Open and Water the Heart

Welcome, we'll find an active bridge pose and a supported bridge pose with two blocks. So, I found myself practicing this in the morning or in the evening. It tends to be restorative and nourishing, and it helps me feel better. So, finding your way onto your mat, coming onto your back, and we'll start with an active bridge pose, feet about hip distance apart, heels in line with the sit bones, allow for an inhale and as you exhale begin to bring the tailbone under pressing down into the Earth, drawing the shoulders under the back, and you might stay here and actively reach the hands towards your ankles. You might prefer to tuck the shoulders under the back, the hands might interlace right around the sacrum allowing the thighs to lengthen, feeling the support through the legs, spacious around the throat, breathing here in this shape.

(breathes deeply) As you're ready to release, let's come up onto the balls of the feet, reach the arms up towards the sky, and then rounding the spine down to the Earth, releasing the arms, take a moment to pause here. Deep breath in, and exhale release. From here, now we'll find a supported bridge pose. As you're ready, press down through the feet, curl the tailbone under, lift the hips, place one block underneath the sacrum, finding the lower 2/3 of the sacrum, and then I'll place my second block on top, take a bit of practice, and then releasing the sacrum towards the support, and just taking a few moments to find a supportive position. From here, again the hands, the arms might reach actively towards the ankles, and it can feel nice to draw the shoulders under the back, continue to allow the neck to lengthen, breathing here, and the thighs drawing towards each other, softening the jaw.

You might stay here, the option is to bring the knees up towards the chest, and then extend the legs up towards the sky finding the shape of the berita korani, breathing, and for me I like to work a bit actively through the legs, through the feet, breathing, softening the gaze. You might continue to stay here for a few more minutes. As you're ready to release, slowly release the legs. Find the shape of bridge, press down through the feet, let the hips lift, remove the first block, lower the sacrum to the first block, take a moment to pause, notice how you feel, (breathes deeply) and you might stay here, as you're ready press down through the feet, let the hips lift, and then remove that first block, and then slowly releasing the spine to the Earth, taking a moment to pause here, breathing in, and exhale release. When we're here hug the knees into the chest, you might rock a bit from side to side, it might feel nice to curl up, get round, forehead towards the knees, and then release.

From here, I'll roll to my side, and then use my arms to press my way back up. Just closing with a comfortable seat. (breathes deeply) Hands at the heart, namaste.