Welcome to this month's movement practice,
A grounding and empowering practice to activate your inner fire.
The short flow builds heat in the core,
Awakens confidence,
And helps to support clarity and focus.
I invite you to move steady with an intentional breath.
So please come into an easy seated position,
Cross leg,
On your yoga mat,
Where we'll center our breath.
Place one hand on top of the other,
Over your belly,
And then gently close your eyes.
Begin to inhale deeply through your nose,
Filling up the belly,
Expanding into the palms.
Exhale slowly through the mouth,
Drawing your navel towards your spine.
Repeating that again,
Inhaling deeply through the nose,
Your belly expands.
Take a pause,
And then exhale slowly,
Navel comes towards your spine.
Continue to breathe this way,
Softening your shoulders,
And setting a quiet intention.
I am confident,
I am capable,
I stand in my power.
Gently open up your eyes,
Where we'll move into seated cat cow.
Stay in cross leg,
Place your hands on your knees.
Taking an inhale,
Begin to lift through the chest,
Arching your spine,
And gaze slightly upward for seated cow.
Taking a pause here,
And then as you begin to exhale,
Round your spine,
Tuck your chin,
And engage your navel inward for seated cat.
Move through several rounds of breath,
Allowing the movement to be fluid,
Feeling the warmth building in your center.
Move through one more breath,
Inhaling,
Lifting through the chest,
Gaze is slightly upward,
And the exhale,
Tuck your chin,
Round your spine,
And engage your navel inward.
And then gently bring yourself up to a neutral position.
Return to a tall seat,
And lengthen through your spine.
Here we'll move through seated twists to help expand our confidence.
Sitting tall,
Take an inhale,
Reach both hands up,
Creating space in your torso.
And as you exhale,
Begin to twist to the right,
Left hand comes to the right knee,
Right hand lands behind you.
Hold here for several rounds of breath,
Deepening each exhale.
Bringing awareness to the body breathing,
Softening through the shoulders.
Just feel this twist wringing out any old self-doubt,
And know that we're making room for clarity and strength.
On your next inhale,
Reach both arms back up,
And as you exhale,
Twist to the left.
Right hand comes to the left knee,
And left hand behind you.
Awareness stays with the breath,
And connection to the body breathing.
On your next inhale,
Reach both hands back up,
And as you exhale,
Bring your hands to heart center.
Next,
Bring your hands down to the mat,
Shifting forward on hands and knees.
We'll come up into a tabletop position,
Where we'll move into a plank pose,
Creating power.
You'll step your feet back into plank,
Press firmly through your hands,
Draw your belly towards your spine,
And then lengthen through your heel and crown of your head.
The goal is to stay here for 30 to 60 seconds,
Working your way up,
Building heat in your solar plexus.
You could modify by lowering your knees if needed,
Keep the engagement strong.
Concentrate on the breath,
And then gently begin to lower your knees to the mat,
And rise up to a kneeling position,
Where we'll move into camel pose.
Here in camel pose,
We'll open to empowerment.
Kneel with your knees hip-width distance apart,
And invite you to take your hands to your lower back.
On an inhale,
Lift through your chest,
Lengthening the front side of your body.
And then as you exhale,
Begin to lean back gently,
Keeping your hips over your knees.
You could stay here,
Or reach for your heels with your hands for a deeper heart opener.
Stay here for several rounds of breath,
Inviting courage and radiance.
Begin to rise slowly back up,
Bring your hips to your heels,
And fold forward,
Lowering into child's pose.
Allow your forehead to rest on your mat,
Arms may reach forward or relax down by your side.
Breathe deeply into the back body,
Just notice and feel the warmth radiating from your core.
Silently repeat to yourself,
I am strong,
I am confident,
I am empowered,
I trust in my personal power.
Stay in this pose for several rounds of breath,
Just letting the fire settle into steady,
Grounded strength.
