Pictures and audio for a 10 minute evening practice. It’s not perfect recording, but you get what you pay for! Enjoy!
If you want the script, here it is:
The intention of this short practice is to release the tensions of the day with some fullbody stretches and then some focused stretches for the shoulders, hips and hamstrings that will take advantage of the body’s warmth and mobility from the day You also might need a block or firm pillow
Begin standing in mountain pose. Take a deep breath and begin swimming the arms forward, draw big circles moving in the forward direction. Feel the complete rotation in the shoulder and breathe deeply into that sensation.
Now reverse and swim the arms backward while you breathe deeply into the sensation of the shoulders. Stand tall with the tail bone tucked under a little and the movement can extend clear down into the ribs and waist. Release the arms down to your side.
Allow the chin to come to the chest and continue to curl forward into a standing forward fold. You may have a soft bend in the knees. You may either release your hands to the floor or hold onto your elbows and remain in this ragdoll fold for a few more cycles of breath. Be mindful of the intention we started with – to take advantage of the warmth in the body from our day. Let your spine and torso cascade forward and release any need for effort. Release the head forward. Just breathe and relax into gravity.
Bring the hands to the floor, bending the knees as much as needed. Move into Downward facing dog by walking the hands and the feet apart until you feel yourself in that upside down V position. Feet are hip width apart. We won’t be here long, just enough to have a full body stretch and release tension along the spine and legs. Lift the sitbones, and press the thighs back. Spread the fingers and press the floor away from you. Reach downward thru the heels. One more big inhale then exhale and come to hands and knees and now relax into a wide leg child’s pose.
Wide Leg Child’s poseWalk the knees far apart and wiggle the torso down between the legs with the forehead resting on the floor or forearms. The wider the knees the more the stretch in the hips and groins. You may also choose to keep your big toes close or move the feet farther apart resembling frog legs. This works even more into the hip joint. Find a stretch that is appropriate to you this evening. The forehead on the floor brings a meditative quality to your evening poses. Allow the brain and mind to settle and relax. Breath a few more rounds. Nice slow breath.
Sit down on your bottom and stretch your legs out in front of you for a single leg forward fold. Bring the right foot into the inner left thigh with the right hip opening up. Move the right knee forward in order to keep the hips and torso to the front. Inhale and lift the spine long. Exhale and lead with the heart forward over the left leg. Keep the energy and fold moving long and forward rather than collapsed and rounded. You can grab the left foot or left leg with the right hand as you come forward to keep the torso in line. Energize the left foot, extending thru the heel. The head stays in line as a natural extension of the spine. Inhale and look up lengthening the spine. Exhale and use your hands on both sides of your left leg and push yourself back up. Stretch both legs out in front.
Bring the left foot into the inner right thigh with the left hip opening up. Move the left knee forward in order to keep the hips and torso to the front. Inhale and lift the spine long. Exhale and lead with the heart forward over the right leg. Keep the energy and fold moving long and forward rather than collapsed and rounded. You can grab the right foot or right leg with the left hand as you come forward to keep the torso in line. Energize the right foot, extending thru the heel. The head stays in line as a natural extension of the spine. Inhale and look up lengthening the spine. Exhale and use your hands on both sides of your right leg and push yourself back up. Stretch both legs out in front. Have your block handy.
Now sit crosslegged or Indian style. Roll the thighs inward with your hands and sit on the front of the sit bones. Inhale and sit up tall. Exhale and twist to the right. Bring the right arm behind you on the floor, left hand pressing on the outside of the right knee. Inhale and lengthen the spine even while twisting. Untwist and return to center. Inhale and sit up tall. Exhale and twist to the left. Bring the left arm behind you on the floor, right hand pressing on the outside of the left knee. Inhale and lengthen the spine even while twisting. Untwist and return to center.
Inhale and sit up tall. Exhale and walk the hands out in front of you as you lengthen out into a cross-legged forward fold. Lead forward with the heart, not the head and then after reaching forward as much as your hips will allow, you can round over and relax your forehead on the floor, your fists, a block or a firm pillow. Remember our intention of using the body’s warmth from the day to lengthen and stretch the tissues slowly in a relaxed way. Press yourself back up as you inhale.
Switch the cross of your legs. Roll the thighs in and sit on the font of the sit bones. Bring your hands behind you and draw the shoulder blades together. Lean back into the hands slightly as you lift the heart center and arch the spine. Lift the chin to the ceiling and feel the stretch in the front body. Come back to center. Exhale and walk the hands out in front of you as you lengthen out into a cross-legged forward fold. Lead forward with the heart, not the head and then after reaching forward as much as your hips will allow, you can round over and relax your forehead on the floor, your fists, a block or a firm pillow. Remember our intention of using the body’s warmth from the day to lengthen and stretch the tissues slowly in a relaxed way. Press yourself back up as you inhale.
Sit tall but in an easy and relaxed manner. Drop the right ear to the right shoulder, center. Drop the left ear to left shoulder. Center. Chin to chest. Center. Chin to ceiling. Center. Look over your right shoulder. Center. Look over your left shoulder. Center.
Sit quietly for a few breaths to end your practice.
