Today,
We'll get started by sitting cross-legged on our mats,
Rest your hands on your thighs,
Softly close your eyes,
And follow the breath,
Becoming aware of the inhale and the exhale and the reversal of breath.
Notice the ease that the breath brings to the body,
One breath at a time.
Now take a full breath in,
And a slow exhale out,
And as you return to your natural breath,
Softly open your eyes,
And then fully open your eyes when you're ready.
All right,
We're going to start on all fours.
Move any props that you have out of the way,
And if you have a flat surface under your mat,
Please put some padding under your knees so you're a little bit more comfortable.
And start with a neutral spine and drop down into cow.
Let the tailbone reach up to the sky,
Squeeze the shoulder blades together,
And look up.
And come to a neutral spine.
Where can you soften here?
And then once more,
Drop down into cow,
Go a little deeper,
And come to a neutral spine.
Look to your right foot,
To the left foot,
Back to the right foot,
To the left foot,
Come back to center,
And drop down into cow again.
Notice where you have more space.
One more breath,
And come to a neutral spine.
Extend your right leg back,
Pulling the toes on the mat.
Bend the knee so it hovers over the mat,
Roll to the tips of the toes,
And extend the leg.
And one more time,
Bend the knee,
Roll to the tips of the toes,
Extend the leg,
Find some length down the back of the right leg,
And let's change sides.
Extend the left leg back,
Throwing the toes on the mat,
Bend the knee,
Hovering over the mat,
Roll to the tips of the toes,
And extend.
And again,
Bend the knee,
Roll to the tips of the toes,
And extend the leg.
Notice if the left side feels the same as the right side,
And bring that knee down to the mat.
Walk your wrist slightly in front of the shoulders and circle your hips.
You can start small and get bigger,
Or go big from the very beginning.
Change direction,
And come back to center.
Step your right foot forward into anjayasana,
Which is like lunge,
But you're taking a slightly bigger step,
And then guide the knee towards the toes.
Stretch out the hip flexor and the quad on the left side.
Hands are framing the front foot.
Glide back,
Making the leg a little straighter,
Flexing the foot,
Not overstretching here.
Bring the knee towards the toes again.
Notice the spaciousness in the hip flexor on the left side.
And glide back,
Making the leg straighter,
Flexing the foot.
Nose to the knee is an option.
Bring the knee over the ankle,
Extend your arms up to the sky,
Pull the navel in,
Squeeze the thighs together,
And then side bend to the right.
Hands parallel to each other.
Come back to center.
Right arm comes around behind you.
Pull the forearm down,
Extend the left arm up,
Side bend to the right.
Come back to center,
Both arms up.
Now we're going to bring the left arm behind the hip.
Extend the right arm up.
Look up at your hand for a small back bend.
Left hand slides down the back of the leg.
Keep looking.
Find a little more length here.
Both arms up to the sky.
Bring the hands down to the mat,
And we'll change sides.
Go back to all fours.
Step the left foot forward into that Anje Asana,
Slightly bigger step.
Knee goes towards the toes.
Glide back,
Making the leg straighter,
Flexing the foot.
Nose to the knee is an option.
Knee towards the toes again.
Glide back,
Making the leg straighter,
Flexing the foot.
Bring the knee over the ankle.
Inhale,
Extend your arms up to the sky.
Find some length here.
Left arm comes around behind you.
Pull the forearm down,
Extend the right arm up,
Side bend to the left.
Come back to center.
Both arms up.
Now bring the right hand behind the hip.
Left arm extends up.
Look up.
Let the right hand slide down the back of the leg.
Extend both arms up.
Bring your hands down to the mat.
And we'll go back to all fours.
And drop down into cow again.
Having space between the vertebrae,
Which is what we're creating here,
So essential for a strong back,
A healthy back.
And come to neutral stance.
And work for a drop down into cow.
Squeeze the shoulder blades together a little bit more.
Come back.
And come to a neutral spine.
And we're going to come down to our belly.
Make a pillow for your forehead with your hands.
Bend your knees.
And move your feet side to side.
Taking your time.
Bring the legs back to center and lower them down.
Make sure the legs are long.
Top of the toes pressing down into the mat.
Bring your hands by your ribs for cobra or baby cobra.
Roll the right shoulder back.
Left shoulder back.
Both shoulders back.
Inhale,
Lift.
Look forward.
Can be baby cobra here.
And lower down.
Take an extra breath,
And we'll do it again.
Inhale,
Lift.
And lower down.
Push up onto your forearms.
Into sphinx pose.
Make sure the legs are long.
Look to the right foot.
To the left foot.
Back to center.
Pick the right leg up.
Let it hover over the mat.
And lower it down.
And do the left.
And lower it down.
Make a pillow for your forehead with your hands.
Bend your right leg.
90 degrees as if you're sitting in a chair.
And your foot is flexed.
Forehead on your hands.
Inhale,
Lift the thigh up.
Let it hover over the mat.
Lower the thigh.
And then the leg.
We'll do the left side.
Bend the leg.
Foot is flexed.
Lift the thigh up.
Let it hover over the mat.
Lower the thigh.
And then the leg.
And we'll do the right side again.
Bend the leg.
Flex the foot.
Lift the thigh up.
Let it hover.
Lower the thigh.
And then the leg.
And let's do the left.
Remember to flex the foot.
Lift the thigh up.
Lower the thigh.
And then the leg.
And come up to your forearms.
Interlace your fingers.
We'll do forearm plank.
It's an easy version of plank.
You can also do it with your knees down.
Make sure the elbows are under the shoulders.
Inhale,
Lift.
Inhale,
Lift.
Inhale,
Lift.
We'll do the other side today.
Two more breaths.
And slowly come up to all fours.
Curl your toes.
Lift your knees up.
Keep them bent.
Look forward.
And walk to forward fold.
And once you're there,
Come up halfway.
Flat back.
Support your hands on your thighs.
Find some length between the tailbone and the top of your head.
Inhale.
Extend your arms up overhead.
Hold on to your right wrist.
Side bend to the left.
Back to center.
Change wrists.
Side bend to the right.
Let's change wrists.
Side bend to the left.
Change wrists.
Side bend to the right.
Come back to center.
Bring your hands behind your hips.
Elbows back.
Look up.
This is a back bend.
Squeeze the arms together.
Let the chest lift.
And then come to mountain pose.
Roll the shoulders back.
Side bend over to the right.
Three breaths here.
Lengthen the left side.
Over to the left.
Three breaths.
Over to the right.
Three breaths.
To the left.
Come back to center.
Extend your arms up to the sky.
Step back into lunge with the left foot.
Front knee is bent.
Back heel is up.
Extend the arms up to the sky.
Take your arms into cactus.
Pull the shoulders back.
Twist to the right.
Back to center.
Extend the arms a little bit higher.
Arms in cactus again.
Broaden the chest.
Twist to the right.
Back to center.
Extend your arms up.
And step your feet together at mountain pose.
Take a moment to let your feet get grounded into the mat.
And then we'll do the other side.
Inhale your arms up.
Right foot back into lunge.
Right heel is up.
Left knee is bent.
Find some more length.
More than we found on the first side.
Arms in cactus.
Twist to the left.
Back to center.
Extend the arms higher.
Arms in cactus.
Twist to the left.
Come back to center.
Extend the arms up.
Reach a little bit higher.
And step your feet together,
Mountain pose.
Inhale your arms up overhead.
Exhale,
Fold.
We're going to bring our hands to the mat.
Knees bent.
Sway your arms from side to side.
Giving your shoulders a little more space.
And then bring your arms back to center.
Nod your head yes and no a few times.
Inhale,
Extend your arms up to the sky.
And bring your arms down by your side.
Roll the shoulders back.
And just take a moment to notice how you feel.
Turn your head to the right.
To the left.
Back to center.
Open your arms wide.
Palms up.
Bring your hands together in front of your heart.
Look right.
Extend the left arm out to the side.
Hands together.
Look left.
Right arm out to the side.
Back to center.
We'll do each side again.
Look right.
Left arm extends.
Back to center.
Look left.
Right arm extends.
Come back to center.
Bring your palms together.
Look up.
Backbend.
Keep looking up.
Bring your hands behind your hips.
Elbows back.
And as you deepen the backbend,
Let your hands slide down the back of your legs.
Extend your arms up overhead.
And bring your arms down by your side.
We're going to do standing locust pose.
Locust pose is usually done on your belly,
But we'll do it standing.
It's a short step back with one foot.
All the toes are pointed forward.
So let's take that right step back.
Extend your arms up to the sky.
Look between your hands.
This is a small backbend here.
Make sure your weight is even on both feet.
And step forward.
And then we'll do the other side.
Left foot back.
Extend the arms up.
Look up.
Have your balance even on both feet.
And step your feet together,
Mountain pose.
All right,
So now we're going to do opposite.
We'll do right foot,
Left arm.
Step the right foot back.
Extend the left arm up.
Look on the inside of the hands.
Keep taking the hands back.
Deepening the backbend.
Allow the right hand to reach down to the mat.
Squeeze the thighs together.
Pull the navel in.
And step your feet together.
And we'll do the other side.
Left foot,
Right arm.
Take the hand back.
Look up.
Left hand reaches down to the mat.
Go a little deeper with the backbend.
And step your feet together.
Extend both arms up.
Take your hands back.
Look between the hands.
Deepen the backbend.
Take your arms as a cactus.
Broaden the chest.
And release your arms.
Come back to mountain pose.
Roll the shoulders back.
And roll them back again.
All right.
We're going to do standing lunge.
Left foot back.
Front knee bent.
Extend your arms up to the sky.
We're going to combine lunge and locus.
Bring the left hand behind the hip.
Extend the right arm up.
Look up.
Slide the left hand down the back of the body.
Deepen the backbend a little bit.
And step your feet forward into mountain pose.
And we'll do the other side.
Right foot back.
Left arm up.
Right hand behind the hip.
Look up.
Let the right hand slide down the back of the leg.
And step forward into mountain pose.
Inhale,
Your arms up overhead.
Exhale,
Fold.
Notice where you have more space.
Keep the knees bent.
Inhale,
Look up.
Flat back.
Support your hands on your thighs.
And then fold forward again.
Bring your hands to the mat.
And we're going to come down onto our back.
Knees bent.
Arms in T position.
Once you're there,
Pick your hips up and lay them down so your spine is straight.
Drop your knees to the right.
Look left.
Drop your knees left.
Look right.
And come back to center.
Cross your right ankle over the left thigh.
Use your right hand to guide the knee away from the chest with the foot flexed.
Extend your right arm in T position.
Left hand on the outside of the knee.
Draw the knee across to the opposite hip.
Look right.
This is a gentle stretch.
Outer thigh into the small glute muscle.
Good for the lower back.
And release.
And we'll change sides.
Cross the left ankle over the right thigh.
Use the left hand to guide the knee away from the chest with the foot flexed.
Left arm in T position.
Right hand on the outside of the knee.
Draw the knee across to the opposite hip.
Look left.
And release that knee.
We'll change sides.
Cross the right ankle over the left thigh.
Use the hand to guide the knee away from the chest.
Flex the foot.
Both arms in T position.
Windshield wiper the legs as one unit side to side.
Taking your time.
Extending the range of motion a little bit.
Stretching out the back and hips and the legs.
Bring the legs back to center.
Left hand on the outside of the knee.
Draw the knee across to the opposite hip.
Look right.
And release.
We'll change sides.
Cross the left ankle over the right thigh.
Use the left hand to guide the knee away from the chest.
Foot flexed.
Both arms in T position.
Windshield wiper the legs as one unit side to side.
Bring the legs back to center.
Right hand on the outside of the left knee.
Draw it across to the opposite hip.
Look left.
Release the knee.
Bring both feet to the mat.
Arms down by your side.
Palms up.
We'll do bridge pose.
Roll the shoulders under more than once.
And then when you're ready,
There are two ways to lift up into bridge.
You can roll up the traditional way,
One vertebrae at a time.
Or if you have osteoporosis or a spinal injury,
Lift up with a flat back.
Inhale,
Lift.
And once you're there,
Walk your feet a little bit closer to your hips.
Press the feet and the shoulders down into the mat.
And slowly come down the same way you went up.
Hug the knees into the chest.
Release the feet to the mat.
Slide both legs long.
Point the feet.
Arms down by your side.
Extend the arms up to the sky.
Drop the thumbs overhead.
Opposite stretch.
Feel the lengthening here.
And release.
And once more,
Lengthen.
And then keep some of that length as you release.
Slide your arms to the right.
Feet to the right.
Cross the left ankle over the right.
Crescent moon shape.
Breathe into the left rib cage.
Uncross the ankle.
Move your feet to center.
Slide your arms to the left.
Feet to the left.
Cross the right ankle over the left.
Breathe into the right rib cage.
Uncross the ankle.
Move your feet and then your arms back to center.
Opposite stretch again.
Find all that space we created today.
And soften.
Bend both knees.
Bring your feet flat.
Bend your arms as you take them out to the side.
I think cactus.
Your arms might be a little lower,
A little bit straighter.
Press the back of your body into the mat.
And just breathe here across the front of the chest.
And slowly bring your arms down by your side.
Soft A with the palms facing up.
Extend one leg and then the other leg.
Flex the feet.
Let the toes open right into Shavasana.
Begin to deepen your breath.
Wiggle your fingers and your toes.
Gently bend your knees,
Rolling over to your side.
Use your hands to push up to seated.
As you bring your hands in prayer position,
Take a moment to notice how you feel.
Have awareness of the spaciousness.
The softness.
The ease in both the mind and the body.
Peace and namaste.
