Focused and Clear: A 7-Day Yoga Challenge Artwork
Season 1 - Episode 6

Clarify

35 min - Practice
53 likes

Description

Linda Baffa leads you through engaging in heart-opening movements that honor your journey from where you started to where you are now. This transformative practice aims to dispel any confusion or doubt, illuminating what you truly want to focus on. By the end of the class, you'll feel a sense of immense clarity.

While this class is a part of Linda Baffa's Focused and Clear: A 7-Day Yoga Challenge, it can also be taken outside of the challenge at any time.
What You'll Need: Block (2)

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Transcript

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Hi, friends. Welcome to day 5. We're going to start where we finished last time in the heart bench. But of course, if this shape isn't working for you, you're welcome to just lie on your back or maybe do a restorative bridge. But, you know, one block at the lower level, one block at the higher level. And then you'll go ahead and land back with the shoulder blades, mid upper back area on that first block.

And the head on that second block. And the arms are gonna display out, and I want you to just go ahead and move the arms down and up massaging into the chest, the heart, the shoulders, Any shape for the legs that feels good? Maybe the soles of the feet together or legs long and just keep making those Soft angel wings. We're gonna keep moving into the heart space and just really honoring this series of classes and where we have come from to where we are now. So we have connected and we have cleared and we have cleansed. And we have calmed, and now it's time to clarify and just really remove any confusion, any doubt.

Just really start to illuminate what we wanna focus on. Right? Feeling a sense of immense clarity. Let's take one more angel wing down and up and coming into a deeper breath. And then just landing your arm somewhere that feels good for about 2 more nice, slow breaths coming in to the belly and the ribs and expanding the lungs in all directions as you inhale.

Nice releasing, long, exhale. Good. And then let's go ahead and roll over to one side. Use your arms to gently come up off those blocks. And you can just move them off to the side. Kind a comfortable cross legged seat, and we'll start to soofy roll.

Inhaling the chin and chest over to the right knee all the way around to the left knee and then round back. Good. Inhaling. Forward, exhaling back, and then use your hands here to just sort of push and pull and feel out your ribs, your heart space. So not just the front of the heart. The back of the heart.

Grounding down into the hips. Let's start to seamlessly switch to the direction. Going backwards, just reminding ourselves that these Circular patterns help us shift energy. Right? So just anything from your day, anything from yesterday that you just wanna stir up and shift around. Feel that here.

Let's do a couple more. Maybe a little faster. Good. And then come to a neutral spine. Take a big inhale through your nose. Hold it in. Hold it in.

And gentle sigh. Let it go. Good. Okay. Let's come into a seated position with the knee's bent, the feet on the earth, go ahead and take one of your blocks and squeeze it between your inner thighs like this. We're gonna do a little core work to start to find that center, our sense of power. Reach your arms either forward or grab behind your knees.

We're gonna do a slow roll down squeezing the block for 5 for 4. Moving a couple inches each time. 3, 2, 1, and then try to come back up. Squeeze the block 5. Just an inch or 2 for 3. To keep the feet rooted. 1, and then let's go back down.

And then we're gonna land on the floor after this one. 5. Stay with your breath for 3, 2, Good. Come all the way down. Keep that block where it is. Lift your legs into the air. Take your hands behind your head.

Let your head rest in your hands here. And keep your knees just over your hips. Take an inhale. And as you exhale, squeeze the block and lift your shoulders, lift your head, as you inhale lower back down. We're just doing a few of these. So make them count.

Exhale as you lift up, squeeze the block. But inhale lower. Exhale lift any amount. Head and hands together. Belly draws in, squeeze the block.

Let's say 2 more. Exale lift. Inhale lower. Exhale lift. Could inhale lower.

Go ahead and release the feet back down. Move your block off to the side. Take your arms out to the side, like a t shape, scoot your hips over to the left, and let your knees fall to the right. Just an easy to any twist here. Good. And then you're gonna take your right arm and sweep it over your head. Like, you're making a rainbow over the head.

And then take it all the way over to the left arm and then take that right arm back up and rainbow it over to the right. Good. And then do the left arm. Take the left arm all the way up, rainbow it all the way over to the right arm. And then inhale to reach it back up and open out to the left. Good. Let's do one more on each side.

Keep the legs heavy. Right arm reaching up and over towards the left and then back up and over. So just really getting to know your shoulders today. Left arm up and over. Good. And you can think of just sweeping something away here as you twist.

Good. Let's go to the other side and lift the knees back to center. Move the hips over to the right a little and let your knees fall to the left. Good. And then taking that left arm and reaching it all the way up and over towards the right arm into the air good and then take it all the way back up and over to the left. And then the right arm up and over. Inhale. Reach it up.

And over. Good left arm. One more on each side. Keep the legs heavy. Follow your breaths. One more with that right arm.

Good. And then bring your legs back up, hug your knees into your chest. Self love for oxide to side. Good. And then roll yourself over to the side or rock yourself up, and let's come to hands and knees. Just any little movements as we come in here, maybe a neck roll, maybe a rib circle, a cat cow, You choose, root through the palms, spread through the fingers, Good. And then we're gonna get back into that core center. Land the wrist right under your shoulders, knees, under your hips.

Take your right leg straight back into the air and flex your foot like you're stamping it on a wall behind you. Take your left arm forward and pause and balance and ground into that right palm, try to suck your right hand towards your left knee. Pull in through your lower belly here, as if your bottom rib cage could move towards the front of your hips, towards that front of the pelvis. Yeah. So cinch everything in. Good. You're either gonna stay here.

This might feel good. You can even lower that left hand or try to bend your right knee. And reach back with your left hand and see if you can grab your foot. So if you cannot grab your foot, just try. And if you can, grab it and kick it into the hand and hold here for 3 breaths. Reach the heart forward and up. Keep the belly turned on a little to support the back.

Take one more round of breath. But gently release left hand down, right knee down. Good. Maybe give that right hand a little shake, a little wrist circle, and we'll go to the other side. Left leg back. Push the floor away.

Pull the belly in. Find a lot of integrity in the center of your body. Reach your right arm forward. Thumb up extra notation in the right arm. Go ahead. Pull the belly in and just stabilize.

Just breathe. So really honing in on your sense of focus here to clarify to open up to to illuminate towards what it is that you need When you're ready, you can start to try bending your back knee or reaching back, maybe grab the foot, reaching the heart forward and up. If you've got that foot, kick it into the hand, really activate the shape. A couple more breaths. Good. And then go ahead and gently release it back down. Let's take a half dog and just melt the heart, chin or forehead to the mat, hips over your knees.

Good. And then move it into a down dog as you're ready, walk your hands back, tuck your toes, lift your hips, maybe take a few petals of the feet. Get to know your dog. Every day, we roll out our mat. Our body is a little different. Good. One more full deep breath here.

Good. Let's walk the feet up to the hands. Take a halfway lift. Inhale flat back as you exhale full in as you inhale rise up and reach your arms to the sky as you exhale, bring a prayer to the heart. Bow your chin towards your palms. Ask yourself the question.

What do I need from my practice? Breathe it in. Inhale. The arms reach out and up. Offer your heart as you exhale bow forward and fold over your legs as you inhale take a half lift and as you exhale step to plank pose. Pause there for a couple breaths, maybe lower the knees.

We're just gonna keep moving with the breath on the inhale shift forward on the exhale, slow lower, Chaturanga, or to the floor, inhale for your heart opener, cobra, or updog. And as you exhale, press back, downward facing dog, hold for a few breaths, When you hold, just listen Breathe. Good. And then look forward and either walk or a light hop. Front of the mat. Halfway lift. Inhale.

Exhale. Fold. Inhale. Rise up, root through the feet. Offer the heart. Exhale prayer to the heart. Connect.

Take a breath. And again, inhale reaching the arms out and up, inhale, exhale bow forward and fold. Inhale halfway lift, exhale plank pose, hold it for a breath. Turn on the belly. Next exhale, slower.

And how cobra or updog Exhale downward facing dog, and again, pause, and land and receive Good. And then walk or light pounce up to the front of the mat. Inhale, half lift, exhale, folding. Inhale, rising, reaching, root route through the feet, and then prayer to the heart. Let's go to chair pose. Let's take a few sweeps here again.

Sweep the arms back as you exhale, inhale, find your chair, exhale sweeping back inhaling chair, maybe a little faster. Again, just sort of making space removing obstacles, letting go of any confusion or doubt or insecurity or whatever is just getting in the way of letting you see clearly last 2. Good. Hold chair. Sing a little deeper. Forward fold. Halfway lift, inhale.

Exhale. Chaturanga. Maybe you wanna jump back this time. Maybe step back. And slow lower. Up dog cobra. Inhale. Down dog. Exhale.

Right? Lay is gonna rise up. Reach it behind you. Inhale here as you exhale, stop your right foot forward. Come to crescent lunge, inhale, root through that right foot, maybe a little bend in that left knee, Open twist here, right arm, back, left arm forward. And then keep going with that right hand.

And try to touch your left leg. Take your left arm by your left ear and lift the heart. So you might shift your gaze up if you feel stable here. Otherwise, keep it forward. Breathe into the heart, breathe some length into the left side body.

One more breath. Good. And then just cart while the hands down to the earth, feel free to take the Vinyasa here, and we'll meet in downward facing dog. Left leg rises. Inhale. Exhale step it forward.

Rise up. Crescent lunge. Pause. Land into your left foot. Then open twist, but then keep going with that left hand. Touch the back leg if you can reach up with the right arm. And lift the heart lift the heart from the belly. So pull in and up two more breaths.

Receiving. Good. And then just cart while your hands down. Step back plank pose, maybe just hold plank, maybe a vinyasa. Down dog together. Full breath in, and full breath out.

And from here, let's come to the hands and the knees. Let's kickstand the right foot out to the right a little. Take your left leg back with the sole of the foot on the earth, sort of in line with your right knee here. Take your left arm up, a variation of side plank. Then hover your left leg in the air.

Good. And then maybe reach back and try to grab your foot here. If you can grab the foot, kick it into the hand again. This is an artichapasana. So we'll do this in a moment. On the right foot, balancing, but it's nice to feel it here.

Reach the chest forward or not. Maybe lean your head back a little one more breath. Go ahead and then slowly release and come back to your hands and your knees. Kick stand your left foot to the left a little. Put your right foot back on the earth.

Take your right arm up. And hover your right leg, and then reach back and try to grab your foot. Good. And then kick the foot into the hand. Open the heart. Breathe into where you feel this.

Good. And then release and slowly come back. Let's find downward dog. Take your right leg up and the knee open the hip. So since we're focusing on heart opening. If you wanna flip your dog here, go for it. Spend your left heel flat.

Right foot. To the earth, right arm up. One breath here. Right hand down, right knee to the chest step forward. Warrior 2. Gonna take your hands behind you, interlace your fingers. And then inhale to lift the heart, sort of a mini reverse here, and then come down towards your inner right knee for a humble warrior too.

So nothing changes in the legs, but the arms might reach forward and up a little more. Drop the head if that feels good. Take another breath. Good. And then release and come into triangle. So you're just gonna straighten that right leg right hand to the shin left arm up, and you're either gonna hold there or maybe come into half moon with a block as a nice option, right hand, right block out in front of you, left leg up.

And then as I mentioned, we did that art at Chapasana. You might do the full Chapasana here looking down for stability, Grab your left foot with your left hand. Kick it into the hand. Open the heart. 2 more breaths. Good. And then just gently step all the way back.

Let's find warrior 2. Land for a breath. And then cartwheel the hands down to the earth. Take a Vinyasa here if you like, x hail. We'll meet in downward facing dog.

Left leg sweeps up this time, bend the knee, open the hip, and maybe flip it over. Couple breaths. Left hand down, left knee to the chest, step through warrior 2 inhale rise up. And then reach back and release your fingers behind you. Maybe switch up your grip. Lift the heart away from your left thigh, inhale here. And as you exhale, come towards that left knee, lower your 2 bow the head.

A couple breaths. Good. And then release and come into triangle, just straighten your left leg. The left hand can come to the shin right onto the sky, expansion, keep that if you come into half moon, fly left hand, left block out in front of you, right leg up, expansion here, keep that, and maybe try to grab your back foot. Choppass center. Focus on the heart space.

Focus on the heart. Opening up towards the front. One more breath. Good. And then go ahead and release and just slowly step it all the way back. Warrior to land.

Cartwell, the hands down. And one more Vinyasa if you want it. Exhale. Down dog or child's pose. I'll give you that option since we've been moving quite a bit. You might just wanna land here. Think your hips towards your heels.

Take a much needed rest wherever you are. Focus on your breath. Focus on the space. Clarifying into clarity. Always found in the space.

Okay. Let's slide into elbows and knees here. You could interlace your hands together, or you could have your forms parallel. If you're working towards having your forms parallel, which helps open the shoulders and heart a little more, you could put a block between your first fingers, knuckles, your pointer finger at, middle knuckle. So you still have a natural shape for your hands. And then let's go into Dolphin.

Just tuck the toes, lift the hips. It's sort of like down dog, but now on the elbows. Right? Dangle the head. This might be enough for you. Okay? Melt your heart towards your knees. Maybe even bend your knees and just really feel the heart space melting back.

Good. And then either stay there or if you wanna play with a little more challenge, lift your right leg up into the air. Good. And then if you wanna play with Florham Ballets, it's right here. Feel free to play with some little hops up, maybe just trying to catch your balance. We're maybe bringing the feet together. We'll take 3 more breaths.

Good. And then let's lower the knees. Take another child's pose. Take a rest. And then let's roll ourselves up and come on to the knees here. If you need a blankie because you have sensitive knees, feel free.

Grab a block and put it between your inner thighs. And let's play with Ostrace and a camel and just continue to open that heart space. So hands right above the glutes, right at that lower back area. Push down on your glutes. Squeeze your elbows towards each other.

Lift the heart space up, up, up. And maybe this is enough right here, or if you wanna hang your head back, or if you wanna try to reach back with one hand or the other hand and grab your heels. Sometimes toes tucked is a little easier. Squeeze the block. Find your breath.

2 more, full rounds of breath, receive. Good hands back to the hips. Just slowly come up, and you can sit between your heels maybe on your block. Let your palms face up on your thighs and just pause here. Few breaths. Land the weight of your pelvis and your hips down towards the floor.

Smooth out your breath. Good. And then from here, we're going to scoot the right hip off to the right and take your left ankle over your right thigh and just pull on your left leg, get some length here, and we'll twist over to the left. The nice counter pose for all heart opening. We've been doing maybe that right elbow wraps around. Lift the heart as you inhale.

Exhale as you twist a little deeper. Sometimes it feels good to make a little mudra, right, thumb, and index finger together. Sealing your intuitive knowledge, letting it circle through you. So here's the thing. Here's the reminder.

Here's the juice. We already know. We already know. We just have to get out of the way. And listen. Scrape at those confusing unnecessary thoughts. And let's slowly release this side.

And come to the other. Alright. Hand back. Grabbing your right knee, twisting. Maybe take the left elbow over. Maybe take that mudra.

Soft close of your eyes, inhale for length, exhale to twist deeper. Good. Let's slowly unwind. You can release your legs. Maybe just do a really brief forward fold just to Let it all go. Reach for your feet. Bough the head.

Just a couple breaths. Meloxic. Good. And then rolling up, and you can come onto your back for Shavasana, or today, maybe a seated meditation. And we'll take a pause. Maybe as you land on your or in your seated meditation, taking that Mudra again, thumb and index finger together, Jan the Mudra, the psychic gesture of knowledge, intuitive knowledge, knowing.

And sometimes it takes a while, a few practices to get to this place where we can even begin to clarify and know. Let your breath just start to Release any effort, any control. The whole body just softening and settling. The whole point of this rest at the end of practice is to allow the physical body to get out of the way so that the internal body can illuminate sheva here. News for up and Yeah.

A chant isn't offering to the light within you. The true teacher, the teacher above all teachers, the one who has all the answers to all the questions. May we get still enough and clear enough to listen? You're welcome to stay where you are and keep soaking in the benefits of this practice. If you're wet or if you're ready to move into your day, just go ahead and slowly arrive back into the body, little movements.

Come up to a comfortable seat if you're not there already. Bringing the hands to your heart in a prayer bow the chin down and sealing your practice today with just one word One word that came up, one word you need to hear. Planted in your mind's eye, and take one more inhale through your nose. And tie it out your mouth. Be well. Thank you.

Comments

Christel B
5 people like this.
Love ending in meditation.  Then you sang one of my favorite chants! Just lovely. Thank you for doing this week of yoga.
Susie M
3 people like this.
Beautiful, Linda - thank you.
Jenny S
4 people like this.
Just beautiful, highlighted by your lovely chant 🎶🕉️💖
Sandra Židan
Deep and beautiful practice! Thanks, Linda! Namaste! 🥰🦋
Kate M
1 person likes this.
Great energizing sequence! I was challenged for sure! 
And I just loved the beautiful prayer and chant that you ended the practice with. Blessings, dear Linda.
Lise G
Lovely practice! Beautiful chant! Namaste
Roberta W
Really good class! Nice combo of spiritual and physical instruction. Felt smooth and seamless.
Beverley V
thank you love the chant. from my heart to yours, Namaste.

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