Natarajasana Flow

Welcome everyone. Such a joy to be together. We're gonna move into some deep heart opening back bending in this flow. Love for you to have two blocks and a strap or some improvised props at your disposal. Let's begin in a supported heart opener.

So the two blocks are at the back of the mat, and you'll sit about a foot away from the first one. And then holding the block as you go down so you can position it kind of right below the shoulder blades. So the shoulder blades are just floating free between the two blocks. And then the second block comes just behind the skull, and you can adjust either as you go. If the block under the head is higher, it'll be a little less intense.

If it's lower, it'll be more intense, so your choice. For now, let the arms rest in a kind of cactus shape, knees bent, feet grounded. And let your body begin to sink into the shape, feeling the support of the blocks, and the support of the earth beneath you. Opening the heart is no small thing physically or energetically. So let's start with this sense of support.

And feeling into the ground beneath you, a steady foundation. And then just gradually begin to deepen your breath. You feel the inhales expanding. Mhmm. Feel that front body, front rib cage expanding as you breathe in.

And feel the body relaxing and settling as you breathe out. And stay with this and just shift a little drawing the hands to the rib cage wherever they're most comfortable. So that you can feel the rise and fall of the breath under your hands and feel that energy, that life force flowing with the breath. And let's take an ohm here so that you can feel the vibration of the sound in your body under your hands. Just exhale empty all the breath out.

And then together through the nose, a big inhale. And in that lingering vibration, consider your intention for this practice. And if any heart quality resonates for you, welcome that into your intention. As we work with explore the opening of the heart center. Mhmm.

From here, let the hands release And just feel the forearms, elbows, hands on the earth, and use that to guide yourself out of the pose, pressing down. And then all the way up. And just rock forward removing the blocks for the time being and then transitioning up onto your hands and your knees. Making contact with the earth through base of thumb and first finger. And then with your next inhale, lift, the tailbone, the heart, the gaze, and with your exhale at the back round, draw the belly to the spine.

Empty all the breath out. Really touch the bottom of your sail, just two more inhale lift, tailbone heart gaze, exhale to round. Once again, big inhale. See if you can feel that opening already starting, after the supported heart opener and exhale round empty it out. Good then inhale come back to a neutral spine, exhale ground, feel strength of center belly rising to spine, inhale take the right leg back and the left arm forward, feel that reach extending in both directions.

And then totally up to you, you're welcome to stay here or even release, or maybe left hand reaches back for the right foot, keep the center strong, let the action come from there, lifting the leg to the sky, opening across the chest and through front of left shoulder. Breathe. Good. One more breath. And then with your inhale extend the arm out, the leg back again, so you're releasing with strength. And exhale, hand, and knee back to the earth, circle the head a little, keeping the neck soft. And then back to a neutral spine, strong center, inhale left leg back, right arm out, extending in both directions, feel that expanse beyond physical body.

You're welcome to stay here or right hand finds the left foot. Can always use the strap if you'd like. Reach reach, reach that leg to the sky, which opens the arm, the right shoulder across the chest, a couple more breaths, sending awareness into the sensation. Yeah. And then with your next inhale, leg goes back, arm goes out, and with your exhale release hand and knee to the earth, again, soft through the neck, let that go. And then back to neutral, we'll take a big inhale here.

And with your exhale, just sink your hips to your heels into child's pose just two or three breaths, letting that all settle. And ground. Good. Then inhale rise, hands and knees. Talk the toes, exhale press up and back into downward facing dog, arumuka, Shonasana. Easing in.

Paddling the feet, forming through the backs of the legs, softening through the neck and the jaw, softening through the eyes and the brow. Yeah. It's kind of warming and welcoming your body into your practice. One more breath here. And then with the next inhale, let's walk the feet forward to the front of the mat and just take an easy fold as you arrive. Hands fall or hold elbows, you might sway a little.

It's kind of releasing a bit more, clearing, making space for your flow. Hands fall to earth, keep that soft bend in the knees, and then slowly, slowly inhale. Let's roll all the way to stand. And as you arrive, exhale, send the shoulders back and down, shake it all out a little bit, and then step feet together, hands to prayer, heart center for samas to teehee. Take a breath here through the nose, inhaling, through the nose exhaling, grounding in your center line.

Good. Then inhale, we reach arms out and up. Strong through your center exhale to bow out and down. With the inhale lengthen halfway and then grounding the hands, hopper step back. And lower knees, hips, belly chest. First vinyasa go gently, inhale lift into cobra as high as feels good.

And then with your exhale, go all the way up and back into your down dog. Take one big inhale. Study exhale. Bottom of exhale, bend the knees, hopper step front of mat. Inhaling halfway, exhaling to bow and fold.

Inhale we rise all the way up, reaching it out. And exhale hands to heart center, good two more. Inhale we reach. Out and up. Exhale bow out and down.

Inhale halfway. Ground hands, hop or step back. Exhale lower knees, or Chaturanga Dandasana, inhale into cobra or upward facing dog. Exhale, we go back downward facing dog, again, one breath, big inhale. Ste exhale.

Bottom of the exhale, bend the knees, hop or step, find front of mind. Inhale halfway. Exhale, bow and fold, inhale rise all the way up, reaching it up. Exhale, hands to the heart once again, inhale out and up. Exhale bow out and down, deep fold.

Inhale halfway, hop or step back, exhale lower. Inhale lift through the heart. And exhale, go back downward facing dog, one breath, big inhale. Steady exhale. Bottom of exhale, bend knees, hopper step front of mat, inhaling halfway, exhaling bow and fold inhale all the way up reaching beyond fingertips, and exhale hands to the heart. Good.

Surinamaskara b, bending the knees, inhale reach out and up. XL we bow out and down. Deep four. Inhale halfway. Ground hands, hopper step back, exhale lower as you choose.

Inhale lift through the heart, melt shoulders. Exale downward facing dog. Inhale reach right leg to the sky. And with your exhale step right foot forward, ground the back heel, inhaling rise warrior one, virabhadrasana a, exhale saddle into it. Give this a few breaths, feel your strength, feel the body warming and opening. Stay for your inhale.

And with the exhale release hands to the earth step to plank, lower knees or chaturanga, inhale, lift the heart. Exhale, go up and back, inhale, left leg to sky. Exhale, step it forward, grounding back heel, inhale, warrior one rear, badrasana, exhale, settle in and breathe here. Yeah. Building the strength, the heat, the energy, three. No, I still with the exhale release hands to earth, step back, lower as you choose, inhale lift the heart.

Exale downward facing dog three breaths. Long spine, just this. Sensing them breath. Returning to center and intention. Bottom of exhale, soft bend in knees, hopper step front of mat, inhaling halfway.

Exhaling to fold, bend the knees, inhale, utkatasana, and exhale, samastitihi. Again, building the pace, bend the knees, inhale, utkatasana. Exhale to bow out and down. Halfway inhale, hopper step by, exhale lower. Inhale, lift the heart. Exhale, down dog, inhale, right leg rising, exhale, step forward, ground back, heel, inhale warrior one.

Exhale ground. Inhale, long spine. XL hands to the earth, step back, lower as you choose. Inhale lift the heart. Exhale, down dog, inhale, left leg rising.

Exhale, step it forward, root back, heel, inhale, warrior one. Exhale to ground. Inhale lengthen it, exhale hands to the earth. Step back, Chaturanga. Inhale up dog.

Exale, down dog, breathe here for three. Mhmm, bottom of your exhale, hopper step front of mat. Inhale lengthen, exhale bow and fold, bend the knees, inhale, utkatasana. Exhale, samastitihi. Once again, bending the knees, inhale out and up.

Exhale out and down. Inhale halfway. Ground hands, hopper step back, exhale to lower. Inhale at the heart rise. Exhale down dog, inhale right leg rising.

Exale. Step it forward. Ground your back. He'll inhale or ear one. Exale ground. Inhale lengthen it and exhale hands to the earth.

Step back, chaturanga. Inhale, lift the heart. Exhale down dog. Left leg. Inhale to sky. Exhale.

Step forward, root back heel. Inhale or ear one. Exale, release, step back and lower, inhale lift the heart. Exale, downward facing dog, good pause, deep full breath. Mhmm, feel the body warming, awakening. And breath deepening and expanding.

And let the rest start to melt away. Another breath or two here. Okay. From here with your next inhale, reach the right leg to the sky. And with your exhale, open the hip and the knee. Take one breath. Say hello to your right hip.

And then with the next inhale, reach that leg straight up to the sky. And with your exhale, float the right foot forward, spin back heel to the earth, and inhale, left arm opens you, warrior two for your badrasana, be grounding here, steady gaze, steady breath, feel your strength. Good. And with your next inhale, root through that right foot, lengthen right leg, and reach the arms up. With your exhale wide open again. Ice inhale to rise.

Exhale, open, feel the flow again, inhale, exhale open, inhale rise. Exhale open last one fluid through the whole body, inhaling, exhaling to open. Okay. Then stay right here, steady through your foundation and inhale reach both arms up. Exale bend that left elbow the right hand to it and ease the arm back a little bit, then you're going to keep the left arm where it is. Reach the right arm up the back, see if you can find your fingertips.

If not, no big deal. Grab onto a strap, your clothing, whatever you've got. Then ease the head back into that left arm a little bit. Feel left shoulder opening. Give it a couple of breaths. Okay.

We're gonna keep the bind, inhale lengthen the right leg, exhale spin the feet to parallel, and then dropping the tailbone, lift from that deep low belly all the way up front body, big inhale, look up. Keep the bind if you can, and exhale into your fold. Legs are strong. Breath into the sticky spots. Stay with a three. Yeah. Two.

And then a big inhale. And with your exhale stay in the fold, simply release the bind hands to the earth. Yeah. Take a big inhale lengthen halfway up. And then with your exhale energetically, the hips go back as you walk the arms out. Melt the heart to the earth.

Saw through the neck. If forehead touches down, great. If not, great. Another breath or two. Give this one more bra.

And then with your next inhale, walk the hands back in under the shoulders, exhale to ground here. Super strong through the belly draw in and up, inhale lengthen halfway up and with your exhale extend the arms out wide. Feel strength of center, energy out through fingertips, as is or bend the knees, lift the heels, let it tremble a little for three. Nice to ground through the feet and how reach all the way up arms rise. And then with your exhale, just open it out again into warrior to ground, big inhale.

And then with your exhale, take the hands to the earth, pause, spin back heel up, lower back knee down, walk it into lizard. Right knee can hug in or open out, stay on the hands or release to the forearms. Mhmm. And then as is, or right hand finds left foot. Again, feel free to use the strap if you'd like. Send the breath into the left quad muscles, easing in.

Good. Give it a few more breaths so there's release space. To let that warm and open. Yeah. To If you have that back foot, gently release it. And then from the fold inhale walk up her body back in and up with your exhale hands either side of front foot, talk back towards, lift back knee, inhale reach, right leg to sky.

And then with your exhale, open the hip and the knee totally welcome to stay right here, or even release to down dog, or right foot falls behind the left, flipping your dog, and welcoming the back bend. Breathe. Yeah. Big inhale. XL. Right hand goes back to the earth. Inhale. Right leg goes back to the sky.

Exhale to release downward facing dog. Stay right here or inhale, roll forward plank, exhale lower, inhale lift through the heart. Exale, go up and back, downward facing dog. Take one breath home to center, home to intention. Here we go, inhale reach, left leg to sky.

XL open the hip and the knee. Take one breath. Say hello to the left hip. Inhale rise, exhale, float left foot forward, ground back heel, inhaling right arm opens you, warrior two second side, exhale to ground, steady gaze, steady breath. And then press that right foot into the earth with your inhale legs lengthen arms rise dancing a little exhale wide open. Good riding the breath.

Inhale Exale to open. Inhale rise. XL open. Couple more. Inhale.

Exale. Inhale rise. XL, open, hold steady here. Keep foundation strong. Inhale reach the arms up.

Exhale bend the right elbow. Take the left hand to it and ease it open. Mhmm. Keep right arm where it is. Reach the left arm up the back, finding fingertips, or strap, or towel, or whatever you've got handy, easing into it, headache goes back into the arm a bit. Yeah. And then keep that inhale lengthen left leg exhale spin feet parallel.

Ground through the feet, drop through the tailbone, inhale, lift all the way up front body all the way into that right arm. And exhale take the bind into the fold. Releasing down, soft through the neck. Send the breath wherever you need it. Stay for a big inhale, and then exhale just release hands to the earth. Yeah.

Inhale halfway. And this time with your exhale, walk your hands through the legs deepening into the fold. Mhmm. Few breaths. Good. One more breath here. And with the inhale, walk the hands under the shoulders, exhale ground. Then inhale halfway up.

Leg stays strong, belly to spine, exhale arms go wide. As is or bend the knees, lift the heels, hold strong three. I'll get all in towards center two. Good. Grounding the feet, inhale reach all the way up. XL go wide open again into your warrior two.

Mhmm. Take a big inhale here. And with your exhale hands to the earth, pause, lift back heel lower back knee and walk it into lizard second side. On the hands or the forearms, knee hugging in or opening it out. And then again, that option to bind, left hand finds right foot or strap, and then send your breaths and the energy you're building into right quad muscles for three. Mhmm.

Keep playing with it. Deepening into it. Two. Yeah. Big inhale. If you have the foot, exhale gently let it go. Inhale, walk the upper body back in and up, exhale hands either side of front foot, talk back toes lift back knee, inhale sweep, left leg to sky, exhale, opening the hip, bending the knee, keep what you've got, or flip it open, strong through foundation, wide open through the heart. Another breath or two.

Good. Inhale. And then exhale left hand grounds, inhale reach, left leg to sky, exhale release into your down dog. Stay right there or inhale roll forward. Exhale lower, wash that all the way. Inhale, lift through the heart. And then exhale up and back downward facing dog.

Take a big inhale through the nose. Open the mouth, exhale. Let it all go. Couple more breaths here. Just centering.

Okay. With the next inhale, we're just going to roll forward into a plank pose. And then with the exhale, we're going to lower all the way down onto the belly. You can take knees first or chaturanga style, finding the earth on the exhale. And then sliding forearms elbows out, ground the elbows under the shoulders and inhale talk the toes, exhale lift it up forearm planks. Strong through the whole body, especially the center.

Hold five. Four, three. Draw it in and up. Two. Mhmm. And with your exhale just release. Nice work.

Okay. From here into Shalabasana, arms alongside the body. Mhmm. Just ground for a moment, feel your center. And then with your inhale lift everything up off the earth. Arms, legs, head, chest, feel strength of back body, shine through the heart, hold steady, a few more breaths. Good. Stay for your inhale.

XL release. You can either turn either cheek and rest or back into forearm plank. Ground forums and elbows, toes, inhale, lift it up. Strong center, hold for five. Tail bone reaching the heels, belly drawing up towards heart, supporting the back bending with a strong center cultivating the strength of core.

One more breath. And then with the exhale, release. Okay. Same idea. Shalabasana only this time with the bind, interlace the fingers behind the back.

And with your inhale lift, head, neck, shoulders up off the earth, legs, and arms up off the earth, and the body, breathe five. Strong through back body, open through heart for three. To exhale to release. Again, you can simply rest or one last forearm playing ground and rise. Hold five. Enjoy your strength. Four, and say it three, two, and x sail, release. Okay. Last backbend here on the belly.

You can take Shalabasana any variations or if low back feels happy with it, reaching back for dhanurasana. Here we go. Inhale rise. Strong through the back, feel free to rock and roll a little bit and then find your sweet spot. Breathe five. Four three. Two.

And with your exhale, let it all go, feet fall to the earth, hands outside a ribcage, nice and easy, inhale press to hands and knees, and then exhale. Just sink your hips to your heels for child's pose. Breathing down into lower back and sacrum and letting the whole body settle a little. Couple breaths. Yeah. As always, you're welcome to stay in childs as long as you'd like.

Just joining the flow again when you're ready. Inhale, we'll lift the hands and knees, tuck toes, exhale, go back into your down dog. Take one breath. And then inhaling, walk to the front of the mat. Easy food. Let it go for a breath.

Yeah. And then slowly with your inhale, let the body roll all the way to stand. And exhale, landing, grounding. Sama Stitihi. One breath here.

Okay. Let's explore a little from here. Not to Rajasana dancer's pose. Wide open through the shoulders, the quad muscles, the hip flexors, hopefully we're well prepared. Let's start by grounding the right foot, bending the left knee, reaching back with left hand.

Strong through standing leg, feel into the strength of the center you've created, and then reaching the leg back on the arm out. Use your gaze, steady your breath. I'm just kind of taste it. For three. Two.

Yeah. Inhale. Drop it back to your center line. Exhale let that go. And let's feel into the second side, ground through left foot, bend right knee, reach back, take hold, and then reaching back, reaching out. Feel that expands out, opening. One more breath.

And then inhale back to center and exhale again. Just shake it out. Let it go. Okay. Taking it a step further.

Find your strap and just fold it in half. We don't need to loop it, buckle it. We just want it folded in half. Grounding down through the right foot. Bend the left knee and just take the foot, in the fold of the strap and hold the other side with a left hand. Strong through that standing leg.

Uplifting through deep belly, then reaching back for the strap with both hands, start to walk the hands towards the foot, and then reach reach reach leg to sky upper body tilting forward. When you feel like you're at your edge, pause. Give it your breath. Give it your awareness. Maybe after a breath or two or three or four, the hands.

Walk a little closer to the foot. No strain. Just feeling for that edge. Few more breaths. Three.

Yeah. Be with it. Two. Big inhale. XL gently, let the straps slide through the hands as the leg lowers and then release. Deep, strong work, excellent, stabilize for a breath, and try the second side, ground through left foot, loop top of right foot in the strap, reach back, Take the strap with both hands, find that standing leg. Yeah. Feel into it.

Op lift from deep low belly, strong core supports the heart opener. And then reaching the leg up and back, extending out through the heart. Feel it for three. Two. Yeah. And then again, if this is enough, beautiful.

Stay where you are. If the hands wanna walk closer to the foot, use the strap to cover that distance. And then again, reach up and out. Offer it for three. Two. And slowly, strap slides through the hands.

Releasing the foot to the earth. Yeah. Shake it out, let it go, finding center again, Samastitihi, and just ground. Big inhale. Steady exhale.

Okay. Nice and easy inhale to reach the arms out and up. And then with your exhale, we're just gonna sit down. So bend the knees, arms reach forward as your counter balance and find the earth transitioning for dandasana seated staff. Lakes extend, flesh moves out from under sits bones, feel into your foundation, pressing hands deep into earth, tall through spine, rise through crown of head.

Traditionally gazing tip of nose, if top of thighs feels better, great if closing the eyes feels good. Great. Another breath or two. And then inhale, just reach arms out and up. And with your exhale, paschimottanasana, holding big toes or sides of feet or ankles or strap around the feet, lots of options, and then just melt down into it. There's a lot of deep back bending, hard opening.

So give yourself space here. To let it settle, to let it integrate. And relaxing through neck and jaw, softening eyes, brow, mind, for three. Yeah. Two. Good. Keep the hands where they are.

In how we lengthen halfway up. Exale just release, and then let's draw the legs in for baddha konasana. Take the soles of the feet together. Holding the feet. Start again with a tall spine lengthening out, breath here.

And then a big inhale. And exhale fold again, letting back round, letting head fall. If you're close to the earth, but not quite, you can always grab one of your blocks. And at any height, let the forehead rest. And allowing the knack muscles to just soften a little bit more with the support of the props.

No unnecessary holding. Couple more breaths. It's relaxing into it. Yeah. From the fold, inhale, draw it back up, and just move blocks to side again if you're using them.

Draw the knees together, and then gently, you know, roll all the way down onto the back. Draw legs into chest, wrap arms around the legs and rock yourself a little side to side. Big inhale, nice and easy exhale let the legs fall to the left and reach, right arm out to the right. Take any variation of this twist that feels best in your body. Another counter pose to all of the deep back bending.

And also an opportunity at the end of your practice. To ring it all out. Again, it can be relatively intense work exploration to move into deep back bending and to open the heart. Honoring that and giving yourself space to clear and to settle Inhale, come back to center, hips might wanna move to the left a little bit, and then exhale, legs fall to the right, and reach, left arm out, bring it all out. Mhmm.

Few more brass. Yeah. With the next inhale again, drop back to center. Exhale, hug the knees in towards the chest. And again, just rock yourself a little side to side and feel into it. If there is anything at all your body wants before Shavasana, listen for that.

Maybe just a simple happy baby. Maybe you set yourself up in a restorative pose. Trust what you feel for. Mhmm. Big inhale.

Exhale to let it go and truly in your own time, find your final rest, legs extending, arms resting. Wiggle around a little, settle down into it. And then let the whole body dissolve into the earth. Stently through the nose, big inhale, and open the mouth, exhale. Let it go.

And just rest. Gently deepening the bra. And bringing a little movement into hands and feet. And with your inhale, reach the arms up and over. And with your exhale bending the knees, you can roll to either side.

You can stay there for a little while, feel into it, and just find a comfortable seat in your own time. And let's take a moment to ground here together. So any seat that feels best, rest the hands, soften the gaze or close the eyes. And notice how you feel. Progressively deeper and deeper back bending is designed to uproot cleanse and clear any obstacles, especially in hard center.

That can be really exhilarating and liberating, and it can also stir all kinds of emotion and sensation. So just making space for whatever is true for you. Allow it all, meet it with your breath, and have listened for what you need. And then drawing hands to prayer at heart center. Let's close with the sound of ohm, exhale all the breath out.

Together through the nose, take a big inhale. Gently inhaling, softball forward with the exhale. Namaste. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Very strong.

Very courageous flow. Thanks for joining me for it.