Hi friend,
I'm Laia.
Welcome to this yoga for digestion class.
This is a perfect sequence for those times when you want to take care of your digestive system,
Which is not only the way in which we process the foods that we eat,
But it's also how we process the world and the experiences that we come across in our daily life.
If you have any preps that you like,
I'm going to be offering different options,
So I invite you to make the practice as accessible to yourself as possible.
We're going to start lying down,
So bring yourself to your back and perhaps it feels good to stretch out all the way or maybe you rather bring your feet flat to the floor and separate them and allow the knees to rest toward one another.
Make yourself comfy and your hands could rest next to your body or if you rather bring your hands to your lower abdomen and just by doing that,
Maybe as you arrive,
You start to notice the rise and the fall of the belly.
As you inhale through the nose,
The belly expands and as you exhale through the nose or the mouth,
The belly softens and relaxes down.
Do more breaths like that in through the nose,
Out through the nose or the mouth.
One more inhale,
Fill up the belly,
Perhaps also the rib cage and the chest.
This time open your mouth and sigh it out.
Notice how you feel here.
As the belly expands,
Do you notice any tension and can you perhaps relax a bit more?
And as the belly contracts,
Can you let go even if it's just one percent more toward the earth?
Toward the surface beneath you.
Arriving into the practice,
Into the moment just as you are.
So let yourself notice the physical sensations.
Of course,
Note any pain or discomfort or tightness but I also invite you to become aware of what feels relaxed and open and good.
Deep inhale.
Exhale.
Start to take your arms out to the sides,
Either in a T or in cactus,
It's up to you.
If your feet are not planted on the ground yet,
Go ahead and do that.
Bring them about match distance apart and allow the knees to face up toward the ceiling.
Take a deep breath in and on the exhalation,
Let your knees move just a little bit.
To the left,
They don't have to go very far.
Inhale,
Come back through center.
Exhale,
Move the knees a little bit to the right.
Inhale through center.
Exhale,
Knees to the left.
Maybe the gaze goes a little to the right.
Inhale through center.
Knees to the right,
Gaze a little bit to the left.
Let yourself move like this from side to side a few times.
Maybe the range of motion increases,
Maybe it remains as it is.
A couple more breaths.
And then slowly returning your knees back to center,
Press your feet firmly onto the ground and then heel toe them toward one another until they're parallel and aligned with your hips.
Bring your arms next to your body with your palms down.
Press through the back body and remain here,
Or on your next inhalation,
Allow your hips to lift.
They don't have to go very high.
And on the exhalation,
If you lifted the hips,
Slowly lower them down.
Draw your right knee toward your chest,
Hug it in,
Perhaps with its own weight,
Or maybe you interlace your hands underneath your right thigh or over your right shin.
And notice what happens here.
Maybe you remain in stillness,
Or you could move your right knee a little bit side to side.
One more breath.
Inhale.
And exhale.
Pause the movement.
Release your right foot flat to the floor.
Once again,
Arms next to your body.
Press down to the back body and stay on your next inhalation.
Lift your hips off the floor.
Maybe your chest lifts up toward the chin a bit more.
And on the exhalation,
Lower your hips all the way back down.
Now hug your left knee toward the chest,
Either catching with your hands or not,
It's up to you.
Maybe move a little side to side.
Let the breath go deep and expansive into the belly.
One more breath.
Inhale.
And on the exhalation,
Pause the movement.
Lower your left foot to the floor.
Press your feet onto the floor,
Arms next to your body,
Palms down and stay.
Or once again,
On the inhalation,
Lift your hips up,
Open through the front body.
And exhale.
Slowly lower your hips all the way back down.
Start to roll toward your left side.
Perhaps you use your bottom arm as a pillow.
Curl in.
And let yourself notice for a moment how you feel here.
One more breath.
And on your inhalation,
Slowly take your time to press yourself up and allow your feet to remain on the right side.
Stagger your legs,
But make yourself comfortable so that you can sit comfortably.
So perhaps your left foot comes in front of you.
And then your right foot is a little bit back.
Yeah.
Bring your hands next to you on the floor or maybe on the knees.
Lengthen your spine.
Breathe in.
And as you breathe out,
Take a gentle twist toward the left.
Inhale.
Come back through center.
Exhale.
Now take a twist toward the feet,
Toward the right side.
Back through center as you breathe in.
Breathe out.
Relax your shoulders down and back.
Now on your inhalation,
Reach both arms up.
Grab your left wrist with your right hand.
And as you exhale,
Lean toward the feet,
Toward the right.
Maybe your gaze goes over to the left.
One more inhale.
And exhale.
Bring your torso neutral.
Reach your arms up.
Breathe in.
And as you breathe out,
Take your right hand to your left knee.
And take your left hand next to you.
Lengthen the spine to inhale.
And maybe twist a little bit more away from the feet as you exhale.
Notice the space in the right side of the abdomen and the ribs.
One more breath.
And on your next inhalation,
Slowly return to center.
Lean back enough that you can bring your feet in front.
And then slide them toward the other side.
Again,
Stagger the legs until you find a comfortable and stable seat.
Bring your hands perhaps next to you on the floor or on top of the knees.
Inhale to lengthen.
Exhale.
Take a gentle twist toward the right.
Inhale through center.
Exhale.
Gentle twist to the left.
Return to center.
Inhale.
Take your arms all the way up.
Now grab your right wrist with your left hand.
And on the exhalation,
Lean toward the left.
Maybe your gaze goes right.
Breathe here.
Torso neutral.
Reach your arms up.
Breathe in.
And as you breathe out,
Twist toward the right.
Breathe deeply.
Let the breath be more important than the amount of twist.
And on your next inhalation,
Slowly bring yourself back to center.
And now slide both legs behind you,
Bringing yourself toward a tabletop position.
Take a moment to find alignment.
Bring your knees underneath your hips and your hands underneath your shoulders.
You can spread your fingers wide and grip your mat.
Or if your wrists are a little bit sensitive,
You can make fists as well.
And for a moment,
Let your hips maybe move a little side to side.
Mobilizing through the spine,
The shoulders,
The neck.
Inhale.
And exhale.
Pause the movement.
And now on your inhalation,
Start to lift your tailbone,
Dip your belly,
And look forward or up.
And on the exhalation,
Round your back and gaze down.
Inhale to arc.
Lift your chest.
Open up the front body.
And exhale to round.
One more.
Breathe in.
And breathe out.
Bring your spine to neutral.
Inhale.
And on the exhalation,
Tuck your toes under and send your hips back toward the heels just for a breath or two.
Let your hips move a little side to side.
Notice the sensations that arise on the soles of the feet.
Breathe in.
And breathe out.
Inhale.
Shift your weight forward again,
Finding your tabletop.
Now,
Perhaps you separate your knees and your hands a bit more to have an even more stable stance.
And ground into your left hand.
On your inhalation,
Bring your right hand to your right hip and draw your right shoulder open.
And this is a great place to stay.
Or perhaps you choose to take your right arm up.
Feel free to take a circle or two with your right wrist one way and then the other.
Breathe in.
And breathe out.
Inhale.
Perhaps reach and open a little bit more toward the right.
And on the exhalation,
Thread your right arm under the left and look over to the left.
Let the arm float.
Inhale.
Open through the hand or the elbow.
Exhale.
Thread your right arm and look to the left.
One more.
Breathe in.
And breathe out.
Thread the arm.
And this time,
Start to bring your shoulder toward the floor and your right ear toward the floor.
It may or may not touch.
Not relevant.
Your left hand can stay in front of your face to help you stabilize.
Or maybe you walk your left fingertips forward,
Forward,
Forward until your left arm extends overhead.
Notice if your left shoulder opens up a lot,
Draw it down a little more.
One more breath.
Bring your left hand in front of your face again.
Press onto it.
Inhale.
Lift yourself up.
Right hand comes to the hip and it opens up or it reaches high.
Exhale.
Bring the right hand back down to the floor.
Find your tabletop position.
Take a moment to stabilize again.
Maybe move a little side to side.
Breathe in.
And breathe out.
Now ground into your right hand and your right leg.
Inhale.
Take your left hand to your hip.
Draw your left shoulder open or maybe lift your left arm high.
Take a couple moments here to expand.
Maybe move your wrist in circles one way and then the other.
One more breath.
Inhale.
And now on your exhalation,
Thread your left arm under the right.
And as you hover,
Gaze over to the right.
Two more.
Inhale.
Left arm up.
Exhale.
Thread.
Gaze to the right.
One more.
Breathe in.
Breathe out.
Thread.
And this time,
Start to take your shoulder and ear toward the floor.
Whether they find the ground or not is irrelevant.
Your right hand can be in front of the face.
Or maybe it walks forward,
Forward,
Forward,
And then extends overhead.
Breathe.
One more deep breath in.
Long,
Slow breath out.
Plant your right hand in front of the face again.
Press into it.
Inhale.
Left arm rises.
Lift it up.
Exhale.
Bring your left hand back down to the floor.
Walk your hands forward and your knees slightly back.
And bring yourself to a knee plank.
Deep breath in.
And on your exhalation,
Slowly lower yourself down to your abdomen.
If being on your abdomen right now does not feel very good,
As you make your pile with your hands,
I invite you to slide your right knee out.
So then your belly is not really touching the floor.
Just take a couple breaths here.
It's also a great stretch for the inner thigh.
So it may feel nice to do either way.
Now,
Whether your right knee is out or your leg is extended behind you,
Bring your hands outside of your mat.
Come up to your fingertips and lift your elbows straight up toward the ceiling.
And on your inhalation,
Slowly wave your spine up.
Last thing to lift is your head.
And on the exhalation,
Lower down.
Feel free to do that two more times.
Inhale to lift.
Exhale to lower.
Inhale to lift.
And exhale as you lower.
Make a pillow with your hands again.
If your right leg is on the side,
Extend it next to the left.
And this time,
Bring your left knee out to the side.
Take a couple breaths here.
And then once you're ready,
Bring your fingertips to the outsides of the mat.
Lift your elbows straight up to the sky.
Inhale,
Slowly wave the spine up.
Lift your chest.
Lift your gaze.
Exhale,
Lower down.
Inhale,
Lift up.
Exhale,
Lower.
Last one,
Breathe in.
And breathe out,
Lower down.
Make a pillow with your hands for a moment.
Extend both legs behind you.
Point your toes back.
Hands underneath your shoulders.
Inhale,
Lift your chest for your cobra.
Exhale,
Bring your hips back.
Find your tabletop.
Or if you rather,
Here you could tuck your toes.
And lift your hips up and back.
And bring yourself to a downward dog position.
This inverted V shape.
If you're in down dog,
Feel free to pedal out your legs.
If you're in tabletop,
Maybe you arc and round your spine.
Or you could bring yourself to any other movement or stillness.
Deep breath in.
Let go.
One more.
Inhale,
Letting the belly expand.
Exhale,
Soften.
Feel free to stay in downward dog or tabletop.
On your next inhalation,
Take your right leg behind you.
Let the toes point down to the earth as they float.
Exhale,
Bring your right knee toward your chest.
And eventually bring your right foot between your hands.
For some of us,
You may want to grab your right ankle with your hand.
And slide it forward.
And then you can stay with the fingertips on the floor,
Framing your right foot.
If you had blocks,
This is a great place to bring your blocks,
Yeah?
You could also bring your hands to your right thigh.
And start to lift your torso up.
Breathe in.
Breathe out.
Draw your right hip gently back and your left hip forward.
Now,
If your hands are on the ground,
Feel free to keep your left hand on the floor.
Bring your right hand to your right thigh.
As you inhale,
Lift your chest forward.
And as you exhale,
Gently twist toward the right.
The twist here would be very gentle.
If your chest is lifted,
Maybe your hands come in front of the heart as you breathe in.
And as you breathe out,
Keeping the torso lifted,
Take a gentle twist to the right.
So notice that the twist is very soft,
Very subtle.
Breathe.
One more.
Inhale.
And on the exhalation,
Frame your right foot with both hands again.
Take your right leg straight back.
Inhale.
And on the exhalation,
Bring it across to the left side and plant it on the floor.
Gently gaze over your left shoulder,
Maybe toward your left or your right heel,
Rather.
Breathe in.
Breathe out.
Bring everything back to neutral.
Inhale.
Exhale over your right leg next to the left.
Stay in tabletop.
Or find downward facing dog.
Deep breath in.
Long,
Slow breath out.
From tabletop or downward dog,
On your inhalation,
Lift your left leg.
Point your toes down to the floor.
Exhale,
Draw your left knee toward your chest.
Left foot between your hands.
Right knee comes down.
Take a moment to find your stability here.
Perhaps you keep the hands on the floor or the blocks.
Or maybe you bring your hands to your left thigh.
But just notice how it feels.
One more breath.
And perhaps with your right hand on the floor,
Left hand onto your left thigh.
Inhale,
Lengthen the spine forward.
And exhale,
Gently twist to the left.
Or if your torso is up,
Palms in front of the heart.
Breathe in.
And as you breathe out,
Gently twist to the left.
Either way,
Squeeze everything to the midline.
But make sure that as you breathe,
The expansion and contraction of the abdomen continue to flow.
One more breath.
Come back through center.
Release your hands down.
Ground firmly into your right leg.
Inhale,
Take your left leg behind you.
Now take the leg across to the right.
Plant your toes down.
And then gaze over your right shoulder.
One more breath.
Slowly align your left leg behind you.
Breathe in.
Breathe out.
Lower your left knee down.
Now bring your big toes to touch.
Separate your knees and send your hips back toward the heels.
You can make a pile with your hands and rest your forehead down.
Or you could extend the arms forward and take the forehead to the floor.
It's up to you.
Find stillness or movement.
But wherever you go,
Make enough space for your abdomen.
Make enough space for yourself to exist just as you are right now.
Breathe in deeply.
Breathe out completely,
Softening toward the earth.
What can you let go of right now?
One more deep breath in.
And let go.
On your next inhalation,
Slowly lift your chest up.
Bring yourself to a tabletop.
Or if you'd rather bring yourself to Downward Facing Dog,
Breathe in.
And breathe out.
If you're in Down Dog,
Gaze forward and start to step your feet to the outside of the hands.
Turn your toes out and your heels in.
And start to lower your hips down.
Perhaps your fingertips stay in front of you or your elbows could rest on the insides of the knees.
Bring your palms together in front of the heart.
And you could stay here for a few breaths.
You could also sit on a block.
You could also sit on the ground,
Especially if you were in tabletop.
And bring your feet in front of you just a little bit wider than your hips.
Elbows,
Again,
In the insides of the knees.
And then palms together in front of the heart.
Lift your chest up toward the thumbs.
Wherever you are,
Breathe.
One more breath.
Inhale deeply.
And exhale completely.
If your hips are off the floor,
Start to bring them down.
Bring your hands down.
And for a moment,
Just move your knees a little bit side to side.
Shake out the legs or whatever you need.
And then begin to draw your left foot in in front of you.
And this time,
Extend your right leg out.
It could be all the way extended or you could keep your knee bent.
Just make sure that your sitting bones are grounded and your hands are in front of you.
Or they could even be behind you to even help you elevate and extend the spine even more.
Yeah,
Take a deep breath in.
And on the exhalation,
Let your heart go forward.
Your hands could remain behind you or in front of you.
Maybe the elbows bend and they find the floor and maybe your head relaxes down.
Notice where your mind goes.
One more breath here.
And on your next inhalation,
Rise.
Draw your right foot in.
Now extend your left leg diagonally out with the knee bent or extended,
With the foot flexed or pointed.
Whatever feels best for you.
Hands behind or in front.
Inhale to find length.
And exhale to slowly go forward if it serves you.
Maybe the hands find a block or the floor.
Relax your head.
And just notice the sensations and how you choose to interact with what's going on.
What your mind has to say about this experience.
How you connect to your body,
To your mind,
To your energy.
One more breath.
And on your next inhalation,
Rise up.
Bring both legs in.
Keep your feet in front of you.
As wide as you need to make space for your abdomen and your chest.
And maybe you give yourself a hug.
Breathe in.
And as you breathe out,
Lower your head down and sway side to side.
Or if you rather,
If you know that you want to finish the practice lying down,
Maybe you lie down and bring your knees toward the chest,
Hugging them in.
Either way,
Can you give yourself a loving hug?
Considering all the things you go through,
Day in and day out.
And how so far you've survived it all.
Isn't that something?
Breathe in deeply.
Let go.
Let yourself find a posture where you can relax and let go.
Maybe you extend your entire body on the ground for Shavasana.
Maybe you find a comfortable seated position.
Either way,
Let yourself rest and integrate just for a few moments.
If you have the time,
I invite you to stay in stillness for three to five more minutes.
If it's time for you to move on with your day,
Bring yourself to a comfortable seat if you're not already there.
And I invite you to bring both hands to your low belly if that feels comfortable for you.
Or otherwise,
Rest them anywhere else you feel comfortable.
And let go of all the stress that you feel is on your body.
Once again,
Become aware of the expansion and the contraction,
The ebb and the flow.
Notice how you feel after this practice in your body.
The thoughts moving through your mind.
And perhaps the way in which the energy is flowing a little more freely after taking care of your digestion.
So repeat within or without,
Thank you,
Thank you,
Thank you.
Take a deep inhalation.
Expanding front to back,
Side to side,
Top to bottom.
And let go.
Once you feel complete,
You can release your hands and open your eyes.
I hope you've enjoyed this yoga class to improve your digestion.
Until we meet again,
Take care of yourself,
Take care of each other,
And be well.
