25-Minute Slow Flow Backbend Class

In this short backbend yoga practice, I invite you to open and expand. We start the practice with a brief meditation to ground, and eventually tap into the heart center. Class is suitable for all levels with progression and everyone is welcome and no props are needed.

Transcript

Hi, My name is Carla and today I'm going to guide you through a short slow flow class. Be prepared to stretch a little bit of your hamstrings to hold the postures a little longer. So if you feel like your body needs a little bit more of love, A little bit more warm up before hopping into this short class, Go ahead and explore that by yourself. Other than that, We're going to go ahead and start. Find a comfortable seated posture. Close your eyes or soften your gaze for a moment if it's comfortable for you. Relax your hands on your legs. Without much effort, Just notice how the breath comes in and out. Through your body. Notice if there's any pattern, If it's cello, If it's deep. Check also if the breath is coming all the way from upper your chest or from your belly become aware of the sounds around you. Become aware of smells. And slowly you return your attention back to your breath. Inhale through your nose. Long exhale through your mouth. Breath in. Fill up all the way. Breath out, Release. Once more, Big inhale. And let it go Feel free to bring one hand into your heart, One hand into your belly. Just notice the rise and fall of your chest, The feet back of your breath. The expansion of your chest. And also the contraction of it. Perhaps you can visualize an area in your life that you want to grow, You want to expand a little bit. And within that situation up into your third eye. You think about yourself. Expanding up into from the core of your being. Just like a heart pulsing. It expands and contracts. Keeping in mind that for every expansion to happen there has to be a contraction before. And tapping into this growth that you want to engage in your life. Perhaps you use this as an anchor for today's class. I'm able to grow and expand. I'm able to grow and expand. I'm able to grow and expand to bring any other intention you have in your heart at this moment. That's for Sincalpa, Your heart's desire. Or you can stick with the one that I offered. I am able to grow and expand. Gather your hands in front of your heart, Take your chin slightly in. You're here, You're present, You're showing up for yourself. Have a great practice, Everyone. Blink your eyes open, Inhale circle both hands high towards the sky. Exhale, Twist towards the right side. A simple twist. Accommodate your hands either behind you or wrapping the opposite hip. Try to rest the right shoulder down, Gaze over it. Big inhale wrap your arms all the way up exhale twist towards the opposite side find a variation with your arms Maybe one side is different than the other. That's totally fine. Big breath and come back to center reach big breath out clasp your fingers behind your head you can also wrap the tips of your fingers on your shoulders big inhale seated wide cow open up Exhale seated cat, Round your spine, Chin in. Inhale open up, Elbows wide. Exhale, Elbows in, Touch. Inhale to open up. Exhale to close. Twice more breath and expand. Breath off contract. Final one, Inhale. And exhale. Breath enrich both arms horizontally breath out thumbs face down palms back inhale open up exhale flip palms forward palms touch inhale back of your hands to the ocean Exhale, Contact. Once more, Inhale open up. Exhale to close Wrap your right arm underneath the left. You can stay just like a bear hug like this or back of your palms to touch. I encourage you to keep your elbows towards the shoulder line. Maybe the palms can be together. Try to keep the chest proud and open, Maybe gazing all the way up. Three more. Slowly unwind your hands. Inhale, Open up, Switch. Exhale, Left arm underneath the right. Start with a bear hug, See how it feels. You have space to slowly and gradually bring the back of your hands together if it suits you. Or maybe palms towards each other. Inhale, Reach, Elbows high. Exhale for three more rounds. Final one Unravel the hands. Inhale. Open up. Exhale. Transition to your tabletop. Hands and knees to your mat. Knees underneath your hip. Start to bump them side to side. Maybe you create a big circle with them. Reverse the direction. Find stillness gather your knees towards each other still touch and you can sit on your heels take a big inhale reach your arms to the side Exhale, Roll the shoulders up, Back and down, Clasp your fingers behind you or hug your opposite elbows. Keep pressing the toes firmly on your mat. Stoke the fire with your breath. Three more. Final one. Guide your hands towards the ground. Lift your knees, Toes stand variation. Feel free to keep the fingers on the mat. Or again, If you want, Clasp the fingers behind you or hug the elbows again. We're going to go all the way up with no rush. Press the bone mounts of your toes, Of your feet rather. Lift the heels and you slowly keep your feet all the way on the ground. Making her reach both hands up high. Exhale to forward fold. Inhale and then halfway lift. Exhale, Crawl towards the top, Downward facing dog, Gazing between your knees. Cuddle your feet. Take a couple rounds of free movement here if it feels like it. As a suggestion, You can bump the hips side to side. You can also bounce up and down, Bend your knees, Sink the hips low. Big inhale, You look forward. Exhale, Walk towards the top of your mat, As many steps needed. Breath in, Length in, Halfway lift. Spine and legs are long. Breath out to forward fold. Take a big inhale circle, Both hands to the sky. Exhale palms touch your heart connect big inhale circle up reach big exhale to forward fold Inhale length and legs and spine halfway lift. Exhale, Plant your hands down. Step back, Plank pose. Bring your knees towards the mat. Keep the shoulders, Elbows and wrists stacked. Big inhale. Exhale, Half chaturanga. Squeeze the elbows towards the ribs. Breath in breath out slither down cold brush Hands on the mat. Inhale, Lift up your heart. Exhale to fold. Inhale, Press and lift, Baby cobra. Exhale lower down. Once more, Big inhale, Lift up. Exhale pause gaze over the left side Inhale back to center. Exhale to your right. Breath in come back to center breath out chest on the mat crocodile pose gather your palms on top forehead Relax the shoulders. Relax the elbows. Reconnect with your breath. Final one Slide your palms back to the mat. Forearms down on the ground. Prep for Sphinx Pose. Tops of your feet rest on the mat. Press the elbows all the way down and in towards your ribcages. Feel the tailbone tucked in slightly. Three more rounds of breaths. Keep the elbows pressing down and in. One hand at a time press it to the earth squeeze the glutes back into your cobra big inhale exhale hands back to your body or belly tuck the toes breath in lift up dog breath out to your downward facing dog Take a begin here, Reach your right leg high. Exhale guide your foot in low lunge inhale reach both hands up high exhale bounce back half split a little dynamic three more here big inhale all the way forward and up Exhale to your half split. Two more breaths in your reach. Breath out all the way back. Final one in here each up. Exhale to your half split feel free to pause hands can be on the grout or blocks if you have it keep the spine tall and long. Big inhale, Crawl forward. Exhale, Right hand in. Lizard pose. Relax the back foot. Feel free to stay. Folks need more heat, Bring the forearms all the way down. Encourage the left quad to be on the mat rather than the left knee completely. Two more. Press the palms on the mat. Inhale, Lift up. Exhale, Tuck the left toes and lift your left knee. High lizard pose. Big breath in. Breath out. Straighten the front leg and pivot towards the larger edge of your mat. Inhale to your prasarita. Exhale swipe towards the opposite side left foot is forward back into your lizard both hands on top of your mat rest the top of your foot down Feel free to stay up tall or again, Rest the forearms on the mat. Rethink about your intention. Press both hands on the earth. Lift the right foot or tuck the right toes. Lift the right knee. Big inhale. Exhale. Crawl the left knee in. Rest, Actually, The back knee down. Inhale. Low lunge. Reach. Exhale, Bounce, Back half-squift. Inhale all the way forward and up. Exhale to the back. Twice more inhale Exhale back. Breath in, Reach. Breath out to straighten the front leg. Inhale crawl to the front runner's breath exhale lift your right knee and you pivot back prasarita inhale length and halfway hands on thighs or shin exhale to forward fold crawl towards the front of your space with the right foot forward and you step back plank pose big inhale exhale chaturanga Breath in up dog, Lift your heart. Breath out to your downward face. No. Inhale you look forward exhale walk towards the middle of your space breath in length and halfway wide leg fold Breath out gorilla pose. Rest your head, Slide your palms underneath the feet or to the side. Two more rounds. Release your palms. Heel to your feet all the way in. Tuck the chin and you slowly roll up bone by bone. Head is the last thing to stack. All the way over inhale circle both hands up high exhale to your chair pose with katasana Keep their feet towards each other. Notice if you can see the toes. More heat, Keep the arms all the way forward. For less heat bring the palms towards your heart. Squeeze the midline in, Thighs, Butt cheeks, Everything together. Big inhale, Rise all the way up. Exhale, Wrap right arm underneath the left. Start with the bear hug. Stay for the ego. Inhale, Reach right knee up. Exhale, Cross into your eagle pose. You're free to use the right toe as a kickstand. Three more rounds. Contract the midline final one Keep the arms, Inhale, Unwind, One leg, Tadasana. Exhale, Warrior three, Kick your right foot back, Tuck the elbows in towards the belly slightly. Feel free to keep the eagle arms on your Warrior 3. Folks who need more heat, Reach the arms all the way to the front of your mat. Expand. Final one. Palms back into your heart center. Inhale back one leg. Tadasana. Exhale hug the inner arch of your right foot with your right palm Just press the heel in. Notice the quad stretch. Two more. Take a big inhale. Exhale, Release. Both feet down. Tadasana. Regroup. Reset. Notice. Big inhale, Send both arms to the sky. Exhale, Wrap the left arm underneath the right. You can start with a bear hug or keep those eagle arms. Back of your palms together, Maybe hands in your reach, Left knee up. Exhale, Cross it over to your eagle. Your feet to stay on the kickstand with your left toes. Or maybe you'll wrap the back or the top of your left foot around your right calves. Sharpen your focus just like an eagle. Two more. Press through the right heel firmly. Release slowly the left foot if you have it. Inhale one leg chadapana, Left knee up. Exhale kick it back to your warrior three slow and steady eyes are sharp squeeze the thighs in, Engage the glue. Extend your arms all the way forward. Three more rounds. Inhale hands back to your heart. Laugh me with you. Exhale hug the left inner arch in. Left heel to your left butt. Take a big breath in. Breath out release both feet down rest reconnect take what your body needs here Stay as long as you need, Otherwise you'll toe your feet on a hip way. Kick the right heel all the way in, Hug again, Right in our arch with your right palm. Feel free to stay for the quad stretch, The one you wore here before. If you need a little bit more of a back bend, Keep one hand onto your heart, Maintain your torso tall. Kick the right foot against your right hand look at your shoulder opening up squeeze your glutes all the way in big inhale it's the top of your right foot to your right inner elbow piece fingers all the way up inhale reach your left arm high Exhale, Bend your elbows. Try to connect. Standing mermaid. Squeeze the glutes and big inhale slowly release the hands exhale back into your mountain pose Blink the eyes open if not there yet. Inhale, Kick, Left heel in. Exhale, Start with that quad stretch. Breath firmly, Left heel towards the body. Chest is sprouting open. Feel your heartbeat. Welcome to stay, Folks who want a little bit more of heat. Left palm hugs the foot and you kick, Kick, Kick higher. Take a big inhale, Contract into the midline. Exhale, Kick the foot even more if you want. Keep the gurus engaged. Rise up with your torso feel free to stay on that variation or again left inner elbow touches the left hand big inhale kick the left foot high these fingers up exhale to your mermaid variation or standing mermaid variation breath in prepare breath out to unwind release you're here, You're present. Notice. Notice the growth, The expansion. Observe where do you want to be. Hands rest by your sides, Blink your eyes, Opening your reach all the way up. Exhale to forward fold. Take a big inhale and then half weight lift. Exhale, Last vinyasa of your class. High to low plank if needed. Inhale, Open up. Up dog. Exhale to your child's pose, Big toes touch, Knees wide on your mat. Restablish your breath. Recall your intention. Press both hands by your side, Inhale, Push the ground, Lift up your chest. Exhale, Come into a comfortable seated posture so we can end this class. Rotate your wrist. We'll teach your head. Either side to side or it can create a big circle. Find stillness slowly into your mat, Slowly into your space. Exhale all the air. Take a big inhale circle, Both hands high. Exhale, Simple twist towards the right side. Inhale and return to center. Reach up. Exhale, Twist towards your left side. Breath in, Come back to center and reach. Breath out, Rest your palms effortlessly on your body. Relax the shoulders. Get your right here towards the right side. Feel the opening on the left. Establish the breath nice and slow inhale head comes back to center exhale left ear towards the left shoulder Breath in, Spine is neutral. Breath out, Close your eyes for a moment. For you to bring one hand on your heart, One hand back into your belly. Just take a moment to try to understand how you feel right here, Right now. Inwardly. Try to understand or see the growth from the beginning of the class to now. That internal growth. The shift and expansion. That we all have the ability to achieve or to do. Can gather your hands in front of your heart center. Let this be a gentle reminder that you have your breath and movement available whenever you need to reconnect, Reset, And grow. Namaste.