- What's up everyone? Welcome to Yoga With Adriene,
I'm Adriene and this is Benji
and today we have an awesome Yoga for Creativity practice.
So hop into something comfy and let's get started.
(gentle music)
Okay, hi everyone and welcome.
Let's begin seated today.
So take your time coming on down to the ground.
And as you come into a nice cross-legged seat,
begin to notice your breath immediately.
And take your time as you settle in.
Allow the day thus far and
whatever's happened up until this present moment,
allow it to slowly begin to fade away.
(chuckles)
And as you gently begin to deepen you breath here,
coming into Sukhasana
take a moment to also politely put
whatever you have on the agenda for the future,
just politely put it on hold.
So obviously this doesn't just snap into place.
Boom, I'm here in the present moment but it's the awareness
and the conscious choice
that brings us slowly
but surely closer inward.
And closer toward
where we're going to set our intentions
to reside.
So to summarize,
let go of the day thus far.
Get whatever you have on the to-do list
a gentle wave goodbye for now
and choose to do your very best throughout this
practice to simply reside in the present moment.
Whatever that feels like, whatever's going on in the body,
whatever thoughts come up
and we're gonna use a Pranayama
technique or a little Pranayama breath count to anchor
ourselves, our busy minds and the body into the present moment
so nice and slow as you're ready you're gonna take your left hand
to your heart center.
And your right hand gently to your lower belly.
And then, of course, you can peek at me whenever you need to
but as always but particularly with today's practice really see
if you can allow the sound of my voice to guide you.
So won't always, perhaps, need to look at the video.
But of course look at it whenever you need.
(laughs)
So tuck the chin gently,
a little reverent bows you sit
up nice and tall and feel that lengthening
in the back of the neck.
And then as you're comfortable, close your eyes or just maybe
soften your gaze down your nose.
So there's a definite normal human need to kind of
see what's going on.
Just to see how it's done, to be shown,
and part of the creativity practice today is to really
challenge yourself to use my voice to guide you.
Again, there will be moments where you need to look at the
video and you should, that's why I'm here.
But I'm also here to guide you to pull back another layer of
the onion each time you show up on your practice.
Particularly if you've been practicing with me for a while
or in general for a while, see if you can find some depth.
And if you're new to the practice and a bit worried about
everything that I'm saying, trust.
Trust, trust me, trust yourself, trust this practice
and it's throughout this
trust and this willingness to really be in the
present moment and synchronize the breath
with the body that we
allow ourselves
room for creativity.
And creativity has so many different flavors.
So many different rasas.
And can benefit so many different types of people in so
many different types of ways.
So as you gently begin to deepen your breath here breathing in to
your belly, feeling the expansion in the rib cage as you
breathe in and the softness as you breath out,
see if you can keep an open mind and again just commit to doing
your best, commit to being in the present moment
and allow whatever's supposed to happen throughout this practice,
allow it to happen without you necessarily
having to do anything.
Just see what comes up.
You know, I think a lot of us have been in that situation
where you want something creative to happen or you're
looking for inspiration and it always comes up in
the most miraculous ways.
Typically when we're loosening our grip,
present with our breath, present in the moment,
and allowing ourselves to really fall into the flow.
If you have not, begin to deepen your breath.
If you've tried but maybe lost it,
let's connect here with a big inhale in together.
Think of how many people are breathing in together here in
this moment all over the world.
And then a long exhale.
Again, breathing out with people all over the world,
connecting to the big picture.
Good, again big inhale, breathe in,
feel that breath expand throughout all four sides of the
torso so nice, wide breath.
And then exhale, release.
Now we're gonna begin a little Pranayama where we inhale for
two counts, pause in the middle, and then exhale for four.
So we'll breathe in and out for nothing
and then I'll count us in.
Peek at me when you need to otherwise,
again, use the sound of my voice to guide you.
So here we go, big inhale, all together for nothing.
And exhale, just empty it out nice and easy,
relax your shoulders.
And inhale for two count, here we go.
Big breath in for one, two.
Pause, retain the breath.
And empty, exhale for four, three,
two, empty on the one.
Big inhale for one, two.
Pause, lengthen through the crown
and exhale for four,
three, two, one.
Nice work, Benji. Big inhale for one, two.
Pause.
Exhale for four, three, two, one.
Again, big inhale for one, two.
Pause.
Empty it out on four, three, two, one.
Big inhale for one, two.
Breathing into the belly here, pause.
Slow exhale for four, three,
two, one.
Last one, close your eyes,
big inhale for one, two.
Pause.
Navel slowly draws in for four, three,
two and one.
Beautiful, draw the palms together.
Take a deep breath in.
And relax the shoulders as you breathe out.
Keep the pinkies pressing together here if you have them.
Press the thumbs together if you have them.
If you don't have pinky or thumb here,
get creative.
Lean in.
Coming to a little Lotus Mudra here as
you lift up gently from the pelvic floor.
Keep breathing deep.
See if you can keep that inhale deep and full like
we did on the two count.
And the exhale a little bit longer like
we did on the four count.
Let the breath lead the way, your spirit.
Let it guide you throughout our practice here today.
This is your you time.
The hard part is over, you're here,
you made it. You're awesome.
It's valiant, it's beautiful, it's love.
It's pure love showing up here on the mat for yourself.
It'll have an effect on you and the way you move which then will
have an effect on the way you meet and greet others which then
has an effect on our world!
Okay, here we go deep breath in.
Exhale, bow the head to your hands,
your Lotus Mudra here.
Thumbs are gonna come to your third eye point
or just between the two brows.
Yeah! So you create a little shelf for your brow bone here.
Start to feel a nice, long stretch in the back of the neck.
If your shoulders are creeping up and your spine is starting to
round forward here, see if you can lift your sternum up to your
chin and anchor some really strong active weight in the
shoulders so they're drawing away from your ears.
Keep breathing.
Activate the upper back body
by drawing the shoulder blades together.
It's gonna pull your upper arm bones back in space.
And then take another breath here as we just get a little
pressure on that third eye point,
that inner teacher, that beautiful,
beautiful chakra that helps us
move with inspiration,
with wisdom.
And this is a fun move.
We're gonna draw up from the pelvic floor,
anchor the tops of the thighs.
Again, use my breath to guide (laughs)
use my breath.
Use my voice to guide you. Move with your breath,
here we go, inhale.
Elbows are gonna draw forward.
And then up and then you'll release the thumbs,
maybe trace your eyebrows and open up through the chest.
Draw the shoulder blades together,
thumbs back, pinkies forward.
Big lift of the heart all the way up,
hug the elbows into the side body.
Nice and then inhale reach for the sky.
Exhale, squeeze your wings back and in.
Thumbs back, pinkies forward.
Nice and then inhale, reach. Last one.
Exhale, upper back body activated here as
you draw the shoulder blades together,
thumbs back, pinkies forward.
Beautiful now inhale all the way up.
Exhale, rain it down.
Fingertips are gonna kiss the mat.
Keep the fingertips on the mat but keep the palms up.
As you inhale, reach right fingertips up and over,
side body stretch. Keep it soft here.
Now listen carefully, inhale in.
Find length, exhale.
Right fingertips come to the earth on the left side
and we're gonna slowly swoosh.
Very fancy term, swoosh all the way through center.
So if you want to get creative you can imagine,
you know, fingertips moving through water or sand here as
you come all the way to the right.
Right fingertips press into the earth.
We inhale, open up through the left side,
nice and soft and easy breathing in and out.
Mmmm.
Then inhale to lengthen through the crown.
Exhale, left fingertips come down to the earth and same
thing, through water or sand all the way through back
over to the left side.
Reach it up, inhale.
And exhale, right fingertips down,
coming on through, last time.
Side body stretch.
Great, then anchor navel to spine,
lift your heart, come back up to center.
Take a deep breath in, squeeze the shoulders up to the ears.
And then exhale to let everything go.
Oh my God, we totally exhaled at the same time Benji.
Alright, let's come forward on to all fours.
Take your time, move with your breath.
Find what feels good.
The transitions are everything especially for our home yoga
practice where you can do whatever feels good,
whatever you like.
You can yawn.
You can move at a tempo that's yours.
You can pet your
furry friend or your child, regular child.
And once you get there spread the fingertips wide.
Knees underneath the hip points, wrists underneath the shoulders,
press away from your yoga mat.
And then immediately, let's go right into it,
dropping the belly, opening the chest,
Cow Pose.
And then for today's practice pause here and
really close your eyes.
You know the image here right for Cow,
why we call it cow.
You're dropping your utters to the ground.
Seems so vulgar but it's not.
Free the nipple! Okay, sorry.
Inhale, open your chest.
Exhale, draw the shoulders away from the ears.
But now let's flip the script, navel draws up and in.
We curl up through the spine, tailbone lengthens down and then
you're gonna take a cycle of breath here too
and think of this image. Close your eyes.
Arch your back like a
black Halloween cat.
(chuckles)
Okay, inhale, Tabletop Position.
Curl the toes under, Downward Facing Dog.
Take your time getting there, move with your breath.
So you are in charge of the transitions today
and everyday but really today.
And then when you get there, find what feels good.
What are you bringing to the canvas today?
I'm bringing some sore legs.
Check in.
Set yourself up for greatness.
Spread the fingertips, elbow creases shine forward so your
upper arm bones go away from the ears.
Lots of space.
Inner thighs spiral in and out
towards the back edge of your mat.
And then we hug the lower ribs in.
Take all that awesome center work we did last month
and draw the navel in and up here.
Find that connection.
Yes, then bend the knees generously,
bring the belly towards the tops of the thighs,
inhale, carve a line with the nose,
look forward and exhale to step one foot up,
then the other. Ragdoll to the top.
Clasp opposite elbows with your hands here,
bend your knees and find what feels good.
A freestyle moment with control, with breath.
You know people are often asking me for more intermediate and
advanced sessions here on YouTube.
And I usually say, "Well go to the membership.
"There's more of those there."
But I also like to say, are you breathing?
Is your breath a priority?
Is the movement coming out of your breath?
Or is it the opposite?
That is intermediate.
That is advanced.
Breath first, breath first.
So drop into your breath.
And when you're ready, release the fingertips,
take a big inhale in.
And a long breath out.
Think four, three, two, one.
And then when you're ready, slowly roll it up.
All the way to standing. Take your time.
There's no rush.
And when you arrive see if you can fully
embody this Mountain Pose.
Whatever that means to you.
Let my invitation to fully
embody this Tadasana.
Change the way you exist and
the way that we breathe in this pose.
So I often give a ton of, you know,
ideas for what to do here.
Today I'm gonna allow you to just find an image,
find some actions, find a breath that works for you here.
Find a little inspiration within this posture.
I'll give you one hint, prioritize your breath and then
always think of your spine.
The energy that runs up and down the spine.
Awesome. Bend the knees softly.
Inhale, big stretch, big breath, reach for the sky.
Exhale, bend the knees softly.
Slowly come all the way down, Forward Fold.
Take your time.
Slow and in control, inhale, halfway lift.
Find length in the back of the neck and then pause here.
See if you can lift your front body up to meet your back body
and if you don't know what that means,
find your center here.
Draw the navel in and up, hug the lower ribs in.
Then everyone, drag your hands to the tops of your thighs.
Suck in the elbows and pull them back like little grasshopper
legs, create more space from the crown to the tail here.
So creating like a figure 7 shape in the body.
Pull back through the hip creases.
Keep breathing, you're doing great.
And softly bend the knees.
Stay here, you're doing awesome.
We're here creating awareness.
We're promoting a healthy flow of energy
from the crown to the tail.
We're here for three, two,
and then slow and steady on the one
take it all the way back down.
Crown to the earth, bend your knees
as generously as you like here.
Nice.
Here we go, big wave up towards the sky.
Press into all four corners of the feet.
Inhale, reach up.
And exhale, rain it all the way down,
bend the knees.
Once again, just a little quicker.
Inhale, halfway lift.
Pause, find integrity.
Deepen your breath.
Crown of the head shooting forward like a fireball.
And then here we go, inhale, lift your heart a little bit,
catch a wave here.
A little crest of a wave and then exhale,
it crashes and falls down.
'Kay, here we go, big stretch, big breath all the way up
towards the sky. Press into all four corners of the feet,
reach up. Big stretch.
Exhale, rain it down.
Now in one breath inhale halfway lift, your version.
Find length in the neck.
Exhale, soften and fold.
Plant the palms, step the right toes back.
Step the left toes back, Plank Pose.
Don't panic.
So finding a little warmth, a little energy in your Hadda,
your center, your belly, this beautiful,
beautiful place of creativity around the pelvis,
the belly, and the solar plexus.
So these three chakras here.
Here we go, we're breathing deep.
We're pressing away from the yoga mat,
shoulder blades spreading left to right.
You can always lower the knees here if you need,
Half Plank.
Shoulders are right over the hip,
nope, the wrist here. Sorry (chuckles).
And we're reaching the heels back if the knees are lifted.
You're here for three.
Welcome that heat, that shake, two.
Slowly lower on the one.
Belly flops are welcome.
Alright, drag the hands in line with your rib cage.
Press into the tops of the feet and inhale,
Baby Cobra.
Exhale, soften and fold.
Forehead to the earth.
Inhale, Baby Cobra.
Exhale, tuck the chin, forehead to the earth.
Last one, really synchronize with your breath.
You got this.
Pubic bone to the earth, inhale, rise up.
Strengthening the back body so you can move in a way that feels
good both on and off the mat, yes.
Strong and steady, nice.
Release it down, curl the toes, lift the kneecaps,
tone your quadriceps.
Here we go, inhale in.
Exhale, navel draws up, press up to your Plank Pose.
Quietly whisper to yourself today,
"I create."
I create.
Great work, Downward Facing Dog.
Pedal it out here.
Find what feels good.
Start to stretch a little more through the backs of the legs
and then find that stretch through the side body.
Ah, the lats, upper arm bones rotate out.
Again, inner thighs rotate in.
One more cycle of breath here to move in a way
that feels you today.
So if you're kind of stiff and stuck and
have a bad attitude, that's all good.
That's part of life but just go, "Is this really me
"or can I make an adjustment?
"Can I get creative?"
Yeah! Then here we go, drop the left heel,
inhale, lift the right leg up high.
Exhale, shift it forward.
Knee to nose.
Good, drop the left heel. Inhale, lift it up high.
Exhale, shift it forward.
Right knee to right tricep.
Good, inhale, shift it forward.
And exhale, step it all the way through into
a nice, low lunge.
Lunge that wasn't lunch.
Nice, low lunge. Low lunge.
Lower the back knee.
Interlace the fingertips,
bring them to the top of the right thigh.
Great, inhale in here.
Exhale, squeeze the inner thighs in the midline.
Then stay here with hands on your thigh.
Reach the fingertips forward, up and back.
Back toes can be curled or uncurled,
yogi's choice for this practice.
Inhale, big beach ball up and overhead.
Exhale, bend the elbows, squeeze into the side body,
lift your chest.
Beautiful, inhale, rise back up.
Exhale, take it all the way down.
Great, plant the palms, lift the back knee.
Step the right toes all the way back,
Plank Pose.
Here we go, inhale, shift forward.
Exhale, belly to Cobra or Chatarunga to Up Dog.
Use your inhale to open your heart.
And use your exhale to journey back.
Downward Facing Dog.
When you get there take a nice cleansing breath.
This time give your thinking mind a break.
Clear your mind.
Get into the sensations that you're feeling in your body.
Inhale.
And empty it out through the mouth, exhale.
Nice, Benji didn't even flinch.
Okay, anchor the right heel, here we go,
inhale, lift the left leg up high.
Little bit of strengthening, you've got this.
Claw through the fingertips.
Alleviate pressure off the wrists by clawing into the
knuckles and fingertips.
Take a deep breath in,
maybe lift your left inner thigh a little higher.
Then exhale, shift forward, knee to nose.
Shoulders over the wrists.
Inhale, rise up, anchor through your right heel.
Exhale, left knee to left tricep.
Again, upper body's in Plank.
Good, inhale, lift it up.
Three-Legged Dog, you got this.
Exhale, shift it all the way forward into your lunch.
Just kidding, your lunge.
Lower the right knee down gently, with love.
Front knee's over front ankle.
Control your breath, interlace the fingertips.
Bring it to the top of the left thigh.
Then you're gonna need to pull your left hip crease back and
lift up from the pelvic floor.
Find the integrity.
Breathe, breathe, breathe.
Squeeze the inner thighs to the midline.
You should be feeling these muscles kind of turn on with all
of those actions.
And then stay here if you're feeling like,
"Okay, this is new and exciting."
And if you need a little more, let's throw ourselves
off balance by sending
the fingertips forward, up and back.
Big beach ball up and overhead.
Create space.
Try to create a full body experience so you're working
with your whole self here.
Inhale, lift your heart.
Exhale, bend the elbows, squeeze 'em in.
Upper back body activates, you lift your chest.
Yes, and then inhale, tuck the chin,
reach for the sky.
Exhale, rain it all the way back down.
Plant the palms, lift the back knee,
keep breathing.
Step your left toes back, Plank Pose.
Inhale to shift forward, look forward.
Exhale, Chatarunga to Up Dog or belly to Cobra.
Use an inhale to open your chest.
Lift the corners of the mouth slightly.
And then use an exhale everyone
to take it all the way back to Child's Pose.
Knees wide or together, yogi's choice.
When you get there close your eyes and
listen to the sound of your breath.
Don't hold back.
Option here if the knees are wide to bring the palms
together, walk the elbows forward,
feel that length in the shoulder,
the side body, the tricep and then bring your palms up behind
the back of the neck. A little reverse prayer or
as I like to call it
Namaste shark fin.
I like how I'm a grown woman and like Namaste shark fin is just
become, it's not even silly to me.
It's just a part of my vocabulary.
It's yoga, I love it.
Just like we did when we were kids.
Pure, honest story telling that connects.
Yes, deep breath in.
Empty it out.
On your next inhale, plant the palms and then slowly on the
exhale rise up.
Keep a nice softeness in your neck.
You're gonna come all the way back to all fours.
Curl the toes under
and speaking of childlike wonder,
half the people are like, "Yay! What? Yay!"
and then half the people are like,
"Jesus, Adriene. Just get me through this."
So either one is fine but we all
need it whether you're on one
side of the fence or the other so here we go,
a lot of you have done this with me before,
you're gonna close your eyes.
So curl your toes under, close your eyes and then you're gonna
press into your fingertips, send your hips back and then imagine
like a mama and I'm sorry if you have mom stuff
(laughs) just kidding.
Everyone has some mom stuff.
Even though mom I love you!
If you're watching this, you're the best mom in the whole world!
But okay, here we go.
You're gonna peel up from the tail,
you're gonna imagine a mama peeling up their baby
by their tail with their mouth.
Pulling the tail up (laughs).
This got out of control. Okay.
Downward Facing Dog (laughs).
This time please press into all your fingers and
draw your nose towards your navel.
Hopefully you're giggling with me,
I'm sorry if I distracted you.
Alright, let's take a moment to recenter here.
Just find a little stillness.
Find your breath.
Let your breath be your inspiration here.
Trust that synchronizing the breath...
Brings so much to the brain and the body relationship.
Then when you're ready,
let's move into a little creative flow.
Stay open.
Peek at me when you need to.
We're gonna anchor the right heel down and here we go.
Inhale, lift the left leg up high.
Exhale, shift forward, you got this, knee to nose.
Inhale, Three-Legged Dog.
Find strength, exhale.
Left knee to left tricep.
Good, inhale, rise up.
That's the last one.
Exhale, you're gonna shift your left palm over towards your
right and then step your left foot all the way up for a nice
Lizard lunge or runner's lunge.
Beautiful.
Right hand to the earth here.
With your breath, reach your right heel back,
pull your left hip crease up just like we did in that
Crescent Lunge earlier and then send your left fingertips up
towards the sky for a nice, open twist.
Now you're gonna imagine squeezing the elbows into the
side body just like we did before.
Draw the shoulder blades together,
lean back, lift your heart.
Big inhale.
Now check it out, nice, slow transition here.
Be in the moment.
Nice and slow with your breath. Left fingertips come down.
We turn the left toes in.
You're gonna heel-toe the feet, so keep the feet on the ground
here as you transition through a
nice wide-legged Forward Fold, Prasarita.
Then you're gonna keep it going. What?!?
All the way towards the back edge of your mat.
Coming through a nice, low lunge.
And then here we go.
When you get there, inhale, reach the right fingertips
forward, Horizon Lunge all the way up and you're drawing a big
horizon line all the way up and over as you come on to the outer
edge of your left foot.
Sinking left hip to the ground.
Right toes turn out.
Keep both feet active here.
Horizon Lunge.
Looking back now towards your left foot,
towards the front of your mat, towards Benji.
Yes and then from your center here you go,
inhale in. Exhale, bend that left knee.
You're gonna come all the way through.
Check it out, right fingertips come to the ground.
Keep that direction going and left fingertips reach
all the way up and over. Side body stretch.
Yes.
Inhale, pull the left thumb back, lift your chest.
Exhale, come all the way back through center.
You're gonna plant the palms on the back edge of your mat.
Tap into your core, pivot on your left foot,
right knee to right tricep.
We've been here before.
Beautiful, inhale in.
Exhale, anchor through the left heel.
Lift it up, Three-Legged Dog.
Exhale, slowly with control lower the right foot down.
You are amazing!
Breathe in Breathe out.
Even if you struggle, stay present.
You got it, you got it.
Breathe in and breathe out.
Awesome.
Okie doke. Claw through the fingertips.
Here we go. Anchor the left heel.
Inhale, lift the right leg up high.
Exhale, shift forward, knee to nose.
Nice and slow, don't rush.
Inhale, rise up.
Exhale, right knee to right tricep.
You got this.
Inhale, lift it up, Three-Legged Dog.
Shift your right hand over towards your left.
Exhale, step your right foot all the way up.
Lizard Lunge, runner's lunge, nice and low.
Front knee over front ankle.
Left hand to the earth.
Inhale, squeeze the inner thighs to the midline,
pull your right hip crease back and send your right fingertips
up towards the sky.
Nice big open twist here.
Left heel reaching back.
So you should feel your left glute turned on.
Hey-o, inhale, lift your heart a little more.
Open up.
Exhale, slow and steady come all the way down.
Keep the feet on the ground.
You're gonna walk back through Prasarita,
Standing Wide-Legged Forward Fold.
Dun, dun, dun, and then all the way back and through.
Right hand comes to the earth to come back to our lunge.
Left fingertips this time reach forward,
up, big horizon line all the way around and back now towards the
back edge of your mat, your right foot.
Sink the hips down low here. Strong and steady.
Welcome that heat. You're doing great.
Inhale in, exhale, keep the feet active.
Bend the bottom leg. Slowly come through.
You don't have to worry about getting the knees together here.
In time maybe you Gomukhasan legs,
don't worry and then left hand comes to the earth and right
fingertips reach all the way up.
Side body stretch, pull the right thumb back,
lift your chest, lift your heart.
Take a deep breath in and then exhale all
the way back and through.
Plant your hands.
Here we go, pivot on the right foot.
Left knee squeezes up and in.
You got this.
Gaze forward, you got this.
Lift up from the upper back body.
Yes, and then kick it up, Three-Legged Dog.
You got this, claw through the fingertips, inhale.
Exhale with control left foot down.
Pause here, find your Down Dog.
Inhale in deeply.
And exhale, sigh it out. (sighs)
Two more, inhale in.
Exhale, sigh it out.
Inhale.
Awesome, awesome.
Slowly lower the knees down to the earth.
With control, bring them together, really together.
Arch to arch, feet come together.
Then you're gonna paint your yoga mat here as you tuck the
chin and roll up to Vrasana, Hero Pose.
Hands come back together in the Lotus Mudra.
So hopefully you're practicing and not just watching although
if you are just watching that's all good.
Good inspiration, get the juices flowing,
breathe with us.
But Benji was totally exhaling with me.
Wow.
He's amazing. Okay.
Alright, so from here, if this is not good on your knees
which is true for the majority,
you'll just come to a nice, comfortable seat.
Although we're headed into one more active posture before we
cool it down, before we relax.
So from here, we'll take a deep breath in.
And a long breath out.
Just re-center, find your breath again.
And then we'll slowly come all the way forward.
You're gonna come on to the toes.
Then keep your center engaged here so if you're just spilling
all your guts here this is gonna
be a little bit of a tricky transition.
But it's gonna be a lot easier, meaning with more ease,
as you draw the navel up and in and from your core,
your center of gravity move back with the knees.
Open them wide.
Whoa!
So we're here.
We can come into this yummy little Froggy variation.
Maybe doing more a surrender pose instead of an active pose.
You could be here.
If you're in a seated posture, you could be doing a nice seated
twist or you can come to a Child's Pose.
If you're ready to give Bakasana a try,
you're certainly warmed up.
And again, it's not about actually doing the pose
but it's about the process.
Literally the creative process that has to happen,
the agreement between all of yourselves to try
to do something difficult.
Something of value.
Okay, I'm going there.
Here we go, bring the two big toes together.
Plant the palms wide.
A lot of times I see hands too close or too far.
So all this Plank work that we've been doing,
building a nice, strong foundation,
you want to find that here so that when you shift forward your
shoulders are over your wrists to start.
So fingertips spread wide.
Then you're gonna slowly from your center power up,
inhale in, think about a rocket ship.
Lifting your center up.
Send your gaze forward. Keep the neck nice and long.
Think about that halfway lift shape we did here.
Hug the front body up to meet the back body and you're gonna
walk your knees up toward your armpit chest.
Then the spirals that we do in Downward Dog,
find them here and then don't worry about doing the shape.
Let's just have some fun. Focus on the process here.
Easier said than done but again with practice
it gets more
enjoyable at the practice of doing something difficult.
Which is why showing up on
your mat is such a great thing for creativity.
Okay, hug those knees up in towards the armpit chest.
You might come on to the toes here.
Maybe you're already working, looking forward.
You defintiely want to keep your gaze forward.
You're shifting back and forth.
And maybe with your breath one time you lift one two off and
then maybe one day, maybe not today even,
you create two litlte shelves for your legs
and you lift both toes off.
Breathe deep here.
Little play time.
Catch some air. Working.
This has to come from your center.
Okay, wherever you are, slowly begin to melt out.
Wherever you are walk your feet as wide as your yoga mat and
we're gonna end together with a nice root chakra lift.
So you can do this in your seated pose that you're in if
you're in the seated or you're gonna come
to this Malasana variation.
Palms come together or fingertips on the mat.
Heels can stay lifted in Froggy or ground down to the mat.
So make it yours.
Then find that reverent bow.
Tuck your chin into your chest, breathe deep here.
And we'll end with this little root chakra,
not little, it's pretty grand, root chakra pose.
Drawing energy up from the pelvic floor.
Starting to really amplify your breath.
You gotta bring the breath here.
Connecting, introducing,
re-introducing the brain and the body.
Magnifying the quality of their relationship.
And then last but not least finding a little inspiration
here by lifting the heart all the way up towards the sky.
Give it your best shot.
Send your gaze all the way up.
Lift your heart.
And then activate the toes, slowly release.
Use your fingertips to come all the way to the ground.
Keep the toes active and
let's bring it all the way to the ground.
Nice and slow.
When you get there, let any sounds that want to come out
(sighs) come out.
You're gonna walk the feet as wide as the yoga mat.
And you're gonna allow the knees to come in.
So we just did external rotation,
now it should feel really yummy in the hip socket to gently
bring the knees together and allow the outer edges of the
feet to kind of pop up.
So you want to let your whole lower body relax here.
So that's why bringing the feet wide and
letting the knees fall in is good.
If the feet are too close you're not gonna be able to do that.
Then gently bring your left hand to your heart,
your right hand to your belly.
Press your head, physically press it into the yoga mat.
Lift your chest, draw your shoulder blades together
and down, elbows down.
And then, yes Benji, take a deep breath in and out and relax the
weight of your body completely and fully into the earth.
Take a second to observe your breath and notice how you feel.
Lean in, notice if the energetic body has shifted or changed
since before you started this practice.
Feel the warmth on your skin and notice,
notice what it feels like to be alive today.
And when you're really in tune with the creative process
you don't take anything for granted.
Not a single breath, not a single gesture,
not a single day.
In an honest and rich creative relationship anything is
possible and all ideas are welcome.
Take one more quiet breath here.
Feel the warmth of your hands on your
heart space and on your belly.
Two deep listening points and may we all take this
creative energy in all it's magnificient powers
with us off the mat and into the rest of our day.
Keep an open mind.
Work to maintain an open heart.
And as always, find what feels good.
Gently bring the palms together.
Thumbs right up to the third eye.
One last big group breath, people all around the world.
We are one, let's take a deep breath in.
And we finish today's practice by whispering
Namaste.
(gentle music)