Goa Sessions - Hatha With Vinyasa Yoga (Backbending)
This 90-minute hatha with vinyasa yoga class was recorded in Goa at a retreat center. The class presents an atmospheric platform of being in your own yoga retreat at home. This session focuses a lot on bringing flexibility and strength to the spine. Faint background noises of birds and monkeys transport you to a tropical haven whilst you are guided by the teacher. The instruction is clear and directive and the level is general. Absorb the class and the atmosphere and complete all 3 classes to encompass a fully rounded practice.
Transcript
Okay,
So we're going to do some backbends today.
Backbending.
But towards the end of the practice when the spines are a little bit warmer.
As with the hip openers,
Backbending can be quite an emotional experience.
And as usual,
You're going to try and ride through with your emotions,
Whatever you're feeling.
Quite often if you have back problems,
Backbends really help the spine.
As long as we use the spine in one long line,
Then it isn't dangerous.
But we're going to go in different degrees of backbends anyway.
Some more gentle and some a little bit deeper.
It's up to you to see how far you can take it.
Okay,
But before that we'll get the spine a little bit warmer.
So sit on your heels at the back of your mat with the toes stretched out on the front of the feet.
Hands onto your knees.
Lengthen your spine and take your shoulders back.
Bring your hands together in front of your chest,
Thumbs towards the sternum,
Elbows down,
And the other four fingers moving away.
We're going to chant one N to begin with.
With the sound of Om,
We let go of our thoughts,
Past and future.
Coming into beginner's mind,
Being open to receive all that this hand has to offer.
If you're joining me in chanting,
Take a breath in.
Om Shanti Shanti Shanti.
Taking a few moments,
Centre your body.
And then bring your hands down onto the roots of the thighs,
Thumb and forefinger together,
Yana mudra.
Elbows back,
Shoulders rolling back.
Begin to connect to your breath.
We're starting to take some inhales through your nose,
Expanding into the lower parts of the lungs,
Filling out to the sides and the top.
Long,
Smooth inhale.
Long,
Full exhale.
Just beginning to get into the breath.
So,
Drawing the air down past that area at the back of the throat.
You're going to make sounds,
So it sounds like you're sighing the breath in and out.
Slightly trapping the air at the back.
So your ujjayi breath is an audible breath,
We can hear the breath.
Focus on the air,
Moving a little bit deeper into the lower parts of the lungs.
Match the same length as the inhale with the long exhale.
Also bringing attention to your uddiyana bandha,
Your lower stomach muscles,
Feels as though you're drawing them in.
And your mula bandha,
The pelvic floor muscles,
Feels as though they're drawing up.
Okay,
With your next exhale,
Come onto your hands and knees.
Take your hands shoulder width apart,
Hands underneath your shoulders,
Knees underneath your hips and point your toes.
And then we'll continue with the breath into cat-cow poses.
So inhale,
Arch your lower back,
Roll back your shoulders and look up.
And then with an exhale,
Bring your chin in towards your chest,
Taking your spine upwards,
Opposite way.
Okay,
Inhale,
Roll through the spine,
Take back your shoulders,
Look up.
And exhale,
Chin in towards your chest,
Spine moving upwards.
And then keep moving with your breath,
Flowing through your body,
Flowing through your spine.
Okay,
With your next inhale,
Turn your toes under.
And then exhale,
Step back into downward facing dog.
So your feet are hip width apart,
Hands still shoulder width apart,
Making sure your middle finger is facing forwards.
And then move around in your posture.
So you can bend your right knee and come onto the ball of the right foot,
Bringing your chest towards the spine.
And then straighten your right leg and bend your left knee.
So move around in that way again,
Inhaling to bend one,
Straighten the other,
And then exhale and do the opposite.
Also moving the hips around as much as you like,
Move your weight of your body more onto your hands and then onto your feet.
So you can play around with your posture a little bit,
Just working out where any stiffnesses are in the body this morning,
A few clicks going on.
Okay,
And now we're going to walk back to the front of the mat.
Take a small step forward with an inhale and exhale,
Fold down.
And then continue that action,
Inhaling,
Small step forward,
Exhale,
Fold.
Inhale,
Small step forward,
Exhale,
Fold.
Get your feet together at the front of the mat.
And then slowly rolling up to a standing position.
Feet together,
Toes together,
Ankles together at the front of the mat.
So we're going to start our Sun Salutations,
The Ashtanga Surya Namaskara A and B Sun Salutations.
So feet together,
Keep the thighs engaged,
Lengthen up through the spine,
Standing Tadasana,
Hands by the sides of the hips.
Take a long inhale,
Stretch your arms up,
Palms of the hands together and look up.
And then exhale,
Fold down towards your legs.
Bring your hands onto your legs if they don't reach the floor.
Inhale,
Extend forward,
Same thing,
Hands onto the legs if they're not reaching the floor.
Exhale,
Jump or step back and then lower down towards the floor.
So if you want you can bring your knees down.
Inhale,
Push through onto the front of the feet.
Exhale,
Downward Facing Dog,
Looking back towards the toes.
Okay,
So let's stay here for five breaths.
So drawing your hips up towards the ceiling,
Heels down towards the floor.
So we're using the energy from the floor,
You're pushing your hands down into the floor to lengthen up through the spine.
Okay,
Then coming back to the front of the mat,
Look ahead first,
Come onto the balls of the feet.
Inhale,
Jump back again to the front,
Getting your feet together and extend your body forward.
Exhale,
Fold in towards your legs.
Inhale,
Legs together,
Sweep the hands up,
Look up.
Exhale,
Hands to the side.
Okay,
So let's keep going,
Starting again at the front of the mat.
Inhale,
Reach up,
Roll off as tall as you can go.
Exhale,
Fold down towards your legs.
Keep your thighs lifted and fold in.
Then inhale,
Look forward,
Extend your body away.
Exhale,
Jump back.
So either lowering down Chaturanga Dandasana or bring your knees down,
Chest down.
Inhale,
Push through,
Shoulders back and look up.
Exhale,
Downward Facing Dog.
Back into your deep breathing.
And then coming back again to the front of the mat,
So look forward,
Balls of the feet,
Inhale,
Jump back to the front.
Keep your bottom up and extend your body.
Exhale,
Fold down.
Inhale,
Reach back up again.
Exhale,
Hands to the side.
Once again,
Inhale.
Exhale.
So try and keep the thighs lifted as you fold into your legs.
Inhale,
Then look forward.
Exhale,
Jump back,
Lower down towards the floor.
Inhale,
Push through,
Roll back the shoulders and look up.
Exhale,
Downward Facing Dog.
So remember to get the spine and the backs of the legs long.
All muscles should be used.
You should be pushing your hands down to the floor.
Feeling the top of the arms rolling out.
Using the thighs to stretch the hamstrings.
Heels pushing down towards the floor,
As far as they'll go.
Look forward again.
Inhale,
Jump back again to the front.
Feet together,
Extend forward.
Exhale,
Fold down.
Inhale,
Reach up.
Exhale.
Inhale again,
Inhale,
Feet together again.
Exhale,
Fold in towards your legs.
Inhale,
Extend your body forward.
Exhale,
Jump back,
Come down.
Inhale,
Push through,
Roll onto the front of the feet,
Look up.
Exhale,
Downward Dog.
So if you feel like you're losing your breath and you need to take another breath,
Better to do that than it is to run out of the breath.
Don't feel like you're straining for breath.
So just look at the space between your hands.
This is the direction you're going.
Then inhale,
Jump back again to the front.
Keep your bottom up,
Look forward.
Exhale,
Fold down.
Inhale,
Stretch up.
Exhale.
Okay,
One more,
Three more.
Inhale,
Exhale,
Eight.
Feet together again.
Inhale,
Stretch up.
Exhale,
Folding.
Look towards your legs.
Then inhale,
Look forward again.
Now as you exhale,
Jump back.
You're looking down to the floor.
Then follow the gaze,
Roll back the shoulders and look to the front of the feet.
Then exhale,
Back into a Downward Dog,
Looking back towards your feet.
So also using your Bandhas when you come back to the front.
So draw in your Uddiyana Bandha,
Your Mula Bandha,
And then inhale,
Jump back again to the front.
See if this gives you some lightness.
Look forward.
Exhale,
Fold down.
Inhale,
Stretch back up.
Exhale.
Okay,
So your next style would be feet together again in front of the mat.
Always with the toes touching ankles together.
Inhale,
Bend your knees,
Lower your bottom,
Sweep the fingers along the floor and lift up.
Exhale,
Folding towards your legs,
Straight legs.
Inhale,
Look forward again.
Exhale,
Jump back,
Lower down to the floor.
Inhale,
Push through.
Keep the thighs off the floor if you can,
Upward Dog.
Exhale,
Downward Dog.
Inhale,
Right foot between your hands,
Left heel on the floor,
Right knee bent,
Hands up.
Exhale,
Hands down,
Step back,
Lower down.
Inhale,
Push through.
Exhale,
Downward Dog.
Inhale,
Left foot forward,
Right heel on the floor.
So push back into your right foot but lift up,
Hands up.
Exhale,
Hands down onto the floor,
Step back,
Lower down.
Inhale,
Roll forward,
Look up.
Exhale,
Downward Dog.
Getting back into your breathing.
And then coming back again to the front,
Take an inhale,
Jump forward again,
Feet together,
Look forward.
Exhale,
Fold down.
Okay,
So finishing off the posture,
Bend your knees,
Bottom down,
Sweep the hands up,
Palms of the hands together and then straighten the legs and exhale.
Okay,
Let's do that one again.
Inhale,
Knees bent,
Bottom down,
Fingers brush the floor and then come up.
Exhale,
Fold in towards your legs.
Inhale,
Look forward.
Exhale,
Jump back,
Lower down to the floor.
Inhale,
Push through,
Shoulders back.
Exhale,
Downward Dog.
Try and use one long inhale,
Right foot forward,
Left heel on the floor,
Reach your hands up,
Stretch up and then as soon as you reach the top of your inhale,
Exhale,
Hands down and then lower down.
Inhale,
Push through,
Shoulders back,
Look up.
Exhale,
Downward Dog.
Inhale,
Left foot forward,
Right heel on the floor.
Try and get as long an inhale as you can.
Exhale,
Hands down,
Step back,
Lower down.
Inhale,
Push through.
Exhale,
Downward Dog.
Take an inhale,
Jump back again to the front,
Extend your body forward,
Look ahead.
Exhale,
Fold Down.
Inhale,
Bend your knees,
Bottom down,
Hands up,
Straighten the legs,
Exhale.
We're just going to continue with our vinyasas.
Inhale,
Stretch back up.
Exhale,
Folding.
Inhale,
Look forward.
Exhale,
Jump back and come down.
Inhale,
Push through,
Look up.
Exhale,
Downward Dog.
Inhale,
Step your right foot between your hands,
Now turn your left foot around,
Parallel to the edge of the mat.
Right knee bent,
Hips to the side,
Sweep your left hand up and back,
Take your arms out wide,
Virabhadrasana number two.
So now your hips are facing to the side of the room,
Arms level with your shoulders.
Shoulders soft but your arms are dynamic so your fingers are pointing away from each other and then you're looking along your right hand.
Okay,
Take an inhale,
Bring your left hand onto your waist.
Exhale,
Reach your right hand forward in front of your foot.
Then with an inhale,
Lift your left leg up.
So your right hand is on the floor,
Right foot,
Left leg up.
Flex your left foot to Adho Chandrasana.
Just your foot Sarah,
Not your leg.
So your left foot is flexed and your left hip is rolling back.
Then if you have your balance you can take your left hand up and then hold your left hand up.
If you don't have your balance stay looking down towards the floor.
Okay,
Now when we come back down we're coming back into that warrior pose.
So exhale,
Left foot back down again,
Right knee bent,
Inhale,
Stretch your arms out wide.
Exhale,
Bring your hands down onto the floor,
Step back and lower down.
Inhale,
Push through,
Roll back the shoulders,
Look up.
Exhale,
Downward dog.
Inhale,
Left foot forward,
Right foot turned around,
Left knee bent.
Sweep the fingers up and back,
Take your arms level with the shoulders and then turn the head to look along your left fingers.
So your right leg is straight,
Left knee bent,
Torso upright.
Arms dynamic.
Inhale,
Bring your right hand onto your waist.
Exhale,
Bring your left fingers forward and then inhale,
Lift up your right leg.
So you stay looking down to the floor,
Getting your right leg straight,
Your left leg straight.
And then if you have your balance you can take your right shoulder back and your right hand up and then look up.
Okay,
Now when we come down you're going to exhale,
Step your right leg back into your warrior pose.
Inhale,
Stretch your arms out wide.
Exhale,
Hands down onto the floor,
Step back,
Lower down.
Inhale,
Push through,
Look up.
Exhale,
Downward dog.
Inhale,
Jump back again to the front,
Get your feet together,
Extend forward.
Exhale,
Fold.
Inhale,
Stretch up.
Exhale.
Okay,
And again,
Inhale.
You're going to get the spines nice and warm.
Exhale,
Fold.
Inhale,
Look forward.
Exhale,
Jumping back and coming down.
Inhale,
Push through,
Shoulders back and look up.
Exhale,
Downward dog.
Inhale,
Right foot between your hands,
Left foot turned around.
And then slide your right elbow onto your right thigh,
Take your left arm over your left ear.
So you're trying to create this line coming down from the left fingers all the way down towards the left foot.
Now if you want to go a little bit further you can bring your right hand onto the floor by the side of your toe,
Right toe.
Then we're rotating the chest.
Good,
Long breaths.
Okay,
Next inhale,
Bring your hands down onto the floor and exhale,
Step back,
Lower down.
Inhale,
Push through,
Roll back the shoulders,
Look up.
Exhale,
Downward dog.
Inhale,
Step your left foot forward,
Turn your right foot around.
Bend your left knee,
Left elbow onto the thigh,
Right arm over,
Parsvakonasana.
Palm of the hand facing down to the floor.
So try and get the heel of your left foot in line with the instep of your right foot.
And then if you can,
You're going to bring your left hand onto the floor by the lifting toe side of your foot.
Right arm comes over and then you look underneath.
Good,
Keep your breathing long and even.
Take an inhale,
Bring both your hands down onto the floor.
Exhale,
Step back,
Lower down.
Inhale,
Push through,
Roll back the shoulders,
Look up.
Exhale,
Downward dog.
Inhale,
Jump back again to the front,
Get your feet together,
Extend forward.
Exhale,
Fold.
Inhale,
Reach back up again.
Exhale,
Hands to the side.
Okay,
Let's go again.
Inhale.
Exhale,
Fold down.
Inhale,
Look forward.
Exhale,
Jump back and come down.
Inhale,
Push through,
Shoulders back and look up.
Exhale,
Downward dog.
Inhale,
Right foot between your hands,
Left toes turned in a little bit.
And then come up to bring your hands onto your hips.
So make sure your left toes turn in,
So your back foot turns in and your toes in a little bit more.
And you serve.
Hips facing towards the front,
Hands onto your hips.
Inhale,
Extend back.
Keep that right thigh engaged.
Exhale,
Fold down.
So you're going to fold as deeply in towards your right leg as possible,
Parsvottanasana.
Or if you can,
You can bring your hands onto the floor by the side of your right foot,
But only do that if you know you can.
So either hands on the floor or both hands on the floor.
Okay,
So bring your hands onto your hips.
Inhale,
Come back up to standing.
Exhale,
Turn your feet out towards the right.
Sorry,
To the left.
Both feet parallel to each other,
Hands on your hips again.
Inhale,
Extend back,
Open up the chest.
Exhale,
Hinge down over the top of the thighs and bring your head down towards the floor.
Bring your hands onto the floor underneath your shoulders.
Take an inhale,
Extend forward again.
And then exhale,
Fold down.
Walk your hands so that they're parallel with your feet.
So if your hands are flat on the floor,
You can bring them level with your feet.
Prasarita Parsvottanasana.
Turn your toes a little bit.
Okay,
So at least be accompanying a little bit.
Lift your buttocks up and drop your head down.
Anybody want a fan on?
Yes please.
That was a definite yes there.
Okay,
So roll them out to the side.
So you're doing this,
Roll them back.
Think about moving your neck forward and your shoulders back.
So less this,
Think about moving this.
Lean down,
That's it.
And then you're freeing your neck.
Okay,
Bring your hands onto your hips and then inhale,
Extend all the way back up.
Keep your hands on your hips.
So now you're going to turn the left toes out and the right toes in.
So now you're facing to the back of the room.
So your right foot also has to turn inwards to bring your right hip forward.
Hands onto your hips again.
Inhale,
Extend back.
Exhale,
Fold down.
So either bringing your hands onto the floor or onto your hips.
So as soon as you do that,
Just think about this there and you're rolling back.
So both your hips level with the floor.
Okay,
If you've got your hands on the floor,
Bring them back onto your hips.
Inhale,
Extend forward and come back up.
Exhale,
Turn the feet out to the right.
Take your arms out wide,
Stretch out your arms.
Inhale,
Hands back behind you,
Interlock your fingers.
Extend back,
Open up the chest and the groin area.
Exhale,
Fold down again,
Prasarita padottanasana and take your arms back over your head this time.
Try and keep the weight of your body on the balls of your feet as well as your heels.
So you should feel an extension in your inner thigh.
If you're feeling it in the backs of the knees,
Move your body forward a little onto your toes.
Keep working into the thighs if you're sitting ones up towards the ceiling.
Okay,
Then lengthen your arms back along your back.
Take an inhale,
Stretch back up.
Exhale,
Arms out to the side.
Inhale,
Step back again to the front of your mat.
Palms of the hands together.
Okay,
Take an exhale.
Bring your hands down to the sides of the body.
Inhale,
Stretch up.
Palms of the hands together,
Reaching up.
Exhale,
Fold down towards your legs.
Inhale,
Look forward.
Exhale,
Jump back and lower down towards the floor.
Inhale,
Push through,
Shoulders back.
Exhale,
Downward dog.
So we're going to do a side plank,
Vasisthasana.
Bring your right hand to the middle and the centre at the front and then turn your right foot onto its side.
Slide your left foot on top of the right.
Now if that's a little bit difficult,
You can step your left foot back.
Take your left hand up and look up towards your left thumb.
Good.
Now lift your hips,
Lift your ribcage.
Palms of the hands facing forward.
Good.
Keep your right arm straight.
Okay,
Now step your left foot back and then bend your knees and just sweep your left hand back.
This posture is,
Believe it or not,
Called wild thing.
Inhale,
Come back again.
Pivot on your right foot,
Step back,
Downward facing dog.
Okay,
Now you know what to expect the other side.
Take an inhale.
Bring your left hand to the centre at the front and then left foot onto its side.
Slide your right foot on top of your left.
Take your right hand up.
So remember if that's too much,
You can step your right foot back.
So if you want to go for this next one,
Step the right foot back again,
Bend the knees and sweep the right hand back.
Doesn't come to the floor.
And then inhale,
Swivel back on your feet.
Exhale,
Hands onto the floor.
Let's just come down and rest in a child's pose.
Knees on the floor.
Sweep your hands back,
Bring your forehead down.
Okay,
Sweep your hands forward again.
Stretch back,
Downward facing dog.
So now we're going to jump back to sitting at the front of the mat.
So remember when you're doing these vinyasas,
Bend your knees,
Come onto the balls of the feet,
Jump forward and then cross your legs before your hands.
Then bring your bottom down.
Take your feet out in front.
So sitting in dandasana.
Let's move the buttock flesh out behind you so you're sitting on the front of your sitting bones.
Keep your thighs engaged and bring your hands by the sides of your hips.
So dandasana pose,
Staff pose.
Toes coming back towards your face.
Draw in your bandhas,
Uddiyana bandha,
Mula bandha,
Lifted.
Breastbone lifted,
Shoulders back and then bring your chin down towards your chest.
Okay,
So let's take the hands back behind you,
About hand distance behind you,
Fingers facing forward.
So you're either going to do this with bent legs,
This is the easier version,
Bent legs,
Feet apart.
Or if you're doing it in the more experienced version,
Straight legs.
Chin in towards your chest,
Take an inhale,
Lift your hips up,
Exhale,
Take your head back,
Roll your toes onto the floor.
Hold it for five breaths.
So if you're doing it with bent legs,
Make sure your knees are bent and your feet are underneath your knees.
Hold it,
One more breath.
And then exhale,
Come back down onto the floor.
So we're going to take a vinyasa from here,
Fingertips to the floor.
Let's try and move through one breath in each posture.
Inhale,
Legs up,
Exhale,
Cross your legs,
Roll forward,
Jump back and then lower down.
Inhale,
Push through,
Roll back the shoulders,
Look up.
Exhale,
Downward dog.
Okay,
And then inhaling,
Jump back again to sitting.
So lift up your buttocks,
Swing your feet forward,
Yes,
Good.
Feet out in front.
Let's take the legs out wide into a pradishtha panasana,
Wide angle.
So again,
Move your flesh,
Your buttock flesh out of the way.
And if you feel like you're really rolling back into your lower back,
You can sit on a cushion or onto a rolled up mat.
Try and keep the legs straight,
Toes coming back towards the face.
Inhale,
Lift up.
Let's lengthen here,
Let's just take three breaths.
Feeling as though somebody's pulling you up towards the ceiling.
But at the same time,
Keep your thighs working so the backs of the legs are coming into the floor.
Then exhale,
Hinge forward,
See if you can hold onto your big toes.
Now if you're holding onto your big toes,
The palms of the hands are facing inwards.
Now only do this with straight legs.
So if your legs are bending,
Bring your hands onto the floor in front instead.
Inhale,
Pull back,
Roll back the shoulders.
And then exhale,
Hinge forward,
Come down.
So we're trying to come down with the front of the body.
Chest moving forward,
Shoulders moving back.
If you feel like the backs of the legs have locked in and it's starting to cause too much stretching in the back of the knees,
Just bend the knees a little bit,
Engage your thighs and then straighten your legs.
Nice and long.
You notice all the difference,
You're just starting to move your shoulders back a little bit.
See if you can come down a little bit more.
Use your inhale and your exhale.
Inhale,
Come back up.
So now we're going to do a twist towards the right.
So turn your torso so that your rest bone is coming over your right leg.
Keep your left leg working and then walk your hands either side of your leg.
Try and keep your hands parallel with each other.
Some of you will be able to hold onto your foot.
If you can't hold onto your foot,
Just keep both hands on the floor.
Either both hands on the floor or both hands on your foot.
Bring your hands onto the floor.
Bring your foot up a little bit more.
So if your hands are on the floor,
You're pushing your hands into the floor and moving your chest forward,
Shoulders back.
Same thing with holding onto your foot.
Still,
Rest bone forward,
Shoulder blades moving down your back.
Okay,
Then let go of your feet,
Walk your hands back again to the centre.
Hands flat onto the floor,
See if you can walk forward with the hands a little bit.
Just a couple of breaths here.
So every time we're coming forward in a forward bend,
If you try and think about the front of the body is coming forward and the back of the body is coming back.
So if you feel the back of your body,
Your shoulder blades or your shoulder tips rolling forward,
Just remember they're supposed to be going back.
And then walk your hands towards the left.
Keep your right leg working.
Right leg is now your anchor leg,
Right buttock into the floor.
Hands either side of your left foot or holding onto your left foot.
And then get your shoulders level with the floor.
That's it.
So it's better to keep your hands flat on the floor and keep your shoulders level and your back straight than it is to hold onto your foot and hunch down.
So if we work the body in correct alignment,
Over time we reach all those areas that we want to reach.
Okay,
Release your foot.
Walk your hands back again to the centre.
Have a little stretch forward again.
See if anything's changed.
And then walk your hands back in towards you.
Okay,
Bring your feet together.
Try and bring your feet together.
Legs out along the mat.
Let's take a vinyasa from here.
So lots of energy.
Fingertips to the floor.
Inhale,
Lift your legs up.
Exhale,
Cross your legs.
Roll forward,
Jump back,
Lower down.
So remember the chest comes down towards the floor.
Inhale,
Push through.
Yeah,
Keep your elbows into the side when you do that,
Sarah.
Exhale,
Downward dog.
Inhale,
Jump back to sitting again.
Push your hands into the floor.
Good,
Getting better.
Take your feet out in front.
Okay,
So baddha konasana,
Soles of the feet together with the knees moving out to the side.
And then again,
See what's happened to the sitting bones.
You're trying to get onto the tip of the sitting bones.
So if your knees are quite high,
You can take a cushion.
So Sarah,
I would just roll up that cushion and sit on it.
And you'll as well,
You've got to,
Right hip is less flexible than your left.
Did you know that?
Okay,
Feet together,
Interlock your fingers.
Take them underneath the little toe sides of your feet.
Bring your chin in towards your chest.
Lengthen your spine,
Shoulders back,
Knees coming down towards the floor.
So as you're pulling on the little toe side of your feet and drawing in your uddiyana bandha,
Your mula bandha,
This lengthening upwards should help the knees move down.
Try and find that connection between the inner thighs and pulling onto the sides of the feet.
Keep your spine as long as possible.
Same process,
Breastbone forward,
Shoulders back.
So drop your right shoulder a little bit.
That's it,
Yeah.
So from here we're going to come forward.
Take your thumbs in towards the soles of the feet and roll them out to the sides like you're opening up the pages of a book.
Then try and keep your elbows tucked in towards your inner thighs.
So you're going to use your elbows to push the flesh away from the insides of the thighs back out to the knees.
And at the same time,
Lengthen your spine,
Tilt your hips forward and exhale,
Fold down.
So we're keeping the spine as long as possible.
Same process,
Chest moving forward,
Shoulders moving back.
That's it,
Use your breath.
See if you can come down a little bit more.
Okay and then inhale,
Come back up.
Bring your knees back together,
Move your props out of the way if you're using a cushion.
Fingertips to the floor,
Let's take our vinyasa.
Inhale,
Lift your legs up.
So one exhale,
Cross your legs,
Roll forward,
Release the feet back and then lower down.
Exhale,
Downward dog.
Okay,
Inhale,
Jump back again to sitting and take your feet forward.
Okay,
So let's do a twist marichyasana number three.
You're going to bend your right knee,
Bringing your right foot onto the floor close in towards your buttock.
And then have a little bit of distance in between your right foot and your inner left thigh.
Okay,
So you're going to try and keep both your buttocks in the floor,
Left leg outstretched,
Toes coming back towards the face.
Hold onto your right knee,
Lengthen up.
Take your shoulders back.
So first try and get as much length as you can in your spine.
For twist,
This is the same with backbends.
Lengthening the spine first before we move.
Right hand back behind you.
Now move your stomach,
Your ribcage,
Your chest towards the right.
Keep your left leg working.
Then take your left elbow,
You're going to get your left elbow over the outer edge of your right knee.
Keep your left arm bent with your hands across your chest.
Unless you're going a little bit deeper,
Then you can wrap your left arm around,
Take your right hand back and bind.
Some of you might be able to bind.
If not,
Just keep your left elbow over.
Right,
And then bend.
Move that knee out a little bit,
Flex that foot.
Right shoulder all the way back.
Turn to look towards the right.
Okay,
And then inhale.
Come back again to the centre and take your right foot forward.
So let's go with the left side.
Left leg bent,
Left knee bent.
Left foot on the floor.
Hold onto your knee,
Lengthen your spine.
Keep your right leg working,
Right thigh working.
Take your left hand back behind you.
Twist.
Now as you push your left hand into the floor,
You're also lengthening the spine.
And the right hand onto your left leg helps you to move around.
Then you can take your elbow over your left knee.
Palm of the hand facing towards the chest.
So keep this right arm dynamic.
Unless you're taking your hands around your right arm back,
Then you can take your left arm back and hold onto your fingers.
Look over your left shoulder.
So keep using your breath to twist a little bit deeper.
And then inhale,
Come back again to the centre.
Exhale,
Take your feet forward.
Okay,
So fingertips to the floor.
Take an inhale,
Lift your legs up.
Exhale,
Cross your legs,
Roll forward,
Jump back and lower down.
Inhale,
Push through,
Roll back the shoulders,
Look up.
Exhale,
Downward dog.
Okay,
So now we're going to come down onto the front of the body.
Bend your knees.
Stretch your feet back behind you.
Feet and ankles together.
Use your hands into the floor to slowly lower down onto your thighs,
Onto your hips,
Your stomach,
Your ribs.
All the way down to the floor.
So bring your elbows underneath your shoulders.
So you're going to bring your hands onto the floor,
Elbows underneath your shoulders.
Lift your shoulders up and your head up off the floor into a sphinx posture.
Keep your feet together.
So this is a backbending warm-up posture as well.
Palms of the hands into the floor.
So feel as though you're pushing your hands down,
But pulling them back towards you.
And then move your chest forward and at the same time lift your spine up.
So you're lengthening upwards and forwards and then taking your shoulder blades back.
Stay looking forward.
So we're trying to feel this space in the thoracic spine between the shoulder blades.
Moving into your upper back.
Okay,
And then come down and have a rest on one ear.
So as I said at the beginning,
We're going to be going through different backbends,
Some deeper than others.
Some we'll partner up and help each other with.
Forehead into the floor again.
Always keeping the neck in one long line and then take your arms back.
So your arms are lengthening alongside your body.
So keep your forehead into the floor and then just lift your right leg up,
Point your toes.
Right leg straight,
Keep your head and your shoulders in the floor.
And then bring your right leg down and lift your left leg up,
Point your toes.
So you're working into your buttock,
Stretching back your left leg and up.
And then left leg down.
Okay,
So keep your feet on the floor and your feet together.
Now just lift your head,
Your shoulders and your arms up.
So legs stay on the floor but lift the top part of the body up.
Face is looking forward but your eyes,
Your drishti,
Is looking upwards.
So again,
Just trying to work into this upper spine.
Keep your feet together.
Good and then lower down again.
So every time you come down you're going to rest on the opposite ear to the one you rested before.
So we're going to put all those elements together into Shalabhasana,
Locust Pose.
Just remember as well when we're doing these back bends,
You need to feel that you're slightly engaging this area around the buttocks.
So it doesn't mean that you're gripping,
It just means that you're aware of that area.
So you're trying to protect your lower back and move more into your upper back.
Bring your forehead to the floor.
So again,
Keep your neck in one long line,
Keep your feet together.
Let's do Shalabhasana.
Take an inhale,
Lift both your legs,
Both your arms,
Your head,
Your chest up.
So it feels as though you're skydiving off to the front of the room.
And then lower down.
So we're going to do that one again.
Forehead to the floor.
Feet together,
Heels together.
Inhale,
Lift up.
Take the arms back,
Shoulders,
Head facing forwards.
Try and get into your upper spine,
So move into your shoulder blades.
Good.
One more breath.
And then exhale,
Come back down.
Rest.
Different ear each time.
Okay,
So bend your knees and bring your heels in towards your buttocks.
So we're going to do Dhanurasana,
Bow posture.
Reach back and hold on to the top of your feet,
Or if you can,
You can take your hands down to your ankles.
Forehead central to the floor again.
So if your lower back is giving you a few problems,
You can keep your feet and your knees apart.
If your lower back is fine,
Try and keep your feet together at least.
Your knees will come apart a little bit.
Okay,
Take an inhale and lift your feet up,
Lift your head up.
Try and move so that you are on your hip bones.
Good,
So you're pulling your feet away from your arms.
Okay,
And then exhale to come back down.
Have a rest.
So we're going to do this one again in partners.
Can I just demonstrate on my own?
So as a partner,
You're going to help the person lift up a little bit,
Holding on to the calf muscles.
Now make sure when you do this that you're bending your knees and you're not taking it into your back as you're lifting.
So bend your knees,
Bring your heels in,
Reach back.
She's going to do the work,
But I'm going to give her a little lift.
Now I'm going to hold on to the calf muscles and get her up a little bit more.
And then we're going to have a little rock,
Which is kind of fun,
Isn't it?
Not sure?
Okay,
And then come down.
Okay,
So grab yourself a partner.
Okay,
So forehead into the floor,
Toes together.
Lift up first and then hold on to the calf muscles.
Yeah,
Sorry,
Hold on to the muscles.
Yeah,
Onto the fleshy part.
Okay,
And then give her a little rock.
Keep breathing,
But don't forget to breathe.
Enjoy the process.
Okay,
So once you've had a go,
Swap over.
Onto the calves,
So you want to try and get your hands in here.
Bend your knees.
Yeah,
Don't use your back to do this.
So you roll this way,
I'll rock him this way.
Yes,
That's it.
It's not that funny.
That's it,
Good.
Okay,
So once you've had a go,
Come back onto your mat.
Got a couple more back bends to do.
Hands onto the floor.
Okay,
Stretch back into a downward facing dog.
Okay,
Take your right leg up,
Point your toes.
And then with an exhale,
Bring your right knee onto its side on the floor in between your hands and stretch your left leg back.
So your knee comes onto the floor.
And your right heel is in towards your left hip.
Bring your fingertips to the floor,
Lengthen through your spine.
So lift up.
You're going to try and keep your spine as long as possible.
So we're going to try Raja Kapotasana,
King Pigeon Pose.
Lift your left leg up.
And then reach back,
Still with the chest forward,
Reach back and hold onto the inside of the left foot.
So bring your hand on the inside.
You're kind of twisting your hand back a little bit,
So it's more simple than that.
Just take your arm back,
Hold on the inside of your foot.
Yeah,
Like this.
Like that,
That's it.
Okay,
Now bring your heel in towards your buttock.
So press your heel down towards the buttock,
Stay looking forward.
Right hand into the floor.
So you're stretching the front of your left thigh.
If you get cramp,
My advice is just to stay with it.
Well it's cramp,
So it will.
But actually if you just stay in the posture,
The cramp disappears.
If you come out of it and go back in again,
It'll just come back.
Give it a try,
You may not believe me,
But it works every time.
Well,
From my understanding,
Cramp is dyslactic acid,
And if you stay in the posture,
It disperses.
Up to you.
Bring your elbow around the top of your foot if you can.
If you can't,
Just stay there.
Okay.
So release that side,
Bring your hands onto the floor.
Turn your toes under of your left foot,
Step back,
Downward facing dog.
So let's do the left side.
Lift your left leg up,
Point your toes.
And then inhale,
Bring your left knee forward,
Stretch your right leg back.
So left knee onto the floor,
Fingers forward.
So this is a back bend,
We're trying to keep the spine long and straight.
Come onto the front of your right foot.
Then bend your knee,
Reach back and hold onto the inside of your right leg.
Keep your left hand into the floor,
Bring your right foot in towards you.
So you're just exercising,
Stretching into that right thigh.
And then if you want,
You can bring your elbow in towards your foot.
And if you want to go further,
You reach your left hand up and hold onto your fingers.
Or if you're just staying here,
Left fingers into the floor.
Keep your chest moving forward.
And then release that side,
Bring your hands onto the floor,
Turn the toes under,
Stretch back into downward facing dog.
Okay,
Come onto your knees.
And then let's kneel up.
So we're going to do a camel posture,
Ustrasana.
First one we'll do with just the hands on the hips.
Keep the knees apart,
Two fists in between the knees,
That's the distance that you need.
And your feet go directly back behind your knees.
So don't let your toes turn into this one.
Hands onto your hips.
Bring your hands onto your hips.
Lengthen your spine.
So first part of the action,
We lift the spine up.
Then we move the hips forward and take your head back.
Stay for five breaths.
Try and release into the posture.
So if you're starting to feel some congestion around your neck,
Move your shoulders back.
Keep lengthening the neck back.
If it feels too invasive for the neck,
Just lift your head up.
And then inhale,
Lift back up again.
Okay,
So coming back a little bit further,
You have two options.
If you don't think you're going to reach your heels,
You can turn your toes under to reach back for your heels.
So you're on the balls of your feet.
Or you can be on the front of your feet and obviously that's a little bit lower.
So we go through it the same way.
Lift up the spine.
Now what's happened to your shoulders?
Have your shoulders come up to your ears?
Roll them back down again.
Keep your neck long,
Free.
Then move your hips forward.
Take your shoulders back.
Reach down,
Hold onto your heels.
And then take your head back.
So if you feel any cramping in your neck,
You can bring your head up.
That's good,
Samantha.
How's it feel?
Good,
Stay with it.
Okay,
And then slowly lifting back up.
Take your knees apart.
Bring your toes together,
Knees apart.
And then stretch back onto your heels.
Walk your hands forward.
And trying to get your chest down in between your knees.
Forehead into the floor.
Come back onto your hands and knees.
Stretch back into downward facing dog.
So we're going to jump back to sitting again at the front of the mat.
On the balls of the feet,
Take an inhale.
Jump forward,
Take your feet forward.
Put your feet towards the ends of the mat.
Palms of the hands facing each other.
And then slowly lower down,
All the way this time,
All the way down to the floor.
So now you have a choice of postures.
Your eyes are going to practice Setu Bandhasana,
Where your feet are flat on the floor,
Heels in towards the buttocks.
Shoulders underneath,
Holding onto the back of your ankles.
And lift your hips up.
Or if you want to practice Urdhva Dhanurasana,
You're going to take your hands underneath your shoulders.
Hands flat on the floor.
And then lift up.
Straighten your arms and look back towards your feet.
So whichever one you want to practice.
If you've had enough,
If your back has had enough,
Just do Setu Bandhasana.
Shoulders underneath,
Hips up.
This last posture,
Your spine will be quite flexible now.
Definitely warmer.
Try and hold it as long as you can until you're ready.
Okay,
Lower down towards the floor and then hug your knees in towards your chest.
Hold onto my ankles.
Hug your knees in towards your chest.
Cross your legs over at your ankles and hold onto the top of the feet.
So legs crossed and then put your toes and your heels in towards your buttocks.
Have a rock from side to side.
And then cross your legs the opposite way.
Same action,
Rocking from side to side.
So we're going to go straight into Shavasana.
Lengthen your legs out along the floor.
Palms of the hands facing up.
Let your feet be apart on your mat and let your feet drop down to the side.
So if you're finding that your lower back is a little bit sore,
You might just want to bend your knees.
Bring your knees towards each other.
Take your feet wide and this helps to get your lower back into the floor.
Yeah,
So your feet are apart.
Palms of the hands facing upwards.
Relax.
Let go of your body.
Feel all your muscles and bones sinking.
Keep your eyes closed.
Try and observe the energy running up and down the spine.
Backbends can release the channels of energy in the spinal column.
Also known as the Nadi system.
So you can feel quite exhilarated after a backbend class or you can feel simply emotional.
If you have resistance in your body,
It can feel quite an invasive process.
Allow all your muscles and bones to sink.
Let your spine become soft.
Relax the muscles in your shoulders,
In your face.
Release your jaw.
Allow your cheeks to slide down to your shoulders.
Feel your eyes sinking deep into the skull.
Like two small pebbles going down to the depths of the ocean.
Move all your senses away from light into darkness.
And from movement into stillness.
Nothing to do.
Nowhere to go.
Nothing to do.
Feel your body on the mat.
Notice all the spaces at the back of the body that's touching the mat.
Move your fingers and toes.
Gently rock your head from side to side.
Take your arms back over your head and have a stretch all the way down to the tips of your toes.
And keep your right arm where it is.
Defend your left knee.
And roll over onto the right side of your body.
Let your left hand drop to the front.
Your left knee drop to the front.
Stay in this recovery position for a few more breaths.
And when you're ready you can push your left hand into the floor.
Come up from the side back to a sitting position.
Okay,
So sit in a comfortable position with the spine straight.
I'll just read to you some words from the Upanishads.
One of the ancient Vedic texts.
Watch your thoughts,
They become words.
Watch your words,
They become actions.
Watch your actions,
They become habits.
Watch your habits,
They become character.
Watch your character,
For it becomes your destiny.
Okay,
Bring your hands together in front of your chest.
Taking in the right and the left side of your body.
Your sun and your moon,
Your male and female energies.
All coming back into balance,
Into harmony,
Into union.
And yoga means union.
So with this practice of yoga we're trying to unite all the elements in the body in a physical,
Emotional,
Mental way.
If you want to join me,
We'll change three arms to finish.
Take a breath in.
Thank you for coming.
