Hi,
My name is Shalaka.
This flow is meant to help you with your perimenopause phase.
Acknowledging that this can be a challenging phase for many,
This flow is meant to help you with balancing your hormones,
Lowering your cortisol levels,
Connecting you with your breath,
And think cooling sensations.
Think pleasant sensations in your body.
So we will move initially to get your blood flowing,
Some circulation.
And then we'll move towards more cooling and restorative poses.
So join me on the mat.
We're going to begin seated.
You can find a comfortable seat.
Think lengthen your spine.
Notice how your upper and lower back supports you.
Notice how your core supports you on either side of your spine.
The muscles.
That hold you upright.
Broaden your chest.
Think open breath.
Then draw your ribcage in slightly so you feel your upper abs engage.
Deepen your breath.
And gently open your eyes.
Tilt your head to the left side.
Really feel that stretch on your right.
Using your breath to ease any tension in that area.
Your shoulders,
Your neck.
And then switch sides.
Just tell yourself this is your time.
To connect with whatever's going on in your body.
Support your wellness journey.
And come back to center.
Place your hands on your knees,
Round your spine,
Draw your belly in.
Lift your chest up,
Arch your back.
Exhale,
Round.
Inhale to lift your chest up.
Exhale out,
Hollow your belly out.
Inhale,
Lift your chest up.
Come into neutral spine.
And take a twist to your right side.
Gaze past your right shoulder.
And use that right hand to walk over to the other side.
So really open through your shoulders rather than your lower back.
Try to protect your lower back here.
And then switch sides.
Gaze over your left shoulder,
Deepen your twist if that's comes easily to you,
If not just stay where you are.
Notice that twist in your spine.
Come back to center Plant your hands on your mat.
Bring your hips over your knees,
Shoulders over your wrists.
Then send your hips back to your heels.
Then shift your shoulders forward,
Take them past your wrists.
Might want to adjust,
Lift your chest up.
Cobra.
Exhale back into your child's pose Inhale,
Shift forward,
Take your cobra,
Lift your chest up,
Broaden your shoulders,
Draw your shoulder blades in.
Exhale back.
Send your hips all the way back,
Rest your head.
Shift forward,
Inhale,
Lift your chest up,
Open through your chest,
Exhale,
Draw your belly in Close it up.
One more.
Forward.
Create that length in your spine,
Exhale round and draw your belly in,
Settle your hips,
Walk your hands over to your right side Draw your left hip back slightly.
Then over to the other side.
Anchor through your right hand,
Draw your right hip back.
Come back to center and then shift your weight forward This time lower your forearms down to the mat.
And we're going to hold our Sphinx pose.
Keep the tips of your shoulders away from each other.
Send the chest through the gateway of your arms.
Drag your hands back.
Really breathe into your belly.
Feel that feedback from the mat.
Like here.
Belly's trying to push your mat away or your mat is trying to push your belly away.
You might feel that even in your lower back.
So your reds.
In your belly.
Is 360.
So you should feel some relief in your lower back,
Creating some space there.
Then release all the way down to your mat.
Take a breath in.
Take a breath out.
Glance your hands by your ribcage,
Tuck your toes.
And press your hips up and back coming to downward facing dog.
Gonna get some blood flowing in our legs you can bend your knee one at a time then walk your feet all the way to the front of your mat.
Find your forward fold.
Let your head hang heavy.
Feel that stretch at the back of your neck Then roll your spine one vertebra at a time all the way up to standing.
Broaden your shoulders,
Palms face forward.
Inhale,
Rise,
Reach up through your fingertips,
Join your palms.
Exhale,
Fold forward and release your head.
Bend at your knees.
Halfway up,
Inhale exhale release forward,
Inhale rise reach Exhale,
Hands to heart.
Inhale,
Reach up.
Exhale fold forward,
Bend your knees,
Soften your face,
Lift up halfway,
Straighten your back exhale,
Release Inhale,
Press your feet into the mat,
Rise up,
Reach up.
Exhale,
Draw all that energy back in to your heart center.
Take a breath in.
Take a breath out.
With your inhale,
Arms reach up.
Exhale cactus your arms,
Lift your chest up and draw your shoulder blades in towards each other.
Open through your chest.
Feel that energy.
Notice how your breath.
This fills up your chest and belly.
Activate your arms,
Your upper back.
And fall forward.
Close it in.
Let your energy settle.
Inhale,
Lift up halfway.
Exhale,
Release and fold.
Inhale rise up,
Reach up And draw your hands to heart,
Sit back in a chair.
Deep breath in.
And twist to the right Come back to center.
Over to the left.
Bring it back to center.
Release to forward fold.
Step your right foot back Coming into pyramid pose.
That you can.
Keep a soft bend at your knee if that feels good.
Feel your hamstring stretch.
Anything that feels good here.
You can even support your hands on blocks Use your breath to ease into the stretch.
Take a deep breath in,
Right arm reaches up.
With your exhale,
Circle your arm.
Inhale,
Reach up.
Exhale,
Reach forward.
Just on your own continue with these circles Notice that length you're creating in your right hip,
Your right side.
Even your right leg.
Release your arm down to the mat.
Step your back foot forward,
Switch legs.
Stay here in your pyramid,
Create some space in your hamstrings.
It might feel.
.
.
A slight stretch in your lower back.
Soften your face.
Then reach your left arm up.
And find your circles.
You can even rest your hand on your shin or your thigh,
Whatever feels easy.
When you're trying to balance your nervous system,
Your hormones,
You want to think,
Anything that brings comfort to you.
Brings balance to your system,
Yet we're moving.
Release your hands to the mat,
Step your back foot forward.
Fold forward.
Inhale,
Reach up.
Exhale,
Hands to heart.
How are you feeling so far?
Just take a quick self-check.
And connect with your breath.
Maybe a smile to your face finding that connection with the ground lengthen your spine Engaging through your abdominal muscles and glutes,
Standing tall and proud.
Bring your hands to your hips and step your right foot back.
Turn your feet towards the right side of your mat.
Bring your heels in and toes out.
And lower your hips down into goddess.
You can keep your hands on your hips to begin.
Just gently pulse up and down.
Activating your inner thighs,
Your pelvic floor muscles,
Your glutes,
Your core.
Everything's central to your system.
Keep your face nice and soft.
You can add arms if you want.
Feel more energetic,
Keep your fingertips wide.
One more.
And then straighten both legs.
Heels out,
Toes in.
Release to a wide leg forward fold.
Think cooling sensations,
Relax the back of your neck notice that shift from high energy to calm,
Centered energy.
Notice the shift from Movement to stillness.
Draw your attention inwards Walk your hands to the front of your mat.
Step your back foot forward.
Lower your hips to your heels.
Lift your heels off the mat.
Take a moment to feel active through your toes.
Press all your toes into the mat.
Lift your chest up.
You can even challenge yourself by wringing your hands too hard,
But it's not necessary.
Feel your feet,
Feet that support you all day.
Notice what it feels like when all your toes are active,
Even your little toe,
Your big toe.
Release your hands to the mat.
Bring your hips down.
Join the soles of your feet together,
Lift your chest up,
Find that tall spine.
Broaden your shoulders.
You can find support by holding your legs anywhere you like.
Whether it's at your feet,
Your shins.
See if you can find that alignment,
Shoulders over your hips.
Head over your shoulders.
Think tall posture.
Take even breath.
Now shift your awareness.
Down to your belly.
Your breath reaching the lowest point in your belly.
Maybe you become aware of your pelvic floor relaxing with your inhale.
Drawing in with your exhale.
Think of all the cooling sensations you can tap into your body right now.
Whether it's the feel of air on your skin Whether it's just a feeling.
Notice your inner thighs releasing at a deeper level.
Maybe your knees start to drop down towards the floor.
They don't have to.
And then straighten both legs.
Bring some awareness into your body noticing how that felt.
Then lay back on your mat.
You can keep your knees bent,
Feet on the mat.
Breathe in.
Breathe out.
Hug your knees into your chest.
Grab your feet or your shins coming into happy baby.
And invite yourself to.
.
.
Find some free movement here.
You can stretch your legs one at a time.
Might feel.
Some air on your skin,
Your inner thigh muscles.
The back of your leg.
Maybe the cooling sensation of your lower back touching the mat.
Then extend both legs onto the mat.
Hug your left knee in,
Draw it up as high as you can.
Take a deep breath in.
And open your knee to your left side.
If this is too challenging,
You can support your knee on your left side.
Try to keep your right hip grounded.
Your breath is deep.
Then over to the other side.
So come into a twist,
Gaze to your left.
Use your breath to your advantage.
And switch legs.
Right knee comes in.
Draw it up as high as you can.
So feel that stretch in your lower back if you can.
Then bring your knee over to your right side.
Find a spot that feels comfortable and send your breath all the way down to your pelvic floor.
Come back to center and over to the other side.
Gaze to your right.
Feel that outer hip stretch.
Maybe lower back,
Upper back,
Shoulder.
Come back to center and release.
Extend your legs onto the mat,
Arms by your side.
Palms face up.
For the next few moments,
We're gonna use our breath and body.
To relax at a deeper level.
Noticing any sensations,
Just scanning and being present.
With our body.
Let's begin with the scalp.
Notice if you're holding any tension in your scalp.
Release it.
Bring your awareness to your forehead.
Soften it.
And scan those muscles around your eyes,
Your cheeks,
Your eyebrows.
Relax even deeper.
Allow your jaw to soften.
And scan the back of your neck,
Your shoulders.
Ease any tension.
Scan your arms all the way down to your fingertips.
Let the earth bear the weight of your arms.
Let your fingertips feel light.
Draw your attention to your chest,
The back of your chest.
Breathe into the front,
Breathe into the back.
Even your sides,
Expand your ribcage on all sides.
Soften any tension in your waist,
Your hips,
The front and back.
Imagine creating space in your lower back with your breath.
Your thighs,
Inner thighs,
Outer thighs.
Your quadriceps,
And your shins,
Allow your knees to soften.
Allow your feet to relax.
Allow your toes to spread out,
Especially if they're in shoes all day.
Feel the spaciousness between your toes.
The air in between your toes.
Enjoy any cooling sensations.
Then draw your knees into your chest.
Give yourself a nice warm hug.
Press your lower back into the mat.
Lengthen your spine.
And turn to your right side or left,
Whichever feels more comfortable.
Pause for a breath.
And slowly press yourself up to seated.
Find that length back in your spine.
Tilt your head side to side.
Return to center,
Bring your hands to heart,
Chin to chest.
I thank you for joining me.
I hope you feel healthy and well.
And hope to see you back on the mat.
