Grounding Into Stability | Yoga Class Replay

Feeling ungrounded or out of balance? This 28-minute audio practice invites you to root down and reconnect to your inner foundation through the wisdom of the root chakra (Muladhara). Created for women in their 40s and beyond, this class offers steady, supportive guidance for anyone navigating change or seeking a more profound connection.

Through gentle yoga poses, calming breathwork, and grounding meditation, you'll build a sense of stability from the inside out.

- Mindful movement to strengthen and stabilize
- Breathwork to soothe and center the mind
- Meditation to ground your energy and calm your nervous system

Return to this practice anytime you need to feel steady, supported, and anchored in yourself.

Want to experience grounding practices in real time? Join me for live classes and special events on Insight Timer, which is designed to support you through every season of life.

Transcript

Hello,

Hello,

Hello,

Welcome,

Welcome,

Welcome.

This is our daily yoga practice where we ground and center as we work on building our awareness and our connection to our muladhara chakra,

Our root chakra.

My friends,

I'm so glad you're here.

I am Vivian Wolfe.

All right,

Real quick,

Donation-based class,

Not required.

I appreciate donations.

If you find value in what we're doing today,

Something to consider.

Other thing is this is your yoga.

I'm here to guide you.

So everything I do and say,

It's an invitation.

Take it or leave it.

Do something else if it feels better to you.

We're going to be working muladhara today.

We're working on rooting into stability.

So a lot of this is going to be low to the ground.

We're going to do some earth work,

Earth work.

And so I want you just to think about muladhara,

Connecting with the earth.

Let's get on the mat.

What do you say?

What do you say?

All right.

All right.

All right.

I think it's really good that we are getting down,

Grounding down today.

Let's start in a kneeling position.

So you can sit back into like a hero's pose,

Or you can just sit back on your heels.

I'm sitting back onto a block between my ankles.

That's just what's most comfortable for me.

Also,

I like having that support right underneath my tailbone because it really allows me to feel the sensations right at the base of the spine.

So do what feels good to you,

But find your way into a kneeling position here,

Hands resting on the lap.

Soften the gaze or close the eyes.

Take a couple of breaths here,

Just tuning into whatever sensations are present today in the body.

And then just notice your breath.

Notice where you feel it and notice the rhythm of it.

Can you send your breath all the way down to where your body meets the mat?

Maybe you set an intention for this practice today.

For Mooladhara,

Affirmations that start with I am are very useful.

I am present.

I am here.

I am enough.

I am stable.

I am abundant.

Anything that resonates with you,

Or you can just say I am and let the universe fill in the blank.

Just repeat whatever feels good to you a couple of times and then let it go.

And then slowly,

Slowly find your way to a tabletop,

Removing any props that are around you.

You can put a blanket underneath your knees.

We are going to be on our knees for a great portion of today's practice.

So if you need a little extra support,

Feel free to do that.

Right here in our table pose,

I want you just to silently,

In stillness,

Notice the sensation of your tailbone.

Does it feel like it's neutral or does it feel like it's turned up?

Does it feel like it's tucked under?

Can you find a neutral pelvis,

A neutral spine here?

Same with the crown of your head.

So the crown of your head is four finger widths back from your hairline.

So for me,

It's right where this little clip is.

That little soft spot at the top of the head.

So does your crown feel like it's neutral or does it feel like it's pointed down?

Or does it feel like it's pointed up?

Can you find neutral?

And here we're going to try to stay as neutral as we can.

And with your next exhale,

Just pull those hips back over the heels.

Bring your forehead down onto the mat or just tuck chin to chest.

Child's pose.

Inhale,

Just rise back up to this table.

Exhale back to child's pose.

Let's do two more.

Just take it nice and slow.

Feel your breath as you inhale to table.

Exhale to child's pose.

One more time.

Inhale to table and exhale to child's pose.

Pause here.

Just take a couple of breaths.

I'm going to add on to this.

So we're going to change the starting position.

So rise up.

We're still in a high kneeling.

So bring your knees underneath you.

Your hips are right over your knees.

Shoulders are right over the hips.

And as you inhale,

Sweep your arms up,

Biceps are by the ears.

Exhale,

Shrink,

Wrap the core,

Come back into child's pose.

Inhale to table.

Exhale child's pose.

Inhale,

Lift up,

High kneeling.

Keep those arms up.

We're just going to keep going back and forth here.

Exhale,

Child's pose.

Take your time.

Inhale to table.

Exhale,

Child's pose.

Inhale to high kneeling.

We're going to do two more.

Notice the sensations.

Exhale,

Fold into your child's pose.

How stable do you feel as you move?

Inhale to table.

Exhale,

Child's pose.

Inhale,

High kneeling.

Now I'm going to add on again.

Exhale to child's pose.

Inhale to table.

Exhale,

Lower the heart all the way down.

Come on down.

Maybe your forehead touches the mat.

Inhale,

Baby cobra.

Exhale,

Lower the heart down.

Touch the forehead to the mat.

Inhale,

Press up to table.

Exhale,

Child's pose.

Inhale,

Lift the arms up into high kneeling.

Exhale,

Fold into child's pose.

Inhale to table.

Exhale,

Lower all the way down.

Use control.

Inhale,

Baby cobra or maybe a little half cobra.

Exhale,

All the way down.

Inhale to table.

Exhale,

Child's pose.

Inhale to high kneeling.

Exhale,

Child's pose.

Inhale to high kneeling.

Sorry,

Inhale to table.

Exhale,

Lower the heart down.

Inhale,

Baby cobra,

Half cobra,

Maybe three-quarter cobra.

Exhale,

All the way down.

Inhale,

Table.

Exhale,

Child's pose.

Inhale,

Rising up,

High kneeling.

One more time.

Exhale,

Into child's pose.

Inhale to table.

Exhale,

Lower all the way down.

Inhale,

Baby cobra,

Full cobra,

Anywhere in between.

Exhale,

All the way down.

Inhale,

Table.

Exhale,

Child's pose and pause here.

Maybe you rock your hips a little side to side.

Just noticing the sensations that are present here now.

And then slowly rise back up to table.

Maybe you bring blocks underneath your hands.

We're going to bring,

We're going to come into a low lunge.

So bring your right foot in front of you.

Align your knee over your ankle.

Left leg is behind you.

That knee is down.

Maybe you're still using blanket,

Which is totally fine.

Find this height,

This low lunge first.

We're going to move back and forth.

And then take your hips back so that your hips are aligned right over your left knee.

Flex your right foot and soften that knee.

If you need,

If you need more space to feel more sensation,

Slide that right foot forward rather than going back towards your heel.

Find this first and then we're going to start to flow.

Here we go.

Inhale,

Shift the weight forward into low lunge.

And exhale,

Take it back to half split.

Feeling the energy moving.

Inhale forward.

Exhale back.

Keep going.

Inhale.

And exhale.

One more.

Inhale.

And exhale.

Good.

Inhale to your low lunge.

Shift the weight into that left hand.

And with an inhale,

Sweep your right hand up into the sky.

Low lunge twist.

From here,

Maybe you continue to sink the hips down.

But we're opening up the heart to the right.

Take a few long breaths here.

Option to keep the hand at the hip if that feels better.

So that you don't have to go so far.

Maybe hand on the shoulder.

With the elbow lifted.

Totally up to you.

Take a deep breath in.

And as you exhale,

Bring the hand down.

If you're using blocks,

Put them aside.

And now we're going to walk this right foot over to the left side of the mat.

Pigeon pose.

We rotate in the hip and bring that right knee down.

So your knee might be a little more center on your mat.

With your heel close to your hip.

Totally fine.

Maybe you take it a little more shallowly.

I like to use my blanket here underneath that front thigh.

So in this case,

It's the right thigh.

Here,

I want you to plant your hands underneath your shoulders.

Take a deep breath in.

Lift the heart even higher.

You might start to feel an opening in the front of the body.

Exhale.

Reach that heart forward as you bow down.

Inhale.

We rise up.

Reaching high.

And exhale.

Fold over.

Let's do two more rounds.

Inhale.

And exhale.

One more.

Inhale.

And exhale.

Now take your hands forward.

Maybe your elbows come down.

A little sleeping pigeon.

Maybe you bring the blocks underneath your forehead or underneath your forearms.

Let's take one more breath here.

And then slowly,

Slowly bring the hands back underneath you.

Lift the heart.

Curl those back toes under.

It helps with stabilization.

And then lift the hips and pull your right leg back so you're back in your table pose.

If you need to,

Replace the blanket.

Maybe you shift the hips side to side to loosen things up.

Maybe you shift the hips to the side.

Maybe a little cat-cow feels appropriate.

Maybe churning,

Stirring the pop with the hips feels good.

And then when you're ready,

Let's do the other side.

So bring your left foot in front.

Find this low lunge to start with.

Make sure it's a really good one.

That you're really feeling as much sensation as you want to feel.

And that your heel is down.

We want to make sure we're really well connected to the earth.

And then take your hips back to find half splits.

Remember,

Hips aligned over,

Directly over that right knee.

Not the heel,

The knee.

So if you need to,

Slide that left leg forward.

Flex that foot.

And then when you're ready,

Let's flow a little bit.

Inhale,

Shift the weight forward.

Low lunge.

Maybe you lift your heart.

Exhale,

Take the hips back to our half split.

Inhale forward.

Exhale back.

We're going to do two more rounds.

Take your time.

Inhale.

And exhale.

Inhale.

And exhale.

Good.

Inhale into your low lunge.

Shift the weight into that right hand if it feels okay.

Take your left hand high for twist.

Again,

Remember you can keep your hand at the waist,

On the thigh,

On the shoulder.

Whatever feels good here as we twist.

We'll take a few breaths here.

Good.

Big inhale.

Exhale.

Hands come down.

If you're using blocks,

Move the blocks aside.

And walk that left foot over to the right side of your mat.

Rotate in the hip and bring your left knee down.

Starting to find your way into this pigeon pose on the other side.

So give yourself time to shift and adjust to find just the right one.

So that your hips feel even.

Even forward to back.

So in relation to the front of your mat,

They are even.

And they're also even up and down.

So they're not one hitching way forward all the way down or the other way.

Once you have that,

Bring your hands underneath the shoulders.

Big inhale.

Lift the heart.

Exhale.

Fold and bring your forehead down.

Maybe you touch the mat,

Maybe not.

Just bow down.

And as you inhale,

Lift again.

Lifting that heart.

Exhale.

Come forward and fold.

Two more times.

Inhale.

Exhale.

Inhale.

This time as you exhale,

Take your hands forward.

Bring your elbows down onto the mat or onto a block.

You can use blocks to support your head if you want.

Finding a sleeping pigeon and taking a few long breaths here.

Let's take one more long breath.

Ah,

Lovely.

Slowly,

Slowly bring the hands underneath you.

Lift the heart.

Move your props aside.

And let's come back to table just for a moment.

Maybe you shift the hips a little side to side.

Maybe you do cat and cow.

And then I want you to lay all the way down onto your belly.

Take your hands in front.

Stack one hand on top of the other.

Palms down.

And put your forehead on the back of your hands.

Now I can't leave my head there and still be heard.

So that's not what I'm doing.

But you just rest your forehead on the back of your hands.

We're going to do a little bit of diaphragmatic breath.

So if you were with me last week,

You might remember that I talked a little bit about how our pelvic floor,

That's the seat of our Mooladhara,

Where our Mooladhara lives.

Our pelvic floor is kind of like a twin to the diaphragm.

So when we take really big breaths,

Especially here in this relaxed posture,

You can feel your diaphragm moving down.

And because there's no empty space in our abdomen,

All of the organs there,

All of the tissues there also move down,

Which means the pelvic floor moves down.

And as you exhale,

The diaphragm rises back up,

Which means the organs move up and the pelvic floor moves up.

So just spend a few breaths here,

Breathing as deeply as you can,

Exhaling all the way.

And just let the body move in the way that it does so that you can feel your Moolabhanda,

Your root lock,

Engage and disengage.

Maybe just one more breath here.

Just really big,

Big,

Full inhale.

And full exhale.

Good,

Good.

And then let's bring the elbows underneath the shoulders,

Lift the heart up,

Sphinx pose.

And again,

If you want a little extra padding,

You can take a bolster or a rolled up blanket,

Put it right underneath your lower ribs to help support your bony protuberances a little bit here.

Shoulders are coming away from the ears.

We're going to do a little lion's breath here.

So take a nice deep breath in through the nose.

Exhale through the mouth with the tongue out.

Kind of like our Kali breath.

I'm going to turn just a little bit here.

Big breath in.

Breathe out through the mouth.

Let's do three more.

Inhale.

Exhale.

Inhale.

Just one more.

Big breath in.

All the way out.

Beautiful.

Relax back down into your crocodile.

Pause here.

Just notice.

Notice the sensations in your body.

Notice your breath,

The rhythm of it.

Notice where you feel it.

And you can stay here for your Shavasana if you like.

Crocodile is always an option for your Shavasana if that's what's comfortable for you.

If you like though,

You can just slide one arm underneath the opposite armpit and roll back onto the back.

Shift it around if you need to.

If there's any other postures that your body needs for comfort,

Feel free to do that.

Maybe you pull your knees in towards your chest.

A little release in the low back.

Rocking side to side or making circles with the knees.

Noticing if what you're doing before you move into your Shavasana is what your body is asking for or what you think it should have.

It's an interesting dichotomy there.

Not saying anything is right or wrong because there is no wrong answer.

Just understanding where things are coming from.

And you're welcome to plant your feet or stretch your legs out.

You're welcome to put something underneath your knees.

You can cover up with a blanket.

You can put an extra layer on.

But then start to settle into the stillness.

Give yourself permission to do nothing.

To do nothing.

You don't need to work out during Shavasana.

You don't need to do more.

You deserve to do less.

So let yourself start to sink down into stillness.

Down into silence.

Each breath taking you deeper into yourself.

Deeper into just being.

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

So enjoy this Shavasana.

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

As you begin to slowly come back,

Just start by noticing all of the sensations that are present now in your body.

Just observing if anything has shifted or transformed in the body and the breath.

Noticing if you're feeling a little bit more relaxed.

Noticing if your awareness has expanded in any type of way.

Remember your affirmation.

I am fill in the blank.

When you feel ready,

Take a nice long and deep breath into the nose.

Exhale through the mouth.

Welcoming in new air,

New energy,

New vitality.

Exhale whatever you're ready to let go of.

And start to welcome your body back with soft movements.

Just enjoying whatever the body is asking for now.

That might mean stretching out long like you're waking up for the first time.

Or that might mean pulling everything in and giving yourself a glorious hug.

When you're ready,

Make your way over to a fetal position on one side or the other.

It doesn't matter which.

Maybe you use your arm or a pillow or a blanket for a pillow.

Just pausing here.

Letting the earth hold and support you.

Releasing down into that support.

When you feel ready,

Use your hands to help lift you up.

Find your way into a seated position.

Any seated position that's comfortable for you.

You can sit up on a blanket or a bolster if that's nice.

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

Pausing here just for one more moment.

Just to notice again all of the micro transformations that have occurred.

In the body,

In the breath.

When you feel ready to lift the gaze or open your eyes.

Inhale,

Sweep those hands high up into the sky.

Exhale,

Hands come together over your heart.

With our hands here,

Let's take one last 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

Lovely, lovely practice! Just enough effort and ease and Vivian always gives excellent verbal cues!

I remember doing that class with you live a few weeks back & loving it. So glad you posted the audio. I always love starting with a child's pose flows. Also love low lunge/half splits. What the heck loved it all, even the pigeon flow.