Gentle Morning Yoga Practice

Wake up with Morning Yoga! Set the tone of your day with intention and greet your body with this all-level Yoga Asana practice. This is a 30-minute all-level sequence, starting slowly in meditation to slowly wake up the body and mind. Breathe, stretch, and focus the mind through this awakening of the whole body and mind. No background music. Focus on the beautiful sound and sensation of your breath. The class ends in savasana followed by three minutes of silence and three ending bells. Enjoy!

Transcript

Welcome everyone to your morning yoga practice.

Roll out your mat and grab any props if you need.

If you like to use blocks or a strap or a blanket for Shavasana or under your knees for Shavasana.

And take some time to notice your breath as you take a seat.

Start in a seated pose in Sukhasana,

Which is called the easy pose.

And if you don't know what that pose is,

Sometimes here in the United States we call it crisscross applesauce pose in preschool.

Where you cross one shin over the other and you sit up tall with your knees bent and the crown reaching up towards the sky.

And softly open your eyes and set your gaze on one spot.

So the focus of the eyes in our yoga practice we call that Drishti,

Which is the focus,

The focus literally on one spot.

And through looking at one spot inviting a focus of the mind and awareness of letting any clutter fall away.

And notice it can take some time to bring that focus.

There might even be a wandering.

And if that happens,

Just notice and then come back and focus the eyes.

And as you focus the eyes,

Notice where are the thoughts,

Where is your attention right now.

Bring your attention back to what you see right in front of you.

And now notice your breath.

And the breathwork here is a slight constriction at the back of your throat generating an ujjayi breath.

The sound of a whisper,

The sound of the ocean.

Sometimes it's called dark vader breath.

And it can sound like this.

Breathe in.

Mouth closed,

Breathe out.

One more time,

Breathe in.

And breathe out.

Continue with this breath.

And would you place your left hand on top of your heart and your right hand on top of your left hand.

And with this gentle touching of the hands on top of each other and the hands on top of your heart.

Notice the rise and fall of your breath.

And integrate the connection of body and mind,

This body-mind awareness.

And connect to noticing what's right here physically as the heart is pumping.

Physically in this space where that may be a sensation of love and acceptance.

Notice what's here right in this space.

Here in your inner space,

In your mental space,

In your emotional space.

And notice the environment around you,

Waking up the observer mind.

And as your hands are touching your heart and you're sitting up tall on your spine,

Just notice how you're waking up the body and greeting the body,

Greeting this morning.

And invite an intention.

Inviting an intention into your morning practice is a beautiful way to set the tone of your day.

Breathe into your intention.

And sigh out the evening,

Let go.

One more breath in.

Softly sigh and release.

Child's Pose.

Knees out wide.

Hands reach towards the front of your mat,

Forehead gently touching the ground.

And now notice the rise and fall of the breath in the back body.

Notice it in the upper back,

In the middle back,

In the lower back.

Notice it in the front of the lower belly,

The mid belly,

And the upper chest.

Notice in the right side of the lung,

The left side of the lung and rib cages.

And can you bring a sense of breath,

This breath,

This prana,

This life force into the whole body,

From the soles of the feet,

Up the legs,

Up the spine to the arms,

And back up,

And through the crown of the head.

Breathe in.

Breathe out.

Tuck your toes,

Downward Dog.

And pedal out the feet,

Pedal out the knees by bending the right knee and the left knee,

And gently shaking up the head and bring some movement,

Any movement,

Into the shoulders,

Into the spine.

You can stay here twisting in Downward Dog,

Maybe drop back down into Child's Pose.

And then come back into Downward Dog.

And then meet in Downward Dog,

Big toes to touch,

Look back towards your feet,

Towards your big toes.

And come up high into the balls of the feet,

Heels off the ground.

And now press your hands firmly into the mat.

Bring your chest pressing closer towards your thighs.

It's not going to touch,

But just towards that direction.

Feel the length in your spine,

One more breath.

And then look towards your thumb,

Step your right foot forward,

And then left foot forward,

Forward fold.

Pause here,

Separate your feet hip-width apart,

Grab your elbows,

And hang loose and long in a rag doll.

So a variation of a forward fold,

Of an Uttanasana.

The feet are at 12 o'clock,

Hip-width apart.

And look at the feet,

Gently lift up the tips of the toes,

Spread the yogi toes wide.

And press down on the mounds of the feet,

The big toe mound,

Pinky toe mound,

The center of each heel.

Hang long and loose in the spine,

One more breath.

Fingertips to the ground,

Big toes to touch,

Halfway lift,

Inhale,

Lengthen your spine.

Exhale,

Forward fold,

Uttanasana.

One more halfway lift,

Lengthen the spine.

Forward fold,

Exhale.

Inhale,

Sweep the arms up,

Look up,

Rise up in mountain pose,

Tadasana.

Palms together,

Exhale,

Thumbs touch into the heart space.

Eyes open,

Stay,

Breathe in.

Stay here and breathe out.

Sweep the arms up,

Rise up,

Look up.

Hinge at the hips,

Bow down,

Forward fold.

Halfway lift,

Inhale,

Lengthen your spine.

Plant the hands down,

Step back,

Downward dog.

Breathe in and breathe out.

Keep the eyes focused.

Let the gaze be soft.

Step to the front,

Halfway lift,

Inhale.

Forward fold,

Exhale.

Inhale,

Sweep the arms up,

Look up.

Exhale,

Palms together,

Hands at heart.

Rise up,

Reach up,

Mountain pose,

Look up.

Swan dive down,

Uttanasana,

Forward fold.

Halfway lift,

Lengthen the spine.

Step back down,

Downward dog,

Adho Mukha Smanasana,

Hold.

Breath in,

Breath out.

Step to the front,

Halfway lift.

Hinge at the hips,

Forward fold.

Root to rise,

Extended mountain pose,

Look up.

Palms together,

Thumbs to the heart space.

Rise up,

Look up.

Exhale,

Bow down,

Empty the breath.

Halfway lift,

Fill up with breath.

This time step back into high plank,

Hold.

Contract the muscles of the thighs and the arms.

Now wake up the Uddiyana Bandha,

Pull the pit of the belly button up and back towards the spine.

Shift forward on the tippy toes with your next inhale.

Exhale,

Low plank.

Inhale,

Upward dog,

Tops of the feet on the floor,

Chest forward.

Downward dog,

Hips high.

Two more breaths.

Create a sense of flow with the rise and fall of the breath.

Invite ease.

Release any struggle.

Step to the front,

Halfway lift.

Forward fold,

Empty the breath.

Inhale,

Rise,

Reach up,

Look up.

Palms together,

Exhale,

Thumbs to heart.

With a big inhale,

Reach the arms up,

Sweep up.

Legs strong,

Forward fold,

Empty the breath.

Halfway lift,

Lengthen the spine.

High plank,

Hold.

Shift forward on your tippy toes,

Inhale.

Exhale,

Low plank.

Upward dog,

Breathe in.

Downward dog,

Breathe out.

Hold here,

We're going to move through one more Surya Namaskar A.

Sun Salutation A,

Greeting the body.

Look to the front,

Step forward,

Halfway lift.

Bow down,

Empty the breath.

Inhale,

Rise,

Reach up,

Look up.

Palms together,

Exhale,

Thumbs to your heart.

Eyes open,

Inhale,

Reach up,

Look up.

Forward fold,

Empty the breath.

Halfway lift,

Inhale.

Step back high,

Plank hold.

Shift forward on your tippy toes,

Inhale.

Exhale,

Low plank.

Upward dog,

Heart lifted,

Chest forward.

Downward dog,

Hips high.

Child's Pose.

Stay with the rhythm of your inhale and exhale.

Inhale,

Gratitude.

Exhale,

Empty out.

Inhale,

Acknowledge this prana,

This life force.

Exhale,

Release.

Tuck your toes,

Downward dog.

Eyes open,

Look back toward your big toes.

Reach your right leg high.

And step it forward into a crescent lunge,

Right foot forward.

Now reach the arms up.

Stay high on the back toes.

Stacking the back heel on top of the ball of the back foot.

Your front foot is at 12 o'clock.

Pressing firmly and yet easy into the mat.

As you reach your arms up towards the ceiling,

Gently spin the pinkies in towards each other,

Palms face towards each other.

Hold one more breath.

And slowly plant the hands down to the ground,

Step the right foot back,

Downward dog.

Hold here,

Breathe in.

And breathe out.

Look back toward your big toes,

Hold,

Inhale.

Still in downward dog,

Exhale.

Left leg high,

Inhale.

Exhale,

Left foot forward,

Crescent warrior.

Left foot at 12 o'clock.

This time high on the ball of the right foot.

Arms reach up towards the ceiling.

Palms facing each other.

Pull the lower ribs in towards the midline.

Uddiyana Bandha,

Pull the pit of the belly button up and back towards the spine.

Hold here and create a steady and joyful energy.

A soft gaze with the eyes.

A steadiness with the breath.

Fill up with breath.

Hold here,

Exhale.

Last one,

Inhale.

Exhale,

Plant the hands down,

Step back,

Downward dog.

And child's pose.

Full body breath,

Inhale.

Full body exhale,

Empty out.

Breathe in.

Exhale,

Let something go.

Tuck your toes,

Downward dog.

Steady and joyful.

Connect to the purpose of yoga to calm the fluctuations of the mind.

Focus the eyes.

Focus the mind.

Stand downward dog,

Look back towards the big toes.

Exhale,

Reach the right leg high.

Step into your crescent warrior again.

And in the second crescent warrior,

Can you bring more attention to creating length and space in the right and left sides of the waist?

And notice how anchoring the feet down into the ground firmly,

With intention,

When you create that stability,

Notice what happens as you reach the hands up.

And how the reaching,

The lengthening is more accessible when you root down into stability.

And the same as growth in the body and growth in the life.

Anchor to what brings you steadiness.

Reach up towards what inspires you.

With your next exhale,

Plant the hands down.

This time,

Chaturanga exhale.

Breathe in,

Upward dog.

Breathe out,

Downward dog.

Steady and joyful,

Breathe in.

And breathe out,

Big toes to touch.

Eyes open,

Inhale.

Look towards the big toes.

Left leg high,

Inhale.

Step into your crescent warrior.

Be intentional in creating the physical posture of this pose.

The posture of the feet rooting down into the mat.

The engagement of the muscles of the legs.

The engagement of that lower ribs,

Lower ribs melting into the midline.

And again on this side,

Rooting down,

Anchoring the feet,

Pressing into the mat.

With this rooting down,

Reach the arms higher towards the ceiling.

Awareness of length and space in the right and left sides of the waist.

Feel yourself expand.

Feel yourself grow.

Two more breaths.

Stay here steady and joyful.

One more inhale,

Fill up.

Mindfully plant the hands down,

Chaturanga exhale.

Breathe in,

Upward dog.

And breathe out,

Downward dog.

Breathe in.

Eyes open,

Breathe out.

Look towards your thumbs,

Step forward,

Forward fold.

Halfway lift,

Inhale,

Lengthen your spine.

Bow down,

Am to the breath,

Pause.

Red doll feet,

Hip width apart,

Grab your elbows.

Loose and long in the spine.

Thank yourself for this time to wake up the body,

To greet the body as it is and as it is not this morning.

Breathe in.

And breathe out.

Fingertips to the ground,

Big toes to touch.

Inhale,

Sweep the arms up,

Eyes open,

Look up.

Exhale,

Hands to heart.

Steady your gaze right in front of you.

Exhale.

And do one balance series of tree pose on each side.

Right foot press against the inside of the left inner thigh.

Palms gently press against each other in anjali mudra,

A prayer hands.

Breathe.

Empty with the exhale.

Reach the arms up,

Create space,

Lengthen your branches.

Create an equanimous mind to cultivate an inner calm,

An inner peace,

Despite any chaos outside of you.

Focus,

Breathe in.

Breathe out.

Three more breaths.

And release.

Focus the gaze,

Inhale.

Sigh,

Let anything go.

Tree pose,

Riksasana,

Pressing your other foot against your inner thigh.

Palms at anjali mudra.

Eyes focused.

Mind steady.

Breathe.

Focus.

Connect to stability.

Let go of any worries,

Let go of any concerns.

Breathe in.

Breathe out.

Extend your branches up.

Reach your fingertips up towards the ceiling.

Stand powerfully in this tree pose.

Three more breaths.

Release.

Eyes open,

Look straight in front of you,

Palms together.

What was your intention you set beginning in the class?

Or maybe reset and create a new intention in this moment?

Repeat that intention to yourself.

Exhale,

Let go of anything you wish to release.

Inhale,

Sweep the arms up,

Look up.

Exhale,

Forward fold,

Empty the breath.

Halfway lift,

Inhale.

Step back,

Downward dog.

Eyes steady.

Mind open.

Reach the right leg high.

Then swing the right leg forward for a half pigeon right knee lands behind the right wrist.

Square your back hips.

The back leg is straight and strong.

Once you've squared your hips,

Inhale,

Heart lifted.

Hinge at the hips,

Bow down,

Forward fold.

You may reach your chest towards the ground.

Or maybe you're using your props.

Maybe you have a block underneath the forehead.

Or maybe a block underneath the right hip,

The outside of the right hip.

Create this pose in a way that you can surrender.

Surrender the heart down towards the floor.

Let go of any clenching in the right hip,

In the left leg.

Release any gripping or clenching in the jaw or the forehead.

Three more breaths.

Surrender and breathe.

Slowly press the hands down,

Rise up,

Downward dog.

Take your time from your downward dog.

Breathe in and empty your breath.

Left leg high and swing that left knee forward for half pigeon left side.

Square your hips.

Straighten your right leg.

Breathe in.

And then hinge at your hips,

Bow down,

Reach your chest and heart forward.

And will you allow there to be a melting,

A melting of any tension you might notice.

What do you notice?

What do you observe on this side of the hip,

The legs?

Notice what you notice in the body,

The physical sensations.

And maybe notice if something else is presenting itself,

If there's something the body might have been holding onto.

That through the physical movement,

Through the breath,

It's ready to give up and let it go.

Allow yourself,

Give yourself the permission to release anything the body is ready to surrender.

When we let go of what drains us,

Of what doesn't serve us,

Create more space to fill up,

To fill up with what empowers,

What inspires,

What leads you to your highest self.

Last breath on this side.

Inhale.

Empty the breath.

Slowly rise,

Swing both legs forward for seated forward fold,

Paschimottanasana.

Both legs straight,

Flex the ankles,

Toes back towards your face.

Inhale the arms up.

Exhale,

Bow down,

Forward fold.

Three intentional Ujjayi breaths.

So as we slow down and near the end of today's practice,

Greeting your hamstrings where they are,

Greeting the body as it is in this moment,

And then release yourself onto your back.

Hug your knees into your chest.

Massage side to side.

And invite a gentle twist,

Right arm out.

Look toward your right hand and gently allow the knees to fall over to the left side,

Gently.

And allow the hips,

The spine to pause where the body naturally wants to pause.

No forcing.

Allowing.

And back to center,

Hug in and gently twist to the other side.

Back to center,

Hug in.

Shavasana,

Legs out straight,

Palms face up towards the ceiling.

You're welcome to stay in the Shavasana as long or as short as you would like.

My practice with you is now complete.

Welcome to your morning.

Welcome to greeting your body today.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Reviews

Great! Thank you. Well paced and clear instructions! 🙏🏻🙏🏻

My takeaway: Stong foundation builds capacity. Find joy and ease during the routine. :) KEY: 5*Insightful 4*Interesting 3*Okay 2*Not For Me 1*Irritating

Nice gentle pacing. It assumes that you know the form of certain poses, like upward dog and half pigeon

Amazing!! I paused and added more breaths to the twists, added happy baby and windshield wipers. I loooovef the chimes at the end of shavasana. Perfect!!!🤩

Perfect morning practice for regaining energetic balance. Thank you!!

Short and nice morning practice. I like the way u guide us through slow movements in sun salutation a and b. Your teaching is mindful and yes, joyful 🙏🙏🙏

Thank you for sharing this practice! Really clear and supportive instructions, great way to greet my body and the day xx

Firm yet softening, thank you 🙏🏻

Fantastic morning practice. I’m bookmarking it for sure!

Lovely! Thank you Amelia! Missing you in person but this was a great little practice for my morning. Hope you’re well!❤️