Eagle Flow

Welcome everyone. Always such a joy to be together. If you have a block handy, it could be helpful for this practice. If not, we can improvise. Let's start in a nice comfortable seat. Softening the gaze or letting the eyes close, resting the hands wherever they're comfortable, and just taking a moment to sense yourself, your body, your breath, where and how you are in this moment?

And then welcome the expanse of your breath, feeling the inhales moving out in all directions, feeling the exhales ground, and settle you. Drawing hands to prayer at the heart center, let's open with a gentle, exhale empty all the breath out. And then together through the nose, take a big inhale. And preparing to take flight. Let's let the eyes open, take a big inhale, reach the arms out and up.

And with your exhale swing your right elbow underneath your left interlacing the forearms. With your inhale reach the arms to the sky look up, allow the backbend. And with your exhale round, draw the belly to the spine, curl in, bowing the heads. Do that a couple more times, inhaling to rise. Exaling to round and curl in. And again, inhale rise.

Exhale round, curl in, breathe across, upper back. This time with your inhale unwind the arms, reach up again, look up, and with your exhale swing the left elbow under interlace. And then inhale we rise again, reach arms, look up. Exhale to round, curl in, bow the hand. Couple more, inhaling rise. Exhaling round, breathing cross the back again, inhale, reach it up.

XL round, draw it in. And then inhale unravel those arms again. Reach up, look up, And with your exhale, just rock your body forward rise to your hands and your knees, grounding the hands deep into the earth, feel that uplift from the deep low belly. And then with your inhale lift, the tailbone, the heart, the gaze look up. With your exhale round, let's pause here just for a moment.

Draw the belly to the spine and really emphasize the warming the opening through that mid upper back. Take a breath into it. Mhmm. Stay for your exhale. And then inhale lift, tailbone heart gaze, look up. Exaling to round again.

Last cycle here, inhale lift, tailbone heart gaze, exhaling to round. And then with your inhale, just come back to a neutral spine, talk the toes, exhale press all the way up and back downward facing dog. Give yourself a few breaths here. You can peddle the feet, ease the hips a little side to side. Just saying hello to the whole back body.

See what's there. Breathe into it. Mhmm. And then settle yourself in your down dog. With the next inhale, let's roll forward into plank pose, pause just for a moment. Draw everything in towards midline.

Feel your strength. Start to warm a little from the inside out. Another breath here. And then stay for your inhale. And with your exhale lower all the way down to the earth, knees first or chaturanga variation, it's your choice.

And then when you land, slide hands forward and out a little bit, tent fingertips. Press the legs into the earth and with your inhale rise to cobra just as high as feels good. And then exhale melt back down. Let's do that a couple more times. Inhaling to rise.

Feel for your own edge, exhale to melt back down. Really warming that thoracic spine. Once again, we inhale rise. And with your exhale, release all the way down, hands outside of rib cage, inhale just press back onto your hands and your knees, tuck your toes, exhale downward facing dog. Take one breath.

And then as you're ready on an inhale, walk the feet forward, find the front of the mat, easy fold, uttanasana. Feed about hips distance, head, heavy, neck, relaxes. Maybe the hands fall, maybe you hold elbows, maybe you sway a little, just releasing for a breath or two, making space. And then if you're holding elbows, let the hands release back to the earth. Keep the head, heavy neck really soft.

And then slowly with your inhale rolling all the way to stand. And as you arrive, exhale melt the shoulders back and down. Yeah, shake it all out a little bit, step the feet together, take the hands to prayer at heart center, Samastitihi. Big inhale as you are. Steady grounding exhale and surya namaskara a inhale reach arms out in a with your exhale bow out and down, deep, fold forward. Inhaling to lengthen halfway, grounding the hands, hop or step back and exhale or knees or inhale to cobra or upward facing dog. And exhale go up and back downward facing dog.

Long spine, steady breath, rolling shoulders away from ears, relaxing again through the neck. The jaw, the eyes, the brow, sensing your breath. One more breath cycle here. Bottom of the exhale soft bend in the knees, hop or step, find the front of your mat, inhaling halfway long spine, exhaling bow fold. Strong through your center, inhale to rise all the way up.

And then exhale hands to prayer, heart center. And let's do that again. Inhale to reach out and up. Exaling to bow out and down. Inhale lengthen halfway, grounding the hands, hop, or step back, exhale to lower, inhale, lift the heart, exhale up and back, downward facing dog.

And again, just breathing here, dropping in. Letting awareness move into sensations of body, following the breath, and letting everything else begin to soften and fade as much as possible. One more breath here. Bottom of your exhale, soft, bending the knees, hopper step front of mat, inhaling to lengthen halfway, exhaling to bow and fold. Inhale rise all the way up reaching beyond fingertips.

And exhale hands to heart center. Once again, inhale reach out and up. Exale to bow out and down, deep forward. Inhale halfway, ground the hands, hop or step back, lower knees or chaturanga, inhale cobra, up dog, exhale up and back downward facing dog, and again, settle into your breath here. Long spine.

Yeah. Just this. One more breath. And then we're gonna stay here really actively press the hands into the earth, feel strength of upper body. With your inhale, take your right leg to the sky.

With your exhale, open the hip, bend the knee. Take one breath. And then inhale reach, right leg to sky. And with your exhale, simply step the right foot forward between the hands, simple twist, left hand grounding, inhale reach, right arm opens. Just wring it out for a couple of breaths. Yeah. Stay for a big inhale.

And with your exhale release, right hand comes down to the earth, lower the back knee, untuck the toes, in how we rise low lunge on Janiasana. XL guide the hips forward really feel left hip flexors, tall spine, take a big inhale, and then with your exhale interlace your fingers cradling the head and the hands. Ease the head back, keep the elbows wide, let the strength of center support opening through the chest. Another breath or two off for it. As you're ready, inhale reach arms to sky.

With your exhale simply release hands to the earth, step all the way back into your down dog, take one breath. And then inhaling reach, left leg to sky, exhale to open the hip, bend the knee, take a breath. And then inhaling rise with your exhale, float, left foot forward between the hands, ground that right hand, inhale reach, left arm open, simple twist, ring it out. Feel mid upper back, feel strength of back leg rising to sky. Stay for your inhale and exhale release left hand to earth, lower the back knee, untuck the toes, inhale rise, lower lunge.

Exhale, ease your hips forward. Feel right hip flexor's opening. Stay for a big inhale and with your exhale interlace the fingers behind the head again. Cradle the head and the hands. Let the heart shine forward.

Take another breath or two, feel our opening. And then with the inhale, reach arms to the sky with the exhale release hands to the earth. Step back into your down dog. Take one breath. Great. From here, inhale roll forward, plank pose, and with your exhale release, knees to the earth, grounding through the left hand, inhale reach, right arm goes out and up.

And then with your exhale thread that right arm under, come to the back of the shoulder, side of the head, threading the needle. Left hand can ground, it can walk out, it can reach up, it can wrap back. Just find your sweet spot. And breathe across upper back, back of heart, back of shoulders. Open that up.

Big inhale reach left arm to sky, if it's moved. And with your exhale ground the left hand under that left shoulder again, inhale reach, right arm goes back to the sky. Open it up. And exhale really neutral spine. Good. Second side, inhale reach left arm.

And with your exhale thread that arm under, come to the back of the shoulder again. Find your sweet spot on this side might be a little different, sense into that. And then breathe into whatever you find. Couple more breaths. Yeah.

Big inhale right arm to sky. Exhale to release, ground right hand under right shoulder. Inhale. Take the left arm back to the sky. And exhale, release. Take a neutral spine here for a big inhale.

Grounding the hands, talking the toes, exhale, go up and back downward facing dog. Take a breath. Center yourself, come home to your intention. Mhmm. Here we go. In how right leg goes to the sky, And then with your exhale draw, knee to nose all the breath out. Stay right here for your inhale, and stay for your exhale.

Inhale reach right leg back to the sky. And then with your exhale, step the right foot forward, spin the back heel down to the earth. Inhale, we rise, warrior one virabhadrasana a. Exhale, settle into it. We're gonna give this a full five breaths, so move awareness through the body, deepening, strengthening, softening, whatever's needed. That's it. Three.

Stay for a big inhale, lift your heart a little. And with the exhale release hands to the earth, step back into plank and lower Inhale, lift through the heart. Exhale, go up and back downward facing dog. Inhale reach left leg to sky. Exhale, knee to nose, all the breath out. Pause.

Stay for your inhale. And stay for your exhale. Inhale reach it back to the sky. Exhale step, left foot forward, ground the back heel, inhaling warrior one, verbatra on a a second side, dig in five breaths. Be right here.

Sensing your body in the shape. Mhmm. Sensing your breath. Big in hell, lift the heart a little, exhale to release hands to the earth, step back, lower chaturanga, Inhale, lift the heart, exhale up and back downward facing dog. Take a breath or two. And in a moment, we're going to link that together, building the pace intentionally, building the heat and the energy.

Stay with it, move from center. Inhale right leg to sky. XL, knee to nose. Inhale rise. Exale, step right foot forward, ground the back heel, inhaling warrior one reach it up.

XL to deepen in. Inhale, lift the heart Exhale to release hands to the earth, step back, lower chaturanga. Inhale lift the heart. Exhale downward facing dog. Inhale left leg to sky.

Exale, knee to nose. Inhale to reach. Exhale, step it forward, ground your back heel, inhaling warrior one. Exhale to deepen in. Inhale lift the heart a little.

Exhale release hands to earth, step back, lower Chaturanga. Inhale upward facing. Exhale downward facing again, inhale right leg up. Exhale, knee to nose. Inhale reach.

Exhale, step it forward, ground back heel. Inhale to warrior one. Exhale ground. Inhale here. Exhale hands to the earth, step back, your vinyasa, follow breath.

Inhale, exhale knee to nose. Inhale reach. Exhale step forward, ground back heel, inhaling warrior one. Exale ground. Inhale here.

XL hands to the earth. Stuff it back lower as you choose. And how lift the heart. XL downward facing dog. Beautiful. Stay right here.

Let the body settle a little. Feel the heat rising. And then bottom of your next exhale, soft bend in the knees, hopper step front of mat, inhaling come halfway up. Exale just fold releasing here, soften into it. Then, you're gonna cross your right ankle over your left.

And then walk the hands over to the right as is, or if you want a little support, take the hands up on the block at any height. As upper body goes right, hips go left, Breathe into that outer left hip glute area. One more breath. Mhmm. And inhale rise a little.

Exhale, just walk it back to center and then switch the cross, left ankle across the right, and exhale walk hands over to the left as hips ease right. Breathe outer right hip glute area. Sometimes we feel this even all the way down, IT band. Couple more breaths. Nice.

Inhale to lengthen a little, exhale uncross the feet, walk hands back to center, block to side if you have one. Let the body release for a breath right down the midline. And then we heel toe feet together. Deep bend in the knees, inhale, utkatasana, and then exhale sit a little deeper. Mhmm, feel into strength of legs, glute muscles, length of spine, continuing to build the fire.

Stay with it. Few more breaths. Yeah. Okay. We stay for the inhale nice and tall through spine. And then with the exhale, let the upper body sway down and swing the arms back. Then again, bend the knees, inhale, exhale sway down, swing it back.

This time, inhale rise. Open the mouth, exhale lion's breath. Again, inhale up Last one, exhale, clear it out, inhale return to utkatasana, exhale sit a little deeper, then ground through the feet, inhale rise all the way up, exhale, open arms, open heart. Afreira. Inhale rise again.

And exhale simply take the hands home to prayer at the heart. Somerset to he, steady here. Give it a breath or two. Feel center, feel intention. And with your next inhale, bend the knees, take it up, utkatasana.

Pausing here, this time with your exhale, take hands to prayer, heart center. Study the gaze out and down, ground through your right foot, pick up the left, and wrap it around. Maybe the toes tuck behind, maybe they don't, doesn't really matter. If this is enough, keep what you've got. If you'd like, inhale, arms go wide, and with your exhale swing the left elbow underneath the right interlacing forearms.

You can stay right here or inhale and exhale round, draw elbows to knees, forehead to wrist, belly to spine, hover for three. Mhmm. Two. K. Before you move, visualize your warrior three. And as you're ready, inhale, spread your wings, arms go wide.

Exhale unwind the legs, extend it straight back, taking flight. Arms can reach forward, out, back, or even hands to the earth, feel strength of center, length of spine, hold steady. Okay. Play with this. Give it a big inhale. And then with your exhale, keep the leg up, but release hands to earth or find your block super helpful.

Left hand grounds on that block at any height, right thumb pulls the right hip crease back, reaching the heart out, and then here we go. Let's spiral open to the right for twisting half moon. Reach reach reach reach. Open it up. Three. Keep back legs strong. Two.

And give it a big inhale and exhale release right hand to earth, but keep the left leg lifted. Press back through that left heel, inhale reach out through your heart, and then exhale into a variation of pyramid left foot back, just two, three, four feet. Block comes outer edge of right foot now. Hans ground, earth or block, inhale lengthen halfway, exhale just fold. Good ground here for a moment.

Sensing this, we want to draw outer right hip up and back, drop outer left hip down. And release the weight of the head. Another breath or two. Mhmm. The grand finale of the twists, left hand inner outer edge of front foot. Again, block can be super helpful. Pull that right hip back with right thumb, reach heart out, and then spiral again, big inhale opening to the right.

Reaching out through fingertips. Yeah, cleansing, clearing, anything you wanna release, ring it out for three. Mhmm. Two. Big inhale.

Exhale back into your fold. Really block to the side for the time being. Inhale halfway up. Okay. Then with your exhale, step your left foot way back. Nice long lunge.

Ground the hands, lift from your deep belly, inhale take the right leg to the sky. And with your exhale, open the hip, bend the knee. We are going to give this a few breaths. You can shake it out, you can circle it around, you can flip it open, feel for what you need. Feel for what feels best. And then as you're ready, simply release right foot to the earth, returning to a down dog.

Take a big inhale. Open the mouth, exhale. Let that all go. One more breath here, centering. Bottom of your next exhale, soft bend in the knees, hopper step front of the mat, inhaling halfway, exhaling bow and fold feet together deep bend in the knees inhale Exhale to ground hands to prayer, heart center, steady your gaze to the earth, root down through that left foot, pick up the right leg, wrap it around once or maybe twice. Again, stay right here if you'd like, or big inhale arms go wide.

XL right elbow under interlace as is nice and tall or on your exhale round the back elbows to knees, forehead to wrists. Breathe three. Strong and steady, preparing to fly to That's it. And then as you're ready from the strength of your foundation, inhale arms go wide, exhale unwind the legs, extend that right leg straight back for warrior three Vira badrasana c. Change up the arm variation if you'd like. Hold steady three. Two.

And then with your exhale, keep the leg up, release the hands down, earth, or block. Press back through that right. He'll reach out through the heart. Right hand grounds, earther block. Left thumb pulls left hip crease back.

Heart goes out. Stay for a big inhale. Steady yourself on the exhale. And then inhaling, roll open to the left, reaching left arm to sky. Bree three.

That's it. Two. Big inhale here with your exhale release left hand to the earth, press back through that right heel as you inhale extend through the heart, and then exhale. Just step right foot back. To three, four feet, hands either side of front foot, earth, or block in how we lengthen. Exhale we fold.

It's melting into it. Mhmm, saw through neck and jaw, saw through eyes and brow and mind. Okay. Here we go into the twist. Inhale halfway up. Right hand can be inner or outer edge of front foot.

Again, the block is super helpful. Left thumb, post, left hip back, heart goes out. And then on your inhale, twisting open, reaching left arm to sky. Use that back heel as your anchor. Breathe three, and clear it all out. Two.

Big inhale. XL to release, left hand to the earth, block to the side for now. Hands grounding, inhale just halfway, exhale to melt. Give it a moment. And then with your inhale lengthen halfway, bend that left knee a little exhale, step the right foot all the way back, root the hands, engage the belly, inhale left leg to sky.

Exhale, open the hip, bend the knee. Yeah. And then play with it, circle it around, shake it out, maybe even flip it open. Again, whatever feels best. And as you're ready, just release downward facing dog. Take a big inhale through the nose. Open the mouth, exhale.

Let it go. Then inhale forward to plank. Exhale chaturanga. Inhale upward facing. And exhale all the way back using that vinyasa to clear it out, downward facing dog.

Big inhale. And with your exhale, simply release, knees to earth, hips to heels, let the whole body sink down. Child's pose. Breathing down the length of the spine into lower back and sacrum. And just letting everything settle for a moment. A couple more breaths.

As you're ready, inhale rise hands and knees, tucking the toes, exhale, return to down dog just for a moment. Take a big inhale at the bottom of the exhale, bending the knees, hopper step through to sit for dandasana seated staff pose. Grounding through sit bones, tall through spine, root the hands outside of hips or back a little bit, and just feel length of central channel, length of spine, feet flexed. Legs awake. Few more breaths.

Mhmm, grounding and gathering the energy of the flow. Right. Then, nice and simple. Take the hands back a little. You might use sit bones forward a little.

You'll find your sweet spot here grounding the feet into the earth, press the hands into the earth, rise, Pravotanasana. Head can rise or fall back, feel what works for your neck, and breathe three. To exhale release, returning to Dundasana, take one breath, just let that settle. And then inhale reach arms out and up. And with your exhale, paschimottanasana, you can hold feet, big toes, ankle shins, whatever you'd like.

When you have that grip, lengthen out again, inhale, and exhale melt into your fold. A full five breaths here. Just let yourself give over to it. A couple more breaths. Softening, releasing. Yeah.

Keep the hands where they are. On your next inhale lengthen halfway up. Exhale to release, and then we'll inhale reach the arms out and up with your exhale. Just take the arms straight out in front of you, palms open to get big inhale, lift that deep low belly and then slowly on the exhale that's lower for 10. Mhmm. Feel strength of center.

Nine eight. Keep neck and shoulders soft. Seven. Six five. Mhmm. Four. Ice three.

Almost home. Two. And then all the way down. Just really find the earth and let the whole body soften. Take a breath. And then simply bending the knees, grounding the feet about hips distance, let's cross right ankle over the left knee flexing right foot. Draw the legs in, interlace behind left thigh or shin, and hug legs into chest.

If that's enough, beautiful, stay there. If it feels okay, let's take eagle legs right knee across the left, and then hands outer edge of each foot. A little more outer hip, IT band opening. Draw it in. Big inhale. And then with the exhale, we're gonna let the whole lower body fall to the left simple twist.

You can keep the bind of the legs or let that go. Reach the right arm out. And breathe down length of spine, lower back, sacrum three. To inhale, let's just rock it back to center and exhale unwind the legs, plant the feet hips distance. Second side, left ankle across, right knee flexing left foot, loop the hands around right thigh or shinhug it in.

Yeah. Again, this is more than enough. If you wanna stay here, great. If you wanna play with it, left knee over the right, feet flexed, hands hold, outer edges of opposite feet, draw the legs into your own edge. Breathe out or hip by t band area.

Three. Two. Okay. Big inhale. And then with the exhale, we let the legs fall to the right. Again, as is or you can let that bind go first. Left arm out to left.

Final twist, cleansing and clearing. You activated a lot, you stirred up a lot, very dynamic, energizing flow. Use these closing twists to let everything clear and subtle. One more breath. And then inhale back to center, exhale unwind the legs, draw the knees in towards the chest and rock yourself a little side to side.

Okay. So from here, you have the option of shoulder stand setting up in your preferred variation, or you can ground the feet, lift tips, slide block under sacrum, legs up from there, a little more gentle inversion. If you're feeling for the shoulder stand, here we go. Press the arms, the hands into the earth, knees into chest, rock legs up and over, and then hand supporting the back, crawl the shoulders a little closer. And as you're ready, reach the legs to sky, Mhmm. Entering you out through the balls of the feet holding steady for 10.

Yeah. Since the breath. Five. Mother breath or two. And then with the exhale, lower the legs over the head again, halasana plow, arms just rest or hands clasp behind. Take five breaths here.

Okay. When you're ready to roll down, release the clasp of hands if you have it. Mount the spine back to the earth. Let the hips land on forearms and wrists pressing forearms elbows into the earth as the legs lower to support upper body rising into fish pose. Gaze back at the third eye.

Open through the heart. Breat three. Two. Yeah. Press through forearms and elbows to lift the head and release.

And then removing the arms unraveling and letting the whole body sink and settle. For your final rest. As you land, take a big inhale through the nose. Open the mouth, exhale. Let it all go, whatever it is, and just rest.

Gently begin to deepen your breath. And bring a little movement into your hands and your feet. And as you're ready, a big inhale reach the arms up and over extend through fingers and toes, with your exhale bending the knees, you can roll to either side, and then rock yourself all the way up to a comfortable seat. Let the hands rest. Soft gaze or close the eyes.

And we'll take just a moment of stillness here, transitioning from the practice into whatever the rest of the day or the evening holds. Sensing the length of your spine, sensing your breath. And then drawing hands to prayer at heart center, recalling your intention and offering it up and out with the sound of om. Exhale to empty, together through the nose a big inhale. Gently inhaling, and a soft bow forward with your exhale, namaste.

Thank you all so so much. May your skies be clear, and may you fly, sweet, and free, a must stay.