- Hello my darling friends,

welcome back to Flow,
your 30 Day Yoga Journey.

Today is Day 9, Release.

Let's get started.

(gentle rhythmic music)

Alright, come on
down to the ground.

Find a comfortable seat,

and we're gonna
bring the palms together

and start to rub them
together to begin this session.

Thank you for being here.

Slowly dropping into the moment.

Today, the invitation to

release any expectation of

how the rest of your
journey is going to go.

We'll release stress,

any tension we
might be holding,

in the body,
tension that you know of,

or tension that
you're maybe not aware of.

Continuing to deepen our
relationship with the breath.

Creating a fluid conversation
with the mind and the body.

Get a little faster here,

create a little heat,
some friction.

Sit up nice and tall.

Take a deep breath in.

And as you exhale,

bring your hands
to your heart center,

close your eyes.

You can affirm here if you like.

You can repeat after me
quietly in your head or whisper,

"I release

"that which no longer serves."

Mhmmm, an oldie but a goodie.
(chuckles)

"I release that
which no longer serves."

Inhale in.

Exhale to bat
the eyelashes open.

Let's take it on forward,
hi, Benji,

into a Tabletop Position.

Spread the fingertips wide.

Inhale, drop the belly,
look forward.

Cow. Exhale,
round the spine, chin to chest.

Really tuck your
tailbone here today.

Press into the tops of the feet.

Good, inhale, tailbone lifts up.

Heart forward.

Exhale, round the spine,

chin to chest,
tailbone lengthens down.

Inhale.

Exhale.

Nice. Inhale to Tabletop,

drop the elbows
exactly where the hands are,

spread the fingertips wide.

Forearms parallel, then
gently walk the knees back,

tailbone lifts
up towards the sky.

And we melt the heart,

opening up
through the shoulders,

lengthening through 
the side body.

Stay connected with your hands,

so find that hand to earth
connection to root you here,

little stability.

Breathe into the belly,

forehead might
come to the ground.

Continue to deepen your breath.

Nice, then carve a
line with your nose.

Look forward, slide all the way
forward through to your belly.

Press the pubic
bone into the earth,

and as you're ready,

slowly tuck the chin
and rise up to Sphinx Pose.

Sphinx Pose,
press into the tops of the feet.

Ground down through your elbows,

find extension through
the crown of your head.

Inhale in here.

Exhale, slowly
release and lower.

You're gonna send the
fingertips behind you now.

Peek at me if you need to,
palms face down.

Reach the fingertips back.

Inhale in.

Exhale, lift the head, the neck,
but keep the neck long.

So gaze is straight down,

we draw the
shoulder blades together,

spinal extension,
breathe in.

Nice, mindfully release,

hands come
underneath the shoulders.

We press up to all fours.

Good, curl the toes under,
walk the hands back,

knees open to
our squat position.

Just check in with the feet.

Notice if this is changing
at all or your relationship

to being asked to do
it is changing at all.

If not, that's okay.

And then we're gonna walk
it all the way out to a Plank.

Reach the heels back,
half Plank,

lower the knees if you like,
otherwise full Plank, breathing.

Hmm.

Lifting up through
the upper back body,

crown of the head
reaching forward.

You got it,
you're here for three,

two

and one.

Hips go high and back,
Downward Facing Dog.

Take a couple moments here.

And just notice, remember,

the movement is an expression

of the inner conversation.

So as I guide you,

you can kind of make
it your own by noticing

how you're feeling 
in each shape, with each action.

With every breath.

Okay.

Anchor the left heel.

Inhale, lift the
right leg up high.

Exhale,
send the right foot forward

and lower your back knee.

Bring the right hand over
towards the left side of

your mat and keep it
nice and easy here.

So maybe not lifting
the back knee just yet,

keeping it nice and
soft in the skin of the face.

Just breathing deep.

And then bring your right hand

back to the right
edge of your mat.

Lift your back knee now.

Step your right toes back and

just go right to
that Downward Facing Dog.

Inhale in, heart melts back, 
low ribs hug in.

Good, exhale.

Inhale, lift the
left leg up high.

Slide it up that imaginary wall.

Exhale, shift it forward,

step it forward,
lower the right knee.

Bring the left hand over to the

right side of your
mat and just breathe,

pulling that
left hip crease back.

Hmm.

Bring the left hand
back to frame the foot.

Lift the back knee,
step it to Plank, inhale in.

Exhale, Downward Facing Dog.

Bring the heels together now so

they don't have to touch
but just turn the heels in.

Inhale in here as you bend
the knees wide like a frog.

And then exhale, drop the heels.

Two more like that.

Inhale, bend, wide.

Exhale, drop the heels.

Claw through the fingertips.

Last one, you got this.

Lovely, then we'll bring the

heels back in line with
the toes and the ankles.

And slow and steady,
when you're ready,

start to make your way
up to the top of your mat.

Feet hip width apart
is where we will meet,

Standing Forward Fold.

Utanasana at the top of the mat.

Clasp opposite elbow with

opposite hand and begin
to rock gently side to side,

relax the weight
of the head over,

listen to the
sound of your breath.

I love to use my creative mind

in Forward Folds and
just imagine this weight,

any weight I've been 
carrying on my back,

any tension in my shoulders,

any worry or anxiety in 
my brain just spills off here

and kind of reintegrates
back into the earth.

I don't need to carry it
around in my body anymore.

Release the arms
that you haven't already.

Bend your knees generously and

connect to your feet
to support the low back.

Draw the navel in and
let's roll it up to stand.

And the sun has
come out here where I am.

And we're in Mountain Pose.

Lengthen through
the crown of the head.

Ground through all
four corners of the feet.

And when you're ready,
spread the fingertips,

inhale, sweep the
arms all the way up.

Exhale, wiggle the fingertips

as you bend the knees and
slow and steady Forward Fold.

Inhale, halfway lift
with airplane arms.

So you're gonna
send the fingertips back,

just like we did on the belly.

Palms face down, draw the
shoulder blades together.

Cool. Inhale in again here and

then use your exhale
to cascade it down.

Back up the way we came,
inhale, root to rise,

reach, reach, reach.

And exhale,
wiggle the fingertips,

take it right back
down into the fold.

Inhale, halfway lift again,
airplane arms.

Lengthen through
the crown of the head.

Exhale to soften and fold.

Step the right foot back.

Step the left foot back,
Plank Pose.

Extension through
the crown of the head.

I know I keep saying that,
but just keep working there.

Inhale in again here.

And use your exhale to lower
all the way to your belly.

Inhale for Cobra, lift.

Exhale to soften and release.

Send the fingertips back,
palms face down.

Inhale, lift the head,
the neck, the chest,

but keep the gaze straight down
for this one so nice long neck.

Beautiful, slowly release.

Press the palms into the earth.

You get to choose here whether

you press up to 
all fours or Plank Pose,

and then we'll meet
in Downward Facing Dog.

In Down Dog, inhale,

slide the right leg
up that imaginary wall.

And on an exhale,

squeeze the right knee
up into the chest

and then step it
up into your lunge.

Beautiful, pivot
on your back foot.

As you're ready, inhale,

keep that front knee bent as
we reach the left fingertips

all the way up and
back for Warrior II.

Inhale to lift and
lengthen through the crown.

Exhale to pull the pinkies back
in space and lift your chest.

One more breath here, inhale in.

And exhale.

Now listen carefully.

We're gonna send the
left fingertips down and

bring both fingertips forward
as you pivot on your back foot.

Peek at me if you need to.

Navel draws in to
support you here.

And then you're gonna pull
the shoulders back in space.

Good, inhale in,
lift your chest.

Exhale,
send the fingertips back,

crown of the head forward, 
palms face down.

Heart looking forward,
maybe your, sorry,

heart reaching forward.

Maybe you're looking into and
imaginary pool of water here,

seeing your reflexion.

Back leg is super strong.

You got this.

Extension through the crown.

Then fingertips go down to
come all the way up, high lunge.

Woo, breathe in.

Breathe out, take it all
the way back down to the mat.

Awesome. Plant the palms,
step the right toes back.

Inhale in.

Exhale, belly to Cobra or
Chaturanga to Upward Facing Dog.

Inhale in to lift
your heart and then exhale,

release everything down.

Locust variation.
Send the fingertips back.

Press into the pubic bone,

inhale, find that
extension through the crown.

Maybe lift a little higher.

And then exhale to release.

Press up to all fours or Plank,
breathe in.

Exhale, Downward Facing Dog.

Let's keep it moving.

Inhale, slide the
left leg up the wall.

Exhale, shift it forward.

From center, step it up.

Pivot on the back foot,
keep that front knee bent.

Lead with center,
so navel draws in,

and that helps lift
you up through the spine,

right fingertips reach forward,
up, and all the way back.

Take a moment here
to find your alignment.

Think of the body
as one moving part.

So you make one adjustment,

and then it kind of
affects something else.

Creating a presence in the body.

Beautiful. Now inhale in here,
exhale, slow and steady,

right fingertips
are gonna come down.

Your center moves you
as you slowly come forward,

pivot on the back foot.

Fingertips reach forward,

then actively draw the
shoulders back in space,

hold onto your core.

Breathe in.

Breathe out.

Breathe in,
get really tall in the spine.

As you exhale, you're gonna send
the fingertips back in space,

crown of the head forward.

We lean forward and

we have a strong
presence in that back leg,

so really active.

Take a look down into the pond,
see your reflexion.

This is definitely always
a Zoolander moment for me.

Who am I?

And then squeeze the inner
thighs to the midline as you

slowly send the
fingertips down to come up.

Big, powerful high lunge here
as you reach towards the sky.

Nice, inhale in.

Exhale, slowly
release it back down.

Plant the palms,
step the left toes back,

belly to Cobra or
Chaturanga to Upward Facing Dog.

Use your inhale to lift your
heart and use your exhale to

soften all the way
back down to the earth.

Inhale for Locust.

Exhale, draw the 
navel in and up.

Lift the head,
send the fingertips back.

Maybe we lift the toes
and ankles here, maybe.

Press the pubic
bone into the earth.

Inhale in to inflate,

and then exhale to
soften and release everything.

Plant the palms,
curl the toes under.

Press up to all fours for Plank.

Breathe in.

Breathe out, Downward Dog.

Breathe here.

Inhale, carve a line
with the nose, look forward.

Exhale, make your way
to the top of the mat.

Baby steps,
maybe a float, maybe a hop.

Maybe a little grapevine,
do-si-do.

Forward Fold at the top.

Feet hip width apart
or flush together.

Doesn't matter to me,
just nice conscious footing.

So you get to choose.

Forward Fold.

Inhale, halfway lift,
send the fingertips back.

Exhale to release.

Root to rise here.

Squeeze the legs,
the feet are together.

Inhale, reach for the sky.

And exhale, hands back down
to the heart, Prayer Position.

Try not to
fidget here if you can.

Resist the urge, just notice.

Breathe, observe.

Notice where you
might be clenching.

Can you soften or release there?

Notice the thoughts that
come floating by like clouds.

Can you

acknowledge them 
and then release them?

Alright, inhale in, 
as you exhale, you can

bat your eyelashes open 
if you haven't already.

Lift the sternum to the thumbs.

We're gonna shift the
weight to the left foot.

I step back on my
mat just for camera,

but you can stay at the
front of your mat if you like,

or step back with me.

Shifting the
weight to the left foot.

We're gonna inhale,
lift the right knee up.

Now this is
easier said than done,

so you can always use a little
wall or a piece of furniture,

or if you're
practicing with someone,

you can use them (chuckles)
as a little kickstand.

But you also have the
good stuff right here.

So try to connect
your hips to your low ribs.

You have your abs here
to help you find that lift.

And we're here,
Standing One-Legged Tadasana.

Breathe in, 
stand up a little taller.

Breathe out.

You're gonna slowly, slowly,

send the heart forward,
send the foot back.

Maybe point the right toes,

just help give you a
little extension there.

And then if it
feels available or fun,

we might reach
the fingertips back,

airplane arms,

draw the
shoulder blades together.

Extension through
the crown of the head.

Beautiful, inhale in.

Wherever you are, exhale,

see if you can come back to that
Standing One-Legged Tadasana,

even if it's just for a moment.

And then release.

So we release the leg and we
also release that experience.

Like, okay, cool, my
balance is not that great today.

Let's try it again,

or maybe it's wonderful,
and you're like,

"Wow, it's coming together."

Here we go.

Left leg lifts up.

Imagine you're
lifting from center.

Whatever that means to you.

Nice and slow.

I like to really slow these 
balancing postures down so

that I am recruiting 
all of my core muscles

and not just kind of doing 
them on a wing in a prayer.

I feel like I did
that for many years.

There's a good metaphor there.

Okay. Here we go,
lift the sternum to the thumbs.

And start to play.

Shift your heart forward,
gaze forward,

left leg kicks back.

Maybe we send
the fingertips back.

I like to imagine pressing my
palms into like some dense air

or maybe a little
sheet of plexiglass,

something here to really help

me find that
extension in the crown.

Breathe.

All that ab work of
drawing the navel to the spine,

find that here.

Lovely.

And then slowly release,
fall out of it, laugh.

Fart, chuckle.

Come back to that
Standing One-Legged Tadasana,

wherever you are.

Just capture it for a moment.

And then let it go.

Awesome work.

Alright, now come to
stand in the center of your mat.

Feet a little bit
wider than hip width apart.

We're gonna end with one of my

favorite moves here today
to release any stagnant energy.

So if this is new for you,
you're gonna find a soft knee.

So very important not
to lock up the knees here,

and a soft malleable foot,

whatever that means to you.

Your body will know.

And we'll just shift our
weight a little left to right,

and the arms
are gonna be loose,

like noodles.

And there's so many different

modalities that
do a version of this.

And I think there's a
good reason for that.

But for today,
let's not think too hard.

Just allow our gaze to be soft,
shift a little left to right.

And maybe you find a little

breath pattern
here that feels good.

Maybe you find a little weight
in the swing of the arms that

results in inevitably a little

booty smack.

And for the next 30 seconds,

try to embody this gesture fully
here in the present moment.

Let go of any thoughts,

any expectations,

release them.

And swing the arms,
moving your center,

left to right.

We call this
Knocking On Heaven's Door.

And you will get to this moment
where you feel like an idiot.

(laughs)

And then that's the greatest
moment because you're like,

"Yeah, cool."

I'm gonna keep doing it anyway

'cause it feels like
something is stirring in me.

Five more seconds.

And then slowly begin

to wind it down,

coming to stand in Tadasana.

Feet together,
really together,

arms gently at your side.

Slowly bring your right hand 
to your heart center.

And your left hand
to your heart center.

Palms in prayer or
palms on the chest.

Great work today.

Now you have this
in your vocabulary,

the invitation, the tool,

the choice to release.

Release any
tension in the forehead.

Inhale,
draw the thumbs up there.

Give a little massage.

Exhale, relax your shoulders.

Great work.

Look forward to
seeing you tomorrow.

Let's take one final
breath in from the heels,

the soles of feet all the
way to the crown of the head.

Let's breathe in.

And exhale final
breath together to bow.

Namaste.

(upbeat rhythmic music)