Hello and welcome.
I'm so glad you're here.
Thanks for joining me today.
In today's practice focused on Upanavayu.
Apanavayu is the downward flow of energy in yoga.
It is thought to be a purifying energy.
It's also helpful for anxiety and relaxation.
It helps get the body prepared for nervous system regulation.
And it's also a very subtle energy.
So as we move through the practices,
If you don't know what's going on and you can't feel anything,
That's totally fine,
Honestly.
It's one of those things that's always there,
You just never notice it.
And all of a sudden one day you will notice it and you'll be like,
Oh,
That's what Rebecca was talking about.
So we'll start out.
In a seated position if it's comfortable for you to sit cross-legged or up on a cushion,
That's fine.
You can even sit like I am sitting here up on your knees.
If you'd like to grab a block or a cushion,
You can do that as well.
I'm going to sit up on a block,
Bring my knees together and the feet apart.
This helps to keep the spine directly upright.
As we get oriented with the practice,
I'd like you to focus on your breath.
And there will be times throughout the practice that I'll ask you to prolong the exhale.
Note that all of the yoga practices in my forum here.
Anything that's recorded or live will generally be in and out through the nose using ujjayi breath,
Which constricts the back of the throat to control the flow.
You control the flow in the inhale as well as the exhale.
Unless otherwise specified.
For today,
Let's focus on the exhale.
Focus on prolonging the exhale when you can and that helps to regulate the nervous system,
And switch you over into the parasympathetic so that when we do get to the final relaxation at the end,
You'll be ready.
Get acquainted with your breath before we start.
Bring your right hand to your belly and the left hand to the center of your chest.
We'll take five breaths here.
Close your eyes.
In and out through the nose.
Breathe in.
Breathe out.
Breathe in.
Breathe out.
Breathe in.
Breathe out.
Breathe in.
And breathe out.
Let that go.
If you're on a block,
Move your block to the side.
We'll come up to hands and knees.
Be sure to take the option that suits you best for today.
It doesn't mean the same one you took last time or that you'll take tomorrow.
From here,
Step both legs back into plank position.
High push-up here.
And you can come down to the knees if it becomes challenging or if you're just tired.
You can rock back and forth,
Spread your fingers wide.
Acquainted with your breath by breathing in and out through the nose.
And we're just waking up the center of the body.
And for me,
I like to stretch out my hands and wrists.
They tend to run tight.
Come back down to the hands and knees.
Reach the right arm forward,
Extend your left leg back.
Keep the toes on the floor,
Option one.
Option two.
Lift the left leg up behind you.
We'll take three breaths here.
Breathe in.
And breathe out one.
Breathe in.
And breathe out too.
Breathe in.
And breathe out three.
Lower those down switch sides.
Left arm reaches forward.
Right leg extends back,
Keep the toes on the floor.
Option two,
Lift the right leg up.
Three breaths.
Breathe in.
Breathe out one.
Breathe in.
Breathe out two.
Breathe in.
And breathe out three.
Coming back into child's pose.
Knees apart or knees together.
Completely up to you.
Keep your toes together.
Press your seat back to your heels.
Extend your arms forward.
Forehead down to the floor.
Three breaths,
Breathe in.
Breathe out one.
Soften on the exhale,
Breathe in.
Breathe out two.
Breathe in.
Breathe out three.
Inhale,
Come up to all fours,
And we'll push back to downward facing dog.
So for the first down dog,
We can bend one knee and then the other.
You can stretch out your calves.
Your toes.
Stay in tune with your breath.
Press both heels down toward the floor.
Notice where your belly is.
As you exhale,
Draw the lower belly upward and inward.
And tilt the pelvis forward.
Look forward between your hands and bring the right foot all the way to the front between your hands.
If it doesn't make it there on its own,
If it kind of gets stuck halfway,
Just grab your right ankle with the right hand and place it to the front.
Bring the left knee down.
Sink your hips forward.
You can stay here as option one.
You can also bring blocks underneath your hands.
To lift the chest a little bit more for more support.
That's completely up to you.
You can bring both hands up to the right knee or lift the left arm up overhead.
Staying here for five breaths.
Breathe in.
Breathe out one.
Breathe in.
Breathe out two.
Breathe in.
Breathe out three.
Breathe in.
Breathe out four.
Breathe in.
Breathe out five.
Bring your left hand to the floor or use a block here.
Your choice.
Keep that left knee down.
Right hand can go on the right knee.
Or reach the right hand up to the ceiling.
Option,
Straighten your left leg and lift the left knee off the floor.
Five breaths here.
Breathe in.
Breathe out one.
Breathe in.
Breathe out two.
Breathe in.
Breathe out three.
Breathe in.
Breathe out four.
Breathe in.
And breathe out five.
Bring the right hand down,
Left knee down if it's up.
And we'll come back into all fours.
Hands under the shoulders,
Knees under your hips.
Three cat-cows here.
Inhale,
Lift the chin,
Pull the shoulders back,
Lift your tailbone,
Look upward.
Exhale.
Tuck the tailbone under,
Navel toward the spine,
Chin toward your chest,
Let your head go.
Inhale,
Looking up.
Exhale,
Looking down.
Inhale,
Looking up.
Exhale,
Looking down.
Come to neutral,
Step back into plank pose.
Nice,
Strong core.
Take a breath in.
Exhale,
Slowly lower down to your belly.
Keep those elbows close to the body.
Inhale,
Press your palms into the mat as you lift the chest into cobra.
Exhale,
Pushing back,
Downward facing dog.
Take one breath here,
Breathe in.
Breathe out.
Bring your left foot all the way to the front.
Right knee comes down,
Coming into that low knee down lunge.
You can keep your hands on the mat as you sink the hips forward.
Use blocks or.
.
.
Hands up to the left knee,
Maybe lift the right arm up to the ceiling.
Looking upward,
Breathe in.
Breathe out one.
Breathe in.
Breathe out two.
Breathe in.
Breathe out three.
Breathe in.
Breathe out four.
Breathe in.
And read out five.
Bring the right hand down to the floor under the right shoulder,
Coming into our twist.
Left hand up to the left knee or up to the ceiling or maybe straighten the right leg.
Breathe in.
Breathe out one.
Breathe in.
Breathe out two.
Breathe in.
Breathe out three.
Breathe in.
Breathe out four.
Breathe in.
Breathe out five.
Left hand comes down.
Stepping back into plank pose.
Take a breath in,
Exhale,
Lower down,
Nice and strong,
Slow and controlled all the way to the floor.
And inhale.
With the tops of the feet on the floor,
Elbows close to the body.
Press into Cobra.
Exhale,
Downward Facing Dog.
Breathe in.
And breathe out.
Bring the right foot all the way to the front.
Pivot the left heel down to the floor.
Coming up into a warrior stance.
Facing forward,
Deep lunge in the right knee.
Option one.
You can stay right here in a nice,
Relaxed style of warrior,
Or you can make it a stronger practice.
Clasp the hands behind your back.
Coming into humble warrior,
Lift the heart,
Look upward,
And then as you exhale,
Lean forward.
Holding strong here with the right leg.
Bring the right ribs down next to the right thigh.
Releases looking down toward the left heel.
Breathe in.
Breathe out once.
Breathe in.
Breathe out two.
Breathe in.
Breathe out three.
Breathe in.
Breathe out four.
Breathe in.
Breathe out five.
Inhale,
Come up.
Adjust your feet as needed,
Coming into extended side angle.
Bend the right knee.
When you look down,
Make sure you can see the inside of the right thigh.
Or the right foot with the inside the right knee.
Bring the right elbow over the right thigh,
Coming into extended side angle,
Or bring your hand to the floor,
Or maybe use a block.
Left hand to the left hip,
Maybe up to the ceiling,
Or sweep it up overhead.
Breathe in.
Breathe out one.
Breathe in.
And breathe out too.
Breathe in.
Breathe out three.
Breathe in.
And breathe out four.
Breathe in.
Breathe out five.
Inhale,
Straighten the right leg,
Bring the left hand to your left hip.
You can adjust the block as needed.
We'll keep the right leg straight.
Triangle pose.
Rotate the left ribs up towards the ceiling.
You can keep the left hand here or reach it up to the ceiling.
Maybe bring it back behind you and hold the inside of the right thigh for a half bind.
Breathe in.
Breathe out one.
Breathe in.
And breathe out too.
Breathe in.
Breathe out three.
Breathe in.
And breathe out four.
Breathe in.
And breathe out five.
Look down,
Inhale,
Come up.
Continue wide-legged,
Turn your body,
Face the left side.
Toes in,
Heels out here,
Coming into a wide-legged forward fold,
Hands to your hips.
Roll the shoulders back,
Lift the heart,
Look upward.
Exhale.
Come into a forward fold.
Engage this low belly.
Hinge at the hips.
Slide your hands down the shins.
As the back starts to round,
That's kind of where you stop.
If you can keep sliding your hands down and continue letting the hamstrings release,
Then keep going.
Grab onto the big toes in yogic toe lock if you get there.
If you don't get there,
You can keep your hands on your shins or you can bring your hands to the floor or even use blocks here.
Here we go,
Inhale,
Lengthen.
Exhale,
Find your wide-legged forward fold.
Breathe in.
Breathe out one.
Breathe in.
Breathe out two.
Breathe in.
And breathe out three.
Breathe in.
Breathe out four.
Breathe in.
And breathe out five.
Release the big toes.
Turn the right foot to the front.
Walk your hands around on either side of the right foot.
Step back into plank pose.
Take a breath in here,
Exhale,
Lower down to the belly.
Elbows close to the body,
Tops of the feet on the floor.
Press into the hands as you have the shoulder blades pulled back,
Lifting up into Cobra.
Exhale,
Downward facing dog.
If the heels don't touch the floor,
That's perfectly fine.
Mine don't.
They probably never will.
Everybody has a different.
Build bone structure,
Flexibility level.
Different lengths and limbs.
So you just do the pose as it fits your body today.
Looking forward,
Step your left foot all the way to the front.
Right heel comes down,
We'll come into our warrior of choice.
Warrior 1,
Hips and chest are facing forward.
You can keep hands to your hips for a relaxed warrior.
If you'd like a more challenging warrior,
Clasp your hands behind your back.
Switch your grip this time.
Roll the shoulders back,
Lift the heart,
Look up.
Exhale,
Coming into a humble warrior,
Leaning forward,
Left ribs next to the left thigh.
Left leg is strong,
Looking down toward the right heel,
Hands up towards the ceiling,
Breathe in.
And breathe out one.
Breathe in.
Breathe out two.
Breathe in.
And breathe out three.
Breathe in.
Breathe out four.
Breathe in.
Breathe out five.
Inhale,
Come up,
Moving into extended side angle.
Grab your block if you use it on the other side.
Bend your left knee again,
This time the hips and chest are facing toward the right.
You can bring your left elbow over the left thigh or bring your left hand to the floor or a block.
Right hand to the right hip,
Maybe up to the ceiling,
Or sweep it up overhead.
Breathe in.
Breathe out one.
Breathe in.
And breathe out too.
Breathe in.
Breathe out three.
Breathe in.
Breathe out four.
Breathe in.
Breathe out five.
Inhale,
Come up.
Setting up for triangle pose.
Move your block if you need to.
Left leg stays straight,
Hips and chest are still facing the right.
On an exhale.
Pull the left hip back toward the right heel,
Left hand down to the block,
Right hand to the right hip,
Maybe up to the ceiling,
Maybe in a half bind.
Breathe in.
Breathe out one.
Looking up over the right shoulder,
Breathe in.
Breathe out two.
Breathe in.
Breathe out three.
Breathe in.
And breathe out four.
And breathe in.
And breathe out five.
Look down,
Inhale,
Come up.
And this time we'll take a wide-legged forward fold facing the right side of your mat.
Same thing,
Same pose,
Hands to the hips,
Roll the shoulders back,
Look up,
Make sure your toes are pointed inward.
On an exhale.
Forward fold,
Draw the lower belly back up in whatever language makes sense to you.
Coming forward,
You can either bring your hands to the floor or blocks or grab onto the big toes in yogic toe lock.
First two fingers hook around the big toe,
Thumb rests on the tip of the big toe.
Inhale,
Lengthen.
Exhale,
Forward fold,
Bend your elbows,
Crown of the head reaches down toward the floor.
And breathe in.
Breathe out one.
Breathe in.
Breathe out two.
Breathe in.
Breathe out three.
Breathe in.
And breathe out four.
Breathe in.
And breathe out five.
Release the big toes.
And this time,
Walk your hands around to the front,
To either side of the left foot.
And move the left foot over towards the left side of your mat.
Both hands to the center of your mat underneath your shoulders or chest.
And we'll step the right foot to the front,
Coming to the top of the mat.
Lower your hips into Malasana,
Our low squat.
If your heels don't touch the floor,
Grab a block,
Place it underneath the sitting bones.
Use your elbows to push the knees apart,
Shoulder blades back and down.
Hands to prayer.
Breathe in.
Breathe out one.
And breathe in.
And breathe out too.
Breathe in.
Breathe out three.
Breathe in.
And breathe out four.
Breathe in.
And breathe out five.
Take a seat.
Scooch your butt toward the middle of the mat.
Take the right ankle,
Extend your left leg straight ahead.
Cross the right ankle over the left knee.
Bring the hands to the floor behind you.
Bend your left leg,
Come into a seated half pigeon.
Scooch your hips forward or sit up as straight as you like.
Holding here,
Breathe in.
Breathe out one.
Breathe in.
Breathe out two.
Breathe in.
Breathe out three.
Breathe in.
And breathe out four.
Breathe in.
And breathe out five.
Extend your left leg forward.
We'll set up for Marichi's twist to the right.
Bend the right knee,
Place the right foot on the floor.
Next to the inside of the left thigh,
Left arm wraps around the front of the right shin,
Right hand to the floor behind you.
Option to cross the left arm to the outside of the right thigh.
Breathe in.
Breathe out one.
Breathe in.
Breathe out two.
Breathe in.
Breathe out three.
Breathe in.
Breathe out four.
Breathe in.
Breathe out five.
Back to center.
Place the sole of the right foot to the inside of the left thigh as the right knee opens up to the side.
Coming into Janu Sirsasana,
Head to knee pose.
If that right knee is not comfortable or is kind of like floating up in the air,
Feels tight,
You can place a block underneath that right leg.
Sitting up tall,
Walk your hands forward.
Coming into a forward fold.
You can grab onto the left calf,
Ankle,
Or left foot.
Forehead reaches down toward the left shin.
Breathe in.
And breathe out one.
Breathe in.
And breathe out too.
Breathe in.
Breathe out three.
Breathe in.
Breathe out four.
Breathe in.
And breathe out five.
Inhale,
Come up.
And extend the right leg forward,
Cross the left ankle over the right knee for seated half pigeon.
Hands to the floor behind you.
Bend the right knee,
Right foot on the floor.
You can make it as exciting as you want.
Breathe in.
Breathe out one.
Breathe in.
Breathe out two.
Breathe in.
And breathe out three.
Breathe in.
And breathe out four.
Breathe in.
And breathe out five.
Straighten the right leg forward.
Coming into our seated twist,
Bend the knees.
Keep the left knee bent and place the left foot to the floor to the inside of the right thigh.
You can hug that left knee in toward your chest as you take your twist or cross the right arm to the outside of that left leg.
Look over the left shoulder.
Breathe in.
Breathe out one.
Breathe in.
Breathe out two.
Breathe in.
And breathe out three.
Breathe in.
And breathe out four.
Breathe in.
And breathe out five.
Back to center.
Coming into Janu Sirsasana,
Head to knee pose.
Solve the left foot to the inside of the right thigh.
Sitting up nice and tall,
Prop up the left knee if you like.
On an exhale,
Walk your hands forward.
Come into the forward fold over the right leg.
Breathe in.
Breathe out one.
Breathe in.
Breathe out two.
Breathe in.
Breathe out three.
Breathe in.
And breathe out four.
And breathe in.
And breathe out five.
Inhale,
Come up.
Bring both legs into diamond pose.
So the soles of the feet come together.
It's like.
.
.
Cobbler's pose or butterfly position,
But you bring your feet.
One to two feet away from the center of your body so your legs are in a diamond shape.
So sit up tall.
Press the sitting bones into the floor.
Grab onto your shins or ankles.
On an exhale,
Keeping the low back flat.
Lean forward.
Let gravity do most of the work here.
You don't have to pull or stretch.
Just kind of release into the pose.
Breathe in.
Breathe out one.
Breathe in.
Breathe out two.
Breathe in.
Breathe out three.
Breathe in.
And breathe out four.
Breathe in.
Breathe out five.
Inhale,
Come up.
Bring yourself into a comfortable seated position.
If that means cross-legged,
You can do that.
If it means coming up on a block,
You can do that.
And we'll come into alternate nostril breathing.
Bring the left hand.
I'm going to turn and face the camera.
Bring your left hand into Jnana Mudra,
Touch the index finger and the thumb together.
Rest the back of your hand on the left thigh.
Right hand,
Curl the first two fingers in and hold it with the base of your thumb,
Using your thumb.
And the fourth finger to Close the nostrils.
Eyes closed if you can.
You can watch me if you need to.
I'll walk you through it,
We'll do a few rounds here.
Keep the right elbow close to the body.
Relax your shoulders.
Mouth is closed.
Take a comfortable breath in through the nostrils.
Close the right nostril with your thumb and exhale through the left.
Inhale through the left side.
Release the right.
Close the left,
Exhale through the right.
Inhale through the right side.
Close,
Exhale through the left side.
Inhale left.
Close,
Exhale,
Right.
Inhale,
Right.
Close,
Exhale left.
Inhale,
Left.
Close,
Exhale,
Right.
Inhale,
Right.
Close,
Exhale left.
Inhale left.
Close,
Exhale right.
Inhale,
Right?
Close,
Exhale left.
Inhale,
Lift.
Close,
Exhale,
Right.
Inhale,
Right.
Close,
Exhale left.
Inhale,
Lock.
Close,
Exhale,
Right.
And drop your right hand.
And come into final relaxation.
Come down from the cushion.
Or the block.
Lie flat on your back.
Bring the arms down alongside your body.
Watch your legs.
Relax and release.
Let them have some space.
Just allow the floor to support you.
Take the time to allow your mind to relax.
Assimilate the practice.
Let your nervous system recalibrate.
And bring your awareness to the navel.
Imagine breathing in.
Through the center of your body and exhaling down through your legs and feet.
Inhaling near the navel,
Exhaling down through the legs and feet.
Inhaling center of body.
Exhaling downward.
Allow the body to soften with each exhale.
Start to move your hands and your feet.
Give yourself a long stretch.
Bend your knees,
Feet on the floor.
Roll over to one side.
Push yourself up to sit.
Coming into a comfortable seated position,
Whatever works for you.
And we'll take a few minutes to sit with Upanamudra.
The index to the thumb as well as the middle finger to the thumb.
And do that on both hands.
So the first.
Three fingers are touching each other.
The ring finger and the pinky finger are extended outward.
Rest the back of your hands on your thighs,
Eyes are closed.
Sitting up tall.
Let's take a few breaths together.
Imagine breathing in through the center of the body.
And exhaling downward.
Breathe in.
Breathe out.
Breathe in.
Breathe out.
Breathe in.
Breathe out.
Breathe in.
Breathe out.
Breathe in.
And breathe out.
Release the mudra,
Bring your hands together in prayer position.
Bow your forehead down to your fingertips.
Thank you so much for practicing yoga with me today.
I hope you enjoyed today's practice.
Be well,
And I will see you on the next one.
