Rhythmic Flow

(waves crashing) Welcome back. So we all have those things in our life that make us feel comfortable. We have food we like, the way we drive to work. The people we surround ourselves with. All of these things that kind of create our comfort zone.

And when we start to step outside of that space. When we get into this stretch zone. Into this place where we can start to stretch ourselves. Stretch our souls. We get into that place where we can start to learn.

And so in our yoga practice on the mat, we can really work with those places where we hit resistance physically, mentally, spiritually. Where we start to feel a little edge. And when we feel that little edge, playing with the softness around it, playing with this whole idea that I've kind of brought into my practice from Brene Brown, that idea of not to puff up, right? Don't let let the ego get like, uh. Don't shrink.

Don't just run away. Stand your sacred ground. Stay steady. Stay with ease, stay with grace. You know, really if you take resistance in where we are in our mat, or if it's an uncomfortable conversation in life, whatever it is.

If you take away the scenario of the people, you take away the posture, the essence of being in that uncomfortable place is the same, right? So can we just bring a little bit of softness to it and steadiness, right? Don't puff up. Don't shrink. Hold your sacred ground.

We're gonna go ahead and meet on our backs. Slowly just lower down. Let your legs come along. One knee at a time, draw the right leg in first. So as you draw the right knee towards the right armpit, maybe a little bit more towards the chest.

Start to soften the right hip down. And you might even take your right thumb to articulate it down. From here, either staying right here, or start to bend the knee. Take the foot into the air, coming into Half Happy Baby. Right, so from here, instead of just keeping it steady, I want you to kinda explore.

Let the left hamstring come off the floor and let the thigh rock to the floor. So it's like bend the knee. Rock the right quad down. And just kind of exploring, creating space. For some, your right thigh might already come to the floor.

For others, this might be excruciating, right? Just ease in. Good, and then steady. Bring the knee back into the chest. Take it into the twist.

Left, over to the left side. And you can bump the left hip a little bit over, reaching the right arm out. We're still as we draw the right hip down. And not staying here too long. We'll come back to center.

Slowly draw the left knee in. Give a light squeeze. Let the right leg come out long. Draw the knee in. Start to lift up the foot, coming into Half Happy Baby.

And, again, when you arrive, start to let the right hamstring lift, rock in. Let the left quad hit the floor. So you're just kind of exploring. Diving in a little bit into what the range of motion is. What's available.

And one more time. And just hold steady. Bring the knee back into the chest. And this time slowly rolling the knee over to the right, bump the hip a little bit to the left. And just holding a twist.

Good, back up to center. Knees are gonna come in. Just a little rock and roll forward and back. Right, and as you come all the way up, we're gonna meet in a Standing Forward Fold. And I'm just gonna switch sides so I'm at the top of my mat.

And we'll meet in a Ragdoll, let the upper body get heavy. Letting the shoulders get heavy. And rooting through the feet. I'm on an exhale, slowly releasing the hands. Inhale, rise up halfway.

Exhale, fold in. Root through the feet, inhale, rise all the way up, Urdhva Hastasana. And on exhale, folding all the way back in. Inhale, rise up halfway. Plant the palms, choosing either to step back or hop back.

Right, inhale, lifting up, Low Cobra, Upward Facing Dog. Exhale, back, Downward Facing Dog. So you're gonna move through a Mandala several times, doing three poses, but repetitively. On an inhale, taking the right leg up. Exhale, knee to nose.

Place the foot, Warrior Two, inhale, rise up. But your exhale you're gonna take Deva Vasna with a right arm under left Garda Vasna arms. Inhale, open up Warrior Two. Exhale down through a Vinyasa palms down. Nice and steady and slow.

Right, no rush. Exhale back. Staying with the same side, right leg lifts inhale. Exhale knee in. Place the Foot Down Warrior Two.

Garda Vasna arms, Deva Vasna legs. Inhale, open up. Exhale. Chaturanga or the floor. Inhale upward.

Getting long. Bellybutton to sternum. Sternum to chin. Exhale back. This time left side.

Inhale left leg lifts. Exhale knee in. Place the Foot Warrior Two. Exhale Deva Nosana. Left arm under.

Inhale. Open out Warrior Two. Exhale, palms down. Chaturanga slide forward. So elbows over the wrist.

Inhale. Exhale back. Same side. Inhale left. Exhale.

Place the foot Warrior Two on the end. Deva Nasna. Left arm under. Inhale Warrior Two. Take it through Chaturanga or the floor.

Or you can skip the whole Vinyasa piece and take it right back to downward facing. Pause three rounds of breath in between. Moving back to the right side. Inhale, right leg lifts up. Exhale knee in.

Right, that sacred soft pause. Place the foot rise up where your two. Right legs forward so on an exhale, right arm comes underneath. Inhale, open it out Warrior Two. Exhale, take it all the way through.

Chaturanga. Inhale. Exhale back. Same leg. Right leg lifts up.

Inhale. Exhale. Place the foot Warrior Two. Rise up. Exhale right arm under.

Left on top. Inhale open. Exhale. Inhale, lift the heart. Exhale back Otamuka.

Left side, inhale left leg lift. Exhale knee in. Place the foot Warrior Two. Stand on the outer edge of the back foot. Exhale left under right.

Inhale, Warrior Two. Exhale. Inhale upward. Exhale back downward. Inhale left leg.

Exhale, draw it on. Warrior Two. Exhale left under right. Open it up Warrior Two. Take it all the way through.

Chaturanga or high plank to the floor. Inhale. Exhale back. Three rounds of breath. One more time all the way around to the right.

And then one more time all the way around to the left. And when you're ready, inhale taking the right leg up. Exhale knee in. Place the foot Warrior Two. Rise up nice and slow.

Exhale right under left. Garda Vasna arms. Inhale Warrior Two. Exhale. And again choosing Chaturanga or the floor.

Or just take it right back. Exhale back downward facing. Inhale right leg. Exhale. Place the foot Warrior two.

Right under left. Heels in, toes out. Open it up, Warrior Two. Exhale. Chaturanga or the floor.

Inhale, lift the heart. Exhale back. One more round. Left leg lifts inhale. Exhale knee in.

Place the foot rise up Warrior Two. Exhale left under right. Inhale open. Exhale to the floor. Inhale Urdhva Mukha.

Exhale back Adho Mukha. Last one left leg lifts. Exhale knee to nose. Place the foot Warrior Two. Stay low, stay strong.

Left arm under. Inhale, Warrior Two. Exhale all the way through. Chaturanga. Inhale.

Exhale back and pause. Three breaths. And you complete your exhale. Take the gaze forward step or hop the feet up between the hands. Inhale.

Toe heel to feet. Hip distance and mat distance apart. And come on down into MÄ쳌lÄ쳌sana. Hands to the heart and just settle. Alright, so here just feel the breath rate start to come back down.

Exhale with the hands come to the floor, lift the hips. Toe heel and feet back in. Inhale, rise up. Exhale fold. Inhale rise up Uttanasana.

As you sit back, slide the knees back. So if there's a gap between the feet, there's a gap between the knees. The toes are together draw the knees together. Alright sit down reach up and softer the low ribs. With an exhale fold forward.

Inhale rise up. Exhale plant the palms. Choosing Chaturanga or the floor. Inhale upward or La Cobra. Exhale back.

On an inhale take the right leg up. Draw the knee in towards the left elbow and pause here. From here, take the right leg out long. Lift the left palm as you drop the back heel. Playing a little bit into Fallen Triangle here.

Right, so you're pressing lifting. On an exhale, take the left hand to the floor. Curl the back toes under. Come down onto the outer edge of your right hip. Right, so from here, work the left hip down.

And then start to slide down onto the forearms. And so here it takes some action of really drawing the left hip down to feel this in your right IT Band. And so for some this might be plenty. For others you can start to lower down onto the chest. When it feels nice on the neck you can take the gaze towards the toes.

And for some you can start to turn it away. But you're still drawing left hip down. I still slowly lift up onto the palms. Keep the back toes curled under on an inhale. Try to lift up as if you're moving through Upward Facing Dog.

So sliding the chest forwards. Drawing the left hip forward. And then take the right knee in up and back, open it up. Pause knee high, heel squeezes in. Soften the right shoulder down.

Then lengthen the right leg. Even out the hips. Exhale. Bring the right knee in towards the right wrist. Set up for Pigeon Pose here.

Slide the hands back, lift the chest. So inhale, lift up lengthen. And exhale, take the hands wider. Wave it down slowly with your breath. And so as you do, you're drawing the right hip back lightly.

Inhale, lift. Explore. Exhale, wave it down. One more in. And then exhale, wave it down.

Inhale, rise back up. Plant the palms, curl the toes under. Take it back Three Legged Dog. Right leg lifts, open it up again. And notice that right shoulder kind of went to the pop up, can you even out and keep the left and right shoulders even?

Right leg long, even out the hips. Right inner thigh spins up and lower right leg down. On an inhale, left leg lifts up. Find the right thigh pressing back. Exhale, knee to left elbow.

Pause. And then lengthen the layout long. Kick stand the foot. Drop the right heel as you peel open the right arm. And then a Fallen Triangle.

Exhale right hand down. Lower down. Curl the back toes on the lower down onto the left side of the hip here. So getting your right IT. But it really helps to keep the leg out into this 90 degree angle.

Option of coming down onto the forearms. Working the right hip down. For some you can come down onto the chest. You can either ease it up, turn the left ear down. For some you can start to turn the chest in and take the gaze in the opposite direction.

So you're checking how it feels on the neck. And so then we want to feel this in the left outer thigh. And it really comes from rolling the right hip down. Come on back up. Plant your hands like you're coming in the Upward Facing Dog and then slide the chest forward, slide the shoulders back.

Lift up. Okay left knee into the chest. Take it up and back. On an exhale take the left knee in towards the left wrist. Setting up for Flowing Pigeon, walk the hands back.

Good chest lifts. On an exhale, wave it down. Right, so just moving with your breath. Using your whole breath to explore. And sometimes we get into this when we start moving and we shorten the breath.

And quicken it. So see if you can just, slow it down. One more. Inhale. Good, and exhale.

Planting the hands we're gonna take it right back into Three Legged Dog. Take the left tip on the right. Bend the knee, knee reaches as high as it can. Squeeze the heel in towards the bum. And then again trying to drop the left shoulder so it's even with the right.

Lengthen the left leg. Even out the hips, so spin the left inner thigh up. Exhale, lower it down. Complete your exhale. Take the gaze forward step or hop the feet forward.

Inhale, come half way up. Exhale, hold. Root through the feet and he'll rise all the way up. Exhale, hands to the heart. There's a rooting through your feet option here.

Coming into tree pose. Or for some coming into Arta Pamazma. We'll root through the right foot first. Bring the left foot up. So if you're becoming a tree find a place below or above the knee, inner thigh.

For those coming into Arta Pamazma flex the foot. Let the knees soften down. So option. You can take your left foot and your right hand. You can reach behind and grab hold of the forearm.

And for some, you might be able to reach around and grab the toes. Some days I can. (giggling) So with that, if you're reaching around soften through the ribs. And then option of taking the right arm up. Just doing a left foot flex.

And then slowly bring the hands back to the heart. Alright, with your core drawing in towards the chest. And then take it back Warrior Three. Option of taking the arms forward. Or arms can go back.

I like to keep my toes flexed or pointed. Just so that I can lift my left inner thigh up. Still staying balanced bring the left knee in towards the chest. Soften through the right knee. Shift it into Garuda Smis.

Start with the hands on the hips so you can gently draw the left hip back. Arms out. Right under left. And so right right fingertips line up to the base of the left. And your center of gravity here.

For some, it's sinking in. For some, it's squeezing their thighs and stand out of it. Not staying here very long, we're gonna draw the left knee in towards the chest. And then right back into Warrior Three. Reach the left leg back.

Bring little energy right to the low back. Right around your kidneys. Release the arms. Step back Warrior One. Outer edge of the back foot places.

And on your exhale let the arms just drape down behind. Anyways, take a moment here. And on the exhale, wave it forward. Humble Warrior right shoulder and side right side. And so again moving with our breath nice and slow.

Inhale, rise up. Exhale, wave it down. And so as you come up, if you're exploring the back bend, keep the back of the neck long. Alright, not just letting the head go. Exhale and hold.

So can either keep the fist interlaced. The fingers interlaced. Or taking Shiva Mudra. Point our fingers up. Alright, so connect with your right hip.

See if you can draw that back. And exhale, soften the hands down. Frame the front foot, curl the back toes under. Step it back. Chaturanga.

High plank to the floor, or right back to downward facing down. Inhale. Exhale back. And three breaths before we take it to the other side. Complete your exhale.

Take your gaze forward. Step or hop the feet between the hands. Inhale half way. Exhale full. Root through the feet rise up.

Hands back to the heart. And again choosing for this side. Root through the left foot. Right foot comes up, either variation of Tree Pose. Right?

Or for some, coming into Arta Pamazna here standing. So find play softening, if you're playing with Arta Pamazna softening. Just letting the right knee do its thing. Not forcing it. So you can either stay here hooking onto the forearm.

Or for some you can come around to the foot. And today I'll hold on to the forearm. Breathing in. And finding a soft gaze. Try to keep a consistent gaze.

Might be slightly down. Maybe challenging yourself to look straight out. But maybe to the corner where that wall meets the ceiling. Releasing the hands back out in front. Bring the knee into the chest.

Feel your left big toe mound root. And then take it into Warrior Three. Arms can reach forward or behind you. Checking in. Right inner thigh spins up.

And then knee back into the chest. Hands to the hips. Soften through the left knee. Bring the right leg around. And you might hook.

You might just let it dangle. And you might let it kickstand on the ground. Arms out. This time exhale left under right. So finding your center.

Maybe it's standing out of the pose a bit. Squeezing the inner thighs. Or maybe it's sinking in a little bit more. Now very softly, unwind just the legs. And then come into Warrior Three.

(giggling) Find the balance. Nice. Right inner thigh up. And then a soft step back Warrior One. Arms reach up on your exhale.

Reach the arms back. Inner lace draw the fist down. And exhale, wave it forward. Left shoulder inside left thigh. Inhale rise up.

Extend. We're using the full breath. Exhale, wave it down. Inhale. Last one, and hold.

Fold forward. Draw the left hip back. Stay loose through the neck. A little action. Softness through the elbows.

And then release the arms down. Stepping back. Chaturanga or high plank to the floor. Inhale. Exhale back.

Good. Five breaths here. Complete your exhale. Step or hop the feet up between the hands. Inhale, come half way up.

Exhale full. Inhale rise all the way up. Hands to the heart. Close the eyes for a moment. Alright, so starting to move in towards a little play Galvanosna.

A little arm balance play. On an inhale. Taking Uttanasana. Right, so choosing right here. Or maybe bring the left leg up across like a figure four.

And start to bring the hands down. So this might be plenty in the hips. Or for some, you can start to come forward. Woop. Come forward hands over.

And maybe the elbows touch. Right around the ankle, right below the knee. So that might be good. For some you can bring the hands towards the floor and start to come up onto the ball of your right foot. So there's an option.

You can hang out right here. Right? Just hanging out right here. Or you can bring the hands in front. Take the arms like Chaturanga arms.

Hook your right... Which foot is that? My left foot. My left foot around my right tricep. Lean forward.

And then start to take the right leg up. Little pause. And then bring it back in. Try to come out the same way you got in. Hands to heart.

Stand all the way back up. And then moving to the opposite side. Inhale Uttanasana. Step one right here. Step two, bring the right leg across.

Step three, hands to the heart. Shift. Alright, so you might feel this right in the outer hip right here. And that might be plenty. For some, you can start to bring the hands to the floor.

So you can either shift, play with a bit of a tip-toe balance here. You can play with hands up. It's not happening for me today. (laughing) Or you can play with the arm balance where you start to hook the left toes across the... Sorry the right toes across the left arm.

Lean in Chaturanga and take the left leg up and back. Two. See if you can hold it for another breath. Come on back in. Try to come out the same way you got in.

Then hands back to the heart. And just take a forward fold. Alright, your choice. Your favorite forward fold. It can be soft into a Ragdoll.

It can be a little stronger. Arms behind our hands to toes. And just taking three more breaths here. And see if you can let that go in now. Just let the shoulders go.

So whatever position you're in just the hands get heavy, let the shoulders go. Shoulders can drop towards the ear. Ears plural. That's the kind of opposite of everything we do in most of poses is we're softening them down. Just let them go.

And from here, step back into Downward Facing Dog. And then lower down onto the knees. Taking your right knee a little bit forward, snuggle the left knee behind, setting up Gomukhasana legs. And then just sliding on back. And flexing the feet.

Right, so choosing to stay here you can take fingertips behind you and just, huh, hangout here lifting the chest. You can also take right arm behind, reaching up as high as you can, and left arm reaching for the opposite. Okay, you can use a strap tie. Anything to hook on. And just either hangout here or you can start to fold forward.

Alright, so the chin or the head starts to come down. So that the hips get heavy. Inhale, come on back up. Release the arms. Come back on to all fours.

Take the right leg all the way back behind shift. Snuggle up and then sit on back. Flex the feet, walk the shins away. And then same option. You can take just hang out here.

You can grab just the elbow and draw back lightly. We're taking the full bind. Keeping the chest up or slowly on an exhale. Coming forward. You can take the chin forward if that's available.

Inhale, come on back up. Taking the legs long. Bend the right knee coming into Arta Pamazna Half Lotus. If that's not available, stick with Jonue Sheershashnah. And see if you can work the heel up high.

Keep the foot flexed. Sitting on up. And maybe it's available to reach the right hand around. Grabbing hold of the toes. Lift up through the chest and then exhale.

Fold forward. You can take the left hand to the left foot. Just take five breaths here. And your next inhale rising up. And then switch sides.

Right leg comes out long. And the left knee. Again working the heel up as high as you can. Keep the left foot flexed and maybe this left arm can come around grabbing the toes. Exhale, fold forward.

Taking the torso over the right side. And just a little drawback if you can reach to the right pinky side of the foot. Just a little draw back. And just five breaths again. And inhale, coming all the way up.

And you can keep this left leg as is. If it's an Arta Lotus. So next option is either staying right here, but bending the right knee and bring it under into half. Arta Parmazno. Or for some you can take the right leg on top.

Bring the right heel in as high as you can. And just pause here in Lotus for a moment. So from here we're gonna come all the way onto our bellies. So go in easy. First start on the forearms.

Take a few breaths. Right? So this is... If you feel any pinching, constriction in the low back, come out. We just wanna breath in easy.

And stay soft. You can either take the throat down. For some you might like the forehead down. Can take arms out. Just a place that you can soften it through the shoulders.

And staying here for another five breaths. And then you set lifting yourself back up. And all the way back down to a seat. Slowly peeling yourself apart here. (chuckling) Take a moment just to...

We're gonna move the knees, get a little movement in there. And then switching to the opposite side. So now the right leg comes in first. And just take a moment to set it up. And when you're ready you can either come into the half, and you can still come onto your belly this way.

Or for some come into the full. Flexing through the feet, slowly come on over. And then come down onto the forearms as you lower. And then you decide. You can stay right here and each style might be very different.

You can start to lower down. Bring you throat to the floor. Forehead to the floor. And just find a place that you can let go of your shoulders. Again we'll stay for 10 breaths.

And then when you're ready go ahead and bring the palms down and lift on back up. And take the legs out one at a time. I guess if you could do both at the same time that'd be great. (chuckling) Lift up. And then slowly just taking a forward fold here.

And three more breaths. And inhale, slowly roll up. We're gonna come onto our backs. Just setting up for our final twist. So come into your favorite twist.

It might be knees stacked. It might be legs crossed. It might be one leg across. So whatever works for you. I'm gonna come into one leg.

Just as we did to start. We take it over the side. Put my hip a little to the left. Come on back up to center. Switching sides.

And we take the right over to the left. Put the right arm across. And slowly come back up to center. The soft draw of the knees in Apanasana. One leg at a time.

Coming out for your final pose Shavasana. Starting to setup here here you can completely, completely let go of your outer body here. Let going of our skin suit. Diving in. Diving into the breath.

And starting to tune back in. Wiggling the fingers, toes. And take the arms up overhead. And just rolling onto your right side. And we'll meet in a comfortable seat.

So we're taking our time to arrive. And fully pressing up. And then meeting with your hands at heart center dispelling inward. And tuning in and starting to notice in our everyday life, and on our mat, what's a part of our comfort zone? What are those things that just make us feel good?

Make us feel comfortable. What are those things that start to stretch us? Right? 'Cause that's the place where the learning happens. And the more we step into that place where we start to get stretched, the larger our comfort zone gets.

And thank you for sharing your practice with me today. Namaste.