Balance Themed Yoga Practice

This week’s practice video is a balancing sequence. What can balancing on one foot teach a yoga practitioner? We do not have to get it right, look good, or nail the pose in order to give ourselves permission to try something. What if you can give up the idea that balance means we need to get it right? Rather, embrace the willingness to try it, mess it up, and get back up without the feelings of frustration, guilt, overwhelm, and failure.

Transcript

Hello my friend.

Let's practice.

Begin in child's pose.

Open your knees,

Rest your forehead down,

Stretch your arms in front of you.

Begin by taking that first grounding breath in through your nose and out of your nose.

Press the center of your forehead into the floor and rock your head from side to side.

Give yourself a little forehead eyebrow massage.

Wake your face up a little bit.

Wiggle your hips from side to side.

Take a breath in and a breath out.

Shift forward to a tabletop position.

Begin to move through some rounds of cat-cow.

Drop your belly,

Lift your chest,

And then round your upper back.

Push the floor away,

Tuck your chin to your chest.

Do it again.

Drop your belly,

Lift your chest,

And then round your upper back,

Chin to chest.

Now take a few more rounds of cat-cow and invite in the energy of intuition.

Allow your body to move in any way that feels good from side to side.

Circle your neck and your tailbone.

Find creative,

Natural movement.

Finish up any final rounds.

Step your right foot forward.

Come to a low lunge.

Keep your left knee on the earth.

Stack both of your hands on top of your right knee and gently nudge your knee forward.

Set your eyes to one point,

Something in front of you,

Something you can see.

Notice where you're feeling the sensations of this low lunge.

Then reach both of your arms up over your head.

Stretch your fingers wide and if you want a little additional challenge,

Look up at your fingers.

Breath in.

Breath out.

Now put your fingers on the floor or blocks.

Straighten your front leg half splits,

Also known as half hanuman.

Point your toes straight up towards the sky and draw your chest towards your toes.

Set your gaze forward.

Keep your chest lifted.

Notice where you feel the sensations of this.

Underneath your leg,

Maybe your hip,

Your low back.

Just notice where you're feeling the sensations of the pose.

Now let's move with breath a few times.

Take a big breath in.

On your exhale,

Ground your foot.

Come back to low lunge.

Inhale,

Straighten your leg.

Point your toes.

Exhale,

Come forward.

Ground your foot.

Two more.

Inhale,

Straighten your leg.

Exhale,

Shift forward.

One more.

Straighten your leg.

Inhale.

Exhale,

Shift forward.

Ground your foot.

Pivot to the left side of your mat.

Side facing,

Wide leg,

Forward fold.

Keep your legs open wide.

Drop your head between your legs.

Catch opposite elbows for ragdoll arms and allow your arms to be straight.

Catch opposite elbows for ragdoll arms and allow your head and your arms to hang heavy.

Now release your elbows.

Pivot to the back of your mat.

Now your left foot is forward.

Put your right knee on the earth,

Low lunge.

Stack both of your hands on top of your left knee and gently nudge your knee forward.

Then reach your arms up over your head.

If you want a little more challenge,

Look up at your fingers.

Hug your belly and stay tall.

Full breath in and out.

Put your hands on the floor.

You might need to reach behind you and grab your blocks if you use them on the other side.

Straighten your front leg half Hanuman or half splits.

Point your toes up towards the ceiling.

Square your chest towards your foot and keep your chest lifted.

Take a big breath in.

Ground your foot.

Slide forward,

Low lunge.

Inhale,

Straighten your leg,

Half splits.

Exhale,

Ground your foot,

Low lunge.

Two more.

Inhale,

Exhale.

One more.

Inhale,

Straighten your leg,

Point your toes.

Exhale,

Ground your foot.

Pivot.

This time you're coming back to the center.

Side facing wide leg forward fold.

Hang here heavy for a moment.

We're not here for long this round.

And then walk yourself back to the front of your mat.

Step back to downward facing dog.

Once you get to downward dog,

Swim around in your down dog a little bit.

Pedal your legs,

Sway your hips,

Bend your knees.

Take any movements that you like to welcome yourself home to downward dog.

Pick your heels up,

Bend your knees,

Look forward,

Step to the top of your mat.

Halfway lift,

Forward fold.

Stand up tall mountain pose.

Reach your arms over your head.

Bring your palms to touch at the center of your chest.

Sink into chair pose.

Shift the weight into your right foot.

Pick your left heel up off the floor.

Straighten your leg,

Warrior three.

Your left leg is straight and your hands can stay at your heart or you can stretch your fingers forward if you want a little more challenge.

Big breath in.

Warrior one.

Step your foot back.

Ground your left foot to the earth.

Reach your arms up over your head.

Notice the distance between your feet front to back,

Left to right.

Find something comfortable,

Something you can maintain and sustain.

Your back heel is grounded.

Your front knee is bent.

But how far and how deep is up to you.

Find what feels good in your body.

Take a breath in.

Warrior two.

Open up your back foot.

Line your front heel up with your back arch.

Bend your front knee.

Rather than looking directly over your right middle finger,

Try looking just slightly to the left and see if taking a little tension out of your neck produces a more comfortable pose.

Find the balance of effort and ease,

Rigor and joy.

Reverse your warrior.

Reach up.

Open up your side body.

Bring your hands to the floor.

Take a round of cat cow.

Come to all fours.

Move your body.

Stand up on your knees.

Camel pose.

Put your hands on your hips.

Start by taking a big breath in to lift your chest up and then lift your pelvis forward.

Pull your elbows and shoulders into your spine.

You can keep your chin tucked to your chest or you can lift your gaze up to the sky.

Find what feels good.

Slowly come back up.

Plant your hands downward facing dog.

Stretch your left leg behind you.

Step forward high crescent lunge.

This time keep your back heel stacked over the ball of your foot.

Reach your arms up over your head.

Sweep your right arm underneath your left arm.

Right arm under.

Stretch the crown of your head forward and then pick your right foot up off the floor.

Airplane pose with eagle arms.

Plant your hands down on your hips.

Reach your arms up over your head.

Reach your arms under.

Stretch the crown of your head forward and then pick your right foot up off the floor.

Airplane pose with eagle arms.

Pull your right knee to your chest.

Cross over into eagle pose.

Wrap your arms around your head.

Reach your arms up over your head.

Ground your feet.

Unravel your arms.

Sweep your arms up over your head and sink into chair.

Bring your hands to heart center.

Now this time shift the weight into your left foot.

Pick your right heel off the floor.

Straighten your leg warrior three.

Your leg is behind you.

Your hands at heart center or you can stretch your fingers forward if you want a little more challenge.

You decide what you want to do.

Big breath in.

Warrior one.

Ground your right foot.

Reach your arms up over your head.

Again find the distance between your feet that leaves you feeling powerful and comfortable.

Gaze forward.

Big breath in.

Warrior two.

Open up.

Set your gaze just slightly to the right.

See if by taking a little tension out of your neck you're able to relax your shoulders.

Maybe it doesn't make your arms feel as heavy.

Find a pose that brings in the energy of sthira sukha.

Effort and ease.

Balanced action.

Reverse your warrior.

Reach your left arm up to the sky.

Plank pose.

Plant your hands.

Step your feet back.

Side plank.

Put your right hand on the floor.

Reach your left arm to the sky.

Roll to the pinky toe side edge of your right foot or put your right knee on the floor and you can take this pose from the ground.

You decide on your level of side plank.

You might even be able to float that top leg up off the floor.

You choose.

You're here for three,

Two,

One.

Come back to plank.

Take the other side.

Now your left hand is down and your right hand is up.

Either stack your feet and keep your legs long or put your left knee on the earth.

You choose.

Choose what makes you feel powerful.

If you want to lift that top leg up,

You're here for three,

Two,

One.

Come back to plank.

Downward facing dog.

Tailbone to the sky.

Stretch your right leg behind you.

Step forward.

High crescent lunge.

Take your time.

Pick your fingers off the floor.

Reach your arms over your head.

Now take your left arm underneath your right arm.

Left arm comes under.

Stretch the crown of your head forward.

Pick your back foot up.

Reach your left arm over your head.

Pick your back foot up off the floor.

Airplane with eagle arms.

Pull your knee to your chest.

Cross over into eagle.

Left leg goes over right leg.

Set your gaze forward.

Hug your belly in.

Keep your chest lifted.

And then slowly return your feet to the floor.

Reach your arms up over your head.

Bring your palms to touch at the center of your chest.

Sweep your right leg behind you.

Airplane pose.

Stretch your fingertips back.

Keep your arms long by your sides.

Spread your fingers out and your chest up.

Bring your right leg behind you.

Airplane pose.

Stretch your fingertips back.

Keep your chest lifted.

Bring your palms to touch at the center of your chest.

Airplane pose.

Stretch your fingertips back.

Keep your chest lifted.

Bring your hands to heart center.

Half moon.

Your left leg is your balancing foot.

Reach for your foot.

Bend your leg.

Find bound half moon.

Bend your leg.

Reach for your foot.

Find bound half moon.

Whether or not you can do it doesn't mean you can't try it.

All right.

Now we're going to play a little bit.

Soften your left knee.

Make your way into dancer's pose.

If you have your foot,

Try standing up with your leg.

Otherwise,

Stand up and reach for your right foot.

Just give it your try,

Whatever you can do today.

It doesn't have to be perfect to try.

Meet me in dancer's pose on the right side.

We're here for five,

Four,

Three,

Two,

One.

Release your foot.

Stand up tall.

Mountain pose.

Hands to heart center.

Sweep your left leg behind you.

Airplane pose.

Stretch your fingertips back with your palms down.

Keep your chest lifted.

And it's okay if you wobble.

Part of finding your balance is wobbling and just getting ourselves back up.

Slowly make your way into half moon.

Stretch your right fingertips for a block,

Preferably,

Or the floor.

Blocks are really great tools.

Left arm reaches up and your left leg is behind you.

Now try bending your knee and reaching your left hand for your left foot.

You might be closer than you think and it's okay if they don't touch.

Just try what it feels like to reach for that foot.

And then whether you have your foot or not,

Make your way into dancer's pose.

Stand up and reach for your left foot or see if you can transition with your foot in your hand.

It's just playing.

We're just playing with sensations and playing with balance.

And if you've got your foot,

You can reach for it.

And if you don't,

You can reach for it.

And if you've got your foot,

You're in dancer's pose.

You're here for five,

Four,

Three,

Two,

One,

Release.

Reach your arms up over your head.

Palms touch at the center of your chest.

Tree pose.

Bring your right foot to the inside of your left leg.

You can do your ankle as a kickstand,

Your calf,

Or even reach for your thigh.

Avoid putting any pressure on the knee joint,

Especially if there's pain there.

Start with your hands at your heart.

And if there's somewhere further to explore in this pose,

You can reach your arms over your head.

You can interlace your hands behind your back.

Find something that feels like a true expression of this pose for you.

One more big breath in.

Bring your palms to touch at the center and slowly release your foot to the earth.

Sweep your arms up.

Palms touch at your chest.

Take the left side of tree,

Left foot to the inside of right leg,

Ankle,

Calf,

Or even inside of the thigh.

But avoid any pressure on the knee joint,

Especially if there's pain.

Start by keeping a tall,

Lifted chest.

The crown of your head reaches up.

Find grounding and stability.

And from stability,

You may find freedom by taking this pose somewhere else.

But freedom comes from finding stability first,

Foundation.

One more big breath in.

And pull everything to the center with control.

Ground your feet.

Sweep your arms up over your head.

Bow forward.

Halfway lift.

Come to all fours.

Take a final couple few rounds of cat cow.

Make your way to your back for bridge pose.

Put your feet on the floor.

Lift your hips up.

If it's accessible,

Interlace your hands underneath your body and then walk your upper arm bones in towards your spine.

If that's not accessible today,

Grip the edges of your yoga mat and draw your shoulder blades in.

Create shoulder integration.

Shoulder blades draw into the spine.

Set your eyes to the ceiling.

You're here for five,

Four,

Three,

Two,

Slowly come down.

Supine butterfly.

Bring the soles of your feet to touch.

Let your knees fall open.

Place one hand over your chest and one hand over your belly.

Feel the breath moving through you.

Happy baby.

Reach for your feet,

The pinky toe edges,

Or you can reach for your ankles,

Your calves,

Or even your knees.

Find happy baby as a hip opening pose today.

Notice where you're feeling the sensations.

If there's tension or tightness or maybe it feels good,

Whatever is true for you today.

Open your arms into a T.

Pull your knees to your chest.

Drop your knees to the right.

Turn your gaze to the left.

Bring your knees back to the center.

Drop your knees to the left and turn your gaze to the right.

Bring yourself back to the center.

Wrap your arms around your shins.

Give yourself a tight squeeze.

A big hug for making it to your mat today.

And then come to Shavasana.

Slide your shoulder blades underneath you.

Draw your chin towards your chest to keep the back of your neck long.

And if it's comfortable,

Close your eyes.

You are not required to do anything in Shavasana.

I am holding this container for your stillness.

Nothing to do,

Nowhere to go.

Just a moment of intentional rest.

Resting isn't always easy,

But it is simple.

So just melt into the simplicity of this pose.

Not in a hurry.

Melt into the simplicity of this pose.

Not everything requires your effort.

Just your willingness.

Take a long,

Full,

Deep breath in.

And slowly empty it out.

Wiggle your fingers and your toes.

And circle your ankles and your wrists.

Stretch your arms over your head.

Point your toes.

Full body stretch.

And then hug your knees to your chest.

If it's comfortable,

Roll over to your favorite side.

And then gently make your way up to a seat.

Bring your palms to touch at the center of your chest.

And for this final moment of your practice,

Just notice how you feel.

You don't have to call it anything or name it.

Just notice.

Bring your thumbs to the center of your forehead.

Bow your head towards your heart.

In honor of you and me and this practice that we share,

I bow to you and say Namaste.

Reviews

Your Guided yoga is the best. Just what I need with your kind words.

I found this challenging but fun! Great variety of balance poses.

Hello beautiful 🌺🎈🌺🎈🌺Thank you so much for the wonderful yoga practice 🦋💙It gives glimmers all over and so much ☮️ peace 🗺️have a blessed day 🕉️Namaste