- Hello gorgeous friends!
Welcome to Yoga With Adriene.

I'm Adriene and this is Benji

and today we have 
yoga for social anxiety.

This is a huge request so
know if you selected this video,

you are not alone.

Hop into something 
comfy and let's get started.

(gentle music)

Hi, my darling friends.

Okay, let's begin 
today's practice standing.

Go ahead and bring 
your feet hip width apart.

Just notice 
whether your toes are

kind of coming 
in or turning out.

No worries either way, just
noticing our patterns and just

consciously placing the feet
to where your toes are pointing

forward in line 
with your hip points.

Alright, and when you feel like
you have your feet on the ground

go ahead and 
stand up nice and tall.

Begin to notice your breath

and trust that this 
time is valuable.

I totally admire you and
honor you for taking the time to

experience this video 
and I invite you right away

to just enjoy this time.

And not necessarily worry about
the outcome or focus on the

outcome but rather to allow
yourself to really enjoy this

time and this 
experience for yourself.

That being said, see if you can
close your eyes or if you're not

comfortable with that just
soften your gaze a little bit

down past your nose.

And allow your 
fingers to soften,

whatever that means to you,
just noticing if you're kind of

gripping or holding 
just letting the hands

and the fingers be loose.

And super simple, super easy
we're going to ground down

through the feet and on a big
inhale reach the fingertips all

the way up towards the sky 
and try to keep the hands

and the fingers soft.

And then take 
another deep breath in here.

Fill up and then exhale just
float the hands and the fingers

down again, nice 
and soft and easy.

And twice more like that.

Inhale to reach for the sky.

Grounding through all 
four corners of the feet.

And exhaling to 
float the fingertips down.

And one more time, you got it,
big inhale, big stretch.

And exhale, fingertips down.

Great, keep the 
feet where they are.

You're gonna interlace the
fingertips behind the back.

And best you can, begin 
to open up through the chest,

open up through the pecs as
you draw the knuckles down.

Then the key here would be to

keep the skin of the 
face soft, jaw relaxed.

And start to lift your heart
a little bit higher as you

continue to gently 
deepen your breath.

And take one 
more big inhale here.

And as you exhale you're gonna

keep grounding 
through the feet.

bend you knees and 
send your heart forward.

Nice and slow here.

Belly comes toward 
the tops of the thighs.

And we reach the head, the
crown down towards the earth.

Knuckles all the 
way up towards the sky.

Now take some 
cleansing breaths here.

Bringing some fresh oxygen,
fresh blood to flow.

A calming effect here.

As you breathe deep.

And then again 
grounding through the feet.

Bend your knees generously,
slowly release.

Rewind, come all the way up.

Try to resist the slingshot
effect as a dear friend of mine

says and slowly 
release the fingers.

Again, returning 
to Mountain Pose,

Tadasana, let the fingers,
the hands be soft.

Stand up nice and tall and just
feel that awesome sensation in

the hands as you 
lengthen through the crown

and relax the shoulders down.

So I'm sure it's 
not a surprise that,

you know, we create a lot of
extraneous stress and tension in

the shoulders particularly when
we have any worry or anxiety

about something to come.

So using each exhale to relax
the shoulders down and just be

really present with 
the breath here throughout

the duration of our practice.

So basically in other words,
keep noticing when the shoulders

creep up here and see if you
can use the power of your breath

practice to relax the
shoulders down, down, down.

Alright, from here keep 
grounding through the feet.

You're just gonna reach 
the right fingertips up,

just the right fingertips.
Left fingertips down.

It's a little 
yoga for the brain.

So we have one arm up, one arm
down and we're going to rotate

the wrists one way.

Just gentle 
circles with the wrists.

And then try to reverse it.

What?

Great, then bring 
the right arm down.

Take the left 
arm all the way up.

Same thing opposite side,
rotating one way

and then taking it the other.

Excellent. Bring the 
left arm down.

Both hands come to the 
waistline here, a power pose.

You're gonna draw the 
shoulder blades together.

Once again, lift up 
through the heart.

Feel the chest opening, pecs
stretching as you draw all the

shoulder blades 
together elbows back.

Then gently shift your 
weight to your left foot.

We'll come up onto the right
toes and you're gonna draw slow

circles one way and then the
other with your right foot.

Checking in with that ankle.

Finding your balance and just
notice if you've started to hold

your breath here, breathe deep.

Bring a lightness to your being.

Use your exhales to 
relax the shoulders.

Cool, and then 
shifting to the other side.

Right foot down.

Ground through the right foot
first before you lift off the

left toes and 
then same thing here.

If you feel way 
off balance today

try not to get discouraged.

This is part of life, right?

We get thrown off balance so the
more we can learn to deal with

that in a graceful way and tend
to that rather than throwing in

the towel, you know, work to
find balance with whatever is

going on the better.

The closer we can stay to that
feeling of balance and ease.

Alright, then place 
the left foot down.

One more time, inhale 
spread your fingertips,

reach your fingertips all 
the way up towards the sky,

Volcano Pose.
Another power pose.

Ground through all 
four corners of the feet.

So really dig 
into the heels here,

lift your kneecaps to 
tone the quads a little bit.

So we're drawing 
energy up from the earth.

We'll take a second here to

relax the shoulders 
down in Volcano Pose.

Hug the low ribs in and breathe.

Awesome, way to stick with it.

Keep grounding through 
the feet you're gonna inhale.

Reach up a little further,
really coming out of the

waistline here and then 
exhale side body stretch.

So you can go to 
one side any side,

don't worry about it.

Imagine you're holding a big
beach ball in your hands though

so there's energy, you have an
image there as you maybe pull

the thumbs back just a bit.

Great. Then keep 
digging into the heels

as you come back to center, 
take it to the other side.

You've got this.
Keep breathing.

Excellent, come all the way up.

Here we go, inhale in, exhale,
bring the palms together

and slowly all the way 
back down to the heart.

Amazing! Beautiful work.

Okay, from here if you're in the
center of your mat go ahead and

come up to the 
front edge of your mat,

one side, and we're gonna 
swim the fingertips around

to interlace, this time 
opposite thumb on top then

whatever thumb you did before.

So the one that 
feels kind of funky.

So we're changing it up,

focusing our brain and then
draw all the knuckles down,

lift your chest 
just as we did before,

inhale in, exhale 
lead with your heart.

Trust, bend your knees, come
into your deep Forward Fold.

Careful not to clench 
through the toes

and relax the weight 
of the head down.

Once again, see if you can
find a little more space

on this second round.

Maybe perhaps by 
bending the knees generously.

Changing the perspective here.

Take two more cycles of breath,
you can find soft easy movement

in the head and 
neck if it feels good.

Mhmmm, mhmmm.

Beautiful, with control,
best you can,

release the fingertips.

Try to find a little grace here.

Awesome.

From here we're going gonna take
the hands we're gonna bring them

right underneath 
the soles of the feet.

So go ahead and give it a try
and if this is new for you

stay connected to 
your core for stability.

So draw your belly 
button in just a bit.

And you'll bring your toes
right to the wrist line and then

basically we're standing on
our hands with bent knees.

And if this isn't, if you get
there and you realize this isn't

for you, you can take a couple
cycles of breath here any way.

Stick with your practice.

Just in Forward Fold.

So wherever you are, I invite
you to take two cycles of breath

here with the head relaxed over.

We're bringing a calming 
awareness and nourishing,

soothing effect to body 
and the nervous system here.

Take one more cycle of breath,
(Benji sighs) (Adriene chuckles)

Benji just did as well.

And then if you are on 
the hands slowly release them.

Again, with control

and together we'll 
bend the knees generously.

Bring the fingertips to the mat
and you're just gonna walk the

feet as wide as the yoga mat.

Turn the toes out 
and then everyone,

stay connected to your center,

your core as 
you lift the heels up.

Lift the heels, bend the knees
you're just going to come down

to the ground in a 
little froggy squat.

So you can make this your own.

Definitely use the fingertips on
the earth and we're gonna create

just a little soft easy movement
here to get into the hips.

Any emotion, any vibes
that are coming up, breathe.

Breathe. Let's not 
run away from 'em.

Let's use the power of our
practice and the support system

of yoga practice and even Yoga
With Adriene community and the

power of gently lifting the
corners of your mouth to just

get right in there and 
move through it. Right?

Get you ready for 
whatever you desire.

Whatever you need to 
do after this practice.

So just really 
easy movement here.

A little hip opener.

A little stretch for 
the soles of the feet.

And just take one 
more cycle of breath.

If you're here and it's
available to you and you want to

bring the palms together for the
last cycle of breath, you can.

And then together we'll release,
come back down and we're gonna

just come to lie
flat on the back. Yay!

So take your time getting there.

We're gonna finish off 
using the support of

good ol' earth rock,

e-rock to turn things around,

find the grounding we need so

that when we come back up to
standing and whatever it is you

have to do, you feel good.

So you're going to 
come onto the ground

and we're gonna come into Supta
Baddha Konasana right away.

So take your time, you'll bring
the soles of the feet together.

Knees are going to 
come nice and wide.

So this kind of 
reclined Cobbler's Pose

or reclined butterfly.

And then I invite you to bring
your hands to the tops of your

thighs but really up close to
the hip crease and just like a

little kitty cat kind of 
pawing its way on a blanket

you're going to just press 
into the tops of the thighs.

Just kind of combing the 
muscle down a little bit.

Yoga teachers, I tell ya, 
we say the darndest things.

(laughs)

Comb the muscle down.

But what I'm wanting 
you to do is

just create a little
self massage. Super powerful.

Alright, and then 
when you're done with that,

brush it away, 
brush it, brush it, brush it.

And then we'll come to find
stillness with the right hand

on the belly, 
left hand on the heart.

Definitely check in to make sure
that your your shoulders and

elbows can relax here.

And if you feel like you 
need a little extra support,

you're gonna draw the shoulder
blades together and lift your

heart space and 
take a deep breath in.

Now close your eyes here and
just take a couple moments here

to get quiet and to listen
to the sound of your breath.

Feel the warmth of your hands
on these two vulnerable

but also powerful

points of 
listening in the body.

Your belly, your guts, your
instincts and your heart space.

And feel that warmth and

send a deeper breath 
down into the belly.

Noticing how the hands 
rise and fall with the breath.

Putting you in the driver's
seat, you in control.

Mhmmm.

Awesome work.

Then slowly we'll open the eyes.

Gently bring the fingertips to
the outer edges of the legs.

We're gonna bring 
the knees together,

keep the left foot on the ground
and you're just gonna slowly hug

the right knee up 
in towards the chest.

You can keep the 
left foot on the ground here

or extend it out long.

Take a big breath in and this
time feel your belly expand to

the top of your 
right thigh, right where

you are massaging earlier.

Alright, now begin to lift the
corners of the mouth slightly.

Don't think.
Let's just move with the breath.

You're going to inhale in.

Exhale, anchor navel to spine

and you're gonna 
switch the legs.

Left knee comes in,
right leg goes out.

Beautiful inhale in again.

Exhale, strong 
core as you switch.

Inhale in again.

Exhale, switch.

Now just keep breathing 
and moving back and forth.

You can just 
find your own rhythm.

A little bit of fire lit 
in the center of your being.

Tuck the chin into the chest
so the neck is nice and long.

And we continue.

And if you're familiar with
Kapalabhati or breath of fire,

skull shining breath, 
you can start to find

a little bit of a 
sharp exhale here.

Perhaps every time you switch
and I invite you to really scoop

your tailbone up and hug the low
ribs down as we finish out with

this beautiful energizing warm

hug of a core practice.
(chuckles)

Keep it going.

You got it.

Ten more seconds.
Keep it going.

Neck nice and long.
Spine supported.

Excellent, and then 
we'll hug both knees in here.

Yep, you guessed it, Happy Baby.

You're gonna grab the 
outer edges of the feet.

Kick the soles of the feet up.

Lengthen the tailbone forward.

So we know what it's 
like to be vulnerable

but we also

get reminded on the mat 
that we have everything

we need to survive and succeed.

Trust yourself.

Use the power of your breath in
any and all situations to stay

present and, again,

to remember that 
anything can happen to you

but it's how you react to what's
happening to you and around you

that matters most and 
you are in control of that.

You can be.

Okay, slowly 
release your Happy Baby,

send the legs out long.

Bring your hands to your belly.

Take a deep breath in.

Use an exhale 
to relax, to release,

to let go of 
any stress, tension,

anxiety that you might have
been carrying in your body.

We know these things manifest
in the body which is why it's so

awesome of you to 
take the time to practice.

Bring your hands to your belly.

Let's take one more final breath
in together as a community.

Inhale, feel the hands rise
as you breathe into the belly,

big balloon breath 
and then fall slowly

as you exhale with control.

Excellent, tuck the chin again.

Lengthen through 
the back of the neck.

Close your eyes and just take
a moment to feel supported.

I got your back.

Your yoga mat quite 
literally has your back.

And often it's not just what is
happening to us or around us but

perhaps more beautiful to
recognize that it's how we react

to those things that 
are happening to us

or around us
that matters most.

So again, I honor 
and admire you

for taking time to
practice today.

As you're ready, bring your
palms together and we celebrate,

with the end of yoga practice,
we celebrate just the very fact

that we're not alone and that

we all have a shared
experience going on.

So as you bring the 
thumbs to the third eye,

just remember that.

It's a great 
reminder for me as well,

that we're all in this together.
We all have the magic but we

also all have 
vulnerability, anxiety.

We're all in this together.

Take one more deep breath in.

I love you so much.
Exhale.

We whisper

Namaste.

(gentle music)