- Hello everyone,
welcome to Yoga With Adriene.

I'm Adriene and 
this is Benji, aw,

and today 
we have an awesome

root to rise practice.

So hop into something
comfy and let's get started.

(upbeat music)

Alrighty, my friends
let's begin today's practice

in a comfortable seat.

Come on down to the ground.

Bring your energetic being 
or body to the earth.

Seems kind of corny, 
but I feel like

even just the opportunity
to kind of get on the ground

and connect to the earth is

meaningful these days
when we spend so much time

with our technology.

So, even just coming
down to the earth,

feeling your
feet on the ground,

hopefully you 
have your shoes off,

can be beneficial.

Of course, take your
time getting settled in,

but let's slowly, mindfully 
work our way towards

sitting up nice and tall

and bringing 
your awareness to

that which is
touching the earth here,

the outer edges of the
feet perhaps, the thighs.

The heavy muscles of the
glutes, the hips of course,

this sitting bones, sits bones.

And go ahead and close your
eyes if you haven't already

or if you don't feel
comfortable closing your eyes

right away, just maybe
you soften your gaze

down past your nose

so that you're kind of
inviting your awareness

to move inward

and thank you for 
allowing me to guide you.

You can use the
sound of my voice

and just allow
that to guide you,

especially here
during this first beat.

Taking a moment to look inward

and I really think of
this part of the practice,

most of the time as one
of the most valuable,

and that is a moment in
which I'm allowing myself

opportunity and time to
just tune in, to check in.

You might feel anxious
here, a little fidgety,

or maybe you feel
tired and heavy.

Maybe you're eager,

wondering if you should have
picked a faster paced video,

you will get a little bit of
sweat on today, don't worry.

So, see if you
can allow yourself

to just be in this practice of

tuning into the present moment,

whatever that is for you today.

Of course, I come 
with tools, with offerings,

so we're gonna use the
breath to help us observe

whatever's going on here today.

So as you're ready,

take a deep breath
in through your nose.

And a long breath out
through your nose or mouth.

And I'll keep cuing the breath,

but you can allow the
breathing to kind of invite,

soft easy movement, 
whether it's in the fingers

or the neck, shoulders,
the lips, the jaw.

Okay, here we go, big
inhale in through the nose.

And exhale out
through the nose or mouth.

Big inhale in through the nose.

And see if you can
really slow it down.

Make the exhale nice and
long here, breathing out.

Slowing it down, big inhale in.

Long breath out,
relax your shoulders perhaps.

And one more cycle
like this, inhale.

And long exhale, empty it out.

On your next inhale, draw the
hands together at the heart.

Inhale.

Exhale, bow the
head to the hands,

feel that stretch in
the back of the neck.

Good, inhale in here again,
feel the low body get heavy.

And as you exhale, 
lift the head,

lift the chin, open the eyes,

and we're just gonna
let the fingertips

come gently to our
sides and feel the low body

really rooted here and
we'll see if you can grow

a little taller, a little
longer up through the spine.

Tuck the chin slightly

to create length in
the back of the neck.

And then just walk the
fingertips behind you,

nothing super big here,
you're just opening up

through the pecs,
through the armpit chest.

You might walk your
pinkies together to touch.

You might not even get close
either or either one is great.

Just focusing on the sensation 
here with your breath.

Sweet, then we'll release this.

We're gonna take the
fingertips forward now,

right arm over the left
and we're gonna hook them

at the elbows and maybe
come into Eagle Arms here.

If that's not available to you,
you can hug yourself

or you can just do like a little

Kung Fu move here, I'm not
sure that's what it's called.

Okay, so we're
here, here, here.

And then we'll inhale to
lift up through the shoulders,

the chest, the elbows,
low body stays rooted.

Good, big breath, and
then exhale to release.

Beautiful, send the
fingertips forward.

This time left arm on top.

We'll do the same thing.

Find whatever
works for you here

and so the name of this
practice is "Root to Rise"

so, even here find that
which is rooting to the ground

and then we'll lift
up with a big inhale.

Elbows lift, heart lifts.

crown lengthens
towards the heavens.

And then slowly
release, awesome.

From here, we're gonna spread 
the fingertips super wide.

Take a look at 
your palms, spread, spread,

stretch the fingers
as wide as possible.

And this is the type of
action we wanna maintain

when we're doing work with
the hands on the earth today.

So, really keep it wide.
They're gonna wanna come in.

We're gonna keep it nice 
and mindful in the hands.

Okay, let's take it forward.

Onto all fours,
Tabletop Position.

Let's jump right into
some spinal flexion here.

Again, hands rooted here,

so that which just
touching the earth,

we're really building
from there at all times.

So really spreading the hands,

pressing into the
tops of the feet,

pressing into all of your toes.

Or if you're working

in modifications 
or variations today,

just find that energetic feeling
of rooting down to rise up.

(floor creaks loudly)

Ooh, creaky old
floor, what's up?

Long time, no hear, no feel.

Drop the belly,
open the chest, breathe in.

look forward.

Good, exhale round through.

Claw through the fingertips,
root to rise here, even here.

Inhale, drop the belly, 
open the chest.

Look forward.

Exhale, rounding through.

This is great especially if 
you've been practicing

for a long time, you can 
start to just reenergize this

idea of rooting to rise,
building from the ground up

and if you're new
to the practice,

inhale, everyone drop the
belly, open the chest forward.

This is a great kind
of foundational moment.

In my opinion.

Okay, rounding through 
one last time.

Good, then inhale, come back
to that nice neutral spine.

We're just gonna bump
the hips a little bit

to the left and the right.

Keeping the palms
glued to the ground.

Awesome, then walk the
hands forward just a bit,

curl the toes under.
Upper arm bones rotate out.

So see if you can
take your elbow creases

towards the front
edge of your mat.

Great, stay strong 
in the hands,

as you lift the hips up high, 
Downward Facing Dog.

Take a deep breath in,

the deepest breath
you've taken all day.

And as you exhale, 
start to play a little bit here.

Keeping the foundation of
the hands and the arms.

Again, those shoulders
externally rotated here.

Lots of space between
the ears and shoulders.

Now, I'll quiet down a bit

and allow you to really amp
up the sound of your breath,

listening to the sound of
your breath from here on out

to end of this practice.

Rooting in the
sound of the breath.

Great, then meet me
at the top of the mat.

You get to decide 
how you get there.

It can be baby steps, 
it can be ragdoll,

just step, step, 
or maybe even a little hop.

We'll meet at the top of 
the mat, Standing Forward Fold.

Feet hip width apart here.

Generous bend in the knees.

Aye, que lindo, Benji, so sweet.

Yeah.

Great, go ahead and
release the head, the neck,

by shaking a little yes and no.

Awesome, then from here,

we're gonna slowly
begin to roll it up,

stacking nice and
slow through the spine,

feeling that connection through 
all four corners of the feet,

strong as you rise
up into Mountain.

Right away, find that
lift through the front body.

Send your energy all
the way up to the sky

and then ground it by kind of
feeling that loop of energy

that comes all the way
up through the front body

and then down
through the back body.

And if you're like just hearing 
this cue for the first time,

(laughs) don't worry, 
but trust me,

it's a really great tool
for a physical practice.

Kind of balancing the
energy of the body.

This is also how we find
you know, our footing,

not just our balance
in balancing poses,

but balancing
our energetic body

so that we feel 
well off the mat.

So, Mountain Pose,
I love this shape

because this is where 
I check in with my energy.

Finding that lift,
finding that length

and down through the back.

And if you're like,

"Girl, I don't even know 
what you're talking about,"

don't worry about it.
Let's flow, here we go.

Inhale, reach towards the sky

I'm just saying it'll come.

Exhale, fold it down 
all the way.

I'll give Benji
a little scratch

on behalf of myself
and whoever else.

Good, and then
together let's inhale,

lift up halfway, just
find a nice flat back here.

Just play and then
exhale Forward Fold.

Good, from here, plant the palms

we're gonna step 
both feet back,

we're gonna come into a
Half Plank or a Plank.

So feel free to
lower your knees,

especially if you're
practicing really early,

take your time, 
okay, or really late. (laughs)

Listen to your energy, listen
to your body, it's all good.

Inhale to look forward, 
shift forward.

Exhale, nice and slow, lower
all the way down to the belly.

And then here we go,
hugging the elbows in,

lift up, Cobra.

And then exhale to release.

Inhale, press up to
all fours or Plank.

And then exhale to
Downward Facing Dog.

So we're just starting
to warm up a bit here.

If you feel stiff or you feel
tired, don't worry my darling,

you are not alone, that's
why we're here to work it out.

Alright, anchor through 
the left heel,

press into your fingerprints, 
press into your knuckles

and inhale lift the right leg
of high, Three-Legged Dog.

Dial the right toes down.

Try to keep your right
shoulder even with your left.

So don't let the
left shoulder dip.

Good, and then inhale,
lift the right heel just a bit.

And exhale,
bend the right knee,

squeeze it all the
way up, squeezing,

trying to reach your right
heel to your right glute.

Good, then step
it all the way up, phew,

lower the left
knee to the earth,

Press into the top of
the left foot and inhale,

sweep the fingertips, 
the arms forward, up and back.

Big stretch here.

Inhale in.

Exhale, rain it down.

Good, plant the palms,
lift the back knee,

step the right toes back.

Plank Pose or Half Plank.

Again, inhale.

Exhale, lower to
the belly with control.

Here we go, Cobra lifting
the heart as you breathe in.

And exhaling forehead to
the earth as you breath out.

Good, inhale up to all
fours or Plank position.

And exhale to your
Downward Facing Dog.

Inhale in deeply.

And exhale to empty it out.

Nice and rooted 
through the hands.

Right heel roots down.

Inhale, left leg rises up.

Connect to 
that abdominal wall.

Low belly draws in and up, 
hug the low ribs in.

No judgment here, breathe
deep, this is on exploration.

Draw the left shoulder
in line with the right.

Woo, we're shaking,
we're breathing.

Inhale, lift the left
heel a little higher.

Exhale, shift it forward, 
build strength here.

So we're reaching the right
heel up towards that, excuse me,

the left heel up
towards that left glute.

Excellent, and then
step it all the way up.

Sorry even I blacked
out there for a second.

(laughs) This is hard.

Okay, lower the right knee,
but we can do hard things.

Press the right
foot into the ground.

Find the foundation.
Press into the feet,

squeeze the inner 
thighs to the midline.

Let's sweep it up.

Fingertips, reach
forward, up and back.

Big breath in, 
lift your heart, lift your head.

Big breath out as
you rain it down.

Let's build some strength,
build some heat, plant it,

step it back,
Plank or Half Plank.

This time belly to Cobra
or now maybe Chaturanga

to Upward Facing Dog.

Use your inhale 
to open your heart.

And use your exhale
to make your way back

to Downward Facing Dog.

Awesome, take a couple
breaths here in Downward Dog.

Listening to the
sound of your breath,

letting that be your anchor.

And then bend the knees,
inhale, look forward.

And exhale, 
make your way to the top.

Meet me in a Forward Fold.

This time with the feet
together, really together.

Great, now open your eyes and
take a look down at your feet.

We're gonna create like
a strong, strong post

between the ball
joint of the pinky toes,

the ball joint of the big toes

and the back two
corners of the heel.

And just hold onto that post,

squeeze your legs
together and inhale,

lift up to that
flat back position.

Nice, then exhale 
to soften and fold.

Now keep this strong post, 
this a strong footing,

as you inhale, bend the knees,

sweep the arms all the
way up and overhead,

straighten the legs, we rise all
the way back up to standing

and exhale with the strong
legs still squeezing together,

hands come back
down to the heart.

Good, inhale in here.

And exhale to
relax the shoulders.

Head over heart,
heart over pelvis here.

I'm still actively
squeezing the legs together.

Feeling my feet rooting down.

Lifting my heart, 
my sternum up.

Good, inhale fingertips 
go down to come up.

Strong legs as I inhale, 
reach for the sky.

This time, listen carefully,
exhale, bend the elbows,

squeeze them down and in
thumbs back, pinkies forward.

I'm rooting through the heels,

I'm lifting up
through the heart.

Good, then inhale, tuck
the chin, reach it back up.

Volcano Pose and then
exhale, let it go, rain it down,

Forward Fold, 
all the way into the fold.

Good, inhale halfway lift.

Nice long neck.

Exhale, soften and bow.

Good, plant the palms step
or hop it back to Plank Pose.

You can send it right to
Downward Facing Dog here

or take a little vinyasa just
depending on your energy today

and where your curiosity

leads you.

We'll meet in 
Downward Facing Dog.

Deepen the breath.

Rooting through the hands,

anchoring through 
the left foot.

Inhale, lift the
right leg up high.

Exhale, dial the
right toes down.

Good, inhale in again,

lift the right heel 
a little higher.

Then exhale,
squeeze the right knee

all the way up to
the chest, pause here.

Right heel reaches up
towards the right glute.

I know.

And then step it up all the way,
pivot on the back foot

and we rise up, Warrior I.

Strong legs. Reach the 
fingertips up towards the sky.

Back toes are turned in,

I'm lifting up
through the front body,

I'm grounding through the
back body, thumbs back,

pinkies forward,
front knee's bent.

Good, now strong legs,
root to rise here,

inhale, lift the chest up.

Exhale, draw the
shoulder blades together.

Good, inhale maybe
lift the chin up.

And this time
exhale, bend the elbows,

thumbs back, pinkies forward.

We're gonna draw the
elbows all the way down

towards the hips, lift the
heart up towards the sky.

Good, then inhale 
back to Warrior I.

Exhale, Warrior II.

Turn it out towards your left.

Right fingertips forward,
left fingertips back.

We're kind of
pulling the pinkies back,

opening up
through the chest here.

Awesome, then we're 
gonna straighten

through that front leg, right
fingertips reach all the way

up towards the sky and
then send them back,

big stretch opening 
through the front

of the right hip crease.

Good, inhale in and
exhale cartwheel it

all the way back down.

Right knee bends,
we plant the palms,

we step the right toes back.

Same thing, your choice.

You can move
straight to Downward Dog

or you can move
through a little dance here,

finding a gentle
heart opener with Cobra

or building more strength
with Chaturanga to Up Dog.

We will meet in
Downward Facing Dog.

And returning to the breath.

From Downward Facing Dog,

just taking a second
to welcome that heat

that you're cultivating, 
to re-engage with the fingertips

and the knuckles, 
rooting there

to take pressure
out of the wrists

and then we'll anchor
through the right heel

and inhale lift the
left leg up high.

Good, exhale.

Inhale in again,
dial the left toes down.

And exhale, bring the
left knee all the way in.

Squeeze and lift left heel 
to left glute. You got this.

Building strength in the core.

And then stepping it up,
pivoting on the back foot.

Strong legs,
right toes are turned in,

front knee's bent, Warrior I.

We you sweep the fingertips 
forward, up and back.

Settling down with the 
shoulders keeping the heart

lifted and the legs 
are strong here.

We're lifting up from the
pelvic floor, we're engaged.

We're thinking about
that energy that runs

up through the front body and
down through the back body.

Listening to the
sound of your breath.

Maybe, lifting the
chest up towards the sky.

As you breathe, maybe lifting
the chin up towards the sky.

As you breathe, and when
you're ready here we go,

inhale.

Exhale, bend the elbows, 
bring 'em down.

Thumbs back, pinkies forward,

lift the chest,
root to rise here.

Really lifting from the pelvic 
floor. You're doing great.

Great, and then inhale reach
fingertips up, tuck the chin.

Big breath, exhale, Warrior II, 
opening up to the right.

Again, back toes are turned in.

Pull the pinkies back a bit.

Find length in the spine, 
front knee's bent here.

We're breathing.

Right inner thigh is engaged.

One more cycle of breath in.

And out.

Then we'll straighten 
that left knee.

Stay nice and
tall in the spine,

so we're lifting up from
the pelvic floor still

and left fingertips reach
all the way up and back.

Big stretch here, 
keep the neck nice and long.

Inhale in.

Exhale, have some fun here.

Cartwheel it all the
way back to your lunge.

Reframe the left foot 
with the hands.

Then when you're ready, 
step the left foot back

and slowly lower all
the way to the belly.

Good, from here zip
the legs up tight,

interlace the
fingertips behind the back,

squeeze the legs together.

Press into that which 
is touching the earth.

Grow it from there.

Tuck the chin and
start to lift the chest,

open, little Locust
variation here.

Tuck the chin, 
keep the neck nice and long.

Inhale in, exhale
squeeze the legs together.

Last breath, inhale in,
stay where you are or exhale,

maybe experiment
with lifting the legs.

Good, slowly
release everything.

Curl the toes under.

Inhale up to 
all fours or Plank Pose.

And exhale to
Downward Facing Dog.

Awesome work. 
Inhale in deeply.

And exhale out through the
mouth, nice cleansing breath.

One more time,
Inhale lots of love in.

And lots of love out.

Beautiful, from
here walk the feet

just to the center of your mat.

Then walk the hands
back to meet the toes.

So now you're 
standing in Forward Fold

at the center of your mat.

Inhale halfway lift, find
that nice flat back position.

And exhale to
soften and let it go.

Bring the hands
to the waistline.

Draw the elbows
together behind you,

bend your knees and
slowly lead with your heart

as you root to rise, 
feet grounding into the earth

as you lift your heart.

Ooh, yes. Now take a
second here to just feel.

Feel yo'self, (chuckles)
just feel it out.

Observe the breath.

You can take soft 
easy movement here

in the neck and the shoulders.

Beautiful, then go ahead 
and turn on your mat

so that you can walk your feet

as wide as the
length of the mat.

And if you're no
longer facing the screen

in a comfortable way, you
can use the sound of my voice

to guide you and just
peek at me when you need to.

So, I'll really
talk you through it.

Feet nice and wide,
we'll turn the toes

in so that you're
really feeling some traction

on the outer edges of the feet.

And then you're just
gonna exaggerate that.

Engage the arches of the
feet and then keep that energy

kind of going all the way up

through the inseam of your legs

as you stand
nice and tall here

in a bit of a
superhero posture.

Because not all
heroes wear capes, right?

Okay, lift the heart, inhale in.

Exhale, listen carefully,
soft bend in the knees.

You're gonna slowly
send your hips back,

send your heart forward.

Just go as far as you feel you 
can still holding your torso up.

So, before you feel like you
collapse all the way down,

try to find a nice
flat back position

and that will look and feel a
little different for everyone.

Now, ground through the
feet, root down to rise up.

Good, again,
inhale find length,

length through the side body, 
front body, back body.

Exhale, soft bend in the knees.

Send your gaze forward as if
you're looking into a pond,

elbows are still
nice and active.

Shoulder blades
drawing together, hips back.

Hug the front body up
to meet the back body,

almost as if you were
bracing your core here.

And then root to rise.

Inhale.

Stand tall.
Exhale, relax the shoulders.

And last time here
we go, inhale, lift.

Exhale, bend the knees, 
send it forward.

Now, this time,
once you feel like

you have that
brace in your core,

you might release
the fingertips down.

Maybe palms.

Maybe crown of the head.

Standing Wide-Legged 
Forward Fold.

If the crown of the head
comes down to the earth,

the legs are strong, rooted,

outer edges of the feet glued, 
inner arches lifted.

Elbows bent maybe 
at a 90 degree angle.

And if you're like, "Mmh
not today," that's all right.

Whether your hands,
fingertips, head on the ground

or nothing, nada,
let's connect to the feet.

Soft bend in the knees
and everyone bring your hands

back to the waistline.
Don't rush this.

Root to rise here, 
building strength, stability.

Nice and mindfully,
we rise up nice and slow.

Can feel the 
energy for the blood

just flow opposite direction.

Take a deep breath in.

And on an exhale, start to 
bring the feet together,

you can heel-toe, 
heel-toe the feet together,

or you can hop.

We'll squeeze the legs
together, arch to arch.

Feel free to shake the feet
out first if you need to.

And Vrksasana here we
come, hands come together.

Shift your weight to 
your left foot, Tree Pose.

We'll begin to peel 
just the right heel up,

just the right heel.

So, instead of collapsing into

the weight of that left hip 
and that left foot,

use your root to rise mindset

to really press away 
from the earth

and that's kind of what
creates this yielding effect

to lift the right knee up

as if it was on a
marionette string.

So, we're not
sinking and muscling

our way into the postures,
but we're really creating

integrity and really 
integrating, really,

everything to move together.

So, let's come
back together here

with the right knee lifted.

At first we're gonna come 
into a standing Tadasana

so you can bring the hands,
standing one-legged at Tadasana

so hands at the heart here.

Or if you want to
challenge yourself,

bring the fingertips
up towards the sky.

This is challenging, too.

So we're here or we're here.
Take a deep breath in.

Exhale, reinforce that pressing
away from the left foot.

We'll take the right hand,
either guide the right heel

up towards the center,

maybe placing it 
below the knee

or even fingertips,
excuse me, toes on the earth.

(laughs)

And same thing hands
together at the heart,

or maybe reaching
towards the sky.

Finding that lift
in the front body

and that grounding
through the back body

and really letting that be
what informs your stance,

your posture here, 
the placement, your alignment.

Good, inhale in.

Exhale, let's bring it back
down to Mountain Pose.

Inhale in, exhale to
shift the weight over

to the right foot and
we'll take the second side.

So, lifting the left heel, 
don't rush this,

especially if you
have done Tree Pose

for many, many moons,
take it get nice and slow

and see if you can integrate,
find something new.

So, we're rooting down
through the right foot,

that's what creates
the yielding effect

of lifting the left knee.

I'm not muscling here,

I'm not cramping in the foot.

This takes practice, of course.

And then I'll just
take a second here

to engage all
the strong muscles

and maybe they're
building their strength

back up now, or maybe
for the first time.

So palms together,
standing one-legged Tadasana

or fingertips reaching
up high towards the sky.

Sweet.

And then once we were kind of

recruited, more
muscles and awareness,

now we can come
into maybe this shape

and try to find it here either
with the foot above the knee,

or maybe placed 
lovingly below the knee

or with the toes, 
not the fingertips,

the toes on the mat.

And working with a chair or a
hand on a piece of furniture

or wall is actually 
really helpful because

you can start to really
build that integration

in those muscles and
your balance mindfully

versus kind of on a
wing and a prayer.

If you wanna try reaching
the arms up towards the sky,

maybe we do that now.

And then wherever you
are, take a deep breath in.

Inhale, lift your heart.

Get long. And then exhale
slowly and with control,

bringing it back down.

Alright, then walk the feet

a little bit wider
than hip width apart.

Find soft bend in the knees.

We're gonna end with Knocking 
On Heaven's Door today.

Hopefully getting you kind
of rooted, not just yeah,

in a balancing posture, but
as I mentioned a bit earlier,

but energetically kind
of grounded, centered

so that you can rise above,

so that you can do
what you need to do.

So that you can be a steward 
of goodness or a helper.

Take the high road or
just have a peaceful day,

you deserve it.

So, if you're like, okay,
what are we doing here?

What is she doing?

I'm sending my arms a
little left to right.

I am smacking my own
butt, so there's that.

I'm keeping a soft
bend in the knees

and just for the
next minute, really

I'm getting out of my head

(sings) and into my car.

No, I'm getting out of my head
and I'm gonna breathe here,

so, find your breath
and start to speed it up.

Back and forth, shake it loose.

Don't think, I know
it's silly. Here we go.

Come on now.
If you took a break,

come back in here for
these last 30 seconds.

Notice where your
thoughts go here.

Come back to the 
sound of your breath.

Speed it up here.
Speed it up. A little faster.

So, good for the
internal organs here,

getting a nice little massage.

And then we'll 
start to slow it down,

slow it down, 
slow it down,

slow it down and come back

to Mountain Pose.

How do you feel?

Notice.

Alright.

That's my time.

Let's bring the hands
together at the heart.

You can look at me, 
at the video,

or you can close your eyes here

and listen to the
sound of my voice.

Thank you so much for taking
some time to practice with me

and all of the other lovely
people who happened to show up

just at the same time as you.

Thank you for
taking care of yourself.

Even when it feels difficult.

And as always,
I'm here for you.

I hope to see you again soon.

Let's take a final
breath together.

So here we go, big inhale
in through the nose.

And exhale out through 
the nose or mouth.

We bow the head to the heart.

Nice work.

Namaste.

(upbeat music)