Welcome,
And thank you for joining this trauma-informed yoga class to release stress and tension,
As well as tend to your nervous system with slow,
Gentle movements.
There are no props required,
But you're always welcome to bring your own for more comfort and support.
Whenever you're ready,
We'll start in a gentle seated posture of your choosing,
Taking your time to arrive.
And as you get settled,
I offer a gentle reminder for you to move in your own pace and honor what feels right for you in each moment.
Knowing you can take breaks or end early.
Once you're comfortable,
I welcome you to invite a long,
Gentle spine,
Maybe softening inner shoulders.
Your hands can rest anywhere you like.
Or maybe you bring one hand to your heart and the other to your belly.
In your time,
I welcome you to inhale through your nose,
Filling your belly.
Lungs,
And throat.
And exhale through your mouth,
Maybe softening your jaw.
If breathwork isn't supportive for you,
You might connect with the earth holding you.
Taking a few moments here to breathe.
And arrive into this space.
I welcome you to stay here as long as you like,
Knowing you never need to continue in the class just because I am.
If you'd like to,
I invite you to release your hands down if they were lifted.
And from here,
Bring in your right ear.
Towards your right shoulder.
You might draw your shoulders down,
Creating space.
Between your left ear and left shoulder.
And if this is enough,
I welcome you to honor this.
Or you might choose to bring your right hand to your left ear.
Allowing gravity to do most of the work.
You might also choose to extend your left hand out,
Pressing down through your palms.
Then you might stay here.
Or you might gently dip your chin,
Guiding it toward your right knee if you're sitting cross-legged.
Almost like a 45 degree angle.
Taking a moment to find what feels most comfortable here.
Your left hand can stay out or come back in.
Maybe softening in your shoulders.
And gently releasing,
Switching sides.
Re-centering.
Bringing your left ear to your left shoulder.
Maybe bringing your left hand to your right ear.
Or extending your right palm out.
Maybe using each exhale to soften just a little more.
Only going as far as your natural limit.
You might stay here,
Or you could gently dip your chin,
Maybe softening in your shawl and shoulders.
You're ready and coming back to center.
And you might explore a few neck rolls.
Maybe bringing one ear to your shoulder.
Other ear to your other shoulder.
Finding movement that feels supportive and is within your natural limits.
You can stay here as long as you like,
Or maybe you come back to center.
Exploring a few shoulder squeezes.
So when you're ready,
Lifting your shoulders up towards your ears.
Squeezing and holding.
And as you're ready,
Releasing everything down.
And a few more rounds at your own pace.
Knowing you can squeeze as much as you like,
Or as little as you like.
You're welcome to continue this or you might choose to join me as we find gentle shoulder rolls.
Moving in any way that feels supportive.
Maybe move one at a time.
Alternate directions.
Whatever is calling to you in this moment.
And gently coming back to center.
From here,
I invite you to bring your palms behind your head,
Broadening in your elbows.
Expanding in your chest,
Maybe gazing up if that feels supported.
Perhaps with a deep in-breath.
And as you exhale,
I welcome you to gently round forward.
Lifting your chin to your chest,
Drawing your elbows in toward each other.
And on your next in-breath or whenever you're ready,
Broadening in your chest,
Lifting your gains.
A few rounds here in your own time and pace.
And gently releasing when you're ready.
From here,
I welcome you to bring your hands wherever feels comfortable.
And gently sway from side to side.
Finding any intuitive movement here.
Coming at your own pace.
Maybe softening in your shoulders.
This doesn't have to be a perfect movement,
Just any movement that would feel supportive for your body in this moment.
Slowly coming back to center.
And from here you might choose to bring your hands to the tops of your shoulders with your elbows bent.
And gently twisting from side to side.
Seeing if you can create softness in your shoulders.
You could also explore this in a self hug.
Whichever is calling to you today.
Honoring your body's natural range of motion.
You might choose to continue there.
Or you might release your hands down and join me in a tabletop position.
With your wrists under your shoulders,
Knees under hip points.
Gently pressing the mat away.
Taking your time to arrive.
And from here,
Making any small adjustments so you can be more comfortable.
Whatever this looks like for you.
Moving through a few cat-cows here.
On your in-breath or as it feels ready,
You might drop your belly,
Lift your gaze.
Broaden in your chest.
And as you exhale,
We're in your time at rounding through your spine,
Gazing in between your knees,
Pressing them out away from you.
And flowing through these two postures,
Breathing in any way that feels supportive.
Following the movement.
You might continue traditional cat and cow.
Or you might take a few moments to find intuitive movement.
Exploring any stretches that are speaking to you.
We're taking a moment of rest.
There's no wrong way to explore this.
If you're in this tabletop shape.
I welcome you to align your knees under your hip points as you walk your palms forward.
Tilting your heart and head toward the mat.
Or a gentle puppy pose.
If this isn't supportive for you,
You could also take a gentle child's pose.
Or any other pose that's speaking to you.
Might soften in your shoulder.
Maybe use each exhale to soften any tension you might notice.
And whether you're in puppy pose or child's pose,
I welcome you to join me as we press into our left palm,
Lifting our right arm up to the sky.
Maybe with the in-breath.
And as you exhale,
Threading your right hand under your left arm,
Resting on your right ear and right shoulder,
Maybe seeing if you can create length in your neck.
Pressing into the top of your right hand.
Your left hand can either stay close to your face,
Maybe pressing into your left palm.
This will deepen the stretch a little.
Or you might extend your left hand out long.
Continuing to press into your left hand.
A gentle stretch for your mid back.
Honoring your limits.
If your left arm is extended out long,
I welcome you to bring it closer to your face.
So we cannot press back up to centre.
And switch sides.
So this time pressing into our right palm,
Left arm reaches up,
Maybe with an inhale.
And as you exhale,
Threading your left arm underneath your right.
Bringing your left shoulder and left ear to the mat.
Either having your hand close to your face or extended out long.
Taking a few moments to get comfortable,
Seeing what would feel best here,
And resting here for a few moments.
If your right arm is extended out long,
I welcome you to bring it back to your face so we can gently press up.
And from here,
Finding your version of a child's pose or other grounding shape that is speaking to you in this moment.
If you're joining me in Child's Poem.
You might bring your knees as wide as feels comfortable,
Big toes to touch.
Sending your seat back.
And head and heart toward the mat.
Or to a bolster for more support and comfort.
Your arms can rest anywhere you like.
Taking a moment to settle here.
Allowing it full rest No need to hold yourself up.
In the few moments here.
You're welcome to stay in this shape as long as you like.
Or to come out you might gently press your palms inching yourself up.
And as you're ready,
Come to join me as we rest onto our back.
Taking all the time you need to arrive.
And once you do,
You might bring the soles of your feet to rest together.
Knees resting open or maybe on tabla.
If you like you might choose to rest your arms in capital T or into a cactus,
Broadening in your chest.
If you'd like to deepen this chest opener,
You can also rest on top of a bolster.
Or if broadening in your chest feels like too much,
You're always welcome to bring your arms closer to your body.
Maybe one hand on your heart,
The other on your belly.
Or anywhere that's speaking to you.
Taking a few moments here,
Finding your version of rest.
You're welcome to stay in this shape longer.
Or you might choose to reach your arms overhead.
Maybe you take hold of your left wrist with your right hand.
Gently stretching to the right.
Creating a side bend in your left side body.
And gently releasing to switch sides,
Holding at your right hand or wrists with your left hand.
Stretching over to the left.
Finding a gentle stretch in your right side body.
As you're ready,
I welcome you to release your hands.
Gently bringing your knees back to center.
Maybe you use your hands to guide them back up.
And as you're ready,
Drawing your right knee in towards your chest.
Your left leg can stay bent or maybe you extend it out long,
Whichever is speaking to you today.
And if it feels okay,
You might start to extend your right leg up.
Finding a gentle stretch along the back of your right leg.
Your right leg doesn't need to be completely straight.
A soft bend in your knee is welcome.
And holding here just for a few moments.
Now you can take breaks or gently hold your leg in a bent shape if that feels better in your body today.
If your left leg is extended out long,
I welcome you to gently bring your left foot so sole of your foot is flat to the mat with your knee bent.
And crossing your right leg over your left knee,
Then you might either stay here or you can take hold behind your left thigh or shin.
Finding your level of comfort.
And you might stay here or you could rock gently side to side.
If you'd like to continue.
You have a few options here.
You might choose to continue to cross your right leg over your left knee.
Creating a twisted shape with your legs as you send them over to the left for a gentle twist.
If this doesn't feel supportive in your body today,
You can also stack your knees.
Whichever feels best.
You could also place your knees on top of a block.
And resting your arms anywhere you like.
Maybe you bring your right arm long out to the side.
Or to a cactus shape.
Resting your head anywhere that feels comfortable for your neck.
And softening here for a few moments.
As you're ready,
I welcome you to gently come back to center.
And repeating that gentle sequence on the other side.
So you can either have your right leg bent with your right sole of your foot flat to the mat.
Or extend it out long as we reel our left knee into our chest.
And you can either stay here.
.
.
Or you might extend your left leg up.
Gently drawing your leg in towards your chest,
Finding a gentle stretch.
Seeing if you can find softness in your arms as you hold yourself here.
And as you're ready,
Finding a gentle bend in your right knee.
So we can cross our left ankle.
Over our right knee.
Gently flexing in your left foot.
I'm finding your comfort on this side,
So maybe here is enough.
Or maybe you take hold behind your left thigh or shin.
Either staying here or rocking side to side.
Or finding a different shape that feels more supportive for these next few moments.
And a few options here moving forward.
You can either continue to cross your left leg over your right.
Sending this shape over to the right.
Or gently stacking your knees or finding any other version of supine twist that feels supportive.
Taking a few moments to get comfortable.
Either extending your left arm out long.
Or two cactus.
Resting your head anywhere that feels the most comfortable.
Resting here for a few more moments.
As you're ready,
I welcome you to come back to center,
Taking your time.
You might choose to drop both of your knees into your chest.
Maybe you rock side to side.
You might stay here.
Or you might take this moment to explore any other poses that you might be craving.
Even if that means remaining still or staying in this gentle supine self-hug.
Anything that would feel supportive.
And as you're ready,
I welcome you to join me.
As you find a gentle,
Restful shape that would feel most supportive for Shavasana.
Shavasana is a deeply restful pose and rest is personal.
I welcome you to take your time and find a shape or include any props.
Like pillows or blankets.
So you can get the most comfortable here.
Your eyes can be opened or closed.
You're welcome to end early.
Or skip this entirely if it's not supportive of your practice today.
And with all these shavasanas,
Fidgeting is always welcome.
And once you're comfortable,
I welcome you to use these next few moments.
To allow yourself complete rest.
There's nowhere to be,
Nothing to do,
Nothing to plan.
Nothing to focus on.
We'll be here for about a minute and a half.
And I'll be here to guide you out.
I welcome you to stay in your Shavasana as long as you like.
Or to awaken your body,
You might wiggle your fingers and toes.
Followed by your wrists and ankle.
You might choose to reach your arms overhead for a big stretch,
Maybe allowing a yawn if it feels natural.
And as you're ready,
Rolling to one side of your choosing.
Maybe using your arm as a pillow or an actual pillow.
Allowing our bodies to awaken.
While still allowing a few more moments of rest.
If you'd like to stay here longer,
I welcome you to honor this.
Otherwise you might choose to join me in a comfortable seat of your choosing.
Bringing your hands anywhere that feels most supportive for you.
No matter how this class went for you today,
I welcome you to send yourself kindness for arriving to your match.
And for showing up for yourself.
Every practice matters.
If your eyes are closed,
I welcome you to slowly bat them open.
If they are open coming back to the room and space around you.
I thank you for joining me for this gentle class to tend to your body and nervous system.
You are so deserving of gentle movement and taking care of yourself.
I hope you have a wonderful rest of your day.
That we get to practice again soon.
And from my vulnerable heart to yours.
Take care.