Spinal Release & Mobility - Gentle Morning Hatha (14min)

Release tension and restore mobility through this gentle spinal practice. This session includes cat/cow with circular movements, seated spinal twists and side bends, neck releases, and seated forward folds. We close with a calming meditation to nourish the senses. Perfect for morning practice or anytime you need to release stiffness and reconnect with your spine. Suitable for all levels.

Transcript

Hello and welcome to this morning seated practice. So come into a comfortable seated position. Sit up nice and tall. Relax your arms. Close your eyes. Take a few moments to settle, Adjusting your body as you need. Start to breathe in and out through your nose. Relax your hips. Relax your face. Allow yourself to be exactly as you are in this moment. Eyes are still closed. We're going to come into these Sufi grinds they call them. So hands are on the knees, On the thighs, Inhaling forward, Circling forward, Exhaling back. Inhaling forward, Exhaling back. Eyes are closed. Shoulders relaxed. Good. And then pause and go in the opposite direction. Same thing. Inhaling forward, Exhaling back. Starting to wake up the spine. Good. Slowly come back towards center. Inhale fully. And then pause the breath. Keep the breath held in. Lift through the pelvic floor. Draw in at the navel. Relax here. Good. Release. Eyes can stay closed. Hands come onto the shins. We're going to inhale forward, Exhale back. It can be helpful to be flat on the floor for this. I was sitting on a blanket. For me it works a little bit better in the body to just be flat. So holding on to the shins, Inhaling forward, Exhaling back. So almost like a seated cat-cow movement. Nice spinal movement. Inhaling forward, Exhaling back. Really bringing the heart forward as you come forward. Really rounding the spine as you go back. At the same time, Trying to keep the head and the face pretty much as it is. Nice movement at the spine. Keep going, But bring your hands to your knees. Same thing. Inhaling forward, Exhaling back. Waking up the spine. This beautiful channel of energy in the home of the nervous system. The spinal column. Good. Inhale, Come forward. Pause the breath. Lift through the pelvic floor, Drawing at the navel. And exhale, Release. Big inhale. Full exhale. Good. Fingertips on your shoulders, So elbows stay at shoulder height. We're going to inhale left and exhale right. Breathing through the nose. You can start really slow. You just find a rhythm that works nice for you. Inhale left, Exhale right. Eventually, Eyes closed. Focusing the eye up at the third eye point. The center of the mind. Inhale left, Exhale right. Good. Keep going. Keep those elbows lifted. Good. Come back to center. Inhale fully. Pause the breath. Hold the breath. Lift through pelvic floor, Drawing at the navel. And exhale, Release. Pause for a moment. Relax your body. Take a few moments to be still. And breathe into that stillness. Good. And then hands are down onto the thighs. We're going to inhale. Draw the shoulders up toward the ears. Exhale, Release down. Inhale up, Exhale down. Inhale up, Exhale down. Get into a nice little rhythm. This can be pretty fast here. Inhaling up, Exhaling down. Again, Awareness at that third eye point. Center of the mind. If it's more comfortable to go slow, Take the slow version. Keep going. Good. Inhale up. Keep the shoulders there. Keep the breath in. And exhale, Relax. Again, Find some stillness here. Awareness inward. Good. Eyes come open. We're going to bring fingertips to the heart. Fingertips back onto the shoulders. This time we're going to work with the spine laterally. Inhaling left, Exhaling right. Getting a nice side stretch here. Nice lateral extension of the spine. And just find a little rhythm. Inhale left, Exhale right. Noticing how this feels for you. Is it challenging? Does it feel good? Good. Slowly come back to center. Nice big inhale. Pause the breath. Pelvic floor lifts, Navel draws in. And exhale. Sit comfortably. Come into a meditative position. It can be helpful to elevate the hips a little bit. Sitting up nice and tall. Find any comfortable position for your hands. Close your eyes. You want your meditative posture to be really natural. Really comfortable. Keep settling your body. And allow the awareness to go inward. Little by little, Soften any tension through your jaw. Your face, Around your eyes. Your throat, Your shoulders. Your arms and legs. Keep settling into your hips. And with each exhalation, You feel that you can begin softening the way you hold your body. There's a deeper release with each exhale. And as you settle, You might begin to notice that there's an incredible stillness that begins to arise from within. So begin to tune into the stillness of your own being. As you tune in more deeply, You begin to sense how effortless the body is breathing. Now you're welcome to stay here. Continue with your meditation. If you're ready to close, You might like to bring your hands to heart center and gently bow the head. And honoring the sacredness of this moment. Honoring the sacredness that arises from stillness. May the light of this practice illuminate your mind and body. And may that light shine brightly into the lives of all those around you. Om. Peace. Peace. Peace. Shanti. Shanti. Shanti. Namaste. Namaste. Before you open your eyes, You can rub your palms and warm up your hands. And then cover your eyes with your warm palms. And as you're ready, Slowly release the hands down. Thank you so much for joining me. I hope to see you very soon.