20 Minute Yoga Practice: Flow Like Water

Water flows around obstacles. It doesn't resist; it adapts. In this 20-minute yoga class, you'll move through a dynamic sequence that invites you to embody that same quality of ease and flow.

Using the element of water as a guide, you'll move through cat-cow, low lunge, wide-leg forward fold, triangle, reverse triangle, camel, and a grounding floor sequence, all linked by breath and intuitive movement. The practice closes with a restful Savasana.

This class is accessible to most bodies and requires no props, though a block is optional for triangle pose. No prior yoga experience needed.

These videos are intentionally produced without music to create space for learning, presence, and listening to the natural rhythm of your breath.

Transcript

Begin in Child's Pose. Open your knees. Sink your booty back to your heels. And either rest your forehead on the floor, Or you can stack your hands. And rest your forehead on the backs of your hands. Take a landing breath. In through your nose. And out of your nose. Begin to notice the flow of air. Moving in. And out. In today's practice. I invite you to embody the element of water. One of the most notable characteristics of water. Is its malleability. It can take up the shape of any container. It is being held in. Whether it's a cup. A bottle, Or a riverbed. Just like water. We too. Can be malleable. And adapt to the circumstances around us. Life is full of challenges and obstacles. And it's important to learn how to flow around them. Instead of resisting them. Make your way to a neutral tabletop position. And begin to move your body through some rounds of cat and cow. Bring in that element of water. And move your body to the flow. And rhythm. Of your breath. Maybe even close your eyes. And bring an element. Of intuitive movement. To the practice. Flow. Is the absence of resistance. Move your body. And the element of water. And flow like water. Make your way to Downward Facing Dog. Lift your tailbone to the sky. And once you get to Downward Dog, Start to swim around in your Down Dog. Bend your knees, Sway your hips. Pedal your legs. Walk your dog out. Bring the element of water. To your Downward Dog. By softening the knees. And the elbows. Create that element of softening. In the joints. And shake your head out yes and no. Stretch your right leg behind you. Pull your knee to your chest and hug it in tight. Inhale to lengthen your leg back. Exhale, Knee to chest. Stretch your leg back, Breath in. And pull your knee to your chest, Breath out. And set your foot back down. Now stretch your left leg behind you. Big breath in. Knee to chest. Lengthen your leg, Inhale. Knee to chest exhale. One more lengthen inhale. Knee to chest exhale. And set your foot down. Stretch your right leg behind you. Step your right foot forward, Put your knee on the floor, Low lunge. Start by stacking both of your hands on top of your right knee. And gently nudge your knee forward. Might feel good to take some intuitive movement here by rocking back and forth. To notice what you notice. And to feel what you feel. Reach your arms up over your head. Spread your fingers out. Relax your shoulders, Draw your shoulder blades into your spine. Give a gentle pull of your belly. In towards your spine. And set your gaze to one point. Big breath in. Put your hands on the floor, Pivot to the left, Side facing wide leg forward fold. Turn your toes slightly in. Allow the crown of your head to fall towards the floor. Bring the element of water into your side facing wide leg forward fold. You can sway from side to side, Maybe even take some gentle side lunges by bending one knee and then the other. Invite in the element of flow. Flow like water. Place your hands on your hips. Use a breath in to rise up. Turn your right foot to face forward. Reverse triangle. Take your right hand to the sky. Lengthen from your right big toe. All the way through your right fingertips and stretch your arm up. Triangle pose. Reach forward. And then bring your hands high and low. You might reach for a block. Or you might even place your hand on your right calf. Or your knee. Soften at the elbows, Draw your shoulders in. And breathe. One more big inhale. Bring your hands to the floor. Come to all fours. Take a round or two of Cat-Cow. Move your spine. Flow like water. Meet me in Downward Facing Dog. Stretch your left leg back. Low lunge, Step your foot forward, Put your right knee on the floor. Start by rising up and stacking both hands on top of your left knee. And gently nudge your knee forward. Give yourself permission to find intuitive movement if it feels good to rock back and forth. To be creative and expressive. And how you find the pose for yourself. Most importantly, Keep the breath moving in and out. Reach your arms up over your head. Gently pull your belly in and draw your shoulder blades in. Draw everything into center. Express out through your fingers. Big breath in. Plant your hands pivot to the right, Side facing wide like forward fold. Turn your toes in and bow your head. This time catch opposite elbows like ragdoll arms. Let the top of your body hang heavy. Shake your head out. Bring in. . . The energy of water. Release your elbows, Place your hands on your hips, Stand up. Turn your left foot to face forward. Reverse triangle. Take your left hand to the sky. And reach and open up. Ground down through your foot and reach your fingers to the sky. And then come into triangle pose. Reach forward. And then bring your hands high and low. Maybe a block, Or maybe you catch your leg. Softness in the elbows. Draw your shoulder blades in and stretch the crown of your head forward. One more big breath. Cat, Cow, Come to all fours, Move your body. Flow like water. The absence of resistance. Is flow. Meet me in Downward Facing Dog. And we'll do all of that again. We'll bring in the element of flow this time and move pose to pose. Breath to breath. Stretch your right leg behind you. Low lunge, Step your foot forward, Put your left knee down. Use your breath to reach your arms up over your head. Let it go. One more inhale. Plant your hands, Pivot to the left, Side facing wide like forward fold. Bow your head. Place your hands on your hips, Stand up. Turn your right foot to face forward. Reverse triangle. Take a breath in. Triangle pose. Reach forward, Bring your hands high and low. Take a full inhale. Stay for the exhale. One more breath in. Cat, Cow, Come to all fours. Move your body. Meet me in Downward Facing Dog. Stretch your left leg behind you. Low lunge, Step your foot forward, Put your knee down. Reach your arms up over your head, Breath in. Stay for a breath out. One more inhale. Plant your hands, Pivot to the right. Side facing wide leg forward fold, Bow your head. Place your hands on your hips, Stand up. Turn your left foot to face forward, Reverse triangle, Take your left hand to the sky. Triangle pose. Come forward, Bring your hands high and low. Stay for a full round in. And out. One more breath. Cat-cow, Come to all fours, Move your body, Move like water, Like you were flowing. Like you yourself were the element of water. Meet me in Downward Facing Dog. We'll do that all one more time. Stretch your right leg back. Low lunge, Place your knee on the floor, Reach your arms up. Stay for the exhale. One more breath in. Plant your hands, Pivot to the left, Side facing wide like forward fold. Hands to hips, Stand up. Turn your right foot forward, Reverse triangle, Reach your right hand to the sky. Triangle pose, Come forward, Hands high and low. Day for a round in. And out. One more breath. Cat, Cow, Come to all fours and flow. Downward Facing Dog. Stretch your left leg behind you. Step through low lunge, Put your knee down, Reach your arms up. Stay for the breath out. Breath in. Plant your hands. Pivot to the right, Side facing wide, Leg forward fold, Bow your head. Place your hands on your hips, Stand up. Left foot faces forward, Reverse triangle. Take your left hand to the sky. And come into triangle pose. Bring your hands high and low. Take a breath in. And a breath out. One more inhale. Cat-cow, Final rounds here. Come to all fours, Move your body in any way that feels natural. Intuitive, And creative. Camel Pose. Come to stand on your knees. Place your hands on your hips. Lift the front of your pelvis forward. Begin to lift the center of your chest up towards the ceiling. Pull your elbows and shoulders in towards your spine. Slowly come back up. Have a seat on your heels. Place your hands in your lap. And either be still or take a few neck rolls from side to side, Whatever feels more natural to you. Make your way to your back. Bridge pose. We'll take rolling bridge. Put your feet on the floor, Hip width apart. With an inhale, Lift your hips up. And exhale, Set your hips down. Inhale, Hips up. Exhale, Hips down. Two more, Hips up, Inhale. Hips down, Exhale. One more, Hips up, Inhale. Come to supine butterfly, Lower yourself down, Bring the soles of your feet to touch and let your knees fall open. Feel your breath flowing like water. Happy baby, Reach for your feet. If you can't reach your feet today, You can use a strap across your feet or reach for your ankles or your knees. And gently pull towards the floor. You can straighten one leg and then the other, Roll around, Find what feels good. Pull your knees to your chest. Open your arms into a T. Roll your knees to the right. Turn your gaze to the left for a simple twist. Come back to the center. And take the opposite side, Knees to the left. Gaze to the right. Come back to the center. Give yourself a gentle squeeze, Pull your knees to your chest and hug yourself in. And come to Shavasana. Lie down on your back. Let your feet flop out heavy. Draw your shoulder blades in. And gently pull your chin towards your chest to keep the back of your neck long. Bring the element of water. Into your final resting pose. Imagine a still. Clear. Body of water. Allow yourself. Rest. And to be with yourself. Just as you are. Take a long. . . Fall. Deep breath in. And empty it. Wiggle your fingers and your toes. And circle your ankles and wrists. Take a full body stretch from front to back. And then curl yourself up into a tight, Tiny ball. And if it feels good. Roll over to your favorite side. And gently make your way up to a seat. Bring your palms to touch at the center of your chest. And then bring your thumbs to the center of your forehead. Bow your head towards your heart. In honor of you. And me. In this practice that we share. I bow to you, My friend. And say Namaste.