Slow Wake Up

Good morning Yogi Namaste, thank you for joining me. So not every morning I am inspired to get up off the floor and start moving first thing in the morning. So this morning's practice is designed to be one of those mornings where we start out gradually on the floor supine with some gentle opening and then make our way towards standing. We'll find a sun salutation or two and then make our way down. Okay so join me on your back, and this finding your way supine will find a windshield wipers, so coming supine, and bringing the soles of the feet wider than your hips, and just taking a moment to lengthen through the sides, inhale, and as you exhale let both knees fall to one side.

Inhale, the knees back up to center, and exhale, over to the other side. Let's begin to continue moving with your breath. And tuning in to the movement in the spine, so from the tailbone up through the base of the skull. Your head might flow with your knees or away from your knees and I like to pause on one side and reach and lengthen up for the opposite arm, breathing. Find that ease in the neck.

And then inhale the knees up and exhale over to the other side, lengthening and breathing. I'm gonna inhale, take it over to the right, and then bring my left ankle across my, my right ankle across my left thigh and just taking a moment to lengthen here, letting that right hip open. Softening the jaw, the eyes. And then releasing that right foot down, inhale the knees up, exhale over to the left. You might stay here, you might bring the left ankle across that right thigh and gently draw that right thigh down a bit opening the hip.

And taking a nice full breath. and then releasing the left foot, inhale, the knees up, and one more round of windshield wipers side to side, just opening the hips, the sacrum. Good, and letting the knees come back up to center, and then find an easy hip opener, eye of the needle, letting the right hip open, right ankle across the left thigh, and then without the hands drawing the left knee in, and usually first thing in the morning I like to rock a bit from side to side. You might stay here, you might curl up, and then release the head and the shoulders to the floor, again softening the jaw, and drawing the left knee in closer. Releasing the shoulders and taking a few breaths into the right hip.

I like to imagine inhale creating some space in the hip joint and then exhale softening the jaw, softening the hip. Breathing into where you feel the stretch. Noticing where you can soften any gripping or effort through the fingers, the shoulders. And then when you feel ready releasing the left foot down, release the right leg, just taking a clearing breath. Exhale, and then second side, left ankle across the right thigh, and just letting that left hip open, flexing the left ankle.

And eventually you might draw the right knee in towards the heart. I'm a big fan of wiggling and rocking. You might stay here, you might curl up, and wind the back of the thigh or maybe the top of your shin, and then drawing the knee in closer as you breathe into the stretch, into the sensation. And then softening the grip. Noticing the quality of your attention, again if there's as thought or a worry or a...

Sensation. And a few more moments here. Nice. As you're ready inhale, and then exhale, release the right foot down, free the left leg. Clearing breath, inhale.

And exhale. And then from here setting up for a rolling bridge, so bringing the heels in line with the sit bones, and just taking a moment to drop our awareness down to the tailbone, reaching the arms alongside. From here we'll inhale, curl the tailbone under, press down through the feet, lift the hips. Inhale the arms over the top of the head, and then exhale slowly releasing the spine and the arms. And then continue, inhale curl the tailbone under, press down, lifting the hips.

Exhale, release. Now take four more of those rolling bridge, inhale, and exhale. Inhale. Exhale. This time we'll inhale and hold.

And then exhale, release. And then hug the knees into the chest. From here you might roll to your side and press your way up or rock your way towards the seat. And making our way into a forward fold, so coming into a sukhasana shin to shin. And just taking a moment to lengthen up through the spine and then walking the hands out in front of you, spreading the fingers wide, and tractioning the heart forward.

Drawing the shoulder blades down the back and then soften the jaw, soften the belly, soften the floor of the pelvis. And you might stay here this morning, you might continue to walk the arms out, and then round the spine head might release, palms might open. And taking a few breaths in this forward fold, and keeping the jaw and the hips soft. And then slow as you're ready roll up, and then we'll lean back and switch the cross of the legs, so bring the opposite shin in front. I like to flex the ankles, again taking a moment to lengthen and then exhale walking the fingers forward, spreading the fingers and then drawing the heart forward, shoulder blades down the back.

And it might feel nice to stay here in this extension or begin to round the spine, soften the belly, release the head and breathe. And then slowly when you're ready rolling back up. Okay slowly making our way onto all fours for some cat cow. Spreading the fingers wide, inhale, and then exhale, get round and able towards the spine. And for me I like to tuck the toes under and gently traction through the lower back drawing the hips back.

And then inhale, rolling the pelvis forward, arching, widening through the collar bones and then exhale, curl. And moving at your own pace with your breath. And allow the movement to be interesting to you so you're really engaged and present with your body and in your practice. We'll take one more round and then me and child's pose for a breath or two. Reaching the arms out in front of you.

Then on your next inhale come back up on the all fours, now shifting gears in preparation for plank pose, spreading the fingers wide, drawing the shoulders down the back, some awareness on the core tucking the toes under and coming into plank. Nice strong legs as you reach back through the heels, lengthening forward through the heart. Inhale and then exhale, we'll press back finding downward facing dog. Breathing. And again this first dog, you might come up onto the balls of the feet, and then slowly let the calves stretch down to the heels.

And then as you're ready walking your feet towards your hands, we'll meet in a standing forward fold, uttanasana. Softening the back of the knees, letting the arms release. And then as you're ready soften the knees, chin into the chest, slowly rolling up towards standing, and then inhale, reach the arms up. Exhale, release the arms down. From here making our way into some sun salutations finally.

So variation of Surya Namaskara, spreading the toes, and inviting the breath to deepen. And as you're ready inhale, circle the arms up. Exhale, forward fold. Inhale, and exhale, step back into your downward facing dog. About three to five breaths here.

And then as you're ready step your right foot forward, step your left foot forward, inhale, half arch, exhale, forward fold. And inhale, circle the arms all the way up, exhale, release. Second round, inhale, exhale. Inhale, and exhale, step the left foot back, right foot back, downward facing dog. And on your next inhale step the left foot forward and the right foot, inhale, half arch.

Exhale, forward fold. And inhale, circle the arms up, exhale, release. And adding on inhale, circle the arms up, exhale, inhale, and exhale, right foot steps back, left foot steps back, downward facing dog. Inhale, the right leg high, and exhale, float the right foot between the hands. Let's lower down into a lunge, and inhale, draw the hips back.

Exhale, sync in. Inhale, draw the hips back. And exhale, sink in, and you might stay low here this morning, the finesse here inspire, the arms might reach up. And then releasing. And stepping back into plank, lowering down, inhale to cobra.

Exhale, release. Downward facing dog. As you're ready inhale the left leg high, exhale, step the left foot between the hands, lower down to a lunge. And as you inhale draw your hips back, exhale, sync in. And a few times like this.

Do it one more time. And exhale, sync in, you might stay low here as you inspire, the arms might reach up. And then exhale, release. Stepping back into plank, and then lowering down. Inhale, lifting the heart.

Exhale, release. Tuck the toes under, and back into downward dog. And three to five breaths here. And then as you're ready step forward, inhale, half arch, exhale, forward fold. And then inhale, reach all the way up, exhale, forward fold.

Inhale, half arch, exhale, step back into downward facing dog. And let's inhale into plank pose, exhale, lower the knees, come onto our belly, and inhale, lift the heart. And exhale, release, coming into downward facing dog. Inhale the right leg high, exhale, float the right foot between the hands, lower down to a lunge. And you might stay low here, you might reach the arms up.

Exhale, release. Coming back into plank, and lowering down. And now lifting the heart. From here you might lift the legs finding locust. Exhale, release, downward facing dog.

Lifting the left leg high, exhale, float the left foot between the hands, let the right knee lower down. You might continue to reach the arms up. Exhale, release, coming back into plank, lowering down, inhale to cobra. And then from here you might lift up towards locust again, heart lifting. Reaching through the fingers and the toes, and then exhale lower, tuck the toes under.

This time we'll press back into child's pose, hips towards the heels. Hands might rest around the ankles or heels. And sliding the palms underneath you and then slowly rolling back up. And from here sliding into a pigeon, so I'm gonna slide the right knee forward and sync back into the hips, and then inhale, lift the heart. You might stay here, you might continue to walk the arms out in front of you.

Softening the jaw, forearms might begin to release, and then releasing the head. And now for me in pigeon, I like to keep my right heel in close, because it feels best and supportive on my right knee. For you, you might be designed to toe heel your foot slightly wider. So finding a position in pigeon that works best for you. And taking a few breaths here.

As you're ready sliding the palms underneath you, slowly rolling up. And you might stay here, you might play towards lifting that foot, leg up. And I like to take a moment to let the shoulder open a bit. Breathing. And then you might play with bringing the foot a little bit closer in getting a nice thigh stretch and opening.

And then releasing gracefully. Sometimes it feels more like a slingshot. Okay, usually I think it feels good to open up into like a three legged dog, letting the hip open. And then finding pigeon on the other side, lowering the knees, and sliding the left knee or the opposite knee forward. Most likely this side feels different.

You know, for me it's like a new world. So finding a position that feels right for you, and you might stay here, you might even on this side tuck a blanket underneath your left sit bone. And then perhaps walking the arms forward a bit. Really listening to your knee, notice where you can soften any gripping. Relaxing the belly, and you might be invited forward, breathing.

And notice what you choose to do with your hands so keeping the hands grounded has one feeling, keeping inviting the palms open has another. Go ahead, slowly as you're ready use the palms rolling back up, taking a moment to pause. And then you might play with lifting the back leg and reaching towards the foot. Be nice to find a shoulder opening here. And then perhaps bringing the foot in a little bit closer.

And breathing. Good, and then as you're ready slowly releasing your leg. And then tuck the toes, and do that three legged dog letting the hip open. And coming back into your downward dog. And then lowering the knees and coming into child's pose.

And then sliding the palms underneath you gently rolling up. And then setting ourselves up for seated meditation. I'm gonna put a blanket underneath my sit bones, you might have a cushion or a bolster pillow. And notice what you do to get comfortable. Aligning with your breath.

And gradually guiding your awareness towards your breath. As you feel ready joining your hands together at your heart. Namaste. Thank you for practice this morning and your presence, and have a beautiful day. Namaste, thank you.