Calm and Steady Flow

(waves crashing) Good morning, welcome back. This morning we're gonna find sun salutations and some standing asanas, and then make our way down to the floor. Please join me at the top of your mat, just taking a few moments to drop your awareness down into your feet. Spreading the toes. And then beginning to invite your breath to deepen.

And as your breath begins to deepen notice perhaps that the feeling or the sensation of the breath in the body beginning to cultivate the ujjayi breath, the ocean breath towards the back of the throat. Beginning to align from within as the spine gently lengthens. And then joining the hands together at the heart, let's open our practice with the sound of Om. Offering a clearing breath to begin, as you're ready breathing in, and exhale. Inhale.

â?« Om â?« And releasing the arms. Together finding a variation of Surya Namaskar A. As you are ready on your inhale begin to circle your arms up towards the sky, and as you exhale forward fold, navel towards the spine releasing the head and the arms, Uttanasana. As you inhale half-arch lengthen the spine, you might look up. And as you exhale bend the knee, step the right foot back into a lunge and step the left foot back finding plank.

Strong, active legs in plank. This first variation let the knees lower, elbows in, we'll find cobra, as you inhale draw the shoulders down the back. Feel the heart forward. And then exhale release, tuck the toes, press back downward facing dog. And let's take three breaths together.

Just taking a few moments here, explore your dog, you might come high up onto the balls of the feet, and walk it off. (deep breathing) And then as you're ready inhale and reach the right leg up to the sky. Exhale float the right foot between the hands. Step the left foot forward, inhale half-arch, lengthen. Exhale forward fold, Uttanasana, you might soften the knees.

As you're ready inhale circle the arms up, reaching. And exhale releasing the arms. One more round, as you're inhale ready reach up. Exhale forward fold, Uttanasana. Inhale half-arch.

As you exhale step the left foot back, step the right foot back, find plank. You might lower onto the knees, or lower down, Chaturanga. Inhale to cobra, peeling the heart forward, softening the shoulders down the back. And exhale release, tuck the toes under, find downward facing dog, take about three breaths here. Reaching from the heart into the hands.

Softening the back of the neck. (deep breathing) On an inhale reach the left leg high, exhale the left foot between the hands, let the right foot join, inhale half arch, exhale forward fold. Soften the back of the knees, on an inhale reach your arms up, exhale release, finding a variation of Surya Namaskar B as you're ready bend the knees, Utkatasana. Inhale, exhale forward fold. Inhale half-arch, lengthen, exhale bend the knees, step the right foot back.

Step the left foot back come into plank, you might lower onto the knees or find Chaturanga. Inhale to upward facing dog or cobra. Exhale downward facing dog. Inhale the right leg high for Warrior One. Exhale float the right foot between the hands, root through the outer left edge of the foot as you inhale, come up Warrior One.

Exhale and release. Stepping back into plank and lowering down. Inhale to cobra or upward facing dog, exhale downward facing dog. Inhale reach the left leg high, exhale float the left foot between the hands in preparation for Warrior One as you inhale reach the arms up. Exhale release, stepping back into plank and lowering down.

Inhale to cobra or upward facing dog. Exhale press back downward facing dog. And five breaths here. (deep breathing) Inhale reach the right leg up, exhale float the right foot between the hands, step the left foot forward, inhale half-arch, exhale Uttanasana. Bend the knees for Utkatasana, chair, inhale reach the arms up, exhale press down through the feet, and release the arms.

Taking a moment to pause, notice the sensation through the body, the breath. Heartbeat, temperature, you might widen the feet. Moving towards a second round, feet towards each other. As you're ready Utkatasana, bend the knees, reach the arms up, exhale forward fold. Inhale half-arch, exhale bend the knees, step your left foot back, step your right foot back, come into plank.

Lower the knees or lower down Chaturanga. Elbows in, inhale to cobra or upward facing dog. Exhale downward facing dog, here in preparation for Warrior One, inhale reach the right leg high, exhale float the right foot between the hands, root through the outer left edge as you're ready inhale float up Warrior One. Exhale release the arms. Coming back into your plank and lowering down.

Inhale to cobra or your upward facing dog, exhale find downward facing dog. Breathing. On the left side inhale the left leg high, exhale float the left foot between the hands in preparation for Warrior One. Inhale reach up. Exhale release, step back into plank.

And then lower down. Inhale to cobra or upward dog. Exhale press back downward facing dog, five breaths. (deep breathing) And then as you're ready inhale the left leg high, exhale step the left foot between the hands, let the right foot follow. Inhale half-arch, exhale forward fold.

Bend the knees, Utkatasana. Inhale reach the arms up, exhale press down, release the arms and pause. You might widen the feet here, just taking a few moments to drop your awareness down into the feet. Noticing sensation through the body. Notice the effects of your practice, this warming practice.

And then bringing your feet towards each other, and we're gonna move towards some standing postures. Bringing your feet wide, we'll find a Trikonasana. Bringing the left foot and the right foot out. As you're ready reach the arms out, lengthening up through the spine, and then exhale reaching towards the ankle, the foot, the shin, reach the left arm up. Rooting through the outer left edge of the foot, you might be looking up towards your hand this morning.

Or straight or perhaps down towards the earth. Breathing. (deep breathing) On an inhale, strong legs, inhale come all the way up. Second side, right foot in, left foot out. Setting up for Trikonasana.

Inhale to lengthen and then exhale, begin to lengthen and reach. Hand might find the shin, the ankle, the foot. Reaching the right arm up. Really work on lengthening through the spine through the crown of the head. And breathing.

Again notice what you choose to do this morning with your gaze and your head. And on an inhale reach all the way up. And then exhale we'll turn and face the front of the mat. Moving towards revolved triangle, stepping the right foot back and finding a comfortable distance between your feet, you might find a slightly wider stance this morning or perhaps a more narrow stance. As you're ready inhale, reach the right arm up, and then exhale begin to lengthen as you draw the left hip back.

Now the hand might come to the right of that left foot, on top of the foot or perhaps across the foot this morning. Inhale, lengthen, exhale and twist. The left arm might stay here, you might lift the left arm up towards the sky. Breathing. (deep breathing) As you're ready inhale, strong legs, reach all the way up.

And let it open up to the right, I'm gonna turn and face the other direction. So the back foot, left foot is in, the right foot is facing the back of the mat. Inhale the left arm up, and then exhale begin to lengthen as you draw the right hip back. Parivrita Trikonasana, notice what you choose to do with that left hand as you begin to lengthen the spine, softening the belly, the right hand might stay on the hip, or you might reach the right arm up towards the sky. As you're ready strong legs, inhale all the way up with that left arm and release.

Come back to the front of the mat and just take a moment to pause, notice the effects, noticing the physical effects, maybe there's shaking, notice the internal more subtle sensations, maybe it's a thought, like this pose is really difficult for me. Or perhaps it's your favorite posture, just simply notice the effects of the practice. The gifts of your practice. Beautiful, let's open up wide. So we'll find a wide angle stance.

Bring the feet parallel and then as you're ready we'll find a variation of Prasarita Padottanasana A. Hands underneath the shoulders, you might stay here, you might begin to bring the head towards the floor. Connecting with your breath. Bringing the shoulders away from the ears. And you might play with rooting through the outer edges of your feet, lifting up through the sit-bones.

And after about five breaths here, bring the hands underneath the shoulders, strong legs, let the hands come onto the hips, inhale come all the way up, strong legs. Bring the arms out to the sides, we'll find C. Rotate the shoulders forward, interlace the fingers behind the back, inhale, lengthen, you might stay here. Some of you might begin to fold forward, bringing the head towards the floor. Reaching the arms up out and over.

And just notice where you are right now in this moment. Again not only in your physical body, but with your breath. Notice what might have your attention. It might be your hamstrings, a thought. (deep breathing) As you're ready, strong legs, inhale come all the way up to standing.

Releasing the arms and then turning towards the front of the mat. Taking a moment, you might feel light-headed when you come out. So if it's helpful, drawing your awareness back down into your feet to help ground and center. From here finding Parsvottanasana, as you're ready, stepping the right foot back, like a pyramid variation, reaching the arms out to the side, finding the internal rotation, rolling the shoulders forward, now your hands might rest here at the sacrum, perhaps hands might find the elbows. Or perhaps reverse prayer this morning.

Taking a moment to inhale and lengthen, and then as you exhale drawing the left hip back, as you begin to lengthen over the left leg. Finding a place where the head feels connected, the spine is lengthening, the neck is soft. And then folding forward, breathing. Notice where you are right now in this moment. Notice the quality of your breath.

Strong legs, as you're ready inhale, come all the way back up. And releasing the arms step forward. Taking a moment here. And then stepping the left foot back, the right foot's forward, arms out to the side, finding the internal rotation, and again the hand might rest opposite hand in the sacrum, the elbows or perhaps reverse prayer. Inhale, lengthen up through the spine, let the heart lift, exhale, draw the right hip back as you begin to fold forward.

You might pause when you first begin to feel a stretch, active through the legs, lifting up through the pelvic floor, soft through the neck, and then you might continue forward, finding the shin, letting the head release, breathing. (deep breathing) As you're ready, strong legs inhale come all the way back up. Releasing the arms and then stepping forward. Making our way down to the floor with a sun salutation. As you're ready let the hands come together.

Releasing the arms, inhale circle the arms up. Exhale forward fold, releasing. Inhale half-arch, lengthen. Exhale bend the knee, step the right foot back. Step the left foot back into plank.

Lower onto the knees, or lower down Chaturanga. Inhale to cobra or upward facing dog. Exhale downward facing dog. From downward facing dog, let's inhale come back into plank. And either lower onto the knees or lower down Chaturanga all the way to the floor.

From here draw the shoulders down the back, inhale, let's find cobra. Then adding on towards locust, inhale lift the legs. From here you might begin to reach the arms up, lifting up through the hands, and then bending the knees, you might play with kicking forward and back. Pressing down through the hands and then beginning to lift perhaps a little bit higher. Breathing.

Inhale as you're ready exhale and release. Spread the elbows wide, let the forehead rest on the hands. We'll take a second round. Just taking a moment to pause here. And then sliding the palms underneath the shoulders, drawing the shoulders down the back, inhale begin to press up towards cobra.

Lifting up through the heart, tractioning the heart forward. And then you might begin to lift the hands, add the legs, moving towards locust, Salabhasana. And hands might reach towards the toes as you begin to lift and reach. Active through the fingers, active through the toes. Soft through the neck.

Drawing the back body into the spine as you lift, exhale release, palms underneath you. Press back, child's pose, Balasana. Hips towards the heels, let the forehead rest towards the earth. And then releasing the arms around towards your heels. Softening the belly.

And from child's pose as you're ready pressing the palms underneath you, chin into the chest, rolling up slowly to Vajrasana for a moment. And then from Vajrasana releasing the legs out in front of you, we'll find Marichyasana C. So a seated twist. Releasing your legs. And then from here drawing the right foot in.

So drawing that knee in close. Inhale with the left arm up, and then exhale wrap the left hand around the right leg. Inhale and lift, and exhale gently twisting towards the right. So the left leg is active, softening the right shoulder down the back. As you inhale, lengthen, exhale, softening the belly twisting towards the right.

Breathing. And then slow, let the gaze come over the left shoulder and let the body unwind. Releasing the right leg, you might shake it out. And then finding the second side, drawing the left foot in, drawing the heel in close to the sit bones. As you're ready inhale the right arm up, and then exhale wrapping the right hand around the left leg.

Left hand behind, inhale lift. And then exhale softening the belly, twisting towards the left. Keeping that right foot engaged as you twist over the left shoulder. As you feel ready to release, let the gaze come over the right shoulder and then gently unwind. Releasing the left leg, shaking it out.

And then finding your way onto your back. I'm gonna flip around. And hug your knees into your chest. Taking a moment to rock a bit from side to side. Now we're on our way towards Halasana or plough to close, if you're working with some neck mischief, a nice variation, you might simply extend the legs up towards the sky for a bit of an inversion.

You might bring the hands around the back of the thighs for support, and stay here for a few breaths. Some of you might prefer if it feels correct, to reach the legs up and over. Tucking the shoulders underneath you. And then as you feel ready to, release slow, releasing the spine to the floor. And some of you might have your hands on the back of the thighs here.

Eventually releasing the legs to the floor using the belly and the core. Hug the knees into the chest. Might feel nice from here to take a spinal twist over to the right, bringing the knees over to the right and taking a few breaths, softening the belly. As you're ready, inhale, lead with the top leg, bringing the knees over to the left. The right arm might reach out to the side, you might bring the left hand onto that right thigh as you gently twist, and the right shoulder releasing.

And then as you are ready inhale, reach up with the top leg, and you might rock and roll up towards a seat, or roll to your side and press yourself up. And coming into a seated meditation to close our practice, finding a comfortable position, you might sit up on a cushion or a blanket. And connecting down through the sit-bones. Gently riding the wave of your breath without changing the breath, simply being with it. Resting in the space you've created in your practice.

Noticing the subtleties through the spine and the fingers. Lengthening through the base of the skull and the neck. You're welcome and encouraged to stay here as long as you feel called. Join me in closing with an Om, offer a clearing breath, breathing in. And exhale.

Inhale. â?« Om â?« Gratitude for showing up for your practice, and yourself, namaste. Thank you and have a beautiful day, namaste.