Open Your Hips

Welcome to day two. The practice today is going to build on the practice from day one, but I'm going to ask you to rely more on your own intuition about whether you prefer to use a prop for poses that cause you some resistance. So I'll let you make that decision. I will probably demonstrate new props as they come up. Let's begin in child's pose. Knees together, feet together, sitting back, coming forward onto your elbows, resting your ribs onto your thighs, releasing your head, following the breath through the back body into the pelvic floor. Each exhale, softening where the ribs and belly meet your thighs, feel gravity pulling you down onto your legs, sliding the elbows out wider as you release more fully onto your legs. When you feel that support of the legs fully, move the arms behind you, palms turned up and completely surrender your arms, shoulders passive, elbows heavy, breathing the full length of your torso through the back body. Each exhale, releasing your collarbones, upper arms dropping, elbows heavy, softening through the belly and ribs, gravity pressing your flatter. And now taking the arms straight out to the sides in line with your shoulders, walk the hands as wide apart as you can, arms straight, release your collarbones. Each exhale as the collarbones soften, the shoulders drop, upper arms drop a little, inch your hands wider. And now coming up a little, turn your face to the right, bending the right arm, drop the right hip to the floor. If the hip doesn't reach the floor, you can sit up, drop the hip to the floor while you're upright, and then slowly try to lower the thigh down, or sorry, lower the chest down onto the thigh. Following the inhale through the back into the right buttock. On the exhale, softening where the ribs meet the thigh, softening through the belly, lift your right shoulder a little higher, press your left shoulder a little lower. Three to four second inhale, three to four second exhale. On an inhale, come back to the center, bend your left arm, straighten your right, turn your face left. Again, with your torso upright, drop the hip to the floor, and then slowly lower the torso until you meet that point of resistance. Breathe through the back, following the breath into the left buttock. On the exhale, soften where the belly and rib meet the thigh, soften the diaphragm, feel your internal organs recede a little, lift your left shoulder higher, press the right shoulder lower, feel gravity pulling you down with each exhale onto the thigh. With an inhale, come back to the center. Again, to the right, right arm bending, left arm straight, turn your face right, right hip to the floor beside you. Each inhale, following the breath through the back into the buttock. Each exhale, softening through the belly, turning through the shoulders, left rib cage heavy on the thigh. Inhale back to the center, and again to the left, left shoulder lifting, right shoulder dropping. Each exhale, simultaneous softening through the belly and ribs, through the shoulders, lifting the left shoulder higher, pressing the right shoulder lower. Inhale back to the center, arms forward, walk the hands as far forward as you can, elbows off the floor. Keep your fullness of your breath through the back, feel the skin spreading like you're coming out of the pose slightly. Each exhale, soften where the belly and ribs meet the thighs, re-release your collarbones, inch the hands forward. If this is too much for your shoulders, walk the hands wider. And now take the arms behind your back, interlock your fingers with the palms apart, slowly take the hands over the head. When you reach your maximum, pause there. Each exhale, re-release your shoulders, they drop a little, simultaneously move your hands a little. And inhale, slowly sit up, sit cross-legged. If you're working with, you know, limitations in your knees, having a strap for the seated cross-blade forward bend is really helpful. What you'll do is take your strap under your legs and buckle the strap so that you feel the legs supported.

And you want just enough tension on the strap that you can fully relax your legs into the support of the strap. Place your hands on the floor in front of you. If this is too much, you can take your hands outside the legs in front of you. Each inhale, breathing through the back, like you're still in child's pose, feel the torso lift a little away from the floor. Each exhale, release the collarbone, shoulders drop, extend the spine from the back of the skull. If you want to go deeper, inch the fingers forward. Each inhale, spine rounding, skin spreading with your breath. Each exhale, soften through the shoulders, soften through the belly, extend through the back of the skull. If you're going lower, inching the hands forward. With an inhale, sit up and keep the belt as it is and just change the crossing of your legs. And again, if you need to adjust the strap, if this side's a little tighter and you want a little more support, tighten it up and then hands to the floor, arms straight like dog pose, head in line with your neck. Slow, even breathing. Fully release your legs into the support of the strap. Grind soft. Each inhale coming out of the pose slightly. Each exhale, re-releasing through the shoulders, chest and belly, extending through the back of the skull, inch the hands forward. With an inhale, sit up, hands on the waist, above the hips, below the ribs, gently squeeze the soft tissue of the waist and let your head drop forward. Release your collarbones, gently press your elbows forward. Breathe into the back of the heart. On the exhale, soften the top of the lungs, heart sinks. Re-release your shoulders, press the elbows forward. With an inhale, lift your head upright, press the right hand in strongly, exhale to the right. If you're using the block, have the block under the elbow. Breathe into the left lung, left shoulder, left side of the neck. On the exhale, soften the right ribs, sink lower. If your elbow is supported by the floor or the block, keep releasing your head, right ear dropping towards the shoulder. Pull the forehead back an inch, release the left hand, extend the fingers down towards the floor, pull the forehead back another inch, slowly extend the chin forward, slowly lift your head in line with the neck, turn your face, look up, slowly pull the chin in towards your throat, extend the back of the skull. Sweep the left arm up, reach for the ceiling. If you're going further, straight arm next to the ear. Bending the arm, touch the back of the heart, pull the elbow back behind you. With the left hand, cup the back of the skull, pull the head up, chin drops. Releasing the hand, clench the fist strongly, extend the elbow over the crown, looking straight up at the ceiling. Slowly turning the head, look straight down at the floor, extend the elbow more. Last, sweep the left arm behind your back, reach for the right wrist. As you look straight down at the floor, turn your heart up towards the ceiling and with an inhale, come back to the center. Re-adjust your hands on the waist, shoulders down, elbows forward, pressing the left hand in strongly, slowly exhale to the left, head drops to the side. Breathe into the right lung, right shoulder and right side of the neck. Exhale, soften the left ribs, let gravity take you lower. If your elbow's on the floor, keep releasing your head, keep your right sitting bone grounded. Pull your forehead back an inch, release the right hand, extend the fingers down towards the floor, pull the forehead back another inch. Slowly extend the chin forward, slowly lift your head in line with your neck, turn your face, look up. Slowly pull the chin in towards your throat, extend the back of the skull. Sweep the right arm up, reach for the ceiling. If you're going for more, arms straight next to the ear. Bending the right arm, touch the back of your heart, pull the elbow back behind you. With the right hand, cup the back of the skull, pull the head up, chin drops towards your throat. Releasing the hand, clench the fist strongly, extend the elbow over the crown of the head, looking straight up at the ceiling. Slowly turn your face, look straight down at the floor. Sweep the right arm behind the back, reach for the left wrist. Looking straight down, turn the heart up. With an inhale, come back to the center. Readjust your hands on the waist, shoulders down, elbows forward, head upright, tiny circles with your head. So this is more for lubricating with the cranial sacral fluid into the occipital atlas joint. And then slow the head down, make the circles bigger. One more. Finish with your head falling forward. With an inhale, head upright, other direction, tiny circles. Slow it down, big circles. One more. Finish with your head forward, re-release your collarbones. Gently press the elbows forward. Breathe into the back of the heart, spread the skin. On the exhale, top of the lung softens, heart drops, throat softens, chin drops. Lean back a little. With an inhale, head upright, place your hands on the tops of the thighs, palms down, roll your shoulders. Inhale up. Exhale down. Inhale up. Exhale down. One more. Up and down. Turn the palms up, curl the wrists, roll the shoulders back to front. Inhale up in the back. Exhale down in the front. Inhale up. Exhale down. One more. Up and down. Keep the hands as they are. Try to straighten your arms, shoulder shrug, and then slowly roll your head. Change direction. And release. Arms straight out to the side, shoulder height, head upright. Release your collarbones. Breathe into the front side and back of the lungs. Each exhale, re-release the collarbones, armpits sink, simultaneously extend out through the fingers. Top of the hip bones, gently pressing forward without leaning forward. And slowly turn the palms of the face up, check your hands, make sure they're flat. Re-release your collarbones, extend out through the fingers. Slowly pull the fingers down, flex the heel of the palms. Slowly spin the fingers up, pull the tips in towards your ears, press out through the hands. Slowly now pull the arms back, spreading the skin across your chest. Curl the wrists, curl the fingers. Sweep the arms forward till they're parallel. Then re-release your collarbones, shoulders drop, press the wrists forward, pull the chin in slightly towards your throat, lifting the back of the skull up through the crown. Then slowly extend the fingers forward, turn the palms up, bending the arms, touch your shoulders. Walk the fingers down your spine, try to press the elbows together behind your head. And right hand grabs the left elbow. Pull the left arm behind the head.

Sweep the right arm behind the back. And if you can, hook the fingers, head upright. With an inhale, release, change arms. Left hand grabs the right elbow, pull the arm behind your head. Sweep the left arm behind the back. If you can, hook. If you can't hook, just extend the fingers. With an inhale, release, forearms together again. Walk the fingers lower, press the elbows closer. Then slowly pull the elbows out to the sides, spreading the skin across your chest. Clenching the fists strongly, pump the bicep. Interlock the fingers, press the palms up. As the arms fully extend, relax your diaphragm. Organs drop, tailbone drops, press the hands higher. To each exhale, as you release through the diaphragm, there's a simultaneous drop through the belly and lift through the hands. If you're going further, slowly take the hands back, arching the upper back. When you reach your maximum pause there, breathing through the back on the inhale, into the pelvic floor. On the exhale, softening the top of the lung, heart sinks a little, simultaneously move your hands back a little. Releasing the hands back to your shoulders, squeeze the elbows together strongly. Really press into the elbows. The latissimus muscles engage on the sides of the torso, deltoid muscles engage on the tops of the shoulders. Then sliding the fingers under your shirt, hook the tips into the trapezius. With the elbows together, pull them down toward your navel, slide the chin in toward your throat, lean your head back, neck supported in the trapezius. Slowly extend the chin up. With an inhale, elbows up. Exhale, the hands forward, palms up. Inhale, the arms apart. Exhale, right arm over, palm down. Inhale, arms apart. Exhale, left arm over, palm down. Inhale, arms apart. Exhale, right arm over, left arm bending, hugging the arm into your chest. Inhale, release. Exhale, left arm over. Right arm bending, hugging the arm into your chest. Inhale, release. Exhale, sweep the arms behind you, palms face each other, lift your hands, lift your chest, head upright. Then turn the palms up, lift your hands higher, lift your chest higher. Feel your triceps engage. Curl the wrists. Then releasing the arms, hands forward, 12 inches apart. Close your eyes, gently extending your fingers forward. Slowly press the hands in. Go slow. As the hands get closer, the air between the hands gets thicker. Literally you feel that thick air pressing back against the skin of your hands. Then slowly separate the hands. Open your eyes, hook your fingers strongly, crunch your fists strongly, circle the wrists, change direction, and release. Removing the strap, come up onto your hands and knees. If you prefer to use a bolster here, bring it back in front of the knees. With your knees wide near the sides of your mat, drop the pelvis forward so your thighs and pelvis are supported on the bolster. Arms straight, hands directly under your shoulders. Breathe through the back, hips lift a little. On the exhale, release the sphincter muscles in the skin below the navel, hips sinking, supported by the bolster. Press down into the hands, lift up through the back of the skull. This is too much for your lower back. Pull the navel in a little more actively, pull the tailbone down a little more actively. Then turn the right wrist over, arms straight. If it's too intense, move the hand closer to the leg and then clench the fist and release. Left wrist, arms straight, weight even on both hands. If it's too much, move the hand back a little. Clench the fist and release. Move the bolster out of the way.

Bring your knees in, hip width apart. Turn your palms down, hands together, fingers pointing back towards your knees. If you need, you can move the hands apart a little. Then dropping your head forward, let it hang from the neck. Pull the navel up and round your spine. Go slow. Each inhale, breathing through the back, feel the skin spreading into the pelvic floor. Each exhale, release the shoulders, pull the navel up higher, engaging through the abdominal muscles. And release, tuck your toes forward, walk your knees back a little and very slowly sit back, peel your palms off the floor. No matter how far back, just go until you read the resistance in your finger knuckles. Pause there. Each exhale, release your collarbone and see if you can move a little deeper, keeping the fingers flat, folding at the base knuckle. When you reach your maximum, pause there, softening the collarbones. And then slowly bend the arms, peel the fingers off the floor, pressing the elbows together until they reach the floor. Like yesterday's practice, if they don't reach the floor, release your fingers, get them on the floor and then reestablish your fingernails into the mat and gently press your wrists forward. Releasing the fingers, curl the wrists over, turn the fists, press the back of the knuckles together. With your elbows together, slap your wrists. Try it again. Slap the wrists and take your right arm over the left arm, hands like karate chops on the mat. If you can, left hand goes over the right and hooks the heel of the thumb. Walk your knees back so your thighs are vertical. Drop your head, cheek on the bicep. Breathe into the back of the heart, spread the skin across your shoulder blades. On the exhale, soften the top of the lung, heart sinks a little, simultaneously pull your hips back a little. Each inhale, like you're coming out of the pose slightly, thoracic spine rounding up. Each exhale, top of the lung softens, heart drops, gently pull the hips back. Then inhale, head up, exhale, right shoulder to the mat. Inhale up, exhale, left shoulder to the mat. Inhale up, release. Left arm over the right, hands like karate chops. If you can, right hand reaches over, hooks the heel of the thumb. Walk the knees back, thighs vertical, drop the head. Keep your breathing slow, following the breath into the back of the heart. On the exhale, softening the top of the lung, heart sinks, pull the hips back. Then inhale, head up, exhale, left shoulder to the mat. Inhale up, exhale, right shoulder to the mat. Inhale up, release the arms, tuck the toes forward and sit on your heels. If this is too much for the knees, use a bolster. Arms forward, palms face each other. Turn the left hand over, thumb down. Take the right hand over the left, interlock the fingers, squeeze the palms. With your left hand, pull the right hand back. With the right hand, pull the left hand back. Hands in the middle, slowly wind the arms forward. Twist your hands right, twist your hands left. Wind the arms back. Twist your hands right, twist your hands left. Release, change. Left hand over the right, interlock the fingers, squeeze the palms. With your right hand, pull the left hand back. With the left hand, pull the right hand back. Hands in the middle, slowly wind the arms forward. Twist your hands left, twist your hands right, wind the arms back. Twist left, twist right. Release. Arms up, elbows bent, slowly whip your hands. And now a little faster, and now as fast as you can. And release, slowly front to back. A little faster, as fast as you can. And release, right hand side to side, left hand front to back, faster. And release, left hand side to side, right hand front to back, faster. Switch, switch, switch. And release. Palms up, hands together, alternate hands, together, alternate hands. And release. Remove the bolster, come up into a squat, walk your hands forward, arms straight, lean forward. Right foot only, roll over the toe onto the toenail and roll right back. So you're moving your weight forward, taking weight on your hands, finger strengthener. Now the left, lean forward, roll onto the face of the nail and back. Again, right, roll onto the face of the nail and back. And left, roll onto the face of the nail and back. And release. Lunge forward with your right foot. Press the right knee forward over the toes without the heel lifting. Walk the hands forward, drop your chest. Slow your breath down. Breathe into your left lung. On the exhale, soften the right hip crease, right ribcage. Walk the hands forward more. Very little weight on your hands here. Feeling a strong stretch in the Achilles tendon and the groin. With an inhale coming out, tuck the toes forward on the back foot, walk the hands back, sit upright, right leg straight, sit up tall, release the right hip and groin. Passive hamstring stretch. Feel the femur drops a little. If you're challenging the hamstring, walk the hands forward, palms flat, arms straight, head in line with your neck. Each inhale coming out of the pose slightly, each exhale, release through the shoulders, release through the groin. Femur drops, armpits drop, inch the hands forward. Extend the spine. And now moving forward, rolling onto the top of the back foot, sweep the right leg out to the side, in line with the hip. Toes pointing forward, foot flat, drop down onto your elbows. Breathe through the back into the pelvic floor. On the exhale, soften the right groin. Femur drops a little, press the sole of the right foot flatter. And now inhale coming up, turn to your right, slide forward a little so your butt reaches the floor, left foot behind your butt. And then taking the hands forward, either side of your leg, palms flat, arms straight, reaching through the back, coming out of the pose slightly. On the exhale, releasing through the shoulders, extending through the back of the skull. If you're going deeper, inching the fingers forward. It doesn't matter how low you get. This pose is about getting longer, not lower. Lower comes by releasing deeply into the shoulders, deeply into the groin, keeping the spine extending from the back of the skull. With an inhale, slowly coming out, bend your right leg, pull the right heel into the groin, sweep your right knee forward.

Those of you that can move the foot into half lotus, you can move the foot into half lotus. And then we're going to twist to the right, take your left hand across the leg, palm down, fingers coming back towards your midline, and pinning the back of the hand with your knee. The right hand goes behind your back, you can grab onto your shirt, your waistband, or if you can grab, bind on the foot. Look over your left shoulder, lean to the left. Inhale and wind a little. Exhale, soften through the shoulders, twist a little deeper. And turn your head to the right, twist to the right. With an inhale, release, coming out, hands on the floor beside you, lift your hips up over the heel and sweep your right leg around behind you, scooting forward on your mat into pigeon. If you need a bolster for support, if it's too much for the hip or the knee, support the hip. Drop down onto your elbows, or if you can, lay down on your leg. Slow, even breathing. If you want to go a little deeper, walk your arms to the right, place your navel on the heel, and lay down on the foot. Each exhale, soften where the foot and heel meet. With an inhale, come back to the center. Come up onto your hands and knees, slide the right knee in behind the left. With your feet apart, walk the hands back and sit between your heels. If this is too much, you can sit on a bolster. Line your feet up, so the bottom foot comes forward a little, top foot moves back a little. Place your fingers under your toes, curl the toes away from the floor, and then press the ball of the foot flat, so the top of the foot is flat. Lean forward a little, pull the navel in, rounding your spine, and with each exhale, slowly lower your chest towards your thighs. With an inhale coming out, change legs, lunge forward with your left foot, press the left knee forward, walk the hands forward, breathe into the right lung. On the exhale, soften the left hip crease, left ribcage, walk the hands forward more. With an inhale coming out, tuck the toes forward on the back foot, walk the hands back, sitting on the heel, sit up tall, release the left groin, femur drops, passive hamstring stretch. If you want to engage the hamstring a little more, walk the hands forward, palms flat, keep your head in line with the neck, release your collarbones, extend the spine from the back of the skull. Each inhale coming out of the pose slightly, each exhale, we release through the shoulders and the groin, femur drops, armpits drop, change the hands forward, extending the back of the skull through the crown. With an inhale, sit up, scoot forward onto the top of the back foot, sitting on the heel, sweep your left leg out to the side, toes turned forward, and drop onto your elbows. Breathe through the back, into the pelvic floor. On the exhale, soften the left groin, femur drops a little. As you feel the femur release, press the sole of the left foot flatter. With an inhale, sit up, turn to your left, scoot forward a little, right foot behind your butt, and then sliding the hands forward, palms flat, arms straight, keep your head in line with the neck. Breathe through the back, come out of the pose a little, each exhale, release through the groin, release through the collarbones, inch the fingers forward, extend the back of the skull. With an inhale coming out, bend the left leg, either pulling the heel into the groin or placing the foot into half lotus. Twist to your left, take the right hand across the leg, palm down, fingers point back towards the midline, pinning the back of the hand, left hand sweeps around behind the back, grabs the waistband. Look over your right shoulder, lean to the right, each inhale unwind a little, each exhale, soften through the belly, turn deeper. Then turn your head left, twist left. With an inhale, release the hands of the floor beside you, lift your hips up over the heel, sweep the left leg around to the floor behind you. If you need the bolster for your hip, slide it under the right hip, pigeon, coming down onto your forearms. Or if you can, lay down on your leg, forehead to the floor. Keep your breathing slow, following the breath through the back into the pelvic floor. Each exhale, release the groin, release where the ribs meet the leg. Slide your nose forward a little. If you want to go deeper, walk the arms to the left, place your navel on the heel and lay down on the foot. Each exhale, soften where the foot and ribs meet. Feel gravity pressing your flatter. With an inhale, come back to the center, remove the bolster, slide the left knee behind the right, feet apart, walk the hands back and sit between the heels. If it's too much, sit on the bolster. Line your feet up. Pull the toes away from the floor, press the top of the foot flat, and then leaning forward just a little, pull the navel back, rounding your spine, releasing your shoulders. Each exhale, slowly lower your ribcage onto the legs. The spine extends gently from the back of the skull. Alright, exhale coming up, remove the bolster, moving right into plank pose. Straight arms, straight legs, head in line with your neck, pull the navel up, tailbone down. You can stay here if you want to go a little deeper, lean forward, roll over the toes onto the tops of the feet, keep the hips in line, and roll back over the toes, press back into downward dog, and slowly walk the feet forward with straight legs, one at a time. Lift the heel with straight leg step, other side, lift the heel, straight leg step. Just keep walking forward until you're standing on your feet. Grab your elbows, hang forward. Releasing the arms, step on your palms, tips of the toes, bend your knees if you have to, tips of the toes at the base of the wrist. Slide your heels out a little wider and then slowly lean forward. Then lean your hips back, turn your fingers out to the side, 90 degrees, extend your thumbs towards your heels, take your hands a little wider and then step on your thumbs. Curl the fingers over your toes. Coming off the hands, slowly stand, head last, curl the spine up. Bring your feet together. With an inhale, take the arms up, palms together, hold your breath.

Touch the back of the heart, still holding the breath, touch the front of the heart. Exhale, drop the head and arms, curl the spine down. With an inhale, gaze forward, take the right leg back, pointing the toe, front leg bends, top of the back foot hits the floor. Look up, exhale, roll over the toes of the back foot, step back into dog pose. Inhale slowly, spine rounding. Exhale slowly, hips and shoulders soften, arms and legs lengthen. Doesn't matter how straight your legs are, working the legs towards straight. Inhale, hips and shoulders soften, arms and legs lengthen. One more, inhale, exhale. Inhale, gaze forward, coming into plank, halfway down, inhale, upward dog. Exhale, halfway down, roll over the toes, press back, downward dog. Lift your head, lunge forward with the right foot, roll over the toes of the back foot, look up. Exhale, back foot forward, straight legs, release your head and shoulders. Inhale, standing, head last, curling the spine up, arms up, gaze up. Exhale, lower the hands. Other side, inhale, arms up, hold the breath, touch the back of the heart, still holding the breath, touch the front of the heart. Exhale, fold forward, releasing the arms. Inhale, gaze forward, left leg points back, front leg bends, top of the foot, back foot hits the floor, look up. Exhale, roll over the toes of the back foot, step back, dog pose. Inhale slowly. Exhale, hips and shoulders soften, arms and legs lengthen, release the back of your skull. Inhale. Exhale. One more, inhale. Exhale, slow till you're empty. Holding the breath out, come forward into plank, halfway down, still holding the breath out. Inhale, roll over the toes, upward dog. Exhale, halfway down, roll over the toes, press back, downward dog. Inhale, stepping forward with the left foot, roll over the toes of the back foot, look up. Exhale, back foot steps forward, straight legs, release your head and shoulders. Inhale, standing head last, curl the spine up, slowly lower the hands. Bending the knees, fingertips to the floor, keeping the legs bent, inhale the arms forward, palms together. If you can, take the hands up over the head, hands sinking toward your throat, neck resting in the trapezius. With an exhale, drop your chest onto the thighs, releasing your head and shoulders, slowly straighten your legs. Breathe through the back into the pelvic floor. Each exhale, release the sphincter muscles in the skin below your navel. Re-release your head and shoulders. Walk the hands back a little, lean the hips forward a little. Keeping your heels together, turn your feet out, grab your elbows behind your legs, gently squeeze the knees in a little. Re-release your head and shoulders. Try to feel the texture of your mat with your feet. Breathing through the back into the pelvic floor, spread the skin of the buttocks. Exhale, release the sphincter in the skin below the navel. Re-release your head. Releasing the arms, big toes together, heels wide apart. Clasp your wrists behind your legs, slide your forearms down. Breathing through the back into the buttocks, spreading the pelvis. Exhale, release the sphincter in the skin below the navel, soften the pubis, slide your forearms lower. Releasing the arms, feet hip width apart, full squat. If this is too much for the knees, pack a bolster in behind your knees. Breathe through the back into the pelvic floor. Exhale, release the groins, release the shoulders. Sink into your hips. And now taking the hands of the floor behind you, keep the bolster as it is and just pull it up against your buttocks and lie back for shavasana. Extend your legs. Turn your palms to face up. Slow your breath down. Breathe through the back body like the floor is part of your lungs, the full length of your torso. Each exhale, diaphragm softens, abdominal organs drop, top of the lungs softens, heart drops. Each inhale, keep your attention with your breath the full length of your torso through the back into the pelvic floor. Each exhale, simultaneous, release through the diaphragm, top of the lungs, the throat and the sphincter muscles. Feel the weight of your internal organs dropping, resting heavy on your spine from your tailbone to the occiput.

Deep stillness, deep rest. Resist any temptation to fidget. In your own time when you're ready, remove the bolster, roll to your side and place the bolster between your legs in line with your shin bone, head resting on the arm, upper arm resting on your side. Keep the rhythm of your breath slow, the sound of your breath soft. When you're ready in your own time keep your eyes closed, make your way up to sitting. Sit cross legged, pull the flesh of your buttocks away from your sit bones. Rest your hands on the knees, palms down, head upright. Release your collar bones, lift your spine gently from the back of the skull. You're looking for the same quality of stillness sitting as you had reclining. Top of the hip bones gently pressing forward without leaning forward. Spine lifting gently from the back of your skull. Shoulders chest and belly dropping, spine light and lifting. Slowly bring your hands together at your heart. Keep the touch of your hands so light it's hard to tell if you're touching or not touching. And you're more conscious of the warmth moving between the skin than the contact of the flesh. As you notice the warmth in your hands, notice the sensation fluctuates a little, sometimes increasing, sometimes decreasing. The increase creates a slight magnetic attraction energetically pulling the hands together. The decrease the slight magnetic repulsion energetically pushing the hands apart. As this becomes more apparent, notice how that fluctuation has a rhythm to it. And as you feel this rhythm in your hands simultaneously become aware of the rhythm of your heart until these two rhythms merge synchronized. And as they merge they get stronger and as they get stronger they spread filling you. Feeling the pulsation of your own life force rhythmically. Thank you for sharing your practice. Namaste.