Welcome to Bria Yoga.
I'm Briana and this yoga practice is designed to help you heal your crown chakra located at the crown of your head.
If you have an amethyst,
Clear quartz,
Or a selenite crystal,
Grab them for your practice.
Sit up tall and close your eyes.
You can sit up on a cushion or pillows if you want to make your hips a little bit higher than your knees.
Begin to focus your attention on your breath.
Take a moment to bring your attention to your root chakra at the base of your spine.
Visualize red grounding cords like tree roots connected to your sitting bones.
Drawing your energy down toward the center of earth.
Feel grounded,
Safe,
And connected.
From this place of stability,
Start to grow taller.
Imagine your energy moving from the base of your spine all the way up through the crown of your head,
Creating space and creating length.
The color of your crown chakra is violet or white,
A bright light.
Visualize a violet or white light coming in through the crown of your head and moving down your energy channel that runs directly along your spine.
Shashumna Nadi.
With each inhale,
Allow more of this divine light to enter through the crown of your head.
With every exhale,
Visualize the light,
The divine energy moving within your Shashumna Nadi,
Within your spine,
Allowing it to open and align all of your chakras,
Allowing energy to flow freely.
May our practice today connect us with this open energy throughout all of our chakras,
Creating the connection to our higher self,
To the guru within.
Guru means dispeller of darkness and bringer of light.
Allow this practice to connect us in with our internal teacher that we all carry.
If you have an intention you would like to set today,
Please add it now.
On your next inhale,
Softly open your eyes.
Move your crystals and cushions off to the side if you have them and make your way into extended child's pose.
Reach your arms forward.
Take your knees wide so your belly can rest between your legs and let your forehead rest on your mat,
Or you can place a block or a pillow under your forehead if you want.
Take a few breaths here,
Still visualizing that divine energy moving into the crown of your head all the way down to the base of your spine.
Try to keep that visualization in your mind throughout our entire practice.
Inhale and walk your hands over to the right,
Shifting your hips to the left.
Exhale.
Inhale back to center.
Exhale your hands to the left and your hips off to the right.
Inhale back to center.
Reach your arms forward as you exhale.
Sweep your arms to your lower back.
Hook your thumbs or interlace your fingers or grab onto a yoga strap.
Come right onto the crown of your head as you exhale.
Start to lift your arms up any amount and then release down.
Reach your arms forward,
Stretch them out.
Take a deep breath.
Inhale.
Exhale and take your hands to your low back,
Interlacing with the other pinky on top.
Come onto the crown of your head and start to reach your arms up.
This time,
Let's tuck our toes under.
As you reach up,
Make sure to soften your elbow joints a little bit.
As you release,
Press yourself up onto your knees.
If you need extra padding on your knees,
Put a blanket or a pillow underneath.
Sit back on your heels.
If this bothers your heels,
Then sit up on a couple of blocks or you can sit down.
You can put a blanket right between your calves and your thighs.
Sit up tall.
Take your hands in front of you,
Interlacing your fingers.
Extend your palms out and inhale.
Reach your arms up by your ears.
Make sure your ribs don't pop out.
Draw them in.
Keep grounding through your sitting bones,
Feeling your connection to earth and lengthen up.
Keep your ribs and belly lifted and lift up through your belly and pelvic floor muscles.
Let your shoulder blades release away from your ears slightly.
Release your hands.
Come off of your heels for a moment.
Tuck your toes under and sit back on your heels.
This may be very intense for your body,
So if it's too much,
Just untuck your toes.
Sit back the other way.
This is a great way to wake up all your naughties,
Your energy channels.
Bring your arms in front again.
Take the opposite interlace with your fingers.
Exhale,
Palms out.
Inhale,
Arms up by your ears.
If they don't reach up by your ears,
It's okay to keep them in front,
But either way,
Keep your ribs in.
Lengthen up through your back ribs so the back of your body is really long.
As you reach up,
Let your shoulder blades release slightly towards your waist and breathe.
Come onto your hands and knees.
Start with your wrists under your shoulders,
Knees under your hips.
Then walk your hands forward about a handprint.
Turn your inner elbows gently forward.
Keep that rotation in your arms.
Press into your thumb and first finger side of your hands and make your way into Adho Mukha Svanasana,
Downward Facing Dog.
Warm your body up,
Bending one knee and then the other.
Make sure your arms are shoulder distance apart and your feet are hips width.
Come onto the balls of your feet.
Bend your knees.
Keep your hips up high.
Stretch back.
Keep turning your outer upper arms back towards your feet.
Lifting your inner upper arms,
Your biceps,
Forward towards the front of your mat.
Keep all this length you've created in your spine and slowly reach your thighs back.
Make sure your heels are right behind your second toes and your inner thighs are spinning back as if you were holding a yoga block between your legs.
Come onto your knees and grab a yoga block if you have one.
You could also use pillows or blankets.
We're going to come onto the crown of our head.
If you stick your fingers behind your ears and you touch your fingers right at the top,
You'll find the crown of your head.
You can use more than one block or stack as many pillows or blankets to rest the crown of your head on.
Come into Down Dog and take your arms and legs a little bit wider just to help you set up.
You can hold onto the sides of your mat or just bring your hands wide.
Bring the block or pillows under the crown of your head and rest your head down.
Then you can readjust your hands and feet to a normal Down Dog.
We are bringing awareness and attention to the crown of your head.
Take a few more deep breaths here.
Bring your hands closer together.
Lift your head off your block and walk your feet towards your hands.
Inhale your hands to your shins.
Lengthen your spine.
Exhale to fold.
Let's rest the crown of your head on your block again here.
Bring your feet as wide as you need to reach the crown of your head down.
It's okay to bend your knees.
If your legs are straight,
You can shift your weight to the balls of your feet.
Draw your shoulders away from your ears.
Inhale.
Come halfway up.
Lengthen through your spine.
Step your feet closer together and exhale your hands to your hips.
Inhale.
Stand all the way up.
Move your block or pillows out of the way and make your way into Tadasana at the front of your mat.
Feet together or hip socket distance apart,
Making sure that the outer edges of your feet are parallel.
Close your eyes.
Inhale.
Close your eyes and stand here for a moment.
Feel the gravity pulling you down,
Heavy in your feet and legs.
Start to lengthen from your waist up,
Feeling lighter there.
Bring your attention to the crown of your head,
Still visualizing the divine light energy coming in through the crown of your head.
As you inhale,
Sweep your arms up.
You can open your eyes.
Exhale and hinge from your hips to fold forward.
Inhale.
Lengthen your spine and look up.
Exhale and make your way into Plank Pose.
Pause here for a moment.
Reach the crown of your head forward and reach your chest forward,
Lifting up between your legs.
Reach between your shoulder blades.
Lift the backs of your knees.
Reach back through your heels as your chest moves forward.
Exhale and slowly lower to the floor.
You're welcome to take your knees down first.
Hug your elbows in and come down slowly,
All the way down.
Interlace your fingers at your low back.
Pull in through your belly.
Roll your shoulders away from your mat.
Lift your chest and add your legs.
Reach your bum towards your heels and lift your inner thighs up towards the sky.
Let's do it again.
Interlace your fingers behind you,
Opposite pinky on top this time.
Pull your body away from the ground.
Reach your bum towards your heels.
Lift your shoulders up.
Inhale and lift everything up.
Keep lengthening your sitting bones towards your heels.
Pull in through your belly.
Keep the back of your neck long so the crown of your head is lengthening toward the front of your mat.
Slide your hands back by your low ribs.
Inhale into Cobra.
Stay there or take Upward Dog with your thighs and knees off the floor.
Tuck your toes.
Stretch back into Down Dog.
Deep breath in.
Exhale all the way out.
Bend your knees and step up to the front of your mat.
Inhale to lift up halfway.
Exhale fold forward.
Inhale to press down through your feet and rise.
Exhale bring your hands down.
Inhale sweep your arms up.
Exhale fold forward.
Inhale lengthen.
Look up and pull in your belly.
Exhale step or flow back into Chaturanga.
Inhale press through your hands and feet,
Up Dog.
Exhale stretch back into Down Dog.
Inhale and lift your right leg.
Exhale bend your knee and stretch open your hip.
Reach down through your left heel.
Press evenly through your arms and shoulders.
Inhale square off your hips.
Come way down onto the ball of your left foot and exhale bring your knee right down the center and your shoulders over your wrists.
Inhale sweep your leg up again,
This time keeping your hips level.
Exhale again on the ball of your left foot.
Press away from the ground.
Bring your knee through center and step your right foot up by your right hand.
Stay on the ball of your back foot and come into High Lunge.
Be sure your right knee is over your ankle.
Pull your right hip back.
Bend your back knee a little bit.
Tilt your pelvis forward.
Pull in through your belly and straighten your back leg.
Sweep your arms behind you.
Interlace your fingers.
Roll your shoulders open and if you feel steady look up a little bit.
Keep your legs where they are.
Release your clasped hands.
Reach your fingers up.
Interlace your fingers,
Every one except for your index fingers and reach up tall.
Make sure your front ribs are drawing down and your back ribs are lifting up.
Take a deep breath here.
Bring your hands to your heart center.
Lean forward.
Hook your left arm across your right knee and twist.
Pull your right hip back.
Breathe.
If you want to open up you may take your left hand down and your right hand up,
Keeping your hips level.
Unwind as you look to the ground and make your way back into Down Dog.
Vinyasa optional.
Inhale your left leg back and up.
Exhale,
Bend your knee and open your hip.
Reach down through your right heel.
Press back evenly through your arms and your shoulders,
Stretching open your right hip.
Drop your hip down.
Level your hips.
Exhale and come way up onto the ball of your right foot.
Bring your left knee forward and your shoulders over your wrist as you pull in your belly.
Breathe.
Inhale,
Lift your leg back and up.
Keep your hips level.
Exhale,
Draw your knee in again.
Pull in through your ribs and belly.
Your upper back rounds a little bit.
Look at your left hand and step your left foot up next to it.
Stay on the ball of your left foot and come into High Lunge.
Be sure your front knee is over your ankle.
Bend your back knee.
Tilt your pelvis forward.
Pull in through your belly.
Pull your left hip back and straighten your back leg.
Interlace your hands behind you.
Roll your shoulders open.
Reach your hands down and lift your chest.
If it feels okay for your neck,
You can look up.
Breathe.
Keep your legs as they are.
Release your hands.
Lift your arms up and interlace your fingers above your head,
Leaving your index fingers free.
Stretch up through your arms.
Reach your arms back by your ears,
But it's okay if they don't reach all the way.
Pull your ribs in,
Your back ribs lifted.
Bring your hands to heart center.
Lean forward and get a little length through your spine and hook your right arm across,
Pulling your left hip back.
You can stay here or bring your right hand down and left arm up,
Twisting from above your waist.
Breathe.
Look down and make your way into Down Dog.
Vinyasa optional.
Breathe.
Exhale everything out.
Bend your knees.
Lightly step or hop to the front of your mat.
Inhale to lengthen your spine.
Exhale to fold forward.
Bend your knees.
Drop your hips and come into Chair Pose,
Utkatasana.
Reach up through your arms.
Drop your bum down.
Press weight into your heels.
And stand up.
Take a block if you have one by the front of your mat.
We are coming into Parivrtta Ardha Chandrasana,
Twisting Half Moon Pose.
If you don't have a block,
You can use a stack of books or some pillows,
Just anything to bridge the gap between your fingers and the ground.
First,
Find your steady balance at the front of your mat.
Samastitihi.
Inhale,
Bend your knees and come into Utkatasana.
Exhale to fold.
Inhale,
Lengthen and look up.
Exhale,
Step or hop through Chaturanga.
Inhale,
Press through hands and feet into Up Dog.
Exhale,
Down Dog.
Inhale,
Lift your right leg.
Exhale to step it up by your right hand.
Stand on the ball of your back foot and come into High Lunge.
Lean your torso forward.
Find your block if you have it.
Left hand onto your block or stack of books.
Lift up through your left leg.
Bring your right hand to your low back to make sure your hips are level.
Start to turn to your right and maybe lift your right arm up.
Stay here or if you are steady,
You might bend your back knee greatly.
Grab that foot and press your foot back.
Keep your hips level.
Release your foot.
Look to the ground and bring your feet together.
Move your block to the other side of your mat.
Inhale,
Lengthen.
Exhale,
Step or float into Chaturanga.
Inhale,
Press up into Up Dog.
Exhale,
Stretch back into Down Dog.
Inhale,
Your left leg back and up.
Exhale,
Step forward.
Stand on the ball of your back foot and reach your arms up.
Lean forward over your left leg.
Take your right hand onto your block.
Lift up through your right leg and take your left hand to your lower back to be sure that your hips are level.
Lengthen as you inhale.
Start to turn as you exhale.
Maybe reach your left arm up towards the sky.
If you feel steady,
You can stay here or bend your back knee,
Grab your foot and press your foot back.
Breathe.
Keep twisting.
Slowly release.
Look down and bring your feet together.
Move your block off to the side.
Inhale,
Lengthen.
Exhale,
Fold.
Breathe.
Grab your elbows and hang.
Try to straighten your legs if you can.
Halfway up,
Inhale.
Exhale into Plank.
Hold here.
Chest forward,
Heels back,
Backs of legs lifted.
And come to your knees.
We are going to practice Headstand Prep.
Find the crown of your head.
Interlace your fingers.
We're going to take the crown of your head to the floor.
Interlace all the way to the webbing of your fingers.
Take your hands down.
Be sure your elbows are not wider than your shoulders.
If you need to,
You can use a yoga strap right above your elbows to keep them from going wider.
Find the crown of your head.
Place it down.
Tuck your toes and lift.
Walk your feet in a little bit.
Practice pressing into your forearms and elbows.
Release your shoulders down towards your ears and lift them up towards the sky.
Practice continuing lifting them up towards the sky so much that you could lift the crown of your head off the ground and set it back down gently.
One more time.
Lift the crown of your head off the ground and set it down gently.
Take your knees down and come into Child's Pose.
Breathe.
You can take the same exercise again or bring your mat against the wall to practice Headstand.
If you have any injuries in your neck,
In your back,
If you have glaucoma,
Eye injuries,
Or high blood pressure that isn't controlled,
If you're on your period and your flow is really heavy today,
If your upper back is very rounded and it's hard for you to get your shoulder blades to press into your chest to widen it,
Or if you weren't able to lift your head off the floor in our Headstand Prep,
Then skip Headstand and instead do the Headstand Prep practice we just did again.
If you are taking Headstand,
Move your mat to a wall.
Interlace your fingers.
Take your knuckles all the way to the wall.
You can take your bottom pinky and make it flush with your other pinky so that it doesn't get squished.
Now touch your hands to the wall.
Rest the crown of your head on the floor with the back of your head resting in your hands.
Tuck your toes.
Lift your knees.
Walk in.
Gently take one leg up and then the other.
Avoid kicking up into a headstand because it can be dangerous.
Flex your ankles and take your heels against the wall.
Practice pressing onto your forearms and elbows and taking less weight on your head.
Draw in through your belly.
Squeeze your legs together and reach your bum towards your heels.
Come down whenever you want to or stay for a few more breaths with me.
Keep lifting up so there's less weight on your head.
Pull your belly in and gently come down one leg at a time and come straight into Child's Pose.
Breathe.
Move back onto your mat away from the wall and come into Extended Child's Pose,
Reaching your arms forward.
Spread out your fingers.
Keep your hands where they are and come onto your knees.
Tuck your toes and press up into Downward Facing Dog.
Release your neck here.
Gently,
Slowly nodding your head.
Yes and no.
Look forward.
Walk or hop yourself to seated and come onto your back.
Grab a block if you have one.
Bridge Pose is a nice counter pose for headstand and so is Down Dog.
Bring your heels under your knees,
Arms along your side.
Pull in your belly.
Lift your hip bones to your lower ribs as you come into Bridge.
Roll your shoulders underneath you and interlace your fingers or keep your palms on the ground.
Keep your neck really long.
Use the floor to traction your shoulder blades towards your waist to create more space for your neck.
Take the soles of your feet together and your knees apart.
Bring a hand to your heart.
A hand to your stomach and a hand to your heart center.
Take a moment to connect in with your internal teacher and ask your internal teacher what you need to know.
Release and make your way back into Bridge.
You can take another Bridge the way we just did or use your block to come into a Supported Bridge.
If you're taking Supported Bridge,
Bring your block to the base of your spine at any height.
Lift up into Bridge and roll your shoulders underneath you.
Slowly come down.
Remove your block if you have one.
Take the soles of your feet together and your knees apart.
One hand on your belly and one hand on your heart center.
As you breathe here,
Repeat these affirmations with me either out loud or just in your mind.
Reach down to your knees and use your hands to pull them together.
Gently hug your knees into your chest and rock a little side to side.
Either roll to your right and press yourself up or roll up and down your spine a few times and come up to seated for Paschimottanasana,
Forward Fold.
Extend your legs in front of you in Dandasana first.
You can sit up on a cushion if it feels good for your body or just ground down through your sitting bones,
Lengthen up tall,
Pull your back and firm your legs,
Press your heels down,
Reach your arms up,
Hinge from your hips to come forward,
Reach for your legs or feet.
Lengthen on your inhale,
Extend as you exhale.
Breathe.
Inhale,
Lift your head,
Exhale and release.
Come back to seated.
You can sit up on a cushion if you like to keep your hips higher than your knees.
Close your eyes,
Feel your grounded connection to earth in your sitting bones,
Moving your energy to and from the center of earth.
We are going to practice a few rounds of Nadi Shodhana Pranayama.
Use your right hand,
Take your first two fingers down,
Close off your right nostril with your thumb.
Inhale through your left nostril,
Close your left nostril with your ring finger,
Exhale right,
Inhale right,
Close your right side,
Exhale left,
Inhale left,
Close it,
Exhale right,
Inhale right,
Close it,
Exhale left,
Inhale left,
Close it,
Exhale right,
Exhale right,
Inhale right,
Close it and this time lift your belly and pelvic floor muscles,
Exhale left,
Inhale left,
Close,
Hold your breath as you lift your belly and pelvic floor,
Exhale right,
Release,
Return to steady breath through both nostrils.
Nadi Shodhana Pranayama helps to balance your energy.
Gently make your way to your back,
Draw your right knee into your chest,
Extend your left leg out,
Inhale,
Exhale,
Take a twist,
Look over your right shoulder for a breath or two,
Come back through center,
Draw your left knee into your chest,
Right leg out and take your left knee across for your twist,
Looking over your left shoulder.
Bring your legs back through center,
Hug both knees into your chest for a moment as you lengthen your tailbone and sitting bones towards the ground to stretch out your back.
Keep all that nice length in your spine as you make your way into Shavasana,
Your final resting pose.
Draw your shoulder blades gently towards your waist,
Hips towards your heels,
Let your feet totally relax,
Bring your arms to your sides,
Palms up.
For your first couple of breaths here,
Visualize with each inhale the divine light coming through the crown of your head,
Moving down through your entire body as you exhale,
That energy stays in your body.
Release your visualization and just relax,
Natural breathing,
Quiet mind,
Quiet body,
Shavasana.
Allow your next breath to be a bit longer as you brush your thumb over the pads of your fingers,
Starting moving your hands and your feet,
Stretching out through your feet,
Arms and your legs.
Bring your arms down to your sides,
Bend your knees and roll yourself up to your right side.
Pause here to thank yourself for taking your practice and return to your intention.
Use your left hand to press up,
Let your head come up last,
Find a comfortable seat,
Bring your hands together in Anjali Mudra,
This is a mudra of reference.
Bring your hands to your third eye to remind you to have clear and loving thoughts,
Hands to your heart center reminding you to have clear and loving intentions,
And hands to your mouth reminding us to have clear and loving communication.
Send out this wonderful energy we created to all life everywhere,
Namaste.
Namaste means the light in me recognizes and honors the light in you.
Thank you for practicing yoga with me,
I am so grateful for you.
This practice was dedicated in memory of my yoga teacher,
Leslie Fightmaster.
