Foundational Flow • A Guided Asana Practice

This grounding flow focuses on the deep strength we cultivate through the legs, feet, and ankles, up through our hips and waist. When we find this strength, we create freedom and ease. We open with a chant to Ganesh, the lord of new beginnings and the remover of obstacles.

Transcript

Hello and welcome to foundational flow where we focus on the deep strength that we can cultivate through our legs,

Our feet,

Our ankles,

Up through our hips and waist.

The freedom that comes from this foundation is what we're going to look for.

So come seated as we begin.

So find a place,

Maybe if you're on a mat,

Just make a little space you can sit on a cushion.

For here in this journey we invoke Ganesh and in this variation simply Om Hari Om,

Om Hari Om.

And in the Om Hari Om it's this reverence to both this expansiveness and also to its finite expression which is our own body and form.

When we're looking for foundation we're often in that honoring of form and then we want to play and have some flow.

So we call to Ganesh,

The Lord of new beginnings,

The Lord of removers of obstacles.

Beautiful.

From here touch the right hand under the heart.

The right hand on the heart touch the left fingertips deep into the ground,

Into the earth.

Feeling the thumb and all the fingers touch in either in front of the shin or somewhere to the left of that leg.

Feeling this connection of earth and ground with your own heartbeat.

Om Hari Om,

Hari Om,

Hari Om.

From here come forward onto your hands and your knees.

Look down at your fingers.

Look at the bones in your hands.

Spread the bones wide.

Root the bones into the earth.

From the finger pads all the way through the knuckles root in.

In particular the thumb and the pointer finger.

Hips are over the knees and get this line as clear as possible.

As clean and perpendicular as possible.

Untuck the toes so the shins press down.

So whatever's touching the earth give it its full attention.

Push into the earth and exhale curl the chin into the chest.

Pull the low belly up toward the spine.

Scooping the tailbone down toward the backs of the knees.

Then here scoop the tailbone up to the sky.

Pull the heart forward looking forward and up through the heart.

And we go again.

Exhale curl in.

Chin in.

Press the earth away.

Bones pressing down.

Shins in.

Tailbone scoops up.

Slowly it ripples up through the spine.

The vertebrae heart is open.

Shoulders are over the wrists.

Exhale scoop in.

Chin in.

Pressing the earth away.

Scoop up and open wide.

Om.

Hari om.

Curl in.

Scoop in.

Round in.

Chin in.

All the way in toward the chest.

Looking in toward the navel center.

Inhale curl open.

And two more.

It scoops in.

Chin in.

Round in.

And open.

Here we establish the steadiness of the breath.

The ujjayi pranayama that comes in a steady balanced inhale to exhale ratio.

We're curling in as we exhale.

Inhale here.

Simply come to neutral.

Stacking again.

Shoulders over the wrists if they moved at all.

Here press down through the left shin.

Bring the ball of the right foot up to the sky back behind you so the right knee is bent.

Pushing up to the sky.

Broaden across the heart.

Exhale curl in.

Right knee into the nose.

Chin into the chest.

Push the earth away.

Inhale.

Press it up.

Look forward and up.

Exhale.

Scoop it in.

Right knee into the nose.

Push the earth away through the arm bones evenly.

Inhale.

Pressing it up.

Exhale.

Scooping it in.

Inhale.

Pressing it up.

Stay here heart wide.

Pump that right foot a little bit up to the sky.

You start to feel the hamstring wake up.

Beautiful.

Extend that right leg back.

It hovers above the earth.

Reach the left fingertips forward.

Line up the bicep near that left ear but keep the scapula on the back.

Pull the low belly softly back toward the spine.

As you're floating your kidneys up,

Push into the earth through the right fingertips and that left shin.

Left hand comes down.

Right knee comes down.

Curl the toes under.

Come back to downward facing dog.

We'll find this balance point between front and back,

Meaning pull some of the weight back through the heels down into the ground.

Spin your heels open slightly so you can access that internal rotation of the upper femurs,

The upper thigh bones.

Tailbone long down the backs of the legs so you get that connection all the way through with the belly drawing toward the spine.

Inhale here.

Come forward in a plank,

Shoulders over the wrists,

Strong through the feet.

Exhale.

Pull back to downward facing dog.

Four more.

Inhale comes forward.

Exhale draws back.

Inhale comes forward.

Exhale comes back.

Inhale forward.

Sip it in strong through the legs.

Exhale comes back.

Stay here,

Heels heavy.

Walk the hands back toward the feet.

Here hook the hands in the opposite elbows.

Let the elbows swing a little side to side.

Neck relaxes,

Crown of the head reaching down toward the earth.

Lengthen the space,

Relaxing the jaw.

So from sacrum through the crown,

That length and space.

Release the hands down.

Walk them back,

Downward facing dog.

From downward facing dog,

Bring the hands and the knees back onto the earth.

Untuck the toes.

Ball the left foot up to the sky.

Stay here a moment.

Square the hips and the shoulders.

Then as you exhale,

Curl in,

Knee into the nose,

Push the earth away.

Chin into the chest,

Deeply in.

And again,

Inhale,

Press it up,

Open the heart wide.

Exhale,

Scoop it in,

Chin in,

Press the earth away.

Inhale,

Open,

Press the ball,

That left foot up to the sky.

Exhale,

It scoops in.

Inhale,

It presses up and open.

Exhale,

It scoops in.

Inhale,

Presses up.

Now stay here.

Ball the left foot,

Pulsing up to the sky.

So easy to drop into the low back,

Here,

But we're going to avoid that,

But pulling in that low belly.

Little pulses,

Little pulses,

Pressing it up.

Steady on both the left and the right hand.

Then extend that left leg back.

It hovers above the earth.

Stay here or reach the right arm forward,

Bicep right next to that right ear,

Long through the back of the neck.

So this takes the stitching in of the front ribs.

They draw in and lightly down toward the waist.

And then we're going to open the chest,

Downward facing dog.

Inhale,

It comes forward,

Exhale,

It comes back.

Inhale,

It comes forward,

Exhale,

It comes back.

Walk the right leg forward,

Exhale,

It comes back.

Inhale,

It comes forward,

Exhale,

It comes back.

Inhale,

It comes forward,

Exhale,

It comes back.

Inhale,

It comes forward,

Exhale,

It comes back.

Inhale,

It comes forward,

Exhale,

It comes back.

Inhale,

It comes forward,

Exhale,

It comes back.

Walk the hands back toward the feet once again.

Om Ganga Ganapatiye Namaha,

This honoring of Ganesh.

Inhale,

Lengthen the spine,

Open the feet about as wide as the mat.

Bend the knees so the thighs will come parallel to the earth.

So you have this parallel thigh bone to the earth,

Meaning the knees and the hips are in one line.

Fingertips for right now,

Underneath the shoulders on the earth,

High up on the fingertips.

We'll come into a variation of cat cow here.

Keep the hips stable.

They don't rise and fall.

They stay level with the knees.

Scoop the tailbone down to the earth,

Pull the belly up,

Chin to the chest,

Push the earth away through the arm bones.

Scoop the tailbone back,

Heart curls forward,

Look forward.

Keep the hips level with the knees.

Curl in,

Scoop in,

Chin in.

It's a lot of work on the legs.

Scoop forward through the heart,

Broaden across the shoulders,

The collarbones.

Scoop in,

Chin draws in,

Press the earth away,

Inner thigh bones wrap down to the earth.

Inhale,

Curl the heart forward.

Keep going.

Exhale,

Tailbone scoops down,

Chin in,

Press through the feet into the earth.

Inhale,

Open.

So even if you're shaking a little bit here,

Two more.

Exhale,

It's okay to wake up through the legs.

Really give them your juice,

Your attention.

Curl in,

Curl in.

Inhale,

Open up.

And one more.

Exhale,

Curl in,

Press in to the earth,

Chin in.

Inhale,

Open up.

Beautiful.

Fold over the legs.

Exhale.

Hands can hook in the opposite elbows.

You can swing it a little side to side.

Feeling that opening in the back body.

And then from here,

Hands come down,

Heel toe the feet in toward each other as the big toes touch.

Let's bring the feet together,

Hands come down,

Feet in toward each other as the big toes touch.

Lengthen the spine as you inhale.

Exhale,

Bend the knees and float the arms up.

Arms alongside the ears,

Keeping that scapula resting on the back.

Knit the front ribs in,

Belly draws to the spine.

So it's really the security of the back body.

Create that security.

You pull the front body lightly back to meet the back body.

Here,

There's a sense of the thigh bones pressing out and away from the midline.

And then the shins coming in toward that midline,

The outer edges of the feet wrapping into the earth and the big toe,

The mount of the big toe pressing down.

So all of this push and pull nature while you're in Utkatasana.

Spin the palms forward here,

Wave the arms down by the sides and press them back behind you.

Like you're pushing them up to the sky back behind you.

Inhale,

Float the arms up.

Stay in Utkatasana.

Exhale,

Pressing the hands back behind you and up.

Inhale,

Float the arms up.

Keep going.

It presses back,

Belly pulls in,

And presses up to the sky.

So we stabilize in the four corners,

Certainly in the hips.

Get the stability in the hips.

Feel the shins press in.

Keep waving the arms up and down.

The inhale takes it up long from the sit bones to the fingers.

Exhale,

Waves it down.

Inhale,

It floats up.

Exhale,

It waves down.

Keep with that journey,

That rhythm.

Four more.

Inhale,

Exhale.

Inhale,

Exhale.

Last one,

Exhale.

Even if you're really feeling it in the legs,

Stay with it a few more.

Inhale,

Float the arms up.

It's okay to wake it up.

Again,

Keeping the drawing up of the pelvic floor.

Hands to prayer.

Exhale,

Fold in,

Hands to the earth.

Fold here for a moment.

Inhale,

Lengthen the spine.

Exhale,

Fold in,

Uttanasana.

In Uttanasana,

Maybe the hands touch into the shins or blocks or the earth.

And then walk them forward,

Downward facing dog.

Inhale,

Right leg can float slowly up to the sky,

Keeping the hips balanced so we don't pop up that right hip here.

We're creating the strength of that left heel deep into the ground.

As you exhale,

Draw the right knee into the nose,

Chin into the chest.

So you're familiar with this one here.

As you push the earth away,

Curl the chin in.

Inhale,

Press that right leg back and up.

Three-legged downward facing dog.

Draw the right knee into the nose,

Chin into the chest.

Inhale,

Press it back up.

Again,

Exhale,

Scoop it in.

Inhale,

Press it back up.

Here,

Slowly bring the right foot through between the hands.

Softly press that right foot down between the hands,

Even if you have to pick it up to place it there.

Bring the back knee down,

But keep the back toes curled under.

Come into low lunge with the back knee down.

Float the arms up,

Also known as Anjani Asana.

In this low lunge,

Arms are reaching.

You reach from the earth up through the fingers.

As you exhale,

As if you're going to pull down a part of the sky,

Pull the hands in by the hips,

Like you're gripping onto that sky and they hold in by the hips.

Inhale,

Float the arms back up.

Reach up.

Exhale,

It pulls in.

As it pulls in,

Lift out of that right hip a little bit.

Push it away from the earth.

Inhale,

Float the arms up.

Three more.

Exhale,

It draws in.

Pull that sky down into the ground.

Inhale,

Float it back up.

Reach back up and grab a little bit more.

Exhale,

Pull it down.

Inhale,

Float it back up.

Exhale,

Pull it down.

Inhale,

Float it back up.

Reach,

Length,

Space,

Hands on either side of the front foot.

We'll fold over the front right leg.

It's Ardha Hanumanasana.

So you bring that left hip over the left knee,

Extend the right leg.

As you fold in,

Forehead toward the right shin.

Then inhale for a moment,

Lengthen the heart.

Reach it forward as you hug the right heel into the earth and hug it back into that right hip.

Fold in,

Exhale.

Hanging out here a couple breaths,

Breathing through the back of that right leg.

Beautiful.

Bend the right knee.

Step back to upper push-up.

Use your knees down if you need the stabilizing or the support as you build strength.

Here,

Lowering down to the earth slowly.

Om five,

Om four,

Om three,

Om two,

Om one.

Here,

Untuck the toes,

Curl the heart forward and up,

Bhujangasana,

Also known as Cobra or a variation of Cobra.

The hands will push into the earth.

The toes will reach back as the heart curls forward and then up to the sky.

Exhale,

Lower in and do that two more.

Inhale,

Curl up,

Scoop up through the heart.

Exhale,

Lower in.

Inhale,

Curl up.

Exhale,

Lower in.

Curl the toes,

Come either through plank to downward facing dog or bring the hips back to the heels on your way back,

Downward facing dog.

Eventually landing,

Adho Mukha Svanasana,

Downward facing dog.

Inhale,

Left leg up to the sky.

Draw the left knee into the nose.

Exhale,

Empty breath.

Curl in,

Chin into the chest.

Inhale,

Press it back up.

Reach all the way away from the fingers.

Two more.

Exhale,

Scoop in,

Knee into the nose,

Chin into the chest.

Inhale,

Press it back up.

Exhale,

Curl it in,

Knee into the nose,

Chin into the chest.

Inhale,

Press it back up.

Softly,

Left foot through between the hands,

Back knee down.

Inhale,

Float the arms up,

This low lunge,

Second side.

Reach up,

Grab from the sky.

Exhale,

Pull it down into the earth.

Lift out of that left hip.

Inhale,

Float the arms up,

Reach up.

Again,

Exhale,

Draw it down.

Inhale,

Back up.

Exhale,

Drawing it back down,

Pulling the hands in by the hips,

By the waist.

Inhale,

Float them back up.

It's like you're drawing a bar down by the waist,

The hands pulling down with that type of intensity,

Floating it back up.

Last one,

Hugging that bar down,

Pulling it down.

Draw the belly back to the spine.

Inhale,

Float the arms back up.

Hands on either side of that left foot,

Fold over the left leg.

Inhale,

Lengthen,

Heart forward,

Press the left heel into the earth.

Exhale,

Fold in.

We'll stay here,

Several breaths.

Bend that left knee,

Step back,

Upper push-up,

Lowering in slowly.

Om five,

Om four,

Om three,

Om two,

And one.

Untuck the toes.

Inhale,

Curling it open,

Curl it open,

Lifting,

Lifting,

Collarbones,

Heart.

Exhale,

Lower it back down.

Two more like that.

Inhale,

Curl open.

Exhale,

Lowering in.

Inhale,

Curling it open,

Wide,

Broad across the heart.

Exhale,

Lowering it in.

Press back,

Downward facing dog.

Hold here,

Five full breaths.

You can come into that Ujjayi pranayama and you can use the mantra,

So hum.

So as you inhale,

It's an internal mantra.

Hum as you exhale,

That long,

Slow,

Following,

Emptying.

Beautiful.

From here,

Walk the hands back toward the feet.

Inhale,

Lengthen the spine,

Open the feet as wide as the mat.

Bend the knees again,

Thighs parallel to the earth.

So we did this earlier.

We've got this horizontal plane with our knees and hips and our torso.

You can lift your hands up if you want to add intensity,

Reaching them out in front of you.

Biceps by the ears or arms out wide like you're flying.

Here,

There's a little lift as you exhale through the pelvic floor,

Through the low belly.

Inhale as if you're going to fly.

Fingertips can reach in all directions away from either the sit bones or the body.

And again,

Pressing in,

Exhale,

Lifting the hips slightly up.

Inhale,

Expanding.

Exhale,

Inhale,

Two more.

Hands down to the earth,

Fold in once again.

Hands can hook into that opposite elbows,

Side to side,

Rocking yourself.

Stability in the lower half of the body so you can get that mobility in the upper half.

From here,

Hands back down to the earth.

Inhale,

Lengthen the spine.

Open the feet a little bit more.

We're going to spin our heels in,

The toes out,

And bend the knees.

So you're in one line from knees to hips once again,

But the toes are facing out to the sides of the room.

The heels dial forward while the balls of the feet dial back.

Here,

You can keep the hands down on the ground or bring the whole body forward or bring the whole body,

The whole torso upright so it hovers above the hips.

Hands can push in a prayer here.

As it pushes in,

Hug the heels energetically toward each other.

As you inhale,

Push the hands out to the sides,

Press out to the palms,

Then reach out to the fingers.

Exhale,

Pull the hands energetically back in,

Then physically back in.

They push in a prayer at the heart.

Inhale,

Then they expand out.

Press out to the palms and then the fingers.

And again,

Exhale,

They pull in.

Inhale,

They expand out.

Two more like this.

Exhale,

Deep hip opening,

Leg strength,

Empowerment from the earth up through the legs.

Inhale,

Open out.

Exhale,

Draw it in.

Inhale,

Open it out.

Expand,

Expand,

Expand.

Here,

Straighten out the legs.

You stand up,

Spin the toes a little forward and then in a little bit more.

Exhale,

Hands on the sacrum,

Slide the hands down the backs of your legs as you fold forward.

So you feel in from the sit bones through the hamstrings,

The back of the knee,

The calves.

If you get the hands all the way down to the ankles,

The Achilles,

Somewhere in that area,

Fold in a variation,

Prasarita parottanasana.

Here,

Releasing the hands,

Walk them forward,

Coming back,

Downward facing dog.

Walk the big toes in a touch,

Bring the knees down,

Untuck the toes.

We'll come into balasana,

Into child's pose.

Bring the hips back onto the heels.

If you're pregnant,

You'll need the knees open.

Otherwise,

Knees and thighs are together.

And then take the hands back by the feet.

The backs of the hands can even rest in the arches of the feet or near the edges of the feet.

Let the elbows go soft.

The forehead,

If it doesn't touch the ground,

Maybe place a pillow under it or a couple blocks if you have those around.

Let yourself rest here fully,

Breathing into the back of the heart,

Feeling the forebrain,

This place that is so busy and active,

Rest down in toward that foundation,

That earth element,

The stability.

Out of all of its endless swirl,

Spinning,

Slowing the breath here.

From here,

Slowly come seated,

Cross the ankles,

Come back and have a seat once again.

So we finish as we began in a seated posture,

Bhumi Sparsha,

This touching into the earth with the left hand,

The right hand touching into your heart,

Whatever it feels like,

The center of your chest,

Sternum,

Heart,

The pounding here.

Feel the rhythm of your own heartbeat touching into the rhythm of earth that is held.

All of our ancestors,

Our teachers,

All the beings that have ever come before us,

Feeling how the earth is nutrients,

How we receive everything that keeps us alive from this foundation,

This ground.

When we get lost in our drama,

That we can return back to the steadiness right here and now.

The hands will come to prayer at the heart.

We call as we go out,

Same as coming in.

Oh,

Oh,

It's returning to the foundation of our own divine essence,

The divine that is present in every breath.

Thank you for joining me in this grounding,

In this foundational flow.

We'll see you somewhere in this practice.

Namaste.

Reviews

Beautifully taught. Grounded in spirit energy and awareness of it animating the physical