1 00:00:00,250 --> 00:00:01,083 - Hello, everyone. 2 00:00:01,083 --> 00:00:03,834 Welcome to BREATH, your 30 day yoga journey. 3 00:00:03,834 --> 00:00:06,291 It's Day 20. 4 00:00:06,291 --> 00:00:08,667 Pause. 5 00:00:08,667 --> 00:00:10,208 Let's get started. 6 00:00:10,208 --> 00:00:15,542 (bright upbeat piano music) 7 00:00:28,750 --> 00:00:31,166 Okie doke, come on down to the ground. 8 00:00:31,166 --> 00:00:34,083 Let's sit up on something if you have it. 9 00:00:34,083 --> 00:00:35,125 If you don't, no worries, 10 00:00:35,125 --> 00:00:37,041 but again it is nice to lift the hips 11 00:00:37,041 --> 00:00:41,333 so that the thigh bone and the knees can drop down in space. 12 00:00:41,333 --> 00:00:45,375 So if your knees are up here, completely normal, 13 00:00:45,375 --> 00:00:49,667 we will drop them with more regular practice. 14 00:00:49,667 --> 00:00:51,417 But if your knees are up here, 15 00:00:51,417 --> 00:00:53,708 I do encourage sitting up on something. 16 00:00:57,834 --> 00:00:59,792 Sit up nice and tall. 17 00:01:02,417 --> 00:01:07,417 Pause a moment out of the day to pause and check in. 18 00:01:08,250 --> 00:01:11,208 I know you've been doing a lot of great physical work, 19 00:01:12,291 --> 00:01:17,250 so we're gonna take a little bit of a breather, wink wink, 20 00:01:17,250 --> 00:01:21,083 today, and kind of stay off the wrists and the hands, 21 00:01:21,083 --> 00:01:26,125 for the most part, work on breath. 22 00:01:26,125 --> 00:01:29,458 But like to start with a little self massage 23 00:01:29,458 --> 00:01:32,000 of the hands and the wrists and the forearms 24 00:01:32,000 --> 00:01:32,834 and even the shoulders. 25 00:01:32,834 --> 00:01:34,625 So take your thumb. 26 00:01:34,625 --> 00:01:35,500 We've done this before. 27 00:01:35,500 --> 00:01:36,959 Interlace the fingertips, 28 00:01:36,959 --> 00:01:39,917 take your right thumb to the base of your left palm, 29 00:01:39,917 --> 00:01:41,959 just to give you a starting point, 30 00:01:41,959 --> 00:01:43,834 and massage your hand there, 31 00:01:43,834 --> 00:01:47,166 and then switch to the opposite hand 32 00:01:47,166 --> 00:01:49,166 and then just keep exploring, right? 33 00:01:49,166 --> 00:01:50,834 Don't decide where it ends. 34 00:01:50,834 --> 00:01:53,166 And you can start to just bring your focus inward. 35 00:01:53,166 --> 00:01:55,750 No need to look at me unless you want to. 36 00:01:55,750 --> 00:01:57,000 Or you can look at Benji, 37 00:01:57,000 --> 00:01:59,333 see he brought a stick to practice today. 38 00:02:00,375 --> 00:02:01,792 I tell ya. 39 00:02:03,125 --> 00:02:06,667 And after you're taking a peek at that, 40 00:02:06,667 --> 00:02:08,542 do drop your head, and just kind of go inward. 41 00:02:08,542 --> 00:02:11,000 And I guess what I'm trying to 42 00:02:11,000 --> 00:02:14,000 coerce or lovingly invite you to do is, 43 00:02:14,000 --> 00:02:17,000 we'll see this little self massage 44 00:02:17,000 --> 00:02:19,291 in the beginning of this practice 45 00:02:19,291 --> 00:02:24,375 as a really sweet moment with yourself, you know? 46 00:02:24,375 --> 00:02:28,125 Kind of pausing 47 00:02:28,125 --> 00:02:30,959 the busy exterior, 48 00:02:30,959 --> 00:02:33,834 all the lovely things and difficult things 49 00:02:33,834 --> 00:02:37,542 that are going on outside the four corners of the mat. 50 00:02:37,542 --> 00:02:40,917 And for this pretty swift practice today, 51 00:02:40,917 --> 00:02:44,250 just really relishing in the pause, 52 00:02:44,250 --> 00:02:48,250 the moment in between, what is happening, you know, 53 00:02:48,250 --> 00:02:50,333 before you get on the mat and what is going to happen 54 00:02:50,333 --> 00:02:51,792 after you step off the mat, 55 00:02:51,792 --> 00:02:55,708 really relishing in this magical moment in between. 56 00:02:57,625 --> 00:03:02,667 Fingertips can crawl on up to the neck, 57 00:03:02,667 --> 00:03:06,000 the shoulders, traps. 58 00:03:07,500 --> 00:03:09,291 Maybe even the muscles of the chest. 59 00:03:15,166 --> 00:03:17,000 And then when you're ready, you take your hands. 60 00:03:17,000 --> 00:03:19,208 You're gonna separate at the index finger 61 00:03:19,208 --> 00:03:21,166 and middle finger here if you can. 62 00:03:21,166 --> 00:03:23,708 And we're going to bring it just underneath the ears. 63 00:03:23,708 --> 00:03:25,875 And you're just going to massage a little up and down here, 64 00:03:25,875 --> 00:03:27,333 relaxing the jaw. 65 00:03:29,000 --> 00:03:31,333 If you really want that good lymphatic drain, 66 00:03:31,333 --> 00:03:33,875 you can trace the fingertips down. 67 00:03:35,333 --> 00:03:36,667 Oh yeah. 68 00:03:42,000 --> 00:03:45,250 And then we'll release that, finish up, 69 00:03:45,250 --> 00:03:46,500 and then we'll release that. 70 00:03:46,500 --> 00:03:48,417 And then we're going to uncross the legs, 71 00:03:48,417 --> 00:03:50,250 bring the soles of the feet together. 72 00:03:51,959 --> 00:03:53,125 Bring the hands to the ankles. 73 00:03:53,125 --> 00:03:54,875 If you want to sneak in a little foot massage here, 74 00:03:54,875 --> 00:03:56,333 you know what? 75 00:03:56,333 --> 00:03:57,291 Let's just do it. 76 00:03:57,291 --> 00:03:59,959 Let's get a little foot massage in here. 77 00:03:59,959 --> 00:04:01,875 A little goes a long way. 78 00:04:01,875 --> 00:04:02,959 Maybe ankle. 79 00:04:04,083 --> 00:04:06,458 And then eventually we will grab the ankles, 80 00:04:06,458 --> 00:04:08,208 loop the shoulders forward, up and back, 81 00:04:08,208 --> 00:04:10,542 find that lift in the front body 82 00:04:10,542 --> 00:04:12,250 and then actively anchor down 83 00:04:12,250 --> 00:04:13,417 through the tops of the thighs. 84 00:04:13,417 --> 00:04:15,917 So let your legs get really heavy here 85 00:04:15,917 --> 00:04:18,750 as you come into Cobbler's Pose. 86 00:04:18,750 --> 00:04:22,125 Lift and lengthen from the tip top of the head 87 00:04:22,125 --> 00:04:24,834 and energetically, right, we are always kind of 88 00:04:24,834 --> 00:04:26,625 considering the energetic body 89 00:04:26,625 --> 00:04:31,083 as we move in and out of these gestures, 90 00:04:31,083 --> 00:04:34,166 these shapes with our breath to find more support. 91 00:04:34,166 --> 00:04:35,667 Lift up from the pelvic floor. 92 00:04:35,667 --> 00:04:38,959 Think about your awareness or your energy 93 00:04:38,959 --> 00:04:42,417 lifting you all the way up through this center plumb line. 94 00:04:42,417 --> 00:04:45,583 So we have the alignment, we have the action, 95 00:04:45,583 --> 00:04:47,458 kind of the, the musculature, 96 00:04:47,458 --> 00:04:50,083 but we also have the awareness of energy 97 00:04:50,083 --> 00:04:52,834 that can support us and hold us up. 98 00:04:58,792 --> 00:04:59,834 Period. (chuckles) 99 00:04:59,834 --> 00:05:01,458 Okay, that's the end of that sentence. 100 00:05:01,458 --> 00:05:02,583 Alright. 101 00:05:02,583 --> 00:05:04,291 Take a deep breath in. 102 00:05:04,291 --> 00:05:06,875 Exhale, lean forward, shift forward. 103 00:05:06,875 --> 00:05:10,417 Feel these thigh bones snuggle up into socket. 104 00:05:10,417 --> 00:05:12,875 As you look forward, take a little gander 105 00:05:12,875 --> 00:05:15,750 down into your imaginary pond here. 106 00:05:15,750 --> 00:05:17,208 See your reflection. 107 00:05:18,875 --> 00:05:22,708 Whisper, "Darn, I'm beautiful." 108 00:05:25,875 --> 00:05:27,875 And then walk your hands to your toes, 109 00:05:27,875 --> 00:05:29,208 send the elbows left to right, 110 00:05:29,208 --> 00:05:32,917 and then use this bind to maybe, maybe, be careful now. 111 00:05:32,917 --> 00:05:36,250 Lean a little bit more forward, get a little closer, 112 00:05:36,250 --> 00:05:40,667 get a better look at yourself and your beauty, 113 00:05:40,667 --> 00:05:44,125 that beauty that is just so unique to you and only you. 114 00:05:44,125 --> 00:05:46,417 It's just incredible. 115 00:05:46,417 --> 00:05:49,000 It's gorgeous. And then slowly lift back up. 116 00:05:49,000 --> 00:05:50,625 Hands come behind us. 117 00:05:50,625 --> 00:05:54,917 Walk the feet hip width apart on the ground. 118 00:05:54,917 --> 00:05:57,750 Shift the legs to one side, any side. 119 00:05:59,250 --> 00:06:01,375 Keep the feet wide as you come back to center 120 00:06:01,375 --> 00:06:02,834 and shift to the opposite side, 121 00:06:02,834 --> 00:06:06,083 windshield wiper the legs a little back and forth. 122 00:06:06,083 --> 00:06:07,083 I like this move because you get 123 00:06:07,083 --> 00:06:10,375 a little bit of a glute massage. 124 00:06:11,208 --> 00:06:13,708 Might feel good after yesterday's practice. 125 00:06:17,834 --> 00:06:20,291 And then we'll come into Sukhasana, 126 00:06:21,708 --> 00:06:24,583 back to that cross-legged seat. 127 00:06:24,583 --> 00:06:26,792 So you can take variations of half Lotus 128 00:06:26,792 --> 00:06:28,708 or Lotus if you like, if you know what you're doing. 129 00:06:28,708 --> 00:06:31,333 But often I find that when I'm really wanting to 130 00:06:31,333 --> 00:06:33,417 work with Pranayama it's best to just have 131 00:06:33,417 --> 00:06:35,208 a nice wide base for me. 132 00:06:35,208 --> 00:06:37,917 So careful, if you're really bound up tight, 133 00:06:37,917 --> 00:06:42,708 might just experiment with a little more space. 134 00:06:44,333 --> 00:06:46,834 Lift up through the front body, breathe in. 135 00:06:48,000 --> 00:06:49,208 Ground through the back body. 136 00:06:49,208 --> 00:06:50,250 Breathe out. 137 00:06:51,083 --> 00:06:53,333 Lift up through the heart, the armpit chest, 138 00:06:53,333 --> 00:06:55,333 feeling that length in the side body. 139 00:06:56,583 --> 00:07:00,834 Good, so today we're gonna introduce retention, 140 00:07:00,834 --> 00:07:03,417 or that pause, that moment between the breaths. 141 00:07:03,417 --> 00:07:07,500 We call this Kumbhaka in the hatha yoga tradition. 142 00:07:08,792 --> 00:07:12,750 And I think this is really fun. 143 00:07:12,750 --> 00:07:15,708 And if you are already experienced 144 00:07:15,708 --> 00:07:18,208 in playing with breath retention, 145 00:07:18,208 --> 00:07:20,792 just use this time to kind of come into it 146 00:07:20,792 --> 00:07:24,500 with that beginner's mind kind of really slow everything down 147 00:07:24,500 --> 00:07:27,375 and just mindfully experience it 148 00:07:27,375 --> 00:07:29,875 maybe as if it were for the first time. 149 00:07:31,291 --> 00:07:33,875 So first let's just slow down the breath 150 00:07:33,875 --> 00:07:36,792 and make it a little bit longer here together. 151 00:07:36,792 --> 00:07:39,750 We're going to inhale for five and exhale for five. 152 00:07:39,750 --> 00:07:40,667 I'll count us out. 153 00:07:40,667 --> 00:07:43,000 So one cycle of breath, just to begin, 154 00:07:43,000 --> 00:07:44,834 inhale in through the nose. 155 00:07:46,083 --> 00:07:47,250 and out through the nose. 156 00:07:48,917 --> 00:07:53,041 And inhale to start on one, two, 157 00:07:53,041 --> 00:07:55,875 three, four, five. 158 00:07:55,875 --> 00:07:59,333 Exhale for five, four, 159 00:07:59,333 --> 00:08:02,125 three, two, one. 160 00:08:02,125 --> 00:08:05,625 Now inhale for one, two, 161 00:08:05,625 --> 00:08:08,792 three, four, five. 162 00:08:08,792 --> 00:08:12,250 And exhale for five, four, 163 00:08:12,250 --> 00:08:14,834 three, two, one. 164 00:08:14,834 --> 00:08:18,291 One more like this. Inhale for one, two, 165 00:08:18,291 --> 00:08:20,792 three, four, five. 166 00:08:20,792 --> 00:08:23,667 Exhale for five, four, 167 00:08:23,667 --> 00:08:25,792 three, two, one. 168 00:08:25,792 --> 00:08:27,917 Notice how you feel. Relax the shoulders. 169 00:08:27,917 --> 00:08:30,041 Soften through the skin of the face. 170 00:08:32,291 --> 00:08:34,417 Notice how you feel. 171 00:08:36,041 --> 00:08:38,834 Alright, so now we're going to add the pause. 172 00:08:38,834 --> 00:08:40,333 Kumbhaka, the retention. 173 00:08:40,333 --> 00:08:42,041 And this is going to be in between 174 00:08:42,041 --> 00:08:44,041 the inhalation and exhalation 175 00:08:44,041 --> 00:08:46,792 and in between the exhalation and the inhale. 176 00:08:46,792 --> 00:08:49,667 So if you think of it as a circular motion 177 00:08:49,667 --> 00:08:53,625 we're pausing and holding for a moment at the top 178 00:08:53,625 --> 00:08:56,792 and at the bottom of this circular breath. 179 00:08:57,708 --> 00:08:59,750 Let's play. 180 00:08:59,750 --> 00:09:01,625 So we're gonna stick with the five seconds 181 00:09:01,625 --> 00:09:04,166 or the five count, rather. 182 00:09:04,166 --> 00:09:05,000 Here we go. 183 00:09:05,000 --> 00:09:06,834 Just inhale, exhale for nothing. 184 00:09:06,834 --> 00:09:11,542 Inhale in and exhale 185 00:09:11,542 --> 00:09:12,875 and inhale to begin. 186 00:09:12,875 --> 00:09:17,625 One, two, three, four, five. 187 00:09:17,625 --> 00:09:20,250 Pause, retaining the breath. 188 00:09:21,500 --> 00:09:24,667 Exhale for five, four, 189 00:09:24,667 --> 00:09:26,875 three, two, one. 190 00:09:26,875 --> 00:09:28,333 Beautiful pause. 191 00:09:28,333 --> 00:09:29,417 Retain the breath. 192 00:09:30,875 --> 00:09:34,041 Full inhale for one, two, 193 00:09:34,041 --> 00:09:37,375 three, four, five, pause. 194 00:09:39,041 --> 00:09:43,417 Exhale for five, four, three, 195 00:09:43,417 --> 00:09:46,208 two, one, pause. 196 00:09:47,625 --> 00:09:51,959 Inhale for one, two, three, 197 00:09:51,959 --> 00:09:54,708 four, five, pause. 198 00:09:55,792 --> 00:09:56,875 Relax the shoulders. 199 00:09:56,875 --> 00:10:00,041 Exhale for five, four, 200 00:10:00,041 --> 00:10:02,625 three, two, one. 201 00:10:02,625 --> 00:10:04,000 Kumbhaka, hold the breath. 202 00:10:04,000 --> 00:10:06,166 Retain, shoulders relaxed. 203 00:10:06,166 --> 00:10:10,208 Inhale for one, two, three, 204 00:10:10,208 --> 00:10:12,375 four, five, pause. 205 00:10:12,375 --> 00:10:13,625 Soft fingers here. 206 00:10:13,625 --> 00:10:16,458 Hands are grounded or palms face up. 207 00:10:16,458 --> 00:10:20,291 Exhale for five, four, three, 208 00:10:20,291 --> 00:10:22,792 two, one, hold. 209 00:10:24,208 --> 00:10:27,291 Inhale for one, two, 210 00:10:27,291 --> 00:10:30,417 three, four, five, pause. 211 00:10:30,417 --> 00:10:32,667 Head over heart, heart over pelvis. 212 00:10:34,250 --> 00:10:37,250 Slow exhale, five, four, 213 00:10:37,250 --> 00:10:40,000 three, two, one. 214 00:10:40,000 --> 00:10:41,708 Pause. Capture the magic. 215 00:10:43,542 --> 00:10:46,542 Inhale for one, two, 216 00:10:46,542 --> 00:10:50,041 three, four, five. 217 00:10:50,041 --> 00:10:51,667 Kumbhaka. 218 00:10:53,583 --> 00:10:56,458 Exhale for five, four, 219 00:10:56,458 --> 00:10:58,875 three, two, one. 220 00:10:58,875 --> 00:11:01,083 One last slow round. 221 00:11:02,125 --> 00:11:07,083 Inhale for one, two, three, 222 00:11:07,083 --> 00:11:10,834 four, five, pause. 223 00:11:14,583 --> 00:11:18,333 Exhale for five, four, 224 00:11:18,333 --> 00:11:22,750 three, two, one, pause. 225 00:11:25,959 --> 00:11:27,917 And inhaling nice and easy, 226 00:11:27,917 --> 00:11:30,125 letting your breath return to 227 00:11:30,125 --> 00:11:33,000 a nice easy rhythm and easy flow. 228 00:11:33,000 --> 00:11:36,500 Let's turn the palms face up or down based on how you feel. 229 00:11:36,500 --> 00:11:37,708 So start to listen to your body. 230 00:11:37,708 --> 00:11:38,583 Do you need grounding? 231 00:11:38,583 --> 00:11:42,625 Do we need to surrender or lift of the heart here? 232 00:11:42,625 --> 00:11:44,375 Grounding of the shoulders. 233 00:11:52,125 --> 00:11:54,458 Good, and then dropping the chin to the chest. 234 00:11:56,625 --> 00:11:59,083 Bat the eyelashes open. 235 00:11:59,083 --> 00:12:01,875 And then gently lift the head over the heart. 236 00:12:03,500 --> 00:12:05,542 And sit up tall. 237 00:12:05,542 --> 00:12:07,250 How did it go? 238 00:12:07,250 --> 00:12:09,000 I want to know. 239 00:12:09,000 --> 00:12:13,291 ♪ I want to know if he really loves me. ♪ 240 00:12:13,291 --> 00:12:15,542 (humming) 241 00:12:20,750 --> 00:12:21,583 Alright. 242 00:12:24,000 --> 00:12:27,375 So we're gonna come forward on all fours nice and slow. 243 00:12:30,208 --> 00:12:33,667 And tap into that ocean breath. 244 00:12:33,667 --> 00:12:36,959 One Downward Dog, curl the toes, 245 00:12:36,959 --> 00:12:40,166 send the hips up high, head below the heart. 246 00:12:40,166 --> 00:12:41,500 Nice and slow. 247 00:12:42,875 --> 00:12:45,000 Feel it as if you're coming into the shape 248 00:12:45,000 --> 00:12:45,875 for the first time. 249 00:12:45,875 --> 00:12:49,959 Hug the low ribs in for a little support 250 00:12:49,959 --> 00:12:51,875 and just go through 251 00:12:53,792 --> 00:12:57,625 your checklist, your sensation. 252 00:12:57,625 --> 00:13:00,458 Notice what it feels like to be alive today. 253 00:13:01,708 --> 00:13:04,417 Notice if this Downward Dog feels any different. 254 00:13:04,417 --> 00:13:08,625 After doing that breath practice, that pranayama. 255 00:13:13,125 --> 00:13:16,250 Lift the hip points up high, high, high. 256 00:13:16,250 --> 00:13:17,583 Breathe in. 257 00:13:18,625 --> 00:13:21,375 And exhale to lower the knees. 258 00:13:21,375 --> 00:13:22,542 Breathe out. 259 00:13:22,542 --> 00:13:24,291 Send the legs to one side. 260 00:13:24,291 --> 00:13:25,375 I'm gonna give you the option. 261 00:13:25,375 --> 00:13:27,291 You can come to lie flat on your back here 262 00:13:27,291 --> 00:13:30,000 or come right back to your seat. 263 00:13:33,583 --> 00:13:34,917 Your choice. 264 00:13:41,041 --> 00:13:41,875 And then when you're ready, 265 00:13:41,875 --> 00:13:43,667 bring the palms together at the heart. 266 00:13:45,834 --> 00:13:51,083 What a gift it is to take a moment for yourself, 267 00:13:54,375 --> 00:13:59,041 to have the tools which we do here together 268 00:14:01,208 --> 00:14:04,417 in which we can explore the practice of really pausing 269 00:14:04,417 --> 00:14:09,125 before we react to things and taking a moment 270 00:14:09,125 --> 00:14:12,417 to assess and notice 271 00:14:12,417 --> 00:14:14,500 and then move or react, 272 00:14:14,500 --> 00:14:17,333 respond, rather, with intention. 273 00:14:17,333 --> 00:14:19,208 Benji, come here, come here, buddy. 274 00:14:19,208 --> 00:14:20,625 You want to close this practice with us? 275 00:14:20,625 --> 00:14:22,792 Come here, mi amore, come here. 276 00:14:24,166 --> 00:14:25,542 Come with us. 277 00:14:27,417 --> 00:14:29,125 So, yeah, so there's a lot of ways 278 00:14:29,125 --> 00:14:31,333 we can interpret these themes on purpose, 279 00:14:31,333 --> 00:14:34,000 especially with this particular 30 day series. 280 00:14:34,000 --> 00:14:38,333 And I love this one because it will start to 281 00:14:38,333 --> 00:14:41,041 bleed into your day moments of pause, 282 00:14:41,041 --> 00:14:44,500 and it could be, yeah, before you react to something. 283 00:14:44,500 --> 00:14:46,417 It could be just to notice 284 00:14:46,417 --> 00:14:48,750 how blue and beautiful the sky is 285 00:14:48,750 --> 00:14:53,667 or how sweet someone looks folding their laundry 286 00:14:53,667 --> 00:14:56,583 or hanging their laundry on their patio. 287 00:14:56,583 --> 00:15:00,917 Could be, you know, witnessing the journey 288 00:15:00,917 --> 00:15:02,000 of a bug on the ground. 289 00:15:02,000 --> 00:15:04,291 Just kind of pausing to be present, right, 290 00:15:04,291 --> 00:15:08,792 in, in whatever's right in front of us. 291 00:15:08,792 --> 00:15:11,667 Instead of constantly seeking and constantly reacting. 292 00:15:12,917 --> 00:15:14,000 There's a lot there. 293 00:15:14,000 --> 00:15:16,291 I could go on and on, but you don't need me to. 294 00:15:17,208 --> 00:15:18,959 You have it all within. 295 00:15:18,959 --> 00:15:23,959 And I hope you enjoy exploring 296 00:15:23,959 --> 00:15:28,000 moments of pause off the mat. 297 00:15:29,917 --> 00:15:30,834 I'll see you tomorrow. 298 00:15:30,834 --> 00:15:35,667 We can now play with this breath retention together. 299 00:15:35,667 --> 00:15:39,083 'Til then, let's lift the sternum to the thumbs 300 00:15:39,083 --> 00:15:41,125 or the thumbs to the third eye. 301 00:15:42,375 --> 00:15:46,834 Take one final breath in. Breathe in. 302 00:15:46,834 --> 00:15:48,875 Pause, hold it. 303 00:15:52,125 --> 00:15:55,000 And exhale to bow the head. 304 00:15:56,125 --> 00:15:57,041 And whisper, 305 00:15:57,041 --> 00:15:58,458 Namaste. 306 00:16:00,375 --> 00:16:07,917 (bright upbeat piano music)