Check In with This Moment

Hi, and welcome. My name is Lara, and I'll be leading you through a class today, and we'll be focusing on really checking in with where you are in this moment, how you're feeling in this current state, just getting really present, and then working to move through challenges. So today we'll go ahead and get started in a child's pose. So as you come into your child's pose, You can start with your knees a bit wider, your big toes, closer together. Your arms can be forward or back, whatever feels more comfortable for your shoulders. Your forehead can be gently rested down towards the ground and allow yourself to get into this inward state, inward energy.

And take some time here just tuning into the body and tuning into the breath. Allow yourself to start to release tension in those places that commonly hold it. And breath by breath, letting go into a little bit more ease. We can start with this simple question of asking How am I feeling today? Just remembering that your practice is meant to support you in this moment with whatever you're going through.

Let's start to get a little bit more active in your arms and your child's pose, stretching your arms forward, spreading through the fingers wide and grounding down into your palms. And on your next inhale, we'll start to rise up to a tabletop position as you inhale rising up to your hands and knees, reset your knees, or feet about hip distance apart. Let's take another moment here to catch your breath, take another inhale in your tabletop. And then as you exhale, draw your hips all the way back towards the heels towards your child's pose. And we'll start to come forward and back through child's pose and tabletops as you inhale rising back up to your hands and knees.

And then as you exhale drawing your hips all the way back towards your hips, and coming up a couple more times inhale rising up to your hands and knees to your tabletop, exhale drawing the hips all the way back towards the heels to your child's pose. We'll do one more nice and smooth of the breath, inhale rising up. And as you exhale, drawing the hips all the way back towards heels. And we'll add a little bit of movement to this. So this time as you inhale, rise up and let your belly drop, take your gaze forward, and open through the chest to a cow pose.

And then as you exhale, you're gonna round up through a spine to a cat pose, and then draw the hips all the way back towards the heels. Feel the spine elongate as you draw the hips back. We'll do that a couple more rounds as you inhale rising to hands and knees. Let the belly drop heart and gaze forward. And as you exhale rounding up through the spine, feel the hips shift all the way back towards the heels, finding that stretch. And just one more nice and smooth with the breath inhale rising to hands and knees, belly drops, heart forward.

Excel as you round up through the spine, draw the hips all the way back towards heels, and then make your way back up to a tabletop position. And your tabletop, just find your alignment, set up your wrists right underneath the shoulders, knees and feet are about hip distance apart, feel your core hugging in as the arms are strong pressing the palms down into the floor. You feel length from the tailbone all the way through the crown of the head. And from here, start to take your right arm and reach it out towards the right with your palm facing down. And the tendency will be to have your right arm higher than the the left shoulder.

So try to keep that straight line from left shoulder to right shoulder all the way through the right fingertips. Hugging through the core, press strongly into your left palm. And hold here, breathing here, activating the core, activating the strength of the arms, the body. And the next time that you take an inhale, take your right arm and stretch it up towards the sky, turning your chest open towards the right, and with your exhale, bend at your elbow, take your fingertips behind your head. Take another inhale here, open through the chest a little bit wider, and then as you exhale, your right elbow will crunch in towards your left elbow.

Little side crunch. Do that a couple more times with breath, inhale reach your let right elbow up towards the sky, open through the heart, exhale crunching in. And one more inhale opening up through the chest, and then exhale crunching in. And this time as you inhale, reach your right arm all the way back up towards the sky, you'll thread your right arm underneath your body over towards the left palm facing up until your right shoulder, right side of the head touches down to the ground. And pause here, just feeling a stretch behind the right shoulder, into the upper back and neck.

Grounding into your left palm. Reach you from the right arm back up towards the sky, opening up across the body, and then set your right hand back down to the floor. Take a moment to reset, feel the strength in your arms, strengthening through the core, and we'll do that over to the other side. So now grounding strongly into your right palm, take your left arm out towards the left. Again, try to keep that same level of right shoulder to left shoulder to the fingertips, feel that strong reaching out through the left fingertips.

Keep your core strong. Keep the length in the spine. And breathe here as you feel some heat building in the body. Take one more inhale. And one more exhale. And with your next inhale, start to sweep your left arm up towards the sky, rotating your chest open towards the left, With your exhale bending the elbow, take your fingertips back behind your head.

Take another inhale to rotate open through the chest a bit more then exhale that little crunch elbow to elbow, inhale opening back up. I'm gonna exhale crunching in and one more inhale opening up through the chest and then exhale and crunching in. And then this time as you inhale, start to reach your left fingertips all the way back up towards the sky, exhale sleep it underneath you as you reach over towards the right side, setting your left shoulder, left side of the head down. And again, finding this stretch in the upper back behind the left shoulder blade into the side of the neck, find your breath. I'm grounding into your right palm.

Take your left arm inhale stretch it all the way up towards the sky. Take your left hand back down to the floor back to your mat. Take your hands just a couple inches forward of the shoulders your toes lift the hips all the way up and back to your downward facing dog. Take a couple of breaths in your downward dog as you root through the hands, root through the feet, any movements that you need here to open up into the body. And then go ahead and take as many steps or hop your feet up to the top of your mat to your forward fold at the front, with your inhale rising up halfway, as you exhale folding back in, and then re your feet rise all the to stand, sleeping arms up, touching palms, overhead at the top of the breath, and with your exhale bringing hands to the space of the heart. We'll warm up with a few some salutations, inhale sleeping the arms all the way up.

And with your exhale hinging at the hips folding forward, Riza Pathway, Arda, exhale and fold, plant your palm, step it back, take the vinyasa of your choice, any modifications you need as you lower through Toranga, you can always use your knees, cobra, or upward facing dog with your inhale, and then tucking your toes, lifting the hips all the way up and back to your downward facing dog. Step or hop your feet back up to the top of your space to your forward fold, rise up halfway to inhale, exhale folding in, rooting through your feet rise all the way back up to stand, touching palms overhead, Exile hands to heart. Let me go ahead and do a couple more rounds, moving with the breath, inhale rising up. Exhale forward fold uttanasana, rise up halfway, lengthening the spine, exhale and fold stepper float through your Vinyasa, Always welcome to skip thinyazas or modify them in any way. Anytime you want to give a break to your shoulders, to your body. Conserve some energy will all meet in downward facing dog.

Stepping or hopping back up to the top of your mat, lift up halfway with your inhale, fold in deep with your exhale, Rise all the way back up to stand, seeping arms up, touching palms overhead, bring your hands back to the space of the heart. Just one more round, seeping arms all the way up. Enfolding forward exhale. Rise up halfway, exhale and fold, plant your palms, step or float, Vinyasa, or downward facing dog. And pause. We'll end this round here and down our dacing dog.

From down dog, go ahead and take your right leg and float it up and back back through your right heel, keep the hips level. Ugh your knee into the chest, use your core strength to step your foot all the way through between your palms, Spin your back, left heel down, and we'll open up to warrior 2, circling your left arm up and all the way back behind you. And grounding to your feet and to your warrior 2, finding your gaze, your drishty forward over your front fingertips. And flip your right palm to face up. We'll reach it back to reverse warrior, left hand gently to the back of the leg, as you extend up through the right fingertips, the right side of the waist.

Take one more inhale. As you exhale, circling your hands down on the inside of your right foot. We'll walk the hands around the long edge of the mat towards the left, bend into your left knee towards the back, finding Skandasana. You can keep your fingertip grounded, you can bring your hands to the heart. If you're pretty open in the hips, you might sit the hips low right toes pointing up, bring your hands to the heart here, wherever you are, long spine.

And start to bring your fingertips back down towards the floor, inhale walking back through center, turn all the way forward towards the front into a lunge, lower your back left knee down gently and rise up to a low lunge, sweep your arms all the way up with the inhale, and exhale open through the elbows and widen across the chest. Kind of inhale reaching the arms back up towards the sky. Hands will come back down to frame your front foot, tuck your back toes, left knee lifts, step it back through plank, and your choice of a Vinyasa or go straight back to downward facing dog. And onto the left side, take your left leg, flow to all the way up and back. Use your core strength to step your foot through between your palms, spin your back right heel to floor, rooting through the feet, circle your right arm up and all the way back behind you, grounding as you open up into your warrior 2.

And take your left palm, flip it to face up. We'll reach it back to reverse warrior, feeling the chest lift, feeling a sideways extend. One more inhale here. And then as you exhale, circling your hands down on the inside of your left foot, we'll walk it around the right edge of the mat. Been to your right knee towards the back of Skandasana. And again, you can stay here. Finger tips to the ground to support you.

Maybe you sit your hips down low, bring your hands to the heart. Getting this inner groin and outer hips stretch, feeling the space, opening up. Well, you can bring your fingertips back down towards the ground, We'll walk it back through center, turn all the way back towards the front and tear lunge. Back right knee lowers gently, rise up to your low lunge, sweep your arms all the way up, feel that lift. Exhale open through the elbows wide and through the chest.

Reach your arms back up towards the sky, hands come down around your left foot, plant your palms, Step it back to your plank position, and again, your choice of a vinyasa, or straight back through to your downward facing dog. So as we're here in downward dog, as we started to move our body a bit, starting to ask yourself again, how are you feeling? And just giving yourself this time to reflect where are you in this moment in life? And oftentimes you get so busy. We don't get to this time to reflect. I'd like to ask you, what is it that's bringing you joy these days? What is making you happy? What is making you smile?

We'll think about that as we start to get into our next movement and flow. From our down dog, go ahead and lift your right leg up and back. Reach back through the heel. Need a chest, step your foot all the way through between your palms. Come up to warrior 2 again, spin your back heel down, circle your left arm all the way back, and flip your right palm and he'll sweep it back to reverse warrior.

And circle your hands down on the inside of your right foot while walking around the long edge of the mat, come back to your Skandasana towards the back, bending into your left knee. Again, your option here, fingertips down, hands to the heart, or go ahead and sit the hips low, right toes pointing up hands to the heart here. Breathing into this space, and bring your fingertips back down wherever you are. Walk it back along the edge of the mat. Come all the way back to your lunge facing forward.

And set up your feet about hip distance apart. You can take a little bend in your back left knee as you rise up to your high crest and super arms all the way up alongside your ears. Find your balance as you stack your shoulders right above your hips. And one more inhale and crescent reaching up. Maybe you touch your palms and lift your gaze up.

And with your exhale, find out opening through the elbows in wide and through the chest. Good. Reach your arms all the way back up towards the sky and take your hands back down to frame your front right foot, Step it back to plank. Have an option here if you want. You can float your right foot as you lower through Chaturanga. Toast point back as you rise to your cobra or upward facing dog, tucking your toes, lift the hips all the way up and back downward facing dog. Take your left leg, flow to all the way up and back, reach back through the heel.

Need a chest, step it through between your palms, spin your back right heel down to the floor, root through the feet, warrior 2 other side. Flip your left palm to face up and reach it back to reverse warrior inhale stretching back. Circle hands down on the inside of the left foot we'll walk it around the right edge of the mat, scandasana, towards the back, take your variation, and take a couple of breaths. And start to bring your fingertips back down towards the floor. We'll walk it back through center, turn all the way back forward into your lunge, feet are about hip width apart rising up high crescent stretching all the way up to the top, finding your balance, stacking shoulders right above the hips.

And with your next inhale again, you have that option to touch your palms, lift the gaze all the way up, with your exhale open through the elbows wide and through the chest. And greet your arms back up towards the sky as you inhale, exhale hands will come down around your left foot. Step it back to your plank position, or float your left leg as you lower slow Chaturanga, toes point back as you rise to co route or upward facing dog, and tuck your toes lift the hips all the way up and back downward facing dog, and breathe here, pause here. And as you pausing your downward dog, before we add on to that flow, you're gonna reflect again just for a moment. And see if there are any things that you feel that are getting in the way of you doing what you want to do.

These days. And it can be a lot of things. Just allow yourself to reflect, be honest, be clear, be present. This round from downward dog and he'll reach your right leg all the way up and back. Ex, I'll step it through between your palms, spin your back left heel down, and we'll open up to warrior 2, circle your left arm up and all the way back behind you. Flip your right palm, reach it back to reverse warrior with your inhale, then circle your hands all the way back down on the inside of the foot.

We'll walk it around the edge of the mat back to Skandasana. And this round in Skandasana will do something different. Take your right fingertips underneath the chest, and then sweep your left arm all the way up to the sky, opening up towards a twist to the back of your mat. So I feel the openness across the chest, reaching from fingertips to fingertips. Take one more inhale here, reaching up through the left fingertips. As you exhale, bend your left elbow, bring your fingertips behind the head.

Take another inhale as you open up through the chest, And do that little crunch that we did in the beginning as you exhale crunch left elbow to the inside edge of the right, inhale opening up through the once again, and 2 more crunching in, inhale opening up through the chest, and one more time crunching in. At inhale, reach your left arm back up towards the sky to that open twist, and then sweep your left arm, hand down all the way down, walk it all the way back forward to the front of your and set up the base of your feet for a high crescent, sweep your arms all the way up along side your ears, and then at the top, touch your palms, bring your hands to the space of the heart. And we'll start to make our way to a balance into warrior 3. So you have to feel your weight shift into your right foot, lean your chest forward and feel the left leg get light as it lifts about to the level of the hip. Flex your left foot all the toes pointing down.

Try to feel the hip points level. And you're welcome to stay here. You can keep your hands to the heart. You can reach your arms forward or back or even out to the sides. Just go to your level.

And steady breaths as you find your balance, strengthening through the core, through the back body, take one more inhale, As you exhale, softly step it back to high crescent, bend into your right knee, big step back with the ball of the left foot. Rise back up. With your exhale, taking your hands down around your right foot, step it back, and find your flow through a vinyasa, or straight back through to a downward facing dog. And take your left leg, float it up and back reach back through the heel. Hugging me into the chest, step it all the way through between your palms, spin your back right heel down warrior to other side.

Left palm flips and he'll sweep it back to reverse warrior. Circular hands down on the inside of the foot, walk it along the edge of the mat, Skandasana towards the back, bending into your right knee. And we'll add that twist. So set up your left fingertips underneath the chest and reach your right arm up to the sky, opening up across the space of the heart. And breathing in this opening stretch, take one more inhale, opening through the chest. X, I'll bend your right elbow fingertips come behind the head.

Take another inhale here to open up a bit more, stacking your shoulders open, exhale, find that crunch elbow to elbow curling in, inhale opening it up. And then exhale curling in. Just one more inhale opening up through the chest and exhale curling in elbow to elbow. Inhale reach your right arm all the way back up towards the sky. And as you exhale right hand, we'll sweep down, we'll walk it along the edge of the mat all the way back towards the front, finding your lunge, Set up your feet, hip width apart, rise up to your high quest and sweep your arms all the way up, touch your palms overhead at the top, and exhale, bring your hands to the space of the heart. We'll start to find our flow into balance and to warrior through on this side.

So feel your weight start to shift into your left foot as you hinge it at the hips, feeling the chest pitch forward, right leg will start to get light, flex your right foot, all the toes point down, feeling your hips level out, strengthening the core, the back body, you can keep your hands to the heart. You can reach your arms forward, back, out to the sides, taking your variation of balance, find your focus, and balance we're asked to find so much presence In this moment that we're in, take 1 more inhale. Softly step it back to your crescent, land the ball, the right foot down, sweep your arms back up towards the sky. Think your hands down around your left foot, cut your palms. Step it back.

Into your plank and your choice, Vinyasa, or a down dog. From down dog, take your right leg, and he'll extend it up and back, and use your core strength as you exhale to step it through between your palms set up your feet about hip width apart as you come back up to high crescent, reach your arms up alongside your ears. Then as you exhale, then the elbows take your fingertips back behind your head. And you're welcome to stay up right here. Keep your elbows wide.

Feel the chest open. Shoulders, drawing slightly together and back. If it feels comfortable and safe in your body, you can start to lean your head back into the hands, a little bit more of an upper back bend, lifting through the heart space, lifting through the sternum, and breathe wherever you are. And if you dip back, start to come back upright through the spine, stacking your shoulders above your hips. And keep your elbows wide as you start to pitch your chest forward or making our way into warrior 3, keeping this arm variation. Feel your weight shift to your right foot. Left leg lifts, floats up.

Keep your elbows wide. Keep your chest open. Also keep your lower belly, lower ribs hugging in. Feel the strength in your body. Breathe here.

Kinda take one more inhale, and then as you exhale, step it up to a chair, feet together, or hip width apart, sitting your hips low, take one more inhale, up right through the spine. And as you exhale, draw your arms down, alongside your body, open up through the chest. We're gonna press all the way up to standing, sweep your arms up as you press your leg straight touch palms overhead, Excel, breathing your hands back to the space of the heart, and pause take a couple of rounds of breath. Rooted through your feet, rise all the way up through the arms, lifting back up, exhale hinging at your hips, folding forward, melting in, rise up halfway, exhale and fold, plant your palms, you can step or float it back through your vinyasa, making your way back through to your downward facing dog. Will start to work into that balance on the other side. And round down dog on this side, take your left leg, reach it all the way up and back, hug me into the chest, step it through between your palms, feet are hip width apart as you rise up to your high and sweeping the arms all the way up.

And open through your elbows as you take your fingertips back behind your head. And again, just feel the chest open, shoulders, open, elbows, drawing back, shoulders drawing down the back. And again, you can stay more upright, or if it feels safe in the back, You can start to lean your head back into the hands, find that upper backbend. And breathing into the space, front body is opening up. And if you lean back, start to bring your chest back upright, and keep your elbows wide open as you start to draw your chest forward, and feel that shift of weight into your left foot.

Right leg starts to get light, flex your right foot, all the toes point down. Keep hit points level. Keep your chest open, elbows wide, core strong, entire body strong. Find your breath. And take one more inhale.

As you exhale stepping it up to katasana chair, sit the hips low, take another inhale here, a tall spine, open through the chest. Excel let the arms drop down palms forward, opening through the heart. Pressed into your feet, we're going to rise all the way up to stand, touch your palms, overhead, Excel, bring your hands back down to the heart, pause. Let's take a full breath in through the nose. Through the mouth, sigh it out.

Let it go. Good. In hell, sweep your arms all the way up lifting through the body. Fold with your exhale melting down, melting in. Rise up halfway, exhale and fold, plant your palm, step or float back, last vinyasa or straight back to your downward facing dog. And then your downward dog again, take that full deep breath in through the nose, side out through the mouth, let it all go.

Feel that cleansing release. And we'll step or hop it through. Coming up to seated. You can start to sit your hips low. Use your hands as needed as you come up to sit, sitting towards the middle of your mat.

Take your legs all the way out in front of you. And as you ground down through the sitting bones, go ahead and bend your right knee up, planting the foot down, step your right foot across to the outside of your left leg. Take your right fingertips back behind you as you start to rotate your chest towards the right, quickly check left what stays flexed toes pulling back. And take an inhale as you reach your left arm all the way up to the sky, long spine. And then as you exhale, twisting a little deeper to the right, you can take your left elbow to the outside of the knee, or you can hug your arm around the knee.

Take another inhale to widen through the chest, lengthen through the spine. And your exhale can help you twist deeper, maybe looking back over your right shoulder, and breathe into your twist. As you inhale, come back up through center. And just turning back towards the front, you can take your hands to the outsides of the hips, switching sides, right leg forward, bend your left knee up, step your left foot across to the outside of the right leg. Left fingertips back behind you, inhale sweeping right arm up to the sky, lengthening through the spine, exhale, right elbow to the outside of the knee, hugging around the knee, Take another for inhale, lengths.

And as you exhale, you can rotate around, maybe taking your gaze back over your left shoulder. Breathe into your twist. And start to release back through center. Take both of your legs forward. And ground through your sitting bones, flex through the feet, tall spine, inhale, reach both arms up alongside the ears, exhale folding forward, folding in.

And as you find your Pashimotanasana forward fold, you can have a little bend in your knees if that makes it feel better. You can hold anywhere onto the legs to the outsides of the legs. You can have your hands around the feet. Try to ease your shoulders away from the ears, relax the face, relax the jaw. Last couple of breaths.

You can use your hands to make yourself make your way back up to your seated position. And we'll come down into our shavasana. Use your hands as needed to help you come all the way down onto your back. Just finding your most comfortable rested shape so you can extend your legs out, extend your arms out, any variation of the arms and legs that feels really comfortable and cozy in your body, and feel free to let your eyes or relax closed. Allow yourself to drop down, to drop in, and show this rest.

Before our deepest rest, we'll take one more full round of breath together, big inhale through the nose, Side it out through the mouth, let it all go. So allow yourself to rest and relax here as if that's all, you know, how to do. If you have the time and space to stay in this Chivasanet, to stay in this peaceful, restful shape, I invite you to do so. And if you're about ready to close-up your practice, start by deepening the breath. Let the breath gently reawaken the body.

Gonna bring some movements back into your fingers and toes. Take a nice long stretch back through the arms, standing from end to end, gently bend your knees up, plant your feet down, and roll over to either side, just passing through a fetal position. And then using your hands, your arms to make your way up to your meditation seat. And as you make your way up your meditation seed, or as you linger in your shabasana, coming back to that state of presence and allowing yourself again this time of checking in. Allow yourself to remember what's bringing you happiness, what's bringing you joy, what are challenges, what are things that are getting the way of living the life that you imagine that you dreamed of, and just being honest with whatever that is in this moment, It's being present, giving yourself time to notice, to witness, and allow yourself to close our practice.

It's really open to the possibilities of living the life of your dreams. And you can bring your palms to touch in front of the heart, Anjali Mudra, or rest one hand on top of the other at the space of the heart. And thank yourself for showing up for this practice, finding gratitude for your strong and healthy body. I thank you so much for sharing your energy with me today. And we'll close our practice with one more full breath, big inhale, through the nose, sigh it out through the mouth, let it go.

I wish you all a peace and ease off your mat. Thank you so much.