Slow Yoga Flow: 30 Day Challenge Day 9

Connect to your breath and let it guide you through continuous, feel-good movement. Flow seamlessly from one posture to the next, with no pose held longer than a breath or two. No props needed for this practice.

Transcript

Hey everyone, And welcome to day nine of our 30-day yoga challenge. My name is Candice, And today's practice is about slow, Continuous movements guided by the breath. So we won't be holding poses for very long, If at all. We'll be really slowing down, Connecting with the breath, Letting the breath guide the movements. And we don't need any specific props, Unless you know you have specific ones that you like. Go ahead and grab them, And we will start in a comfortable seated position. So just getting comfortable in your seats, You can let the eyes close down for now. Let the hands rest wherever they are comfortable, Either resting on your knees or maybe folded together in your lap. We'll just take a few moments here to connect with the breath. So for these first few moments. Just noticing the breath in its natural pace, Not looking to change or control it just yet. Notice where your awareness naturally falls. Whether it's at the tip of the nose where the breath enters and it leaves. Maybe you notice the sensation of the belly and the ribcage expanding and contracting softly. Noticing with complete non-judgmental awareness. If the breath is shallow. It's deep. Noticing any sensations in the body that are present right now. And keeping the belly soft, We can start to draw the breath in a little bit deeper. Sipping the breath in through the nose, Following it down the back of the throat, All the way down to the base of the diaphragm. Feel everything expand and open. Pausing at the top, Exhale just as long and slow. Let the breath leave the body, Feel everything relax and come back in towards center. And you work to make the inhales and exhales equal in length. Calm and smooth, Even and deep, Continuous breaths. And knowing that as the mind will inevitably wander throughout your practice today, You have this breath to come back to. This grounding force that keeps you centered in your body. Keeps your mind and body connected. Keeping you centered here in this moment that we have together. And feel free to keep the eyes closed if that feels comfortable for you or if you want to slowly blink the eyes open. Slide the hands to the knees if they aren't there. Inhale, Roll the shoulders back, Lift your heart, Lift your chin. Exhale, Tuck the chin round the shoulders forward, Heart pulls back. Gentle cat-cow movement through the spine. Inhale, Heart comes through, Chest lifts. Exhale, Shoulders round forward, Drop the chin round back. Inhale, Come through. Exhale, Round. This time on the inhale, Straighten the spine, Sweep the arms up overhead, Stretch through the fingertips, Pressing evenly through both sides. As you exhale, Elbows come down into a cactus position, Elbows straight out from the shoulders. Inhale, Squeeze the shoulder blades back, Pull the elbows back, Lift your heart, Lift your chin. Same idea, Exhale round, This time elbows and hands come toward each other in front. Inhale, Open up, Squeeze the shoulder blades together, Pull the elbows back, Lift. Exhale, Round, Same movement through the spine, Just adding the arms here. Inhale, Open up. Exhale, Round two. Inhale, Open up. Ugh, How round. Inhale, Come back to center, Arms in cactus for a moment. As you exhale, Take the right arm down beside you, Sweep the left arm up. Side bend over to the right, Little bend to the right elbow. Inhale takes you up, Exhale left hand down, Sweep the right arm up. Side bend to the left. Flowing side to side with your breath. Breath first, Movement follows. We have a tendency to kind of rush through the movements. Leading with the body first, But we want to lead with the breath first. So the inhales happen first to take you up, Then you move your body. When we allow the breath to guide the movements, We can really slow down and feel intentional. Feel connected. Let's take one more each direction here. And then we'll inhale, Come up. Let's release our seat, Come through to a tabletop position. Find your hands under the shoulders, Knees underneath the hips, Rock the hips from side to side. Swing your hips around to the right, Sink the hips back towards the heels and around to the left. Nice big circles around the hips. Exhales, Take you back. Inhales, Come forward. You might hear some cracks in the knees or the hips. Know that that's perfectly normal. Go ahead and take those circles opposite direction. Hips swing to the right, Excuse me, Left. Swing it back over to the right as you come forward. And coming back forward, Take the big toes to touch, Knees wide, Sink down into a child's pose. Pause here, Full exhale. Inhale, Look forward, Leading from the heart, Slide forward onto the belly, Right up into your Cobra. Lifting through the heart, Squeeze the shoulder heads back. Exhale, Lower down, Press into the palms, Come back, Child's Pose. Inhale, Glide forward leading from the heart. Rise up, Cobra. Exhale lower and slide back child's pose. Inhale, Leading from the heart, Come forward, Rise up. Exhale, Lower to the belly this time. Take the hands out a little bit wider, Maybe just off of the mat tent, The fingertips. As you inhale, Press into the fingertips, Press into the tops of the feet as you roll up to a hug. Cobra, Higher cobra variation. As you exhale, Drop the right shoulder, Right ear to the ground. Inhale first, Rise up. Exhale, Left shoulder, Left ear. Inhale first, Rise up. Exhale. Inhale, Come up. Exhale, Left shoulder down. And now rise up. So this charging cobra. Exhale, Lower the chest down. Slide the hands back beside the ribs, Press into the palms, Tuck the toes under, Slide the hips up and back, Downward facing dog. We'll pause here for a breath or two, But feel free to move around in any way to get yourself settled in if this is your comfort zone. First downward dog of the day. Give yourself time to ease into it. Pedal the feet to rock the hips from side to side. Next, Exhale, Settle in. Pause in stillness for a moment. As you inhale, Lift through the heels, Look forward, Soften the knees, Tiptoe your way up to the top of the mat. Uttanasana Forward Fold. Soften the knees, Head, Neck, And shoulders. Relax. Inhale, Lift up halfway, Lengthen the spine. Exhale, Head, Neck, And shoulders soft. Do that a few more times. Inhale to halfway lift, Lengthen the spine. Exhale, Melt. Halfway lift, Inhale. Head, Neck and shoulders, Relax, Pause. Keeping a bend to the knees. As you inhale, Slowly roll through the spine all the way up. To the top of the mat, Standing, Head comes up last. Ending in your Mountain Pose, Readjust yourself, Grounding down through the feet. Standing tall, Maybe flip the palms forward as you lift the crown of the head. Full breath in. Take a full breath out. Inhale, Sweep the arms up overhead, Gazing up towards the thumb. Exhale, Soften the knees, Uttanasana, Forward Fold. As you inhale, Lift up halfway. As you do that, Send the right leg behind you. As you exhale, Bend into the left knee, Step the right toes down at the back of the mat, Drop the right knee. Inhale, Rise up, Anjaniyasana. Hand can just come to your thigh or maybe take the arms up. As you exhale, Take the palms to the mat, Tuck the back toes under, Step the left foot to the back of the mat, Drop the knees, Lower chest and chin down. Untuck the toes, Inhale, Rise up, Cobra. Exhale, Lower down, Press into the palms, Downward facing dog. Inhale, Take the right leg up and back. Exhale, Curl the right knee in towards the chest, Step the foot between the hands if you need to walk it forward a bit to help it out. Drop the back knee, Ride your breath, Inhale, Rise up. Anjaneyasana. Exhale, Take the hands down, Step up, Uttanasana, Top of the mat, Forward fold. Inhale, Halfway lift. Exhale, Melt. Inhale, Root to rise, Sweep the arms all the way up. Exhale, Hands to heart center. Release the hands, Flip the palms, Inhale, Sweep the arms up, Gazing up towards your thumb. Exhale, Forward Fold. Ride your breath down. As you inhale, Lift up halfway. When you do, Send the left leg straight back. Exhale, Bend the right knee, Step the left toes down, Left knee down. Inhale, Ride your breath up. Exhale, Hands come to the mat, Step back, Drop the knees, Lower chest, And chin down. Untuck the toes. Inhale, Rise up, Cobra. Exhale, Tuck the toes, Downward facing dog. Inhale, Left leg lifts up. Exhale, Curl left knee in towards the chest. Step the foot between the hands. Maybe wiggle it forward a little bit to help it out. Drop the back knee. Inhale, Ride your breath up. Exhale, Fingertips come down, Step up, Uttanasana, Forward Fold. Inhale, Halfway lift. Exhale, Head, Neck and shoulders soft. Keeping a bend to the knees, Tuck the chin, Inhale, Slowly roll. All the way up. Once you get to the top, Bend the knees and melt down. Inhale, Bend the knees. Slowly roll up, Slowly kind of straightening the knees as you rise up vertebra by vertebra. And then exhale, Bend the knees again, Melt down. Last one, Inhale. Rise up. Exhale, Bend the knees and melt. Pause here. Maybe cross the arms, Grab opposite elbows, Allow yourself to sway and shift your weight from side to side. Two more breaths. Come back to center. Let the arms come down. Inhale, Lift up halfway. Exhale, Plant both hands, Step both feet back, Lower knees, Chest, And chin all the way down. Inhale, Roll the shoulders back. Lift up, Cobra. Exhale, Lower to the belly. Inhale, Press into the palms, Roll up, Cobra. Exhale, Lower down. Two more, Inhale, Roll out. XOLOR Inhale, Roll up. Exhale, Lower down, Press into the palms, Come up tabletop. Shift the weight into the left hand. Inhale, Sweep the right arm out and up. Exhale, Thread the right arm underneath the left. Almost rest the shoulder down. And then inhale, Unwind, Open up. Exhale, Thread it through. Inhale. Exhale. Inhale, Rise up, Opens up through the right arm. Exhale, Right hand comes down. Switching sides, Shift the weight into the right hand. Inhale, Sweep the left arm out and up. Exhale, Thread the left arm underneath the right side, Almost resting the left shoulder head down. And then inhale, Unwind, Sweep the left arm up. Exhale, Thread it through. Inhale, Rise. Exhale. Inhale, Rise up, Stretch up through the left fingertips. Exhale, Left hand comes back down to the mat. Bring the knees together, Heels together. Go ahead and sit back on the heels. Sweep the arms behind you. Inhale, Clasp the hands together or just take your hands to your hips. Inhale, Roll the shoulders back. Lift your heart, Lift your gaze. Exhale, Melt over the legs. Forehead comes towards the mat. And he'll come up. Exhale. Last one, Inhale, Rise. And exhale, Release. Stay sitting up. Shift over to one side. Swing the legs out in front of you. Right leg extends out in front of you, Bending the left knee. So the sole of the left foot comes to the inner right thigh. Tenting the right fingertips behind you, Inhale sweep the left arm up. Exhale, You can keep a soft bend to the right knee. As you fold towards the right leg, Left hand can come to the outer calf, Your ankle, Maybe your foot. And as you inhale, Rise up, Sweep the left arm up. Exhale, Plant the left hand behind you, Squeeze the glutes to press into the hips, Lift the hips up, Sweep the right arm up and back. Exhale, Hips come down, Turn towards your right leg. Inhale, Sweep the left arm up. Exhale, Fold over right leg. Inhale to rise, Sweep the left arm up. Exhale plant the left hand behind you as you do lift the hips sweep the right arm up and back Exhale, Hips come down, Turn towards your right leg, Sweep the left arm up, Inhale. And exhale, Fold. Inhale, Rise up out of the pose. Switching sides, Left leg extends out in front of you. Right knee bends, Sole of the right foot to the inner left thigh. Take the left hand, Tent the fingertips behind you. Inhale, Take the right arm up. Keep a soft bend in that left knee if you want to. Folding over left leg, Reaching the hand to the outer calf, Ankle, Maybe the foot. Inhale, Rise up, Sweep the right arm up. Exhale, Plant the right hand behind you. Lift the hips up, Sweep the left arm up and back. Next exhale, Take the hips down, Turn to the left foot, Sweep the right arm up. Exhale, Fold over left leg. Inhale, Rise up. Exhale, Press into the palm. Lift the hips. Inhale, Lift the left arm up and back. Exhale, Hips come down. Turn to the left foot, Sweep the right arm up. Exhale, Fold down. Inhale, Rise up out of the pose. Bend both knees, Bring the soles of the feet together, Grabbing your ankles or taking your peace fingers around the big toe. Inhale, Lengthen up through the spine. Exhale, Folding down over the legs. Pausing here, Slowing the breath down. Coming back to the breath if you've lost it. Starting to release a little bit of control here. Can you let the breath become soft and natural? On the next inhale, We can rise up, Planting both feet on the mat. Maybe slide forward if you need to. Slowly lower down onto the back. Curl the knees in towards the chest, Give yourself a little squeeze, Rocking from side to side. And we'll extend the arms out to the side. Stack the knees over the hips, Shins parallel to the mat. Slide the hips a little to the left. Exhale, Drop the knees over to the right. Keeping your gaze up or maybe turning your head to face the left side, Maybe taking your right hand to the outer left thigh. One more breath in. And exhale, Unwind from your twist, Slide the hips back to center, Stack the knees over the hips, Take a breath in. And as you exhale, Slide the hips over to the right, Drop the knees over to the left. Settling into your twist, Take a few breaths. One more breath in. And exhale, Slide the hips back to center. Curl the knees in towards the chest. Give yourself one final squeeze. And then we can extend the legs out in front. Take the legs wide, Let the feet fall open, Let the arms come beside you, Closing the eyes down, Resting in your Shavasana. Feeling the breath completely return back to its natural pace, Surrendering here to your mat. Allowing the body to soften, Feeling relaxed. Completely and utterly supported by the mat underneath of you. And I would like to. . . Just leave you here for as long as you need or as long as you have time for. Soaking up these few moments here. That you have with no obligation, Nowhere to be. And thank you so very much for joining me in practice. And we will see you again tomorrow.