Gentle Yoga - Softening

Transcript

welcome to your gentle session today we're asking the big question what do you really need and we'll be softening into the answer being gentle with yourself as you accept whatever arises in the practice and let it sit with you today enjoy now it's really windy around these parts i don't know if it is where you are this morning but i find on really windy days lots of things get stirred up so i thought it was a really good time to ask the question what do you really need right now what are you craving i've noticed lately i have been craving exhibit a this it's chocolate it's really yummy chocolate but i'm not a chocolate person so it's been quite confusing to me lately that i've been craving this and i'm going to put exhibit a to the side i've realized that you know they say chocolate puts all these wonderful endorphins in the body and i think in some really weird way it's a substitute from the constant company that i would normally find myself in and things like having the little cup of tea that we do after normal yoga classes in studio i think i've been substituting those endorphins with these endorphins from my yummy pico mint crisp vegan dark chocolate yum yum but it's interesting the things that are kind of showing up as little needs and wants right now that are kind of disguising the things that probably we need a little bit more so i thought it was worth asking the question today and really leaning into whatever arises for you i pulled a little card out of my affirmations box that i just love this one was called soften today i'm going to be gentle with myself allowing myself to be vulnerable i acknowledge any pains frustrations or anger i know that i am safe and protected i know that i can sit with myself and nurture myself during this time so i thought that was a really great little card for the practice today be gentle with yourself in the practice but also be gentle with yourself after the practice through the day ahead and just notice what arises as a result of asking this deep question of yourself and let yourself just process that i think that's really important there's so much going on for us right now we really need to wrap ourselves up in a little bubble wrap sometimes i think and just be kind to ourselves today you'll be needing a block if you don't have a block you can use a little cushion just to rest your head on for one of the poses in particular if you've got a bolster have that ready otherwise a pillow or a nice some big lounge cushion would be good we'll start lying on the back draping your legs over the bolster finding a little separation between the feet and letting the knees just drop open freely invite your shoulders a little closer to the earth and the palms facing the ceiling in that attitude of giving and receiving of sending out intention and perhaps receiving some answers as well closing your eyes or softening the gaze and just taking a moment to really arrive letting go of any distracting thoughts concerns or to do lists pressing the pause button on absolutely everything giving yourself this time to be completely present for your practice right here and right now setting an intention for this practice to soften into the question what do i really need today and allowing your energy body and your heart to answer this question freely and giving yourself permission to sit with whatever arises to be able to nurture yourself and to wrap your own heart up in a little bit more softness a little bit more understanding scanning through your body now from the top of your head all the way down to your toes and just becoming aware of any places that might have a sense of duka of perhaps constriction or tightness perhaps there is a sense of gripping or darkness fatigue and noticing too where your body is feeling the opposite way where there's a sense of vibrancy and strength vitality sweetness sitting with the idea that opposites are always present in the body and welcoming everything about how you are physically just as it is right now and connecting to your breathing now just noticing that rise and fall of the breath those expansive inhalations from the center of your chest radiating in every direction and as you're exhaling noticing the belly drawing inwards and a certain inwards and upwards movement through the body as the breath leaves you and just dropping into those tiny pauses as well between the movements of the breath at the end of your inhalation and at the end of your exhalation where the body is just suspended for a moment before the next part of the breath begins and when we drop into these little pauses in the breath it helps us to connect with that inner quiet and stillness that is always present for you that sense of sattva of equilibrium and balance and harmony in your body helping us to also slow the breathing down and soothe the nervous system when you're ready let's bring the feet to the top of the bolster now we'll outstretch the arms wide palms facing the ceiling still lift your feet up a little and then let's bring the knees over to the right side resting the feet on top of your support you might gaze towards the ceiling you might gaze towards the left lengthening out to the ends of the fingers of each hand inviting your shoulders a little closer to the earth just being aware in your lying twist of all the points of contact that the body is making with the earth softening into the earth that holds you safe and protected and letting that question sit with you what do i really need today imagining that each time you breathe out you might be uncovering another layer releasing a layer of perhaps protection or confusion or doubt each exhalation you take creating the opportunity for the truth to become clearer and easier to set your goals on bring your knees back to center when you're ready and we'll drop them over to the left side this time the feet on top of the bolster may be gazing to your right if that's okay for your neck or gazing to the ceiling again finding a little more length out to the ends of the fingertips broadening into the right side of the ribcage inviting your shoulders a little closer to the earth tuning into your breathing each exhalation allowing you to let another layer just dissipate gently and slowly uncovering the answer to the question what do i really need today when you're ready bring your knees back to center again and let's drop them open now bringing the soles of the feet together resting one hand at the heart and one hand on the tummy every inhalation you take softening into the whole of the abdomen imagine softness moving into the hip creases into the inner thighs the shoulders softening towards the earth and every exhalation smooth and measured right from the base of the pelvic floor sensing the hip points drawing together in the bottom ribs coming together as you let the breath go and each time you breathe in inviting softness through the body radiating from the heart in every direction soften the jaw the neck the temples soften across your forehead when you're ready take hold of the outer edges of your mat now leaving the legs just as they are we'll breathe in now and lift the hips and the chest into the air pulling the mat away from the crown tractioning through the arms and pressing the shoulders the upper arms and the forearms into the mat floating the hips and the heart high and perceiving each half of your pelvis as its own entity dropping freely away from the sacrum in the middle still expanding into softness as you breathe in and consolidating through the midline as you breathe out take one more inhalation here and then when you exhale let's release the back in one piece to the mat letting go of the mat with your hands we'll bring the knees back together again let's take a little rocking or rolling motion here follow your body's lead leaning into those points of dukkha of tightness of darkness restriction fatigue easing them out and then let's gather up the right leg now so you might have your hands over your shin or of your knee or behind your thigh we're going to lengthen out through the left leg just letting that left leg rest so let's take a moment now to just pay attention to the position of your spine if you notice you're flattening your back against the floor let's just create a little space between the lower back and the floor so the spine is in a neutral position returning to your breathing now and let's work with the exhalation to guide the right thigh into the chest and as you're breathing in imagine you can breathe down to the base of the big toe of the left foot and all the way up to the top of the shoulder every inhalation sending softness sending expansion through the left side of the body and every exhale drawing that right thigh in towards the chest maintaining that neutral spine position so that little bit of space between the lower back and the floor and then take a hold of your right knee with your left hand and we're going to breathe in and send the right arm all the way overhead now when you take your next breath in imagine the breath expanding out to the ends of the fingertips of the right hand and all the way down to the toes of the left foot feeling all the points of contact the body is making with the earth feeling supported feeling held and safe in the space where you are when you're ready let your right hand find the top of your right knee again we'll bend the left leg now resting the foot on the floor let's take the left hand to the top of the left thigh right hand over the right knee we're going to press into the left thigh as we guide the right thigh in towards the chest and now we are flattening the back against the floor pressing down with the middle and the lower back breathing any tension any tightness out of this area releasing any duca with holding through the pelvis through the middle and lower back breathing softness expansion and ease into this space when you're ready let's release from this bring both feet to your bolster and we'll take a little windscreen wiper action with the knees just to reset the spine come back to center let's gather up the left leg now taking your hands either over the shin or over the knee or behind the thigh and we'll lengthen out through the right leg now resting it down creating that neutral spine position again a little space between the lower back and the floor returning to just being with the breath now as you're breathing out guiding the left eye and towards the chest and as you're breathing in imagining you can send a sense of softening of expansion through the right side of the body directing your breath with your mind's eye down to the base of the big toe of the right foot and all the way to the top of the shoulder every exhale smooth and measured letting go of a layer of confusion of doubt of uncertainty each time you breathe out and inviting more and more of a softening each time you breathe in and let's take the right hand over the left knee now we'll breathe in and send your left arm overhead vibrancy to the ends of the fingers of the left hand and all the way down to the toes of the right foot expanding softness in every direction from the heart each time you breathe in and then let your left hand come to rest on top of your left knee we're going to bend the right leg and rest the foot on the floor take your right hand to your right thigh pressing into the right thigh as we draw the left thigh in towards the chest and now we are flattening the back out against the floor breathing tension breathing tightness out of the middle lower back out of the crest of the pelvis and breathing softness expansion and space into this same area and when you're ready let's bend the right leg again bring both knees in towards the chest hands over the top of the kneecaps we'll breathe in sending the knees and the feet away the fingertips following the knees as you exhale bring the knees into the chest let's open the arms wide this time as we send the legs away breathing in as you exhale bringing everything back in wrapping the arms around the body opening up expanding as you breathe in and having a sense of gathering answers as you bring your arms back into the body letting your breath lead the movement welcoming whatever information you're getting from your body and from your heart what do i need today taking one more round of apanasana then from here let's take happy baby pose next so we're going to send the legs into the air you might take a hold of your feet you might take a hold of your ankles or your calves or even behind your thighs whatever is best for you today and let's separate the feet out quite wide pressing the back into the mat drawing the shoulders down you might like a little movement in your happy baby you might like to stay perfectly still feeling really drawn towards the earth allowing any turmoil to spiral around you feeling connected and grounded and drawn towards the earth feeling safe there in amongst all the turmoil letting it be when you're ready let go of whatever you're holding on to physically and metaphysically let's roll over and we'll come onto hands and knees now setting up in our cat pose so let's soften into the elbows [Music] let's lengthen out from the crown to the tailbone breathing here in cat and as you exhale move to cow pose tucking the chin and tail bone under return to cat again lifting your gaze and as you exhale move to child's pose surrendering breathing all your breath out returning to cat again as you breathe in moving to cow pose on your exhale returning to cat breathing and lifting your gaze and then surrendering to child's pose letting go taking one more round cat cow cat child dropping into the pauses in your breathing and when you arrive in your child's pose this time let's take the knees a little wider and get your block or your cushion to support your head now or if it's comfortable to bring your head right down to the floor go ahead and take that position but we want to be able to be comfortable in our child's pose now softening into the back of the body softening into the side ribs inviting your tailbone a little closer to the earth softening through the back of the pelvis and you might choose a different position for your hands maybe it's more comfortable to have your hands down by your ankles right now maybe you'd like to have your arms quite long opening up through the side body see what is a good fit for you in this shape we're making right now inviting the breath into the spaces between the ribs inviting the head to be heavy the weight of the head dropping into the third eye letting the nervous system just settle right down what do i need today in your own time let's walk the hands over to the left side and we'll bend the right arm resting your head on your upper arm now finding a lengthening through the right side of the body directing your breath into any point of tension that you're holding as you stay in the shape a little longer and then when you're ready let's walk the hands back to center and then over to the other side we're going to rest the head on the left upper arm now bending that arm finding a little more space through the left side of the body as you rest here for a moment feeling all the points of contact your body is making with the earth held here safe protected and open to answers when you're ready walk your hands back to center again and then walk the hands back towards the knees bringing your knees into each other we'll breathe in now and come right up onto your knees taking your arms overhead as you exhale take a twist towards the left opening the arms wide pressing through the air send your arms high again breathing in and then exhale moving to the other side twisting to the right bring your arms high now breathing in this time as you exhale send your arms behind the body bring your hands to the back of the pelvis pressing into the back of the pelvis lifting the gaze opening up through the chest through the throat lengthening up through the back of the neck allowing the heart to expand allowing for openness there welcoming whatever information your heart is happy to receive welcoming it as it is what do i need today breathe in and raise the arms high again and then as you exhale bring the hands to the heart come to sit down on your heels stopping for a moment just sensing the crown floating above the heart heart above the tailbone the tailbone above the earth the shoulder softening the jaw softening open your arms wide as you breathe in now asking the question what do i need today and bring the hands into the heart gathering the answers as you exhale dropping the chin to chest opening the arms wide again breathing in what do i need today hands into the heart gathering information as you're breathing out one more round with all your fingertips in connection now holding a little space inside your hands allowing whatever answers have come to you through the practice to sit there inside your hands feeling the points of contact you're making with the earth now drawing down into this earth that holds you your crown rising towards the sky your heart expansive and open holding gratitude for being brave enough to answer the question to sit what with whatever arises for you and through the day ahead taking moments to just nurture yourself to just be with whatever you're holding to look after yourself with kindness with empathy and with love softening in to whatever arises for you today letting it wash over you and being okay with that open the arms wide as we breathe in now and we'll chant as we bring the hands back to the heart chanting on [Music] thank you for practicing with me today yogis have a beautiful day ahead namaste