Welcome to your yoga practice.
I'm Shea and today's yoga practice is a combination of gentle movement and yoga nidra.
This is actually a practice that I shared with my community in January of 2022 and that particular month inspiration arose from an animal oracle card pull.
In January of that year I pulled the lion which signifies self-transformation as well as strength and peace.
The element that is associated with the lion is the fire element and in yoga and Ayurveda the fire element is also associated with our ability to digest not only food but life experiences,
Memories,
Thoughts,
Emotions,
Basically life in general.
It's also significant of discernment,
Confidence,
Strength,
And clarity and so the fire element is needed especially when we have to take in whether it's information or food and transform that into something beneficial,
Knowledge,
Wisdom,
Nutrients,
Or if we need to get rid of something,
Waste product,
Something that is no longer serving us.
And so this particular practice really leans into this fire element creating some gentle heat in the body to help us become unstuck,
To create spaciousness and clarity so that we're then able to create discernment in the choices that we're making,
The actions that we're taking.
This particular practice I thought was very fitting coming out of the calendar year and into a new year but I think that this practice is also applicable any time in our life that we may feel a little stuck or that we may need to create some clarity and some discernment around the choices and actions that we're taking and making.
So for this particular practice since it is a combination of movement and deep rest I suggest having all of the props so blocks,
Pillows,
Blankets,
Bolsters,
Maybe even socks for your feet and something light like a towel or a scarf to cover your eyes.
If you have the ability to set up your nest now before we begin our practice and then have a practice space so that you can just after the movement slide right into your nest,
Go ahead and feel free to set up your nest.
Otherwise there will be time given to set up your nest between the two parts of our practice today.
I hope you enjoy.
I hope that you find that this practice creates some inner confidence,
Strength,
Clarity,
And discernment.
So let's go ahead and start in a seated position.
You can sit on a bolster or directly on the earth if that feels comfortable for the hips.
Legs can be crossed or you can straighten the legs out in front of you.
Just allow your spine to be tall and if it's comfortable close the eyes or you can just gaze softly towards the tip of your nose.
Feel your sit bones rooting down into the earth and the crown of your head reaching towards the sky.
So again long spine and drop your awareness down into the belly,
The navel center.
It's about two inches above the belly button.
Notice how the space of the body feels this afternoon.
We often carry tension in this area of our body unknowingly so if you notice any sort of tension or holding on,
See if you can just soften.
Even if it's just 5% can you soften the belly and with each exhale just continue to soften maybe a little bit more.
Allow your shoulders to soften towards the earth.
The space between the eyebrows to relax.
Allow the jaw to relax.
Soft belly on each exhale and begin to see,
Sense or feel right at your navel center a golden almond shaped flame.
This flame just burning right at the navel center.
Maybe you can see it with your mind's eye.
Maybe you can sense the warmth from the flame.
Just let that awareness on the flame continue to rest there at your navel center.
Keeping the belly soft,
Just let the breath be effortless.
Again this area of the body associated with the fire element,
The element of transformation,
The seat of our confidence and our strength,
This inner wisdom.
So maybe before we begin to move our bodies,
If there's anything that kind of lingering from the past year that you are ready to let go,
Just offer it to that flame.
Just drop it into that fire and as it burns,
Sense smoke rising from that almond shaped flame.
That smoke moving you into the new year,
Into the awareness of any transformation that may be happening now in this moment or that may come throughout the next 12 months.
Then gently bringing hands together,
Palms pressing,
Begin to rub the palms briskly creating some heat.
When you're ready gently place the palms over the eyes,
Blinking the eyes open,
Receiving that warmth and then making your way over into tabletop.
So coming to hands and knees.
So stacking shoulders over wrists,
Hips over knees.
Let's take four cat cows.
So as the belly drops,
Heart draws through the upper arms,
Gaze up.
As you exhale round the upper back,
Press the earth away.
Beautiful.
Take three more flowing with your breath.
Beautiful.
Heart open,
Soft belly on the inhale.
Exhale draws in and slightly up.
Take one more big breath in and out.
On an inhale,
Come back to a neutral spine.
We're going to extend our right leg back and then we're going to hover that right leg.
So engaging the low belly here,
We want to flatten out the low back.
Draw the heart towards the top of your mat,
Keeping the back of your neck long.
And you can press through your heel or you can press through the ball of the foot.
Either way works.
I just want to keep that belly engaged.
Press down through the knuckles.
Two more breaths here.
Breaths here.
Lengthen.
Same action,
The navel drawing in and up on the exhale.
Last breath in.
Exhale,
Come back to table.
Left side.
Extending that left leg back.
Inhaling,
Lift.
Low belly stays toned,
Spine stays long.
Five breaths here.
Beautiful.
Keep hugging that side towards the midline of the mat.
Sensing that the heart is moving past the top edge of your mat.
So we're lengthening the spine as we tone the belly.
Beautiful.
Last breath in.
Tabletop on the exhale.
I'm going to go back to the right side.
Same thing.
Extending the right leg back and then bringing it to hover.
Option here to add the left arm but not required.
So if you lift the left arm,
Bring the bicep by the ear.
The palm faces in towards the middle of your mat and those fingertips reach way out in front of you.
Two more breaths.
So you may feel some fire building up the navel here.
Last inhale.
Exhale to table.
Left leg extends.
Beautiful.
Set up here.
So find that foundation first.
Hugging the thigh to the midline,
Navel engaged,
And then option to hussle the right arm forward.
Notice here if the eyebrows,
The forehead,
The jaw begins to tense.
Can you soften the face?
Beautiful.
Nice,
Long spine.
One more breath in.
Exhale back to table.
All right.
We're going to take that right leg back once again.
We're going to keep the foot on the earth this time and we're going to spin the foot down.
Beautiful.
That left foot can stay exactly where it is or maybe it swings out to the left a little bit.
We're going to lean our weight into the left hand and on an inhale take your right hand to the sky.
Supported side plank.
Beautiful.
So even here the navel is engaged.
Pelvis moving towards your right heel as the crown of your head moves towards the top of your mat.
Two more breaths.
Beautiful.
Right fingertips reaching.
One more inhale.
Exhale with control back to tabletop.
Opposite side.
Left leg extends.
Left foot spins down.
Option to swing the right foot out and then lean the weight into your right hand.
Inhale,
Left hand to the sky.
Beautiful.
Shoulders back.
Toming the bow.
Beautiful.
Nice and steady.
Last breath in.
Exhale to table.
Beautiful.
We're going to tuck our toes here.
So if you have a block you're welcome to place that block between your thighs or you can just imagine you have a block between the thighs.
So you want to hug the thighs towards the midline.
Draw the heart towards the top of your mat engaging the navel and on an exhale hover your knees about two or three inches off the earth.
Beautiful.
So really firing up the navel center here.
Two more breaths.
Yeah so if you have that block between the thighs and really feel that low belly engagement here.
Last breath in.
Down dog on your exhale.
Once you're in the down dog,
If you want to remove the block,
You can.
Beautiful.
Feel free to walk it all.
Any sort of movement that may feel good in your body here since it's our first down dog.
Just take a moment to feel that fire you've built.
Fire at the navel center.
So again we start with movement and practice before we enter this state of deep rest.
So that the body can rest.
So that the mind can rest.
This heat building allows us to release,
To tenderize,
To melt any tension,
Anything that may be causing resistance to rest.
Beautiful.
On an inhale you can come back to the knee hover or you can move into high plank or forearm plank.
So we're going to take eight breaths here.
Yobi's choice.
Set your awareness at your navel center and sense that ellen and shape plane once again.
Maybe you sense it getting warmer or brighter or bigger.
Beautiful.
Last two breaths here.
Heart moving towards the top of your mat.
Rest through your heels if you're in clay.
Beautiful.
One more breath in.
Lower through your chaturanga.
Come all the way to your belly.
Beautiful.
Stacking your forearms,
Rest your forehead on the back of the forearms.
Crocodile toes.
You're welcome to rock your hips from side to side or just find stillness.
As you breathe here notice the belly pressing into the earth.
The back body enlisting on your inhale and everything drawing back towards the spine on your exhale.
Coming to breath awareness.
Just notice the length of the inhale and exhale.
If they are not already the same length,
Begin to shape the breath so that they are balanced.
That can be three,
Four,
Or five counts.
Beautiful.
On your next inhale move through tabletop and as you exhale come back to down dog and then inhale gaze between your hands.
As you exhale step your right foot forward.
Lower your left knee to the earth.
I'm going to come to low lunge.
Hands can stay on the earth or they can come to blocks framing the right foot.
They can even come to the top of your right thigh.
Again,
Whatever feels best in your body today.
So here continue to think about lengthening through the spine.
If the hands are on the thigh or the blocks,
Think about taking the crown of your head towards the sky.
If the hands are on the earth,
Think about taking your heart over the top edge of your mat.
Beautiful.
Three more breaths here.
Last inhale.
Exhale stepping back to down dog.
One breath here in down dog.
None of the inhale gaze polar.
Exhale left foot steps through this time.
Right knee comes to the earth.
Beautiful.
Setting up your lunge.
Whatever that looks like in your body today.
Knowing that it may be different than yesterday and be different than tomorrow.
Beautiful.
Spine is low.
You can set the awareness at the navel center again on that flame if you like.
You can rest it on the breath.
Last three breaths here.
Last inhale.
This time as you exhale free your front foot.
Tuck your back toes.
Lift your back knee.
We're going to step to the top of our mat for a forward fold.
So keeping the knee nice and bent.
Just let the hand be heavy.
You can grab in our elbows if it's good or you could just let the arm dangle.
We're going to take about three more breaths here in our fold.
Beautiful.
Letting hands come back to the earth if you have the arm behind.
And then begin to roll up vertebrae by vertebrae.
You can walk the hands off the legs.
You're going to come to Tadasana.
You're going to cross up and come to the mat.
Just take a moment to check in.
How that mirror is standing and how our feet rooted into the earth.
Feel the leaves of the spine.
Crown of the head and chin towards the sky.
Come back to that sitting at your middle center.
Just become aware once again maybe of the warmth that's radiating.
The light.
The shine.
The color that it's giving.
Just notice any sort of texture.
Anything that you're sensing.
And to keep feel the fire.
You're going to come on and inhale.
Let's take the arms up and overhead.
We're going to go around the elbows or forearms.
We're going to lean to the left.
Keep rooting in as we move both feet as we breathe into the right side body.
Sense that you can crawl any breath distance to the right wall.
Now inhale from back to sticking.
We'll lean right onto the exhale.
Feel the space being created in between the intercostals.
Beautiful.
Inhale rise and back up to center.
Interlace the hands.
Bring them behind the head.
Imagine you're squeezing that block between your thighs once again.
Option is always if you have a block to use the block and actually squeeze the block.
Sometimes this allows us just to create that engagement with a little more awareness.
So again bringing the hands behind the head.
Inhale lengthen the spine.
Tone the navel.
Squeeze that block and lean back just a little bit.
Inhale lengthen once again.
Exhale leaning back just a little bit more.
Tailbone continues to drop towards your heels.
Last breath in.
Lean back a little more.
Keep squeezing that block.
Navel tone.
Inhale rise back.
Exhale release the arm spires.
Beautiful.
We're going to do that one more time.
Inhale sweeping the arms up interlinked.
Take a breath here.
Navel engaged.
Breath in lengthen.
Exhale leaning back just a little bit.
Heart opening.
Two more deep breaths in.
Exhale leaning back.
Last one.
Lean back.
Beautiful.
You may feel the body shape within a hole here for one breath.
Inhale rise back up.
Exhale release.
Nice job.
You can take that block and remove it from the thighs.
All right.
So go ahead and bring both blocks to the top of your mat.
For those at home,
You can use blocks and bulks.
I may have to work for something beneath that hand.
Now let's inhale.
Let's take both thighs up.
Beautiful.
With an exhale fold forward.
Bring our blocks right beneath the shoulders.
Let's use the tall level actually.
And inhale lengthen your spine.
Beautiful.
So we're drawing the heart past the top of our mat.
Engage the low belly here.
So taking any sway out of the low back.
Beautiful.
Inhale sweep the right leg up.
So then with our table top spine.
We're just standing this time.
Beautiful.
Keep pressing through the heel or the ball of your foot.
Heart draws forward.
One more inhale.
Exhale set your right foot at the back of your mat.
We're going to come into a lunge here.
Awesome.
Draw that right block in line with the left foot.
So that right hand stays on the block.
We're going to take a twist here.
Left hand reaches for the sky.
Option to drop that right knee to the earth or go low lunge version.
Beautiful.
Two more breaths.
Nice job.
One more.
Exhale bring that left hand back to the block.
Slide that right block back to the top of your mat.
All right.
Inhale lengthen.
Draw the heart forward as you exhale and take a little hop off that back leg.
Come to that supported warriors three.
Beautiful.
Fire at the belly.
Keep the navel engaged.
We're going to exhale lower the right foot to the earth.
Nice job.
Left foot inhale sweeping up.
Really extending through the spine.
Press through the heel ball of the foot.
Draw the heart forward.
Two more breaths here.
On your next exhale with control lower your left foot to the back of your mat.
Slide that left block back.
Inhale find your twist.
Right fingertips reaching for the sky.
Beautiful.
The gaze can be up at or down.
Just keep rolling your heart open to the sky.
Hugging that right knee towards the midline of your mat.
Beautiful.
One more breath in.
Exhale right hand comes back to your block.
Sliding the left block forward.
Inhale lengthen.
Exhale.
We find a little hang time here.
Beautiful.
Big breath in.
Exhale.
Left foot comes to the earth.
Find a fold.
Beautiful.
Hands can stay on the blocks or you can bring the hands to the earth.
It doesn't matter.
Let the head be heavy.
Beautiful.
Halfway list.
Bring your hands back to the blocks if they had moved.
We're going to sweep that right leg up once again.
Exhale step it to the back of your mat.
Crescent lunge.
So this time the hands come off of the blocks.
Again you're always welcome to lower that back knee if that feels better in your body today.
All right as you exhale we're going to shift the shoulders forward of the hips a few inches and sweep the fingertips towards the back of your mat.
We have four breaths here.
So the knee down version.
Very similar.
Just keep that awareness at the navel center.
So fire at the belly.
Two more breaths.
Beautiful.
Spine hung.
You may feel some heat at the low back as well.
Inhale.
Sweep the arms back up.
Rise to crescent.
Exhale.
Shams reach for those blocks.
Hop off that back leg.
Beautiful.
Exhale.
Release your right foot to the earth.
Left side.
Inhale.
Sweeping the leg up.
Exhale.
Step it to the back of your mat.
Hugging the thighs towards the midline.
Especially if you're keeping that back knee listed.
And on an inhale,
Rise to your crescent.
Beautiful.
When you're ready,
Exhale.
Shoulders move forward off the hips.
Fingertips reach towards the back of your mat.
Two more breaths here.
Beautiful.
Inhale.
Rising back to the crescent.
Exhale.
This time hands to the earth.
Step back to your down dog.
Beautiful.
Four breaths.
Beautiful.
Inhale to tabletop.
Exhale to child's pose.
Securating the knees.
Let the big toes tuck.
Take four breaths here.
Beautiful.
Inhale.
Come back through tabletop.
Bringing the knees back under the hips.
All right.
From here we're going to walk our hands back towards our knees and come up high on our knees.
Again,
Option to use that block placing in between the thighs.
We're going to tuck the toes here.
Bring your awareness back to the navel center.
We're going to do a little core activation just on our knees.
Let's bring the hands together.
You can interlace the fingers.
You may just clasp the hands.
Just bring them out in front of you several inches.
Almost like you're stirring a pot.
We're about to stir a pot.
Beautiful.
Big breath in.
Lengthen the spine.
On an exhale,
We begin to gently lean back.
Squeeze that block.
Tone the belly.
Inhale.
Come back up.
Exhale.
Leaning back.
Trying to do that three more times.
Inhale.
Rising up.
Exhale.
Squeeze as you lean back.
Big breath in and out.
Last one.
Inhale.
Exhale.
We're going to pause here for four breaths.
Squeeze that block.
Think about the crown of your head listing.
Yes,
You're going to feel this in the quads as well,
But bring that awareness up to the flame at your navel and just sense that flame being stoked.
Brighter and brighter.
One more inhale.
One more exhale.
Inhale.
Come all the way up.
Release the hands.
Release that block.
And you can sit back on your heels for a moment.
Hands can just rest on the thighs,
Over the belly,
Even over the heart.
Check in.
Allowing that warmth to spread,
To melt away tension,
To melt away resistance,
To shine a light on the wisdom that resides within.
That part of you that knows and knows that it knows.
Beautiful.
Inhale.
Coming back up high on the knees.
Grabbing that block once again.
We're going to come back to this core activation one last time.
Toes tucked.
Clasping the hands.
Big breath in.
Exhale.
Leaning back.
This time we're going to stir that imaginary pot any direction.
Just take five loops.
Keep squeezing.
Nice and slow.
And then five in the opposite direction.
Let that fire go.
Beautiful.
Last one.
Exhale.
Relief.
All right.
Make your way into a child's post.
Knees separate.
Heart melts towards the earth.
Coming back to some of the deep balanced movement that we've been doing for a long time.
Just take enough breath and gently make your way over onto your back.
You can orient your head whatever direction on the mat you prefer.
Bringing the soles of your feet to the earth.
Just gently take the knees from side to side.
Take a moment to establish that connection between your back body and the earth.
We're going to move into a twist.
So yogi's choice.
You can draw the knees in towards your chest and then just take both knees to the right.
You can cross the legs one over the other.
Or you can extend one leg straight onto the mat.
Drawing the opposite knee in and finding the twist that way.
So basically your favorite twist version.
As you let that left shoulder blade melt back towards the earth.
Again draw fear awareness down into the navel center.
Senates the flame.
On an inhale draw your knees back through center.
And when you're ready on an exhale finding the twist to your left this time.
Inhale drawing your knees back through center.
Exhale bringing the feet back to the earth if they're not already there.
And straightening out the spine.
Then moving into one last shape.
Happy baby.
It can be reclined,
Bound angle.
Drawing the knees in towards your chest.
Just something even on both sides.
Something that you feel will help you drop into relaxation.
Beautiful.
Now five more breaths.
With as little effort as possible see if you can begin to allow your exhale breath to be longer than your inhale.
The exhale breath to be longer than your inhale without forcing it.
When you're ready gently coming out of this last shape and moving at half speed.
So no need to rush.
Begin to set up your space for deep relaxation.
So I often say your favorite Shavasana.
That's a bolster under the legs,
Backs of the knees.
You can have a pillow or a blanket under your head.
A blanket under the ankles.
And if you have access maybe even something lightweight to cover the eyes.
If you know you get a little cold maybe a blanket to cover up with.
Just taking a few moments here.
Scanning the body.
Noticing if there is any area that would benefit from a little more support.
Another blanket,
Another bolster.
So when you're ready allow the eyes to close or to gaze softly towards the tip of your nose.
Bring your awareness back to your belly and just watch the navel rise and fall.
Rising on the inhale.
Falling on the exhale.
And as you continue to watch the navel rise and fall.
Begin to shape the breath so that your inhale is four counts and your exhale is eight counts.
If the eight count exhale is a little long it causes a little effort.
Move to a three count inhale and a six count exhale.
Just continue exhaling twice as long as the inhale for a few more rounds.
The dropping and the breathing technique allow the breath to become effortless.
You're no longer controlling or shaping the breath.
The body is just breathing.
Notice the points of connection between your body and the earth.
The back of the head,
The shoulders,
The length of the arms,
The length of your spine,
The buttocks,
The backs of the legs,
And the heels.
Know that the earth is holding you and supporting you.
Give yourself permission to be held.
With each exhale can you release a little more of your weight into the earth.
Will you give yourself permission to be held just a little bit more.
Each exhale relaxing just a bit more into the support of the earth.
Imagine that there is a circle around you.
You are resting in the center of that circle and that circle can be made of anything you wish.
Rocks,
Clay,
Fire,
Flowers,
Allow this to be a circle of protection.
Begin to notice the sounds around you,
Allowing your awareness to move from sound to sound to sound.
Sensing that all of these sounds are outside of the circle of protection.
You alone are in the center being held by the earth.
Bring the awareness to the soles of the feet.
On an inhale allow the awareness to travel up the length of the legs to the base of the spine all the way to the crown of the head.
On the exhale the awareness travels from the crown of the head down the length of the spine separating down the length of both legs and out through the soles of the feet.
Inhaling awareness through the soles of the feet up the length of the legs meeting at the base of the spine and continuing to the crown of the head.
On the exhale the flow of awareness reverses moving down the body,
Down the legs,
Out through the soles of the feet.
Just continue following awareness moving up on the inhale and back down on the exhale.
The next exhale takes the awareness down to the ankles.
Inhaling drawing the awareness back up to the crown of the head.
Exhaling down to the ankles.
Inhaling to the crown of the head.
Keep sensing awareness moving up and down the body.
The next exhale takes awareness down to the knees.
Inhaling awareness up to the base of the spine,
Up the length of the spine to the crown of the head.
Exhaling back down to the knees.
Just following awareness,
Not controlling,
Just watching.
The next exhale takes awareness to the base of the spine.
Inhaling back up to the crown of the head.
Exhaling awareness moves down to the navel center.
Inhaling to the crown of the head.
Exhaling to the heart center.
Inhaling to the crown of the head.
Exhaling to the throat center.
Inhaling to the crown of the head.
Exhaling to the space between the eyebrows.
Inhaling to the crown of the head.
Exhaling awareness moves back to the throat center.
Exhaling awareness moves back to the center of the chest.
Exhaling awareness back to the navel center.
Exhaling awareness back to the base of the spine.
Exhaling awareness back to the knees.
So aware of the space from crown to knees.
Exhaling awareness back to the ankles.
Exhaling awareness back to the soles of the feet.
Once again,
Awareness moving from the soles of the feet all the way to the crown of the head.
Back down to the soles of the feet.
Full length of the body.
With awareness on your whole body,
Begin to deepen the breath.
Each new breath deeper than the last.
Feel the points of connection between your body and the earth.
Once again,
Hear the sounds around you and begin to visualize the space that you are in.
As you begin to come back to this present moment,
Back to your mat,
Continuing to rest your awareness on the physical body,
On your physical body,
Begin to move gently.
And maybe that movement is in a new way with this new awareness.
Let that movement grow and expand,
Continuing to bring you back into this present moment.
And then gently drawing the soles of your feet to the earth,
Bending the knees,
Making your way to one side.
Again,
No need to rush.
Just coming back into this moment.
And when you're ready,
Coming up to a seated position.
Allowing the spine to be tall,
The eyes can close or gaze softly.
Drop your awareness once more back into the navel center and sense that golden almond-shaped flame.
A flame that is always within us.
A flame that lights our way.
It allows us to discern,
To guide our path,
And to also burn away what is no longer serving us.
I like to offer a self-inquiry question that you can take with you at the end of each class.
And so with your awareness resting at that flame,
I ask,
Where are you precise in words and actions?
And where are you not?
Where are you precise in words and actions?
And where are you not?
And bringing hands to heart center,
Chin to chest,
Thank you all so very much for allowing me to guide you.
It was an honor and a pleasure.
A light in me sees and honors the divine light in each of you,
The same light that lights the universe.
And together,
We bow in gratitude.
Thank you so much.
Great to have you all.
Take your time,
Marinate in it.
