Welcome.
This is Slow Unfolding.
This class is designed to be audio only.
I'll guide you clearly through each shape.
If anything feels confusing or too intense,
Choose the simplest version.
Or stay where you are and breathe.
If you have a bolster or block,
Bring it close.
If not,
You're perfect as you are.
Come onto your back.
Bend your knees,
Feet flat on the mat,
About hip width apart.
Feel the ground supporting you.
Let that support do some of the work.
Place one hand on your belly and the other hand on top.
Breathe into your hands.
Inhale,
The belly rises.
Exhale,
The belly falls.
Now we'll guide the nervous system with a longer exhale.
Inhaling for four and exhaling for six.
Inhale,
Two,
Three.
Exhale,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five.
Inhale,
Exhale,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Exhale,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five.
Inhale,
Exhale,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five.
Inhale,
Exhale,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Exhale,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five.
Now let the counting go.
Keep the exhale slow and steady.
And release your hands alongside the body.
Coming in to thread the needle,
Crush your right ankle over your left thigh so your right knee opens out to the side.
Either stay right here or lift your left foot off the mat and reach both hands through the space between your legs to hold either behind the left thigh or the front of the mat.
Or in front of the left shin.
Gently draw the legs towards you.
Draw the left knee slightly toward your left shoulder,
Not straight into the centre.
This protects your hip.
Breathe,
Inhaling.
And a longer exhale.
Breathing into the stretch.
Maybe closing down the eyes.
Landing in the body.
Gently release.
Place your left foot back on the mat.
Now draw the right knee into your chest.
Extend the left leg long on the mat.
Flex the left foot,
Feeling it anchor.
Now coming into the reclining tree pose.
Keep your right foot on the mat and then let the right knee open out to the right,
Like a tree pose,
But lying down.
Your shin is relaxed.
Place your left hand on your left hip to keep the left side heavy.
Keeping the left hip grounded.
Inhale.
And a long,
Easy exhale.
Breathing here.
Settling into the pose.
Inhale.
Reach both arms up to the ceiling.
Interlace your fingers and turn your palms up towards the sky.
If it feels good,
Take the arms slightly back behind you,
Alongside your ears.
And create length through the sides of the waist,
Stretching out the entire body.
Allow the tailbone to be heavy and the low back to be spacious.
Inhale.
And exhale,
Soften.
Inhale,
Reach the arms back up.
And bring the right knee back to centre and hug it in for a moment.
And release.
Placing your right foot back onto the mat.
Inhale,
Draw the left knee into your chest.
Cross the left ankle over the right thigh,
Just above the knee.
Either stay here,
Or coming in to thread the needle on the other side.
Lift the right foot off the mat.
And reach your hands through to hold behind the right thigh or the shin.
Draw the legs gently towards you as you exhale.
No forcing.
Allow the breath to do the opening.
Inhale deeply.
And exhale fully,
Landing into the pose.
Maybe noticing how this side feels different to the last.
On your next exhale,
Gently release,
Placing the right foot on the mat.
Hold the left shin and draw the knee into your chest.
Extend the right leg long on the mat and flex the right foot.
Now coming into the reclining tree pose on this side.
Place the left foot on the inside of your right thigh.
And allow the left knee to open out to the left.
Place your right hand on your right hip to keep the pelvis heavy.
Allow the breath to be slow.
And let the exhale lengthen.
Breathing and landing into the pose.
Inhale,
Reach the arms up towards the sky.
Interlace the fingers and turn the palms up towards the sky.
Inhale,
Lengthen.
And exhale,
Maybe allowing the arms to reach back alongside your ears.
Inhaling length.
Feeling a full body stretch.
And exhale,
Land here.
Inhale,
Reaching the arms back up to the sky.
And exhale,
Release.
Hug both knees into your chest,
Coming into happy baby.
Reaching for the outer edges of the feet.
If that's not available,
Hold the outer edges of the feet.
Ankles or shins.
Let the lower back connect to the earth.
Really feeling the entire length of your spine connected to the earth beneath you.
Inhale.
Exhale fully.
On your next exhale,
Bring the heels towards the sit bones.
Hug the knees in.
And create small rocking motions from side to side if you feel called to.
Gently roll onto one side and come up slowly to a seated position.
Come to face the long edge of your mat,
Extending the legs out wide.
Only as wide as feels comfortable for you.
If you have a bolster,
Place it lengthwise on the floor in front of you,
Between your legs.
Sit tall,
Inhale.
And exhale,
Walk the hands forward,
Maybe resting the chest on the bolster.
If you don't have a bolster,
Walk your hands forward on the floor as far as you can,
Keeping the spine long.
You don't need to reach for the floor.
This is not about depth.
Make sure there's no forcing.
Just focus on your breath and melt into softness.
On your next inhale,
Gently make your way back up.
If you have the bolster,
Move it to the side.
Place your hands underneath your knees.
Gently bend your legs.
And bring the soles of the feet together,
Coming into baddha konasana.
If the hips feel tight,
Slide the feet further away from you.
Hold the feet gently.
Inhale,
Lift through the chest.
Exhale,
Fold forward,
Soft and easy.
Hold your feet open like books.
Allow your elbows to relax.
Let the exhale lengthen.
Breathe deeply,
Allowing your body to relax.
On your next inhale,
Gently make your way back up,
Coming into sukhasana.
Easy pose.
Bring your right shin in front.
Inhale,
Reach both arms up to the sky.
And exhale,
Gently twist to the right,
Bringing your right hand behind you,
Your left hand on your right knee.
Inhale,
Lengthen.
Exhale,
Soften deeper.
Without effort.
Breathe into this twist for a couple of breaths.
No forcing,
Just being.
Inhale,
Return to centre.
Switch the crossing of your shins so the left shin is now in front.
Inhale,
Reach your arms up.
And exhale,
Twist to the left,
Placing your left hand behind you,
Right hand on your left knee.
Inhale,
Lengthen.
Exhale,
Soften into the twist.
Breathing here.
Landing.
Opening.
Being.
Inhale,
Return to centre.
And now we'll set up for savasana.
If you have a bolster,
Place it under the knees.
More under the thighs,
Just below the knees,
So the low back can soften.
If you want support under the head,
Take it.
And gently lie back onto the earth.
Notice the contact points.
Your heels,
Calves,
Pelvis,
Back,
Ribs,
Your shoulders.
And your head.
Let your breath be natural.
And with every exhale,
Let the weight of your body drop.
Deeply into the earth.
Gently coming back into the body.
Wiggling the fingers and the toes.
Maybe giving yourself a big,
Full-body stretch.
And then bending the knees,
Giving yourself a hug.
Roll onto one side.
Come back up to a seated position.
Place your hands at your heart.
And exhale,
Bow towards your heart.
Gratitude to yourself,
Your body,
And this practice.
Namaste.
Namaste.
