Hello and welcome to this gentle bolster supported trauma-informed yoga class where we will move through yoga shapes using a bolster for support So grab a bolster or a pillow something to support you and we'll get started.
You can start with me sitting today on your bolster.
Perhaps closing,
Your eyes are gazing gently forward.
We'll start this practice with some breath.
Letting go of the worries of the day or our to-do list of things we have to get done.
Taking time for ourself now in this moment.
Dropping the shoulders away from the ear.
Unclenching the jaw,
Relaxing the hips.
Sitting up tall,
Taking a nice deep breath in and out.
When you're ready,
If your eyes are closed,
You can open them.
Moving into a bolster supported long sit here.
So we'll move off the bolster.
And we'll take the bolster so that it is resting on our lap here.
And so you might decide to hug the bolster here and just really.
.
.
Give it a nice hug,
Lean into it,
Use this bolster as support.
If you feel like you have more movement in you today,
You would like more of a stretch,
You might place the bolster lying here and use this for support.
So choose what works best for you today.
We'll hold each bolster supported shape today for Roughly five breaths.
Five.
To ten depending how slow or how fast your breathing is.
Knowing at any point if something becomes uncomfortable or doesn't feel like it's supporting your body,
You can change shapes or rest.
One more breath here.
Exhale,
Come back up.
And you can place this bolster now between your legs.
We'll move into a child shape here.
Moving on to.
The hands and knees here,
You can place your hands on the outside of the bolster.
Place those knees wider than the bolster here.
Onto the tops of the feet and then sink back into the hips.
You can rest on this bolster.
Use it for support here in the child shape.
Once again,
Five to ten breaths here.
On your next breath,
Slowly making your way up.
And we'll use this bolster now for some shapes on our back.
First one being a bridge.
So you can take the bolster and place it so that it is underneath your hips here.
So you might need to bridge up.
Place it under your hips here.
Now you may decide to have it on this short edge or you move aside.
To bring it up.
Is not working with my microphone to bring it up to the long edge.
So whatever version works for you.
We use this to get a little bit of extension through the hips,
But also support.
Once again,
Five to 10 breaths.
On your next exhale.
You can move this bolster.
Anyway,
That feels good for you.
I just rolled off,
But.
.
.
Whatever works,
And we're going to move the bolster so it's the lengthwise.
Do one more rusting cape here.
So lying with the bolster right next to the low back.
You can have the knees bent or straight.
I mean,
Just allow that chest.
To move open.
Spending five to 10 breaths here.
You can keep the arms down or maybe you bring them up or to the sides or above your head.
Find what feels good for your body here.
One more inhale and exhale.
And you can choose to end the practice staying lying in that shape,
Or you can come back to sitting just like we started the practice on the bolster.
So choosing the ending for you,
The version for you.
Just coming back to the breath.
Wherever you are.
Scanning through the body from head to toe,
Noticing if you can soften any areas.
And taking one nice inhale and exhale here.
Thank you so much for joining me in this bolster supported yoga practice.
I hope that you enjoyed it.
I'll see you next time.
