Hello everybody

 

My name is AJ, I'm a yoga instructor for GiGi Tonye' Arts & Fitness in partnership with Blue Door Neighborhood Center and today we're going to do a very relaxing and restorative yoga session

 

so we start with mountain posture

 

having both feet planted on the mat over here

 

and again

 

on the base of the feet is the most important thing

 

so we lift the toes and lift the heels

 

rolling the shoulders back

 

and palms facing forward engaging the knees

 

engaging the core chin slightly up

 

and we close the eyes

 

and we breathe through the nose

 

sort of imagining ourselves

 

in this posture,

 

while the eyes are closed

 

evaluating our weight distribution

 

from here we can open the eyes

 

place both hands to our waist

 

and coming into a fold halfway

 

placing both hands on the shin

 

or the knees

 

rolling the shoulders back from here

 

we keep the legs straight to stretch the hamstrings

 

looking forward and lifting the toes

 

leaning forward

 

and then from here on our next exhale

 

we release down into a fold

 

for ragdoll holding on to both elbows

 

and swaying from side to side

 

option to release both hands down

 

relaxing upper back

 

shoulders, neck, lower back

 

and breathe

 

option to lower the knees

 

even more, bending the knees

 

having the torso touch the thighs even more

 

and then from here

 

com into a halfway lift

 

placing both hands on the shin or the knees

 

rolling the shoulders back looking forward 

lift the toes

 

placing both hands to the waist 

as we slowly come back up

 

from here

 

inhale both arms overhead

 

palms together into a side stretch 

to the right

 

sliding down the right hand to the right side

 

placing a little bit more weight towards your right foot

 

slightly lifting the left foot to really feel that stretch

 

on the left side

 

shoulders are in line and breathe

 

inhale back up

 

and exhale side stretch to the other side

 

sliding down

 

placing a little bit more weight

 

towards the left foot

 

lifting the right foot a little bit

 

feeling that stretch

 

on the right side

 

shoulders are in line

 

inhale back up

 

and exhale back to the center

 

from here

 

placing both our hands to our waist

 

coming into a tree posture

 

placing a little bit more weight

 

towards the left side

 

lifting the right foot

 

and we place either the right heel to the left ankle

 

or we can place the soles of the right foot

 

below the knee

 

or we can place it above the knee just not on the knee

 

and then once you find your spot

 

use your right hand to slightly push

 

that right knee having it a little bit more inline

 

with your hips so whether it's here

 

whether it's here

 

and lifting up inhale

 

either palms together or

 

spreading the arms

 

or you can place it in between

 

relaxing the shoulders

 

focusing on one single point

 

legs are strong, the standing leg is strong

 

exhale, slowly release and shake it off

 

and we do the other side

 

so placing both hands to your waist

 

placing a little bit more weight

 towards the right side

 

as we inhale, we place it on our spot

 

either

 

heel to ankle below the knee

 

or above the knee

 

and then from here, we use the hand

 

to slightly push

 

the knee back having it more in line with the hips

 

and we inhale up

 

making sure the standing leg is strong you can lift the toes

 

you can go and spread

 

or you can place it

 

focusing on one point

 

noticing the balance 

that the tree pose is bringing

 

breathing mindfully 

breathing skillfully

 

and slowly release and shake it off

 

from here from the tops of the mat

 

we come into the fold,

 

half fold

 

placing hands to the chin rolling the shoulders back, lifting the toes

 

placing both hands down stepping both feet back

 

into a downward-facing dog

 

from here

 

lower both knees down coming into

 

a child's posture

 

Balasana with the knees together

 

pleasing both hands to the sides

 

arms to the sides relaxing the shoulders

 

sitting on the heels

 

relax the forehead on the mat and breathe

 

for wide child's pose

 

bring both hands forward

 

spreading both knees

 

and the length of the mat 

with the toes together

 

and fold

 

the elbows are heavy

 

relax the shoulders

 

spread the fingers the palms are flat

 

Exhale and inhale

 

take this time to investigate

the weight distribution of the body investigating the breathing

 

Exhale and inhale 

 

and then slowly coming back

 

to the first child's pose bring the knees together

 

and fold for a few more breaths

 

Exhale and inhale

 

hey from here

 

slowly walk

 

both hands forward

 

coming into a tabletop posture

 

with the hands in line with the shoulders

 

knees are in line with the hips

 

the toes can be tucked

 

and from here

 

we thread the needle

 

so we open the chest towards the right side

 

lifting the right arm up

 

and exhale slide

 

the tops of the right hand towards the left side

 

relaxing the right shoulder and the right side of the face on the mat slowly

 

walking the left hand forward

 

and breathe making our micro-adjustments as we go

 

Exhale and inhale

 

slowly come back up

 

back to table

 

and we do the other side

 

inhale lift the left arm up

 

and exhale slide

 

left shoulder left side of the face

 

on the mat slowly

 

walking the right hand forward spread the fingers

 

and easing into the posture as we breathe making our micro adjustments

 

inhale and exhale

 

and slowly coming back up

 

from here

 

keeping our knees in line with the hips

 

slowly walking both hands  forward 

for extended puppy

 

option to relax the forehead

 

on the mat spreading the fingers

 

shoulders away from the ears palms are flat

 

pushing the hips back and up

 

and breathe

 

elbows are lifted

 

but if it's more comfortable you can lower the elbows

 

inhale and exhale

 

slowly walking both hands back to Tabletop pose.

 

then coming into a kneeling posture,

sitting on the heels

 

rolling the shoulders back chin slightly up

 

from here we come into an easy pose

 

Sukhasana cross-legged easy posture

 

with the legs crossed

 

and we make a fold

 

forward fold

 

walking both hands forward

 

option to keep the back straight

 

or around the back

 

feeling that stretch

 

on our hamstrings and thigh muscles

 

spread the fingers

 

inhale and exhale

 

Yoga breathing

 

inhale and exhale

 

from here slowly walking the hands back and we switch the legs

 

so we're cross-legged on the other side

 

making sure

 

and slowly

 

walking both hands forward

 

for a forward fold and easy pose on the other side

 

spread the fingers

 

inhale and exhale

 

uh slowly walking the hands back

 

and we switch the legs back

 

to our natural way of sitting

 

a few breaths here

 

for Staff pose

 

bring both legs forward

 

bring both hands back

 

shoulders are broad

 

and inhale looking up

 

Caterpillar pose chin to throat

 

rounding the back

 

relaxing

 

the upper back

 

lower back shoulders and neck 

 

slowly walk both hands a little forward

 

so the key here is to round the back

 

and to have the face

 

to the thighs or knees

 

instead of a fold

 

inhale and exhale

 

slowly inhaling back up and we slowly come into a half corpse

 

lowering down lower back first

 

with the knees bent

 

for shoulder stand, you may want

 

to move into

 

lower down on the mat

 

to stay balanced

 

palms facing down bringing the lower back down

 

and we can start by doing

 

inverted L

 

by lifting both legs up

 

the core is engaged the legs are strong

 

from here

 

if it permits then we can use our core use our arms

 

to slowly lift up

 

just as much as we can

 

using our hands to support the lower back 

for shoulder stand

 

bringing the elbows inward

 

squeezing the shoulder blades

 

careful not to move the neck

 

and breathe

 

slowly slowly release

 

and using our core here to slowly lower down slowly, slowly

 

back to inverted L

 

and all the way down

 

moving back to the center of the mat

 

to counter our shoulder stand is the 

Fish pose

 

working the hands underneath the body

 

we sit up halfway inhale

 

and bringing the crown of the head 

on the mat using our elbows here

 

to puff the chest open

 

chin is up throat is open and

 

breathe

 

on our next inhale head

first look to the toes

 

and exhale slowly, slowly lowering down

 

from here we hug both knees to chest

 

and the rock from side to side

 

massaging that lower back

 

and then from here lowering

both feet down

 

for a half corpse, the knees are bent

 

and to the sides palms facing down

 

we move on to recline Pigeon

 

from here

 

we place the right ankle on top of the left thigh

 

where we can stay here pushing that right knee out 

 

or

 

you can slide your right hand inside

 

interlace the fingers and wrap them around

 

the left thigh or shin

 

for a deeper stretch

 

let's be mindful

 

relax the shoulders

 

careful not to shrug the shoulders

 

relax the head

 

relax the neck

 

relax the face

 

and relax the ankles

 

you can twist the ankles here

 

 making sure that everything is good

 

pushing that right knee out

 

pulling that left knee in

 

and breathe

 

at this point, we can close the eyes

 

relaxing the face

 

and exhale release

 

and we switch

 

left ankle on top of the right thigh

 

and again we can stay

 

pushing the left knee out

 

or

 

slide the left hand inside interlace the fingers

 

wrap them around the thigh or shin

 

again relax the shoulders

 

relax the neck

 

relax the head

 

relax the face

 

wiggle the toes

 

twisting the ankles

 

pushing that left knee out

 

pulling that right knee in

 

and breathe

 

and slowly, slowly releasing down

 

back to half corpse

 

arms to the sides

 

palms facing down

 

and some windshield wipes with our knees

 

just to sort of reset

 

ourselves

 

from here

 

spreading the legs

 

coming into a Banana posture

 

so keeping the hips where they are

 

let's bring both legs to the right

 

and the upper body to the right side

 

lifting both arms up if it permits

 

holding on to the right wrist with the left hand

 

and crossing the left leg on top of the right

 

if it permits. And breathe.

 

inhale and exhale

 

and slowly, slowly

 

coming back to the center

 

Banana pose on the other side

 

keeping the hips where they are

 

bringing both legs to the left

 

torso upper body to the left

 

bring both arms overhead holding on to the left wrist

 

crossing the right leg

 

on top of the left

 

and breathe

 

feeling that stretch on the right side of the body

 

inhale and exhale

 

next exhale we slowly, slowly release 

and come back

 

hugging both knees to chest inhale

 

gentle back massage

 

rocking from side to side

 

and recline twists

 

so we bring and spread the arms

 

to the sides palms facing up

 

or down and dropping both knees to the left

 

the head can face the right side if it permits

 

inhale and exhale

 

slowly inhale back to the center

 

and exhale drop to the right

 

head faces to the left

 

inhale and exhale

 

slowly, slowly inhaling back up

 

and

 

lowering down both feet

 

coming into a Reclined Goddess Pose

 

have the soles of the feet touch

 

dropping both knees to either side

 

we can have the arms spread

 

as it is or

 

bring both arms overhead

 

holding both elbows

 

and breathe

 

slowly releasing the hands 

and using the hands for support

 

draw the knees back in

 

releasing both feet

 

into corpse

 

Shavasana yoga resting 

 

arms to the sides

 

palms facing up

 

wiggle the toes, wiggle the hands

 

stretch out the toes, stretch out the hands

 

and relax

 

consciously relaxing

 

the entire body beginning with the toes

 

the balls of the feet, the heels are heavy

 

the ankles are heavy

 

going up to the shins the calves

 

the kneecaps are heavy

 

the hamstrings

 

thigh muscles are relaxed

 

the pelvis, the hips are heavy

 

going up to the lower back

 

consciously relaxing going up to the upper back

 

to the shoulders

 

the shoulders are heavy, to the biceps

 

let the elbows fall going down to the wrists

 

to the hands and fingers

 

cautiously relaxing the face

 

the head, the neck, the forehead

 

in between the eyebrows

 

our temples

 

let the eyelids fall all the little muscles on the eyes

 

and let's take a rest

 

slowly coming

 

back slightly wiggle the fingers

 

the toes

 

the ankles, wrists and...

 

give your body a big stretch 

just like you're waking up

 

and when you're ready

 

keeping the eyes closed moving to your side

 

left side or right side coming into

 

a seated posture

 

and when you're ready you can open your eyes

 

and enjoy this

 

after yoga feeling towards the rest of your day