Video: 30 Minute Somatic Movement and Breathing to Ignite Your Vitality

Unleash your inner vitality with this energizing yoga practice to fire up your creativity. Release tension, receive support, and activate your core strength. 

Transcript:

*30 Minute Yoga to Stoke Your Vitality
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[00:00:00] Kate Lynch: All right, we have arrived. If you know you have a day ahead that is going to ask a lot of you, and you would like to call on your inner, vitality.

We'll begin sitting. Widen out your seat a bit, taking up space, connecting with the earth, the bowl of the pelvis this cauldron of creative energy. I invite you to feel that the bowl of your pelvis and the bowl of your ribs are balanced above each other with spaciousness between them

As you connect with the earth your spine can lift and lengthen towards the sky. Take a deep breath in

and a big sigh out. Let's do that again

One more sigh and then I'm gonna ohm you can join me if you want

Ah, ah, here comes the yawn.

OM.

Start to flutter your fingers a bit.

Roll your shoulders or shake your arms. Whatever is going to help you loosen up your shoulders.

Bring your shoulders up by your ears like you're wearing them as earrings. And let them go. And you can make a prune face while you do this and then when you let go you can either stick out your tongue or sigh.

Last one. Maybe make fists this time. Squeeze everything.

Take your hands to the base of your skull, rub the base of your skull a little bit,

make a double chin, and let your hands rest on the base of your skull or the back of your head without pulling. Let your elbows come forward.

And then let your hands drip down, inhale your chin or your nose up in one direction, maybe look all the way up. And then back down, reversing on the exhale, and to the other side.

So a simple half neck roll with gazing. So you're looking around you. Taking in your environment.

One more time, both directions.

And when you feel complete with that, come back to center, roll your head. Up so that your ears are above your shoulders.

Come lying on your back with your knees bent.

Settle into constructive rest. Notice your jaw. See if you can let your jaw hang a little bit so there's spaciousness in your throat. There's a neutral feeling in your head and neck. And if there is something under your head, it is the thinnest that is comfortable. And we're going to do a little friction.

This is very small movement pushing your feet and then rebounding to glide the skin of your back, along your mat, and then let it return. So it doesn't look like much, but you can start to build some heat, some friction.

Feel it like a really gentle self massage along your whole back. And what you'll notice as you do this, if you let go of your pelvis and your head, is you start nodding.

Let your jaw go. Let the double chin happen. Let your tongue drop away from the roof of your mouth. You start nodding, and you also might feel your pelvis lift. It's tipping. And you're not trying to make either of these things happen, it's the push and pull action of your feet. Actually, I'm just pushing and rebounding.

And if you'd rather have your arms down, that's fine, or your hands on your ribs, it's really whatever works for you. Breath is natural, whatever.

And do this a few more times, just letting the rocking naturally happen at the top and bottom of your spine through your skull and your pelvis.

And then stop. Find stillness please, so you can notice the cells, especially the ones in the back of your body

Please hug one knee in, hold any way you'd like. So you can feel your thigh against your gut.

Make any adjustments. Pick up your foot so your knee is still bent. Pick up your foot just enough so you can circle that foot on its ankle. And then go the other direction. You can also articulate through all the joints of your foot.

Alright, keeping hold of that leg, extend the other leg slowly out along the mat. So your two knees move away from each other any amount.

Bring your extended leg in. Hold that leg. And take the other foot to the floor. So first, we're feeling the contact of thigh to belly, making any adjustments. So we have ease, then picking up that foot a little bit, keep your knee soft and circle your ankle and articulate through the joints of your foot.

Go the other way please.

And then relax that leg but keep it in. Slide the bottom leg out along the mat.

Noticing your lower back ribs. and noticing your lower abdominals. We want to have attention on these two points as we continue with some active breathing.

Inhale in this position and exhale switch legs.

Inhale here, and as you exhale, really contact that lower belly, make a sound. I like the shush sound, you might like a ha sound, haaa.

Your lower back ribs, if they're coming off the floor, extend your leg higher in the air rather than parallel to the ground, or bring your foot down to the ground. Both knees are bent, and you can switch like that. Find a way that this is activating your lower abdominals without feeling that tilt in your pelvis . You could try putting your hands under your butt. Shh.

So we want to maintain that central channel and that containment.

If there's tension in your neck or jaw or shoulders, you're going too far. If you're just tired and want to rest, do it. And then I'll invite you to come back into it. And if you do want to challenge yourself further, you can take your hands down.

Shh.

Bringing your head up, taking your arms parallel to the ground. I don't like that one, but some people think it's fine. , right? All right. And when you're done, let yourself be done. A little rocking.

Knees apart. Take your feet up. Imagine you're squatting on the ceiling. Happy baby. Extend one leg out to the side, and then the other. Like, happy baby tantrum, rocking side to side a little bit, and then kick the ceiling and hit the ceiling and really tantrum.

And you can make a sound, whatever sounds you want to make.

So this is a great opportunity as we're doing this to be honest with ourselves about how we're feeling right now. So how are you feeling in this moment? Let it belong here. Whatever it is, let it belong. Shake. And then please return to your constructive rest.

And pause. You might again notice the cells that you were vibrating. Notice how they continue to make themselves known.

Please roll to lie on one side when you're ready. Bring your knees forward. Support your head in any way that's comfortable. Then keep your knees down, but pick up your feet off the ground. Head and neck are comfortable, right? Your neck is lined up with your spine. And supported. Your feet are off the ground.

And we'll inhale, top knee up, and exhale it back down.

Three more,

and rest.

Take your top hand up to your top ribs. If it's a little forward, that's fine. Take care of your shoulder. And if it's available, let your elbow dangle behind you.

Breathing into your side ribs as if your ribs are smiling out and up to the sides, without forcing.

The next inhale, we're going to lift that elbow, letting your top shoulder dip forward, and your gaze just goes with it. And the next exhale, let your elbow dip, your shoulder go back, and your gaze follows so it might go towards the ceiling a little.

We're not making anything happen, we're really letting the breath guide, and leaning with the Momentum of your elbow. So everything's following the movement of that elbow and the breath.

If that just sounds like a lot, just inhale, lift your elbow, exhale, lower it. But see if you can do it a little slow.

Next time your elbow comes back, start to open a little more, turn your chest towards the ceiling and let your top knee come up so you're coming into a reclined twist that feels good for your body.

And breathe there.

From there you can make your way onto your back and then roll to your opposite side into your fetal position, setting up again in a way that is easeful for your neck, your jaw, your face, your shoulders. Your head is lined up with the rest of your spine and your knees are in front. Let's keep our knees down, pick up our feet.

You got this little mermaid fin. Ready? We're going to inhale, top knee up. Exhale, lower it. If you want to switch the breath, you're in charge of your breathing. See if you can link breath and movement.

Three more. Keep your neck relaxed, your face relaxed. Then let everything go. Relax in this side lying position. Take your top hand, find your top ribs. Just having your hand here can be therapeutic for your breath, for tension that we tend to hold in the thoracic cavity, especially when there's high emotion.

Adjust it so you can let your elbow dangle.

On this side, we may have learned from the first side. Take this easy. The smaller you can move, the slower, the more your brain has a chance to adapt.

So your elbow and your breath initiate the movement.

And your shoulder and your eyes are going along for the ride.

In this context bigger is not better.

The next time you get into that elbow down position, pause there and start to inhale into your reclined twist, taking your time, letting your top knee come up. It's not about forcing the knee down or forcing the shoulder down, but finding that seesaw that feels pleasurable, so your spine can uncoil and your ribcage can unlock, and your breath can uncage.

Try looking different directions with your gaze.

You can stay longer, it's fine to stay longer, make it your own. WHen you're done with this, rather than coming onto your back, we'll come out by coming back onto that side, pressing top hand down, and we'll make our way to all fours. Take your time.

When you do get there, start to move your ribs around like you're inside a peanut butter jar and your ribs are scraping the sides of the jar in all directions. And link this with breath in the way that's comfortable to you.

Go the other way if you haven't yet.

When you feel complete with that, come to a long spine, take your right leg back, turn your toes under and reach your heel. Slide your right foot to the left, look over your left shoulder at your right foot. Please breathe.

Now take that right foot to the right and slide it forward. Help it forward so it's outside of your right hand.

We're going to turn back toes under so left knee comes up and then find a way to plant your foot. Bring your hands up to your right thigh and make your way to your warrior one. So your left hip rotates a little forward, your lower back lengthens and you really feel your feet and legs. grounding you and as you are grounded your spine can lengthen up and your arms can be an extension of that movement.

Start to straighten your right leg, your front leg, so you're lifting from your big toe, pressing down, your fingers reaching up, you feel that length, and on your next exhale elbows wide, right knee bends. So we'll do that again. And when you exhale, your elbows wide, you can feel the stretch across your chest and the strength across your upper back.

Now keep your right knee bent, wrap your right arm underneath your left, give yourself a hug, squeeze.

I wonder if they still do this in middle school, that like fake make out thing. Do you remember that? You can do that to yourself if you'd like.

And then please lift your elbows and imagine you're taking off your sweater or the burdens that you could set aside for now. Let them come to the left and turn your feet parallel as you fold.

Then please bend your right knee, walk your hands back towards the front of your mat. Bring your back knee down, and send that right leg back again. Move it to the left, look over your left shoulder.

Breathe into your right side ribs. Unwind. Come back to all fours, and we'll take left leg back, turn your toes under, reach your heel, and then slide it to the right. Look over your right shoulder at your left foot, and breathe.

You might feel this in your outer hip, or your outer ribs, and both are fine. Think of the smiling of your ribs out to the sides.

And then take that left foot behind you and over to your left, helping the left foot forward.

And then turn your back toes under, lift your back knee, and plant your foot. So once you feel grounded on both feet, move your hands up to your left thigh. Lift your belly. Find your way to your warrior one, Virabhadrasana one. And just as we, on the other side, we straighten that front leg and we felt the front of the body from big toe.

Through pinkies, you can also feel the back of your body from your right heel all the way along the long line through the crown of your head, maybe through your thumbs. And then bend your elbows out to the sides, bend your left knee. And we'll do that two more times.

Okay, stay here. Let your heels really feel like they're holding you, especially that front heel. And wrap your left arm under your right to give yourself a hug, a squeeze. A little, um, middle school make out session.

And not just giving yourself the hug and the squeeze, but also receiving it. Noticing if you've closed yourself off to that receptivity intimacy. And if there's a way that you can take it in right here. And when you're ready, start to lift your elbows as if you're taking off your sweater, your layer of burdens.

Let your hands come to the right, turn your feet parallel, and fold. And you can wave at me if you're facing that direction.

Feel free to bend one knee a little deeper, maybe all the way into a squat if you'd like. Or it could be smaller, and then the other. Really making this your own. Could be a small action or a big one.

And then walk your hands back towards your left foot at the front of your mat. And this just bring your back knee down, your right knee down, and take your left foot all the way back and over to the right again, looking over your shoulder, and please breathe.

We'll unwind and make our way to Child's Pose with knees apart.

Let your forehead rest.

You can stay here for the next few minutes, or if you would prefer to do something else, if your body is asking for something else, it's fine. And if you would like to sit and do a segmented breath then you can sit and join me for that.

Alright, I'm going to Start this segmented breath, which is a four part inhale, four part exhale. Everything is concentrated at the navel. I'm going to remind you to listen to your body.

Last round.

And then deep breath in. Pause at the top of that inhale. Find stillness. Let it out with a sigh. Slowly, ah.

Feel free to do that again.

Alright, to close our practice, being honest with yourself, where have you overextended that you could pull back? Where have you shut down to support that you could receive?

Where have you closed off to joy or play? Or some juicy part of yourself that you know would be nourishing. And is there a little tiny shift, tweak,

reminder to yourself that you could apply

to access your own inner life force and show up in integrity?

For yourself. Gotta do that first. Alright, I'm gonna end with chanting Om Shanti. You can join me if you'd like. You could also listen or take a nap. Breathe in. Om Shanti. Shanti. Shanti. OM.

Thank you.