- Hello, everyone.

Welcome to BREATH,
your 30 day yoga journey.

We're back with Day 17,

Explore.

Let's get started.

(bright upbeat piano music)

Alright, let's start
today with a little Cat-Cow.

So we're gonna jump right
into some spinal flexion.

As always, 
remember, you can use

your blanket to pad the knees.

Fingertips spread wide.

Rooted down
into the ground, let's go.

When you're ready,
using the inhale

to drop the belly, 
open the chest,

and really lift and lengthen
from the top of the head today.

So try to really
exaggerate that.

And then exhale, chin to chest.

Navel draws up, up,
up towards the spine.

We hug the lower ribs in,
and now keep it going.

Starting to sync
up with your breath.

Taking a second to
soften your gaze here

as we start to slowly move

and slowly breathe
with more consciousness.

Noticing how you feel.

And ultimately, today,

really giving yourself 
permission to explore.

So you can start to
veer off the railroad tracks

here at any time.

Exploring the space.

Okay.

Exploring the space,
exploring the sensation.

Exploring the body,
exploring the breath.

Alright, so from here,

you're veering off
the railroad tracks.

Benji's looking out
into the distance at birds

and squirrels and deer.

I'm hoping some
magical creature also comes by

and we all can
witness it together.

So we're veering off
the railroad tracks here.

Don't decide where it ends.

We've said this before,

so you might take
it all the way back

into an Extended Child's Pose.

You might take it all
the way forward into Cobra.

You might turn the fingertips
in for some wrist rotations,

either one hand at a time,

or maybe today
we try both hands.

Finding that
gentle circular motion.

Maybe you curl the toes under,
reset the hands,

and send the hips
back towards the feet.

So I'd like to invite you
to just explore the space

a little bit on your mat.

And if you're feeling
pretty tired and sedentary,

it's totally okay to
maybe take a moment here

and milk this exploration
warmup with a little stillness.

Just kind of grounding

and down with the
sound of your breath.

So

the invitation
is yours to explore.

And we'll use this
same exploration eventually

to come all the
way down to the belly.

If you padded the knees,

you might move your
blanket to the side.

And that's where we'll meet.
Take your time.

And press into
the tops of the feet,

drag the hands in
line with the rib cage,

tuck the chin into the chest,

and inhale, rise up.

Exhale to slowly release.

Good, inhale to rise up.

And exhale to slowly release.

And inhale to rise up.

And this time when you're up,

press into the tops of the feet,
press into the pubic bone.

We're gonna flip
the palms face up.

We're gonna take the
weight off the hands

just to see how much
we're muscling in the hands.

And if we can slowly start
to integrate things in a way

so we really build
strength in the low back

without hurting yourselves

or tugging the shoulders
down away from the ears.

We're using our foundation here.

Exploring the sensation

as we build strength
with integrity and awareness.

Take one more breath.

Maybe you feel it lift you.

Catch a little wave.

And exhale, release the hands,

release the
forehead to the earth.

And let's press
back up to all fours.

Great, curl the right toes under,
send the right toes out.

Inhale, send the 
left fingertips forward,

left thumb up.

Exhale, draw the
navel up to the spine.

Good, inhale.
Lift the right leg up.

Exhale. Bring everything in.

Knee to nose.

Inhale, extend.

Exhale, bring it in.

Listen carefully.

Inhale, extend.

Exhale, we're gonna 
explore space left to right

by bending the left elbow,
bringing it to the side,

bending the right knee,
bringing it to the side

as if you were at a hydrant.

That's such a dumb
thing to say, I know,

but it's a good image.

Okay, inhale, extend.

Left fingertips forward,
right toes back.

And then bring it back down.

Hair toss and switch. 
Here we go.

Inhale in, curl the left toes.
Send that left heel back.

Nice stretch there.

Good, reach the
right fingertips forward.

Exhale, draw the right
shoulder in, navel to spine.

Inhale, left leg goes up.

Exhale, navel to spine,
hug the lower ribs in.

Okay, next inhale, spread
the fingers, spread the toes.

Root down
through your foundation.

Exhale, bring it in.

Inhale to extend.

Exhale to bring it in.

Inhale to extend.

Let's do one more. 
Exhale, bring it in.

Inhale to extend.

Explore the space left to right

by bending the right elbow,
taking it to the right,

bending the left knee,
taking it to the left.

Try to lift, lift, lift.

You're here for one
more breath, inhale.

Good, and then exhale,

slowly making your
way all the way back.

Bring the knees
as wide as the mat,

so widen the knees,
bring the toes together,

send the hips back,
fingertips forward.

Active, active stretch.

Reach, inhale, look forward.

Exhale, really pull back
through your hip creases.

So we want to feel the
hips getting heavy here.

And I realize your
shape may not look like mine.

So just work on the intention

of pulling the hip creases back,
getting heavy in the bum,

and then eventually we'll relax
the weight of the head down.

You can use your block
or your blanket or pillow

to lift the
earth up to your head

if the head doesn't
come down all the way.

We won't be here too long.

So breathing deep.

And here in our
little private love cave,

we'll start to seal the
lips if you haven't already,

and just start to play
with breathing in and out

through the nose.

And while we're
not doing ratio today,

see if you can

just have this in 
the back of your mind,

this idea of
slowing down the breath.

So we're actually 
taking less breaths

throughout this practice

than we maybe would have

if we weren't
bringing our awareness

to the breath and
to slowing it down.

So to put it simply,
can we take less breaths

for the duration
of this practice

by bringing our
awareness to

breathing slowly

instead of lots
of quick breaths?

Alright, inhale to look forward.

Exhale to come all the
way back up to all fours.

Spread the fingertips wide,

curl the toes under,
inhale in again.

And yes, exhale, hips up high
and back, Downward Facing Dog.

So keep that in mind here

as we bring the head
underneath the heart.

Can we take slow breaths

and fewer here on the mat?

And the answer might
be no for you today.

So it's just
something to explore.

It's just something to chew on.

After a couple of moments here,

to stretch out through the
feet and find your foundation

and your alignment 
and your action,

then let's come into
a moment of stillness

in Downward Facing Dog.

Listen to the
sound of your breath,

in through the nose,
out through the nose.

Lovely, then bend your knees,
inhale to look forward.

And exhale, we're gonna cross 
the right foot over the left.

Good, then left
foot over the right,

but try to really take up space.

Explore the space on your mat.

So big criss-cross steps today.

Yes, one and then the other.

Nice and slow all the way up

to the tippy-tip-top.
Feet together today.

Really together, legs squeezing,
bend your knees generously

and allow your 
upper body to drape

down past the legs

and listen to your breath here.

In through the nose, 
out through the nose.

Check in with the
head and the neck,

see if you're gripping here.

And then just notice if
your weight is shifting

more forward into the
toes or back into the heels.

Let's see if we can
spread our awareness evenly

throughout all four
corners of the feet.

So nice, all right.

Let's roll it up nice and slow.

Bend your knees generously.

Send your hips back,
tuck your chin,

soft fingertips as you
slowly roll up to Mountain Pose.

Squeeze the legs together

and see if you can
find a little power

from really squeezing the legs,

lifting up from the pelvic floor

as, of course, the heart lifts,

the head lifts, shoulders drop.

Keep soft fingertips here,
nice and easy.

Take a second to check
in with the head to neck,

exploring the sensation there.

And then when
you're ready, big inhale,

soft fingertips
are gonna take us

all the way up towards the sky.

Squeeze the legs together.

Really squeeze, 
squeeze, squeeze.

You should feel nice
and strong in your base.

Good, and then exhale,

soft fingertips take
us all the way down.

I'll reach over and give
Benji a little head scratch

from all of us.

What a sweet boy.

Good, and then take
a second to hang here.

Fingertips on the earth.

Shake the head, 
a little yes, a little no.

Oh yeah, and I'm
going right into it.

So drop the hips.

So we've been squeezing.

So we have this nice space.

So keep that,
drop the hips back.

You got this, 
send fingertips forward.

Now opposite of soft fingertips,

nice active fingertips
reaching energy forward

as you send the
hips back in space.

So now we're exploring 
the space behind us,

pressing into both feet evenly,

big beach ball in front of you.

And maybe just up a
little bit past your eyebrows.

So we're counterbalancing the
weight of the hips going back

by reaching the
fingertips forward.

If it's in your practice

to take the fingertips
up to the sky, go ahead.

But I'd like this variation

as we begin to help us
learn how to drop our center

and manage the
weight distribution.

We're here for three,
drop a little lower, two,

drop a little lower,
and one, great.

Root to rise here, inhale,
reach for the sky.

And exhale, 
soft fingertips as you

bring it all the way back down.

Good.

Take a second. 
On your next inhale,

lift up halfway, find a
nice flat back position.

Micro-bend in the
knees here, not locked.

And then exhale, 
let it go, Forward Fold.

Good, fingertips on the mat.

Inhale, step the left toes back.

Exhale, lower the 
left knee to the earth.

Inhale, active fingers
now as you explore

the space forward, up,
and back, lifting your chest.

Slight back bend here maybe

as you lift the
chest to the sky.

Good, and then slowly
release it back down.

Great, pull the
right hip crease back.

Flex your right
toes towards your face.

Stretch it out.

Inhale, look forward.

Exhale, roll it through.

Lift that back knee up.
Left hand to the earth.

No weight in
that left wrist here

as we reach the right
fingertips to the sky.

Now today, try to
really reach your left heel

towards the back
edge of your mat.

Keep that front knee
over the front ankle.

And as you reach, soft or
active fingertips, your choice,

in the right finger, right hand,
excuse me, so your choice.

As you reach up, squeeze
the inner thighs together,

maybe lifting up in
the pelvis, half an inch.

Oh yeah, so we're exploring a
little more in the poses now.

Inhaling again.

Exhale, bring it 
all the way back.

Check it out.

Step the back foot up.

You can keep the
back heel lifted today

as you pull the
right hip crease back,

a little Pyramid variation.

Good, inhale in.

Exhale, kick the left toes back,

come to your nice low lunge,
back knee's lifted.

And then we'll step
the right toes back.

Follow your breath all
the way down, belly to Cobra.

Using your inhale, 
of course, to lift the heart.

And the exhale
to follow it down.

Then inhale to
all fours or Plank.

Notice how you
feel today in Plank.

And then exhale to
your Downward Facing Dog.

Take a deep breath in
here, in through the nose.

And exhale out through the nose.

Bend the knees.

Inhale, look forward.

Exhale, cross your left
foot over your right.

Then cross your
right foot over your left.

Again, big
criss-cross steps today.

So taking up the
full space of the mat,

stretching through
the fascia of the foot,

the ankle, the calf,
that IT band,

on that outer hip,
all the way to the top.

Feet together, really together.

Nice, inhale, halfway lift.

Exhale to soften and bow.

Root to rise, inhale,

energy in the fingertips
as you reach all the way up.

Stand tall, reach for the sky.

And then exhale, 
wiggle the fingertips as

you take it all the way down.

Alright, bend the knees,
send the hips back in space,

spread awareness through
all four corners of the feet.

Find that
four-part equal standing

as you drop the hips down,
send the fingertips forward.

Imagine you're
holding a big beach ball

or one of those big physio
balls (laughs) in your hands.

So there's lots of energy here.

Sending it back,
squeezing the legs together.

Pressing into all
four corners of the feet.

Squeezing, squeezing 
legs together,

but soft in the face,
relaxed in the shoulders.

Alright, inhale in.

Exhale, drop it
half an inch for three.

Drop a little more for two.
You got this.

Drop a little
more for one. Awesome.

Root to rise here.
Squeeze the legs together.

Feel the power in your base.

As you inhale,
reach all the way up.

And exhale, let it go.

Soft fingers, wiggle them as
you bring it all the way down.

Inhale, halfway lift, draw
the shoulder blades together.

Good, exhale, soften and fold.

Take a second, then
fingertips come to the mat.

Step the right foot back,
lower the right knee.

Good, inhale.

Fingertips reach 
forward, up and back.

Lift the chest all the way up.

As you exhale, 
drop the shoulders down.

Inhale in again.

Exhale all the way 
back down to your lunge.

Keep the back
knee on the ground.

Pull the left hip crease back,

straighten through the left leg.

So you're breathing in
and out through your nose.

I'm talking
while I'm doing this.

So I'm obviously
breathing out of my mouth,

but try to explore

in through the nose,
out through the nose.

Knowing, of course,

if you want to take a
nice intentional sigh,

or letting go of some heat,

you can do so
throughout the mouth.

We're just trying to
bring more awareness.

Inhale to look forward.

Exhale, rolling through,
front knee over front ankle,

back to your lunge.

Right hand comes to the earth.

We curl the left toes under,
lift the back knee.

Here we go.
Lots to explore here.

We'll start to explore
a little more in these shapes.

As the left fingertips come up,

draw the right shoulder back,

front knee over front ankle.

Again, squeezing the inner
thighs in towards the midline.

Feel your pelvis
lift half an inch.

Should feel nice in the sacrum.

We're reaching
the right heel back.

Reach up, wiggle the fingertips

as if you were
trying to tickle a cloud.

(muffled laughter) 
You can quote me on that later.

And then slowly
bring it back. Beautiful.

Frame your right
foot with your hands.

Keep the back knee lifted.

Step the left toes back.

Everyone give this Plank a try.

Press away from your yoga mat,

even if it's
just for two seconds.

Just check in with
where you're at with it.

And then slowly lower
all the way to the belly.

Good, inhale, 
ride the wave of the breath.

Lift your heart up, Cobra.

Exhale to release.

Curl the toes under again.

Give it a try.

Navel draws up to the spine.

Upper back body domes.

Just listen to your body.

Crown of the head
reaching forward,

heels reaching back if
you have to lower the knees,

of course, honor your body,

build strength
mindfully and with integrity.

But we're here for three, two,

on the one, send the
hips up high and back.

Downward Facing Dog. Beautiful.

Breathing here.

Close your eyes.

Alright, take pressure 
out of the wrists

by really pressing
into the fingertips.

I know it's challenging,

but really give
some love exploration

to this hand 
to earth connection.

Particularly when we have a
lot of weight on the hands,

we're pressing
through the knuckles.

We're taking
pressure out of the wrists

by keeping this action as we
anchor through the left heel.

And inhale, lift the
right leg all the way up.

Exhale, bring it
all the way through,

step it into your lunge.

Pivot on the back foot, inhale.

We rise up,
Warrior I, heart lifts.

Good, and then exhale, 
turn it to the side, Warrior II.

Heart keeps lifting.

And let's explore
some space overhead.

Front knee stays bent today.

As we inhale, reach forward,
up and back, Peaceful Warrior.

Then slowly bring 
your heart forward,

right elbow to the
top of the right knee,

left fingertips
up towards the sky.

Good, stay here or extend
the right fingertips down.

So right arm is straight,
left arm is straight.

We're working to
stack the shoulders here.

Hugging the low ribs in,
left toes are turned in.

We breathe in,
wiggle the left fingertips.

Breathe out to bring it all
the way back down to your lunge.

Plant the palm, 
step the right toes back.

Belly to Cobra or
Chaturanga to Upward Facing Dog.

Moving with your breath.

Benji looks so cute right now.

Meet me in Downward Facing Dog.

So upper arm bones
are externally rotating,

so away from the ears.

We have our hand
to earth connection.

We're gonna root the
right heel down firmly,

and inhale,
slide the left leg up.

Exhale, shift it forward.

Step it all the way up.

Pivot on the back foot.

Once you feel like
you have your foundation,

inhale, rise up,
Warrior I, strong legs.

And exhale,
opening up to Warrior II.

Nice wide stance.

Head over heart,
heart over pelvis.

Taking up space, reaching.

And here we go, front knee
stays bent, so reinforce that.

Strong leg. You got it.

Left fingertips reach
all the way up and back.

Peaceful Warrior.

Beautiful.

Pressing into all
four corners of the feet.

Keep that front knee bent

as we slowly come back through.

Left elbow to the
top of the left thigh,

right fingertips to the sky.

All the way, reaching up,
reach, reach, reach.

Good, tuck your chin,

slightly lengthen
through back of the neck.

Hug those low ribs in

to start to feel
your abs a little more.

An option to open it up,

sending left
fingertips down to the sky,

right fingertips all the way up.

Working to stack
the shoulders in space.

Right inner thigh is engaged.

Inhale, 
wiggle the right fingertips.

Exhale slowly, bring it
back down, frame your left foot.

Last time here, plant the palms,
step the left toes back.

Inhale to look forward,
shift forward.

Exhale, belly to Cobra or
Chaturanga to Upward Facing Dog.

Inhale in deeply here.

And exhale, make your 
way to Downward Dog.

Alright, now we're gonna
breathe out through the mouth.

So inhale in through the nose.

Exhale, Lion's Breath.

Stick your tongue out,
cleansing breath.

Inhale in again. 
Let's try that one more time.

And exhale, Lion's Breath,
cleansing breath, tongue out.

Slowly lower to
the knees. Nice work.

Swing the legs to one side

and come on down to the ground.

When you get there, 
hug the knees up to the chest.

Rock a little side to
side and close your eyes.

And honestly, I know it's
hard to be told to relax,

but I want you to
see if you can surrender

to a little chill moment
here on the ground right away.

Just cut right to the chase

as you massage the low back.

By squeezing the knees all
the way up towards the chest,

you can lift the head
towards the knees if you like,

or you can just
explore the space here.

Start maybe bringing
the palms to the knees.

Start with some circles,

or you can keep
the hands on the shins

as you just
teeter-totter left to right.

Another fancy term.

And if you feel comfortable,

close your eyes and
just play around here.

See if you can find
(chuckles) any sore spots

or a place that
feels really good.

Sometimes it may not be soft,
easy movement that feels good,

but rather a
steady hold or stillness

where the breath moves you.

So take a couple
moments just to be here

to play and explore.

Alright, then we'll lower
the feet down to the ground.

Press the palms into the earth.

Walk the heels up
towards your hips.

Imagine you're squeezing
an imaginary block here.

Walk the shoulder blades in

and slowly start to lift off,

hip points up towards the sky.

Send your gaze straight up
towards the ceiling or the sky

and keep it there
just allow the sound

of my voice to guide you.

Shins forward, as we
press up, we engage the glutes.

Use the palms
pressing into the earth

to curl the shoulder blades in.

And then when
you're ready, explore,

just play with lifting the
right heel, just the right heel,

and notice if
you can really find

that left sit bone
to knee connection.

So that femur kind 
of connecting there,

joint to joint.

And then lower the right
heel down, and same thing.

Lift the left heel, and see
if you can feel a connection,

maybe your right glute coming in,

snugly in the hip socket.

Hmm, hmmm, hmmm.

Alright, lower that heel.

And then, yep, you guessed it.

See what happens if
you lift both heels.

Squeeze the glutes here.

Shins forward.

Gazing up towards the sky, 
soften the jaw.

Press into all of your toes.

Try to evenly.

And we're here for three, two,
slow count, and one.

Great, lower the heels, slowly
come all the way back down.

Walk the feet together,
open the knees wide,

Reclined Cobbler's Pose,

and allow your hands
to come to your belly.

Inhaling through your nose,
close your eyes.

And exhale out slowly
through the nose or the mouth.

Then when you
feel like you're ready

to kind of drop
that deep, deep breath,

let your breath return
to its natural rhythm.

As you can close the eyes,
soften the jaw,

and just giving it
a couple beats here

as we open up through the
hips in this posture to really,

we've been doing a
lot of active breathing,

just see if you can allow
yourself to be breathed here.

Just a surrender.

And if you feel like
letting go of something,

even if you can't
name it, say yes.

If you think it will serve you,

yes to letting go of
that which no longer serves.

I love the exploration practice

because it reminds me that
there is so much possibility.

And there's even a bit of magic

to the art of really showing up

with a willingness to
simply explore what is.

And we're not trying
to manipulate everything

or schedule or
control everything.

We're staying open
to all possibilities.

Yeah, okay, bring the fingertips

to the outer edges of the legs.

Ooh, mine feel heavy.

Bring 'em together.

Walk the feet as
wide as the yoga mat,

and then allow the
knees to come in to kiss.

If you want to windshield wiper
the legs a little bit here,

please do.

And then extend one leg out,

and then the other.

And inhale, reach all
the way up towards the sky,

and then continue the journey

all the way behind you,

exploring the
space in front of you

with the toes
pointing and flexing,

and then behind you,

wiggling the fingertips,
rotating the ankles.

Now inhale in, check it out.

Exhale, core strength,
navel draws down.

You have it.
Find your center,

and you can do one leg at a
time or both legs at a time.

You're gonna squeeze the
legs in as you draw your arms

all the way back to your shins.

Yep, inhale, extend
the legs out all the way.

Fingertips reach behind.

Only doing three of these.
And then exhale, bring it in.

Last one, inhale, extend.

Exhale, bring it in.

Inhale in again,
send the arms out.

Cactus arms or
football goalpost arms.

I realize that's
American football, goalpost arms,

and then send the
legs to the right.

Just a little twist too.

And today bring 
it back to center.

Twist to the left.

Good. Bring it back to center.

Grab your blanket.

You can bring it behind
the head, behind the knees,

or I'm bringing mine to
the tops of my hips today

for a little comfort.

So explore all your options.

Benji's already relaxed fully.

Benji? Okay, he's breathing.

Okay, and then
(laughs) let's relax.

Just take a second, let your
arms rest gently at your sides.

Palm face up, 
walk the heels nice and wide.

Inhale in deeply.

And exhale completely,
notice how you feel.

How do you feel today?

And how do you
really know how you feel

on any given day, any new day,

unless you take the time to
kind of explore and listen?

Pay attention?

Love you guys. 
Let's bring the palms together.

Thumbs up to the third eye.

Stay here for a little bit
longer if you have the time.

I look forward to
seeing you tomorrow.

In the meantime, take good care.

Happy exploring.

Inhale in deeply, 
one last breath together.

And exhale to close our
practice and whisper

Namaste.

(bright upbeat piano music)