Hello friend,
I'm Laia.
Welcome to this cozy yoga session to help you relax and prepare for bed.
I am dressed super cozy.
I have nice warm socks on,
Comfortable pants,
As well as one of my favorite sweaters.
So I invite you to get really comfortable.
If you wanted to use props for this practice,
Maybe some pillows and blankets could be helpful.
But as you can see,
I don't have any props at all with me,
So you will be fine no matter what you have available.
This will be an accessible practice so I will offer you different options so that you can choose what works best for your body.
Let's get started.
So I invite you to bring the back of your body.
To the floor,
To the yoga mat.
And then bring your feet about hips distance apart or a little bit wider.
And let your knees relax to one another.
As your hands rest right onto your belly or maybe you bring your arms next to your body.
Let your gaze soften or close your eyes,
Your choice.
And let's take three breaths together in through the nose.
Notice your belly expanding.
Out through the nose or the mouth.
Notice the belly full.
Inhale,
Notice the belly rise.
Exhale,
Notice it fall as you relax a little more.
One more,
Breathe in.
And breathe out.
Return to a natural rhythm of breath.
Letting yourself observe how you arrive into this practice.
And how he arrived.
To the end of your day.
Let yourself observe how you feel in your physical body.
As well as notice how your mind is.
Is it scattered?
Is it present?
Are you able to?
Deem this day complete.
Breathe in deeply.
And breathe out completely.
On your next inhalation,
Start to open your eyes.
Your arms out to the sides however you want to,
Facing your palms up,
Your elbows could be bent or extended.
And allow your knees to face up toward the ceiling.
Keep your feet planted on the earth.
Take a deep breath in,
Pressing the body onto the floor.
And on your exhalation,
Let yourself relax a little bit more toward the surface beneath you.
Inhale here.
Exhale,
Allow both knees to go over toward the left and perhaps you shift your hips a little to the right so you can make yourself more comfortable.
Keep your right shoulder fully grounded.
And if you wanted to,
You could cross your left ankle over your right knee.
Breathe deeply into the right lung Again on the inhalation you notice it expands.
And on the exhalation,
You notice the expansion relax,
Soften,
And fall.
One more breath here.
Have you crossed your ankle over the knee and cross it?
And on your next inhalation,
Bring your knees back to center,
Shift your hips back to center.
And on the exhalation,
Now your knees go over to the right as little or as much as feels good.
This is where if you have pillows,
You could utilize them to fill the spaces so that you can relax further.
Maybe your right ankle crosses over the left knee.
Perhaps her gaze goes a little bit to the left.
Notice the spaces where you can soften,
Even if it's just a little bit,
Even if it's just for this breath.
One more deep breath into the left lung.
Slowly let go.
And cross your ankle if you crossed it.
Draw your knees back up towards the ceiling.
Bring your spine to neutral.
Inhale.
And exhale.
On your next inhalation,
Begin to extend your legs up toward the ceiling and your arms up toward the ceiling.
Your knees and your elbows can be as bent or as extended as you'd like.
And begin to create a little bit of circles with your ankles and your wrists first one way as you breathe in And breathe out.
Breathe in.
Breathe out,
Pause and switch directions with your circles as you continue.
Keep your attention on your breath as much as you can.
One more breath in here.
And on your exhalation,
Allow your knees to bend and draw your knees toward your chest,
Giving yourself a little bit of a hug,
Maybe with the hands.
Underneath the knees or over the shins.
Let your knees draw a little bit wider if that feels best for your hips or your low back.
And perhaps start to create a little bit of movement from side to side here.
One more breath,
Inhale.
And on your exhalation,
If you're moving from side to side,
Slow down the movement,
Bring your feet down to the ground.
Parallel to one another,
Knees face up toward the ceiling.
Bring your arms next to the body with your palms facing down.
And feel free to stay here.
Or on your next inhalation,
Start to lift your hips off the floor,
Engaging your legs.
Press down through the feet.
Lift up through the thighs and lift your chest up toward your chin.
Maybe you wiggle your shoulders underneath and eventually interlace your hands under your back and press the outer edges of your arms and your hands onto the floor.
One more breath,
Inhale.
And on your exhalation,
If you lift it up,
Start to lower down,
Make sure that you move the arms out of the way first.
And find your back body on the earth again.
Inhale deeply.
I exhale completely.
On your next inhalation,
Extend your legs away from you and your arms overhead.
Give your entire body a stretch.
Breathe in.
Breathe out.
One more inhale,
Lengthen maybe a little bit more.
Exhale,
Relax your body to the earth.
Wiggle your legs a little side to side.
Massage the back of your head a little bit side to side.
Inhale.
And exhale.
Now begin to draw your right knee toward your chest,
Again catching underneath the thigh if you want to,
Or over the shins.
And notice the difference between keeping your left leg extended or bringing your left foot to the floor.
It might feel different.
So notice what works for you here.
And take a couple of circles here with your right hip one way and then the other.
Hug your right knee into your chest a bit more,
Inhale.
And on your exhalation,
With your right hand,
Draw your right knee out to the right,
Your elbow may find the floor,
And bring your left hand to your hip.
Now your left foot could stay on the floor or you could extend your left leg.
Breathe.
For some folks,
It may feel nice to take your right hand to the ball of your right foot.
And then on your next inhalation,
Maybe you extend your right leg as little or as much as you want.
You could bring a pillow underneath your right leg for support or a block.
But again,
Just do what works for your body.
If keeping your knee bent works best,
Do that.
It's about letting yourself soften into what's available.
Letting go what you think you should have done and just being present.
One more inhale.
And on your exhalation,
Draw your right knee back to the chest,
Hug it in,
Maybe lift your head up toward your knee,
Inhale.
And on the exhalation,
Extend your arms,
Extend your legs,
Stretch out,
Deep breath in.
Exhale,
Draw your left knee to the chest this time,
Hug it in.
Your right leg can be extended or you can plant your right foot to the floor.
As you begin to move your left hip a few times one way.
And a few times the other,
Creating circles.
Breathing.
Breathe out.
Pause the movement,
Inhale.
And on the exhalation,
Right hand to your right hip to keep your right hip grounded and then draw your left knee out to the left.
Maybe your elbow finds the floor.
Keep both shoulders and hips square and grounded.
Notice how this feels first.
And then if you want to take your left hand to the inside of the foot.
Or the ankle and play with the extension of the leg.
Feel free to do that,
But it's not necessary.
One more breath,
Inhale.
Exhale.
Draw your left knee back in,
Hug it in with both hands.
And on your inhalation,
Stay or maybe lift your head up toward it.
Exhale,
Release your left leg,
Stretch your arms overhead.
Deep breath in.
And on the exhalation,
Plant both feet to the floor.
And start to roll toward either side.
Coming into a fetal position for a moment.
And then let yourself roll down to your abdomen.
So just flip yourself.
To your belly.
Make a pillow with your hands and rest your forehead down,
Or if you'd rather,
You could take one cheek to the floor.
And let your hips wiggle a little side to side.
Inhale into the back body.
Exhale to relax,
Down,
Down,
Down,
Soften.
Stay here,
Maybe bend your knees and start to move your legs from side to side like windshield wipers,
Or you could crisscross them as well.
One more breath,
Inhale.
And on your exhalation,
Extend your legs back down again.
Bring your left ear to the floor and stretch your left arm straight out to the left.
Now bring your right hand under your right shoulder and bend your right knee.
Inhale.
And on the exhalation,
Let yourself roll toward the left side.
Maybe your right foot plants on the floor,
But make sure that your head is relaxed down.
You can stay here.
Give the sensation that you find is what you're seeking and it's sufficient.
It allows you to breathe.
Otherwise,
On your next inhalation,
Your right arm may lift.
And on the exhalation,
Keep the palm facing up toward the ceiling and let your arm open back,
Back,
Back.
Finding a bit more space for your chest.
One more breath,
Inhale.
And on your exhalation,
Lower your right hand down.
Now as you come back down to the belly,
Slide your right knee out to the side.
Make a pillow with your hands and rest your forehead down.
Or if you'd rather,
You could come up to your elbows,
Taking your elbows right underneath your shoulders and facing your fingertips forward.
Press both hips evenly down to the floor and maybe your gaze is forward or you lower your chin down.
One more breath,
Inhale.
Now as you exhale,
Slide your right leg next to the left.
And start to cross either right wrist over left wrist or right elbow over left elbow.
And as you come down,
Take your chin down or take your forehead down.
One more breath.
And then slowly uncrossing the arms.
As you come down,
This time bring your right ear to the floor and stretch your right arm out.
Bring your left hand under your left shoulder,
Bend your left knee,
Inhale.
And on the exhalation roll toward the right this time.
Pressing down into your left foot and pointing your left knee up and back a little.
You can stay here or on your next simulation.
Reach your left arm up.
And then let it open back.
One more breath.
And slowly lower your left arm down.
And as you come back down to your abdomen,
Slide your left knee out and either make a pillow with your hands and rest your forehead down or press up into your elbows,
Aligning your middle finger with the elbow and the shoulder and press down through the hands,
Gently lifting your chest here.
Just breathe.
Notice what arises.
One more breath,
Inhale.
And then slowly slide your left leg next to the right,
Extending the legs behind you.
And as you come down,
Cross your left arm over the right this time,
Either at the wrist or the elbows,
And slowly lower yourself down to the forehead or the chin.
Noticing the sensation in the shoulders,
The arm.
One more breath.
And then slowly and crossing the arms.
Now you can choose here to make a pile with your hands and rest your forehead down,
Or if you rather,
Press yourself up.
Bring your big toes to touch and your knees wide.
And slide your hips back toward the heels,
Maybe make a pile with your hands here in child's pose or maybe keep your arms extended forward or even by your feet.
Let yourself be in stillness or maybe wiggle yourself a bit side to side.
And I invite you here to consider one thing you can be proud of that you did today.
Or maybe it's something you didn't do.
Can be big or small.
Just let yourself acknowledge a win.
A small success,
A joy.
Take a deep inhalation through the nose,
Let it expand front to back,
Side to side,
Top to bottom.
And let go.
Wherever you may be,
Whether it's in your abdomen or in child's pose.
At your own pace.
You could bring yourself to bed right away.
Or if you'd like to finish this practice together.
Come up to a seated position.
Elongate your spine,
Relax your shoulders,
And perhaps rest your hands on your lap,
Your knees,
Or maybe bring both hands over your heart.
I invite you to soften your gaze or close your eyes.
And just notice your surroundings.
Breathe in deeply.
And let go.
And repeat within or without.
Thank you,
Thank you,
Thank you.
For this day.
For all the light it brought.
And also for the darkness.
And thank you for your ability to move through it all.
Thank you,
Thank you,
Thank you.
Breathe in.
And breathe out.
May you have a beautiful night of rest.
Once you're ready,
You can release your arms and open your eyes.
I really hope that you have enjoyed this cozy yoga practice to help you prepare for bed and get a good night's sleep.
I look forward to practicing with you again soon.
Take care and be well.
