Hi everyone and welcome to the short Monday evening 20 to 25 minutes of yoga.
As always,
Because I cannot see you,
Make sure that you listen to your body.
If there's something that I'm cuing that doesn't feel good for you,
You feel free to remember what it was and then ask me after the class.
So with that said,
Today we are going to focus a lot more on the lower half part of the body,
Into the hamstring,
Into the thighs.
We'll see where this will go.
So with that said,
We're going to find ourselves in a comfortable position.
Now I am going to sit kind of in this hero pose.
So with hero pose,
We have our feet back sitting onto our feet.
Sometimes it might feel better to sit on a yoga block,
Maybe one or two.
It's your choice.
This is just how I am starting.
But if there is some other position that you would like to start off the practice,
You're more than welcome to do so.
I guess I should mention why we're doing in this pose first.
It's because when you're sitting onto the side,
We're also opening up into the ankle with some of them.
Some of us may even feel the openness into top of the thighs.
So keeping on to the lower part.
Lower body part theme.
So once you've found something that feels good for you,
Closing the eyes or gazing somewhere just right in front of you.
Letting your arms and legs be wherever is comfortable.
And if you are seated like me,
Imagine there's a piece of string attached to the bottom of the hip.
As it runs along your back,
Along your neck,
And out through the crown of your head.
Imagine that someone is pulling that piece of string up.
Allowing myself to find that tall spine.
Let's start by taking a deep breath in through your nose.
And exhale,
Let it go.
Start by allowing yourself to arrive in this moment.
Into this space.
Now maybe that should be,
Start by noticing your surroundings.
Hearing the sounds.
Noticing any sense Can you feel that air as it touches your skin?
And for the next few moments,
Start to notice your physical body.
Noticing where are you holding tension.
But also noticing Where does it feel good?
And then on your next a few breaths.
And you allow yourself to go just a little bit deeper into your thoughts.
Notice whether these thoughts are about the past.
Maybe this moment.
Or the future.
Whatever that might be.
Can we see these thoughts as if they're pieces of clown?
Allowing them to drift in.
And drift away.
And as you come back to your breath.
Even though that we're practicing in different space,
Different area,
Different time.
Knowing that we're still creating a safe space for each other.
And in this safe space,
There is no judgment.
No expectations.
And finally,
If you wish to set a dedication or maybe an intention for this practice,
I invite you to do so now.
Allowing that thought to fill your mind.
Let's start our practice by bringing our breath together.
Let's start by taking a deep breath in through your nose.
And exhale,
Let it go.
One more just like that.
Deep breath in.
And long breath though.
Slowly start to flutter our eyes,
Opening their clothes.
Depending on which position you're on,
We're going to make our way into our tabletop.
If you're seated in that hero position like me,
It might feel good to come into that tabletop.
It might even feel good to just roll that ankle or roll those feet.
And then,
Ooh,
Coming into that seibota.
For the next few breaths,
I invite you to move your body in whatever ways that feels good.
So it might feel good to shift that body from side to side.
It might feel good to shift the body forward and back.
It might even feel good to do some circles,
Some body rolls.
As always,
No right or wrong.
It's a moment to tune into your physical body,
Noticing what feels good.
What does it?
One needs a little bit of extra love and attention today.
And then eventually start to make your way back into that tabletop.
Even though that we're focusing on our lower body today,
Let's still do a few cat and cows to free up the spine.
So on your next inhale,
Lifting your tailbone up to the sky,
Floating the chest,
Floating the chin.
Then as you exhale,
Let's scoop the belly button in,
Pressing the ground away,
Tuck your chin into the chest.
Following your breath.
Inhale,
Letting the belly hang,
Shine the chest forward.
As you exhale scooping the belly button in pushing the ground away.
About three to four more of these cat cows following our breath.
Yours may be faster than mine.
Yours might be slower than mine.
One more cycle here.
Wonderful.
And then on your next inhale,
Let's start to make our way back into that tabletop.
We're going to come into what's called a toe squat.
Or some people call it toe screamer.
It's not the most comfortable position of all.
So we're going to start to tuck the toes in.
We're going to shift our weight back.
Stretching out the toes.
Now,
Keeping in mind that if that's very intense for you,
You're welcome to shift your weight forward so the majority of the weight is on your palms.
As you feel a little more comfortable by stretching out those toes,
Maybe it feels good to start to sit your hips towards the heel.
And eventually,
Maybe not today.
Starting to make a way up towards our hands onto our laps.
Now see if you can spread those toes out wide,
Maybe even wiggling those piggies out to the side.
When I teach this in person,
I always turn around so that if people are making a stink phase,
I know it's not the most comfortable position,
They're more than welcome to.
I guess that's one benefits of teaching in online.
It's.
.
.
Can you make us think,
Please?
I don't see it.
Now we're going to stay here for about,
Let's say,
Three to four more breaths.
Two more breaths here.
One more breath in.
And if it feels good to hide out.
Always welcome to stay longer,
But if you're ready to come out of it,
Start to make a way back up into the tabletop,
Untuck our toes.
Maybe it feels good to tap the toes,
Squeeze the toes,
Do whatever that feels good for you.
I'm going to shift our way into our child's pose.
So bringing those big toes together,
Knees above hip width,
A mat width,
This is the part.
Sinking our hips towards the back,
Forehead down onto the mat or onto a block.
Maybe even a pillow.
As we say in this child's pose.
Once again,
Maybe even notice saying that opening in the top of the ankle.
Mmm.
Feeling that stretch in the ankles.
For some of us,
We might noticing the stretch on top of the thighs.
Others we may even feel a stretch into the hips.
Now just stay in this child's pose for a few more long deep breaths.
So I need to pay attention to your breath.
Can you consciously start to breathe into the lowest part,
The deepest part of your rib cage?
Couple more cycles of breath in here.
One more breath in.
And breath out.
And then on your next inhale,
Let's start to make your way back up into that tabletop.
We're going to come into a seated posture.
So for the next few moments,
We're just going to do a little mini massage for the bottom of our feet.
Now,
It doesn't matter which one you start off with first.
I'm going to start off with my left foot.
So with two thumbs,
We're going to just gently squeeze the bottom of the Now,
If sitting on the ground doesn't feel good,
You're welcome to sit on a block or maybe even sitting on a chair.
So there's no right or wrong with this one.
Kind of just squeeze wherever that feels good for you.
Maybe even feels good just to like use a big palm and squeeze in the foot And then we're going to start to go into specific areas.
So the first one we're going to go into is that little arch of the foot.
You might want to just drag your thumb along the arch,
Or maybe it feels good to do a little pressure point thumb.
Push into that space And then we're going to start to get into the middle of the foot.
So again,
If it feels good,
You're welcome to just push the thumb in and drag it down or up.
Or maybe it feels good to do a little tiny pressure of the thumb.
And then another spot that we're going to move on to is on the outside edge,
Like the pinky edge of this.
This one,
I kind of like to use my pinchers and just pinch it on the side of that.
Give it a few squeeze.
And then eventually start to move up into each toe.
Giving each toe a little squeeze.
Now we don't pay attention to our feet a lot,
But.
.
.
Our feet get a lot of pressure every time we're standing,
Walking.
So I'm going to give some love for our feed.
And then the last thing we're gonna do is the back of the heel.
So once again,
Using your pinchers,
You're gonna pinch the back of the heel.
Her ankles.
I tend to feel very nice.
Beautiful.
And then for the last thing on this side,
We're just gonna do a big palm squeeze.
And then eventually letting that just be loose.
Finding yourself in a comfortable position,
I'm gonna stay seated.
Maybe even just noticing the difference between the left foot and the right foot.
Maybe one feels a lot more relaxed than the other.
And then whenever you're ready,
We'll do the same thing onto the other foot.
So first of all,
We're just going to use our thumb.
Kind of use this as like a.
.
.
Almost like a little mini investigator that you're becoming your own investigator find out Where are some of the tension spots?
Where it needs a little bit of extra squeeze.
And let's move into those isolated areas.
So let's move into the inner arch of that foot.
Whether you like to push in and pull down or a little thumb press.
And then let's get into the middle of the foot.
And then eventually,
Let's head to the outside edge of the pinky edge.
It's time to use your pinchers.
Let's pinch onto the side.
Oh,
Maybe even notice one spot.
For me,
That spot feels extra tender today.
And then the last,
Or not last thing,
Second last thing is go all the way up to each toe,
Giving each toe a little squeeze.
And then starting to move towards the back into the ankle.
We're going to use our little pinchers and pinch the back of the ankle.
And then the last thing is we're just gonna squeeze the foot.
Big squeeze.
Finding whatever feels good for you.
And then eventually.
.
.
Coming into stillness.
Once again,
Maybe even noticing how this bow feeds.
Feels compared to even a few minutes ago.
Maybe they feel a lot more relaxed than before.
For me,
Sometimes I also feel this tingling sensation.
Into those places that I put pressure on.
Let's just stay in this awareness for just a couple more breaths.
Beautiful.
And then eventually we're going to lay on our back.
Planting our feet down onto the mat,
Starting to bring one knee into the chest.
I'm gonna bring my right knee to the chest.
Grabbing a whole ear to the back of the thigh or on top of the knee.
I'm going to start to roll that ankle.
So I'm rolling in my right ankle,
Starting off with one direction first.
And then we're going to roll onto the opposite direction.
Noticing any sounds and sensations.
And then eventually letting that foot be still,
We're going to squeeze our toes.
So squeeze them tight and then try to spread them out as wide as you can.
Just a few more times like that.
Squeeze in,
Let go.
It's almost like you're trying to flick water out of your toes.
And then eventually letting that foot be loose,
Extending our.
.
.
Left leg long the opposite leg.
We're gonna come into a one legged supine twist So it's time to guide that right knee all the way across your body.
Maybe it feels good to keep one hand on to that leg.
Some extra weight.
Trying our best to keep both shoulders down onto the mat.
And it's just starting to settle into this shape.
Maybe you also keep noticing what sort of sensation your feet are sending you.
We'll stay here for about four to five more long,
Deep breaths.
Two more.
One more breath in.
If it feels good,
Sigh it all.
And then on your next breath,
Start to bring that knee back to center.
Noticing what sort of movement your body is asking for you to do.
Mine is asking me to plant my feet down onto the mat and let those knees fall from one side to the other.
Yours might be different.
And we'll do the same thing on to that second side.
So starting to bring that.
Opposite knee into the chest.
It's time to roll the ankle a few directions on one side.
And then view direction in the other.
And then we're gonna let that foot be still.
We're gonna start to squeeze those toes and then spread those toes.
Just a few more times like this.
See if you can squeeze them hard and extend them.
Flicking water out of your toes.
And then eventually letting that foot be still,
Extending our right leg long,
We're gonna guide that left knee all the way across the body.
Coming into this one-legged supine twist onto the second side.
Trying your best to keep both shoulders down onto the mat.
Does it feel good to have one arm on top of the left leg?
Adding you into the extra weight.
We'll stay here for about four to five more long deep breaths.
Two more.
One more breath in.
If it feels good,
Say it all.
And then on your next inhale,
Let's gently start to bring that knee back to center.
Once again,
Checking in with yourself,
What sort of movement is your body asking?
Mine is still asking me to once you wipe her the line.
Yours might be the same.
It might be something else.
And then eventually finding some sort of stillness.
Letting your arms and legs be wherever is comfortable.
And just for a moment starting to tune in.
Tuning in into your physical body.
Maybe noticing how does your body feel right now.
Compared to when we first start the clock especially into the feet,
The ankle.
Just another breath in this awareness.
Now,
If you have to go,
Thank you for joining us.
If you want to stay for extra maybe five minutes of mini shavasana,
Finding yourself in a comfortable position.
Maybe extending our legs out long.
Maybe it feels good to have a blanket on top of yourself.
Covering,
Keeping yourself nice and toasty.
Wherever you are letting your arms be either by your side,
Palms facing up.
Well,
For some of us,
It might feel better to be on our belly.
Having a slight tuck of the chin and feel that length in the back of the neck.
Let's take a deep breath in through your nose.
And exhale,
Let it go.
Shavasana,
Our final resting post.
Start to bring awareness to the top of your hand.
And relax the crown of your hand.
Releasing your neck.
And let your shoulders come back down towards the ground.
Allow your arms to be heavy.
Bring your awareness back towards your chest.
And sense the openness of your heart.
Let this relaxation float down your spine.
Releasing your upper back.
Your middle back.
You're a low back.
Sends a rise and fall off your abdomen.
Allowed your hips to be heavy.
And send this relaxation down towards your legs.
Releasing your thighs.
Your hamstring.
New Shin.
Your calves.
Feel the release of your ankles.
And allow this relaxation to move through to each and every toe.
Let yourself be surrounded by this warmth.
And buy this pea.
Reminding ourselves to fill your jar with the things that you love to do.
And as always,
Keep being you.
The world needs more you.
Slowly start to deepen your breath.
Bringing sensation back into your body by wiggling your fingers and your toes.
While gaining your hand from side to side.
Rolling your hands and your Reaching your arms to the back of the room,
Take a deep breath in.
And next I'll say it out.
Bringing your knees into the chest,
We'll all roll over to the right,
Coming into a ball,
Maybe using your arm as a pillow.
Staying here for a few moments.
Enjoy this peace and quiet that you have created for yourself.
And all the aid is here for you whenever you need.
Gently pressing ourselves back up into a comfortable seat.
Taking your time.
There is no rush.
Sitting nice and tall.
On your next inhale,
Let's sweep our arms up to the sky,
And as you exhale,
Hands over to heart center.
Thank you for sharing your practice with me today.
Namaste.
