Hello and welcome to your practice.
My name is Paulina Calugina and this is slow flow class that will help you to unwind after a busy day and transition into a more restful state.
From a yogic perspective,
Sleep is considered to be one of the foundations for well-being and health.
When we carry too much tension,
Too much stress in our body and nervous system.
It could be challenging for our mind to truly settle and trust.
So this class is an opportunity to slow down.
And 2.
Release tension from your body,
From your mind and arrive into a more effortless state.
Prepare yourself for deep rest.
So you're welcome to take a blanket and two blocks.
To support yourself in this practice.
But if you don't have them,
That's totally okay.
This practice can be done without any props.
And let's begin.
So we'll start by lying down onto your belly in crocodile pose.
Crocodile pose is one of my favorite poses that helped me to really release my stress.
Any stress,
Any anxiety So bend the elbows and bring one hand on top of the other.
Like a pillow for your forehead.
And relax your forehead on your hands.
Now separate your feet about hip width distance.
Maybe even a little wider.
Allow your heels to relax.
And you're welcome to wiggle your hips from side to side to kind of settle in.
And close your eyes.
And just allowing that moment to.
.
.
Simply let go of the day.
Let go of all the tasks.
That you have to Accomplish Let go of the work.
Of all the conversations.
Simply arriving into this moment.
Where you can connect to your body.
Connect to your breath.
And connect to yourself.
So take a moment to start scanning your body here from the tip of your toes.
All the way through your legs,
Hips.
Belly,
Chest,
Shoulders,
All the way up to the crown of your head.
Noticing which part of your body might feel tense or tight.
Without any judgment.
Without wishing for something else.
Simply acknowledging.
What's going on right now in your body?
And also noticing the parts of your body that might feel more open.
More at ease.
And just slowly begin to relax every muscle in your body.
Softening your shoulders.
Softening your chest.
Your belly.
Relaxing deeply all the way down into the ground.
Relaxing all the way down through your legs.
And allowing yourself to Relax a little deeper.
Into the earth beneath you.
Sensing the support.
Of the earth.
And with each breath.
Let go of the tension.
Experiencing.
Perhaps more space and ease in this present moment.
And now slowly bring your Attention to your breath.
Simply notice the.
.
.
He inhales.
And exhales.
As you inhale.
Notice how their breath moving all the way down into your belly and the belly expands into the earth.
And as you exhale,
Notice how the belly softens.
Towards the spine.
And now just simply Breathing all the way down into your belly.
Noticing how the belly expands like a balloon.
Into the earth.
And as you exhale,
The belly softens.
Continue to breathe just like this.
With this diaphragmatic breathing.
Which is incredibly soothing.
In calming for your nervous system.
Slowly start letting go of the day Stay in here for a little longer.
Activating that part of your nervous system that is responsible for soothing,
For calming.
And for healing.
The crocodile pose is wonderful to do on its own at any time when you feel overwhelmed,
Stressed.
Noticing that equal breath in.
And equal breath out.
Creating that internal balance.
With your breath.
And now take a deep inhale through the nose.
Exhale through the mouth.
And then slowly release your hands underneath your forehead.
Take your hands underneath your shoulders and slowly,
Slowly come into tabletop position.
Give your hands underneath your shoulders.
Separate your knees about hip-width distance.
And slowly begin to circle your hips to the right,
Towards the heels.
And forward.
Could be big or small circles with your hips.
With long,
Deep breaths.
I'm just noticing.
How your body feels as you start to move in this gentle way Maybe starting incorporating your ribs,
Circling your ribs.
Maybe even you,
Nat.
And then come to the center and switch direction.
Move your hips to the left towards the heels and forward.
If it feels good,
Close your eyes and allow this movement to be more intuitive here.
So allowing all your attention.
To be fully in worth.
As we go through the day,
We are pulled in so many different directions and now this is an opportunity For you?
To connect to you.
Good,
And come to the center,
Find your neutral spine press through your hands and on the inhale arch your spine,
Look up,
Drop the belly,
Soften the shoulders And as you exhale around the spine,
Look towards the belly and push away from the ground.
And we continue at a slower pace,
Inhaling,
Arching arms straight.
Exhaling rounding.
Just a couple more rounds.
Inhaling,
Arching.
Or their cow paws.
And exhaling rounding.
More than anything,
I would like you to focus on your breath throughout the practice.
Last time inhaling arching.
Exhale round and now coming to a child's pose bow your forehead down to the ground Keep your arms straight in front of you.
And I'll keep everything the same,
But reach your hands slightly forward,
Press your palms firmly down into the ground.
Wrists,
Your elbows coming off the ground.
Long,
Deep breath all the way down to the back of your body.
Feeling that gentle stretch through the sides of your body.
And allowing your breath to massage gently all the internal organs here.
As you're breathing in,
Again,
Your belly expands all the way down into your thighs.
Or space between your knees.
And as you exhale the belly softens.
One more breath.
And now slowly them back into table top position.
On the inhale arch your spine.
And exhale,
Curl the toes under,
Coming to a first downward facing dog.
The first downward dog,
Separate your feet as wide as your mat.
Bend your knees so that you can really create more space and ease in your lower back ground down through your fingers spread your fingers wide and relax your neck here and maybe move your hips from side to side.
If it helps you to ease into your body here,
Stretch the sides of your body.
Gentle movement from side to side.
And then slowly begin to Bring your feet a little bit closer towards each other as they about keep with distance,
But keeping micro bent in your knees so that you maintain that long spine.
Round down through your hands and allow your hard to melt down towards the ground.
Allow your gaze to be soft.
Maybe looking at the tip of your nose or past the tip of your nose.
Deep breaths in.
Full breath out.
Wonderful and now shift your weight forward into playing shoulders over the wrist Lower your knees to the ground and lower all the way down to the ground.
For cobra pose.
Take your hands underneath your shoulders,
Hug the elbows in and press the top of your feet on the ground.
Now inhale,
Rise up,
Lifting your chest off the ground.
Doesn't have to be too high.
Exhale lower down to the ground release your forehead to the ground A couple more times.
Inhaling.
Lifting the chairs.
Pressing the top of your feet on the ground.
And exhale,
Lowering back to the ground.
Nice and slow,
Nothing to force,
Nothing to accomplish here.
Just move and breathe.
Inhaling rising.
Exhaling,
Releasing back to the ground.
Curl the toes under.
And come into tabletop position.
And downward facing dog.
On the inhale,
Reach your right leg straight up into the sky.
Bend the right knee and open the right hip up.
Press through left heel.
Round out to both hands.
Just for a moment,
Relax your neck a little more.
Restraighten that right leg back.
Look forward.
Step the right foot forward,
Help with your hand if you need it.
Release your back knee to the ground.
Now interlace the hands above the knee.
If you do need a blanket underneath your back knee,
Please use the blanket.
Press away from your knees,
Soften the shoulders,
Lunge into the front hip.
Now inhale,
Reach your arms up.
Soften the shoulders.
And on the inhale,
Reach a little more through the elbows,
Through your fingers.
And as you exhale,
You bend the elbows,
Lift up through the chest Press away from the ground and circle your arms down.
So inhale,
Lunge forward,
Reach your arms up.
And exhale bend the elbows press away from the ground and circle your arms down and on the inhale.
Forward and up.
Excelly.
And just one more round here.
Inhaling forward,
Reaching up.
And exhale,
Opening up,
Circling your arms Good,
Inhale,
Reach up,
Stay here,
Hook the thumbs,
Spread the fingers wide and inhale.
Just wiggle your shoulders from side to side.
Giving them a little love here.
And then release your both hands to the ground.
Again,
Here you're welcome to use their blocks if you have.
Inhale,
Lengthen the spine.
And exhale,
Straighten your front knee.
For runner's stretch.
You're welcome to stay on your fingertips to create a little bit more height here.
Your front knee can be slightly bent,
But flex your front foot so all five toes facing upwards.
On the inhale,
Lengthen your spine,
Draw the chest forward.
Stay here as you act see.
Driving the right hip back,
Left hip forward.
Good,
Then we'll move with the breath.
On the inhale,
Bend the front knee.
Lengthen the spine and as you exhale back to your understretch fold to your front leg.
Allow your breath to lead you here,
Inhaling forward.
Exhaling back.
And one more time,
Inhale forward.
Exhale back.
And now stay here either use the block underneath your left hand or stay on your fingertips and reach right arm straight up into the sky Now you might feel a lot of sensation through the right outer hip IT band.
So press the front heel down and drive that right hip back.
It's really great release.
Open your collarbones,
Maybe look up,
Just take another breath.
And exhale,
Release your right hand to the ground.
Bend your front knee,
Lunge forward,
Heel toe your right foot just an inch to the right,
Turn the right toes out.
Right hand to your right knee and twist.
Look over your right shoulder.
Maybe close your eyes if it feels good.
You're welcome to stay here.
Or as an option,
You can bend the back knee,
Circle the right arm back,
Take the outside of your back foot.
And gently press the foot into the hand,
Resist with the hand.
And release.
Take your right hand to the ground,
Heel to your right foot to the center and step back into downward facing dog Just allow a moment here to notice the difference between the right and the left side.
And then as you inhale,
Lift your left leg straight up into the sky.
Bend the left knee,
Open the left hip up Press through right here.
And relax your neck completely.
One more breath.
And then extend your left leg back look forward step the left foot forward help with your hands if you need to release your back knee to the ground Again,
Use the blanket underneath your knee.
And then interlace the hands above the knee lunge forward Softening the shoulders away from the ears.
Just pause and care for a moment.
And inhale reach your arms up above the head On the inhale,
Get a little taller through the sides of your waist.
And as you exhale,
Bend the elbows,
Lift up through the chest,
Press away from the ground and continue to circle the arms down.
On the inhale forward,
Lunge forward.
Reach up.
And on the exhale open up press away from the ground so notice how your shoulders feel here inhaling forward exhale,
Circling down and back.
Few more times,
Inhaling,
Launching.
Reaching up.
And exhale.
Good,
Last time,
Inhale.
Excel.
Listening to the sound of your breath.
Inhaling,
Reaching.
And exhale take your both hands to the ground once again use the blocks if you have the blocks Straighten your front knee,
Runner's stretch,
Flex your front foot.
And on the inhale.
Elongate your spine a little more.
Drive the left hip back,
Right hip forward.
Just giving a little love to your hamstring.
And on the inhale,
Bend the front knee,
Lunge forward.
Exhale back to runner's stretch Few more times with your breath,
Inhaling forward.
Exhale back Last time,
Inhaling.
Exhale back to runner's stretch.
Stay here.
Either use the block underneath the right hand or stay in your fingertips and reach your left arm straight up into the sky.
Actively reaching through the top fingers.
Pressing the front heel down,
Driving the left hip back.
And breathing deeply into the space where you feel the most sensation right now.
And then release your left hand to the ground.
Bend your front knee.
Heel toe your left foot to the left side of your mat,
Turn the toes out,
And then place your left hand on your left knee and twist to the left.
This twist a wonderful.
To do at the end of the day.
Especially if you sit a lot or drive.
And you stay here or bend the right knee,
Circle them.
Arm back and take your foot Push the foot into the hand,
Resist with the hand.
Take an extra breath here,
Please.
And exhale,
Release.
Heel toe your left foot to the center of your mat and step back into downward facing dog.
Deep breath in.
And full breath.
Now slowly walk your hands towards your feet.
Towards the back of your mat.
Separate your feet about hip-width distance,
Micro-bend your knees and take the opposite elbows here and forward fold.
Relax your neck So the crown of the head reaching down towards the ground.
Again,
Keep a micro-bend in your knees so that you have more space and freedom in your lower back.
If it feels good,
Close your eyes.
And focus on your equal inhale and equal exhale.
As you're breathing out,
Visualize all the stress,
All the worries.
Releasing from the crown of your head down into the earth.
As if there is a waterfall that's washing over you.
Cleansing you.
Cleansing your mind.
And now release your hands and once again interlace the hand behind your neck this time and hug your jawline with your forearms.
For gentle neck traction here.
Relax your jaw.
Relax your eyes.
Breathe deeply.
Releasing any tension from your neck and releasing any mental tension.
One more breath.
Forward folds are wonderful to start calming their nervous system before We go to sleep.
Release your hands down to the ground and now inhale come up halfway Take your hands to your shins or thighs,
Chest forward,
Chin slightly in.
And exhale fold forward,
Micro-bend your knees.
A few more times,
Inhaling,
Half lift.
And exhale,
We fold.
Last time,
Inhale.
In axial.
Beautiful and now slowly walk your hands forward into downward facing dog once again Deep breath in.
And full breath out.
And now shift your weight forward into Plank.
Lower your knees to the ground.
And once again,
Lower all the way down to the ground on your belly.
So in this time,
Take your hands.
Hands outside of the mat like a get-go here,
Stay in your fingertips and separate your feet about hip-width distance.
Press the top of your feet on the ground and on the inhale,
Rise all the way up for the cobra rolls.
And exhale the ring down.
One more time,
Inhaling,
Rising.
And exhale lowering.
And next time you come up stay here and exhale twist to the right so dive the left shoulder in look over your right shoulder Inhale center,
Rise up.
Exhale,
Twist to your left.
Look over your left shoulder.
One more round,
Inhaling center.
XL twist to the right.
Feel that openness and stretch through front of your shoulder.
Inhale,
Center.
Exhale twist to the left Inhale,
Rise up.
And exhale,
Lower all the way down to the ground.
Bring your forehead to the ground and just wiggle your hips from side to side.
Take your hands underneath your shoulders,
Come into tabletop position.
Downward Facing Dog.
Deep breath in.
And now exhale through the mouth,
Side out.
Let's do one more.
Inhale deeply.
And Excel release.
Lower your knees to the ground.
Sit your hips on your heels.
And sweep your legs forward.
So now take your hands behind your hips,
Fingers facing forward,
Lift up through the chest.
Bend your knees and separate your feet as wide as your mat.
Lift up through the chest and as you inhale just bring your knees in one direction in the other direction.
It doesn't matter which one first.
So just moving from side to side.
It's really wonderful for your lower back.
In a very gentle way.
When we practice in the evening.
There's an energy of just surrendering.
Releasing more than effort.
And then just move your both knees to the right and pause here.
Breathe deeply.
Into the left side of your body.
And switch both knees to the left And just take a moment here to breathe deeply into the right side of your body.
Good and then come back to the center stretch your legs all the way down And so here,
You're welcome to sit on the blanket.
So you really sit in front of your sits bones here.
Flex your feet.
And if your hamstrings feel tight,
Please micro-bend your knees,
But flex your feet.
And as you inhale,
Reach your arms up.
And as you exhale,
Fold halfway forward.
Pause here and reach through your fingers.
Good,
Now inhale,
Rise up,
Lengthen through the sides of your body,
Through your elbows.
And once again,
Exhale,
Fold halfway forward,
Hinging from your hips.
Chin slightly in and reach through your fingers,
Softening the shoulders.
One more time,
Inhaling.
Reaching up,
Creating more space,
More length.
And exhale fold halfway forward reaching through your elbows,
Through your fingers.
Now here bring your hands on the ground palms facing up for passive forward fold which means you simply round your spine here relax your neck completely You're welcome to bend your knees as much as you need to.
Close your eyes.
And allow the breath to move through your body.
Every exhale relaxes.
All the muscles a little more.
Just allowing the gravity to do its work here.
Sensing even that.
Gentle stretch through the back of your neck.
Back of your body.
The eyes are relaxed.
Even your jaw is relaxed.
Stay here with a long,
Deep breath.
This is really them.
Transition time from the activity of the day into a more restful state.
One more breath.
And now slowly,
Slowly one vertebrae at a time.
Roll yourself all the way up Let the head rise last.
And now slowly make your way all the way down onto your back.
Once you're all the way down into the back Bend your knees,
Separate your feet as wide as your mat,
Stretch your arms out to the side like a T shape here,
Palms facing up.
And once again move your both knees in one direction the opposite direction like a windmill here If it feels good you can incorporate your neck.
Looking in opposite direction from your knees.
So your knees don't have to touch the ground.
Again,
It's a gentle movement here.
And then move your both knees to the right.
Stay here.
A couple deep breaths.
If you need a little deeper quad stretch and your knees are healthy,
You're welcome to pick up your right foot and place it on top of your left knee.
And look over your left shoulder.
Close your eyes.
And allow the breath to move all the way down to your left ribs.
Left belly,
Left hip.
Become aware how your belly rises on the inhale.
And the belly softens,
Diaphragmatic breathing.
And now release your foot back to the ground,
Bring your both knees to the center.
And the opposite side moving knees to the left Either stay here or once again pick up your left foot and place it on top of your right knee.
And look over your right shoulder.
Close your eyes.
And allow your breath to move down.
Through the right side of the body.
Raytrips right belly.
Right here.
Becoming aware of that soothing and calming quality of your own breath.
Calming your mind.
Wonderful,
And then release your left foot back to the chair.
Ground,
Move your both knees to the center and now hug your both knees to the chest taking their opposite elbows and giving yourself a big loving hug for showing up for yourself today.
Just rock from side to side,
Massaging your lower back.
With a long,
Deep breath.
Good,
Now.
.
.
Take your happy baby,
So take the outside of your feet,
Bend your knees,
Separate your knees.
And gently draw the knees towards your armpits.
Allow your shoulders to gently press down into the ground.
Lengthening the tip of the tailbone towards the ground.
So even though it doesn't touch,
There is energetic quality to it.
Lengthening the tailbone down towards the ground.
Draw the chin slightly in towards the chest so the back of your neck is nice and long.
We'll do three lines breath here so we're inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the open mouth sticking the tongue out and saying the sound HA so we're creating that deep sense of release so inhale deeply Exhale open your mouth,
Stick the tongue out.
Two more times,
Inhaling.
Exhale,
Let it out.
And last time,
Inhale all the way down into your belly.
Exhale,
Release.
And then re-hog your knees back to the chest once again that cozy loving hug.
And then release your feet on the ground,
Bend your knees and just for a moment knock your knees together for a constructive rest.
And you can take your hands to your belly or to your hips or wherever intuitively feels right,
Wherever you need more healing energy.
Allow your hips to relax here,
Your lower back.
Close your eyes.
And breathe deeply into your belly.
Once again,
The same diaphragmatic breathing as you inhale your belly.
Rises.
Into your hands.
And exhale the belly falls.
Towards the spine.
Few more rounds here.
Every exhalation is an opportunity to release the weight of the day.
To ease.
The tension.
Creating more effortless state.
You now.
You extend your legs all the way out if you need a little bit more support.
You're welcome to take your blanket.
Roll the blanket and place it underneath your knees.
So this way It might feel more supportive for your spine.
If you don't have the blanket,
You just extend your legs,
Separate your.
.
.
Legs about hip width distance,
And place your hands down by the hips,
Palms facing up.
Relax the whole body.
The moment of integration.
Close your eyes.
And relaxing the back of your body.
The front of your body.
The crown of your head is completely relaxed.
And the soles of your feet.
Let go of any effort.
Let go of the day.
Preparing yourself for the deep rest.
Trusting that you have done enough.
That you are enough.
And I will be guiding you through.
A systematic relaxation.
I will say point.
In your body.
And you simply bring your attention to that place.
Within your body.
While the whole body remains.
Effortless.
So bring your attention to there.
Space between your eyebrows See or feel.
The space between the eyebrows.
Bring your attention down to the throat,
The center of your throat.
See or feel the point of light.
Relax.
Your right shoulder.
Point of light,
Completely relaxed.
Right elbow.
Is real life.
Right wrist.
Completely relaxed.
The tip of your right.
Yisraela.
The tip of your right index finger.
Is completely relaxed.
Your right middle finger.
Israel.
The tip of your right ring finger.
Is relaxed.
The right pinky finger.
Is completely relaxed.
Right wrist,
Relax.
Right elbow is completely relaxed,
Point of light right shoulder the center of your throat.
Yes relax.
Left shoulder.
Completely relax.
The whole body is effortless.
Left elbow.
Relax.
Left wrist is completely relaxed the tip of your left thumb.
Is real life.
The tip of your left index finger.
Just completely relax.
The tip of your left middle finger.
Is relaxed.
Left ring finger.
Completely relax.
The left pinky finger.
Yes,
Really.
Left wrist Left elbow.
Point of life.
Left shoulder.
Is completely relaxed.
The center of your throat.
Point of light.
Whole body is effortless.
The center of your chest.
Is completely relaxed.
The left breastbone.
Yisraelah.
Center of your chest.
Is completely relaxed.
The right breastbone.
Center of your chest.
Yes,
Relax.
Center of your throat.
Center of your forehead.
The space between your eyebrows.
Warrant Override.
The whole body.
Is effortless.
Completely relaxed.
You are welcome to stay here as long as you want.
Giving yourself enough time to fully integrate.
Thank you so much for taking this time to practice and to take care of yourself.
When you're ready on your own time.
Just simply come out of the practice.
And transition into deep rest.
Thank you so much for practicing.
Namaste.
