Welcome to this five-day trauma-informed yoga series of our nervous system relaxation.
Every practice will be calming to help reset the nervous system.
Today's practice is all about rest.
We'll be using a mat and maybe something to sit on,
So go ahead and grab that.
And we'll get started.
Starting this practice today,
You can sit any way that feels comfortable for you.
I invite you to start the practice tuning inward.
Five-day series is all about relaxing the nervous system,
Resetting the body and the mind.
Today's practice is all about rest,
So everything will be gentle.
As you sit here,
Tune into your breath,
Noticing how it feels.
You don't need to change it in any way,
But you can notice if it feels.
.
.
Really shallow or strained.
Maybe you try and make the breath a little bit more calm.
Maybe breathing in a little deeper.
Letting go a little longer.
You can keep the eyes closed or open them and move into some gentle neck stretches,
Bringing the right ear to the right shoulder,
Feeling a gentle stretch on the left side of the neck.
Back to center repeating on the other side that left ear can go to the left shoulder And then perhaps doing some little circles with the neck.
Moving with your body.
Doing what feels restful and joyful.
You don't have to push into any pain or discomfort here.
And tuning into the breath again,
Noticing,
Is it still calm?
Is it still relaxed?
Bringing that neck to center.
Joining me in a cat-cow here.
Taking your hands,
Maybe placing them on the knees.
And then just rounding the back.
That chin can go to chest.
Then moving the body the other way those hands can slide up the thighs that chest can shine nice and bright maybe the head goes up And then again,
Rounding,
Coming back the other way,
Bringing that chin down.
And again chest shining high.
Moving through one more at your own speed inhaling and exhaling in a way that feels comfortable for your body Amazing.
Joining me on your back now.
Take your time getting there.
Once on your back,
Taking a moment to feel your body on the mat.
Feel the backs of your feet,
The back of your head.
Her back body here grounded.
I invite you to take that right foot,
Place it down on the mat with that knee bent.
Taking that left foot,
Bringing it onto the right knee and then lowering that left knee to the ground.
If this does not feel like a stretch to you,
You can bring that right leg up in the air to get more of a stretch in the hips.
You could take your hands,
Place them around the knee for even more of a pull,
More of a stretch.
Choose the version for your body today.
And then settling in here and breathing once again.
Relaxing the jaw,
The face.
On your next exhale,
Wherever you are,
You can bring the legs back down and switch sides here.
So now the left.
Knee remains bent,
The foot on the mat.
That right foot goes onto the left knee.
That right knee goes down and you can stay here.
Perhaps you bring that leg up,
The left leg,
And wrap that arm around,
Getting a stretch.
Find what works for you.
Once again,
Tuning into the breath here.
Relaxing the body into the stretch.
On your next exhale,
Lowering.
Those legs down keeping the left knee bent you can bring that right foot to rest next to the left one both knees bent And gently windshield wiping the knees back and forth here.
Bringing those legs down as far towards the ground as you would like.
Gentle rotations throughout the spine here.
And then straightening both legs,
Moving into a banana stretch here.
So take your feet,
Bring both feet to the right side of your mat.
And then take your hands above your head and bring your hands to the right side of your mat.
Kind of like you're like a banana.
You're stretching in a C shape one way.
Spending a breath or two here.
Coming back to center,
Reaching those arms nice and tall above your head,
Reaching those feet long.
And repeating on the other side,
Feet go to the left side of your mat,
Hands go to the left side.
And stretch the side body here.
And once more,
Back to the center,
Big upper body stretch,
Deep breath in.
Arms up,
Lake Street.
And exhale,
Let everything go.
Arms go back down to your side.
Resting here now.
Noticing how the nervous system feels after the practice.
Bringing those deeper breaths here as you lie.
And if you continue to feel wound up,
Uneasy,
That is okay.
There might be something else that your nervous system is calling on you to do.
One more deep breath in.
Hold and exhale.
Thank you so much for joining me on day one of this nervous system relaxation series.
I hope that you enjoyed it.
I'll see you next time.
