

Good. And then come through tabletop, reach both legs back coming to the top of a push up plank pose, and then we'll take that same action of shifting the weight forward and back a few times. So you're feeling and activating through the core the heels, your legs, your shoulders are strengthening here. Good. And then find stillness, engage your core, find some lengths, allow a big full breath in, Good. And then exhale come up and back for downward facing dog. Take a moment as you land in down dog to just feel and pedal it out through your legs. Any movement that might feel good.

Maybe swivel your heels. Side to side. Good. And then come back to your center and downward facing dog on an inhale. Glide back to plank pose. And then let the entire length of the exhale bring you back downward facing dog.

2 more like that, warming our joints. Inhale plank, long spine, exhale downward facing dog. Good inhale plank. And exhale hips up and back, down dog, beautiful come forward to plank. Take a slow lower all the way to the belly.

You're welcome to lower knees. Otherwise, hug your elbows in. As you get down to the bottom, untuck your toes, press into the tops of the feet, and then fluid your hands up off the earth just an inch or so. Press up into cobra, lift and lengthen, and just notice the strength it takes to lift. When you're not pressing into your hands. Notice where that lift happens. Good. Exhale release.

We'll do that 2 more times. So keep the hands just an inch or so off the earth. Press into the tops of the feet. Lift up. Feel that strength in the back body. And then exhale release.

Got 1 more inhale. Bujangasana cobra, strong lift. Good exhale. Lower down. Press back through plank, and then come to downward. Facing dog. Beautiful.

Rise up onto your toes. Bend your knees and just take a walk to the front of your mat. Good. On an inhale lift halfway and lengthen your spine. Maybe walk hands on shins or You could keep your fingertips on the earth, arda uttanasana, and exhale soften and fold. Good root down through your feet to rise.

Come up to stand, arm, sweep out, and up. And then draw your hands to your heart and just take a moment. Already feeling that uptick of energy, place one hand on your heart and one hand on your belly, that power center, bring your attention to what's beneath your hands, the breath, this place of personal power, and then just see invitation to notice and to come back to center, what would it mean to return to your center, right here, right now. Breathe into that place of empowerment, confidence, and we'll continue with some energizing sun salutations. Let's move into Surinamaskar a. As you're ready, inhale sweep the arms out and up, exhale forward fold.

Inhale lift halfway, lengthen your spine, Arda Utanasana, exhale plant hair palms, you're welcome to step back to place pose. You might be hopping back, move through Chaturanga, come halfway down. You could stay with cobra or maybe upward facing dogs, straightening the arms, and firming the thighs up off the earth. Good. And then exhale back. Downward facing dog.

We're gonna keep this fluid as we start to build some heat, inhale rise up onto your toes. Bend your knees look forward. Step or lightly float to your hands. Come to the front of the mat. In a lift halfway lengthen.

Exhale fold, uttanasana, root to rise, inhale arms, sweep out and up, and exhale draw your hands to your heart. Let's take 2 more rounds with the breath. Inhale arms sweep up. Exhale fold. Inhale lift halfway in lengthen.

Exhale plant your palm step or lightly float back chaturanga. Inhale cobra or upward facing dog. Exhale landing in down dog. Big full breath in and a long, full breath out in how rise up onto toes. Ben your knees, look forward, step or float front of the mat, inhale lift halfway, and exhale fold root to rise, inhale arms sweep out and up. Exhale hands to heart.

And we'll take one more round. Inhale arm sweep up. Exhale forward fold. Inhale lengthen. Come halfway up.

Exhale plant palm, step or lightly float back chaturanga. Inhale cobra or upward facing dog. Exhale. Nice work. Downward facing dog. Welcome to stay here for a few breaths.

You're always welcome. To lower your knees. Taking a moment to land. Notice where that movement lands. Beautiful. And then as you're ready, rise up onto toes.

Bend your knees. Look forward. Step or float front of the mat. Inhale to lift halfway and lengthen and exhale fold. This time then journeys deeply for chair pose, utkatasana arms sweep up, sink it back, Take a gaze down.

Make sure you can see your toes. Good. And then press to stand straight in the legs. Feel the lift in the upper back, the heart space. Maybe gaze up, and then take a moment to pause. Draw hands to heart, chicken, feel your heartbeat.

And then just taking these brief pauses between our movement To notice if anything's coming up for you, any feelings specifically, any emotions, then whether that shadow or light welcoming it all, embracing it. And allowing our movement to start to transform. But when you're ready, let's come back to chair, utkatasana in hell, bend the knees deeply, arms sweep up as you exhale forward fold. On an inhale lift halfway and lengthen. When I'm moving through your Vinyasa, feel free to skip or modify. Otherwise, Chaturanga, inhale cobra or upward pacing dog.

Exhale downward facing dog. Beautiful. From here, float your right leg all the way up and back. Allow a big breath in. As you exhale, draw your knee to your nose, hover for a moment. And then gaze between your hands and take a big step through between your hands.

So setting up for crescent pose, high lunge, you might widen your stance a little bit, find your stability, and then reach your arms up. And put a little soft bend in that back knee so the tailbone melts down and then bend toward 90 degrees in that front leg. From here, let your shoulders soften as you energize up through your fingertips. And then we'll take a little twist here. So reach your left arm forward and your right arm back.

And then from the navel up, that your torso start to open up toward the side of your mat. Good. And then from here, will take it back. So right hand to the back of your left leg, left arm reaches up and over your ear, exalted warrior, big full breath in. Good. And then circle your hands down, step back, plank pose, chaturanga exhale, inhale cobra or updog, exhale landing back in down dog, big breath in. And the long breath out.

Left side. Inhale. Left leg sweeps up and back. Draw your knee to your nose. And then round here and pause for a moment. Gaze between your hands.

Take a big step through. And then as you set up for crescent, I'm gonna step my right foot to the right a little just to find some stability widening the stance. Once you have that stability, reach up for crescent. Let your back knee soften. Relax your shoulders energize up through your fingertips.

Good. Tail bone melts. And then from here, we'll take that upper body twist. So reaching the right arm forward, from that place of the solar plexus start to spin open. Left arm back sink in a little deeper. Beautiful.

Check out the view. And then on an inhale, exalted. So keep that, take that left hand to the back of your right thigh. Reach your right arm up and over your ear. Tilt back. Big expansive breath in.

And then exhale. Let that go. Circle hands down. Step back. Plank. Chaturanga. Inhale cobra or updog.

Exhale downward facing dog. Beautiful. On your next breath and rise up onto toes. Knees, bend, look forward, step or float, front of the mat. Inhale lift halfway, exhale fold, passing through chair, uttanasana, bend the knees, arms sweep up, and then press to stand, feel the lift in the heart space in the upper back. And again, just taking brief pause, check-in, notice the echo of the movement.

Where does it land? Feel that movement and the energy that you're creating here. And we'll take this one more time. We're gonna add on just a bit. As you're ready, coming back to chair, utkatasana, bend your knees, arm, sweep up big breath in, and exhale forward fold.

Inhale lift halfway lengthen. Exhale, vinyasa, stepper lightly float back. Chaturanga. Inhale cobra or updog. And exhale downward facing dog. Inhale right leg sweeps up same beginning, exhale meet a nose, step through, set up for your crescent, in how arms sweep up, coming into crescent pose.

And then we'll come right into that twist, left arm forward, right arm back, open up and twist, and then tilt it back, right hand to the back of the left leg. Left arm reaches up and over your ear. Big full breath in. And then this time, open it up to warrior 2. So spinning your back heel down, open the arms wide, bending toward 90 degrees in that front knee. Relax your shoulders.

Good. Flip your front palm, tilt back. Reverse triangle. Start to straighten through your front leg. Reach the right arm back. Fill that nice length in your right side body. And then keeping that length, you might shorten your stance a little bit.

Reaching forward into trikonasana triangle pose, right hand, below in the knee, and the left arm can reach up. Now you could stay here with the shoulders stacked, feeling some spaciousness in this shape, or maybe you wanna stay with that core focus. Take your left hand into a half wrap behind your back. Engage your quadricep little microbend in your right knee. And then maybe reach your right arm in front of you.

Good. And then you're engaging a lot through your core. So nice. And then from here, reach all the way up and back, reverse triangle. Rebend for your front knee, circle your hands down to the earth, Vinyasa, maybe float your right leg up as you come into Chaturanga, inhale cobra, or up dog. And exhale back into downward facing dotonecleansing breath, big full breath in, and a long, full breath out.

Good second side. Inhale left leg lifts. Excel me to nose. Step all the way through, setting up for crescent, stay on the ball of your back foot, inhale gathering as you come up into crescent sink in. Beautiful. And then find your twist, right arm forward, left arm back, inhale reverse, left hand finds the back of the right leg, reach that top arm over your ear, and then open it up to warrior 2.

Is spinning the back heel down. You might need to adjust your feet just a bit to find your alignment. Gotta take a moment to settle in, energize strength, power, Good. Flip your front palm. Keep the shape until back start to straighten through that front leg, reverse triangle. And then we transition into triangle, maybe shorten your stance just a bit.

Reach forward. Like, someone's pulling your hand. Keep that link in the left side body, and then the left hand will fall below the knee. And the right arm might reach straight up. You might stay right here. Maybe match what you did on the first sign.

I'm gonna take the right arm behind my low back, half wrap it, and then engaging my quadriceps, I'm engaging my core, and then reaching the left arm forward, reach crown of the head forward, oop, then embrace the wobble, embrace that strength, that movement. Good. And then come on up out of there, reverse triangle. Let that go. Vinyasa, maybe you float that left leg up as you move through Chaturanga and how cobra or up dog. Exhale downward facing dog. Nice work. In her eyes up onto toes, bend your knees, look forward, step or float front of the mat, inhale lift halfway, exhale release and fold.

Come back to your chair pose, utkatasana, arm sweep up, sink in. This time, draw your hands to your heart. We'll take a twist with the left elbow, hook it to the outside of your right thigh. And then draw that prayer in front of your heart. Find your twist, sink in.

Smile and breathe. And notice if when we're in these kind of hold held shapes, if you hold your breath, Stay connected with the depth of your breath. One more big full breath in. Let that go, exhale forward fold. Step your feet about hips distance soften your knees a bit.

If it's accessible, take your peace fingers and wrap them around your big toes. So first two fingers and your thumbs on an inhale lengthen your spine. On an exhale, let your elbows splay out to the side, tuck your chin, and bow in. Let a little weight shift toward the balls of your feet, opening up the back of your legs. Breathe in.

Breathe out. Good. And then let that go. He'll toe the feet back together. Sync it in for chair. We'll do the second side, utkatasana arm sweep up.

Draw your hands to your heart center, and then take your twist this time. Right elbow to the outside of the left. Draw the prayer in front of your heart. Try to keep your knees level, hips lowered toward the height of the knees. And then find that fire in your core, burning away anything you don't need.

Come to your breath. Couple more full deep breaths. A big full breath in. And we're more release. Let it go. Step your feet about hips distance.

This time, maybe slide the palms of your hands under the soles of your feet, stepping your feet into your hands for on an inhale, lengthen your spine, and on an exhale soften and fold, tuck your chin, Let the crown of your head melt down. Maybe sway a little side to side, won't let you release or let go of it as you encourage yourself to come back to center. Release your hands. Come halfway up. Inhale lengthen.

Maybe he'll toe your feet back together. Step or lightly hop back through Vinyasa Chaturanga. Inhale cobra or upward facing dog. And exhale downward facing dog. Good. From here, take a moment to lower your knees and then lower your forearms down.

So let your shoulders come right over your elbows press into your hands. You might interlace your fingers if that feels best for you, and then stretch both legs back coming into forearm plank. Hello, core. Hello, center. We're getting in there for a few breaths. Reach through the crown of your head gaze between your thumbs, reach back through your heels for 5, 4, 3, 2.

Good. Let your hips lower all the way to the earth. For sphinx pose, and you walk your hands. Forward a little let your elbows come just in front of your shoulders and then go ahead and reach your heart between the window of your arms. Good. Feel that opening. Cross the chest, gently engage your core.

Good. And then as you come down, let your elbows play out to the side, stack your hands. Just take a moment. Let the head rest on top of your hands. Released to the support of the earth beneath you. Good. And then reach your arms back on either side of your body.

If you can touch an interlace behind the back, maybe interlace the hands or just reach your arms back actively. And then coming into Shalabasana on an in house start to peel the chest up off the earth, lift the legs gently tuck the chin so the back of the neck is nice and long. Gently engage your core. Breathe 5, 4, 3, 2, nice work. Release that. Maybe reverse windshield wiper your knees side to side or just sway your hips side to side.

Good. And then from here, roll onto your back. Take a moment as you come onto your back. To hug the knees into your chest and rock a little side to side. Massage through your low back. Let it feel nice.

Go ahead and then bridge. Let the soles of the feet come down to the earth. Encles are right under your knees. Press through the palms of your hands, lift your hips, and just feel that nice opening. Cross the front line of the body.

Find that interlace, if that's accessible for you or available to you. Otherwise, It might feel good to just hold the outside of the mat. Good. And then lower your hips. From here, cross your right ankle on top of your left knee. Find a figure for shape. And start to thread the eye of the needle.

So you might interlace behind that left thigh or on top of your left shin. Few breaths into that right hip. Let your shoulders. Relax. Find your center here.

Lending the breath and the heartbeat. Settle. Beautiful. And then step your left foot down, switch sides, cross your left ankle on top of your right knee, find that figure for shape, and then start to draw your legs in toward you, interlacing, Drawing the left knee away as the right knee draws in, and then send your breath to your left hip. Feel that nice opening, that release. Beautiful. And then go ahead and let that go.

Hug your knees in. Drop your nose up to your knees. Hug everything in to a tight little ball. Allow a big full breath in and hold the breath up at the top. Sip in a little bit more air and then open the mouth.

Side out and release. Let everything go for Shilasana. Nice work. Let your legs go long. Let your palms. Face open or up on either side of your body. Let go of any effort, body, breath, and mind.

And just enjoy the benefits of your practice, the integration, but letting go. Maybe coming to the mantra, I am centered. I am centered, inviting any gentle movement back, fingers, toes, ankles, wrists, Beach your arms all the way up over your ears. Stretch through the whole body, allowing a big breath in. Long breath out.

And just take your time to come to seated. Maybe roll to one side for a few breaths. Or just simply sit up. Take a moment to draw hands together at the heart. Check-in. Notice how you feel.

Notice what you notice. What you've called in what you've built up, that personal power, and strength, and heat. Thank you so much for being here, for sharing this practice with me. No mistake.