Hi there,
Kendra Tolbert here.
I'm a registered dietitian and yoga teacher and I specialize in women's health and fertility.
This video is a fertility yoga sequence and it is a part of a multi-part series that I have been doing all about preparing for pregnancy later in life.
I hope that this yoga sequence leaves you feeling good in and about your body,
That it gives you a chance to relieve some stress and unwind,
And maybe most importantly,
I hope that it gives you some hope.
Hope in your body's ability to receive and create the life that you would like to receive and create.
So join me.
Lie down on your back with your knees bent.
Once you are comfortably lying down,
Bring your knees into your chest.
You can hug your knees in by placing your hands on top of your shins or behind your thighs.
See which one allows you to feel most relaxed,
Most at ease.
Begin to rock from side to side,
Gently massaging your lower back,
Gently soothing and comforting yourself,
Much like you would rock the little one that you're inviting into your life.
Be still.
Whether your hands are behind your thighs or on top of your shins,
Bring them to your knees.
Then begin to make circles with your knees.
It doesn't matter which direction you start moving in because eventually we will change direction.
Change direction.
And be still.
Hug your knees in a little bit closer.
And then bring the soles of your feet back down to the mat.
Draw your right knee in towards your chest.
Walk your left foot over to the center.
Cross your right leg over your left leg.
Reach your arms up.
Then cross your right elbow over your left elbow.
Bend your elbows and allow your arms to drape over your chest.
Take note of how this gentle embrace feels to your body.
Reach your arms back up.
Bring them down by your side.
Then drop your knees over to the left and allow your upper body to follow so that you're laying on your left side.
Excuse me for having my back to you.
Use your left arm to create a cushion for your head to rest on.
Uncross your legs.
Stack your right knee on top of your left knee.
And then reach that top arm down,
Up,
And over.
Breathe deeply here.
Allow your ribcage to expand.
Reach your top arm up.
And then roll over back onto your back.
Bring your arms down by your sides.
Draw your left knee in.
Walk your right foot over to the center.
Bring your left knee over your right knee,
Or your left leg over your right leg.
Reach your arms up.
Left elbow crosses over right elbow.
Then both elbows bend to give yourself a gentle hug.
Reach your arms up.
Bring your arms down.
Legs drop over to the right.
Upper body follows.
So now you're lying on your right side.
Stack your left knee on top of your right knee.
And create a pillow for yourself with your bottom arm.
Reach your left hand down,
Up,
And then overhead.
Breathe here.
Allow yourself to expand and take up more space with each breath.
Reach your left hand up.
Bend that elbow.
And then bring your left palm to the floor in front of you,
Just about at chest level.
Use that hand to press yourself up and make your way onto all fours.
Bring your hands just about underneath your shoulders.
Fingers are spread wide.
Your knees are underneath your hips.
And your feet are in line with your knees.
Look down at your fingers.
Feel your hands press into the mat.
Look at your knees and feel them press into the mat.
Finally,
Look back at your feet and feel them press into the mat.
On your next inhale,
Arch your spine.
Exhale and round your spine.
Inhale to arch.
Exhale to round.
Final time.
Inhale arch.
Exhale round.
Come back to neutral.
Walk your hands forward.
Lower your forehead down to the mat as you leave your hips high.
Maybe you allow them to slide back just a bit.
Feel the opening in your chest and your shoulders.
Send your hips back until they rest on your heels or towards your heels.
Lower your forehead all the way down to the mat for child's pose.
If you'd like to take your knees wide here,
Please feel free to do so.
Begin to rock your head from side to side,
Gently,
And slowly.
As you do so,
Bring your attention to the spot between your eyebrows.
Allow your head to be still.
On your inhale,
Come back up onto all fours.
If you brought your knees wide and your toes together,
Bring everything about hip's width apart.
On your next inhale,
Arch your spine.
Exhale,
Round your spine and step your left foot forward.
On your inhale,
Lift your torso,
Lift your arms.
Exhale,
Bring your hands back down to the mat.
Inhale,
Step back,
Arch your spine.
Exhale,
Arch your spine.
Exhale,
Round and sit your hips back.
Inhale to come back up,
Arch your spine.
Exhale,
Round,
Step your right foot forward.
Inhale,
Torso and arms up.
Exhale,
Hands down.
Inhale,
Right knee back,
Spine arches.
Exhale,
Round,
Child's pose.
Inhale,
Up and arch.
Exhale,
Round,
Left foot forward.
Inhale,
Up.
Exhale,
Down.
Inhale,
Knee back,
Arch spine.
Exhale,
Round,
Child's pose.
Again,
Inhale up,
Arch your spine.
Exhale,
Round,
Step your right foot forward.
Inhale,
Arms,
Torso up.
Exhale,
Round,
Arms down.
Inhale,
Knee back,
Arch spine.
Exhale,
Round,
Child's pose.
Final round.
Inhale,
Up and arch.
Exhale,
Round,
Step forward.
Inhale,
Up.
Exhale,
Down.
Inhale,
Back and arch.
Exhale,
Round,
Child's pose.
Inhale,
Up,
Arch.
Exhale,
Round,
Step forward.
Inhale,
Up.
Exhale,
Down.
Inhale,
Back and arch.
Exhale,
Round,
Child's pose.
Lift your forehead.
Walk your hands over to the left.
Lower your forehead back down.
Lift your forehead again.
Walk your hands through center and over to the right.
Lower your forehead.
Lift your forehead.
Hands come through center.
On your next inhale,
Come back up onto your hands and your knees.
Curl your toes under.
Lift your knees.
Send your torso back towards your thighs.
Send your heels down to the mat.
Downward facing dog.
Walk your hands back to your feet.
Bend your knees and then walk your hands back to your feet.
Slowly roll up.
Readjust your shirt if you need to.
And come to stand in mountain.
On your next inhale,
Bring your arms up and out just to shoulder height.
Palms face up.
Look up.
Breathe deeply.
Continue to look up as you send your arms farther up.
Fingertips are now pointing up to the sky.
Arch back.
Come back up.
On your next exhale,
Circle your hands down to shoulder height.
Palms face down this time.
Shift your weight over to the left.
Bend your right knee.
You can either keep your right knee bent with your toes planted on the ground,
Or if you'd like to,
You can play with your balance a bit more and draw your knee up towards your chest.
Begin to make circles with that right ankle.
And then in the other direction.
It's okay to wobble.
Lord knows I am.
And then keep your ankle still.
Bring your right knee down,
But keep it bent so that it's now in line with your left knee.
So right thigh and left thigh are in line.
Your heel is kicking back towards your bottom.
Reach back with your hands.
Take the top of your right foot or your right ankle.
Give yourself a gentle stretch by drawing your heel in towards your bottom.
And release.
Shake it all out.
And we'll repeat.
On your next inhale,
Arms come up and out to shoulder height.
Palms up.
Look up.
Send your arms all the way up overhead.
Continue looking up.
Then arch back.
Come back up through center.
Exhale.
Send your arms down to shoulder height.
Palms down.
Shift your weight to the right.
Bend your left knee.
Decide if you'd like to keep your toes planted or if you'd like to lift everything up to bring your knee towards your chest.
Begin to make circles with your ankle.
Then the other direction.
Keep your left knee bent,
But align your left knee with your right knee,
Left thigh with right thigh.
Heel is now kicking back towards your hips or your bottom.
Reach back.
Take hold of the top of your foot or your ankle and draw your foot in closer.
A gentle stretch.
I always love balancing poses because it helps me to remember how much my body adjusts all on its own to keep me in balance in so many areas without me micromanaging it.
It always knows how to find its way back to center,
Back to balance.
It never stops fighting.
It never stops working to get me back to where I need to be.
And release.
Shake everything out.
Be still for a moment.
Circle your arms up all the way overhead this time.
Left hand takes hold of your right wrist.
Step your right foot back and over to the left.
Reach up.
Stretch over to the left.
And come up.
Uncross your legs.
Circle your arms down.
Let's repeat on the other side.
Inhale to circle your arms up overhead.
Right hand takes your left wrist.
Step your left foot over to the right.
Reach up and stretch over to the right.
Circle your arms down.
Take your feet about as wide as your mat.
Circle your arms up again.
Take your right wrist into your left hand.
Stretch over to the left.
And then continue circling your body and your arms and your hand down to your left foot.
Come through the center.
Circle over to the right.
And then up to the right.
Until you find your way back to center.
Let's do that again.
Stretch over to the left.
Circle down.
Center.
To the right.
And back up.
Last time.
Left.
Center.
Right.
Back up.
And switch sides.
So right hand takes hold of your left wrist.
Stretch over to the right.
Circle it down to the right foot.
Through the center.
Over to the left.
And up.
Right.
Down.
Center.
Left.
And up.
Final time.
Right.
Down.
Center.
Left.
Back.
Circle your arms down.
Bring your hands to your hips.
Bend your knees.
And begin to make circles.
With your hips.
And then in the other direction.
Straighten your legs.
Release your arms down by your sides.
Then bring them up to shoulder height.
Palms are down.
Bring your right shoulder back.
Left shoulder forward.
Really exaggerate it.
And then right shoulder forward.
Left shoulder back.
And switch.
Keep switching.
Speed it up.
Go as fast as you can.
Allow it to turn into a full body shake.
And then be still.
Notice how you feel.
Inhale to circle your arms up overhead.
Exhale to hinge forward at the hips.
Come into a forward fold.
Walk your feet out a bit wider.
Heels turn in.
Toes turn out.
Bend your knees and lower your hips.
Continue lowering them.
And decide if you'd like to keep your hands on the floor.
Or on the mat in front of you.
Perhaps you'd like to place them behind you.
Or you can bring your palms together.
And allow your elbows to press into your knees.
Allow your knees to press into your elbows.
If your hands are not on the floor,
Bring them down to the floor.
And if your hands are not behind you,
Bring them behind you.
Take a seat.
Bring your feet in front of you.
Knees are still bent.
Rest back onto your hands.
Lean back.
And then allow your knees to fall from side to side.
Allow your hips to go with your legs.
Bring your knees back up through center.
Scooch down to the center of your mat.
Come onto your elbows.
Lower all the way down.
Draw your knees into your chest.
Hug them in however you'd like to.
Maybe your hands are on top of your shins.
Maybe they're behind your thighs.
And rock from side to side.
Allow yourself to be still.
Place your feet back onto the mat.
Walk the soles of your feet together.
Allow your knees to float apart down towards the mat.
Reach your arms up.
Interlace your fingers.
Lift your head and place your hands behind your head.
Rest your knuckles down onto the floor.
Rest your head into your hands.
Straighten one leg.
Then straighten the other.
Lift your head.
Release your hands.
Straighten both arms up overhead in a V-shape so you're making this X or star shape on the floor.
Rest here.
Wiggle your toes.
Wiggle your fingers.
Rock your head from side to side.
Take a deep breath.
Take another deep breath in through your nose.
Audible exhale through your mouth.
Bend your knees.
Soles of your feet come to the floor.
Roll over onto one side.
Slowly press yourself up.
And take a seat.
One leg crosses the other.
Rest in front of the other.
We'll end our time with some acupressure.
So the first spot we will explore is yin tang,
Which is a spot between your eyebrows.
So first bring your attention to the spot between your eyebrows.
Then bring a finger or two to that spot and gently tap.
Swap out the tapping for applying gentle,
Consistent pressure.
Next,
We'll explore kidney 27.
So to find kidney 27,
Bring fingers from both hands to your clavicle.
Slide underneath your clavicle.
Move towards your sternum.
So right on the outside of your sternum,
Right underneath your clavicle,
You're going to tap there.
Don't get too hung up on being in the exact precise spot.
We're not using needles.
We're using our hands.
We're using tapping.
So we just need to be in the general location.
And swap out the tapping for consistent,
Gentle pressure with the pads of your fingers.
And finally,
We have lung 1.
So we're actually going to cross our arms and then allow our hands to find this little indentation right underneath our clavicle,
Right where we're tapping.
Right where our shoulder begins.
So you actually feel this little,
And if you were to round your shoulders forward,
You might feel it even more,
But there's this little spot that just seems like it's begging for your fingers to rest there when your arms are crossed.
So underneath your clavicle,
Moving towards your shoulders,
You find a little divot,
Rest your fingers there,
Then begin to tap.
And you know the drill by now.
Swap it out.
Swap out the tapping.
Simply apply gentle,
Consistent pressure and breathe.
Release your hands down to rest on your knees,
Palms up.
On your next inhale,
Circle your arms up overhead,
Palms down,
Palms touch.
Exhale,
Bend your elbows.
Bring your hands to rest against your sternum.
Thank yourself for taking this time to move,
To breathe,
To be still.
Thank your body for showing up for you once again.
And I thank you for allowing me to guide you in this practice.
