- Hi, everyone.
Welcome to Yoga With Adriene,

I'm Adriene and this is Benji

and today we have
yoga for chronic pain.

This is a big request,
I hope you enjoy it.

If you can, bring a
little blanket or a towel

to practice today and,
if you like,

you can do a good portion
of this practice in a chair

or on the edge of your couch.

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

(upbeat music)

Alrighty my friends, let's
begin lying down on the ground.

If lying down on the ground
is not suitable for you today,

you can begin this
practice in a chair

or even seated on
the edge of your couch.

So come into your first position
and be gentle with yourself

even as we get set up.

Right, so this intention
that we're gonna be gentle

with ourselves,
that we're gonna be kind.

And right away
as you get settled

into your first position here,

see if you can relax
through the legs and relax

through the arms in particular.

So, your limbs immediately
get the invitation to relax.

And I'll invite you
to take a deep breath

in through your nose.

And as you exhale, go ahead

and breathe out
through the mouth.

Good, soften your gaze
gently down past your nose

or close your eyes here

and allow the sound
of my voice to guide you.

Again, I'll invite us together

to breathe in
through the nose deeply.

And exhale out
through the mouth completely,

really emptying out all the air.

And one more time,
just like that.

Big inhale in through the nose.

And exhaling out
through the mouth.

Great, now with the eyes closed

or your gaze nice and soft,

just kind of drawing
our intention inward,

our attention inward.

Just take a moment
to notice how you feel.

And, again, remember be gentle.

If you're not feeling great,
that's alright.

That's why we're here, to tend to it,

to explore lovingly
the tools of yoga

and see if they can assist us,

support us on our journey

toward healing
and feeling better.

Continue to gently
deepen the breath

as you just take a moment here

to notice how you feel today,
scanning the body perhaps.

Starting the soles
of the feet perhaps

and running up
through the center channel.

Using that
guideline if it suits you,

guiding your
awareness all the way up

to the crown of your head,
and if not, just

in your own way
taking stock, dropping in.

Then ever so slightly,
lift the corners of the mouth.

Give thanks for your body.

Let go of any
expectations of this practice

and what it might serve up

and just choose to
reside in the breath first.

Knowing that if you're breathing

with more loving awareness,
you're doing it right,

you're doing a good job.

Inviting the brain and
the body to work together

through the breath,
the thread of the breath.

Gently bring your
left hand to your heart

and your right
hand to your low belly.

Use the placement of
the hand on the belly

and the hand on the heart to
invite a deeper breath in.

Perhaps a more
diaphragmatic breath in.

So, see if you can feel the rise

of your hands as you breathe in.

Good, and see if you
can notice the gentle fall

of the palms downward
as you breathe out.

Notice where your thoughts go
and just experiment with this

for a moment or two on your own.

The rise and the
fall of the breath.

The hands catching a bit of
a wave here as you breathe in

and then falling
as you breathe out.

Good, nice and easy.

Gently open your eyes.

We're gonna bring one
knee up ever so gently.

Bring your foot to the ground

and then the other
knee up ever so gently,

bring your foot to the ground.

If you're in a
chair on the couch,

you can just sit up nice
and tall and then if you're

on the ground, we're gonna come

into a fetal position

feeling the spine round here.

And then, nice and slow,
again, be gentle,

we're gonna press all the way up

to seated and come
through to all fours.

Again, if you're in the chair,

stick with the
diaphragmatic breathing here.

If you are able
to come to all fours,

get the wrists
underneath the shoulders,

knees directly
underneath the hips.

Inhale, bump
the hips to the left

as you turn to look
past your right shoulder

and then come back to center.

Inhale, bump the hips
to the right as you turn

to gently look
past your left shoulder.

Excellent, come back to center.

Spread the fingertips evenly.

You can use your blanket here

to pad the body, pad the knees,

pad the hands even if you
like and if you're in a chair,

go ahead and bring your hands
to the tops of the thighs.

Together we're gonna find a
little gentle spinal flexion.

So on the ground we'll drop
the belly towards the earth,

open the chest.

In the chair,
you'll open the heart,

find that long, puppy belly.

Everyone, inhale, look up.

Exhale, chin to chest.

Navel draws back
towards the spine.

If you're on the ground,
really press into the earth.

Creating space in the back body.

Inhale, drop the belly,
open the chest.

If you're in the chair, look up,
drop the shoulders down.

And then exhale,
rounding through,

really drawing
your navel up towards

the spine or back to the spine.

One more time,
inhale nice and slow,

opening the heart,
lifting the gaze up.

Exhale, rounding through,
chin to chest.

Navel back.

Good.

Having a nice, neutral
spine now, nice and easy,

we're gonna slowly,
slowly make our way up.

So, walk the palms
forward if you're on the ground.

Curl your toes under,
soft bend in the elbows,

generous bend in the knees,

and we're gonna
peel the tailbone up

to Downward Facing Dog.

If this is not
suitable for you today,

you can just make
your way to standing

using your breath to guide you,

staying focused
on the breath here

for the whole
duration of our practice.

Take a couple breaths.

If you're in Downward Dog,

maybe pedal the knees,
pedal the feet.

And then we'll
slowly walk the feet

to the center of the mat.

Come into a nice, wide stance.

You have nice stability here.

And we'll come
into a Forward Fold.

If you're in the chair,

you can gently drape your belly
over the tops of the thighs,

bringing your head between the
knees here. Breathing deep.

See if you can
breathe laterally.

Think about breathing into
all four sides of your torso.

Feeling the lungs expand.

The rib cage gets
wider as you breathe in.

And, of course,
softens as you breathe out.

As you're ready,

slowly begin to
roll up to standing.

Take your time here, listen
to the sound of your breath.

So as you stand
up nice and tall,

see if you can
really feel your feet.

I know that is a bit
of an interesting cue,

but just bring
awareness to the feet

and just notice if the toes
are pointing out or pointing in

or if you're carrying
a little bit of weight

in the inner arches or
the outer edges. Just notice.

And if you are in the chair
you can do the same thing.

Just see if you can
spread more awareness

through all four corners
of the feet, nice and even.

(chuckles) Benji's getting cozy.

And then, again,
starting from the feet,

we'll begin to
lovingly scan the body.

Just drawing some
loving awareness from the soles

of the feet all the
way up to the crown.

Got a creaky,
old floor up in here.

And then see if you
can lift your sternum

as you continue to
gently deepen your breath.

Try to give the
thinking mind a break,

and focus on the
sound of your breath.

Good, on your next inhale,

spread your fingers gently
and reach up towards the sky.

You can do this in
the chair or standing.

Big stretch all
the way up, up, up.

And think about really
reaching from your waistline,

so not just the
arms reaching up,

but reaching all the way
up and out of the waistline.

If the shoulders are
kind of clenched up here,

give a nice, wide
stance between the palms.

Imagine maybe you're
holding a big beach ball

up and overhead so your
shoulder blades can drop down.

If this is much too much,

you can send the
fingertips out in front.

So we're here or we're here.

And wherever you are,
you're gonna take the right hand

and grab the left wrist
for a side body stretch.

Take a deep breath in, exhale
gently tilt to the right

and if your
hands are out in front,

you can gently
twist to the right.

So we're here.

Or we're here,
feet are grounded

and we're inhaling lots
of love in. You got this.

Exhale, lots of love out.

And I know this can
be hard for many of us,

so you're not alone.

Breathe deep. Be kind to
your body. Stick with it.

And then on your next inhale,
bring it back to center.

Let's give the arms
a full rest in between.

Let them come to your sides
or rest gently on the thighs.

Inhale, a nice, cleansing
breath in through the nose.

And exhale, take it.

Exhale, nice, cleansing
breath out through the mouth.

So honoring the body
where it is today, right?

Through this
practice of honoring

and showing up for
ourselves as we are regularly,

we may or may not,
but we have an opportunity

to really re-pattern
to heal or at least tend

to the situation in a more
loving, non-toxic manner, right?

So the possibilities,

to me, in my opinion,
are endless.

But, of course,
it does require us

to just lovingly acknowledge
what's going on with the body.

Which I know can be frustrating

for people with
chronic pain, right?

Maybe you don't feel
like everyone understands.

I got your back.
Here we go.

Inhale, fingertips
up again either halfway

or all the way up.

Take a second here
to just assess lovingly.

How's it going?

Can I create a
little more space here?

Return to your breath.

Feet are grounded.

Maybe experiment
with that inner smile,

lifting the corners
of the mouth just a bit.

And then, when you're ready,

left hand's gonna grab
the right wrist this time

either all the way up
on overhead or halfway,

and then we're gonna
slowly take it to the left side.

So side body stretch.
If you're halfway,

you're gonna get more of a
lat stretch, upper back body,

but still be really good.

Keep your heels
grounded here, everyone.

Inhale. Exhale.

One more breath.
Stick with it. You got this.

Hug the low ribs in.
Inhale and exhale.

Awesome, slowly release.

Bring it all back to center.

Nice, cleansing breath here.

Come on, take it, inhale.

And exhale, let something go.

Awesome work.

Okay, so if you're standing,

go ahead and bring the
hands to the waistline.

If you're seated, you can do
this Warrior II in your chair.

We're gonna slowly
take it to the right first

by bringing the right foot,
stepping the right toes out.

Then we're gonna
bend the right knee

and then you're gonna
step back with the left leg

at your comfort level, right?

So it can be a
small Warrior today.

There's option to
do this on the chair

by bringing the
right hamstring

to be supported by
the seat of your chair.

Everyone, make sure
your back toes are turned in.

And once you get here,

let's bring our
awareness to the feet

and draw a little
energy up from the feet

to find length in the spine.

If you feel a little
trembly here, little warmth,

a little heat, that's okay.

If you feel any pain,

and you need to
back up out of the pose,

listen to your body, always.

Head over heart,
heart over pelvis.

Maybe you stay here,
hands on the waist

or gently resting on thighs,
breathing deep, strong legs.

Or perhaps we experiment
with sending the arms out,

Virabhadrasana II,
pulling the pinkies back

to open up through the chest.

Inhale in, lengthen
through the crown, long neck.

Exhale, relax your shoulders.
You got this.

One more breath.
You got it. Inhale in.

Slow exhale, you got this.

Sweet, slowly
straighten the front leg,

bring the hands
back to the waistline

and we're gonna bring
it all back to center.

Move in a nice,
slow pace that's good to you.

Either back
either back to standing

or back to seated in your chair.

Cleansing breath.
Inhale lots of love in.

Exhale, let something go.
Breathe out through your mouth.

Good, second side.

You're gonna take the left foot

around this time, plant
it firmly, toes pointing out.

Then step the
right foot back, toes back.

Back foot needs to be

pivoted in, dialed in, right?

So that everything can dial
in including the hip, right?

If the toes are turned out,

the hip's gonna be
unstable here basically.

So turn those toes in.

If you're in the chair,

your left hamstring be supported

by the seat of your chair.

Everyone, bend your front knee.

Notice how this side
may feel a little different.

Hands on the waistline
are nice and low to start.

Press into the outer
edge of your back foot.

Lengthen through the spine.

And here we go.

If it's feeling
right in your body today,

send the arms out long.

We're not gonna be here long,

so meet your appropriate edge.

Pull the pinkies back,
bend that front knee,

Lengthen tailbone down.
Find that inner smile.

Here we go,
let's breathe together.

Inhale in through the nose.

Exhale out through
the nose or mouth,

either one is fine today.

Again, inhale in
through the nose.

And exhale out
through the nose or mouth.

Good, slowly
bring it back to center.

Hands come to the waistline.

Seated or standing,
you got this.

Inhale in.

And exhale, relax the
shoulders, empty it out.

Good, awesome work.

On your next inhale,

bring the shoulders forward,
up and back towards the ears

and then we're just gonna take
'em for a couple loops here.

Inhale to lift.

Exhale to drop.

Inhale to lift.

Exhale to drop.

One more time, inhale to lift.

Exhale to drop.

Alright, stay grounded
through your feet.

We're gonna
interlace the fingertips

behind the small
of your back here.

Keep your wrists squared here.

You keep it nice and gentle.

So rather than bring
it together, of course,

unless you want to do that.

If you're in the chair,
you can also experiment

with clasping opposite
elbow with opposite hand.

And really gentle chest
opener here, nice and easy.

Inhale, open the chest.

Exhale, relax
the shoulders down.

If you wanna find soft,
easy movement

in the head or neck here,
it might feel nice.

Awesome, then we'll release.

Once again, cleansing breath.
Inhale in.

Nice, slow exhale.

Soothing, calming
the nervous system.

Excellent.

Alright, from here
we're gonna grab our blanket

and if you have a wall
that you can bring the legs up

to while you're
doing this video,

then we'll do that together.

Otherwise we can
kind of figure it out

just in the middle of
the room wherever you are,

and then you can take it to
the wall on your own later.

So we're gonna transition
down now for legs up the wall.

So take your time
getting down on the ground.

We're gonna grab our blankets
for this, if you have one.

And again, if
you're not really set up

to do legs up the
wall in this exact moment,

maybe you just come
into a comfortable seat,

breathe deeply and observe

so that then you
can do this on your own

in another area of your home.

So, we'll take the blanket or

a bath towel works just fine.

You just make
sure it's nice and even

so that it can
support your low back

in a nice, even way.

In a way that feels good.

And then I'm
gonna bring it up here

to the wall, excuse me buddy.

Sorry buddy, aw.

No animals were harmed
in the making of this video.

So, I'm gonna bring it
with a little bit of space

between the
wall and the blanket.

You can also do
this in the middle

of the room and
get your legs up,

but it just depends on
how your body's feeling.

Maybe you're not quite
in the right place right now

where you wanna
hold your legs in midair.

You could give it a try,
certainly, if it felt right.

So, I also have a whole video
just on legs up the wall.

So you can check that
out on YouTube. Here we go.

I'm gonna come all
the way up to the wall.

This is the most difficult part

is kind of getting in position.

But I'm gonna
move slowly and gently

and I'm gonna get
it to where my blanket

or towel is
supporting my low back.

I allow my tailbone to
spill off the blanket or towel

and my legs, of course, go up.

Notice how my knees are bent.

I'm not necessarily
needing to straighten my legs

to reap the
benefits of this posture.

So the knees can be bent as
generously as they need to.

Once you feel like you feel
supported in your low back,

you can start to play
with straightening the legs,

but, again, just feel it out.

Alright, then the hands
can go Texas T nice and wide

or palms can rest gently
on the belly or the ribcage.

Alright, if you're observing,

you can soften your gaze now
and start to breathe deeply.

If you're in the posture,
close your eyes,

and return to your breath.

Soften the skin or the face,
everyone relax your jaw.

See if you can make
your inhalations longer.

See if you can make your
exhalations longer.

Smoother.

When practicing
legs up the wall,

if it begins to feel
like it's a little too much,

you're losing a blood
flow or little tingly,

can be a little
intense at first.

Listen to your body
which I know you're good at,

but also respond.

You might bring the
soles of the feet together down

for a little
Cobbler's variation here.

And then, as you're ready,
you can send the legs back up.

So this is a good thing to do

before bed when the body,

you can already tell,
may be struggling to relax.

This could be a good
thing to do after travel

of any kind.

Let's take a couple
more breaths here

to observe the breath.

Slow everything down.

Activating the
healing properties,

the self-healing properties.

That we possess.

To come out of legs up the
wall, you'll move nice and slow.

First bending the knees.

And then slowly
rocking to one side, any side.

You cans stay in legs
up the wall if you like.

If you're ready to
come up to a nice seat,

go ahead and do so.

You can sit up on your blanket.

If you're on the chair,
smile, life is good.

We'll bring the palms
together at heart center.

Take one more big breath in.

Exhale to relax
the shoulders down.

Close your eyes.

Give thanks for this time that
you've carved out for yourself.

I thank you for joining me,

for trusting me,
for sharing your practice

and your journey
with me and with Benji.

Bookmark this video.

See if you can maybe
put it on your calender

to do regularly so
that you can really start

to notice the difference.

A regular daily practice
I think yields more results

than just kind of a once
in a while kind of

remedy.

Alright, thanks again.

As always,
continue to make it your own

and find what feels good.
You're doing great.

Namaste.

(upbeat music)