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- Hey everyone, welcome to Yoga With Adriene.
I'm Adriene and this is Benji.
And this is yoga for when you feel dead inside.
(melancholy music)
So hop into something comfy,
and let's get started.
(spooky music)
Let's begin in a comfortable seat.
Come on down to the ground.
Sit up nice and tall
and right away take a deep breath in.
And as you exhale, relax your shoulders
sigh it out and just kind of land here in the moment.
Bring the palms together, inhale in, deep breath,
here we go.
And as you exhale, bow your head to your heart,
you can close your eyes if you like
and again, just sigh it out, let go, land here.
Whatever it is that you're feeling right now
or maybe you're here because there's a lack of feeling,
a bit of numbness,
dead energy, emptiness,
feeling sort of being lost or worried, it's all good.
We're here to acknowledge all of those things
and be fully who we are in this moment.
Dropping any expectations and hopefully using this practice
and really our breath to
move the energy, move your energy,
create a little movement,
find what feels good.
I love the theme of this practice
because it's a great opportunity to
guide your focus and notice what makes you feel alive.
Let that capture your attention
and let it draw you closer in.
Take one more breath here,
nice big stretch in the back of the neck hopefully.
And exhale, release the head.
You can open the eyes, lift the chin.
We're gonna take the hands to the knees here
just to start with a little spinal flection.
Inhale, lift the chest, look up.
Exhale, round through,
drop your chin to your chest and lean back.
Inhale, we lift up.
And exhale, we round through, chin to chest.
So we're rocking forward and back
in the hips and the pelvis.
We're moving in opposite directions with the breath,
inhale and exhale, creating and stimulating a little bit
of energetic flow that runs up and down the spine.
When the energy of the body becomes stagnant
we can feel pretty, pretty dead.
So we're gonna start nice and slow.
Now taking it into a circle.
you're gonna inhale, come forward.
Use the hands on the knees
to really get the most out of this gesture.
Exhale, around and back.
Inhale, come forward.
And exhale, around and back.
Getting a little massage in the glutes,
creating a little more mobility, flexibility
in those hip sockets.
And then really moving from the belly.
This is great for massaging the internal organs
which can also help to make you feel a little more alive.
And reversing the circle.
Deepening your breath, maybe inhaling
as you smooth the heart forward and exhaling
as you come around and back.
Alright, bring it back to center,
head over heart, (clears throat)
excuse me, heart over pelvis.
Nice and easy, we're gonna interlace the fingertips,
bring them behind the head.
You can keep the thumbs extended
like so to kind of cradle the neck here.
Then inhale, really come out of the side waist,
so you're gonna just kind of reach one elbow
up to the ceiling and then the other
coming out of the side waist.
You should feel the skin stretch just a bit.
Beautiful, then take the right elbow all the way
up towards the ceiling or the sky
and take the left elbow down, breathe in.
Lift the chest.
And then bring it back to center and opposite side.
Take the left elbow up right elbow down, breathe in,
lean back, lift the chest.
And then come back to center.
Awesome, deep breath in, lift your heart.
Exhale, slowly release the fingertips down
gently to your sides.
Great, from here we're gonna extend the legs out long,
kind of a V. It doesn't have to be super wide.
There's no flexibility contest happening here.
So you can keep them pretty narrow
or play with the width,
but it doesn't have to be the splits.
We do want to try to sit up nice and tall,
so it could be a good option to sit
up on a blanket or a towel or a pillow here.
Beautiful, then we're gonna inhale in,
lengthen through the top of the head,
so really energetically just kind of
keep an awareness moving up here.
And as you exhale, we're gonna bring the palms
out in front and start to lean forward.
So little seated Wide- Legged Forward Fold.
Super therapeutic. You can also do this standing.
And it'll depend on how you're feeling today, of course.
Slight bend in the knees here
as you maybe come on to the forearms
or you can even stay really tall
on the fingertips here, like a spider.
Now find a deep, full breath here,
so really extending the inhalation.
And extending the exhalation.
Great, and then on this last cycle of breath,
see if you can draw the chin to your chest.
Relaxing the weight of the head down.
And then slowly release come back up.
We're gonna slowly make our way to all fours.
So take your time bring your legs in, come forward.
And once again, spinal flection.
Hi Benji. Hi Benji, are you my little werewolf?
Are you my little wolf?
Once again, spinal flection.
So wrists underneath the shoulders for this one.
Knees underneath the hips.
Inhale, drop the belly, open the chest.
Really exaggerate tailbone to the sky here.
And then exhale like a black Halloween cat.
Navel draws up. We really arch through the spine,
press into the hands, press into the feet.
Good inhale, drop the belly, open the chest.
Exhale, round through.
And for this one, we're gonna move a little bit more quickly.
Just bringing some energy to the body.
So finding a bit of a swift rhythm
but one that works for you.
And maybe speeding it up just a bit more.
I often guide this type of flection really slow
so this should be really fun
if you practice with me regularly.
Good and then slowing it back down,
coming back to that nice neutral spine.
We're gonna drop the elbows now where the hands just were
and we're gonna walk the knees out.
You can peek at me if you need to here.
The hands and the wrist and the forearms
are staying on the ground as I send my chest back,
walking the knees back, hips up high towards the sky
for a little half dog or a Puppy Posture.
We also call this Heart-to-Earth Pose.
So this is an inversion.
Head is below the heart here, albeit gentle.
You can tick-tok the hips a little left to right
opening up again through the side waist and side body.
Inhale in deeply here.
And exhale completely.
One more time, inhale in deeply.
And exhale to let everything go.
Great, from here hug the low ribs in,
draw your navel up towards your spine.
From your center, from your core
begin to slowly shift your heart, the chest forward
and come all the way through into a Sphinx Posture.
From here, we'll press into the tops of the feet,
press into the pubic bone,
draw the shoulders away from the ears.
Nice and steady here in the foundation.
So my forearms and wrists and hands aren't coming in
but maintaining those two parallel lines
that I established in Puppy Posture.
Then tuck your chin, inhale, open up through the chest.
So neck, back of the neck, especially is nice and long.
We're breathing here,
we're pressing away from the yoga mat.
So really lifting up out of the foundation.
Alright, now we're gonna start to spark
a little more energy. Be brave.
We got this. Use your breath, inhale.
Exhale. You're gonna curl the toes under.
Keep the hands, wrists, elbows, where they are
and we're gonna lift the hips up high.
Think hollow body, so really lifting the front body up.
You can even take a second to look
at your toes to exaggerate that hollow body.
And then send your gaze right back down
straight down to the mat in front of you.
We might start to shake here.
The abdominal certainly toning, turning on
and we're here shaking,
noticing what it actually feels like to be alive today.
You're here for five, breathe deep.
Four, stick with it.
Reach the heels back, three.
Two and on the one slowly lower back to the belly, release.
Drag the hands in line with the rib cage.
Cobra, here we go, inhale to lift the heart.
Catch a wave here with the breath.
And then exhale to release, forehead to the mat.
Curl the toes under, press up to all fours.
And then when you're ready,
send the hips up high and back.
We'll join Benji here in a version
of Downward Facing Dog.
Now feel your hands on the earth, the ground
my darling friend.
Pedal through the feet,
stretching through the fascia of the foot
and really letting that curiosity travel all the way up
through the ankle, the backs of the legs, the hips.
Side body, side waist nice and long.
Head soft, neck not holding, gripping here.
Great.
Take a deep breath in, inhale.
Exhale, you're going to slowly lower to the knees.
And then nice and steady, nice and slow,
be kind in the transition.
You're gonna step the right foot
just the right foot all the way up into a nice low lunge.
You can stay nice and close
or you can walk the left knee out for a deeper stretch.
Then nice and slow we'll sweep the arms
all the way up and overhead.
Right hand is gonna grab left wrist here.
Good, squeeze the inner thighs.
Find your center, find that midline connection.
So for more balance and stability
we wanna squeeze everything into the middle of the mat.
So squeeze the inner thighs in, lift your heart.
Good and then we're gonna take that left wrist
with the right hand and we're gonna gently
tilt to the right.
Should feel big stretch in the left side waist,
front of the left hip crease.
Now lift your heart, think Cobra or Sphinx pose here.
Yes, inhale in.
Exhale, slowly bring it back to center and then
we'll rain it down hands back to frame in the right foot.
Good, pull the right hip crease back.
Just a little counter stretch here.
Excuse me, Benji.
Inhale to look forward, find length.
And exhale, forehead toward the knee,
doesn't even have to come close, just the intention.
Gorgeous, now we're gonna roll through the right foot here.
We're gonna come back to all fours or Plank Pose.
So you can step the right foot back to all fours
or if you want a little more heat today
you're starting to feel a little more alive
or want to create a little more heat,
you can come to Plank.
And then from all fours or Plank Pose,
we'll lift it back up, Downward Facing Dog.
When you get there, take a deep breath in.
And a long breath out.
And a deep breath in.
And a long breath out.
And once more inhale in.
And exhale to lower the knees.
Bye Benji, step the left foot all the way up.
And again an option to walk the right knee back.
Front knee over front ankle, here we go.
We're gonna sweep the arms all the way up and overhead.
And this time the left hand will grab the right wrist
and we're gonna lift it all the way up.
And then take it over to the left side.
Left hip crease is still pulling back here.
I'm finding that balance by squeezing the inner thighs
towards the midline.
Then lift the chest as you tilt over.
Relax the shoulders down into socket.
Take one more breath here, inhale.
Exhale, come back to center
and then rain it down nice and slow.
Great, pull the left hip crease back,
flex your left toes towards your face.
Let's catch a little wave with the breath here.
Inhale to look forward, lengthen.
And then exhale to soften and fold inward.
Nice rolling through the left foot.
Same thing, option to go to Plank or take it all fours
So your choice.
Breathe.
And then Downward Facing Dog.
Inhale in.
Empty it out.
Come on now, big breath in.
And letting something go.
One more time, big inhale.
Nice cleansing breath out through the nose or mouth.
Lovely, slowly lower to the knees
and step the right foot up.
Walk the left knee back just a bit.
Squeeze the inner thighs in the midline.
Again, sweeping the arms forward, up and back.
Right wrist grabs, excuse me.
Right hand grabs the left wrist.
Now this time, we'll repeat what we did before.
Or you can start to levitate,
lift your left knee all the way up here.
So back knee's on the earth as we did before
or back knee is lifted.
I'm tilting my head to the right.
I'm pulling my right hand.
Excuse me, pulling my left wrist with my right hand,
I'm lifting the heart.
Good, inhale in, You got it.
Exhale, slowly come back to center first.
Then if the back knee is lifted, go ahead and lower it,
nicely, sweetly, no crashing.
And then we'll come back down.
Good, quick counter stretch here.
Pull the right hip crease back, inhale, look forward.
Exhale, shift forward, roll it through.
Plant the palms, step it back to all fours
or Plank Pose, again, your choice.
Downward Facing Dog.
Three breaths here on your own,
I'm not gonna cue them this time, take three.
Count them out and listen to the sound of your inhalation,
sound of your exhalation.
After three slowly lower to the knees.
Step that left foot all the way up.
Sweep the arms up and overhead.
Left hand grabs the right wrist.
We think up and over to the left.
Option to lift the back knee.
Breathe deep here.
Draw the shoulder blades together.
Creating a little heat, a little balance.
Inhale in. Lean, maybe a little more to the left.
Squeeze your inner thighs to the midline
as you breathe out.
And then inhaling back to center.
Exhaling, right knee kisses the earth if it was lifted
and we bring the fingertips back down. Great.
Send the left hip crease back.
Little runners stretch.
Inhale, look forward.
Exhale, rolling back into the left foot, back to your lunge.
Plant the palms, step it back all fours or Plank.
and then Downward Facing Dog.
Alright, listen carefully.
This time inhale in, exhale, connect to your core.
So your core muscles kind of lift up
and that's where we're gonna lift the right foot from
all the way back up into our lunge.
Now walk your right hand over to meet your left here
for a little Lizard variation with the back knee lifted.
Always an option to lower the back knee here if you like.
Otherwise keep it lifted here,
Lizard variation, if you want to stick your tongue out
you can like lizard.
Breathing deeply.
Option to come onto the forearms here.
And then slowly releasing. From here, same thing.
You can come back to all fours or to that Plank.
Building strength. Moving the energy of the body.
We'll meet in Downward Facing Dog.
Alright, Lizard on the second side. Inhale in.
Exhale, step the left foot all the way up.
Keep that back knee lifted if you can
just to start and then you can, you know
you can always lower it.
And then we'll bring the left hand over to meet the right.
Breathing deep here. You gotta bring the breath.
Lizard Pose on the other side.
We might bring it down to the forearms.
Maybe, maybe not.
Again, reiterating can always lower,
maybe you start with the knee lifted then lower it
after a breath or two.
Lizard Pose.
Alright, and then slowly we'll make our way out of the posture.
We'll come back to the lunge and last time
to all fours or to Plank.
And then to Downward Facing Dog.
Inhale in deeply.
And exhale to empty it, let it go.
Shake the head a little yes, a little no.
Awesome, then slowly lower to the knees.
Cross one ankle over the other
and you're gonna come through
from here all the way to a nice cross legged seat.
Great, from here we're gonna take the right hand
to the left knee, left fingertips behind.
Inhale to sit up nice and tall.
And exhale to twist.
Maybe gently looking past the left shoulder.
So I say gently because you don't want to crank it.
just let it be kind of,
I hope I don't regret saying this
but let it be kind of organic. (chuckling)
Think of the inhale as being an opportunity
to kind of lift and find space
and the exhale to kind of get curious and twist.
You keep repeating that little dance.
And then bringing it back to center.
We'll do the same thing on the other side.
Left hand now to the right knee.
Right fingertips behind.
Inhale to get long through the front body.
And exhale to play with the twist.
Good, and then slowly melting it back to center.
We're gonna, from here, we're gonna actually
come into a little balancing posture.
So first you're gonna lift your knees up,
feet on the ground.
Then you're gonna take your hands
and just hang with me here.
You're gonna put them
in an underneath your ankles or your calves.
So you're kind of grabbing the outer edges
of your shins, your calves, your ankles.
Would be a little different for everyone based on
the length of your arms, your legs, shape of your body.
Just try to have a little fun here.
A little balancing Spider Pose.
We're going to, inhale in,
exhale, you might lift the shins
parallel to the ceiling, leaning back.
This is maybe just a little version
of our Boat Pose, Boat variation.
And then if you want to keep playing,
you can spread the toes,
walk the backs of the knees.
I know, up a little bit closer
to catch them in elbow creases
and then we're gonna spread the fingertips
and spread the toes here as we balance.
You can imagine you're holding two bowls,
one in each hand,
maybe a third one with your feet, that's extra.
So my chest is starting to collapse here,
I'm gonna lift the chest up,
Same action that I've been doing
in all the other Asana today
finding that lift up through the heart.
Inhale in.
And exhale to slowly release and let it go.
Alright, Benji, do you want to come back?
Come here, come here buddy.
Come here buddy, come back.
So we're gonna come to lie down.
Benji is gonna join us. Come on buddy.
Come on, you bring light into my life.
You make me feel alive.
Once you're down on the ground
snuggle your shoulder blades underneath your heart space.
Excellente and then you're gonna actually
send your toes up towards the sky.
And it's okay if the knees are bent here.
Now reach your fingertips all the way up
towards your toes or even towards the outer edges
of your feet, whatever feels good.
And here we go, inhale in.
Exhale, you're gonna start to shake.
So give your thinking mind a break.
You're gonna feel like this is silly,
this isn't really beneficial
but I'm gonna lovingly ask you to give it a try.
And shaking, shaking.
Try to have a little fun with it even if you feel silly.
And getting a little faster.
Yes, the image here is like a dead bug, (laughs).
Shaking, shaking, shaking.
And then there comes a point where you tuck the chin
and you get long in the neck
and you start to kind of take this a little seriously
like, "Alright, I got this.
"I'm getting a little bit faster. A little bit faster."
And then you drop the focus, drop taking it seriously
and you just go crazy for three, two,
one, bring the feet to the ground.
Bring the hands to the belly,
extend one leg and then the other.
Breathe into your hands like you love yourself.
Inhale, big breath into the belly.
Exhale to relax the shoulders.
Inhale, breathe into the belly.
And exhale to relax the weight
of your body fully into the earth.
Now close your eyes here
as we come to embody the Corpse Pose.
Quite apropos for our practice here today.
Relax the right hand, you're gonna extend the right arm
all the way out to your side.
Right palm face up and then relax the left hand.
Take your left arm all the way out to your side.
Left palm face up.
And as we come into stillness here in the Corpse Pose
we're just going to take a moment to surrender
and feel our breath,
moving the body feel
this
sensation maybe of warmth
or just presence just for a moment here.
Then before you start moving your body again
just maybe a little invitation to
say thank you to yourself for
selecting this practice and taking a little bit of time
to get to know yourself a little more and stay present.
So there are certainly moments, days, weeks
where we feel like things are unraveling
and where we feel like we want to give up.
But, I love these tools,
the tools of yoga and this practice
and even this community because
it reminds me that there are things I can do
to tend to myself and to get to know myself better
and care for myself so that I can stay present
and stay with it, stay here.
Gently, bring the palms together,
bring the thumbs up to the third eye.
Again, don't skip out on that thank you to yourself.
Say thank you here, if you haven't already.
And may this practice to inspire you to create more movement
and deeper breaths that help you feel present.
And that remind you that you are worthy
of this beautiful life.
Even when things feel or look grim.
I love you guys, I'm so grateful
for the love that you spread too, by sharing the videos
with your loved ones and with your communities.
Let's keep that ripple effect going.
Take a deep breath,
let's breath in together, altogether.
And we'll exhale here to whisper,
Namaste.
(melancholy music)
(spooky music)