♪ [opening music] ♪ Support for Yoga In Practice is provided by the ETV Endowment of South Carolina.

♪ [soothing music] ♪ Hi.

I'm Stacey.

Welcome to Yoga in Practice.

Take a comfortable seat, refresh your posture, and enjoy your breath.

Please close your eyes.

Yoga is a practice that helps us to know ourselves better by clearing the clutter of the mind.

As we calm our mind, we can hear an authentic voice within holding the answers to who we are and what we want.

We are all complex beings.

The key each day is to ask a question of yourself and let the answer guide your choices.

Ask, "“What do you want?

"” Ask, "“What word best describes me right now?

"” Or simply be quiet and let the voice within speak.

Do this each day.

Do this each time as you begin your practice.

Honor your multifaceted, wonderful self.

Remain quiet for another moment.

Listen within.

Feel the mind calm prepare your heart, and your mind and your body for practice.

And listen to the wisdom as it arises from within you.

I invite you to open your eyes slowly.

Joining us today for practice are Linda and Jessica.

Please slide forward onto your seat.

Place your feet about as wide as your hips.

with your heels aligned beneath your knees.

If you sit up and you're having a hard time reaching the floor, I invite you to fold a blanket and place that underneath the soles of you feet to raise the floor up higher to you.

resting your hands on your legs, feel yourself grounding into the soles of your feet and feeling rooted into the hips, into the sit bones.

Lower your arms down beside your thighs.

Rise up through the spine and then as you inhale raise your arms overhead.

Stretch up and exhale.

Float the arms back down.

Do that a few more times following the rhythm of you breath, reaching up.

As you reach up high stretch long as you exhale, reaching for the sides of the room float the arms down.

Two more times.

Inhale.

Spreading up through the fingers and then as you exhale, float the hands back down and once again.

Inhale, rise up.

And exhale, lower down.

Good.

Now let's move our arms forward and back.

So, pull your arms in front of your chest and bow and exhale.

Open the arms back Inhale forward.

Exhale open.

Inhale.

Exhale.

Once again.

Inhale.

And Exhale.

Good.

Place your hands down on your legs.

And slide your hands towards your knees.

Sit up tall and then inhale.

Look up.

Lift your chin and arch the back.

And then bowing in deeply again round through the mid part of your back lowering your chin.

Good.

Let's move rhythmically.

Inhale.

Look up.

And rounding in, stretch open through the muscles of your back.

Inhale look up.

Exhale and round.

One more time Inhale, look up.

And exhale round.

Good.

Coming up take seated mountain pose again.

Adjust your seat.

Feel grounded and lower your arms.

Inhale.

Raise your arms over your shoulders once again.

And keeping that long stretch, that extension through your spine sweep your hands behind you.

Either hold the edge of the chair like Linda is showing or you can clasp your hands around your lower back.

Lift the chest.

Take the head of your arm bones back and now stretching your arms toward the seat of your chair, lift your chin and curl open.

This is a seated cobra pose.

A back bended posture.

Really wonderful if you've been seated for a long period of time, perhaps working on a computer Just opening your heart.

And then release.

Unclasp your hands.

Good.

Step your feet apart wide.

With your legs wide, you may need to slide forward slightly.

And then placing your hands on your thighs for support, take a deep breath in, as you exhale fold forward between your legs.

Now, you can go down further.

Just listen to that wisdom within your body, asking you how far down you should go.

If you can bring your hands to the floor, that's fine.

Relax your neck and definitely stay grounded into your feet.

So, pushing your feet into the floor and pushing your hips into the chair.

If you feel comfortable here it's fine to hold your elbows and add a little bit more passive weight to stretch and lengthen through the spine.

And then taking the hands back to the floor and lifting them onto your thighs, push down through your hips and feet.

Inhale.

Rise back up.

Enjoy the breath.

Good.

Let's bend forward one more time.

Exhaling, bow over and then we'll just move rhythmically with the breath again Inhale, lifting up.

Your hands could slide down toward your shins and exhale and fold.

Inhale and lift up, extend.

Exhale and fold.

One more time.

Inhale, extend.

Lengthen through the spine, exhale and fold.

Now, once again, move your hands back up onto your thighs rooted through your heels and hips, rise back up to mountain.

Good.

Bring your feet in keeping hip distance apart.

Heels beneath the knees.

Lower your arms.

Inhale raise your arms overhead, stretching up fully.

Good.

Now, keeping your left arm raised, lower your right hand to the edge of the chair to the seat and push down.

As you push down, you get a rebounded effect that helps you to stretch up more.

And then exhale.

Bend to the right side a seated crescent pose.

The head is back.

Watch that you don't drop your chin down.

So lining up your shoulders, pushing and extend out through the fingers on the left hand.

Then inhale, raise, lifting both arms over your shoulders.

Take a deep breath here.

And then lower the left hand to the seat of the chair.

Push down.

Rise up.

And then exhale.

Bend to the left.

As you stretch through that right arm, Remain grounded in your right foot, Your right sit bone.

Chin back.

Shoulders back.

And lengthen out.

Good.

Inhale.

Rise back up.

Lift both arms.

And then exhale.

Take your hands down.

And raise your right knee up to your chest.

Hold on to the shin Pull the leg up a little higher.

If you can't hold the leg with your hand, it's fine just to simply raise the knee a little bit higher off the chair.

As you pull up, lifting through the spine, feel that you're moving and opening the lower back.

Move your foot a few times.

You can turn it in circles or point and flex.

Good.

Then when you exhale slowly gracefully take the foot back down center and change sides.

Bring your left leg up.

Hold on to the shin bone.

Breathe here and lengthen up and then move your foot a few times.

Spread your toes.

As you move your foot, you may hear the snap and crackle and pop of the ankle.

It's okay.

Just getting some motion there.

And then plant your feet back down.

Look down.

Are your feet parallel?

Knees over the ankles.

Place your hands around your knees As you inhale, look up.

Lift your chin and then round in, bowing.

Inhale.

This is called cow.

And exhale and round cat.

Twice more.

Inhale.

and exhale.

One more time.

Inhale and exhale.

Come to seated.

Good take a breath.

Adjust.

Let's go into a couple of warrior poses so I want you to stay seated, but turn to the right side of the chair.

Now, slide back.

So your right thigh is on the chair and you may need to slide more to the front edge your left hip is not touching the seat at all.

Using your right hand on the back of the chair to support you, take your left leg back begin with the knee under the hip and your foot is flexed.

And then tuck your hip down So you feel more of a stretch through the front of your thigh.

You can stay here.

This is a good place to pause or if you can go back a little bit longer just start to inch your left leg back.

The full form of the pose is with the thigh on the chair but your left leg stretching straight.

Reach through the heel and press that left leg up until you start to notice the stretch running through the left thigh into the left hip flexor.

Now, squaring your shoulders take your left arm in front of you.

Pause.

And from your fingers draw back and connect the head of the arm bone into the shoulder joint.

You can stay here as Linda will demonstrate or raise your arm up, pulling up, bringing the arm beside your head Root the hip into the chair but stretch your left arm more fully your left heel more deeply and breathe.

And then lower the left hand and pause.

Good.

Keep your right leg as it is but turn your torso and your hips forward, planting your left foot onto the mat, sitting the thigh weighted here, open the knee.

Look down at your right foot.

Is it straight?

Turning the hips and the shoulders as much as you can into Warrior Two, I invite you to raise your arms up.

Turn your head and look down the right hand.

If lifting your arms for any reason is challenging or difficult, if there's a shoulder issue you can always hold your hands to your hips and modify that.

Looking right down the hand, breathe.

Pushing into the seat with your thigh, press your feet into the floor and squeeze in.

Feel yourself strong like a warrior.

That may be one of the words that arises for you, strength, confidence.

And then exhale.

Release your hands.

Bring them onto your hips.

Good.

Slide this left leg in and then spin forward and pause.

Let's change directions going to the left.

Slide back, maybe slide forward.

Make sure your right hip is clear.

Hold the back of your chair for balance.

And then moving your right knee back, bring it under the hip, first.

Tuck and if you can walk the right foot further back, do so.

Extending from the hip out through the back of the heel, intensify the pose.

Now, bring your arm out in front of you.

And sliding from the right hand back into the right shoulder, raise the arm over your shoulder if you have that ability.

Then extend.

Lift the chin and breathe into the pose.

Remember to listen to your body.

Notice how wonderful it feels to stretch the front of your thigh.

This is the antidote of sitting at a chair for long periods of time.

Try to work this into your day.

Good and take your hand back down.

Keep your left leg where it is.

Pivot around.

And plant your right foot.

Turn your hips.

Turn your shoulders.

Hands to the hips if you're staying there or if you can, raise your arms out, Warrior II pose.

Virabhadrasana.

Turn your head Let the shoulders feel like they're floating.

Keep your breath steady.

Keep your eyes on one point.

You may wish to turn the palms open in a way that is a way of receiving the gift of the pose, the gift of the day.

Keep your shoulder blades drawn onto your back.

And then release.

Take your hands back down.

Sliding your right leg in, turn forward.

Good.

Come back up on the front of your chair and with the knees under the hips, walk your feet apart and breathe.

Placing your hands on your thighs Exhale.

Fold forward between your legs Now, again you can stay up, hands on the legs.

Just bending forward, hinging from the hips.

If you can go all the way down, bringing your hands to the floor, maybe to the top of a block, Bow your head.

If this all feels good as you're breathing into your back if you can hold your elbows, do that.

Relax.

Close your eyes.

Definitely remain grounded through the hips, through the feet.

Enjoy the stretch of your lower back muscles.

And then lift half way.

Bring your hands back to your thighs, pushing into your legs, rise back up to seated.

Bring your feet underneath your knees.

Take a breath.

Good.

Let's work into the hip.

Take your right ankle, Lift it up and cross it over your left thigh.

Keep the ankle flexed and the toes spreading.

Now, gravity will help you to open here, but if for some reason you can't get your foot up, you can always extend the left leg and slide the leg out just turning the leg open.

So, you're trying to get some external rotation here into that right hip.

Breathe, flexing the ankle.

Now, stay seated upright, flexed or if you can, extend out over your legs.

Now as you extend, avoid rounding through the back.

You're definitely hinging from the hips here.

Lift the shoulders onto your back and align the neck with the rest of your spine.

You should definitely be feeling a nice stretch in the outside of your right hip in this pose.

Breathing.

Push the ankle into the thigh and then as you inhale.

Rise back up to seated.

Uncross the leg.

Take a breath and change sides.

Modify as you need to, noticing that maybe your right side and your left side work differently.

We're all a little asymmetric in that way.

So honor what you need to do.

Press up.

Roll your shoulders back and as you exhale, fold forward if that's possible This external rotation in the hip, working these muscles in the gluteal area is important for the health of your lower back.

So, if you find that you sit for long periods during the day or if you're a walker, or just really haven't moved a lot, add again this pose into your practice.

This is a nice way to free up the hips.

Keep your jaw soft.

Keep your eyes soft.

Breathe.

And then as you inhale, rise back up.

Plant the foot.

Rest your hands on your thighs and close your eyes.

Notice the soles of your feet.

Feel the weight of your hips on the chair.

You just pay attention, bringing that quietude to the movements of thoughts, just coming into the present moment.

What do you want?

And then open your eyes.

Good.

Lifting your right leg, cross it over your left leg.

So, holding here try to squeeze your lower legs closer together.

You'll feel your knees hugging in.

If you have the ability to work the foot behind your left calf, do that.

Now we're going to work the arms, as well.

We begin by just putting your elbows and your forearms together.

Stay there if that's fine or cross the right elbow under the left elbow and bring the backs of your hands together.

Entwine your wrist, so palm to palm and then raise your elbows up.

Breathing here.

Press down into your seat with your hips but lengthen up through your spine and feel your breath energize the spine.

Notice how you're opening your shoulders, as well.

And then uncross the arms.

Uncross the legs.

Spin forward.

Take a breath.

Change sides.

So, crossing your left leg over the right.

You may notice one leg is a little different than the other.

Then, if you want to just keep your hands down that is completely fine as well or bringing your elbows, forearms together.

Left elbow under the right elbow, backs of the hands, or bring palm to palm.

This pose is Garuda.

It's called eagle in English.

And just holding, make sure your lower back has a gentle curve in and that you're not slumped over.

Remember that when you have a good posture, it helps you to breathe more fully.

So hold this posture.

Lift the elbows.

Open the muscles across your upper back.

And then as you exhale, untwine the arms.

Untwine the legs and come forward.

Plant your feet.

Take a breath.

Good with your feet remaining about hip distance apart, please move your left hand across to your outer right leg and push the hand in the leg into each other.

Now, with your right hand reach around.

Hold the side of the chair maybe you can reach back further and hold the top of the chair at the back.

and then just push and twist your abdomen to the right your waist, your chest and shoulders and then finally the head.

Now as you hold this, pull your left hip back slightly so that your hips and legs aren't turning with you that you're really doing a true rotation through the torso and breathe through your back.

And as you inhale, return forward back to center.

Change sides.

Take your right hand to your outer left leg.

Reach around.

Find the best placement for your left arm.

Steady the hips and begin the rotation, turning.

The eyes on one point.

Breathe deeply.

And then inhale.

Release, turn forward.

Take a deep breath.

Good.

So, we're going to do a little bit of breathing practice here.

Obviously, the breath energizes our body.

It's our primary vehicle for our life force called Prana.

One of the most important breath patterns that is taught in yoga is called Alternate Nostril Breath.

Nadi Shodhana Pranayama in Sanskrit.

Now this breathing pattern balances your body, the energies of the body.

The right side, the left side.

So you're going to use your hands for this particular practice.

Lift your right hand.

Take the first two fingers and fold it down into the center of your hand.

Now bring the ring finger and your little finger together to make one.

And your thumb and then use your fingers like a pincher that's going to close off the very top of your nostrils.

You're going to use a delicate touch here.

Not full thumb, full finger.

Be refined in the way that you do this.

I invite you to take a deep breath in, and using your thumb, close off the top of your right nostril.

Close your eyes and breathe in and out through the left side of your nostril, a few times here.

The left side relates to the moon.

The moon relates to a cooler, calming energy and the moon is much more organic in the energy that it brings.

Good.

Now, change fingers.

Bring your ring finger onto your left nostril.

Close the top of that nostril off and breathe in and out through the right side a few times.

The right side relates to the sun.

Therefore more of that heating energy and energy that tends to be more directed and linear and over the course of the day, we breathe differently through the left and right sides of the nostril.

If for any reason using your hand here to do this particular breathing pattern is challenging for you, you can simply not use the hands but use your mind more fully.

You could close your eyes and imagine breathing in and out through one side.

Now, let's alternate here.

Breathe in through the left side.

Close it off.

Breathe out through the right.

Breathe back in through the right.

and exhale left.

Keep alternating in this way.

and envision yourself alternating the energies or if you're not using your hands visualize breathing up through the left and out through the right and vice versa.

Enjoy the breath.

If your arm gets tired, you can bring your arm across the front of your chest and just support your right arm with the left arm.

Calm the mind.

Think of this breath as balancing you.

Then release your hands.

Rest them on your legs.

Keep your eyes closed.

Just remain in a calm, balanced, seated posture.

Notice the air touching your skin and as you sit quietly, listen for that voice within you.

Consider choices that you may need to make and how do you make the most life affirming choice, right now.

Feeling the body from the soles of the feet all the way up through the legs, through the crown of your head, feel connected.

Simple can be harder than complex.

You have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple.

But it's worth it in the end because once you get there, you can move mountains.

[calming music] I invite you to remain seated today for as you may need to Keeping your eyes closed, and simply enjoying your breath However, when you are ready, I invite you to slowly open your eyes .

Keep you gaze soft drink in the light the colors, the shapes within the room.

Fold your hands together in front of your chest.

Honor your practice.

Thank you for practicing with us today.

Namaste.

♪ [calming music] ♪ ♪ Support for Yoga in Practice is provided by the ETV Endowment of South Carolina.

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