Podcast #161 - Rooted Strength

Theme of the class is always based on the Jivamukti Yoga focus of the month, which can be read here: https://jivamuktiyoga.com/fotm/breath-the-mind-stiller/

The playlist I was using for this class is here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4D6ulgVxaVEkawOOverJ6W?si=2cce20b1f6a849ae

As always, please follow me on any socials - including patreon where i post a lot of things for free! @yogastickler

TRANSCRIPT:
00:14

Oh yeah, relaxin. About that. It's literally called relaxin. Yeah. Hey, and actually everyone gets well. So you get? Doses of relaxin, even during your monthly cycle. Yeah, so, like your body can be, like ever so slightly more flexible or less flexible during any given part of the month. Um, but especially like they, you know, we, we are cautioned, even as teachers that, like, the relaxing may make you too flexible and like, a little bit more prone to have an injury.

00:55

So, we like, try to be a little bit more, um. Measured in our assist and stuff, right? It's kind of interesting. And we all learned something today. No? Now, it's interesting stuff, I mean. A big yoga nerd so? You know, what are you gonna do, uh? Hi, everyone. Okay, I'm gonna wait for Kalia a little bit.

01:21

I know she's also checking in, but she's an integral part of this class. Um. And actually, well, we're kind of like, slowly starting to get started also. Online. Okay. Uh. As we're sort of slowly starting to get started. I also did want to. I did want to mention. I've been having so much technical difficulties lately.

01:49

Um, I did want to mention that this time next week. Ruth will be teaching this class, so definitely make a point of it to come. She's one of the old school original flavor jivamukti teachers. she's extraordinary. Her teachings are always brilliant. And her class is, like, sneaky hard.

02:13

Yeah, oh my God. Like, it's funny how sometimes you think moving a little bit faster is going to be harder. But actually, when you're really like slow and precise and measured in every breath is accounted for, it can actually be incredibly challenging and strengthening right. So, it's, it's a good experience.

02:33

It's a good experience. Um, so most of, you know, Kalia? Kalia needs no introduction from me by any means. And Kalia will be giving a few extra assists today. So, um, you'll see both of us walking around. We'll both be giving a little more a Hands-On assist today. Um, if you ever don't want a CIS, like, if if you don't want any assist at all.

02:59

Let us know beginning of class, or whenever the thought occurs to you. And you know, no problem at all. Um, but even even in the middle of the class, even if there becomes a moment where you just prefer not to have one, feel free to communicate that with us, it's a it's definitely a two-way street.

03:16

You can always just let us know if you need more or less or.

03:27

Step away whatever, right? Okay, all right. Oh man, it's good to be here. I just love. Settling into this space. Whether I've taken class or teaching class, I'm just. Here, you know? I know Mindy feels the same. What do you want in class 732 by now? For 870 800 I, I weigh underestimated.

03:59

Oh my gosh, 29, you can do it. It's only the 17th or something. Yeah, okay, great. All right. So this, this home is dedicated to Mindy's 900th class.

04:55

So, om, amongst other things. Om is known as a seed Mantra, right? It's called a seed Mantra and seeds, as we know. Seeds are full of. Potential seeds have all the potential for, you know, a little tiny. Tiny seed has the potential to become a gigantic. Redwood or a tomato plant or a?

05:22

You know, Aspen tree, or whatever else, right? So, whatever we. Imbue into our practice. Whatever intention we set, that is what we fill that space that seed with that potentiality, with that's what grows. So, we're going to continue with the sound of oh. A bit. We'll go kind of back and forth.

05:46

I'll sing a little. You sing a little back and forth like that.

05:58

Your turn.

08:24

Together.

08:46

I'm a gardener. And as such, I love a good gardening metaphor. I'm a sucker for a good gardening metaphor. So? Seeds, right? So, whenever we plant a seed, or like, now, it's fall. So, it's bulb planting time, right, which are just fancy seeds. It's bold planting time, so whenever we plant a seed or a bulb in the ground, it takes a very, very long time where apparently nothing seems to be happening.

09:20

You look, and nothing is happening at the surface. There's just plain ground, but what's really happening? Is that under the surface, the seed, or the bulb is starting to form Roots and driving those roots down, reaching those roots down into the Earth in order to not only nourish itself, but also to create a sense of stability to sort of hang on to its spot, right otherwise.

09:48

Doesn't grow roots than any? Squirrel or human, or whatever can just or rain can just kick it around. And, you know, push it around. Um, but at that point again, it seems like not very much is happening, when in fact the most important stuff is happening right. And then only once that process of setting down Roots starts to happen.

10:10

Only then can the Sprout and the leaf and the leaflet and the flower and the fruits start to come forth. Yeah. Come forward unto hands and knees, and we'll press back to a downward facing dog. All of that same thing could be said of practice any kind of practice, whether it's yoga practice or music practice or language practice or painting practice or whatever other practices we might have.

10:49

There are periods of time where? Where seemingly no progress is being made. Seemingly, you know, we sit down, you know, we come to the mat. We sit in meditation, or we do the physical asanas again and again and again. And it seems like not that much is happening at the surface.

11:15

Or we sit down and we practice our scales and chords and. Um. Practice little songs and stuff and seemingly. You know, the progress is not always so apparent from the day-to-day perspective, right? But actually, that's when all that important stuff is happening, building those roots building that foundation, uh, making some sort of foundation of stability in your practice for the growth to come.

11:46

Yeah. Into a plank shoulders over the wrist. As you exhale, lower your knees, chest, and Chin to the floor. Inhale, slide forward into Cobra, point the toes, exhale. Tuck the toes under, move the seat all the way back to the feet, and then extend the legs downward facing dog.

12:13

To be certain that that doesn't just happen. In the beginning of practice, although that's one place where it happens, but also especially like most of us in the room right now are pretty pretty experienced practitioners, and you also might have noticed that there are periods of time in your practice, where it seems like you've hit a little bit of a plateau.

12:35

It seems apparently like, on the surface, there's no change. You're kind of in this steady. In your practice, right? But once again. Once again, that's a little bit of a trick of the eye. Just because we kind of can't see all the change and growth happening doesn't mean it's not happening.

12:59

In fact, it takes those long periods of seemingly not much happening in order for the growth to come. Okay, come on forward into a plank exhale lower halfway down chatturanga. Inhale upward facing dog. Exhale downward facing dog good. Bring the knees to the floor for a moment and from hands and knees.

13:26

Let's just take a couple of cat cows to remind yourself. What's that? What? That's, like, so inhale Arch, the back, lift the head, and the chest exhale round the back. Look down at the knees. Inhale Arch, the back, lift head, and chest. The back look down at the knees, one more inhale arching.

13:48

And exhale rounding. Now, come to a neutral spine. Take your two blocks and put a block under where each of your hands just were on the second setting, except it was. Let me try that again. Except instead of having your hands on your blocks, have the tips of the elbows on the blocks, scoot the knees back a little bit so you can have the head and the chest moving down into gravity.

14:16

Hands can meet behind the head or behind the upper back now. Elbows should be mostly pointing forward, so elbows not too wide. Upper arm bones pretty much parallel to one another, and now imagine the shape first. Don't do the action yet. Imagine that. We're almost gonna try to take some cat Cow shapes, rounding the upper back and arching the upper back, except instead of starting the movement from the back or from the shoulders or from the um.

14:54

That you're pushing your back into a rounded position. And then let the head and the chest go down again. That's it. Push the elbows down and even drag the elbows back against the block a little bit to round. Yeah, and then go back to the first position good. Do that a few more times, and again, it's.

15:13

It's a pretty active upper arm action not moving the hips around a lot, really trying to activate from the shoulder and armpit area. Hopefully making some sense. It looks like it's happening. It looks like it's happening at the surface. Yeah, okay. And then, uh, when you're finished with that, go ahead, put your blocks to the side, and come back to downward facing dog.

15:47

Good, and then, uh, go ahead and walk the feet forward towards the hands and fold forward over the legs. It's very important to kind of remember this about practice and recognize it about practice because we can get. You know, it can get to a place where you're like, well, you know, I haven't seen much progress in a while.

16:13

So, what should I do about that? Sometimes the best course of action is just to keep consistent just to stay consistent with it. Okay, wide. In the feet, bend the knees come into a deep, squatting position hands together at the center of the chest. Good lift, the center of the chest towards the thumbs.

16:40

Use your elbows to push your knees a little bit wider apart, one.

16:51

And then go ahead and bring the hands down to the floor, raise the hips up, and fold forward over the legs. Bring the feet about halfway closer together arms behind the back, lace the fingers together into one fist, reach the arms away from the back with your inhale. Bend your knees, open your chest, and look forward.

17:12

Exhale. Straighten the legs to fold forward. Inhale. Bend the knees, open the chest. Look ahead. The legs fold forward and extend inhale bending. Look forward! Exhale extending and fold forward inhale Bend. And exhale extend hands on the waist, lift all the way upright to a standing position, reach the arms up overhead, clasp the hands together into one fist, stretch the elbows, inhale exhale, Bend to the left.

17:57

Inhale lift all the way up to the center exhale right side inhale Center. Exhale left. Inhale to the center. Exhale, right side. Inhale to the center. Let's do one more each side exhale Bend. Inhale Center exhale, right side. Inhale lift all the way up. Bring the arms alongside the body, feet, and legs together.

18:31

Exhaling inhale, hook your thumbs in front of you reach the arms forward and up Arch. The back exhale bend knees, swing arms behind the back, Lace the hands together, folding forward inhale hands, touch down step right foot back, look forward. Exhale downward facing dog, lift the hips high up inhale plank shoulders over wrists.

18:56

Exhale chaturanga inhale upward facing dog exhale downward, facing dog inhale forward into plank. Exhale knees, chest, and Chin to the floor inhale slide forward Cobra exhale, tuck the toes, sit back towards the feet, and then extend the legs downward dog inhale right foot forward. Exhale left foot next to right foot fold.

19:35

And fold inhale, hands down, left foot steps back, exhale downward, facing dog inhale to plank exhale, chaturanga inhale upward, facing dog exhale downward, facing dog inhale to plank, exhale knees, chest, and Chin to the floor. Inhale slide forward, Cobra exhale, tuck the toes, sit back towards the feet and then extend the legs.

20:07

Inhale left foot forward. Exhale right foot next to left foot inhale Bend, knees, hook, thumbs reach up, Arch back, exhale, stand up, and release the arms alongside the body. Inhale hook thumbs, reach arms up, and Arch back exhale Bend knees, sweep the arms behind these hands together, and fold inhale hands down.

20:32

Step the right foot back exhale.

20:43

Maybe lift the right foot up? Exhale tuck the toes under step all the way back downward, facing dog inhale forward into a plank. Exhale chaturanga inhale upward facing dog exhale downward, facing dog inhale plank, exhale knees, chest, and Chin to the floor. Inhale slide forward into Cobra exhale, tuck the toes, sit back towards the feet, and then extend the legs.

21:15

Inhale right foot between the hands. Exhale left knee down inhale, push the hips forward, lift the head, the chest may be, challenge yourself to lift the left foot up, exhale hands. Press down step forward, feet together, inhale Bend, knees hook, thumbs. Reach up, Arch back, exhale Bend knees, swing arms all the way around behind these hands together, and fold inhale hand.

21:53

Word facing dog inhale forward into a plank. Exhale chaturanga inhale upward facing dog exhale downward, facing dog inhale to plank exhale knees. Chest chin to the floor. Inhale slide forward. Cobra exhale, tuck the toes, sit towards the feet, and then extend the legs. Inhale left foot forward. Exhale right knee down inhale lift head chest, maybe even the right foot.

22:25

Exhale hands down, step forward feet together, inhale Bend, knees, hook, thumbs, reach up, Arch back, exhale, stand up, tall arms alongside the body, good bend, the knees deeply, reach the arms up, chair pose, hold here for one, breathe in.

22:55

Here, pull the sitting bones just slightly towards the backs of the knees for one more breath inhale. Exhale hands to the floor. Fold forward inhale halfway lift. Look forward. Exhale, hop, step, or walk back chaturanga. Inhale upward facing dog exhale downward facing dog. Bring the knees to the floor for a moment.

23:22

Scoot the knees slightly forward. Take one of your blocks in your left hand. Hold the block right up against the bottom side of the buttocks there, and then lift your left heel to hold the block in place, so your heel and your buttocks are holding the block on the long setting.

23:43

Now, lift the left knee up and back as much as you can. Try not to Arch the back so very much. We're going to try to do this as much just with the leg as possible, and then bring the left knee down to the floor and then lift the left knee up and back.

24:01

Down to touch the floor last time. On this side, lift the left knee up and back. Hold it there. Now, squeeze the heel against the block. Squeeze the heel against the block. Squeeze the block like you're trying to make a little bit of block juice. Gusting and then bring the left knee down to the floor.

24:19

Hold on to the block with your left hand and put the lock down okay. Hold the block with your right hand. Um, the block pushes up against the sort of bottom surface of the buttocks there and then the right heel lifts to meet it and then lift your right knee up and back behind you and bring the right knee all the way to the floor.

24:44

And lift the right knee up and back, uh, oh. Right knee to the floor? Right knee lifts up and back, and then squeeze the right heel into the into the block. Crush the block, crush the block, squeeze, squeeze, squeeze, and then bring the right knee down. Okay, hold on to that block, remove it, and press back to downward facing dog.

25:14

Soften the knees and look forward. Inhale Hopper step forward feet to hands. And exhale. Fold forward. Walk the hands about 10 or 12 inches in front of the feet. Open the toes out, almost like a ballet for first position. Start to lift your heels up. Bend your knees moving into crow, bakasana, balancing on the hands.

25:39

Now, whether you're lifting both feet up at the same time or one foot at a time, even feel how the roll of the hamstrings and pulling your heels closer to your buttock. See if you could squeeze your heels closer and closer in towards the buttocks now. Yes.

26:01

Upper walk back to chaturanga. Inhale upward dog. Exhale downward dog! Thank goodness you're here! Is all I have to say, inhale? Step the right foot forward Warrior one. Reach up. Exhale, bring the arms behind the back. Lace the fingers together into one fist inhale. Straighten the right leg, lift up the chest, face both shoulders forward.

26:26

Exhale bend the right knee bring both shoulders towards the inside of the right knee. Arms Reach away from the back, good breathe, and press into the outer heel. Breathe out. One try to level the shoulders towards the floor for two, breathing head goes down, exhale.

26:50

And exhale with your inhale stand all the way up straight in both legs. Keep the feet in the legs, the same exhale, Open Arms, hips, chest shoulders to the side. Legs are straight swing that left hip way out towards the back of the room as you start to lengthen to the windows and then exhale triconasana triangle, right hand down left arm up, breathe in.

27:15

Good. Try to move the right sitting bone closer down towards the left heel to breathe in. Breathe out three. Try to tighten the kneecaps even four breathe in. Breathe out with your inhale stand all the way upright exhale. Bend the right knee Warrior, two breathe in, breathe out, one inhale.

27:42

Exhale for two good inhale. Exhale three, inhale, push me a little, yeah, and then keep that activation four breathing. Breathe out five inhale, straighten the right leg, exhale. Bend the right knee, inhale both hands to the floor plank, exhale chaturanga, inhale upward facing dog exhale downward facing dog inhale.

28:14

Step the left foot forward Warrior one. Reach up. Arms behind the back lace, the fingers together inhale, straighten the left leg, Arch back, lift up the chest, exhale. Bend the left knee bow forward crown of head reaching down towards InStep side of left foot breathe in. That one feel the strength of that back leg, anchoring you down, rooting you down two breathing.

28:45

Breathe out three inhale! Exhale for four inhale? And exhale inhale to stand all the way upright straighten. Both legs exhale open hips, arms, shoulders, chest to the side, keeping both legs straight swing the hips way out to the right. Reach left triangle trikonasana, breathe it. One good turn that back foot in a little bit for two.

29:17

Yeah, inhale. Exhale three breathe in! Breathe out for four inhale! And exhale with your inhale. Stand all the way upright exhale. Bend the left knee Vera badrasana, two inhale exhale for one inhale. Exhale. Two inhale exhale, three. Yeah. For four. I know it's a little bit of a different Arrangement here.

29:55

Exhale five inhale straighten the left leg exhale Bend left knee inhale both hands to the floor plank. Exhale chaturanga inhale upward dog exhale downward facing dog inhale. Step the right foot forward Warrior one. Open hips and arms to the side inhale. Straighten the right leg. Exhale Bend, right knee.

30:26

Place right hand outside of right foot. Reach left arm all the way over left ear, extended side angle, a breathe. Breathe out, one! Inhale. Exhale. Two good spin the chest. Open more and more three. Inhale. Exhale, four. Stretch the top arm exhale. Five inhale both hands touch down. Pivot up that left heel.

30:56

Exhale lower the left knee down inhale. Sweep the arms up, preparing to twist exhale hands to prayer. Twist to the right side. Hook the left upper arm outside of the right leg, you can stay like that, or you have the option to extend the back leg breathe in. Inhale right knee, bending over right ankle exhale.

31:20

Two press the palms of the hands together, super strongly for three inhale. Exhale four breathe in! Breathe out for five! Inhale both hands touch down frame, right foot exhale. Start to straighten the front leg, flatten the back, heel down to the floor inhale. Look forward and exhale. Fold forward parse fojanasana.

31:49

Breathe in. Without one. Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale three inhale? Exhale. Four inhale. And exhale. Now, keep the feet and the legs. The same inhale, lift head and chest exhale rotated triangle. You can keep the left hand there, or even cross it over for one inhale, right. Arm reaches up exhale for two.

32:27

Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale four, inhale. There we go. Exhale five. Inhale both hands to the floor. Bend the right knee step right into a plank. Exhale chaturanga. Inhale upward dog exhale downward facing dog inhale. Step the left foot forward virabadrasana, one Warrior one. Exhale open hips and arms to the side.

33:05

Inhale, straighten the left leg for a moment. Exhale. Bend the left knee. Place the left hand outside of the left foot. Inhale, right arm, sweeps over the right ear, extended side angle, a exhale one. In. Tail to inhale? Exhale for three inhale? Exhale. Four inhale. Exhale. Both hands touch down, pivot up the right heel, exhale lower right knee down, inhale arms, reach up, get ready to twist, exhale hands to prayer, twist to the left side.

33:51

Could tuck the right toes under lift the right knee up exhale one. Exhale, two inhale exhale. Move the thumbs closer and closer to the center of the chest, three inhale. Exhale. Four, yes, inhale. Exhale, inhale both hands to the floor. Exhale start to extend the front leg, adjust the back foot if needed, inhale look forward, exhale fold forward, breathe in.

34:29

Breathe out! Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale three breathe in! Breathe out four inhale! And exhale. Inhale lift head and chest exhale parivita in a rotated triangle. Left arm reaches up inhale. One inhale left shoulder, moving away from left hip. Inhale. Exhale three breathe in! Breathe out four inhale! Exhale. Inhale both hands to the floor.

35:21

Exhale. Bend the front knee inhale plank. Exhale chaturanga. Inhale upward facing dog exhale downward facing dog. Inhale. Step the right foot between the hands. Take a block under each hand and put your block on the tallest setting under your hands and then reach the blocks as far forward as the arms will reach now.

35:54

Push off the left toes to lift the left leg parallel to the floor, right. Leg extends now just for a moment. Look down the front of the right leg and take any rotation out down the front of the left leg. Pardon me take any rotation out of the left leg, so the toes Flex down the knee flexes down.

36:13

The hip faces down and then lift the head in the chest. Your hands even come up onto the fingertips on the tops of the blocks, so your arms are as long and straight as they can be and chest is parallel to the floor. Left me. Flex the left foot and then kick the left heel up to the ceiling as hard as you can, like you're trying to put a big old footprint up on the ceiling and then keep the left thigh at this new height.

36:43

Just straighten the leg out behind you. Yes, let's do it again. Bend the knee. Kick your heel up, up, up to the ceiling and then keep your thigh at this new height, even as you straighten the leg out behind you. Bend the left knee one more time, this time free up the right hand to reach back and hold the left foot or ankle for this particular shape.

37:11

The chest faces pretty much down the nose faces down. It's a pretty square shape, mostly, and then the left kneecap is reaching back the crown of the head is reaching forward, get longer and longer and longer.

37:30

Left hand to reach back and hold the left foot, soften the right knee a little bit, and then, as you turn the head, the chest, and the hips open. You can straighten the right leg again. Try to stack left shoulder over right shoulder, lip over right hip, and then once your hips are stacked, you could kick the left heel further back away from the buttocks.

37:54

Okay, both hands to both blocks bend the right knee. You could step step back to your downward dog or move through an extra plank chaturanga up dog if you like. Go ahead. Everybody meeting in downward dog. Left foot steps between the hands. Put a block underneath each hand, reach the blocks as far forward as the arms will reach, and then push off the right toes to lift the right leg parallel to the floor.

38:30

For a moment, look down the front of the leg and take any rotation out of the right leg. So, the toes, knee, front of hips face straight down and then look forward. Reach the crown of the head more towards the front of the room, even as you're reaching back through the right heel, come up on a fingertips chest completely parallel to the floor or as much as you can make it.

38:55

Right foot bend. The right knee kick the right heel up to the ceiling, no rotation still just Square. Yeah, and then keep the new height of the right thigh. As you straighten the leg out behind you again. Do that again. Bend the right knee, kick the heel up up to the ceiling, and then straighten the leg out behind you.

39:21

Bend the right knee free up the left hand to hold the right ankle foot whatever you can hold on to. Chest is facing down. Tip of nose is facing down crown of head, reaching forward right knee, reaching back. Okay, left hand finds the block free up the right hand.

39:45

Hold on to the right foot or right ankle. Soften the left knee a little bit while you turn, and then, as you turn open to the side wall for artichandross and a chop Asana, kick the heel back away from the buttock as best you can too good. Three, so heal more back than up more back than up towards the white wall.

40:10

Okay, and then bring both hands to the floor, soften the left knee. You can step step your way back to downward dog or move through an extra plank chaturanga upward face meeting in downward facing dog. Reach the right leg up and back behind you, right? Leg reaches up down dog splits.

40:35

Open the right hip to the right side. Bend the right knee, point the toes, breathe one, push into the hands, reach the right kneecap higher and higher up to the ceiling two. Try not to let the left leg roll in too much, either. Keep that kneecap really front and center.

40:54

Straighten the right leg. Exhale square the hips with your inhale. Step your right foot forward between your hands. Exhale lower the left knee down. Both hands onto the top of the right thigh and scoot the right foot a little bit more forward. Move the hips more forward and down.

41:18

And then try lifting the left foot off the floor. Any amount any amount at all, even if it's only a small amount, squeeze the left heel closer and closer towards the glutes. That's it, and then slowly bring that foot back down to the floor now. You'll notice we'll do it again.

41:36

You'll notice that as you lift the foot up, there's a moment where the hips try to crease or they try to move back. Try to resist it. Try to minimize that action. So as you lift the foot up and bring the foot closer to the left glute again. Try to resist that moment where the hips try to compensate.

41:54

Yeah. Slowly bring the foot back down to the floor. Okay, one more lift your foot up, squeeze your heel towards your glute, squeeze, squeeze. Squeeze this time. If you want to reach back with one or both hands to hold the ankle or the foot, you're welcome to breathe in.

42:12

Breathe, that one. Inhale. Exhale for? Inhale. Exhale release the foot inhale hands to the floor. Exhale right leg up and back down. Dog slits open the right hip to the right side bend the right knee. Now, this time actually lift the head look between your hands, lift the head.

42:39

That you want the top of the head to go to the left wall, so you're trying to reach the top of the head to meet the sole of the left foot and the sole of the left foot to try to touch the top of the head. Eep, yes, reach reach more.

42:53

Yes, so close, okay. Squid straighten out the right leg Square, the hips. All the way up towards your nose. Shoulders over wrist for a modified plank inhale. Reach up and back. Exhale knee to your nose. Bring the shoulders even a little bit forward of the wrist, just a tiny bit past the wrist inhale.

43:18

Reach up and back again. Exhale knee to your nose. See if you can challenge yourself to have your shoulders ever so slightly. Forward of the wrist. Hold it for one. It for? Hold it. For three inhale, exhale, knee, and Shin to the floor between your hands. We're gonna set up for a pigeon.

43:43

So, set the legs up prop up under the left hip if you need it. Bring the elbows and forearms down to the floor. Spread the fingers out. So, we're in kind of a Sphinx pose shape with the upper body. Pull on the floor, pull your chest forward, and your shoulders back.

44:01

Navel draws in and up. Uh, bend the left knee. Oop, put the left up, put the left foot down again. So, you might have noticed as you lift the left foot up the hips try to crease or they try to lift again. You're going to try to minimize or reduce that action, so lift the left foot up and then keep it there.

44:26

Next action that you're gonna do. I'm gonna describe it. It's not actually going to happen. Okay. In fact, if it were to happen, you would have to change the whole rest of the shape, so that's not what we're what we're getting at. So, just imagine that the next thing you wanted to do is lift your left knee off the floor.

44:46

Just make the contraction happen that would lift your left knee off the floor. If you could lift your left knee off the floor, but you won't be able to lift your left knee off the floor. Okay? Okay, release that. I had a couple of miscommunications this week as, as you can tell, I'm overcompensating.

45:09

Okay, press the hands into the floor, lift the elbows up. Press the fingertips into the floor to lift up onto cupped hands, draw the chest forward and up. Navel draws in bend the left knee. Make the action as if you were trying to lift the left knee off the floor.

45:27

Go, go, squeeze. Yes, squeeze. Keep attempting to lift the left knee off the floor, even though it won't actually happen four. I've good release that hands to the floor elbows to the floor, Slide the elbows wide, make a pillow with your hands, and rest your forehead on your hands.

45:50

You can stay just like this or reach back with one hand and hold the left foot. One.

46:08

I've got to release the foot walk, the hands back under the shoulders, right leg, reaches up and back behind you down. Dog splits open the right hip to the right side. Bend the right knee. Point the toes this time. If you want to flip the dog, you're welcome to.

46:30

Pressing forward and up chest opening. Good stretch through that right arm. Four, and then everybody, making your way back into downward facing dog, both feet on the floor, lift the left leg up and back. Open left hip to left side Bend, left knees. Stay there, breathe in, breathe out.

46:53

See that the right kneecap isn't rolling in towards the center? Yeah, for? Three straighten out the left leg square off the hips. Step the left foot forward between the hands lower the right knee down both hands onto the top of the left thigh. Scoot the left foot a little bit more forward.

47:18

Send the hips more forward and down chest, lift shoulders back. Lift the right foot away from the floor. Bend the right knees as much as possible without using your hands. Use the strength of your leg to pull your heel closer to your glute. And then slowly release it down good again.

47:39

Heel towards glute, lift, squeeze, squeeze, squeeze it a little closer if possible, and then slowly. Release down third time. Lift the right foot up. Bend the right knee, this time if you'd like to reach back with one or both hands. Go ahead, breathe in. Breathe out! Inhale. Exhale. Inhale.

48:09

Exhale. Good, let go of the foot. Inhale hands to the floor. Exhale. Take the front leg, the left leg up and back behind you down. Dog splits. Open the left hip to the left side. Bend the left knee, we'll do that weird variation. Now, lift your head like you're looking between your hands, but then turn the crown of the head more towards the right wall more towards the blanket wall, and then pretend you're gonna just touch the sole of your foot to the crown of your head.

48:37

Yes, so close. Than you think. Believe it or not, straighten out the left leg Square, the hips. Exhale knee to your nose modified plank shoulders over hips, the shoulders over wrists, inhale. Reach up and back. Exhale knee to your nose. Challenge yourself to bring your shoulders just slightly forward angle of your wrists.

49:01

Inhale. Reach it up and back last time. Knee to your nose shoulders, a little past the wrist. If you like to challenge yourself, breathe in. Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. As you exhale, place the left knee, left shin down to the mat, good setting up the legs for a pigeon. Bring the elbows and forearms to the floor palms of hands to the floor.

49:32

Spread the fingers, pull the chest forward. On purpose, push the upper arm bones back. Navel draws in and up. Bend, right knee, right foot lifts off the floor? Uh, since we did it on the other side, put it down again, and then notice that moment where the hips want to lift and try to resist it.

49:52

Go ahead, lift the foot up, aha. Try to resist, resist, resist, good, and then keep it there. Now again, just imagine the next thing you're going to do is lift the right knee up. Activate what would need to activate to lift the right knee up, hold it, hold it, lift, lift, lift, lift, lift, hold it.

50:11

And then release that push into the hands, lift the elbows off the floor, push into the fingertips cup, the hands good. Pull your chest forward. Arm bones back navel draws in and up. Bend the right knee. Bend the right knee? That's it. Now, as if you wanted to lift the right knee right thigh away from the floor, activate go.

50:34

Yes, squeeze the glutes, squeeze the hamstrings, squeeze the glutes in the hamstrings, squeeze squeeze, squeeze squeeze. And then release that down hands to the floor elbows to the floor. Go ahead and widen out the elbows. Rest your head on the hands. You can stay just like this or option to hold the right foot.

50:58

With the left hand. Oh, good. Three, four, five good. Okay, let go of the foot. Walk the hands back. Left leg reaches up and back down. Dog splits open left hip to left side Bend, left knee, and then if you want to flip the dog, now is the time.

51:29

Go ahead, push the hips forward and up, chest opening right, arm left, arm reaching, and reaching. Go ahead and then everybody coming back into downward facing dog, both feet to the floor. Bend the knees and look forward. Inhale Hopper step feet to hands exhale. Fold forward inhale, bend the knees, reach the arms up utkatasana.

52:03

Will stand up, release the arms. Okay. Uh, we're gonna work on forearm stand next pinch Amayarasana. So, if you want to move to the wall, there's plenty of wall space today. There's extra wall space today. So, yeah, go ahead. Make, make a move. If you're gonna make a move, otherwise, you can practice at the center.

52:30

Forums and elbows to the floor. A hot tuck, the toes under lift the hips up. Lift, lift your unfavorite leg. No, Mel says, no. Okay. Yeah, do it. Aha, okay, that's pretty good. Okay, go ahead, come up into your Forum stand. You know? When I was coming up in jivamoti?

53:07

You know, the teacher would say, like, okay, hop on your right leg, and now switch and hop on your left leg, and I would go in my mind, I would go. He'll never know if I did or didn't switch, and so. So I would keep hopping with my already strong leg.

53:24

And now I've got a problem. Now, I've got a bit of an issue. So, now I've had to like, kind of start all over from scratch with practicing with the other legs. So, don't be like me, I'm the cautionary tale. Good. Just about one more minute. If you, uh, if you want to keep working, keep working for a little bit, or if you want to take a moment to rest, you can start resting.

54:17

And then, as you're ready, come on back. To the. And we'll come into downward facing dog.

54:35

And now we've got the roots supporting our practice. Absolutely named for today's practice. Okay. But inhaling forward into a plank. Exhale lower all the way to the floor. Bring the arms alongside the body palms of hands facing up to the ceiling, legs, and feet together. Inhale lift up head, chest, and legs for shalabasana Locust, one good two breathing.

55:18

Three inhale. Exhale four breathe in! And breathe out. Five slowly release on down. We're going to take another shalabasana so you could do the same, or you could change something about the arms. Go ahead, lift up second time, breathe in. Breathe out, one inhale. Exhale to inhale. Exhale three.

55:55

Inhale. Exhale four breathe in! And breathe out. Five slowly release on down. Prop up onto the elbows and forearms for Sphinx elbows and forearms parallel to one another. Palms of hands spreading fingers spreading Bend, left knee reach back with the left hand to hold the left foot. Press the left heel down towards the outer left hip half frog turn both shoulders forward.

56:29

Turn the tip of the nose to Face Forward wherever the left foot is. Now you hold it there. Don't let it move, but you're going to kick the foot back up into the hand. Kick me, yes. Hold it one, so the hand is resisting. The foot is kicking up.

56:47

The hand is resisting. The foot is kicking up. Hand is resisting. Foot is kicking up good. Go ahead and switch your sides, come back through Center, bend the right knee.

57:06

To Face Forward. Tip of the nose faces forward. Lift your head, even push into the left forearm to lift a little higher, and then hold your right hand strong, but kick your foot into your hand. So it's like a little arm wrestling match that no one is winning, so you're you're holding the foot, but the foot is kicking up.

57:25

Yes. Good and then release that come on back to the center. Slide the hands back either side of the chest, parallel the legs and the feet. Inhale upward facing dog. Pull forward. Exhale downward facing dog inhale forward into a plank. Exhale lower all the way to the floor. Rest your head on your hands.

57:57

Make a pillow with your hands head on your hands. Bend the knees. Lift both knees up away from the floor, lift both knees, one good breathe in. Breathe out, too! Inhale, this time, you can lift the knees. Do exhale, do? We're not just pretending to lift the knees anymore three.

58:21

Exhale forward inhale exhale release on down. Prop up onto the forearms and elbows prop up. Yes, Sphinx pose yet again. Pull the chest forward, push the arm bones back, and draw the navel in and up. Now, bend both knees, bend both knees, and now, again, try to lift both knees up.

58:48

Lift both knees up, one good, oh, two, getting spicy. Inhale, exhale, four inhale. Exhale release on down. Yeah, right, that's what I said. So hard, okay. Bend the knees this time. Hold on to the ankles. Yeah, hold the ankles, lift up head, chest, and knees for Don your Asana.

59:24

Oftentimes, we oftentimes in this one. I find I just kind of rely on my arms, making this like, cute hammock for my body. But, but try to activate some of what we've been working on a little bit of glute. A little bit of hamstring. There's one way to test it to see if it's happening, keep the shape of the legs as much the same as you can let go with the hands and just hover the hands by the ankles for a moment.

59:49

See if you can hold the shape ah, and then release all the way down. Yeah, sometimes so clearly, you can feel how much we were. Training the arms, not so much training the legs there. Yeah. So, let's bring some of what we learned into the second one. Bend the knees, hold on to the ankles, lift up head, chest, and knees.

01:00:19

Don Johnson. I remember just because it's hard, doesn't mean it's bad for. Okay, so again kick in a little bit of work from the back body, lower back, uh glutes and hamstrings, and then once again try to test it. Just let go of the ankles for a second before you release down.

01:00:40

Oh boy! Place the hands either side of the chest, parallel the legs, lift forward and up into upward facing dog. Exhale downward facing dog breathing. Breathe out, soften the knees a little bit, and take the hips as high up and back as you can breathe in. Breathe out, lengthen out both sides of the spine, breathe in.

01:01:06

Breathe out, inhale forward into a plank, slow chaturanga all the way to the floor. Uh, hands stay flat on the floor, but move the hands wider away from the chest, so you maybe even onto the floor. And then take the feet wider as well. Maybe the toes even find the side edges of the mat?

01:01:30

Push the hands down, lift the head, lift the chest, maybe even parts of the abdomen, pull the navel in and up, push the center of the sternum forward, and then maybe the head can lift up and back to continue the line of the spine there and then slowly release down abdomen, chest head.

01:01:49

You can stay on your hands, or you can, of course, do fingertips cup. The hands go ahead again. Lift head, chest abdomen, lift the head up and back. Push the sternum forward, forward forward, and then slowly release on down, last one last one lift head, chest abdomen, lift the head up and back.

01:02:12

This time bend both knees, then both knees, and bring both feet to touch both heads one.

01:02:35

Vented this yoga stuff. Hands on the floor either side of your chest, parallel the legs and feet inhale, lift forward and up to upward dog. Exhale downward facing dog, okay? Bring the knees to the floor. Stand up on the knees, hands on your waist. Step the right foot forward.

01:03:01

Step the left foot forward to stand up. Yeah, we don't want to do too much to release the back now because we have just a little something to do, this time everybody. Go find some wall space, so pull the short edge of your mat up to the wall.

01:03:24

I can move it. Okay, can you okay? I'm gonna show I'm gonna actually show in Mindy's spot so that we can be inclusive of the folks who are practicing online. So if you can't see me come towards the front? Yeah, okay, so now. Whatever your forearm stand practice is currently.

01:03:50

You're, you know, if you're still working on lifting up in the first place, you'll practice again, lifting up into your forearm stand. If you are lifting up pretty consistently, then what we're going to do is, we're going to take the whole shape back a bit. So I'm going to start a little further back away from the wall than I normally would.

01:04:08

I'm going to lift into my. Standard. Happy forearm stand, and then watch how I'm going to bring the top of each foot onto the wall. I'm trying to bring the toenail side of the foot to the wall, and then I'm going to simultaneously pull my chest forward and push my toes into the wall in order to feel something like what it's like to move into a scorpion shape.

01:04:39

As you can tell, mine is also still a work in progress, but this is a nice way to feel that opposition of energy, so the feet are pressing into the wall at the same time that I'm pulling my chest forward. Yeah, let's give that a try. Not important to me.

01:04:57

If it's important, you can do it. So, start just a little further away from the wall than you might normally. Yeah, just just pull back slightly perfect, and then go ahead. Lift up into your forearm down dog. Favorite leg and no sorry. Unfavorite leg lifts up. And then come up.

01:05:24

Start in your forearm stand, Mel. I think you can go closer to the wall actually. Yeah, let's set you up like. Here. Yeah, go ahead. Okay, then one foot finds the wall two feet, find the wall, and then you peel the chest forward. Push your pubic bone more. Bring the feet more down.

01:05:46

Yes, pubic bone towards the center of the room. Lift your chest leg crazy. Yes, very nice. Very, very nice. Oh, goodness. Happy Sunday!

01:06:10

Oh. Oh good! So glad to hear it. Yes, go Elliott. Oh, it's brilliant. Okay, yes, super. Yes, sometimes you find that moment where the feet just naturally kind of want to come away from the wallet. You can find that moment of hang time with the Scorpion itself. If you need a few more moments to work on this, you're welcome to if you're like on the verge of a personal breakthrough.

01:06:42

And you need that time. Go ahead. Otherwise, we're going to come back to the middle yet again.

01:06:56

To the wall to the center to the wall to the center to the wall to the center. It's good. It gives us time to.

01:07:11

Okay. You can, uh, you can lay down on your back with your head towards the altar feet towards the wall. Yeah. That's it! Bend the knees, set the feet onto the floor. Lift the hips up, lower back, middle back, upper back, interlace the hands one. One, two, three.

01:07:47

I'd separate the hands, release the back down to the floor. Place the hands on the floor either side of the head, preparing for full wheel ortvadanyarasana. Inhale, go ahead, lift up. One in here. Exhale. Two inhale. Exhale three breathe in! Breathe out for inhale! Exhale inhale chin to chest exhale.

01:08:21

Release down. Keep the feet on the floor. If you need to release, keep the feet on the floor to do so. You can swish the knees a little side to side. You could even bring the feet wide knees together like a little pyramid shape. Okay, second time. I'm going to talk through a variation out loud if it feels like it's for you.

01:08:47

If it sounds like it's for you. Great. If it doesn't just count your five breaths and come down as usual? Place the hands, place the feet. Press down, lift up second time. Lift one foot off the floor and then bring the sole of the foot towards the crown of the head.

01:09:08

Yeah, so look all the way back. Try to touch your toes to the head, yes, and then switch sides. Do the other leg? Boom. Yes, reach, reach, reach, and then release chin to your chest. Slowly release down. Oh man. What a class. Okay. Uh, please, the hands place the feet.

01:09:39

I'm going to talk through a different variation if it's not for you, don't do it, lift up. At last times. Okay, second variation touch the top of your head to the floor. Bring your right forearm to the floor elbow, where the hand used to be left for him to the floor elbow, where the hand used to be pushed down, lift your head off the floor.

01:10:06

And then to get out of it. Head to the floor. Place the right hand where the right elbow used to be left hand where the left elbow used to be and then press down to lift up. And then chin to the chest and release down. Oh boy! Thank goodness Ruth is teaching next week.

01:10:24

And you don't have to worry about me. Okay, slowly, and gently hug the knees into the chest slow. Now, it's not a great idea to go. Like, all the way to your deepest hug knees into chest immediately. So again, just gradually lengthen the low back against the floor. You can move the knees around if if you like, yeah.

01:10:51

That's right.

01:11:04

That's it! Bring the knees together now, both knees over to the left to twist. Look over the right shoulder.

01:11:46

I had to bring the knees all the way up to the center and then go the other way knees over to the right side.

01:12:23

I'd bring the news all the way up to the center. Come on up to a seated position, sit all the way upright. Yeah, you can face either direction. Now, you can face the windows again if you like. Bend the right knee into the chest. Step the right foot to the outside of the left leg.

01:12:41

One more twist to help us release the back twist to the right side. Yeah, you can fold the bottom leg under if you want. Go ahead, twist. But lengthen out of the lower back. So make make this twist especially, but also every twist forever and ever make this twist about length instead about wrenching the middle back around.

01:13:03

Yeah.

01:13:09

I turned face front, switch up the legs. And twist to the left. Good one.

01:13:28

Something happened in this class. Oh yeah, well. I mean, we did just do all that stuff. Okay. Good turn, a face forward, straighten both legs out in front of you. Hands on to the floor right next to the hips, Flex the feet, sit up as tall as you can, lift the chest, draw the navel in and up.

01:13:52

Flex the feet so much. The heels almost want to lift, but don't quite let them push down into the hands crown of the head, lifting, lifting, lifting, and then go ahead. Go forward posthumo tanasana.

01:14:41

Good. And then, uh, if you need a little more time? Right. We did a lot of back strengthening if you need a little more time to lengthen out the back. Take all the time you need. When you feel ready when you feel satisfied in your pashimochanasana, come up into either shoulder stand or some variation of vippery to karani or even something else if there's something else that would help you feel.

01:15:07

You really rounded out the end of your practice. Yeah.

01:16:22

I've been reading a book by John Lewis. Famous activist and. Congressperson and? In the book, you know, I mean, he talks. He speaks a lot about his activism, work with the Civil Rights Movement, and even his work in Congress and one of the really one of the many, many profound things.

01:16:50

That he mentions in the book is about how? Even during his time in Congress, he describes trying to get a bill passed. That would open the first African-American history Museum in Washington, DC, and the idea actually came about in the early. 1900s, right? And, and it took no, sorry, not 1800s.

01:17:15

What am I talking about in the 60s, and it took nearly up until his last couple years in Congress to to finally get it passed. And he just said, like, every year. Every year, he would take this same. He would take the same sequence of steps he would Coalition build.

01:17:32

Try to get people to sign on to the bill. He would present it in Congress and year after year, it would fail. Right, and he talks about the importance of patience. The work in the work of practice and the work of activism in whatever it is that we're trying to build.

01:17:55

The work of doing the next necessary step and not knowing if it will succeed or when it will succeed and to watch to have watched himself in his own lifetime. Uh, the the slow, the slow and steady. Process of trying to get this. Bill passed this one Mission, right?

01:18:32

And he also talks about the importance of learning from those who have come before us. Which is very relevant, not only in political work and political activism, but also incredibly relevant in. Yoga studies. You know, knowing the roots of the practice, knowing the foundations of the practice, learning from people who have already walked those paths before?

01:18:59

Learning from people who have their own depth of. Of depth and expanse of. Knowledge and foundation and practice underneath them.

01:19:27

It's funny to reflect on, cuz even as a yoga teacher. When you first get started, there's there's that huge temptation to just be as creative as possible, and just, you know, make your own thing happen. When, actually, that's a beautiful time to get kind of more intimately. Are familiar with and master what you know.

01:19:50

What has come before right to really understand all the nooks and crannies and details of the tradition?

01:20:04

And then, just like Roots. You know, that is, what nourishes the tree that is what nourishes the practice?

01:20:18

And then, if you're still in shoulder stands, start to come through plow and fish. Plow at least five breaths. Fish, go for 10 breaths. You can count your breath since we're all coming down at slightly different times.

01:20:45

And if you're in headstand, be sure to come down in enough time to take about five breaths in child's pose. Everybody, gradually working your way towards shavasana.

01:27:03

Slowly. Start to deepen the breath.

01:27:19

Start to bring some movement into the body.

01:27:33

Take a moment to move or stretch any way you need.

01:27:48

And then, when you're ready, come on up. To a seated position.

01:28:23

Feel the body connected to the Earth, so feel the literal. Seat connected to the cushion or block or whatever it is that you're sitting on. Feel all the other parts of the body in contact with the floor, so shins. Ankles, tops of feet toes.

01:28:48

Feel like you could sit down a little heavier into gravity? Kind of rooting yourself into your meditation seat. And then, from that, grounded and stable and rooted Place grow the spine, a little taller towards the ceiling. Visualize the top of the head kind of blossoming open to the sky.

01:29:20

Wherever it is that you usually place your mind. Behind the eyes or behind the forehead. On purpose, visualize dropping the Mind down into the body. Feel the mind dropping down. Into the body.

01:29:41

Body on the earth mind in the body.

01:29:51

Feel the breath moving.

01:30:04

So, the attention is open and natural. And relaxed. And on the breath.

01:31:44

Thank you all so much for making time for practice and for all of your very, very hard work and your sense of adventure today namaste. Thanks to Kalia for extra assistance as well. Aren't her? Is this great? Goodness! Yeah, thanks everybody. As always, if you have questions, let me know.

01:32:06

If not, uh, we'll see you. Some other time. I do my regular classes Fridays at 10 A.M and Sundays at this time, but Ruth will be teaching this Sunday. So, come to class anyway, and then I'll see you in two Sundays. And I am teaching this both classes on Thanksgiving weekend.

01:32:27

So, if everybody's, if anybody's here over Thanksgiving weekend, I'll be here, you hear. Yeah, you and me babe, all right. What's up Saturday? I'm teaching the Friday 10 A.M class and the. Sunday, 11. Yeah, so both of those I'm teaching over the over the holiday weekend. Yeah, all right.

01:32:49

Thank you.

01:33:14

Yeah, ASAP.

01:33:48

We started.

01:33:54

Because it wasn't finding the cameras either.

01:34:01