Yoga in Practice

Support for Yoga In Practice is provided by the ETV Endowment of South Carolina.

Hi my name is Stacey and I will be leading you in your practice today.

Please take a good seat.

Close your eyes and enjoy your breath.

We certainly know life can present unforeseen challenges, which ask us to draw upon strength, clarity and wisdom.

We can view these challenges as obstacles placed in our way or as catalysts that bring growth.

The story of Hanuman, the great monkey god in yogic lore, reminds us we need both grace and grit in life to take a leap beyond obstacles.

To use our practice to grow, to build fortitude, to keep our hearts open.

Let's begin.

Open your eyes.

Joining us for practice today are Alison and Sue.

So let's begin in Child's Pose.

Please come onto your hands and your knees.

Sweep your knees apart and bring your feet together, touching the big toes.

Flatten them.

Settle your hips backward onto your heels and bow your heart and head down to your mat.

I invite you to keep your arms forward, relaxing your arms and turning the palms open toward the ceiling.

In this gesture, it's a way to receive the practice, to receive the clarity, the insight, the wisdom that yoga invites us to as well as the strength to meet any obstacle we may encounter on our path.

Welcome that into your practice today.

Keep breathing that into your heart.

As you inhale, come back up into table pose.

Plant your hands well.

Align the knees beneath your hips but keep your feet flat.

Now, we'll move rhythmically with the breath here.

As you exhale,, sit backward to your heels, stretching the arms and then inhale.

Pull back to table.

Exhale.

Settle back again stretching out through the lower back.

Inhale.

Come up.

Once more.

Exhale.

Reach back.

Inhale.

Come up into table.

Check the alignment of your hands.

Walk your knees back and make sure you have enough length.

And then tuck your toes against the mat, lifting your chin and raising your tail bone.

Please take downward facing dog.

Now holding your downward dog, welcome yourself here to your practice.

Please bend your right knee only and extend more deeply through the left leg and then change.

We'll do this a couple of times, starting to extend and stretch open the back of our legs.

If you're feeling tight, in your hamstrings, your hips or your low back, it is completely legal to just keep both knees bent and to feel the hips rising up.

Stretch out through your legs, look at your hands and walk forward to Uttanasana.

Planting your feet sit bone distance, touch your hands to the mat or perhaps use a block or something underneath your hands to lift up.

It's also fine to put your hands on your shins.

Take a deep breath.

Bowing over, bend your right knee again just like we did when we were walking the dog.

Change and left knee.

Bend your right knee and your left knee.

Once more, both legs just feeling how the hamstrings are starting to stretch.

Good and then extending both legs, bend your knees slightly and pull your chest forward.

Ardha Uttanasana.

Please raise your hands to the sides of your hips.

Pull your shoulders up and lift to mountain pose, rooting down.

Lower the arms.

And then as you inhale, raise your arms overhead, stretch up fully through your hands.

Exhale.

Bend forward to Uttanasana.

Move your hands alongside your feet and step your left foot back.

It's fine to put your hands up on blocks here as well.

And then lower your left knee down and then raise up, placing your hands first on your right thigh, just lifting through the chest.

Hold here or raise your arms overhead, lifting and stretching the arms beside your ears.

Take your right foot and press it into you mat more firmly and then pull your right foot toward the back of your mat and notice how the hamstring engages.

That's important for today's practice.

As you exhale, bring your hands back down.

Raise your left knee and step forward to Uttanasana.

Bend over.

Second side.

Stepping your right foot back, lunged, lower the right knee.

Come up place your hands on your thigh.

When you feel steady raise the arms up.

Dragging your left foot back and now also feel you're right knee pull forward, doing both simultaneously.

And that engages a hamstring and opens up through the back.

As you exhale, lower your hands to the matt.

Raise your back knee and step to downward facing dog.

Take a deep breath here.

Feel the hands, the feet and then inhale to a plank pose.

Line up your shoulders over your hands.

You can also always lower your knees.

Bring your knees down and then lower your chest to your hands.

We're going to lift to cobra.

We're going to do cobra three times, rolling the shoulders open and then rolling back down, keeping your shoulders lifted.

Inhale.

Roll back up.

Drawing the shoulders back.

Exhale.

Roll back down.

Once again.

Inhale.

Lifting up, curl back.

Good.

Come to table position.

Downward dog, stretch back.

Enjoy the breath.

And then looking forward to your hands.

Step up to Uttanasana Plant your feet.

As you inhale, lift half way Now, bending your knees to a squat wrap your hands around your knee caps and lift your chest and then round into cat pose again.

Exhale.

Inhale.

Arch.

Exhale.

Round.

Inhale.

Arch.

One more time.

Exhale.

Round.

Come to an arch and sweep your hands out in front of you.

Inhale.

Rise to mountain pose.

Lifting up through the hands and then exhale.

Bend forward.

Uttanasana.

Step your left foot back.

Lunge again.

Lower your left knee.

Now this time shifting into a runner's lunge.

So bring your hips back until your right leg extends forward.

You can also walk your foot slightly forward more.

Please flex your right ankle, pressing the heel into your mat.

Now, just like we did in the earlier lunge, drag your front foot to the back.

Drag your right knee to the front and feel your hips square up.

Now hold this strength and let your hips sway from side to side.

What you should feel when you swing your hips one direction and the other is that hamstring opens in different ways.

The hamstring is often an obstacle in our path.

Certainly in asana practice and physically a tight hamstring can affect your back.

So come to center, lower your foot.

Lunge forward.

Raise the back knee and step to Uttanasana.

Bow over.

And then change legs.

Take your right foot back, lunge long.

Release the knee to your mat and then shift to the left runner's lunge.

Flex your ankle.

Press the heel down and drag it back.

Pull your right knee forward.

Try to keep your toes actively spreading.

Now add the swaying action from side to side.

Getting into that left hamstring more deeply, but what is essential is that you keep your left hamstring engaged even as you're stretching it.

So don't relax.

Find that fortitude in the pose and then pause and center.

Lower your foot.

Please raise your right knee.

Step to downward dog.

You can hold downward dog or modify this in a puppy pose with your knees down.

Many of the same benefits are received doing one or the other.

Inhale.

Raise your right leg.

So you can also do this kneeling.

We're going to bend our right heel into our hip and then raise your right leg out to the side like Alison is demonstrating.

Now move that leg in circles.

So, pulling not leg around, warming up through that right hip area.

Good.

And then extend the leg and step up to a lunge.

So whether you're kneeling or coming from downward dog, come into a right Lunge.

Inhale.

Raise your hands up onto your hips.

The important thing here is the length of your lunge.

Make sure the knee is over your heel and trying to bring this right leg parallel to the floor.

Now bend your left knee and add a tucking action until you feel your left leg beginning to stretch.

Hold the length of your pose and lower your left knee all the way down.

That should feel like a deeper stretch.

Your hands can stay on your thigh or raise your arms overhead.

Enjoy the breath.

And then bring your hands to your mat.

Fingertips.

And shift to runner's lunge.

Lean back and stretch.

And then lunge forward.

Plant your foot.

Exhale.

Back.

Inhale.

Lunge.

Exhale.

Back And inhale.

Lunge.

Please raise your left knee.

Downward facing dog.

Step back.

Good breathe.

With your inhale, raise your left leg or modify this by coming down into a table position.

Bend your left knee.

Raise the leg out to the side and just move your leg in circles, warming up that hip area.

Then extend the leg and step forward into a lunge.

Once you're in that lunge, come to high lunge.

Raising up, bring your hands to your hips.

Enjoy your breath and then bend your right knee, adding the tuck and lower your right knee all the way down.

spine to keep your hands here for more balance or raise your arms up next to your ears and lift.

But remember what the legs are doing, the left foot pulling back, the right knee drawing forward.

Keep doing that action as you bring your hands back to the mat and then shift to a runner's lunge.

Exhale.

Go back.

Inhale forward.

Exhale backward.

Inhale forward.

Once again, exhale.

Come forward, pause.

Step to table position.

Swinging your right leg back.

Plant your hands and sit in child's pose.

Pause and breathe.

Hanuman brings grace.

Receive that grace.

He said that grace is nothing that we can actively ask for.

It's something we receive.

So receive that.

Inhale.

Raise your chest.

And I'd like you to use a blanket or perhaps a towel.

We're going to make a bolster with one of these.

Open your blanket wide and then lay it down in front of you and tightly roll up the blanket or the towel that you have.

And keep it right at the front of your mat.

Please come to standing.

We're going to stand in front of your blanket this time.

Placing your heels up on the blanket.

Make sure your feet are still parallel and go ahead and spread your toes.

So with the heels elevated, it helps us to get back into our hips and groins more fully.

Lift your arms in front of you and then squat.

Now I find in my own body, when my heels are lifted I can actually squat lower than I can when my heels or flat.

So try to find that.

Try to bring your legs closer to parallel and then rise to standing.

Sweep your hands down.

Take a deep breath and feel the strength that you're building in your thighs.

Sweep the hands forward.

Inhale.

Squat down.

Exhale.

The strength you're building is also healthy for your knees.

So sitting a little bit lower, find that strength to hold the pose and then rise back up.

Sweep your hands down.

Take a deep breath again.

And one more time.

Lift the arms out.

Sit down through the squat.

And recognize the squat as a catalyst, something that helps you to grow, to build your strength physically and mentally.

As you inhale, rise back up.

Good.

Step behind the blanket.

Place your toes on the blanket keeping your heels down on your mat.

Now bend your knees slightly and you'll feel your calves starting to stretch.

Slide your hands down your thighs and bend over.

Press your hands into your calves and with your hands pressing forward into your calves, actively press your thighs back, until your legs start to stretch a little bit more.

Relax your neck.

Relax your shoulders.

You should definitely feel a deeper hamstring stretch.

Shins forward.

Thighs back.

Release your hands onto your blanket and then step your left foot back.

Lunge.

Wiggle it back and stretch your right leg straight.

Now pressing into the right heel, drag it back.

Pressing into your left foot, pull it forward.

You can also use blocks here if you need to come up a little bit higher.

Good.

Lift your toes off the blanket, pushing the heel down and drag it back.

Then resting your toes down, using your right hand reach underneath your right hamstring and widen the right hip and hamstring out to the side.

Hold back and pull your right hip back with the help of your hand and the movement of your hips, you're going to feel a good alignment in that hamstring.

And then release.

Step forward.

Change legs.

Take your right foot back.

Lunge.

Stretch your left leg.

Flex the ankle.

Press through the heel and pull your heels in.

Moving from the periphery into the core.

Now lower the toes back down.

Firming the leg muscles, reach around with your left hand.

Grab hold of the hamstring and widen out.

Now keeping that width, take your left hip and tack it back and you're aligning the fiber of your hamstring here.

Breathe into that.

Take your hands back to the mat.

Step your right foot up onto the roll.

Inhale.

Lift half way forward and bring your hands to your hips.

Inhale, rise to mountain pose and step off of your blanket.

Clear your blankets off to the side again and walk forward.

Take a deep breath.

You may want to have some blocks handy for the next pose.

As you inhale, raise your arms overhead.

Exhale.

Bend forward.

Downward facing dog.

Step back.

Raise your right leg, inhaling.

Step to a lunge.

Exhale.

Pause.

Now the blocks can come up and underneath your hands.

Just keep your hands on the mat.

I'd like you to walk your right foot forward a few inches.

Then lower your left knee.

Keep your hips squared and then walk your left knee back a few inches.

Now Alison is modifying this as a runner's lunge, which you are welcome to do.

Sue is going to go a little bit deeper.

You can just keep walking your legs out.

This pose is the full leap.

This is Hanuman.

This is a very deep pose.

If you're hanging up off the floor, place a block up underneath your right hip.

It's fine to keep your hands on your mat.

Spread your toes and pull in like we've been doing in today's practice.

Your hands can stay down on the floor or lift to your hips or take the full leap of raising your arms overhead.

Breathe.

Strong, clear and wise.

And then bring your hands down.

Please move both of your hands to the inside of your right leg and lean the weight off of your right leg.

Now, swing the leg backward.

There really is no graceful way to come out of that pose.

Please take downward facing dog.

Stretch back.

Enjoy the breath.

As you inhale, raise your left leg.

Exhale.

Step forward.

Use as many or as few props as you may need.

Walk your left foot forward.

Lower your right knee.

Keep your hips level.

Just keep inching your legs apart evenly, so the left foot goes forward, the right leg goes back.

And then taking your pose, full Hanuman, use any props that you may need, hands can stay down, hands to the hips or raise your arms up.

Leap through the obstacles and breathe.

Place your hands on the inside of your left leg.

Lean to the right and swing your left leg back behind you.

Good.

Take child's pose.

Rest and receive that posture.

I always tell my students that, that particular pose Hanuman is a very authentic posture.

By toning your thighs and extending your hamstrings, it's very healthy for your low back and your hips.

Good job.

Inhale.

Raise to seated.

Into the middle of your mats and sitting cross your ankles, your right ankle in front of your left ankle.

Holding onto your knees, pull against your knees and just sweetly rise up through your spine.

Please take your right hand across to your left knee.

Reach your left hand behind you.

Now, rooting the legs not letting your hips turn, turn from the lower belly.

Turn across the waist, the rips, the shoulders and then finally, let the head be the last thing that turns.

Enjoy your breath as you rise up through the spine.

Inhale.

Release, center.

And then change the cross of your ankle.

So the left ankle in front of the right.

Pull up.

Refresh your posture and then bring your left hand across, your right hand behind.

Push down and rise up.

And then twist slowly.

As you turn, breathe through your back.

Keep the hips moving to the left even as your torso is going to the right.

Soften.

Receive the gift of your breath each and every pose.

Then as you inhale, release back to center.

Good.

Un-cross your ankles and slide slightly forward on your mat so that when you lie down, you have the full mat underneath you.

Please hold the backs of your legs and roll down slowly, engaging your core as you go down.

And then when you're all the way down on your mat, hug both knees into your chest.

Press your back into the mat and rock side to side.

Enjoy the breath.

Hanuman done regularly is going to be healthy for your back.

This is what Sue tells me.

So, slip your hands up underneath your knees.

Raise your feet toward the ceiling and push up.

Stretching the hamstrings again.

And then bend your knees.

Plant your feet onto the mat and set up for bridge pose.

So, with your feet about as wide as your hips, bend your elbows.

Go ahead and raise open through the heart.

Press your head back into the mat.

As you inhale, lift your hips off the mat.

So, realigning the spine, just opening energy along your body.

Now the same thing is true going on in your feet as it has been for this whole sequence.

Push through your feet.

Try to bring more weight onto the inner edge of your feet, hugging your legs in.

Now drag the feet backward against the resistance of your mat and then see if you can get even more buoyancy through the heart, keeping your head rooted but opening the chin keeping the throat spacious.

Enjoy the breath.

Don't forget to breathe.

And then as you exhale, lower your hips back down onto your mat.

Good.

Take a deep breath.

Hug your knees back into your chest.

And then slide your hands, underneath your knees one more time.

Raise your feet toward the ceiling.

Spread your toes and feel like you're pulling down through your hips, but needing that with a stretch and extension.

Good.

Hug your knees back down into your body.

Then release your feet to your mat, slowly.

Go ahead and shake your legs out onto your mat setting up for Savasana.

When your legs reach the mat, sweep your arms over your head and just take a deep breath here.

Exhale.

Inhale.

and exhale.

As you inhale, stretch long and then exhale.

Bring your hands down next to your body.

And shake your fingers out.

move your arms away from your body.

Make sure your legs feel comfortable, closing your eyes and relaxing so your legs just turn out.

You've done good work today in this sequence.

So let yourself receive that enjoying this pose.

Soften your eyes.

Sometimes you just have to take the leap and build your wings on the way down.

Please remain in Savasana for as long as you may desire, as long as you may need.

When you're ready to begin moving again, with your fingers, with your ankles.

Bend your legs one at a time and plant your feet.

And then roll to your side, pressing into your hands raise yourself back up to a seated position.

And sit well, We join our hands to our heart to honor our effort with respect to what we've done.

Thank you for practicing with us today.

Namaste.

Support for Yoga in Practice is provided by the ETV Endowment of South Carolina.

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