Slow Yoga Flow | Sun Salutation A

Take a moment to arrive in Child's Pose before settling into a steady Ujjayi breath. You will gently build warmth with several rounds of Surya Namaskar A (Sun Salutations) before exploring a handful of standing postures.

This unhurried practice is perfect when you're looking to slow down, reconnect with your breath, and leave feeling grounded and gently energised.

Transcript

Welcome everyone. We're gonna go ahead straight away and get started in a child's pose. So bring the big toes together, Knees wide. Allow the hips to get really heavy and walk the hands all the way forward. If it feels quite early to put your forehead on the floor, No drama, You can put something underneath your head. What I want you to start to find for yourself is space in the thighs for the belly to expand and contract. No matter when you've pressed play on this video, If it's in the morning or if it's in the night. This practice is a salute to the sun. And the sun salutation is designed in a way that awakens dormant energy that lies inside your own self, Right in the navel center. And so as you lie here, Or as you present yourself here in a child's pose, Can you really just start to soften into the support beneath you. Feel the shins, Perhaps the forehead and the palms on your mat. And then once the body feels settled in space, Begin to connect to your breath. Inhaling from the tip of the nose, Let it travel all the way down into the lowest part of your lungs. And then as you exhale, The lungs condense and the breath leaves back out through the nose. And you might like to envision that your breath becomes a light, Shining awareness on all the parts of you. Illuminating that pathway of the breath in. And the breath back out. Each breath, Inviting you to. . . Awaken. To bring awareness to. All the parts of you that you may have forgotten about during the day or during your sleep. And then calling it to come online like you were turning the power on. And then all together, Take a breath into the no. Part the lips, Let out an audible sigh Maybe that sigh is warm out through the mouth. We'll do that two more times. Breathe into the nose. So I add of the mouth. And then this time keep the mouth pursed closed, Breathe into the nose. A similar sigh out of the nose as well. So coming to breathe in and out through the nose. This is your Ujjayi breath. And so jai can translate to becoming victorious. And to have victory of the mind as you find a one point at attention and awareness on the breath. And throughout the practice, You can stay with your Ujjayi breathing, Or if at any time you prefer to return to your natural breath, Know that that's okay as well. And then begin to energize your fingers, Creep them a little further forward. So much so that maybe the elbows lift off the floor. And then ride the inhale breath to shift yourself forward onto all fours. You might want to readjust so the knees are underneath the hips, Hands underneath the shoulders. And then with that same breath in, You're gonna find your cow pose. Sink the belly, Lift the heart through the shoulders, Lift the face. And then as you exhale, Roll pubic bone to face. Spread the back of your heart up towards the sky as you round the back. Inhale into your cow, Breath in. Exhale, Press into your hands around the spine. And as you start to connect your body, Your breath. You might start to feel into intuitive movement, So circling the head. Maybe rolling the hips, Rolling the ribs through space. Awakening all the parts of your body. Leaning into any stickiness, Any discomfort. But never allowing yourself to suffer. And so the invitation in this class and in all classes is to do what feels right for you. And to listen intuitively and to be your own guide. When you're ready next come back to all four. Walk your hands one hand print forward. Tuck the toes underneath. Dig them into the floor as you float your hips to the sky, Downward facing dog. This is Adho Mukha Svanasana. Press down into the palms, The hips lift a little higher. Take an inhale, Rise to your toes. Bend your knees deeply, Look forward, And then super slowly walk yourself towards your hands. Bend your knees generously with the feet hip distance apart. And catch your elbows for rad doll and take a sway from side to side. And can you offer any part of your brain, Any part of that discerning mind into the mat? Letting go of expectation. Not imposing anything onto your practice. But to truly become a witness of the things that you start to wake up as you move the body, You churn the energy with your breath. And bringing yourself back to the middle, Release your arms to the floor. Bend your knees generously and super slowly peel yourself all the way up towards standing, Stacking the head, The shoulders, The hips, One straight line. Altogether taking a breath into the nose. Exhale shoulder soften, Palms spin forward, Tadasana Mountain Pose. And then actively charging the legs into the floor. And finding that reciprocal rebound as the crown of the head floats towards the sky. And if you'd like to dedicate this practice to someone or something other than you, This is the time. And then we'll move through a few rounds of Surya Namaskar, Really breaking it down. As we salute the sun, Bringing full awareness. To not only the postures but the breath and the qualities that it invokes in the body. And so get really strong on those feet. Your breath in reaches the arms up. This is Urdhva Hastasana, Stretching the front line of the body. As you exhale, It's the lower belly that starts to fold you forward over the thighs. Uttanasana, Forward fold. Sliding your hands up your shins, Lengthen the spine halfway towards a long spine. As you exhale, From the navel, Forward fold over the thighs, Bend the knee. This round, Step the right leg all the way to the back of your mat for a runner's lunge. Left knee on top of ankle, Right heel back. Hands can be underneath shoulders. Take a full breath here to charge the legs, Feel the light ignite from your heart. Exhale the knee taps down. Use an inhale to lift and rise your spine up to vertical. As you exhale, Part the sky, Sweep the arms wide, Bring your hands onto the mat. Lift the back knee, Ignite the legs, Step back into downward facing dog. On your breath in like a wave, Roll yourself forward towards the top of a push-up high plank. Chest on top of thumbs, Heels pressed back, But of course, Take your knees to the floor for support. And take a full round of breath in. As you exhale, Deliver the knees to the floor. Wrap your elbows back, Slow motion lower onto your belly. Point your toes, Press to the toenails and float the chest off for your cobra. Exhale, Lower the heart towards the floor. We'll do that two more times. Hug elbows in, Reach elbows back, Lift your heart, Shine it forward. Exhale, Lower down. You've got one more like that, Yogis. Inhale, Lengthen away. Exhale, Lower. You're going to press your arms towards straight. To a little kneeling push up, Tuck the toes under, Hips to the sky, Downward facing dog. And we meet here for a breath in to arrive. Inhale. Stay for the exhale, Maybe Ujjayi breath. Soften the knees, Look forward, And as many steps as you need to walk to the top of the mat. Fingertips to shins, Halfway lift. Exhale, Uttanasana, Fold over your thighs. Press into the feet, Rise the arms up to standing. Exhale, Let your hands land at your heart, Reminding yourself of your intention. To Dasana Mountain Pose, Allowing yourself to ground. In your next breath in, Inhale, Arms to sky, Urdhva Hastasana, Upward reaching pose. Exhale Uttanasana, Forward bend over the thighs. Hands behind the shins, Halfway lift, Lengthening. Exhale, Forward fold. Stepping your left leg to the far back of your mat this time, Runners lunge. Inhale, Let the chest shine forward. As you exhale take the back knee delicately to the floor. Lean into that space, Inhale, Arms up. Exhale, Circle the arms wide and down, Hands frame the front foot. Lift the back knee, Step back, Downward facing dog. Inhale your high plank, Chest on top of thumbs. Maybe keep your knees lifted this time. Reach the tailbone to the heels. Float the heart, Find buoyancy as it moves forward. Exhale, Slowly lower the whole body in one line to the earth. Point your toes, Hug the elbows in. Shine the heart forward, Lift lower belly cobra pose. Exhale, Lower yourself all the way down. Press up to all fours, Maybe through your child's pose, Before you meet in downward facing dog. The inner thigh bones move high, The hands press down. Pause here for a breath in. Stay for a breath out. Come high on those toes, Bend your knees, Look forward, Step, Step, Step to the top of the mat. Hands float to shins, Halfway lift. Exhale, Forward fold. Grounds into your feet, Rise up to stand. Urdhva Hastasana. Exhale, Thumbs to heart. And then helms by your side. And pay attention to the sensation of the body. We'll do a similar practice of sun sal twice more. Inhale, Arms up. Exhale, Forward fold. Inhale, Halfway lift. Exhale, Hands to the floor, Step to your plank position. Stay for an inhale breath. Knees or no knees, Your choice. Lower just halfway down. Baby Cobra's there for you, Or if you want an upward facing dog, Lift the thighs, Knees, Shins, Heart lifts. Exhale, Look to navel, Float your hips to sky, Downward facing dog. Smooth, Steady breath in. Tone the belly, Hug ribs in, Exhale. Find your tippy toes, Inhale. Bend your knees, Look forward, Step, A little jump to top of mat. Bring your fingertips onto the shin, Shine the chest forward. Exhale, Forward fold. Press into the feet, Rise yourself up, Inhale. Exhale, Thumbs to heart. One more time, Breath in, Arms rise. Exhale, Bow down, Uttanasana. Fingers to shins, Halfway lift. Exhale, Urdhva Nasana, Fold. Press into the hands, Step back to your plank. Inhale, Prepare. Exhale, Bend the elbows, Chaturanga. Point the toes, Up dog, Baby cobra, Your choice. Exhale, Chin to chest, Hips to sky, Adho Mukha Svanasana, Downward Facing Dog. We pause here together for five breaths. Inhaling down to the navel the space between your pubic bone and your belly button. Exhale, Let that space tone, Draw it back as the hips float higher. Inhaling four. Press the hands down and away, Exhale. Soft elbows, Strong arms, Inhale Exhale, Soft knees, Thigh bones move up. Two more breaths, Breathing in together. Breathing out together. Last time, Inhale. Exhale. Nice work. Come on to those tippy toes. Bend your knees, Look forward. Step, Step, Step to the top of the mat. Fingertips come to shins, Halfway lift. Exhale, Fold over the thighs. This time bring your feet hip distance apart. Bend your knees until your fingers touch the floor. And then sit back into an imaginary chair. This is Utkatasana Press. So the bottom's back in line with the knees as much as you need, And then you start to lift the chest up, Lift the lower belly from the thighs, Maybe the arms come up to the sky. If that feels a little bit too much for you today, Hands can come onto your shoulders, Or hands can press onto your thighs. Wherever you choose to be, Start to feel the sensation of aliveness in your legs. Can you send the tailbone a little bit further back? Maybe even a slight smile on the corners of your lips. Take a smooth, Steady breath in. Hug the ribcage back towards the spine. One more breath. Inhale. Exhale, Fold over your legs, Uttanasana. Lift the chest halfway up, Hands to shin. Exhale, Fold over the legs. Let's step the right leg back so it's directly behind your right shoulder at the back of the mat. And then spin the foot down on a 45 degree angle so you can press into the outer edge of the foot. Pone into the back leg, Inhale, Arms climb high. This is Virabhadrasana One, Warrior One. And you're sending that left knee forward in space. Drawing the left belly back. And then charging the fire that resides in your low belly to radiate up, Up, Up towards your hands. Take one more breath in here. Exhale, Hands to the floor, Step forward to the top of the mat. Inhale, Fingers to shins, Halfway lift. Exhale forward. Chair pose again, Bend your knees, Float your arms up towards the sky. Exhale forward fold straight away. Inhale, Lift the chest halfway up. Exhale, Fold. And this time as you breathe in, The left leg steps right back behind the left shoulder. Firm the left heel in and down, But send the right knee forward. Anchor into the feet, Rise your arms up towards the sky. Virabhadrasana one, Five deep breaths here, Inhale. Exhale. Good, Inhale for two. Exhale, Finding equal weight between the feet. Pressing especially into the outer edge of that back heel. And then use your gaze to steady on something to help you find a focus. One more breath here, All together, Inhale. Exhale, Fold forward, Hands to the floor, Step back, Downward facing dog. On your inhale breath, Move forward to a high plank. Exhale, Knees to the floor or not. We're gonna lower all the way down onto the belly. Point your toe. Press them into the mat. Lengthen your pubic bone into the floor. Start to lift the heart up. You might choose to stay here with support of the hands or reach the arms back behind you. So the thumb moves away from the body, Shoulders slide towards each other, Chin stays to the throat. Take a full breath here, Really lengthen the spine. Exhale, Hands under shoulders, Lower the chest, And push up to all fours to find downward facing dog. Pausing here, All together breathing in. And then breathing out. So that was a variation on Surya Namaskar B. And that's the chair pose to the Virabhadrasana 1 shape. Good, Take another breath in here. As you exhale, Bend your knees, Look forward, Step, Step, Step to the top of the mat. Fingertips come onto your shins, Halfway lip. Exhale, Forward fold. Sweep your beautiful arms wide and up. Open your chest to reach towards the sky. Exhale, Hands to your heart. Now actively press your hands in towards each other, The elbows will be wide. Think of the outer hips doing the same thing. And then we're gonna find that power in the navel. Can you start to lengthen the crown of the head to the ceiling and come high onto your tippy toes? So start to lift the heels. If that feels a little drastic, Just lift one heel at a time and do a little march through the feet. But if you're feeling stable, You're gonna press into those big toes, Lift and lengthen all the way up. Pausing here, Two more breaths. One more. And then slowly lower the heels down. Look towards your big toes, Sweep the arms down and up, Chair pose, Utkatasana. Exhale forward fold over the thigh. Shine your heart forward, Inhale. Keep the hand reaching forward, Step the right leg to the far back of the mat. Spin the heel down this time so the outer edge of the foot's like the little short edge of your mat. And then open up the arms like a little cartwheel, Warrior two. In warrior two, Sending that front thigh bone forward. Again, Attention to the space between the hips as you radiate those arms in opposite directions. Find a smooth, Steady breath in. Smooth, Steady breath out. And take another inhale. Exhale. On your inhale, Reach your arms above your head as you straighten the front leg. Exhale, Re-bend, Warrior two. Two more times like that, So you're really lifting up out of your leg, Press into the big toe. Exhale, Warrior two. One more time, Inhale, Reach up and pause. Open the arms towards a T shape. You're gonna shift your front hip into the space behind you. Reach as far forward as feels possible. And then when you have nowhere left to go, The arms revolve as well. Now the goal is not to put your hands on the floor or anywhere in fact, But it's to see how much space you can find through your side waist as you expand like the sun shining its light from its centre. Taking a full round of breath in. If you have the space, Flip that front palm towards the front of your mat and reach the arm up overhead. Lifting that front knee cap up, Take another deep breath in. As you exhale, Look to the big toes, Sweep the arms down to the floor and step forward to the top of the mat. Fingertips find the shin during that halfway lift position. Exhale, Fold over the thighs. Press down into the feet, Sweep your arms wide and up. This is Urdhva Hastasana. Exhale, Thumbs meet at your heart. Pausing here for a smooth, Steady breath. Release the palms by your side, Tadasana. Inhaling, Arms up. Exhale, Forward fold. Inhale, Float the chest up. It's time, Step your left leg to the far back of your mat. Seal the heel down towards the ground, Bend a little deeper. From the strength of your legs, Rise the spine up. Virabhadrasana II, Warrior II. And as you settle into the legs. Can you find a sense of moving everything away from your core, Away from your midline? Taking a few moments to land. Then starting to charge up that front leg, Inhale, Straighten your arms, Reach the front leg to long. Exhale, Re-bend into the knee. It's like you're pressing something down with your palm. Two more times, The breath in lengthens the spine. Breath out, Bend the knee, Look over the palm. Last one will stay lifted all the way to the ceiling. Bring your arms only to a T, Exhale. The front hip moves all the way back, Reach yourself far forward without locking the knee. And then when you feel called, Trikonasana, Triangle pose. And so finding the foundation of your feet. To rise energy up your legs to your centre. And then the arms expanding right from your midline. Pausing here for three. Chest is opening like a cobra, Tailbone lengthening for two. If you have the space, Front palm spins forward, Big juicy side bend, Arm up and over your head, Take a breath in. As you exhale, Circle the hands, Frame the front foot and bend your front knee. Inhale here. Exhale, Step back, Downward facing dog. Altogether inhale to all fours, Come down onto your knees. Exhale Child's Pose, Hips to your heels and reach the arms back. Five breaths to acknowledge. The energy you've created in your body this far. Maybe noticing the pace of your breath. Possibly a warm. From your navel to your fingertips and your toes. And so not only honouring the physical sun, But also the sun, The warmth. The creative. Power that resides within us. One more deep. Your next inhale, Roll the spine all the way back up to vertical. You're gonna sit your bottom over to one side, Reach those legs out nice and long. And so making sure that your knees aren't locked out, Just whatever feels comfortable for you. You're gonna bring your right knee in towards your ribcage and then turn the knee out. So think of that warrior two shape here in the thigh. Breathe in, Grow tall, Reach up long. With a flexed foot, Exhale, Fold over the thigh. Can you find a sense of the left hip bone drawing back as you breathe here for three. Exhale release any tension Inhale for two. Exhale. And 1. And you're already peeling up the spine. Take that right arm, Circle it all the way back and behind you. You're gonna roll the weight into the fingertips, Press into your shin, A little flash dance moment. Press your hips towards the sky, Lean into the space behind you and open up the front body. Full breath here like a star shining its light out to the universe. Exhale, Lowering yourself all the way down. Good, Let's go to the other side. Straightening out the right leg, Gonna fold the left knee in and allow it to open to the side. Once you feel really steady in the legs, Breathe in, Grow tall. Exhale, Fold over with a long spine towards the floor. And it's towards the floor, So it's in the direction. It doesn't have to be there. You're here for three. Here for two. And 1. Take your time to lengthen up long and tall through the spine. Bringing that left hand behind you, Fingertips face away from you, You point the front toe, Roll onto the shin, Press the pubic bone forward and radiate everything out from your midline. And taking a really long, Luxurious breath in. Exhale slowly lower the pelvis all the way back down. And from here, Bring the feet together, Both knees wide, Baddha Konasana. You might like to press your hands behind you just to lengthen, Find space. This is a beautiful place to stay. Aligning head and heart and hips. Collarbones open. Or if you feel cool to forward fold, Please go ahead. And you can give yourself permission to round here, Yogis. And just letting the gaze turn inwards. And taking another breath in. And another breath out. I would really love to leave you here for Another few moments, So if you have time you can press pause and stay. But it is a short and sweet class, So if you're ready, You start to lengthen your spine back up. Place the feet flat on the floor, And then very gently, You're gonna roll yourself onto your back and pull those knees gently towards the chest. Arms can come out into a T or a little cactus shape. And then draw some circles around your sacrum. So it's like you're churning in that lower belly. Can you almost envision a little light between your pubic bone, Your belly button? Awakening, Activating, Switching on all the parts of you. Revolve your circle the other way. As you release the lower back, Find connection to your centre. And then if you have any other little shapes you'd like to take before a Shavasana, Our final resting pose, Feel free to do that. Maybe there's a happy baby reaching for the feet or the hamstrings. Maybe there's a gentle twist with both feet flat on the floor. Just take a few moments to ask yourself, You know, What is it that I need this morning, This evening, Whenever you've chosen to take this class? And then in your own time, Please do not rush. Extending one leg, Then the other. Wider than your hips for Shavasana. The arms by your side with space beneath the armpit. Eyes closed perhaps. Offering the weight of your bones to the floor. And then feeling the aliveness of your breath dance through the body. Please feel free to stay here as long as you need. Now if you're ready to return into the space, Start by cultivating awareness of your breath. Noticing the way the prana, Your life force, Animates your whole body and your being. And then slowly bending your knees. Roll yourself to your left hand side. And so that's going to give your right nostril the yang side, The solar side, An opportunity to breathe. Really opening up that channel. Pressing into the top arm, Finally make your way up to a little seated position. Maybe the eyes are still soft or closed. Whatever you need. Your palms by your side, Face them up towards the ceiling. And then slowly sweep the arms up towards the sky like you're gathering the energy of the sun. You're holding it in your arms, In this vessel of your body. And then let that land down and into your heart. Arms come to prayer or stacking on top of each other. Take a breath in here. And then exhale, Bow your head down to yourself, Through yourself. Honoring the time that you've taken for this practice. But more importantly honoring the light that shines inside you. And may you shine that onto the rest of your day, The rest of your evening. The rest of this experience. Thank you. Thanks so much, I'll see you next time.