Active Hatha Yoga | 45 Minutes

Hi everyone,

I'm back with a hatha practice for you.

It's about 45 minutes long.

You might need a couple blocks if you have them,

A blanket for Shavasana if you'd like to do that.

Why not make these home practices as comfortable as possible?

So set yourself up,

Pause this until you're ready to start.

Enjoy!

Okay,

Let's land in Shavasana together.

So spread out the legs,

Open up through the chest.

And let's drop in.

So really close the eyes.

Soften the jaw.

Tune into any sensations that are currently rising in the body.

Notice pressure of the mat against the back body.

The texture of the clothing that you're wearing.

Are there any aromas in the room?

Any leftover flavors in your mouth?

What sounds can you hear beyond this audio?

Our senses have so much power.

They help us drop into this moment.

They help us drop into our breath.

Let's notice the breath here.

Find a long inhale through the nose.

And a sigh out through the mouth.

Inhale through the nose.

And let that sigh go.

Another big breath.

Feeling it lift the chest.

The ribs move up and out.

The belly rises.

And then release that exhale.

Let's get into the body.

Wiggle through the fingers and toes.

It feels good.

Let's rotate through the wrists and the ankles.

Let's inhale to reach our arms towards the back wall.

Hold here.

Inhale.

Hug just the right shin into the chest on that exhale.

Half wind reliever.

Move this knee side to side.

Working into this hip crease.

Continuing to work with this leg,

Let's plant the left foot onto the floor and knee up to the ceiling.

Still holding the right shin.

Let's adjust to kick the leg straight up to the ceiling and hold onto the back of the right thigh.

Feeling this more in the hamstrings.

Micro bend through the right knee.

Lower back connected.

Drag the toes towards the wall behind you.

Let's find some flow.

Inhale to bend the right knee and hug the palms closer to the chest.

And then exhale to straighten the leg.

Finding that hamstring sensation.

Maybe a little bit more intensely.

Each inhale bend the knee as if it's coming towards the throat.

And exhale straighten.

Flowing with that.

And to hold onto the right heel,

Right big toe for half happy baby.

Bending that knee.

Works well to reach up the right inner leg.

If it's too much to grab the foot,

Hold onto the back of the knee.

And let's find some flow here.

Inhale to bend the right knee a lot.

Pulling your heel towards your inner thigh.

And exhale to kick the leg long,

Wide.

Feeling this inner hips a lot.

Flow inhale to bend.

And exhale to extend long.

And twice more at your own pace.

Let's hop up into full happy baby.

Holding onto both feet.

Your back might stay down or lift off of the mat.

Do what's natural,

What feels good.

Feel the right leg in comparison to the left leg that we haven't worked with yet.

Dropping away from that voice inside your head.

Chatting away into what's going on with the legs.

We'll back our way out of this on the left side so right foot can plant.

Half happy baby holding just the left leg.

Time to flow by bending into the knee.

And kicking the leg out wide or tall.

Finding a range of motion that works with this hip,

These hamstrings.

And moving into that.

Sometimes if we're tight it's a little bit nicer to ease our way into these tissues.

To find some dynamic movement instead of just holding and stillness and pushing through it.

Kind of coaxing that tension to leave.

Last time with this left leg.

Adjust the grip for hamstrings.

Holding onto the back of the left thigh,

Knee,

Calf muscle.

Right leg up to the ceiling with a micro bend in the knee.

Inhales to bend the knee,

Hugging it into the throat.

And exhale to kick the leg straight up.

So the same hamstring movement that we were doing on the first side.

And let's fold up the shin.

Half wind reliever,

Left shin is into the chest.

Right leg can extend long and flat on the floor.

And start to move this knee side to side.

Let's have both shins into the chest,

Full wind reliever,

Big squeeze onto the belly.

Cross the ankles,

Rock forward and back at some momentum.

Coming up over the legs into tabletop.

Hands under shoulders,

Knees under hip points.

Cat cow breath,

A beautiful way to start moving away from the floor,

Getting into the spine.

Inhale as we're arching,

We're lifting the chest,

The tailbone.

And exhale round through the spine,

Hollow out through the chest.

Continue that flow.

Let the breath escape naturally,

Whether it's loud or rough or smooth.

Move through the shoulders.

Articulate this through the belly.

Moving out,

Opening and then squeezing.

After the next cycle,

Rest in child's pose.

Hips towards heels,

Arms long out in front.

Let's be passive here,

Heavy,

Relaxed.

Checking with the breath,

Inhale,

Flows all the way down from nostrils to hips.

Let's bring activation into child's pose.

Arms are long out in front,

But now press into the palms so that your elbows lift off of the mat.

And start to press into the palms so much as you lift your head and look towards the front of the room.

Chin lifts proud.

And exhale,

Let the head come back down,

Chin tucks.

Use our breath for this small mini cat cow.

Inhale to press the palms,

Lift the head,

Look forward,

Drop the shoulder blades down and back.

And exhale,

Drop the head.

One more time,

Make sure you're using your arm strength rather than your neck muscles.

Inhale to lift,

And let that go.

Draw forward to tabletop,

Reestablish that foundation,

Knees under hips,

Hands under shoulder.

Let's kick the right leg up off of the mat behind you.

Straight back like you're kicking the back wall.

Flex foot,

Pressing up through that heel.

And let's notice if the toes are spinning out or if the right toes are spinning straight down towards the mat.

That's what we want.

That's what helps activate through the right glutes,

Right thigh.

Hold that engagement.

Inhale to bend the right knee,

Bringing the foot higher up to the ceiling.

The knee is at a 90 degree bend.

And then exhale to kick the leg straight out.

Once again,

Kick the back wall.

Inhale to bend the knee up,

Foot rises.

Exhale kick.

Two more.

Trying to get these muscles to turn on before we really get moving up tall.

So the right knee is now going to lift from tabletop.

You can bring the leg in and down.

And then knee rises up and out to the side wall for that fire hydrant lift.

Using your breath,

Foot is flexed.

Inhale to lift.

Right knee up out to the side.

Exhale let it come down.

Four more times,

Really slow and controlled.

So that you can experience the engagement.

You can tell those muscles to turn on through the outer glutes,

Through the core,

Through the hips.

One more time.

Let that knee plant back down.

Just reestablish the hands connecting the fingers wide.

Last one on this side,

Cross body connection.

Right leg is kicking right back towards that back wall again.

So where we were before.

Now the left arm is going to reach out in front of you to find a balancing tabletop.

Opposite limbs are lifting.

Hold here,

Tighten up through the core.

Breathe into the belly.

I want you to do these next moves really slow and controlled.

Inhale you're reaching the fingers,

You're reaching the right foot.

And exhale pull the left elbow,

Right knee together,

Crunch through the spine.

Round round round.

Inhale to extend.

Exhale to crunch and squeeze in.

Two more times.

Inhale to reach,

Kick,

Glutes activate.

And that slow breath out as you contract,

You empty the belly,

You squeeze.

Last one.

And rest it out,

All knees down,

All hands down in tabletop.

Shake out the shoulders,

The wrists if you need.

Let's start on the left side.

So now the left foot rises up in tabletop.

Kick the back wall starting just with the straight leg.

Toes are spinning down towards the floor.

Lock in through the core.

Make sure you're not arching the spine.

Everything is nice and in line.

Inhale that left leg is long.

Exhale bend the foot up towards the ceiling.

Continue that flow.

Three more times.

Slow,

Engaged,

Controlled.

Hands plant,

Fire hydrant lift.

Inhale left knee rises up and out to the side.

Exhale knee comes down.

As slow as you can with that breath we've created.

Inhale to lift.

Last two.

Let that knee touch down for a moment.

Cross body connection.

Right arm reaches forward.

Left leg reaches back.

Toes point straight down.

Inhale to lengthen.

Engage the core and then squeeze elbow and knee together.

Find your breath.

Let yourself express that breath.

Keep that going.

Two more slow movements here.

Take a rest.

This form of rest is coming at you in a down dog.

Tuck those toes.

Lift the hips up high.

Down dog,

That triangle shape.

All about foundation.

So fingers are spread wide.

Are you using your fingers though or are you just letting them hang out there?

Press into them.

Bend the knees if the hamstrings are tight.

Honor that.

One of my favorite teachers,

Jason Crandall,

With the hamstrings.

He's always like,

If your hamstrings are tight,

Welcome to the club.

Bend those knees.

Do what you have to do.

Find a flat back,

Space between the shoulder blades and the breath.

We're going to hold here so that we can really sort out this foundational pose.

Feel free to pedal.

Bicycle the legs,

Bending one knee and then the other.

Swivel the hips so you feel that side body stretch.

If you turn your torso all the way one way in down dog and then all the way the other.

Let's try something.

Inhale halfway forward to plank and then spread your shoulder blades as far apart as you can.

So you're spreading them broad upper back.

This might be strange in the body but just go for it and then try to keep that space as you move into down dog.

That's the position of the shoulder blades in down dog spreading apart.

Find a breath and a sigh.

Bend the knees,

Step to the front of the mat,

Forward fold.

Peter is wide as the hips.

If the hamstrings are tight,

Bend the knees.

Let's actively reach our arms towards the floor,

Towards a block.

It's really nice to press the palms somewhere in a forward fold.

It helps us open the back body a little bit more efficiently in my opinion.

Let's find a half lift.

Inhale to hamstrings.

Come up to shins or thighs.

Shoulder blades slide down your back.

And exhale to fold.

Rise up tall,

Stretch the arms overhead and exhale hands to heart.

Breathing here,

Feel the feet.

Are you using the toes?

Are you using the outer edges,

The inner edges and the heels?

When we're standing in this active practice,

Bring activity up the legs.

Slight engagement,

Slight lift of the kneecaps.

Pressure of the palms together.

Pressure is actively dropping as the head reaches tall.

Inhale for a sign.

Let's stretch the arms up.

Inhale.

Bring your fingertips on to the sides of your head like you're in that bicycle crunch position that we see in fitness classes for the arms.

Inhale standing tall here,

Elbows out.

Exhale side,

Bend over to the right.

Feeling that side body stretch up left torso.

Inhale back to center.

Exhale left side.

Inhale back to center.

Get to chair pose,

Utkatasana.

Arms rise up tall.

You're finding a low deep seat.

Knees bent.

Squeezing the entire tube of your torso.

Spinal column working.

Core muscles working.

Low abs working.

Inhale here.

Exhale forward fold.

Find a half lift.

And fold.

Roll up to standing.

Reach the arms overhead.

Exhale,

Fingertips on to the outside of the head.

Back with the elbows out.

Finding an inhale.

Side body bend to the right.

Inhale through center.

Side bend to the left.

Through center.

Sit to chair pose once again.

Holding here.

Inhale.

Keep this deep bend in the knees and fold forward.

Next you'll lace your hands behind you overhead.

Shoulder and chest opener.

Hands are gripping together or hold on to one wrist or the four arms.

Hoist those arms up high.

Peel open the chest.

From here,

Rock body weight forward into the tiptoes.

Lift the heels,

Finding a balance.

If you'd like to straighten the legs,

Go for it.

Slide the heart forward like you're in this half lift.

On the tiptoes,

Arms are still interlaced behind you.

Drinking bird pose.

Inhale strong.

Exhale,

Chair pose.

Deep breath in.

Forward fold,

Let it go.

Half lift,

Inhale.

Fold exhale.

Rise to standing,

Arms stretched tall.

Inhale.

Fingertips to the outside of the head.

Exhale.

Inhale straight.

Exhale side bend to the right.

Inhale straight.

Side bend to the left.

Inhale straight.

Arms up,

Sit to chair.

Inhale in chair.

Exhale stay and sit lower.

Another breath.

Maintain the bend in the knees.

Fold forward,

Grip the hands behind you.

Feel the shift body weight into the tiptoes.

Lifting the heels,

Heart rises,

Legs straighten.

Drinking bird pose.

Same balance.

Last breath in.

Sit to chair,

Out.

In breath.

Chair fold,

Let it go.

Half lift.

Plant the palms,

Step back down dog.

Pause here.

Establish your breath in down dog.

From here,

Let's step the right foot between the hands.

Rise to crescent lunge,

Hands to hips or arms overhead.

Breathe here,

Inhale.

Let's hinge forward,

Reach the arms way out in front of you.

Holding here,

Momentum shifting you forward but the legs are holding you here strong.

Inhale.

Exhale,

Step back to down dog.

Deep breath in down dog.

Let's step the left foot forward,

Crescent lunge on this side,

Arms high up overhead.

Hips are side by side.

Hips lunge into the front knee,

Hinge forward,

Reach your arms forward.

Lifting through the core,

Shoulder blades are sliding down the back body.

Inhale and exhale,

Step back to down dog.

Pedal it out,

Deep breath.

Lift the right leg up to the ceiling,

Toes point straight down.

Three legged dog with closed hips.

Deep breath.

So feeling how we're adding load to the down dog,

How does this create challenge for the shoulders,

Arms,

Core,

Hips.

Let the right foot between the hands rise to crescent lunge once again.

Hinge forward,

Reach the arms way out there like we did before.

This time bring your hands to heart.

Go with that momentum that's shifting you forward and lift the left leg up warrior three,

Finding a balance.

Inhale to bring the left knee up to 90,

You're standing up tall on the right foot,

Knee to 90.

Deep breath in,

Hinge forward,

Kick the left leg out to warrior three.

Doing that transition one more time,

Inhale,

Hug the knee into the chest and tall.

Exhale warrior three.

Alright,

One last one,

Inhale,

Squeeze the left knee up to 90,

Send that leg back,

Plant the toes,

Step back to down dog.

Left heel rises,

Three legged dog.

Integrate through the glutes,

Make sure they're working to lift that leg by spinning the toes straight down.

Step the foot between the hands rise to crescent lunge,

Arms up for a moment and reach the arms way out in front.

Bring the hands to heart,

Power up through that front leg,

Find warrior three,

Right heel lifts into the air,

One long flat line,

Right toes point straight down at the back.

Inhale to hug that right knee up to 90,

Standing tall and find warrior three again,

Kick the leg out.

Inhale squeeze the knee up,

Kick it out.

Now you've got one more time,

Use the power of your breath.

Land the right toes down,

Step to down dog.

Right heel up to the ceiling,

Three legged dog,

Right knee to nose as you draw forward to plank,

Like a mountain climber.

Inhale lift the leg up high,

Three legged dog,

And draw it to the nose,

Step the right foot between the hands.

Crescent lunge,

Arms lift up,

Hands to heart as you hinge forward.

Warrior three for a moment,

Left heel rises into the air,

And lets plant the left heel down warrior one,

Widen your stance,

Right foot wiggles towards the right edge of the mat a little bit more.

Arms are facing forward,

Straighten out through the front leg and hinge forward for a pyramid.

Inhale to half lift,

Lengthen both heels are rooted.

Exhale fold over the legs,

Arms are hanging or planted on the floor or blocks.

Feel the curve of the spine,

Breathe into the back of your heart.

We've got time here,

Adjust the hips to be side by side,

Adjust the calf muscles to lengthen down through the Achilles tendons.

Left heel rises up to the ceiling,

Inhale,

Exhale knee to nose as you draw forward to plank,

Shoulder blades wide apart.

Exhale to lift that leg up high,

And lets step that foot between the hands.

Crescent lunge,

Arms up,

Hands to heart,

Hinge forward,

Lift the right heel into the air warrior three,

And plant the right foot down warrior one.

Adjust the hips,

Hands on the hips,

Feel that side by side.

Both heels are down,

Back toes turn out about 45 degrees to allow your hips to face forward.

Remove the bend through the front knee,

Hinge forward to pyramid.

Half lift to lengthen,

Hips draw back,

Exhale to fold.

This is another one where it's nice to press your hands somewhere so that you can shift body weight into the hips and into that back heel.

Lift through the heart,

Plant the palms,

Step to down dog.

From down dog,

Lets draw forward to plank.

And drop the knees to slowly lower down towards the belly.

Propping onto the forearms,

Lift to forearm plank,

Elbows are under the shoulders,

Hands clasp and press.

Front plank can be done on the knees or the toes.

Lets really try to round into the low belly,

Engaging those low core muscles.

As you press into your heels,

Drop the knees and slowly roll down to sphinx,

Opening the hands,

Lifting through the heart.

Press into the shoelace side of the feet,

Tops of the feet.

This is a back bend,

Chest is up,

Head is up,

Curving the spine into extension.

Inhale here,

Clasp the hands,

Lift to forearm plank.

Holding here,

Activate.

Try to activate through those glute muscles that we were originally using in tabletop.

Lower hips,

The lower bum cheeks,

Low core activates.

Dropping to sphinx one more time,

Lower down with control.

Find that expression,

Heart rises.

When you tell the heart to open,

Collar bones to lengthen,

But then the sides of your neck to get really long,

Imagine your triceps are wrapping in a little bit.

Inhale here,

Rest the forehead onto the palm,

Stacked hands onto the tops of the hands rather.

And then you can windshield wiper the shins behind you,

Let go of sphinx pose,

Let go of that back bend.

Rest beside the heart,

Push up to tabletop,

Maybe a couple of cat-cow breaths or swiveling side to side in the spine after that hard work in the plank and the sphinx pose.

And you can see with the legs spread wide apart,

A big V shape.

Setting up for a wide legged forward fold,

Dragonfly.

Make sure your lower back is nice and flat,

You're actively pushing into your sit bones.

Then let's walk the arms over towards the right leg.

Bring the right forearm on the inside of the right leg and press that forearm into the inner thigh,

Inner knee,

Calf muscle.

Open your heart towards the ceiling and reach the left arm towards the right toes,

Feeling a side body stretch in the left torso.

Eyes up tall,

Left side,

Left forearm on the left inner leg,

Right arm sweeps overhead,

Side body fold,

Heart is open,

Right shoulder is rolling back.

Rise up through center,

Push out through both heels,

Sit very tall.

Inhale and let's hinge down center,

Walking the hands out,

Tucking the chin.

This is challenging if you're not getting anywhere,

We can instead plant the soles of the feet onto the floor,

Keeping them out wide and then fold forwards.

It's a variation that helps us get into the hips if we're limited in our range of motion through the hamstrings or inner hips,

Feet are planted,

Knees up to the ceiling for dragonfly.

Open your fold,

Stretch the tissues of the spinal column.

Let's roll up tall,

Close up and shake out the legs.

Re-center yourself on the mat when you're ready and lie down onto the back body.

Feet are planted,

Knees up to the ceiling.

Let's drag our hips to the right edge of the mat and let the knees fall down to the left.

Using twist here at the end,

Open up the chest.

Arms can be in a T position or cactus,

Whatever you enjoy more through the chest,

Through the arms.

Bring the knees back through center and adjust for this twist on the other side.

All right.

Imagine the breath traveling up the spiral shape that we've created in the spine.

Inhale,

It rises from the tailbone,

Moving through that rotation.

I like the shape of a DNA strand when you see a photo.

Inhale,

We embrace prana,

Fresh energy entering your system.

Exhale,

We release apana,

The things that are not serving us,

The things that we no longer need to carry.

Bring the knees back through center.

Take any final stretch or movement that your body is calling for.

Maybe releasing a couple sighs.

When you're ready,

Meet me in shavasana.

Tuck the shoulder blades together,

Open heart.

Let the legs rest heavy,

Open hips.

The eyes can close,

But the third eye opens,

Staring up towards that point between the eyebrows.

Let's send a breath to this point of intuition and focus.

Let that calm feeling spread through all of the tissues,

Through all of the bones,

Through every cell of your being.

I'll leave you to rest here for a while.

Stay as long as your body needs,

As long as your mind needs,

Listening to the guidance of your heart.

Thank you so much for sharing your practice with me.

Namaste.

Thank you so much for joining me in that path of practice.

It means the world to me to have people following along to these audio classes.

If you have any feedback,

Send it my way and enjoy the rest of your day.

Namaste.

Talk to you soon.