Begin in child's pose.
Open your knees,
Sink your booty back to your heels,
Forehead to the floor,
And then stretch your arms in front of you.
If it doesn't feel good to stretch your arms in front of you,
You can stack one hand on top of the other and rest your forehead on top of your hands.
Take that first landing breath in through your nose and out of your nose.
Begin to build a relationship with the sound of your breath.
Notice the way the breath feels.
Notice the way you feel.
What is the mood of your body?
The mood of your mental and emotional body as well.
Take a little inventory of yourself and just note what you're to the practice today.
Walk your hands over to the right.
Try this.
Place one hand,
Each hand on the floor,
And then energetically pull the floor towards you.
Notice the way that turns on the left side of your body.
Create a nice long stretch from your left hip all the way through your left fingers.
Walk your hands back to the center and then over to the left.
Same thing here.
Place each hand on the floor and then energetically,
Like you were trying to pull the floor towards you,
Give a little pull in and notice the way that turns on the right side of your body.
Notice where you're feeling the sensations of the pose.
Then bring your hands back to the center.
Shift forward to a tabletop position.
On all fours,
Start by taking some rounds of cat-cow.
Drop your belly,
Lift your chest,
And then push the floor away.
Round your upper back.
Tuck your chin to your chest.
Look over your right shoulder like you were trying to look behind you.
Come back to the center and then look over your left shoulder.
Come back to the center and continue to move through some rounds of cat-cow,
This time at your own pace.
Your own rhythm and with your own creativity.
There's no right or wrong way to do this.
Just move your body around in a way that generates sensation.
Bring intuitive movement into these rounds of cat-cow.
Then begin to sync the movement of your body with your breath.
You can circle your neck.
You can wiggle your tailbone.
Work into the sides of your body,
The front and the back,
And just notice how you feel.
Notice the sensations that arise.
Sensation is the language of the body.
It's how the body communicates to us.
So this is just a place to practice being in relationship to that sensation.
Take a few more rounds.
Make your way back to a neutral tabletop.
Stretch your right hand to the sky.
If it feels good,
Look up at your right fingers and spread your fingers out.
You can also look forward or straight down.
Find a good position for your neck.
Find this twist by spinning your ribcage open to the right.
Full breath in.
Thread the needle.
Bring your right arm underneath your left arm.
Your right ear comes to the floor and if your ear doesn't quite touch the floor,
You can try sliding a block or a pillow to help wedge that gap.
Start by sliding your left hand forward so there's a long line between your left hip and your left fingertips.
Listen.
Slide your left hand back in front of your face.
Shift the weight over into your right knee.
Straighten your left leg.
Send your leg right behind you.
Put your toes on the floor.
Now if you're up for a little challenge,
Just see what happens.
Try floating your left foot off the floor and balance on your right knee.
The good news is you're already close to the ground so if you roll over,
You don't have very far to fall.
Take a breath in.
Set your left foot back on the floor.
Pull your left knee in.
Sweep your right arm back up to the ceiling.
Linger here in the twist for a moment.
Take a round of Cat-Cow to reset.
Now we'll move into the other side.
Stretch your left hand to the sky.
Look up at your left fingers.
You can look forward or you can look down.
Spin your chest open to the left and find the length from the ground all the way through your fingers.
Take a big breath in.
Thread the needle.
Bring your left arm underneath your right arm.
Your left ear can come to the floor,
A block,
Or even a pillow.
Slide your right hand forward and find that long line between your right hip and your right fingers.
Pull your right hand back in front of your face.
Shift the weight into your left knee this time.
Straighten your right leg.
Put your toes on the floor.
You could stay here or you can be playful and see what happens if you float your right foot off the floor.
Be in the energy of possibility.
Take a breath in.
Set your foot down.
Pull your knee in.
Sweep your left arm back up to the sky.
Linger here a moment and place your left hand back down on the earth.
Take a big breath in.
Downward-facing Dog.
Lift your tailbone to the sky.
When you get to Downward Dog,
Start by pedaling your legs and swimming around in your Down Dog a little bit.
Be at play with the space between your hands and your feet,
Front to back,
Side to side.
Wiggle around.
Move your body.
Try this.
Cross your right ankle behind your left ankle and then set your right foot back and now cross your left ankle behind your right ankle and set that foot back down.
Straighten your right leg behind you.
Three-legged Dog.
Point your foot.
Flex your foot.
Circle your ankle one direction then the other.
Bring your right heel to your right bum cheek and then stack your right hip on top of your left.
Open up that whole right side body.
Come back to Three-legged Dog and set your right foot on the floor.
Now stretch your left leg behind you.
Start with Three-legged Dog.
Point your foot.
Flex your foot.
Circle your ankle one direction then the other.
Bring your left heel to your left bum cheek and then stack left hip on top of right.
Back to Three-legged Dog.
Set your foot down.
Pick your heels up.
Bend your knees.
Look forward.
Step to the top of your mat.
Bring your palms to your shins.
Halfway lift.
Stretch the crown of your head forward,
Your tailbone back and then draw your shoulder blades into your spine.
Big breath in.
Fold forward into Ragdoll.
Open up your feet hip-width,
Maybe wider and then catch opposite elbow with opposite hand.
Allow the crown of your head to point towards the earth and the weight of your head and your arms to create a passive traction in the backside of your body.
So just by the weight of your head and your arms you're creating an opening in your back and the backs of your legs and notice how that this feels.
If it's a little too intense you can rest your forearms on your thighs and take a little bit of the intensity out.
Respond to the sensations that you're feeling in your body and notice how you feel.
Shake your head out yes and no.
Sway from side to side.
Find that intuitive movement and then try this.
Release your hands.
Make fists with your hands and give yourself a little massage by patting your booty,
Your thighs,
Your calves,
Your shins and just use your fists to give yourself a little backside massage.
Open up and wake up those legs a little bit,
Your bum,
Maybe the inside of your thighs,
Your shins,
The fronts of your legs.
Give yourself some pats and then release your hands.
Bring your hands to your hips.
Press into your feet and stand up.
Reach your arms up over your head.
Take a big full stretch.
Make some circles with your wrists in one direction and then switch directions.
Take a big breath in.
Interlace your hands behind your back.
Make a clasp.
Stretch your knuckles down towards the floor.
Lift your chin and your chest up.
Take a big breath in.
A breath out.
Keep your bind.
Bring your chin back to neutral and then slowly soften your knees and bow forward with your bind.
You can keep your bound hands at your low back or you might have the space in your shoulders to allow your bound hands to lift away from your low back.
See what feels good.
Keep your bind.
Halfway lift.
Stretch the crown of your head forward.
Stretch your knuckles and your tailbone straight behind you for the back wall.
Take a big breath in and release your bind.
Bring your hands to the floor.
Make your way to your back.
We'll take a brief Shavasana.
Come to lie down.
Make yourself comfortable on your back.
Draw your shoulder blades underneath you.
Allow your arms to just hang heavy by the sides of your body.
Let your toes flop out towards the sides of your mat.
If it's comfortable to you,
Close your eyes and just give yourself a minute to be restful.
We need to practice resting as much as we need to practice movement.
So give yourself permission to just lie here still,
Even if it's not for very long.
It is the sacred act of rest and ease.
Take a long,
Full,
Deep breath.
And slowly empty it out.
Wiggle your fingers and your toes.
Circle your ankles and your wrists.
Take a full body stretch.
Reach your arms over your head and point your toes.
Pull your knees to your chest and if it's comfortable to you,
Roll over to your favorite side.
And then gently make your way up to a seat with your palms touching at the center of your chest.
Take this final moment of your practice and 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,
Sweet friend.
And say namaste.
