Let's begin with our shins crossed,
Sitting up nice and tall,
Connecting to your ujjayi pranayama.
Lift up through your spine.
Take your fingertips to the earth to help you feel more connected.
Bring your hands together in front of your heart,
Creating an intention.
May your practice help you be balanced and grounded,
Giving you the confidence to show up and be seen.
Release your hands and roll yourself forward.
Making your way to Balasana.
Spread your fingers wide.
Arms shoulder distance apart and press into the base of your fingers as your forearms lift up.
Inhale,
Come up onto your knees,
Tuck your toes and stretch into Adho Mukha Svanasana.
Keep a little softness in your knees.
Start to bend one knee and then the other.
Make sure your feet are hip socket distance apart.
As you begin to stretch back,
You can straighten out your legs,
Firm your muscles,
And turn your outer upper arms back.
Look forward and walk your feet towards your hands.
Take an inhale with your hands on your shins.
Exhale fold,
Bend your knees as needed.
Press down through your feet and rise up.
Inhale,
Keep your ribs and belly in.
Exhale,
Hands to heart.
At the top of your mat,
Bring your feet together or hip socket distance apart.
Firm your leg muscles but keep your joints a little bit soft.
As you inhale,
Sweep your arms up,
Gently look up if it's okay with your neck.
Exhale,
Hinge from your hip creases and fold,
Keeping your spine long.
Inhale,
Lengthen your spine halfway up.
Exhale,
Stepping your right foot back and take your right knee down.
You can put extra padding under your knee if you need to.
Reach up through your arms and sink forward.
Do your best to keep your low back long.
Release your hands down,
Come to Falakasana.
Take your knees to the earth,
Shift forward,
Slowly lower all the way down to your belly.
Slide your hands by your low ribs,
Inhale for Ardha Bhujangasana.
All your toenails pressing into earth,
Back down,
Tuck your toes under,
Keeping your knees down.
Press up and lift your knees into Ardha Mukha Svanasana,
Stretching back.
As you inhale,
Lift your right leg back and up,
Keeping your hips level.
Exhale,
Step it up with your left knee down,
Padding it up if you need to.
Reach your arms up,
Inhale as you pull your front ribs in,
Lengthen through your lower back.
On your exhale,
Bring your hands back down and step your left foot all the way to the front.
As you inhale,
Lengthen your spine halfway up.
On your exhale fold.
Press through your feet,
Rising up,
Inhale.
And exhale,
Bring your hands back to your heart.
And we will do the same thing starting with your other leg.
Inhale,
Sweeping your arms up.
Exhale,
Hinge from your hip creases and fold all the way forward,
Keeping your spine as long as you can.
Inhale,
Lengthen it out more,
Halfway.
Exhale,
Stepping your left foot back and taking your left knee down.
Your right knee is over your right ankle.
Inhale,
Stretch up through your arms.
Look up if it's okay on your neck.
Palms facing in,
Pulling your right hip back.
Exhale,
Bring your hands down,
Come to Falakasana.
Your knees can be up or down,
Shifting forward,
Slowly lower all the way down to the earth.
Bring your hands by your low ribs for Ardha Bhujangasana.
Inhale,
Or maybe up a little bit higher into Bhujangasana.
Roll your shoulders back and down,
Widen across your chest.
Exhale to lower.
Tuck your toes under.
Your knees can be up or down.
Exhale up to fallen kasana.
And then lift your hips.
Adho mukha svanasana.
As you take your next inhale,
Lift your left leg up from your inner thigh so your hips are level.
Exhale,
Step it by your left hand,
Right knee down as you reach your hands up and sink forward.
Your left hip is pulling back,
Maybe looking up,
But relax around your shoulders.
Exhale your hands down and then step your back foot all the way to the front.
Inhale,
Come halfway up,
Lengthen.
Exhale,
Fold forward.
Press firmly through your feet.
Inhale to rise up.
Exhale,
Bring your hands down to Samasthiti,
Heart center.
Turn and face the long side of your mat and step your feet out nice and wide.
Turn your right leg all the way out and your back toes in a little.
Line up front heel with back arch.
Bring your arms up on an inhale.
Bend your right knee over your ankle as you exhale,
Virabhadrasana II.
Make sure your knee points right over your middle toes.
Now lean your torso forward and then inhale,
Bring it back to center.
Make sure your shoulders are just above your hips.
Pressing your back thigh back,
Gently lift your back inner thigh up and firm down into your front heel and the outer edge of your back foot.
Breathe.
As you inhale,
Straighten your front leg,
Set up for triangle.
Take a shorter stance if you like.
Hinge from your front hip crease,
Reach out and then come down.
Your right hand can go anywhere it lands,
To the floor,
A block,
Your leg.
Stretch up through your left fingertips.
Lengthen the crown of your head forward.
Maybe turn your head to look up if it's alright with your neck.
See if you can lengthen your side body,
Especially from your right hip crease through your right armpit.
Check in with your steady ujjayi breathing.
Looking down at your foot,
Inhale,
Come on up.
Re-bend your right knee over your ankle.
Lean forward.
Take your right forearm to your right thigh or right hand down toward the earth or hold on to your ankle or use a block.
Reach your left arm up and over.
Double check that your knee is still over your ankle and make sure it points right over your middle toes.
It has a tendency to want to drift in towards your big toe side of your foot.
And that's not good for it.
Press your back thigh straight up,
Keeping that back leg nice and firm,
Your inner thigh lifted.
Press into your front heel,
Come up,
Inhale.
And then straighten your leg,
Take your feet to parallel,
And then left leg all the way out with your back toes slightly in.
Line up heel to arch arms up to shoulder height and exhale bend your left knee over your ankle if you lean your shoulders a little bit forward and then lean them back you can get your shoulders right over your hips that's where you want them to be Then lift your chest up,
But let your shoulder blades relax a little.
Let your back thigh press back,
But your back inner thigh can gently lift up.
Inhale,
Straightening your front leg,
Set up for triangle.
Shorten your stance if you like to.
Hinge from your front hip crease.
Reach,
Reach,
Reach out as far as you can,
And then take your left hand down wherever it lands.
Stretch up through your right arm.
Start to press even more into the base of your big toe of your left foot pressing your calf towards your shin Your legs are straight but make sure your knees are not locking out.
Lengthen from your left hip crease through your left armpit.
Lengthen the crown of your head forward.
Maybe look up,
But if that bothers your neck,
Look forward or down.
Check in with your steady ujjayi pranayama.
Always come back to your breath.
Look down at your foot to come up.
Inhale.
Bend your knee over your ankle.
If you've shortened your stance before,
You might need to lengthen it again.
Lean forward,
Take your left forearm to your left thigh,
Right arm up and over or you can take your left hand down to the earth or a block or your ankle.
Reach your right arm up and over and spin your tricep forward so your pinky finger faces down,
Your thumb faces up.
Stretch from the outer edge of your back foot all the way through your fingertips.
A nice long line of energy.
Breathing Scan your body and see if there's anywhere you can relax a little bit.
Inhale to come up and straighten your leg,
Bring your feet to parallel,
Your toes in slightly,
Hands to hips,
Firm your legs,
Look up,
Inhale.
Hinge from your hip crease as you come forward,
Exhale.
Look up,
Lengthen,
Inhale,
And fold into Prasarita Padottanasana A.
Exhale.
Crown of your head is reaching toward the earth.
It may or may not touch.
Shift your weight towards the balls of your feet a little bit so that your weight is even.
A lot of times your weight wants to sit in your heel so even it out.
Draw your shoulders gently away from your ears to soften.
Firm your outer hips in towards center and your inner thighs towards center.
As you inhale,
Come halfway up.
Exhale bring hands to hips Inhale back to center.
Turn your toes out and your heels in,
Bend your knees.
Drop your sitting bones down.
Inhale,
Reach your arms up,
Pressing your knees back,
Lifting your frontal hip bones up.
Press down into your heels and sink as low as you can comfortably.
Focus on your breathing.
Relax your gaze.
Inhale,
Straighten your legs,
Take your feet parallel.
Step or hop your feet together and turn to face the front of your mat.
As you inhale,
Bend your knees and sit back into Utkatasana.
Your weight is in your heels,
Press your shins back,
Inner thighs spinning down.
Bring your hands to your heart.
Hook your left arm across and twist.
If your left knee has gone ahead of your right knee,
Pull your left hip back.
Option to take your left hand to the earth,
Right arm up if you wish.
And you can look toward the side or your top hand.
Keep dropping your hips down,
Weight into your heels,
Twisting from above your waist.
Come back to center,
Keep your knees bent,
Hands on hips,
And step back with your left foot.
Bend your right knee over your ankle and pull your right hip back.
Back foot is flat for Virabhadrasana 1.
Reach up through your arms,
Make sure your right knee is over your ankle.
Pull it straight ahead and then sinking down.
As you sink down pull your right hip back and send your left hip forward.
Try to keep your ribs drawing in.
Every exhale let them draw in.
Reach up through arrow straight arms.
Virabhadrasna 1.
It looks a lot easier than it is.
Bring your hands to your heart and step your feet together back into Utkatasana.
Leaning forward,
Weight in your heels,
Stretch up through your arms.
Drop your back down,
Hands to heart,
Hook your right arm across to twist.
Pull your right hip back,
Twist from above your waist,
And keep your hips level.
Option to go deeper by bringing your right hand down and your left hand up.
Always just an option.
It never matters how deep you go into a pose.
Yoga is not about the pose.
Just breathing and connecting.
Come back to sender into utkatasana and then step your right foot back for virabhadrasana one.
Line up heel to heel or even wider.
Start to pull your left hip back.
Make sure your knee is above your ankle.
Point it straight ahead.
Reach up through arrow straight arms,
But relax around your neck so there's not tension there.
Steady out your breath.
Keep pressing your front heel down and keep your back leg firm,
Your back inner thigh spinning back.
Inhale,
Come back to Utkatasana.
Exhale,
Fold over your legs.
Take your feet hips width.
Grab your elbows.
Gently rock your torso side to side.
Let your neck lengthen,
Bend your knees as you like or keep them straight Let your arms hang down and turn your head,
Yes and no,
Releasing any tension there.
Then halfway lift,
Inhale.
Exhale step to adho mukha svanasana all the way back hands shoulder distance and feet hips width apart Keep stretching back to lengthen your spine.
Inhale,
Ripple your spine forward through Falakasana.
Slowly drop your torso down for Urdhva Mukha Svanasana.
But keep your toes tucked under a little variation.
Shoulders above your wrists.
Then lift up and back again and do Adho Mukha Svanasana.
Walk yourself forward to sit down slowly making your way onto your back with your knees bent Heels under your knees,
Toes point in slightly towards one another.
As you inhale,
Lift into Satubandhasana.
Lift your hips,
Low back and mid back,
Maybe your upper back.
Tilt your pelvis up so your hip points lift toward your lower ribs.
Spiral your thighs down toward the floor.
Lengthen your sitting bones toward the back of your knees.
Firm your side hips in without clenching your whole bum.
Let your bum soften.
Keep your outer hips spinning in.
Release and lower.
Soles of feet together,
Knees apart,
Bring a hand over your heart center and a hand on your belly.
Think of three things that you are grateful for today.
Take your legs back up.
Keep your heels under your knees.
Point your toes in a little.
Feet about hip socket distance apart.
Inhale,
Lift again.
Low back,
Mid back,
Maybe upper back.
Interlace your fingers,
Roll your shoulders under or grab the sides of your mat and pull.
Sit firm into your heels,
Spiral your thighs in toward each other.
Breathe.
Keep your lower belly drawing in,
Lift your pelvic floor muscles and lengthen your sitting bones toward the backs of your knees.
Keep your neck long.
Release and keep your interlace and let your hips land right on your hands.
It's surprisingly comfortable,
But if it isn't for you,
Move your hands out of the way.
Hug your knees into your chest,
Gently rock yourself side to side.
Inhale,
Extend your legs up towards the sky.
Knees can be bent or straight.
Straighten them as much as they will.
Breathe here for a few rounds of Ujjayi Pranayama.
This is a nice way to change the flow of gravity on your legs.
If your ankles ever swell,
This is really good for that.
Grab the backs of your legs and start to draw your thighs in towards your belly and your feet toward the earth as much as they will.
Think of this as a forward fold but upside down.
Bend your knees as needed.
Come into it as much as what is comfortable for you and try to stretch out your lower back.
You might bend your knees to get into your back a little more.
Inhale to bring your legs up,
Bend your knees,
Take your feet to the earth.
Pick up your hips,
Take them over to the left and drop your knees to the right.
Option to cross your left knee over your right knee as you look over your left shoulder.
Turn your belly up towards the sky and breathe here.
Deep,
Long,
Smooth ujjayi breaths in your twists.
Twisting is so good to keep your spine nice and lubricated.
Come back to center,
Take your hips to the right,
A little knees to the left,
And cross your right knee over your left if you wish.
Looking over your right shoulder as long as that's good with your neck and try to turn your belly towards the sky as you breathe.
Think about your breath expanding through your belly on your inhale and taking it up through your ribcage and into your chest.
Then exhale your chest,
Ribcage,
Belly.
Release,
Come back to center,
Hug your knees in Take your feet to the earth,
Start to lengthen your sitting bones towards the backs of your knees as you extend your legs out.
Let your feet flop open.
Rest your arms away from the sides of your body with your palms up.
Let your shoulder blades relax.
Close your eyes,
Sinking into our final resting pose,
Quiet mind.
Quiet body.
Shavasana.
Start to move your hands,
Your feet,
Stretch through your arms and legs,
Reawakening your body.
Bend your knees,
Rolling onto your right side and pause a moment to thank yourself for showing up and taking care of yourself.
Make your way to seated.
Bring your hands together at heart center.
Remember to be kind to yourself.
Be kind to the universe.
And be kind all life everywhere.
Namaste.
This practice is dedicated to the memory of my yoga teacher and dear friend.
Lesley Fightmaster
