20-Minute Yoga Flows Artwork
Season 6 - Episode 8

Energizing Morning

20 min - Practice
92 likes

Description

Work out the morning tight spots in this energizing flow that will leave you feeling alive, awake, and motivated.
What You'll Need: Mat

About This Video

Jan 16, 2023
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Transcript

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Welcome and thank you for joining me for this energizing flow that will be your natural cup of coffee today so we'll start right away with some movement please meet me in tabletop coming to all fours we'll let the shoulders come over the wrists hips over knees and then just the invitation to start to move so maybe take some circles some barrel rolls shifting the weight forward and back maybe coming through child's pose as you come back really just checking in and noticing how your body's feeling today any areas where you might be holding on to any tension start to smooth out those areas start to tune into the breath right away maybe take circles in the other direction for your barrel rolls crack crack crack waking up good meeting in child's pose just taking a moment to let the hips sink to the heels a couple full deep breaths as you feel expansion through the back body that opening breathing in maybe let out a sigh as you exhale breathing out and then lifting up to all fours tuck the toes hips up and back downward facing dog and then same thing in downward facing dog what would feel good here here maybe pedal it out through your feet bending through one knee pressing the opposite heel toward the earth and then switching bending opposite knee stretching opposite heel to the earth but if your hamstrings are feeling a little tight today feel free to step the feet a little wider you can always put a bend in your knees just moving in a way that feels good to move good and then slowly walk your feet towards your hands come to a forward fold at the front of the mat feel free to put a deep bend in the knees letting the torso drape down over the thighs maybe hold opposite elbow and from here if it would feel good you could sway a little side to side maybe shake your head yes and no releasing some tension in the head neck and shoulders beautiful and then take the opposite arm on top a couple more breaths what might you let go of here good and then hands come down toward the earth we'll roll up slow one vertebrae at a time and as you come up to stand draw the shoulders up towards your ears roll them down the back bring your palms to face forward for tadasana mountain pose taking a moment to land here feel the earth beneath the soles of your feet feel your heart lift perhaps setting an intention for your day your practice what would you like to call in today how would you like to show up to your day and just letting that guide your movement draw hands together in front of the heart we'll sweep the arms up on your next breath in inhale as you lengthen up maybe gaze up toward the fingertips exhale keeping that length in the spine feel free to soften the knees a bit coming into your forward fold on an inhale lift halfway maybe walking hands up onto your shins lengthen through the spine good and then stepping the left foot all the way to the back of the mat find your runner's lunge plant your palms and step back to downward facing dog right foot meets the left on an inhale come forward into a plank pose top of a push-up keep shifting the weight forward light on the toes and then hug the elbows in to lower all the way to the belly good untuck your toes for cobra peel the chest up hug the elbows in find length in the spine as you lift and then exhale back to downward facing dog good from your down dog sweep the left leg up and back three leg dog big breath in draw the knee to your nose and take a big step through back into runner's lunge come up onto your fingertips come on to the ball of your back foot good and then step your right foot to meet the left forward fold front of the mat on an inhale we'll lift halfway lengthening as you exhale release back into your fold good root down through the feet to rise arms sweep out and up and then exhale hands to harm we'll take that all on the second side with the breath inhale arms sweep up exhale forward fold soften knees a bit as you come into your fold inhale lift halfway lengthen arda good from here step your right foot to the back of the mat find your runner's lunge reach the heart forward plant your palms and step back downward facing dog left foot meets the right inhale come forward to plank pose as you exhale maybe halfway or all the way down chaturanga you could stay with cobra or come into upward facing dog firming thighs up off the earth straightening out through the arms heart lifts exhale meeting back in downward facing dog good on your next breath in sweep the right leg all the way up and back three leg dog exhale draw the knee to the nose step all the way through for your runner's lunge come on to the fingertips reach the heart forward and then step your left foot to meet the right forward fold front of the mat inhale lift halfway lengthening exhale right back into your fold root down to rise arms sweep out and up as you exhale draw hands to heart coming into chair pose as you're ready bend the knees for utkatasana arms sweep up find length in the spine big breath in exhale forward fold let that go inhale lift halfway lengthen step or you could lightly float back chaturanga moving through your vinyasa inhale cobra or upward facing dog and exhale back into downward facing dog good starting with the left side inhale left leg lifts up and back three leg dog draw the knee in towards your nose take a big step through between your hands we'll open up for warrior two so spin the right heel down let the right arm guide you up and open and then find your virabhadrasana two let the weight be centered so there's just as much attention to the back leg as that front knee is bending toward 90 degrees beautiful and then flip your left palm tilt back for reverse warrior feel the length in the left side body and then start to straighten out through the left leg reverse triangle as we come up and over toward triangle let's come all the way into half moon so you might step the right foot in a little bit let your left fingertips find the earth right under that left shoulder and then we're floating that right leg up flex through the right foot a lot pressing through the ball of your left big toe and you might have a block under that left hand if that would help support you embrace the wobble beautiful and then step your right foot to meet the left at the front of the mat soften the knees a little bit and come into a forward fold so let the torso drape down over the legs good and then as you roll up to stand soften your knees we're going to move right into a balancing pose here for tree pose so coming up to tadasana let the right foot get heavy reach down find your left ankle and you could bring that left foot to inner upper thigh calf or even kickstand your toes down on the earth find that point to focus your gaze and draw hands together in front of your heart and again embrace the movement the wobbling there's all those little movements happening in your toes your foot your ankle maybe the arms sweep up growing your branches find your breath beautiful and then step right back into chair so left foot meets the right bend the knees sink down big full breath in exhale let that go forward fold good on an inhale we'll lift halfway and lengthen moving through step or lightly float back through chaturanga inhale cobra or upward facing dog exhale downward facing dog take a moment to land to breathe let that side go just waking up the entire body here we'll move to the right side inhale right leg lifts up and back three-leg dog as you exhale start to draw the right knee in towards your nose gaze between your hands and step through setting up for warrior to spin the back heel down this time we'll let the left arm guide us up and open take a moment to land sink in shoulders relaxed and then find your warrior too beautiful writing the right palm face up tilt back for reverse warrior feel that stretch in the right side body and start to straighten the right leg as we come up and over might shorten the stance a little bit coming toward triangle and then right into warrior or excuse me to half moon so letting the right hand fall beneath the right shoulder float the left leg up stacking hips and shoulders find your drishti pressing into the ball of the right big toe wobble wobble wobble good and then softly step your left foot to meet the right soften the knees a little bit forward fold good roll up slowly bringing the awareness to your left foot this time finding tree pose will reach to find the right ankle foot to inner upper thigh calf or kickstand it down to the earth drawing hands to heart good noticing if this side feels a little more a little bit less stable than the other side maybe arms sweep up embracing the movement noticing all that subtle or not so subtle movement in your left foot your toes your ankles hugging everything into your midline beautiful and then softly stepping right foot to meet the left coming into utkatasana chair pose bending knees arms sweep up big full breath in exhale let that go forward fold good on an inhale lift halfway and lengthen through the spine plant your palms step or lightly float back through your vinyasa come halfway or all the way down chaturanga inhale cobra or up dog exhale downward facing dog good taking a sacred pause here let the knees lower you could take child's pose or maybe it feels good to sit back on your heels for a moment bringing one hand to heart one hand to belly if it feels safe to sit back on your heels for a moment bringing one hand to heart one hand to belly if it feels safe where you are to close your eyes take a moment to soften and close your eyes go inward just notice so just in that brief flow the energy may have shifted the energy may have shifted coming aware beautiful and then take your time we'll take the weight off to one side legs out in front of you bringing the soles of the feet together knees wide sitting up tall on your sitting bones we'll get into the hips a little as you're ready big full breath in exhale bada canasana fold you can gently use your elbows to press the inner thighs away couple full deep breaths good as you inhale slowly come up the soles of the feet to the earth bend your knees reach your arms forward we'll come on to the back bring your knees with you hug them in rocking a little side to side massaging through the lower back and that natural cup of coffee that energizing quality heart-opening let the soles of the feet find the earth bend your knees maybe brush the back of your heels with your fingertips and then press up into your bridge pose lift the hips draw the shoulders down the back and pressing palms of hands into the earth you might be holding your ankles you might be interlacing behind your low back but see wherever you're at you could lift from your hamstrings try to release any clenching in the glutes breathe all the way through the front of the body beautiful and then take your time slowly lower down as you come down to the earth cross your right knee on top of the left cactus your arms on either sides of your shoulders palms facing up and then drop both knees to the left you might scoot your hips to the right a little maybe take a gaze over that right shoulder or any twist that would feel good for you just to wring it out detoxify as much as you can releasing into the support beneath you what might you need to clear out just a bit here creating a little more space in your day inviting in that new energy that freshness back through center as you're ready unravel I like to bring souls of the feet to the earth lift the hips and just place them back down on the earth to neutralize cross your left knee on top of the right cactus the arms palms up dropping both knees to the right this time maybe take the gaze over your left shoulder ring it out and if eagle twist is too much of a pull on the lower back feel free to uncross the legs you could stack at the knees as an alternative really just a nice way to wring it all out it doesn't take long to shift the entire day quick 20 minutes feel better in your body creating a little more ease a little more space unravel as you come back through center gather your knees in hug them in maybe rock again side to side check in if there's anything else that you need in your practice feel complete honor that otherwise let's rock our way up to seated and we'll finish with just a brief seated meditation here finding any comfortable cross leg or feel free to stay on your back and lay down otherwise just take a moment to track your breath to observe scanning through the body any areas that are holding your attention noticing that any thoughts without judgment becoming aware gently rooting back to your breath to this moment you feel free to stay here in this spaciousness as long as you'd like otherwise gathering hands together in anjali mudra this mudra of gratitude maybe recognizing one thing that you feel grateful for holding that with you as you move out into your day thank you for sharing this practice namaste

Comments

Sandra Židan
Thanks, Sarah, for this beautiful energizing practice! I loved doing it! Namaste! 💖🌹🌼
Noreen S
1 person likes this.
Hi Sarah! Thank you for this wonderful morning practice! I love your yoga flows on YogaAnytime! xo, Reenie ❤️
Glenford N
2 people like this.
Hi Sarah. I had a tight left hip but your beautiful practice has smoothed it out. Namaste 
Matthew
1 person likes this.
many thanks for crafting this practice for us - all in a great 20 min frame too! :)
Sarah Beston
Thanks for sharing, Sandra Židan! I am glad that this was an energizing practice for you. Warm regards, Sarah
Sarah Beston
I am so happy to hear, Noreen S! I am happy that we can continue practicing together here on Yoga Anytime. Warm regards, Sarah
Sarah Beston
So glad to hear about your hip, Glenford N! Namaste, Sarah
Sarah Beston
You're so welcome, Matthew. Thank you for practicing with me here!
Nadine R
1 person likes this.
It is amazing to me that a 20 minute practice does so much for the body. I am so grateful for your 20 minute practices Sarah!..It is something I try to fit into my  schedule every morning …Namaste
Sarah Beston
I totally agree with you, Nadine R! When we first started making these classes, I really questioned the 20 minute format, but I find they are the perfect way to start my day. A little movement and a little breathing goes such a long way!
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