Hi and welcome.
I'm Laia.
This is a yoga practice for pain.
When we feel in pain,
When our physical body or our emotional body are in pain,
It can be sometimes difficult to function and it can be especially difficult to engage in self-care practices.
However,
Gentle yoga postures can be very helpful in getting back in touch with the body in a way that is supportive and that can help you sometimes even move through the pain in a way that is less uncomfortable if you will.
So please make sure that you have some props for this practice.
I have collected the things that I had around me which were two blocks and then I grabbed three blankets.
You could also grab pillows if you have a bolster that would work as well.
And make yourself comfortable.
Wear something nice and cozy and that you enjoy being in.
It's not necessary for you to put clothes that are constricting and tight.
Let yourself be comfortable in your body as much as you possibly can,
Especially if you're already going through pain.
The few shapes that we will do today are just designed to help you release tension and I want you to use as many props as you want to truly find comfort.
As soon as you find any pain I want you to please come out of the pose and choose something different.
There is no need to be in pain at this moment more than you already perhaps are.
So go ahead and bring yourself to lie down on your back and as you do this,
This is where you can start to consider what props you have and how you want to lay down.
So with the three blankets perhaps you make a pillow,
Perhaps you cover yourself up.
Just consider how you want to make yourself comfy and you could choose to extend your legs all the way down or maybe you bring your feet to the ground a little bit wider than your hips and let your knees rest toward one another.
Allow your arms to rest outside of the body facing the palms up or maybe you rest your hands on your lower abdomen.
Take a moment to wiggle out any last movements that you want to do before you enter the practice and then once you feel ready maybe you continue to gaze at a point above you or you let your gaze soften down and your eyes close eventually and just give yourself a few moments to notice how you arrive right here right now.
If you chose this class in particular it is perhaps because you are in pain so if you notice that this pose,
This shape is not comfortable for you after a few breaths just shift to something else but let yourself find stillness as soon as you can.
Deep breath in through your nose and out through your nose or your mouth.
Notice where your breath expands when you inhale and the softening that arises as you exhale.
Inhale,
Maybe you let the breath get a little bit more toward the abdomen.
Exhale,
Soften,
Release,
Release,
Release.
One more deep breath in and out.
Give yourself a moment to perhaps set an intention for this practice,
For this time on your mat.
Ask yourself what could I use a little bit more of or maybe what am I ready to release a little bit of.
Let it be simple.
Inhale,
Exhale.
If there's anything underneath your head go ahead and move it out to the side so that your spine is long on the ground.
Maybe stretch your arms overhead or to the sides and if your legs are straight down start to bring your feet to the floor so your knees are bent and on your inhalation move your knees to the center and on your exhalation allow your knees to surrender to the left.
Inhale,
Bring your knees to center.
Exhale,
Take the knees a little to the right and notice here that your movement can be as slow as you want it to be and you can use as much or as little of your range of motion as you want to as well.
There's absolutely no need for your knees to go all the way down and this is where you can start to become self-aware,
Become cognizant of what it feels like to be in your physical body right now beyond the pain.
Take a couple more breaths here,
Gently moving side to side and if moving side to side feels like too much at any point stop and still stay with the breath.
Maybe imagining this flow of energy from side to side.
One more inhale and exhale.
Stop the movement at the center,
Extend your legs away from you,
Extend your arms overhead,
Take a deep breath in as you stretch yourself out and on your exhalation bring your feet back to the floor and see if you can start to draw your right knee toward the chest and maybe you will catch underneath the knee,
Maybe you catch over the shin or you could use a strap here or a belt and again there's no need for you to squeeze or do anything in particular.
Perhaps consider if you would like to move your hip a little side to side or do gentle circles as if you were drawing circles with your knee and toward the ceiling or maybe you choose to move your ankle a bit or neither.
Breathe in,
Breathe out.
One more inhale and on your exhalation release your right leg,
Stretch both legs,
Stretch both arms again.
Notice how your body feels.
Breathe in and as you breathe out just tighten draw your left knee toward the chest,
Maybe your right foot comes to the floor.
Notice the sensation on this side and consider if you want to create any movement or perhaps it's stillness that would really allow you to be more present right now.
Take a few more breaths.
Last one,
Inhale and on your exhalation release your left foot to the floor,
Keep both feet grounded,
Your knees face up toward the ceiling,
Arms next to your body with your palms down.
Notice your feet on the earth,
Notice your hands,
The back of your body and you can stay here lifting your heart up,
Just intentionally pressing the ground away from you or perhaps in your next inhalation you start to also lift your hips off the floor.
Inhale and on your exhalation lower back down.
Now start to roll yourself toward either side,
Coming into a fetal position,
Use your bottom arm as a pillow if you want to curl in.
One more breath and once you're ready with the help of your top hand and your top leg,
Start to press yourself up and find a comfortable seated position.
You could sit on the ground but you can also grab one of your blankets or all of them if you want to,
Slide them underneath your sitting bones and elevate your hips here as you rest your hands on your lap or your knees.
Relax your shoulders,
Lengthen your spine and soften your gaze or close your eyes.
Inhale,
Exhale.
