start with sitting up comfortably on your mat and press your hands together at your heart center. rest your thumb knuckles into your chest and begin to deepen your breath while meditating on the power of the heart center or chakra. set your intention here to release yourself from the grip of fear. 

roll over onto your hands and knees and move through a few rounds of cat/cow. on the inhale, drop your belly toward the ground and lift up through your head and tailbone. focus on lifting up through your chest. on your exhale, pull your bellybutton up, round your spine towards the sky and tuck your chin and tailbone inward. take as many as you need to warm up your body and spine. 

from hands and knees, walk your hands out past your shoulders and start to sink your chest towards the ground. move slowly, and lower down with your exhales, taking your time and moving into a place where you feel a comfortable sensation. if your body allows, melt your chest down until it comes to the ground. hold here for anywhere from 3-5 breaths. 

after those few breaths, walk your hands further out until your belly rests onto the floor. relaxing your legs, lift yourself up onto your forearms and press your chest forward. move up only as it feels right for your body.  sit here for another 3-5 breaths. 

press back onto your hands and knees and move through a few more rounds of cat/cow.

afterwards, roll onto your back. bend your knees and bring your heels in towards your hips. reach your hands down by your sides. roll your shoulders underneath your chest and lift up your lower back. (placing a block underneath your back is a wonderful variation that feels amazing!) stay here for as many breaths as you comfortably can and focus on keeping your heart open. 

My class theme this week has been the intention of love.  There are so many different types of love we offer out every day.  However, the one person that always seems to be standing at the back of that line is... US!  
Ever notice how you're often hardest on yourself?  People with anxiety are naturally type-a and have perfectionistic tendencies.  Those two traits sometimes lead us to be even harder on ourselves than we even realize.  
Here are some heart-opening poses that will help alleviate depression and ease anxiety.  These poses also focus on the intention of love by expressing our hearts outward and allow us to share this intention with the universe. 

COBRA/UPWARD FACING DOG
-Start on your belly, press your palms down underneath your shoulders and hug your arms into your rib cage with elbows up
-Begin to press into your hands and curl yourself up. Lift up to full upward facing dog pose by straightening the arms gently, looking up to the sky and lifting your knees off the ground (toes stay down, pointed).  If your back is tight or injured, only lift halfway up into Cobra. Lift only up to your ribcage and focus the lift from your back rather than your hands. 
-Practice a few rounds of this, inhaling up and exhaling back down onto your stomach.
*keep your shoulders back and spread open through your collarbones to keep your heart open and shining!

BOW POSE
-Start lying face down with your hands resting by your hips.
-Bend your knees and reach back to hold your ankles or the tops of your feet.
-Press your feet against your hands and begin to lift up off the ground.  Take your time lifting. Use the energy between your hands and feet to lift deeper into your backbend. 
**before you lift up, roll your shoulders back. as you deepen your backbend here over time, begin to roll into your belly and feel a lift through your thighs.you can roll forward and backward if you have that available to you.

FISH POSE
-Lie on your back and reach your hands by your hips
-Tuck your hands under your hips, palms facing down
-Lift onto your forearms and gently begin to ease your head down
-Some might stay here for awhile. If you have more range of motion, release the top of your head down onto the ground/mat, crown of your head to the floor. 
-Keep your legs pressed together. Lift up through your chest and feel your heart expand.
**focus on the lower back here as you create this pose. If your back doesn't support this alone, keep your forearms on the ground to help give you lift


Another super quick heart opener you can do is interlace your hands behind your back and pull your knuckles towards the ground.  Feel your shoulders roll back, begin to backbend and look towards the sky. 

Make sure your back is warmed up and stretched before moving through any backbends!  

Set your intention today to create self love. Be mindful of your thoughts. Be aware of your energy.  Notice how you're showing up for yourself on a daily basis. Shift your perspective and be first on line to receive your love and acceptance!

with LOVE,

xo b  

It's funny how the thought of inversions tend to conjure up images of handstands and balancing on one's head.  Inversions are actually very calming poses, but the initial thoughts about them cause anxiety and stress to plenty of people!  So let's shine the spotlight on INVERSIONS today.  

Why do inversions?  From just a general health perspective, inversions reverse blood flow and improve circulation, they increase our immunity, prevent illness and even energize us!  From our perspective of being over-stressed and anxious, inversions calm our nervous systems.  Inversions trigger our parasympathetic nervous system which enables us to feel calm and balanced.  Our sympathetic nervous system is responsible for our stress response, so the more we activate the parasympathetic nervous system, the more grounded and stable we'll feel!  

Now, not every inversion is built the same.  Yes, you can pop into headstand for a couple of minutes and enjoy the benefits of flippng your world upside down, but what if that's not in your practice yet?  Are you out of luck?  Nope!  Here are some beginner-friendly inversions that you can try today:

These are all gentle inversions that most of us feel comfortable trying!  Next time you're stressed, literally flip yourself (and your world!) upside down! Change your perspective, change your life. 

**contraindications: unmedicated high blood pressure, some heart conditions, neck injuries, recent stroke, detached retina, glaucoma, and epilepsy are common issues that should be addressed before inverting. Always talk with your doc if you're unsure before adding something new into your practice and life!  

xo b