Twisting Flow

(waves rushing) Good morning, I hope you slept well. Welcome back. So in this morning's practice we're going to find some sun salutations and some standing twists. So we'll do some twists, heating sequences, and then make our way down to the floor, find some pigeon, opening the hips, and some more twisting. So please join me at the top of your mat.

And as usual, taking a few moments to bring your awareness down to your feet to just help ground your practice here. And as you spread your toes, begin to bring your awareness towards your breath. And inviting the breath to deepen. So cultivating this relationship with the breath, this Ujjayi breath, ocean breath. And as you begin to feel and hear your breath begin to align from within, so perhaps start from the inner arches of the feet.

Bring some awareness out through the inner lines of the legs, out through the pelvic floor, aligning it towards the heart. And a widening through the base of the skull. You might find a gentle draw or tuck of the chin in. Letting the palms feel open and soft and receptive. Letting the tailbone get heavy towards the heels.

A few more moments here with the breath. Perhaps feeling or hearing that Ujjayi sound from within. Your eyes might be closed or just soft here. And then bringing the palms in towards the body, we'll begin with Surya Namaskara A, finding a variation with Cobra. So as you are ready, inhale, begin to lift up, reaching the arms up, lengthening.

And as you exhale, navel towards the spine, dive forward and in, finding your Uttanasana, releasing the head, saying good morning to the hamstrings and the sit bones. Inhale, half arch, lengthening the spine. You might look up. As you exhale, plant the hands, bend the knees, step your right foot back. Find the lunge, step the left foot back.

Find your strong plank. From plank, lowering the knees, keep the elbows in. Come onto your belly nice and slow here. Draw the shoulders back, as you inhale, find Cobra. This low baby Cobra, tractioning the heart forward.

Exhale, release, tuck the toes under. Come back into your Downward Facing Dog and take three breaths here. As you begin to feel the fingers activating. Pressing from the heart into the hands. Breathing.

From here as you inhale, reach the right leg up towards the sky, you might let the hip open and close. And then as you exhale, float the right foot between the hands. Let the left foot follow. Inhale, half arch, lengthen. And exhale, forward fold Uttanasana.

Good, soften the back of the knees. Inhale, reach the arms up, feeling that opportunity to lengthen up through the spine. And then exhale, release the arms. Second round, as you're ready. Inhale, circle the arms up.

Exhale, navel towards the spine. Forward fold, releasing. Inhale, half arch, lengthen. Exhale, bend the knees, step your left foot back. And step your right foot back.

Finding your strong plank. Active through the legs. Lowering the knees, elbows in, coming down. Finding your way into Cobra. Inhale, draw the shoulders down the back.

Tractioning the heart forward a bit as you feel the heart up, elbows in towards the ribs. Inhale, lift. Exhale, release. Tuck the toes under. Press your way back into Downward Facing Dog and find three full breaths here.

Really active through the fingers. As you're ready, inhale the left leg high. And you might let the hip open and close. As you're ready, exhale, float the left foot between the hands and let the right foot follow. Inhale, half arch, lengthen.

And then exhale, forward fold, Uttanasana. Soften the knees as you inhale. Circle the arms up. Exhale, releasing the arms. We'll find Surya Namaskara B.

You might, as I make my way into Chaturanga, you might prefer a Cobra this morning. Lowering the knees, coming onto the belly, inhale up to Cobra, okay? Taking a few moments to spread the toes. Aligning with the breath. And letting the tailbone drop a bit towards the heels.

Activating the bandhas. So lifting out through the floor of the pelvis. Navel towards the spine. And then wide right through here, through the base of the skull. Beautiful, as you're ready, hands find each other.

Bend the knees for Utkatasana. Inhale, circle the arms up. Navel towards the spine. Exhale, press down through your feet and dive forward and in, releasing everything, the head. Inhale, half arch.

Exhale, bend the knees and step your right foot back. Step your left foot back. And then lowering down. From here inhale to Cobra or Upward Facing Dog this morning, feeling the heart lift. Strong legs, exhale, press back.

Downward Facing Dog. Making our way into Warrior 1. Inhale, reach the right leg high. Exhale, float the right foot between the hands. Root through the outer left edge.

As you inhale, float the arms up and into your Warrior 1. Exhale and release. Step back into your plank. And then lowering down. Inhale to Cobra or Upward Dog.

Exhale to your Downward Facing Dog. Second side, inhale, the left leg high. Exhale, float the left foot between the hands. Root through the outer right edge. Strong legs as you inhale, float up to your Warrior 1.

Exhale, release the arms. Coming back into your plank. Strong active legs as you lower down in your own way. Inhale to Cobra or to Upward Dog. Exhale, Downward Dog.

We'll take five breaths here. This active, attentive resting. Reaching from the heart into the hands. And making subtle adjustments in your Dog as you breathe, reaching up through the sit bones. From Downward Dog, as you're ready you might step your feet towards your hands or play with hopping forward, bending the knees.

Inhale, half arch. Exhale, forward fold. Utkatasana, bend the knees, strong legs. As you inhale, reach up. Exhale, press down through the feet.

Reach up, releasing the arms. And taking a moment to pause, you might find a wider stance. Drawing your awareness back down into your feet. Noticing the rise of heat, energy, heartbeat. Aligning with your breath.

This morning I'm enjoying the sound of the ocean. Okay. Bringing your feet towards each other. Second round, Surya Namaskara B, hands together. As you're ready, Utkatasana.

Bend the knees, inhale, arms up. Exhale, forward fold. Inhale, half arch. Exhale, bend the knees, step the left foot back. Step the right foot back.

Strong active plank. As you lower down, inhale to Cobra or Upward Dog this morning. Exhale, Downward Facing Dog. Inhale, the right leg high for Warrior 1. As you exhale, float the right foot between the hands.

Root through the outer left edge. Inhale, Warrior 1. Breathing. Exhale, release. Coming into plank.

And lowering down. Inhale to Cobra or upward dog. Exhale, Downward Facing Dog. Second side, inhale the left leg high. Exhale, float the left foot between the hands.

Root through the outer right edge. The back leg is active as you inhale. Come up to Warrior 1. Exhale, release the hands. Plank.

Lowering down. Inhale, Cobra or Upward Dog. Exhale, Downward Dog. Five breaths. As you're ready, you might walk forward.

You might play with bending the knees and hopping your way forward to your hands. Inhale, half arch. And exhale, Uttanasana. Bend the knees for Utkatasana. Strong legs, inhale, reach up.

Exhale, press down through the feet. Release the arms. And taking a moment to pause here, you might spread the feet. Ground a bit through the legs, down through the soles of the feet. Just simply notice the sensation in the body.

As you're ready, bringing your feet towards each other. We'll add on, finding our way into a standing twist. Bringing the hands together at the heart. Centering here, releasing the arms. Inhale, circle the arms up.

Exhale, forward fold. Inhale, half arch. Exhale, bend the knees. Step the right foot back, let the left knee bend. Pivot onto the outer right edge of the foot.

We'll come up Warrior 1. From the ground up, inhale, reaching the arms up for Warrior 1. Sink down into the left hip. Finding our way here into a standing lunge. From here twisting.

Bring the right elbow onto that left thigh. Hands might be in prayer as you root through the outer back edge of the foot, drawing the navel towards the spine. As you lengthen through the crown of the head. Breathing. Good, inhale, come all the way back up to Warrior 1.

Exhale, release the hands around that front foot. Step back into your plank, strong active through the legs, lowering down onto the knees towards Cobra or Chaturanga to Upward Facing Dog. Exhale, press back, Downward Facing Dog. And you might walk the feet towards the hands or play with bending the knees and on the exhale, hopping forward. Inhale, half arch.

Exhale, forward fold. This time we'll soften the back of the knees and inhale, reach the arms up to the sky, lengthening. And exhale, releasing the arms. And finding our way to the second side, as you're ready, inhale, circle the arms up. Exhale, dive forward and in, Uttanasana releasing the head.

Inhale, half arch. As you exhale, bend the knees, step your left foot back into a lunge in preparation for Warrior 1 from the ground up. Pivot onto the outer left edge of the foot. Inhale, come up to Warrior 1. Breathing.

From here, finding a twisting lunge. Inhale, exhale, emptying the belly. Bring that left elbow towards the right thigh. Once it finds its way towards the thigh, hands in prayer, inhale, exhale, twisting. Root through the outer back edge of the foot, drawing the right hip back.

And then lengthening through the crown of the head. Breathing. On an inhale, come back up to Warrior 1 and then release the hands. Stepping back into plank pose. From plank, lowering onto the knees or Chaturanga.

Inhale to Upward Dog or Cobra. Exhale, Downward Facing Dog. From Downward Dog, walk the feet to the hands, or you might play with bending the knees and hopping forward. Inhale, half arch. Exhale, forward fold.

Soften the back of the knees. We'll inhale and reach the arms up to the sky. Exhale, releasing the arms. Just taking a moment to pause in Tadasana through the feet. Finding a second round, adding on.

Inhale, circle the arms up. Exhale, forward fold, navel to the spine, releasing. Inhale, half arch. Exhale, bend the knees, step your right foot back into a lunge, let the left knee bend. This time we're going to find a twisting lunge.

So right hand to the floor. Bring the left thumb into your hip crease. From here reach back through the ball of that right foot forward through the heart. Feel that length through the crown of the head. Soften the left shoulder down the back.

You might stay here and twist towards the left. You might play with reaching that left arm up towards the sky. Inhale, exhale, and twist. Strong back leg. Breathing.

From here releasing the left arm down, come back into the shape of the lunge. From here we're going to walk the hands all the way over to the right and find a wide leg forward fold. So walking your hands over to your right until your feet are parallel and wide. Walking the hands far out in front of you. Spread the fingers wide and then actively reach the hips away from the hands.

So you're hanging more like a hammock. The legs are active here. And then lifting from the inner arches of the feet up through the inner lines of the legs, breathing. Releasing the head, releasing the gaze. And then walking your hands underneath your shoulders.

You might play with bringing your head towards the floor as we find a variation of Prasarita Padottanasana A. And breathing. Good, as you're ready, bring the hands underneath the shoulders. Together we'll walk our hands back to that left foot, finding the shape of the lunge, the original shape of the lunge. And then stepping back into plank.

We'll come through a Vinyasa, so either lowering onto the knees to Cobra or lowering into Chaturanga to Upward Dog. Exhale, press back. Downward Dog. Walking your feet towards your hands, or play with bending the knees and hopping forward. Inhale, half arch.

Exhale, forward fold. Soften the knees. Inhale, reach the arms up. Exhale, releasing the arms down. And second side, as you're ready, inhale, reach the arms up.

Exhale, forward fold. Inhale, half arch. Exhale, bend the knees, step your left foot back. Let the right knee bend. We'll find a twisting lunge on this side.

Plant through the left hand, bring the right palm into the right hip crease. Inhale and lengthen. Reaching back through the ball of that left foot. And then as you exhale, twisting, softening the belly, twisting towards the right. Drawing that right shoulder down the back as you twist.

The hand might stay around the hip or you might reach that right arm up towards the sky. Here in the twisting lunge, reach from the heart into both hands. And let that back leg be active and engaged. Breathing. Last few moments, find a place where the head feels good, the neck feels good.

And then releasing the hand down, we're going to walk the hands over to the left and find that variation of hammock. Wide legged forward fold, feet parallel. Walk the hands out in front of you. And then reach the hips away from your hands. Breathing.

And releasing the head. From here begin to walk the hands underneath you under the shoulders. We'll find a variation of A. Bring the head towards the floor. So the elbows are about parallel with each other.

For me I'm going to toe heel my feet slightly closer together. Finding a more narrow stance. And then bringing the shoulders up away from the ears, breathing. And about five breaths here. As you're read, root through the feet.

Bring the hands underneath the shoulders. And walk your hands back to that right foot, finding the shape of the lunge, spin onto the ball of your back foot. Stepping back into plank. Kind of organize your plank and then lowering down. Inhale to Cobra or Upward Dog.

Exhale, Downward Facing Dog. And you might walk the feet towards the hands or play with bending the knees, look forward and hop. Inhale, half arch. And exhale, forward fold. Soften the knees to inhale.

Reach the arms up. Exhale and release. Taking a moment here, notice how you feel. Align with your breath. And making our way down to the earth for a sun salutation.

As you're ready, inhale. Arms up. Exhale and forward fold, Uttanasana. Inhale, half arch. And exhale, stepping back into plank.

Lowering down. Inhale to Cobra or Upward Dog. Exhale to Downward Dog. Taking five breaths in Downward Dog before we lower into Child's Pose. And whenever you're ready, lower the knees and rest in Child's.

Hands towards the heels. And then as you're ready, bringing the palms underneath the shoulders, chin into the chest, gently rolling up to Vajrasana, taking a moment to pause here. And then making our way into a pigeon. Variation of pigeon. And let's start with bringing our right knee forward.

So here in pigeon there's many different variations. You might tuck a cushion or a blanket underneath your right hip, especially if it's elevated. And taking a moment here to settle into the hip. Soften the jaw, widen through the base of the skull. And you might choose to stay here this morning.

If and as you're invited, you might begin to walk the hands a bit further, perhaps coming onto the forearms. And you might find a prayer position as you release the head, sinking into the hips and breathing. And notice here what might have your attention. If you feel any pinching or pain or discomfort I would say to back out of it slowly. If and as you're invited in, you might continue to release the arms, again, softening the jaw and the belly and perhaps releasing the forehead towards the floor.

Breathing into where you feel the sensation. Breathing into where you feel the stretch. And for some of you, this might be the most delightful stretch. Some of you it might be the last thing you possibly ever want to do. Just notice where you're at this morning in your hips and your knee.

And then eventually slowly using the hands to come out of it. You might stay right here. Some of you might play with looking over your let shoulder, bending the knee, and the hand might reach towards the ankle. This is a nice opening through the shoulder. Inhale.

And then exhale. Breathing here into the shape. And then gently releasing that leg. Tuck the back toes. And then lift up.

It will probably feel nice to reach that right leg up to the sky, let the hip open and close. And then come back into Downward Facing Dog. Let's find our way to the second side. Coming onto the knees and then bringing that left knee forward, sinking down. Again, most likely this side feels different.

So on this side you might tuck a cushion or a blanket under that left hip. Inhale, lengthening, softening the jaw. Softening the belly. And you're welcome to stay here. You might slowly begin to come forward.

And then perhaps finding your way forward onto the forearms or in prayer position with the hands. Releasing the head, softening the belly, and breathe into where you feel the stretch. Letting that left hip get heavy. And if and as you're invited in, you might begin to release the forehead towards the earth. Letting the gaze soften.

And you're welcome to stay here. As you're ready, using the hands, pressing down and gently coming up. Some of you might play with looking back over that right shoulder. Bending the knee. Bringing that right hand around the ankle and inhale, lifting out through the spine.

And then exhale, lifting up. Breathing. Slowly, gently releasing that right leg down. Bringing the hands underneath you. Tuck the back toes and then finding that left leg up towards the sky, letting the hip open and close.

And then coming back into your Downward Facing Dog. And Downward Dog, lowering onto the knees. And then coming into a seat. We'll find a seated twist. Coming into Ardha Matsyendrasana.

So bringing the left foot underneath you. We're going to bring the right foot over. Letting that right hip ground. Inhale, lift the left arm up and exhale, wrap the left arm around the right leg. Bring the right hand behind you and inhale.

Roll the pelvis forward, lift the heart up. Exhale, gently twist over that right shoulder. Continue to lengthen up through the spine. As you soften through the belly. Keeping that right foot grounded on the earth.

And slowly let the gaze come over the left shoulder. Release the arm and then switch the cross of your legs. So releasing the legs and bring the right leg underneath you. Bring the left leg over. Rounding down through the left hip, inhale, reach the right arm up.

And then exhale, hug the left knee. Inhale, lengthen. And then exhale, softening the belly, gently twisting. Reminded to ground down through my left hip as I ground down through that left foot. Again, inhale, lengthening and then exhale, softening the belly and twisting.

Good, as you're ready, let the gaze come over the right shoulder first. And let the body follow. Releasing the legs. And we'll close with Paschimottanasana. Extending through the legs, rolling the pelvis forward, lengthening the spine and then reaching towards the toes.

You might find the big toes, you might bring the hands to the shins or even around the feet. Inhale, lengthen. Exhale, soften the belly. Draw the navel, hollow it towards the spine. And then just simply releasing the head.

If you find yourself straining here, I would encourage you to just back it off. Soften the shoulders down the back. And find a bit of ease within the effort. A few more moments here. And then so as you're ready, rolling up.

And we'll close with a seated meditation. Finding a comfortable seat for you. You might sit up on a blanket or a cushion. Taking a moment to align with your breath. Allowing your awareness to gently expand.

Notice what you choose to do with your hands. And finding that spontaneous alignment up through the spine. You're welcome to stay here or join me with an om. We'll offer a clearing breath, deep inhale. Exhale.

As you're ready, breathing in. Om. Namaste. Thank you for your practice and have a beautiful day.