Today I have a deeply restorative practice for you.
It's a cortisol detox.
It's the ideal class to do when you're feeling stressed or overwhelmed.
So the postures are tailored to undo tension in the body and we'll couple this with our breath awareness.
The way that we feel is always reflected in the way that we breathe.
And we can influence the way we're feeling by changing the way that we're breathing.
So three things I want you to keep in mind with your breath is your belly breath,
Your diaphragmatic breathing.
Also,
A little pause.
We'll take little pauses before we exhale.
And we'll find a longer exhalation from time to time.
These little breathing hacks very quickly soothe the nervous system.
When we are enduring stress.
Our body naturally contracts,
We tighten.
So the postures in this class will help to create more space in the body from the inside out with the magic of the breath.
Couple of props,
I do have a yoga bolster.
If you don't have a yoga bolster,
You can improvise with two or three pillows stacked on top of one another or a thick blanket rolled up nice and tight.
And I've also got a yoga block there as well.
If you don't have a block,
Then grab yourself a really thick book and you can use that instead.
Configure your props as I have done,
And then we'll come to lay down.
Onto your bolster or your pillows,
Keeping those knees bent.
Just resting the hands.
On your navel.
And let's soften the forehead.
The tongue and jaw.
As you inhale.
Can you feel your hands rise with the breath?
Finding your belly breath,
Your diaphragmatic breathing.
On the inhalation,
The body expands from the inside out.
We'll take a little pause before exhaling slowly.
So from here,
Let's take our hands up to the diaphragm.
So just where those ribs begin to separate.
And a little bit of tapping there.
So if you.
.
.
Are enduring stressful times,
It's natural to feel a little tender,
Tight around the diaphragm here.
So you might choose to tap or a gentle massage as well.
And let's relax.
Interlace those fingers now.
As you inhale,
Very slowly take the arms above the head.
And then as you exhale,
Press into the feet,
Lift up the hips.
Inhale and lower the hips down,
Slow movement,
Slow breath.
And exhale,
Bring the hands back down to the navel.
On the inhalation,
The arms lift.
Exhale,
Press into the feet,
Engage the buttocks.
Inhale to return to the mat.
And exhale,
Hands down.
Let's do our final round.
And this time we'll straighten out the legs and you might choose to keep the arms above the head if that feels okay for your shoulders,
Otherwise you can take the arms out to the side.
And we have four parts to the breath.
The inhalation.
And pause.
The exhalation.
And pour.
So each time your mind wanders off in this practice.
Just come back to the subtle sensations of your breath.
Taking the observer's seat.
Be the quiet witness in the background.
And let's bend those knees now,
Lower the arms down.
Gently press yourself up to seated.
And you can just roll over those thighs,
Allow the back to round.
Breathe into your back,
It's as though you're puffing out your back with your breath.
And coming up to seated now.
Turn yourself around so that your right hip is touching the ball stop.
And just comfortably bending those knees.
Left hand to the right knee,
Right hand off to the side.
So you're facing over the bolster.
As you inhale,
Expand the chest.
Then as you exhale,
Let's turn towards the left leg,
Allow the spine to round,
Contract.
Inhale,
Sit tall and twist.
Exhale,
Contract,
Return to the front.
Exhale,
Contract.
Well done,
Yogis.
Next time you inhale,
We'll come down onto the bolster,
Lift up the left knee,
Bring it a little closer to the right,
Hands are either side,
And then bring as much of your navel down onto the bolster as you can.
So you can keep the lock there,
Or if you prefer,
You can remove it.
Head can turn left or right depending on your neck.
And feeling the breath moving the body against the bolster.
Let's breathe out together.
And then inhale smoothly,
Deeply,
And pause.
And exhale for five.
Four 3.
Two.
One.
Inhale smoothly.
Deeply.
And pause.
And exhale for five.
Pool.
3.
Two.
1.
On your next inhalation,
Gently press yourself up.
You can either come to your knees and change sides or you might like a brief downward facing dog,
Lifting up those hips.
And then bending the knees as you pivot,
Bring your left hip down to the bolster.
Having the knees a little bit wider than hip width apart.
Right hand to the left knee,
Left hand out to the side.
Let's inhale,
Sit tall.
And exhale,
Contract.
Following your breath.
Let the breath initiate the movement.
Next inhalation,
Stack the right knee on top of the left.
Let's come down into our twist.
And the presence of the bolster is constantly prompting your belly breath,
Your diaphragmatic breathing.
And let's breathe out together.
Inhaling smoothly,
Deeply.
And Paul.
And exhale for five,
Four.
3.
Two.
One.
Inhale smoothly,
Deeply.
And Paul.
And exhale for five.
Bull.
3.
2.
1.
And let's follow the next inhalation out of the pose.
Coming up to seated.
So from here we'll turn the bolster around so that it's parallel to the short side of the mat.
And have your block close by.
Lay yourself down over the bolster.
So that your forearms are just in front of the bolster and they're underneath the chin.
So we don't want the arms out in front,
We want them nice and close.
From here,
We're going to tie the arms into a knot.
So walking the hands as far away as you can.
And then either resting your head on the bicep.
Or the block.
Palms can face up or down,
Whichever feels best for your shoulders.
Relaxing the buttocks.
Letting the heels fall out.
Breathing into the shoulder blades.
The space behind the heart center.
Breathing out any heaviness residing behind the hot.
You might even like to hire out an exhalation.
And let's lift the head,
We'll change sides,
Crossing left arm now in front of the right,
Gently walking those hands away,
Palms facing up or down.
And meeting the tension in the body with your breath.
Not with judgment.
When you're ready gently pressing yourself up coming all the way up.
And pressing back into your child's pose,
Just resting those hands next to the feet,
Palms facing up and let the shoulders be heavy.
You can always prop the head with your block if you need to.
And breathing into the back.
As you inhale,
Feel the back rise and expand.
It's as though you're floating up to the surface.
Take a moment to pause.
Before you exhale and soften.
Sinking into the pose.
And follow your next inhalation,
Pressing yourself up.
Well done,
Yogis.
Moving into our pigeon pose next.
So you can take your prop to the side.
If you are able to,
We'll take the right knee behind the right wrist and lengthen your left leg behind you.
You can always prop up the hip if you need to.
And then we'll simply fold forward.
You can come down to the block.
Or the palms or the balls don't.
If your knees and hips don't allow this position,
You can come down onto your back and practice a reclined pigeon instead.
Right ankle to the left knee.
You can place a block underneath the foot.
You can take a hold of the leg.
And you can also prop the head if you need to.
So choosing the posture that your body says yes to.
There's nowhere to be but with your breath.
You and follow the next inhalation out of the pose.
If you have reclined,
Just simply switch sides.
If you are in a seated pigeon,
You might like a very brief downward facing dog just to counter stretch behind the right leg.
Before you change slides.
When you're ready.
Settling into the pose.
And whichever part of your body has caught your awareness.
Is where you're sending the breath.
Let's follow the next inhalation out of the pose,
Gently pressing yourself up.
We can lean off to the side to bring that leg around.
Well done,
Yogis.
If you are reclined,
Stay on your back.
We're coming down now to meet you.
And from here,
If you're able to,
Let's place the bolster underneath your bottom.
You can,
Of course,
Use the block if you prefer,
Though we will be up here for a few minutes.
Bolsters a little bit softer.
Let's raise both feet now and allow the feet to fall close to the head.
Much like a forward bend.
Hands can rest on the bolster or you might even like to take a hold of the legs.
Breathing into the back side of the body once again.
And let's lower both feet down to the floor.
You can rest with your arms by your side or take them above the head.
And observing the navel rise and fall with the ebb and flow of your breath.
And releasing the pose now,
Let's roll the bolster down so that it's behind the knees.
Once your back touches down to the mat,
Lift up the feet,
Stack the knees above the hips,
Imprint your lower back.
Little bit of core as you lift head and shoulders off the floor.
And let's lower back down.
Bring your feet on top of the bolster and take butterfly legs,
So soles of the feet to meet,
Knees falling out wide.
And straightening those legs out now.
Resting those legs on the bolster.
Tucking the shoulders under.
Taking chin mudra through your left hand,
Connect index finger and thumb.
And raise your right hand,
Place your middle finger and your pointer finger at the third eye center.
Let's block the right nostril with the thumb and inhale through the left nostril only.
Then exhale through both nostrils.
Let's block the left nostril.
Inhale through the right only.
And exhale through both.
That's one round,
Let's do another four.
Inhale,
Let go.
Exhale bow.
Inhale,
Right.
Exhale,
Bow.
And after your fifth round,
Lower the right hand down taking chin mudra.
Let's take the next few moments to rest here.
In this newfound space.
Leaving no traces with your thoughts.
Just as birds leave no tracks in the sky.
Let your thoughts float off into the distance.
And inhaling a little deeper now.
Feeling the breath touch the nostril.
The wiggling toes and fingers.
And gently turning the head from side to side.
Following those urges to move and stretch.
Eventually rolling onto your preferred side.
Thank you for practicing with me today,
Yogis.
I hope that you have found more space in the body,
Clarity in the mind.
Have a lovely day.
