Ocean Flow | Slow-Flow Vinyasa

A short flow of standing lunges, twists and backbends to get the prana flowing and prepare body and mind for the day ahead.
Begin the practice seated with padma mudra and gradually move into standing for lateral body opening, standing backbends and twists which will challenge your balance and the strength of your legs.
This practice is ideal first thing in the morning and it will work your entire body.

Transcript

We begin this class from seated with hands in a prayer in front of the heart.

Namaskar Mudra Spin the fingers up,

Keep the heels of the hands connected and the thumbs and the little fingers connected,

Allowing the other fingers to fan out like lotus petals.

This is Padma Mudra,

Lotus Mudra.

Bring the palms together,

Spin the fingers down and begin to draw circles with your fingers around your wrists,

Keeping the back of the hands connected.

This is the prayer wheel of the heart.

It allows us to untie the knots of the heart and warm up the wrist joints as well.

Take Padma Mudra again.

Gaze into your lotus flower,

Setting an intention for your practice.

Release the hands back down and come onto all fours,

Tabletop position,

Hands and knees.

Keep your toes tucked under on an inhalation arch,

Pakao pose.

Exhale,

Chin to chest,

Around your spine,

Forget.

Inhale as you arch,

Exhale as you round,

Continue.

Moving with the breath,

Inhaling as you arch and exhaling as you round,

Articulating the whole of the spine.

Two more like that.

As you're ready,

Press up and back into Tiger Dog with knees bent and heels lifted.

Keep the arms in line with the ears,

Engage your core and your inner thighs.

Bend your left leg as you descend the right heel down,

Bend the right leg as you descend the left heel down,

Bend the right leg as you descend the left heel down,

Lengthening the hamstrings.

Continue for one more round,

Or maybe two.

Come back into Tiger Dog with knees bent and heels lifted.

Simply hold and breathe.

Look forward and step your feet to your hands.

Once you get to the front of the mat,

Inhale into a halfway lift,

Exhale,

Forward fold.

Inhale into a halfway lift,

High onto the fingertips,

Exhale,

Forward fold.

On an inhalation,

Come into standing,

Reaching the arms out and up,

Join your prayer above your head and lengthen,

Exhale,

Prayer back to the heart.

Inhale,

Reach the arms out and up,

Urva astasana,

Upward salute,

Exhale,

Fold forward,

Uttanasana.

On an inhalation,

Step your left leg back,

Bring your left knee down,

Inhale,

Reach the arms out and up,

Fallow lunge,

Exhale,

Frame your right foot,

Step back,

Downward facing dog.

Inhale,

Hinge forward into plank,

High onto your toes,

Hold plank for a moment,

Exhale,

Knees,

Chest and chin down,

Ashtangasana,

Buttocks high,

Release your body to the earth,

Untuck your toes,

Reach your chest forward and up for Cobra,

And on an exhalation,

Seat to heels,

Child's pose,

Forehead rests,

Draw the hands towards you,

Come to sit onto your heels,

Reach down,

Your heels reach the arms behind you,

Fingertips pointing towards you,

Reach up and back for this variation of camel,

Bring your hands in a prayer in front of your heart and sit upright again.

Inhale,

Come back onto all fours,

Exhale,

Lift your knees and your hips up and back,

Downward facing dog.

Inhale,

Left leg lifts,

Three-legged dog,

Exhale,

Step through,

Bring your right knee down,

Inhale,

Arms reach out and up,

Fallow lunge,

Join your prayer,

Exhale,

Frame your left foot,

Step forward,

Forward fold,

Reach the arms out and up,

As you come into standing,

Join your prayer above your head and lengthen,

Exhale,

Prayer to the heart.

Inhale,

Reach the arms out and up,

Exhale,

Fold forward and down.

Inhale into a halfway lift,

High onto the fingertips,

Exhale,

Step your right leg back,

Bring your right knee down,

Inhale,

Come upright with your torso,

Fallow lunge,

Join your prayer,

Exhale,

Frame your foot and step back,

Downward facing dog.

Inhale,

Hinge forward into plank,

Like a wave,

Exhale,

Knees,

Chest and chin down.

Inhale into cobra,

Releasing everything down,

Toes are untucked,

Exhale,

Go through bent knees,

Back into downward facing dog.

Inhale,

Hinge forward into plank again,

Exhale,

Knees,

Chest and chin down.

Inhale into cobra,

Reaching your chest forward and up,

Don't use your neck,

But the middle of the back,

Exhale,

Seat to heels,

Child's pose,

Forward bows,

Draw the hands towards you,

As you come to sit onto your heels,

Draw the hands behind your fingertips,

Pointing towards you,

Reach up and back for this variation of camo,

Come upright with your torso,

Hands in prayer,

Take padma mudra again.

On an inhalation,

Come back onto all fours,

Exhale,

Press back,

Downward facing dog,

Inhale,

Right leg lifts,

Three-legged dog,

Exhale,

Step through,

Bring your left knee down,

Inhale,

Arms reach out and up,

Fallow lunge,

Exhale,

Frame your right foot,

Step forward,

Forward fold,

Inhale,

As you come into standing and reach the arms out and up,

Join your prayer,

Exhale,

Draw this energy back to the heart,

Samasthiti,

Equal standing pose,

Taking some time to feel into all of that,

Take padma mudra again,

Heels of the hands stay connected,

Thumbs and little fingers stay connected,

Other fingers fan out like lotus petals,

Release the hands down,

Bend your knees,

Squat back,

Reach the arms forward and up,

You're in chair,

Utkatasana,

Hold chair for a moment,

Belly in and up,

Bring your right hand to your left shoulder,

Left hand to your right shoulder,

Crisscrossing the hands behind you and look up,

Gentle backbend,

Reach the arms towards the sky,

Crisscrossing at the wrist,

Straight in the legs and reach up and back,

Extending backbend,

Separate the hands and fold forward and down into uttanasana,

Inhale into a halfway lift,

High onto the fingertips,

Exhale,

Fold and inhale into a halfway lift,

With the left leg up,

Exhale,

Step your left leg back,

Left knee down,

Inhale,

Arms reach out and up,

For lower lunge,

Exhale,

Release your hands down,

Frame your right foot and step back into three-legged downward dog with the right leg up,

Bend the knee and stack the hip,

But keep the shoulder square,

It's just the right pelvis opening to the right,

Begin to draw three circles with your right foot in one direction and the other,

Keeping the toes spread,

Re-extend the right leg,

Square off your hips and step through with the right leg,

Keep your back knee lifted,

Lunge a little bit deeper into your right knee,

Straighten both legs for parasvottanasana variation,

Inhale to lunge,

Exhale,

Straighten both legs,

Back heel is lifted,

Inhale,

Lunge,

Open your chest and your throat,

Exhale,

Straighten both legs,

Last time like that,

Inhale,

Lunge,

Bring the left knee down,

Left hand down,

Under the left shoulder,

Open twist to the right,

Reaching the right arm up and over to the left alongside the right ear,

Release the right hand down,

Frame your right foot,

Step back into downward facing dog,

Inhale,

Hinge forward into plank,

High onto your toes,

Exhale,

Knees,

Chest and chin down for ashtangasana,

Inhale,

Into cobra,

Pressing everything down,

Exhale,

Go through bent knees,

Back into downward facing dog,

Inhale,

Left leg lifts,

Three-legged dog,

Exhale,

Step through,

Bring your back knee down,

Inhale,

Reach the arms out and up for low lunge,

Join your prayer,

Exhale,

Release your hands down,

Step forward,

Forward fold,

Inhale,

Come into standing,

Reaching the arms out and up,

Join your prayer and lengthen,

Exhale,

Prayer to the heart,

Inhale,

Arms reach out and up,

Exhale,

Fold forward and down,

Inhale,

Into a halfway lift,

With the right leg up,

You're in an L-shape,

Exhale,

Step back with your right leg,

Right knee down,

Inhale,

Arms reach out and up,

Join your prayer,

Exhale,

Release your hands down,

Frame your front foot,

Step back,

Downward facing dog with the left leg up,

Three-legged dog,

Bend the knee,

Stack the hip,

Keep the shoulders square,

Begin to draw circles with your left foot around your left ankle,

Three in one direction and three in the other,

Keeping the leg energized,

Re-extend the left leg and step through for high lunge,

Bring both hands inside the left foot,

Inhale to lunge,

Exhale,

Straighten both legs,

Parsvottanasana variation,

Inhale,

Lunge,

Back leg is lifted,

Exhale,

Straighten both legs,

Back heel is lifted,

Continue for two more rounds,

Bending and straightening the legs,

Bring the right knee down now,

Right hand under the right shoulder,

Lift your left arm up and reach up and over to the right with the left arm alongside the left ear and the palm down,

Opening the whole left side of the body,

Release the hands down,

Frame your left foot,

Lift your back knee up,

Step back,

Downward facing dog,

Inhale,

Hinge forward into plank,

Exhale,

Knees,

Chest and chin down,

Eight-point salute,

Ashtangasana,

Inhale into cobra,

Take your time,

And on the exhalation,

Press back into downward facing dog,

Inhale,

Right leg lifts,

Three-legged dog,

Exhale,

Step through,

Bring your left knee down,

Inhale,

Arms reach out and up,

Join your prayer,

Exhale,

Hands down,

Step forward,

Forward fold,

Inhale,

Coming to standing,

Reaching the arms out and up,

Join your prayer,

And on the exhalation,

Draw your prayer back to your heart,

Take Padma Mudra again,

Just take some time to reconnect to the intention that you planted at the beginning of the class.

Come to face the long edge of the mat now,

Open your legs wide,

Feet are parallel,

Hands onto the hips,

Unlock your knees,

Reach the arms forward,

All fingertips touching,

And begin to reach back with your hips as you reach forward with your arms,

This is a functional forward fold,

Your upper body is reaching forward,

Your lower body is reaching back,

Release the hands down,

Stay high onto the fingertips,

And press back,

It's like down dog with legs wide,

Keep the arms in line with the ears,

And lengthen and decompress your spine here,

Feel the tension of opposites here,

Inhale into a halfway lift,

High onto the fingertips,

Exhale,

Hold your outer ankles,

Bend the elbows and fold in a little bit deeper,

Interlace the fingers behind you,

Take a deep breath in and on the exhalation,

Draw the arms overhead for Prasarita with chest expansion,

Keep your core strong and inner thighs strong,

Release the interlace,

Place the hands down,

Turn to face your right leg,

Frame your right foot,

Step back into plank,

Exhale knees,

Chest and chin down,

Inhale into a cobra,

Bhujangasana,

Reaching your chest forward and up,

Exhale,

Press back,

Downward facing dog,

Come back to the breath and use these poses between the postures to reconnect with the breath,

Inhale,

Right leg lifts straight up,

Back,

Three-legged dog,

Exhale,

Step through with your right leg,

Keep your back knee lifted,

Come upright with your torso for high lunge,

Reach the arms out and up,

Hold opposite elbows and on the exhalation,

Side bend to the right,

Keep the core strong and the inner thighs strong,

Inhale,

Back to centre,

Side bend to the left,

Holding onto opposite elbows,

This is a bit more challenging,

Inhale,

Back to centre,

Release the arms towards the sky,

Place your right hand to your left shoulder,

Left hand to your right shoulder,

Crisscrossing the arms behind you and lean into your arms,

Release the arms,

Crisscrossing the wrists and reach up and back,

Back bending into high lunge,

Release the arms,

Place them down,

Either side of the right foot,

Step back,

Downward facing dog,

Inhale,

Hinge forward into plank,

Bend the knees and press back for Shakti waves,

Making waves with your spine,

Option to take these waves with the knees down and work in low power mode,

Inhale,

Left leg lifts,

Three-legged dog,

Exhale,

Step through for high lunge,

Come upright with your torso,

Reach the arms out and up,

Bend the elbows and hold on to opposite elbows,

Keep your Drishti focal point strong,

Take a deep breath in and on the exhalation,

Side bend to the left,

Inhale,

Back to centre,

Side bend to the right,

This will challenge your balance,

Inhale,

Back to centre,

Release the arms and place your left hand onto your right shoulder,

Right hand onto your left shoulder,

Crisscrossing the arms behind you and lean your head into your hands,

Reach the arms up,

Crisscrossing the wrists and reach up and back,

Release,

Frame your left foot,

Step back,

Downward facing dog,

Inhale,

Hinge forward into plank,

Exhale,

Bend the knees and press back for Shakti waves,

Making waves with your spine,

Continue,

Find stillness as you're ready,

In downward facing dog,

Inhale,

Bring your knees down,

Open your knees as wide as the mat,

Big toes touching behind you,

Sit back onto your heels and bow for extended child's pose,

Forehead rests,

Bring the hands in a prayer and draw your prayer behind your head,

Breathe into the space that you're creating in your armpits,

Breathe into the back of the heart,

Release the hands,

Come back onto all fours,

Hands and knees,

Tuck your toes under and press back into downward facing dog,

Inhale,

Right leg lifts,

Three-legged dog,

Exhale,

Step through,

Inhale,

Come up right with your torso for high lunge,

Reaching the arms,

Overhead,

Bring your hands in a prayer in front of your heart,

Lean forward and bring your left elbow to your outer right knee,

Twisting to the right,

High lunge with prayer twist,

Press the palms onto one another,

Shrug the shoulder blades together,

Scissor the inner thighs toward one another,

Release the hands down,

Frame your right foot,

Step back into plank,

Exhale,

Knees,

Chest and chin down,

Inhale into cobra,

Pressing everything down,

Exhale,

Come up with a high lunge,

Exhale,

Downward facing dog,

Inhale,

Left leg lifts,

Straight up and back,

Exhale,

Step through,

Back knee is lifted,

Come up right with your torso,

Reaching the arms out and up,

Bring your prayer in front of your heart,

Lean forward,

Right elbow to your outer left knee now,

Press the palms into each other and twist to the left,

Release the hands down,

Frame your front foot,

Step back into plank and move through a vinyasa,

Knees,

Chest and chin,

Cobra on an inhale,

Seat to heels,

On an exhale,

Child's pose,

Draw the hands towards you and then behind you,

Fingertips pointing towards you,

Lean back for this variation of camel,

Sitting onto the heels,

Come back up with your torso,

Hands in prayer,

Opening to padma mudra again,

Back onto all fours,

Tuck your toes under,

Press back,

Downward facing dog,

Bring your big toes to touch behind you,

Inhale,

Hinge forward into plank,

Bring your knees down,

Bring your whole body down,

Reach the arms forward,

Hands in prayer,

Forehead,

Third eye rests onto the earth for full prostration,

Full danda pranam,

Offering it all out,

Every pose,

Every breath,

Every struggle,

Every challenge,

Offering it all out to something greater than yourself,

Bring the hands by the side of the chest and roll onto your back,

With the legs bent,

Bring the knees into the chest and hug the knees and begin to draw circles with your knees around your hips,

With the hands onto the knees,

Visualise staring a cauldron,

The cauldron being your womb,

Your pelvis and the staring implement being your thighs,

Cross the left leg over the right,

Open the arms in a T and on the exhalation,

Drop the whole shape to the right,

Turn your head to the right,

Draw the left knee closer to you and see if you can hold the outer left foot with your right hand,

Bend the right leg behind you and see if you can hold the top of the left foot with the right hand,

Both shoulders onto the earth as best you can,

Breathe into this mantra missile pose as best you can,

Release the clasp of the feet and come back to centre,

Wrap the index and middle finger around your left big toe and straighten the left leg towards the sky to your own degree and very slowly open the left leg out to the left,

Keeping hold of toe lock if you can,

The left leg doesn't have to be straight,

Release the right arm out to the right with the palm up,

Draw left toes to shin,

Pushing the left heel out,

Bring the left leg back to centre,

Draw the forehead towards the knee,

Drawing the left leg closer,

Release toe lock and re-extend the left leg next to the right,

Feel the difference between the two sides,

Second side,

Bring the knees into the chest and wrap the right leg over the left,

Take a deep breath in and drop the whole shape to the left now,

Look to the left now,

Draw the right knee closer to you and hold the outer right foot with your left hand,

Bend the left leg behind you and hold the top of the left foot with the right hand,

Straightening the right leg as best you can,

See if you can keep both shoulders onto the earth,

Come back to centre,

Bring the right knee into the chest and wrap the index and middle finger around the right big toe,

Straighten the right leg towards the sky to your own degree,

Open the right leg out to the right,

Reach the left arm out to the left with the palm up,

Bring the right leg back to centre,

Draw the forehead towards the right knee,

Release the right leg,

Knees into the chest,

Hug them in,

Release the feet down,

Straighten the legs,

Release the arms out by the side,

Palms up,

Shavasana,

Your final resting pose,

Nothing else to do here other than rest and feel,

Scan your body and observe whether you're holding tension anywhere,

Is there anywhere you can soften a little bit more,

Surrendering to the pull of gravity beneath you,

Allowing yourself to simply be,

Begin to deepen your breath and bend the legs,

Roll onto your right side and take some time here in fetal position,

And take some time here in fetal position,

As you already come into a seated position,

Super slowly,

Easy seat,

Take Padma Mudra one last time,

Heels connected,

Thumbs and little fingers connected,

Other fingers fan out like a chalice,

Remember your intention,

Take this intention into the rest of your day,

Gaze into your lotus flower,

Bring the palms to touch,

Bring the thumbs to the third eye centre,

And bow,

Namaste