Effort & Ease: A Vinyasa Practice For Homeostasis

Unroll your mat and find your center with this Vinyasa flow, a replay of a live class held on June 26, 2025. This practice was designed to bring you into a state of sattva, or perfect balance. Crafted from the real-time needs of a midlife woman's life, this class offers a little bit of everything: energy release, mindful strengthening, and a focus on releasing tension in the whole body.

You'll move from effort to ease, finding your way back to a sense of calm and homeostasis. Come back to this recording anytime you need to reclaim your balance and find your middle road.

Transcript

Welcome my friends this is our daily yoga practice to reclaim,

Recharge,

Restore,

To manage our stress and to release some anxiety.

My name is Vivian Wolfe.

I'm going to go over my reminders and we're going to get started.

So reminder one,

This is a donation-based class.

I appreciate donations.

They are not required.

They're not required.

I appreciate your time being here.

And if you find value in what we do today,

And donating is something you're comfortable with,

Then just consider that.

Just consider that.

And if you want to support me as a yoga teacher,

There are other ways to do that if donating is simply one of those things you're not comfortable with.

My other reminder is that this is your yoga.

Regardless of what I share with you,

I will demonstrate.

I'll talk you through and I try to offer up some variations as we go through to kind of either lessen or increase challenge.

You always have the power to do what feels best to you.

So take things slower.

Take things faster.

Do an easier version.

Do a harder version.

Whatever feels better to you.

Be mindful of what you,

What will help you come into better balance,

Into better homeostasis.

Use that as your intention.

I am moving into sattva.

Sattva is homeostasis.

The balance between too much and too little.

The balance between effort and ease.

The balance between doing all of the things and not being able to do anything.

Right?

So find that middle road,

That sattva,

As your intention for this practice today.

Let's start kneeling at the back of the mat.

If you want,

Use a blanket underneath your knees.

Use a block underneath the tailbone.

That's what I'm going to do.

You can also do a hero's pose if that's more comfortable for you or if that's something that you want to explore,

Especially if you're already a little warm,

And you have some good mobility in your knees.

You can also just curl those toes under and sit back on your feet.

If you want to get a stretch through the soles.

Once you arrive in the variation that feels good to you,

Soften the gaze or close the eyes.

Take a long breath in through your nose,

Out through your mouth.

Start to feel the sensations that are present right now in your body.

Noticing sensations on the surface of your body.

Noticing sensations inside of the body.

Start to notice your breath.

Feeling how the body expands as you inhale and releases as you exhale.

Taking just another moment here to consider sattva,

Balance,

Homeostasis.

How can you find a little more sattva in this practice?

When you're ready,

Inhale,

Sweep those hands up,

Reach high into the sky.

Exhale,

Your hands come together over your heart.

One more time,

Inhale,

Hands sweep up.

And exhale,

Hands to heart.

Now let's reverse this.

Inhale the hands up through center,

Hook your thumbs,

Palms facing forward,

Biceps by the ears.

Exhale,

A little tip over to the right.

Take a breath here in this side bend,

Send the breath into the left side of your body,

Feeling all of that space between the armpit and hip.

And with your next inhale,

Come back up to center.

Exhale,

Tip it over to the left,

Open up that right side of the body,

Breathe into the space between the armpit and hip.

Inhale,

Rise up.

Exhale today,

Bring your hands to your shoulders,

Elbows out to the sides,

And twist the heart to the right,

Look over your right shoulder.

Take a breath here in this twist.

Inhale,

Come back to center.

And exhale,

Twist over to the left,

Look over your left shoulder,

Take a breath.

Inhale back to center,

Big stretch up,

Arms overhead.

Exhale,

Take those hands forward,

Lift your hips,

Find your way to table pose.

Here in table pose,

We're going to start a little cat cow.

So when you're ready,

Inhale,

Heart forward,

Gaze forward,

Belly droops,

Tailbone turns up.

Exhale,

Reverse it,

Spine high,

Belly button to spine,

The head drops.

Let's take full breaths here.

We don't have to go fast.

Inhale,

Heart forward,

Gaze forward.

Exhale,

Spine high,

We're moving with intention,

We're finding that soft.

Well,

Let's do two more rounds.

Inhale,

And exhale.

Last one,

Inhale,

And exhale.

Good.

Inhale,

Heart forward,

Gaze forward,

Curl your toes under.

Exhale,

Lift the hips,

Downward facing dog.

Here in this downward dog,

Spread your fingers wide,

Press down into the base of the index finger,

The base of the thumb,

Feel your biceps by your ears,

Let your tailbone lift into the sky and maybe you walk out your dog.

Bend one knee,

Send the opposite heel down and switch.

Fast or slow,

Whatever feels good.

Maybe you rock your hips a little side to side like you're wagging your tail.

Good.

And with your next inhale,

Come into a high plank or a half plank.

Knees come down if that feels good.

Taking the heart forward,

Exhale,

Lower the heart down,

Elbows point towards the back of the mat,

Press your feet down,

Activate your thighs,

Press your pelvis down,

Shrink wrap your core,

Hold all of that.

And with your next inhale,

Lift the heart,

Lift the gaze,

Baby cobra,

No weight in the hands,

Exhale,

Lower back down.

Inhale,

Lift the heart again,

Baby cobra,

Maybe a little half cobra,

Exhale all the way back down.

Take your time.

Inhale,

Lift your heart,

Baby cobra or full cobra or anywhere in between.

Exhale,

Lower all the way down,

Curl your toes under,

Inhale,

Press up,

Table or plank,

And exhale,

Lift your hips to downward dog.

Here in your downward dog,

Take a deep breath in,

And a full breath out.

Let's do one more.

Inhale,

And exhale.

Let's take a little walk up to the front of the mat,

Hands walk too,

Finding your way into forward fold,

Feet are two fists apart,

Bend your knees generously,

Head hangs heavy.

Maybe it feels good here to shake your head,

No.

Maybe it feels good here to shake your head,

Yes.

You can shake your shoulders and your hips,

Have a little forward fold dance party,

And then bend those knees even more,

Send the tailbone down and roll up through the spine,

Piece by piece.

Let your eyes rise last as you find your way into your mountain pose.

Tadasana.

Good,

Good.

Here in Tadasana,

Soften the gaze or close the eyes and just feel the soles of your feet anchoring down into the floor.

Let your knees be just a little soft,

We don't need to lock them back.

Activate your thighs and your core just a little bit to support your pelvis and your spine.

Release your shoulders.

Take a swallow and notice the pit of your throat.

Release your jaw.

Reach the crown of the head all the way up into the sky.

At the same time,

Feel how you are anchored down through the soles of your feet.

Then just notice your breath,

Notice where you feel it,

The rhythm.

With your next inhale,

We're going to reach those hands up all the way up into the sky,

And as you exhale,

Fold forward.

Head is heavy,

Knees are soft,

Inhale,

We rise halfway,

Long spine.

Reach the crown away from the tail,

Exhale,

Fold over.

Inhale,

We rise back up,

Come all the way up.

A little change here.

Exhale,

Cactus arms.

Pull those elbows down,

Lift your heart,

Lift your chin.

Inhale,

Reach those hands high.

Exhale,

Fold forward.

Inhale,

Rise halfway.

Exhale and fold.

Keeping that breath long and full.

Inhale,

We rise all the way up.

Reach high.

I'm going to add on to this.

Exhale,

Cactus arms.

Lift the heart,

Lift the gaze as those elbows come down and back.

Inhale,

We reach high,

Open up.

Exhale,

Fold over.

Arrive at the end of your exhale.

Inhale,

Rise halfway.

Really reach the crown of the head away from the tail.

Exhale and fold.

Plant your hands.

Take your right foot back.

Bend that left knee.

Inhale,

Reach your heart forward.

Exhale,

Take that left foot back to downward facing dog.

Now you can stay here if you want,

Or you can go through vinyasa with me.

Inhale to plank or half plank.

Exhale,

Lower the heart down or chaturanga.

Inhale,

Lift your heart to baby cobra,

Full cobra,

Or even up dog.

And then exhale to downward facing dog.

Move through table or plank,

Whichever feels good to you.

We're going to meet here in our downward dog and take a deep breath in.

And a full breath out.

One more.

Big breath in.

Big breath out.

Inhale,

Take your right leg high,

Three-legged dog.

Now pause here.

We're going to breathe as we lift that right leg up,

Trying to touch the ceiling.

Keep breathing for five,

Four,

Three,

Two,

One.

Inhale,

Lift that foot a little higher.

Exhale,

Very carefully step that right foot forward.

Use your hand to creep it up so the knee is over the ankle and the heel is down.

Inhale,

Heart reaching forward.

And exhale,

Pull that left foot up.

Forward fold at the front of the mat.

Inhale,

Rise halfway.

Long spine.

Really fill those lungs.

Exhale,

Fold over.

Inhale,

Rise all the way up.

Reach high into the sky.

Exhale,

Cactus arms.

Inhale,

Reach up.

Exhale,

Fold forward.

Everything's slow and with intention.

Inhale,

We rise halfway.

Exhale and fold.

Now take your left toes back.

Bend that right knee.

Inhale,

Lengthen through the body as you come into this low lunge.

Next,

Exhale goes to downward facing dog.

Stay or vinyasa.

You choose.

Inhale to plank or half plank.

Exhale,

Lower the heart down or chaturanga.

Inhale,

Lift your heart.

And exhale,

Make your way to downward dog.

Good.

Good.

Here in downward dog,

Take a deep breath in.

Full breath out.

One more.

Inhale.

And exhale.

Inhale,

Left leg rises.

We pause here.

So spread those fingers wide.

Press into both hands evenly.

Try to touch the ceiling.

And keep breathing for five,

Four,

Three,

Two,

One.

Inhale,

Lift.

Exhale,

Step that foot forward.

Use your hand to help.

Low lunge.

Inhale,

The heart form.

Exhale,

Forward fold at the front of the mat.

Inhale,

Rise halfway.

Exhale and fold.

Inhale,

Rise.

Reach high into the sky.

Exhale,

Come home.

Mountain pose.

Pause.

Feel the sensations that are present now in your body.

Observe the sensations.

Notice the breath.

Do you feel any tingling or vibration in your body now?

Where in your body do you feel your breath now?

From here,

Shift your weight into your left foot.

Pull that right knee up in front of you.

A little pause here.

Use a little bit of time to just rest and eye focus.

Or put your hand on a wall or chair.

We're going to take another breath here.

And with your next exhale,

Just set that right foot behind you.

Come into a high lunge.

Take those arms up into the sky.

Big reach up.

If you want,

You can interlace your fingers,

Pointing that index,

Those index fingers and those thumbs,

Making a little arrow as the fingers go by the biceps or by the ears.

Start to open the heart just a little bit further.

One more big breath.

Good,

Good,

Good.

Big inhale.

And then we're going to exhale,

Twist.

So option number one,

Just turn your heart to the left.

You can reach your right hand towards the front of the mat,

Left hand towards the back of the mat.

You can keep your hands together over your heart if that feels better.

If you want to come down,

Bring that right elbow to the outside of your left knee,

You're welcome to do that as well.

One more big breath here.

Ooh,

Good.

And with an inhale,

We windmail up to the other side.

Bring that right heel down,

Warrior two.

We're only going to stay for a moment.

So take a deep breath in.

Lengthen through that left leg.

Take your left arm high,

Reverse triangle.

And exhale,

Tip it over into trikonasana.

So when you're here in trikonasana,

We're going to stay for a few breaths.

You want the legs long but not locked.

You want to think about pulling that right hip back,

Lengthening through the spine,

And stacking shoulder on top of shoulder.

And it might feel nice to look down,

Point your nose at your left foot,

Or it might feel nice to point your nose at your right hand.

One more breath here.

And with an inhale,

Rise on up,

Turn to face the front,

Bend that left knee,

And lift that right heel so you can come back to lunge.

Inhale those hands up.

And exhale,

Hands come down onto the mat.

Here,

We're just going to take a deep breath in,

In our low lunge.

As you exhale,

I want you to shift the weight forward,

Lift your right leg high,

Standing splits.

Use your hands to help support you as you try to touch the ceiling with your right foot.

And we'll be here for five,

Four,

Three,

Two,

One.

Inhale,

Lift.

Exhale,

Set that foot down.

Forward fold.

Inhale,

Rise halfway.

Exhale and fold.

Soft knees.

Inhale,

Rise all the way up.

Reach high into the sky.

And exhale,

Little cactus arms.

Inhale,

Reach those hands up.

And exhale,

Hands to heart.

Find your drishti.

Eye focus.

Shift your weight into your left foot.

I'm sorry,

Into your right foot.

And pull your left knee up in front of you.

We pause here.

Keep breathing.

Big breath in.

And as you exhale,

Take that left foot behind you for high lunge.

Take those arms up.

Maybe again you interlace those fingers.

Accept the pointer finger and the thumb.

Pressing those palms together.

Biceps by the ears.

Lift the heart.

Crescent pose.

We'll take another breath here.

Beautiful.

Transition here into crescent twist.

Take that heart to the right.

And maybe you stretch those arms out.

Maybe you bring those palms together.

Maybe you take that left elbow to the outside of your right knee.

Whatever you choose.

Let's stay two breaths.

Good.

And with an inhale,

We windmill those arms to the other side.

Warrior II with the right hand in front,

Left hand in back.

We only stay here for a breath.

And then we lengthen that right leg.

Take that left right arm back behind,

Up and back for a reverse triangle.

Big breath in.

Exhale,

We tip it into trikonasana,

Triangle pose.

Pause in here.

Again,

Feel the power of this pose.

So press into both feet.

Lengthen through the legs,

But don't let them lock.

Reaching that left hip back.

Open the heart.

One more breath.

Ah,

Good.

And with an inhale,

Pull yourself up.

Turn to face the front.

Bend your right knee.

Turn the left foot and lift the heel.

Inhale,

The hands up into our crescent pose.

And exhale,

Bring those hands down.

Low lunge.

Inhale,

Lengthen through the spine.

Look forward.

Exhale,

Shift the weight forward.

Take that left leg high.

Standing splits.

We stay here for five,

Four,

Three,

Two,

One.

Inhale up.

Exhale,

Set that foot down.

Forward fold.

Inhale,

Rise halfway.

Exhale and fold.

Bend the knees.

Come all the way up.

Reach high into the sky.

Big inhale.

Exhale,

Mountain pose.

Ah.

Wonderful.

Take a nice deep breath here and just notice what sensations are present now in your body.

Where do you feel your breath?

And then when you're ready,

Take your feet a little wider.

Turn those toes out.

Prepping for Malasana pose.

Inhale,

Take those hands high.

Exhale,

Sink it down.

Palms come together over the heart as you come into this yogi squat.

Always have an option to put a block,

A bolster,

Even a chair underneath your tailbone here.

We'll take a couple of breaths.

Press your arms into your legs,

Your legs into your arms as you lift the crown of the head high and sink the tailbone down low.

Beautiful,

Beautiful.

Remove any props you got.

Bring those hips down.

The feet are in front.

Slowly lower the spine down.

Ah.

Pull your knees in towards your chest.

Wonderful,

Wonderful.

Let's bring those knees into our chest and rock it a little side to side.

Ah.

Maybe you make circles with your knees going one way,

Going the other way.

And today let's put that left foot on the mat.

Right foot comes under the left knee.

Open that right knee wide.

Figure four.

If you want,

You can pull those legs in towards your chest.

Interlace your fingers behind the left thigh or the over the left shin.

Relax your shoulders down.

Relax your jaw.

Let your head rest on the mat and take a couple of breaths here and recline pigeon.

It feels good to rock a little side to side.

And gently release the hands.

Put that left foot on the mat and then take both legs over to the left for spinal twist.

Stretch your right arm out long.

You can adjust your your legs and your arms so that you're comfortable in your spinal twist.

I'm going to stay here for a couple of breaths.

Beautiful.

Slowly,

Slowly come back onto the back.

With your right foot up towards the sky,

Plant your left foot.

Interlace your fingers behind your right thigh.

Press your arm,

Your hands into your leg and your legs into your hand as you really flex that foot up and sink your tailbone down.

Take another breath here.

Ah,

Good.

Inhale,

Curl to the spine.

Pull that shin down towards your forehead and reach your forehead up towards your shin.

Exhale,

Release that leg all the way down long on the mat.

Shake it out,

Side to side,

Up and down.

And then let's put our,

Let's bend that right knee,

Plant that foot and bring your left foot onto your right knee,

Figure four.

Pull those legs in towards your chest if that feels good.

We're doing the other side.

Make the adjustments you need to so that your upper body can relax.

We'll take another breath here.

Beautiful.

Release the hands,

Put that right foot on the mat and take both legs over to the right for spinal twist.

And feel free to rearrange your body so that this twist feels good for you.

Ah.

Use support if you like.

And slowly make your way back onto the back,

Plant that right foot and take your left foot up towards the sky,

Interlace your fingers behind that left thigh and press.

Create tension and resistance for yourself.

The hands press into the leg,

The leg presses into the hands and you flex that foot up.

Heel up,

Hip down.

Take another breath here.

Next inhale,

Curl through the spine,

Reach the forehead up and pull that shin down.

Exhale,

Release that leg,

Let it come all the way down on the mat,

Shake it out.

And then bend that knee,

Plant both feet and bring the soles of the feet together,

Knees open wide.

Reclined bound angle pose.

Supta Baddha Konasana.

Hands go where they feel good.

You can go on the body,

On the sides,

Or clasp the elbows and let the arms rest overhead.

Few long breaths here.

Beautiful.

Let's use our hands to help those knees together and make your way into our final posture.

Shavasana.

So choose a position that feels comfortable for you.

It doesn't matter what shape you're making,

But you should be supremely comfortable.

The idea is conscious relaxation.

That's what corpse pose is.

That's what Shavasana is.

Conscious relaxation.

So use as many props as you want.

When you're ready,

Take a deep breath in through the nose.

Exhale with a sigh.

Give yourself permission to let go.

Remembering that sattva,

Homeostasis,

Is the balance of effort and ease.

Now that we've done the effort,

It's time to do the ease,

Which means doing nothing for 90 more seconds.

Let your breath take you down into yourself.

I'll guide you back when the time is right.

So enjoy the Shavasana.

You can stay in your Shavasana for as long as you like.

When you're ready to come back,

Start by bringing your awareness into your breath.

Take a nice,

Long,

Deep breath in through your nose,

Out through the mouth.

Repeat that if it feels good and start to welcome your body back.

Start with soft movements in your fingers and your toes.

Allow that movement to grow into your wrists and your ankles.

Into your arms and your legs and your shoulders and your hips.

Enjoying whatever movement the body's asking for today.

And then eventually tipping on over to one side or the other,

Finding your way into a fetal position.

You can use your arm like a pillow or you can use any prop that you like.

Just take a little pause here.

Breathing softly and easy.

When you're ready,

Use your hands to help lift you up and make your way into any seated posture that's comfortable for you.

You can use a pillow or a blanket to sit up on.

You can even use a chair.

Let the hands rest on your legs or on your knees.

Soften the gaze or close your eyes.

Take one more moment.

Feel the sensations that are present now in your body.

Observe how you feel.

Wonderful.

Let's go ahead and close this class.

Inhale,

Take those hands up,

Reach high into the sky.

Exhale,

Hands come together over your heart.

With our hands here,

Let's take another deep breath in together.

Exhale,

Let it go.

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

From my heart to yours,

Peace.

Reviews

Perfect.

My alarm either didn't go off today or I had my head in a turbine because I didn't hear it. I was so sorry to miss your class! This recording was a blessing. Just the right amount of effort and ease, balance and stretch, strength and joy. Thank you. 🙏🏼

I remember when we did this class live a few weeks back i said "I forgot how much I've missed forward folds". Well I'm saying it again as they are so good for my hamstrings. This class is a nice balance between forward folds, downward dog, some cactus arms, twists & even a quick balance. I really enjoyed revisiting this one & I think this will be one of my favourite go to's. Love ya work Viviane 😘 ❤️ 🙏