Beyond The Burnout: How Viniyoga Can Help You Feel Grounded

Looking for a way to hit the pause button on stress and burnout? Join me for a gentle Viniyoga practice designed to calm your nervous system and release tension from your body. This is a recording of a live class I taught on July 22, 2025, where we moved together to find ease in our backs, hips, and necks. Come back to this recording whenever you need a moment of peace and let go of the day's overwhelm.

Transcript

Hello,

Hello,

Hello,

Hello,

My friend,

Welcome,

Welcome.

This is our daily practice.

We get together so that we can work on managing our stress,

Our sense of overwhelm,

Our anxiety,

Burnout,

All of the stuff.

Let's see if we can just start to feel a little better.

What do you say?

What do you say?

I'm Vivian Wolf.

I am a yoga therapist,

And we are going to do 30 minutes of movement and breath work and meditation,

All kind of together in just a few moments.

We'll get started.

I'm going to go over my reminders.

So my reminder,

Number one,

Is this is a donation-based class.

I appreciate donations.

They're not required.

They're not required.

Your time is precious.

So thank you for being here.

And if you find value in what we're doing today and you want to show some appreciation in donating as something you're comfortable with,

Then that's a great way to do it.

My other reminder is just that this is your yoga,

So feel free to adjust this practice.

Everything I do and say is just a suggestion.

So make it more supportive or make it more challenging or use a different type of breath or take breaks or just lay there and breathe with us.

You can make this yours,

Right?

We're going to get on the mat.

Let's get on the mat.

All right.

All right.

All right.

So we're going to do,

We're going to do a little,

We're going to start seated.

Do a little breath work to kind of bring us into the moment.

So I like to sit on a folded blanket.

You can sit in a chair.

You can sit cross-legged,

One foot on top of the other.

All right.

Whatever feels good here.

Just settle into what helps you feel upright and tall so,

So that your spine feels aligned.

So you don't have to like hunch over,

Right?

You can be just upright.

The legs,

It doesn't matter.

So let your hands rest and one of the things I like to invite people to do is if you want to feel more grounded,

Turn your palms down towards the ground.

And if you want to feel more,

Uh,

More connected to universe,

To the earth,

Uh,

To the sky,

You want to feel lighter than turn your palms up.

If you're ready to receive,

Soften the gaze or close your eyes.

And here,

Let's just take a cleansing breath in through your nose and out through the mouth.

Ah,

Anytime you need to reset or come back to the moment,

Repeat this big breath in,

Full breath out.

When you're ready,

Seal your lips and breathe only through your nose.

If you're,

If you are not congested,

If your respiratory system allows it,

Breathe however it feels most comfortable.

I want to start by taking your awareness down to the base of your spine.

Feel where your body meets the surface below and just start to take that awareness up.

Start to notice your hips.

Notice your low back and your abdomen,

Middle back,

Your rib cage,

Your upper back,

Your shoulder blades.

Notice the back of your neck,

Your throat.

Notice the back of your head,

Your whole face,

All the way to the very crown of your head.

Then start to send your breath up and down the body like this.

So as you inhale,

Visualize your breath moving from the very top of your head,

The crown of your head,

Moving down through your spine,

All the way to the base,

To your root.

As you exhale,

The movement,

The air moves back up the body,

All the way up to the crown out and away.

So inhale,

The breath moves down.

Exhale,

Breath moves up.

Just practice this for a few more rounds,

Inhaling,

Moving down,

And exhale,

Moving up.

Maybe this time it feels good to set an intention.

Either I am grounded,

I am manifesting,

I am connected,

I am spacious.

Anything that resonates with you,

Just repeat it to yourself a few times and then let it go.

You can call it back any point during this practice,

Whatever feels good to you.

Beautiful.

When you're ready,

Open your eyes or lift your gaze up,

Inhale,

Sweep those hands up,

Reach high into the sky,

And exhale,

Bring your hands together over your heart.

We're going to do one more like this.

Inhale,

Hands sweep up.

And exhale,

Hands together over the heart.

Now let's reverse this.

Inhale,

The hands rise up through center.

And exhale,

Tip over to the right,

Side bend of the spine.

So we're not twisting here,

We're just side bending.

So bring that right hand down and take that left arm over.

Breathe into the space between your left armpit and your left hip.

And with an inhale,

Come back up.

Take those arms back up,

Biceps by the ears.

And exhale,

Reverse it,

Take it to the other side.

Left hand comes down,

Right arm reaches up and over.

Side bend of our spine.

Breathe into the space between armpit and hip.

Inhale,

Come all the way back up.

And exhale,

Let your arms float down.

Inhale,

Bring your palms together over your heart.

A little bit of pressure here.

Start to press into that midline.

As you exhale,

Push your hands forward,

Round your back,

Tuck your chin to your chest.

So we're making a C shape with the spine now.

Inhale,

We rise up,

Take those arms up,

Biceps by the ears.

Exhale,

Arms float wide as they come down.

We're going to repeat this two more times.

Inhale,

Palms together,

A little bit of pressure.

Exhale,

Push it forward,

Round that back,

Stretch.

Inhale,

Axial extension.

We're reaching through the spine up into the sky.

Exhale,

Hands come down.

One more time.

Inhale,

Palms together,

Just a little bit of pressure.

Exhale,

Push it forward,

Round that back.

Inhale,

Reach up high.

And exhale,

Arms float down.

Good.

Good,

Good,

Good.

Take your hands behind you.

Lift those knees.

Plant the feet.

A little windshield wiper of the knees.

We're going to come into a deer pose,

Or sometimes I've heard it called 90-90.

So whatever,

However you want to call it.

We're going to take our left leg to the side,

Our right leg in front of us.

Knees are at 90 degrees.

If this is uncomfortable,

Hey,

Roxanne,

Glad you're here.

If this is uncomfortable,

You can always bring your knees closer together.

If you want to make this a little more interesting,

You can take it a little further apart.

Take your right hand behind you.

Today,

Let's bring our left hand to our shoulder.

Notice right here what this feels like.

And we're going to move,

This hip is going to move too.

Take a deep breath in.

As you exhale,

Turn your heart to the right.

Look over your right shoulder.

And notice how that hip lifts just a little bit.

Totally fine.

Inhale,

Come back to face front.

You might even take your gaze over the left shoulder.

Exhale,

Over to the right.

Inhale,

Back to center.

One more time.

Exhale and turn.

And now we're just going to stay here just for a breath or two.

Breathing around this twist.

Ah,

Good.

Gently unravel the spine.

Take those hands behind you.

Lift those knees.

And let's do the other side.

So you're going to bring your left leg in front of you,

The right leg to the side.

Maybe your foot is touching your thigh.

Maybe you're taking it a little wider.

Totally up to you.

Whatever feels comfortable.

This time we're going to take our left hand behind us.

And our right hand comes to our left shoulder.

Take a deep breath in.

And as you exhale,

Turn to look over your left shoulder.

Let that right hip raise if that feels okay.

Inhale,

Come back to face front.

Maybe even taking the neck all the way to the other side.

Exhale,

Twist to the left.

One more like that.

Inhale.

And exhale.

We're going to pause here.

Take a couple of breaths.

Good,

Good.

Gently unravel.

Take those hands behind you.

Lift those knees one more time.

Little windshield wiper side to side.

And let's come into a table pose just for a short while.

We're not going to do a whole lot here.

But you're welcome to bring a padding underneath the knees.

We're going to do another variation of cat cow.

So we're going to start really gentle here.

Take a deep breath in.

As you exhale,

Take your hips back over your heels.

So child's pose.

Child's pose and table pose helps us with our cat cow.

Inhale,

Just come back up to your table.

Exhale,

Right back to your child's pose.

Inhale to your table.

Visualize your breath moving.

Exhale,

The breath is moving up the body as you send those hips back.

Inhale,

The breath moves down the body as you pull the crown of the head forward.

Let's do two more.

Exhale back.

Inhale forward.

Exhale back.

Now we're going to add on.

So inhale forward.

Then lift your heart.

Let the belly and the tailbone turn up.

Cow pose.

Exhale,

Round the back to cat pose and send the hips back into child's pose.

Again,

Inhale forward into cow pose.

Lift that heart.

Lift the gaze.

Exhale,

Round and send it back.

Let's do two more.

Inhale,

Forward and up.

Exhale,

Round and back.

Last one.

Inhale.

And exhale.

Good,

Good,

Good.

Take your child's pose a little wider if that feels good.

Just pause here.

Maybe you rock those hips a little side to side.

Maybe you're rolling the head a little side to side or rocking ear to shoulder,

Ear to shoulder.

Beautiful,

Beautiful.

From here,

We're going to make our way onto the back.

Take your time here.

I'm going to move this.

I can't see my clock with that like that.

So we're going to come on down.

And pull your knees in towards your chest.

Give yourself a little hug to start with.

This helps to bring that low back down just a little bit.

Rocking those knees a little side to side.

Massage that low back.

Then make circles with both knees.

Massaging the sacrum.

Go one way and then go the other way.

Ah,

Beautiful,

Beautiful,

Beautiful.

From here,

We're going to hold on to our right knee.

Put that left foot down.

Really easy here.

Just hold on to that knee for a moment.

And then start to take that knee around in a circle.

So use your hand to do this.

We're going to take three rounds of breath.

Observing how it feels here.

If you want to engage your abdominal,

You can leave your hands down to the sides and let the muscles of your low abs do the work.

One more breath in this direction.

And then reverse it.

Take it in the other direction.

One more breath.

And then release that foot.

Set it back down.

Take a little pause here.

Just notice.

How does that feel now?

Good.

And then pull that left knee in.

Just give it a hug for a moment.

Let it settle in.

And then let's start to take that knee around in a circle.

Again,

You can use your hand.

Keeping this very soft.

Or if you want to engage your lower abdominals,

Let those hands flop to the sides.

Now take two more breaths going in the same direction.

And then reverse it.

Take it in the other direction.

One more breath.

And then gently release.

Set that foot back down.

Just notice what's present here now.

Noticing your spine in relation to the surface below you.

And then when you're ready,

I've got to creep down a little bit.

We're going to take our arms overhead.

So if you need to adjust so that you have space,

Feel free to do so.

So bring your feet hip width apart.

And if you want,

Put a block between your knees to stabilize here.

And we're going to do some bridge lifting.

We're going to alternate our arms as we go.

And exhale.

Everything comes back down the way it came.

Inhale,

Left arm reaches up and over as you lift your pelvis.

And exhale,

Come back.

Let's do that one more time.

Inhale,

Right arm as you lift your pelvis.

Exhale,

Back down.

Inhale,

Left arm.

And exhale,

Back down.

So now I'm going to add on.

Inhale,

Right arm up and over.

As you exhale,

Everything comes down.

Turn your head to the left.

Inhale,

Left arm comes up and over,

Bicep by the ear.

Exhale,

Turn your head to the right.

One more time on each side.

Inhale,

Right arm up.

Exhale,

Look left.

Inhale,

Left arm up.

Exhale,

Look right.

Good,

Good,

Good.

Remove the block.

Take your feet a little wide and bring the soles of your feet together.

I'm sorry.

Bring the knees together.

The feet are wide.

Just rest here for a breath or two.

Good,

Good.

So now let's bring those knees back in towards the chest.

Give yourself another little hug here.

And with your knees falling in towards your chest,

This time let's take our hands,

Interlace our fingers,

And take the arms overhead.

Keep those elbows generously bent.

So your arms are resting on the mat.

The knees are falling in towards the chest.

With your next inhale,

We're going to extend both the legs and the arms.

As you inhale,

You reach those feet up and reach those arms away.

They slide along the floor away from your head.

Exhale,

Everything comes back to a starting position.

Inhale and extend.

Exhale,

Soften.

Let's do two more.

Inhale.

And exhale.

Inhale.

And exhale.

Good.

Bring those feet down.

Bring your arms down.

Take a little pause here.

Just notice.

Beautiful,

Beautiful,

Beautiful.

From here,

Let's pull our knees back in towards our chest.

Give yourself another hug.

And take your knees over to the left side.

We're coming into a little spinal twist.

You are welcome to adjust this.

So one leg.

So you can stretch your left leg out if that feels good.

Put some support underneath.

And we're going to do a little bit of work here in the spinal twist.

So take your arm out in a T shape if that feels okay.

Your eyes are gazing up towards the ceiling.

As you inhale,

Take your arm up towards the top of the mat.

Bicep is by the ear.

We're making snow angel here.

As you exhale,

Slide that arm wide and low and turn your head to the left.

Let's do it again.

Inhale.

Arm floats up as you look up.

And exhale.

Look to the left as you snow angel down.

One more time.

Inhale.

And exhale.

Good,

Good,

Good.

Slowly come back onto the back.

Give yourself another little hug here.

And then let's take those knees over to the right.

And again,

Feel free to adjust this here.

Scooch way over so I have space to slide my arm.

And when you're in your position that feels good to you,

Start with your snow angels.

Inhale,

The arm slides up so the bicep is by the ear.

And exhale,

The arm slides down as you turn your head to the right.

Inhale,

Arm up.

Exhale,

Arm down,

Nose to the right.

We're just going to do one more.

Inhale.

And exhale.

Beautiful,

Beautiful.

Slowly come back onto the back.

One more time,

Little hug here.

Take your feet up towards the sky.

Give them a little shake out.

Like you are paddling through water or like you're just embracing the jiggle.

So feel the jiggle all the way down where your body meets the mat.

One more breath.

And then when you're ready,

Cross your right leg over your left leg and bend those knees.

Pull those knees in towards your chest,

Reclined shoelace.

Maybe your hands are on your shins.

Maybe it feels okay to bring your hands onto your feet,

But make sure your shoulders come down and your head is just resting on the mat.

We'll take two more breaths here.

Ah,

Good.

Release those hands.

Take those feet back up,

Little shake out.

Good,

Good,

Good.

And let's go ahead and cross left leg over right leg.

Bend the knees,

Reclined shoelace on the other side.

Maybe you're just hanging onto your knees.

Totally fine.

Maybe somewhere on your shins feel good.

Maybe it's those feet.

Whatever feels nice to you.

We're going to take two breaths.

Gently release those feet.

Take those legs back up.

Last time,

Little shake out.

And this time we're going to bend our knees and take them wide into happy baby.

Maybe you're holding onto the outside edges of your feet.

Maybe you're holding onto your calves,

Your shins.

Back of the legs is welcome too.

And or,

Your last option here,

Take a strap across the balls of the feet.

Find your happy baby that allows you to rest your upper body.

So you're not,

You know,

Stressing out up here.

And then start a little rocking sensation if that feels good.

Ah,

Maybe you lengthen through one leg,

The other leg.

And wrap your fingers around your big toes.

And open up both legs if that feels good for a little happy buddha.

Happy buddha can rock too.

Whatever feels nice for you.

Keeping that tailbone pointed towards the bottom of the mat.

So we're not curling up.

And we're not tucking,

I can't even do that,

Tucking under.

Whatever that is,

We're one more breath here.

Just exploring.

Maybe some stillness in happy baby.

Ah.

And then release your feet.

Bring them on down.

Take them wide.

Find the side edges of your mat.

And just windshield wiper your knees very gently side to side.

Keep it very easy and gentle here.

Do one more on each side.

And then let's bring the soles of the feet together.

Knees open wide.

Recline down angle pose.

Now I like to clasp the outsides of my elbows and let the arms rest overhead.

But you can place your hands wherever it's comfortable for you.

Let's take just a few long breaths here.

Once again visualizing that passage of breath.

Inhale,

Let the breath move down.

From the body,

From the crown of the head to the base of the spine.

Exhale,

The breath moves up the body from the base of the spine to the crown of the head.

Moving through our Shashumna.

Our center channel.

This pathway down from the crown of the head down to the root chakra is our pathway of manifestation.

Of grounding and making things real.

And our pathway up from the root chakra all the way up to the crown of the head is our pathway of connection and liberation.

We need both.

Each supports the other.

Take one more breath here.

Gently use your hands to help those knees together.

Find your way into a comfortable stillness,

Whatever that looks like for you.

Something truly comfortable.

Not something you feel like you need,

Like doing more bound angle or stretching in some way.

Find true effortlessness.

Let go of all of the gripping and the holding and the needing and the shooting and the wooding of your body.

Settle in to ease.

Close your eyes if it feels okay.

And let go.

We've just got maybe 90 seconds.

So just enjoy the Shavasana.

You can stay in your Shavasana as long as you want.

When you're ready to come back,

Just start by bringing your awareness back into your breath.

Taking a nice,

Long,

Deep breath in through your nose.

And exhaling through your mouth.

Repeating that and starting to welcome your body back.

Just start with soft movements.

Fingers and toes wiggle.

Let that movement grow into your wrists and your ankles.

Into your arms and your legs.

Into your shoulders and your hips.

Just gently enjoy whatever movement the body is asking for here.

And eventually find your way over into a fetal position on one side or the other.

It doesn't really matter which side.

Just take a little pause here.

Maybe you rest your head on your arm or maybe you use a prop like a pillow.

And when you're ready,

Use your hands to help lift you up.

Find your way into a seated position.

Opposite foot in front or on top from how you began class today.

Let the hands rest once again on the legs or on the knees.

Palms up,

Palms down.

Eyes are soft or closed.

Tune in here and just notice the sensations that are present now in your body.

Observe your breath.

Acknowledging anything that may have shifted or transformed for you today.

And notice how you feel.

Hmm,

Wonderful.

Let's go ahead and close this class now.

Inhale,

Take your hands up.

Reach high into the sky.

And exhale,

Bring the hands together over your heart.

With our hands here,

Let's take another deep breath in together.

Exhale,

Just let it go.

Ah.

Thank you so much for sharing this practice with me today.

From my heart to yours,

Peace.

Reviews

Another great audio class & thanks for the shoutout at the beginning Viviane 😀 It was very calming.
I especially loved the child's pose, cat cow flow & the spinal twist with angel arms also some great hip openers. I'll definitely be revisiting this one