Supple Spine, Soft Mind

Welcome, everyone, such a joy to be together. Let's dive right in. Soft gaze or close the eyes, let awareness drop into the body and start to feel the movement of your breath. Only redirecting your focus, letting everything else start to fall away. We're going to keep the hands on the knees here and start to draw the belly back to the spine a little, a little bit of rounding.

And then inhale, lifting up through the heart. And exhale, round again. It's almost like a seated cat cow. Once again, a big inhale, lifting through the heart, exhaling to round. And then at your own pace, just start to kind of spiral and circle through the torso.

It can be like an infinity sign. It can be big circles. It can be in any direction, any rhythm that feels good. Just kind of finding that supple, fluid nature of the spine. Another breath or two.

Beautiful, and then settle into stillness. Draw hands to prayer at heart center. Exhale empty. All the breath out through the nose, a big inhale, and that vibration drop into your intention for your practice. And as you feel ready, let the eyes open.

Let's take a big inhale, reach the arms out and up. With your exhale, rock it forward, come on up to the hands and the knees. And similar to that seated movement, start to kind of circle, spiral, wind around through the spine. It can be a classic cat cow. It can be more spirally, it can be any direction, any variations that feel good.

Just continue in this kind of like fluid, pleasurable movement, any rhythm, any pace. Two, three, four, five more breaths. The whole circle of the torso, even sinking into child's toes, tucked or untucked. Make it yours. Hmmm, landing in the body, give it another breath.

And then let's find a neutral spine together, root through the hands, big inhale, tuck your toes and exhale, press up and back, downward facing dog, Adho Mukha Svanasana. And then a few breaths here, again just kind of easing in, supple through the backs of the legs, play with it, pedal it out, float the hips a little side to side. Good, then stable in your down dog, open the feet about as wide as the mat, take a really deep bend in the knees, kind of sinking the hips back and down, press the hands deep into the earth, lengthening the spine and just kind of enjoy this. You can pedal the feet here, you can continue to sink through hips, bending knees, again just explore another breath or two, good, and then draw back to a classic shape in your down dog, root through your feet, root through your hands, with the next inhale we're going to roll it forward into your plank pose and with your exhale lower the knees to the earth, keep the elbows hugging in and come all the way down, supple, gentle Vinyasa, inhale rise into cobra and exhale just release back to the earth, inhale press to your hands and your knees, with your exhale sink your hips to your heels, child's pose, one breath, yes. Then with your next inhale rise, hands and knees, tucking toes, exhale, down dog, we're going to take two more Vinyasas like that, inhale ripple it forward into plank, exhale lower the knees, elbows hugging all the way to the earth, inhale cobra just as high as feels good, with your exhale release back to the earth, inhale hands and knees, exhale child sink down, breathe into low back, big inhale and exhale, inhale rise, tuck the toes exhale down dog, one last cycle, inhale roll it forward plank, exhale lower knees and then all the way down, inhale cobra as high as it feels good, exhale back to the earth, inhale press up hands and knees and exhale hips to heels, child's pose, one breath, then inhale rise again hands and knees, tuck your toes, exhale take it back into your down dog, from here slow walk forward on the inhale finding the front of the mat and then take an easy fold the feet are hips distance the head is heavy the neck is soft let's take a few breaths here in this fold hands can drop or maybe take hold of opposite elbows let yourself sway a little side to side give up the weight of the head relax the neck and the jaw just kind of let a few things unravel here whatever it is at any point in the flow let breath sound sigh out of the mouth and then as you're ready come on back to neutral release the bind if you have it keep that gentle bend in the knees and very slowly head stays heavy roll yourself all the way to stand and when you do arrive exhale roll the shoulders down the back shake it out a little bit let it go and let's meet in samastitihi feet together hands to prayer heart center a few grounding breaths together through the nose inhaling and through the nose exhaling good again like that big inhale steady exhale right then deep bend in the knees inhale reaching the arms out and up classic utkatasana and then we're going to play with this a little bit you keep the essentials of the shape but open the feet about hips distance really firm foundation then sink the hips a little bit deeper big inhale and as you exhale bow halfway forward a variation of our utkatasana sometimes known as bear pose so sinking down through hips really strong through the legs hollow the belly and pull the shoulder blades down the back we're going to hold here building the heat five building the strength for and building the capacity three two okay with your next exhale return to your fold just give it back to the earth releasing down and then slowly on the inhale we'll take that roll all the way to stand returning to that supple sensation through the spine and then with your exhale release rolling the shoulders down the back shake it out again let it go and heel toe the feet together home to samastitihi grounding breath inhaling and exhaling right playing with that a little bit more deep into the knees inhale reach it out and up again it would get asana and then with your exhale are it would get asana chest parallel to the earth yes strong through foundation feel into what you were building keep rooting through that right foot pick up the left foot and slowly extend it straight back into your warrior three feel into the stability right we're going to dance with this a little bit stay for your inhale and as you exhale draw the knee in towards the chest draw the elbows towards the knees curl in inhale reach the leg back reach the arms out exhale knee draws in towards the chest draw the arms back again we inhale extend arms out leg back and then exhale keep this just draw your hands to the hips stabilize here for a moment take a really big inhale and we're going to open this with your exhale take your right hand down earth or block and then slowly start to roll that left hip open moving into half moon yeah pause for a moment wake up that left leg if you feel pretty steady reach the left arm to the sky wide open through the heart deep full breath three the heart shine out two good from here big inhale and with your exhale you're going to float back into warrior two so ease the left foot towards the back of the mat deep strong bend in the front knee let the arms reach out wide steady gaze over right fingertips just let yourself ground here for a moment three two nice with the inhale lengthen the right leg reach the arms to the sky and with your exhale turn the feet to parallel trace the midline hands home to the heart shifting into goddess turn the toes out heels in sink the sit bones to the earth very gently just barely resting the forearms to the thighs keep that sense of lifting through the center and then with the inhale let's reach the arms out and up and exhale again deepen the bend in the knees cross arms in front of body inhale we rise exhale we bend and deepen yeah good again inhale rise exhale descend this time inhale rise all the way up turn the feet to parallel and with the exhale trace the midline and kind of ease the body all the way down into the fold press three to a hands are grounding inhale just lengthen a little bit halfway up and exhale deepen into it weight tips forward into the front of the feet shoulder blades are moving up the back breath is steady it's a little bit of stability within all of that movement one more breath here yeah and then we inhale lengthen halfway with your exhale turn the toes out heels in again and slowly start to bend the left knee playing with skandhasana be very mindful of the knee joints just go as far as feels good with the next inhale draw it back to center and with the exhale ease it over to the right let's take a few more cycles inhale to rise exhale to left feel free to move into your own pace here inhale center exhale right again to each side inhale center exhale left inhale center exhale right beautiful inhale draw it back to center and then exhale just kind of ground the feet parallel then we inhale come halfway up see the front of the mat see your right foot exhale pivot in that direction for lizard hands inside release the back knee stay on the hands are released down onto the forearms good let's give this about three breaths you can move it into any variation that you feel for three you can keep the movement within the pose if that's feeling good or just let it be still to good then inhale we rise up and with the exhale take the hands either side of that front foot tuck your back toes lift your back knee with the next inhale reach the right leg all the way up and back and with your exhale open the hip and the knee take a moment here just breathe into this enjoy it then inhale to rise exhale release into your down dog and just moment here deep full breath you're welcome to stay right where you are or let's roll through a vinyasa together with the inhale take it forward into plank with the exhale that gentle variation knees to the earth come all the way down inhale rolling the spine up exhale rolling it back down good inhale hands and knees exhale hips to heels child's take one breath inhale hands and knees again tuck toes exhale float back downward facing dog cleansing breath through the nose inhaling open the mouth exhaling walking gently on the inhale to the front of the mat as you arrive exhale again just release into it let a little something go let a little something unwind another breath gentle bend in the knees very slowly as you inhale rolling rolling rolling all the way to stand and when you arrive exhale roll those shoulders down the back you can shake it out a little bit let it go let's meet in samastitihi breathing together inhaling and exhaling second side have some fun with it deep bend in the knees inhaling reaching the arms out and up utkatasana and then exhale aard utkatasana bow at halfway forward feel the strength of your center and your foundation and then really strong rooting down through the left foot pick up the right and slowly reach it back into that warrior three you can keep a kind of buoyancy through the left leg keeping a soft bend in the knee if you'd like stay for your inhale and then exhale curl it in knee draws in towards the chest elbows draw in towards the body inhale extend the leg back and the arms out exhale draw it in once again inhale expand exhale draw it in good inhale expand and then we pause here keep what you've got just take the hands to the hips right then slowly take that left hand to the earth or the block right hand stays on the right hip and we start to roll the hips open revealing warrior three into half moon beautiful you can keep that right hand on the hip or you can reach the arm up to the sky feel free to move it into any variations and feel free to fall just play three two yeah reconnect through the left leg strong through the center for the transition and as you exhale bend that left knee and float it all the way back landing and grounding in warrior two saddle in and again find that stability amidst it all three two good inhale to lengthen the left leg exhale spin the feet to parallel hands to the hips and we'll revisit goddess open the toes heels in sit down into it just barely resting forearms to thighs this time cross the arms in front of the body inhale to rise and exhale out and down cross the arms in front inhale rise exhale deepen once again inhaling and exhaling this time inhale rise turn the feet to parallel tracing the midline exhale come back down into your fold hands to the earth yes inhale halfway and exhale just release returning to prostrated a keep it simple give yourself a moment to ground maybe crown of the head on the earth or block if you have one totally okay if it's just suspended one more breath good and then inhale halfway exhale turn toes out heels in start to bend the right knee and ease over to the right we're gonna take that skandhasana play again you've been here already so the body's a little more warm and open maybe it goes a little deeper maybe you choose to pause in a sticky spot let it open a little just play if you're feeling really strong don't use the hands take them to prayer let it all come from the legs and the core few more breaths three two and then just finding your center line as you're ready feet parallel hands to the earth let's meet here inhale halfway see your left foot front of the mat exhale pivot into lizard hands inside of that front foot and then just gently release back knee to the earth on hands or forearms knee in or out your variation breathing breathing breathing three movements within the posture or welcome if that's what you're feeling sustaining that sense of fluidity and play one more breath good gently we rise inhaling walk it back in and up exhaling hands either side of the front foot tuck the back toes lift the knee from the core inhale left leg rising exhale open the hip and the knee give it a moment those legs are working hard for you let them breathe and then inhale to reach and exhale downward facing now yeah very strong take a big inhale here exhale let it go and then just a few breaths and stillness come back to your center as you feel ready on the next inhale let's roll it forward into plank pose and this time we're going to come all the way down to the earth you can take knees first or chaturanga style easing down just a moment full pranam legs release forehead on the earth arms extend like a full body prayer lay it back down feel the earth rising to meet you take a breath here yeah and then we play within this shape feeling the entire back body engage as you're ready inhale lift the left leg and the right arm the head rises as well but there's no strain in the neck right basically kind of keep it in line with the spine feel into this really strong through back muscles another big inhale exhale lay it down second side inhale reach left arm right leg head rising as well strong through back body yes beautiful stay for the inhale exhale lay it back down and of course here we go we put it all together both arms both legs as you're ready inhale we rise take flight feel the back engage feel the backs of the legs engage feel the heart rise big inhale exhale lay it back down take a moment and then we shifted a little draw the legs together take the arms alongside the body and shalabhasana a with the next inhale lift the legs lift the arms lift the head and the chest let the heart shine out maybe offer it to someone you know who needs a little extra energy or support these days big inhale exhale release you can turn either cheek to the mat or you can stack the hands and rest the forehead let's just pause for a moment yeah all right one more back bend here on the belly arms alongside the body this time clasp the hands behind the back legs are together and when you're ready inhale everything rises and the heart shines out let's hold for three and two they inhale and exhale let it go again we rest either cheek on the mat or stack the hands rest forehead give it a couple breaths okay let this gentle transition move slowly after that deep work inhale just lift to the hands and the knees and then exhale sink the hips back towards the heels child's pose and move your breath down into your lower back nice release after that back bending for three and again that sense of kind of offering it back to the earth two you can always always stay in child's as long as you'd like when you're ready inhale lift to hands and knees tucking the toes exhale we go back into down dog one last vinyasa to wash it all the way inhale come forward exhale lower however you choose maybe stay with that soft variation inhale to cobra or up dog and with your exhale take it all the way back back downward facing dog together through the nose a big inhale and let it go exhale good coming all the way through to sit and just easing all the way down onto your back as you're ready we'll meet there on the back and draw the legs in towards the chest rocking the body side to side okay and then the supine twist take a big inhale as you exhale let the legs fall to the left you can keep them as is or you can cross either leg on top and as the legs hips go left the right arm goes right you might follow the right fingertips with a soft gaze so the neck completes the spiral of the spine move your awareness and your breath into your lower back three and two nice and easy inhale draw yourself back to center move the hips over to the left a little bit and if you had a bind shift it let legs go right left arm go left oh yeah and follow left fingertips with a soft gaze um breathing three um two and again slowly inhale come on back to center exhale hug the knees in towards the chest wrap arms around legs take anything else you need here there's no rush making your own transition out and down into shavasana as you're ready and as always take any support you desire in shavasana under the knees or cover body maybe cover eyes and rock a little wiggle a little so that you're really nestled down into the earth and then really intentionally let the physical body just relax melt sink and let mind heart subtle body follow one last intentional breath together inhale slight pause open the mouth exhale ah resting resting resting ah And gradually, bringing awareness back, bringing movement into hands and feet and deepening the breath.

Take your time, make any transition up to your comfortable seat that you feel for. And when you find it, settle in again. Rest hands, close eyes. Feel the fluidity through the spine, through the whole body. And then take hands to prayer at heart center and we'll close together with a gentle om through the nose, inhale, om.

Gently inhaling, soft bow forward with your exhale, namaste. Really really strong, beautiful work. Thank you all so much. Enjoy. Well, namaste.