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Particular practice so feel free to start here at the beginning and then check out the other videos as they are uploaded on my page for you to experience the cumulative effects of restorative therapeutic yoga.
So if you have a bolster for yourself that's wonderful,
You can also use a couch pillow,
Feel free to have a blanket,
If you have your own blocks or something similar those might be used as well.
To begin we will start in a restorative child's pose.
So take your bolster or pillow,
Couch cushion and bring your knees to the widths of your mat and then come down.
You're welcome to take a blanket for underneath of your sit bones and heels and then the bolster will come in between your legs right in between your thighs and then begin to walk your arms and draw the body down onto the bolster.
You can bring one cheek to one side and then stretch the arms out long in front of you and begin to settle in to this shape.
This is a foundational shape or restorative pose in yoga as well as one of our early infant experiences.
We may have taken this position,
Child's pose position while still in the womb or while sleeping.
So I invite you to find an area in the body that feels pleasant,
An area within you that is already comfortable and through this body scan you may even begin to shift and loosen and settle even more deeper into yourself.
Into yourself.
You may deepen in your breath as you notice the rise and fall of your inhales and exhales to breathe from the base of your spine all the way up through your back and into the crown of your head.
You may notice sounds around you,
Close by you and even internal sounds.
You may notice your sense of touch,
The cheek on your bolster,
Pillow.
The feet as they touch the mat or ground beneath you.
Any scent or smell.
Where your eyes move or focus.
Maybe you move your eyes over to the right and then over to the left and then up towards the top of your head and down towards your chin.
You may draw the tongue to the roof of your mouth just behind your teeth and move deeper into that experience of what it is like to feel pleasant.
What does pleasant mean?
When you're ready you can lift the head and then turn your head to the other side.
So find the opposite cheek down on your bolster.
You can adjust a little side to side in the hips and notice what it's like to be here.
As you draw that experience of pleasant from the tips of your toes all the way up and through the body.
As you recall and bring it into your As you recall and bring it into your sensory experience.
A tingle sensation or a slight vibration.
A change in temperature from your own circulation.
Your own access to that self-energy.
An energy that's perhaps one of comfort.
An energy that's pleasant.
As you notice your whole body breathing,
Sensing,
Perceiving.
Here right now.
Deeper and deeper into self.
Into a healthier level of mind.
Deep breath in and exhale it out.
You're welcome to stay here or you may begin to press yourself up.
You can remove the bolster pillow.
You can remove the blanket.
You can come briefly into all fours.
As you squeeze the belly in,
Create a flat back.
You can tuck the toes or leave them down.
As you take some gentle circles with the hips.
In one direction and then the other.
Some gentle movements.
And then as you begin to sit yourself down to bring the legs out in front of you.
And then bring your pillow or bolster underneath of your legs.
So right underneath your knees.
Your heels can touch and then begin to lift your arms up.
Grow tall as you flex the feet and then fold yourself forward.
Hang over your legs.
The bolster.
The bolster.
You're welcome to have a blanket along your thighs and legs for additional comfort.
To rest your head.
As these specific shapes within the body create a somatic experience for your nervous system.
That often we are hyper alert.
We are on the go.
Overactive in our mind.
That we are intentionally softening and surrendering to the props.
So it is less about an intensity in the stretch.
And more about softening and opening and creating vast space within self.
So your head may rest on the blanket or down towards your legs.
You can loosen any grip and allow the airflow to move into the crevices.
To move into the corners of your body and create a deep cleaning.
To flush out any dirt,
Any dust,
Any unnecessary energy.
A whole internal body massage.
Relaxing the neck and throat.
The muscles of the face.
Breathe.
You can fold even deeper.
Take one more inhale.
Exhale,
Sigh it out.
Begin to roll yourself up.
You are welcome to keep the bolster where it is.
You can bring a blanket back for behind your head.
Or you can bring the bolster even further down for your ankles and your feet.
As we begin to draw the whole body down onto the floor,
Onto the mat.
Arms can rest by your sides or you can bring one hand to your stomach and another to your heart.
As you arrive in this shape,
An opening of your body to the sky.
A sense of connection to the earth and the ground.
To breathe in the natural oxygen and to experience the energetic tone of pleasant.
May you notice that original area of the body that naturally felt pleasant.
It may have been your toe,
The space behind your eyes,
The tip of your tongue,
The roof of your mouth.
The tip of your tongue,
The roof of your mouth,
In and around your heart,
Top of your head,
The center of your palms,
Whole body radiating a bright,
Golden,
White light of pleasant.
Continue to notice your breath and this sense of incredible thankfulness in your system to slow.
To rest.
To feel pleasant because you choose to intentionally.
From the tip of your toes all the way up to the top of your head.
Top of your head.
Full body.
Your body.
Here.
Surrounded by your own presence.
Comforting.
In Shavasana.
You are welcome to stay here for as long as you like,
Or you can wiggle fingers and toes,
Roll out your wrists and ankles,
And bring your arms up and overhead,
Great body stretch,
And then roll over to one side in the fetal position.
Pause for some deep breaths of relaxation.
Appreciation and allow the effects to integrate.
And then you may press yourself up to a seat.
And bring your hands together in the center of your chest.
Thank you so much for showing up for yourself and practicing with me.
Namaste.
Please feel free to leave any reviews,
Check out my other videos,
And I will see you next time.
