21 Days of You - Gentle Morning Stretch with Janine

<<0>> Hi, my name's Janine,

<<2>> and I'm an Iyengar Yoga teacher.

<<4>> And I'm going to invite you to join me

<<5>> for a little morning stretch.

<<7>> So grab a couple of
cushions, maybe a blanket,

<<9>> so that you're comfortable,

<<10>> and join me with some Frankincense.

<<18>> So we're just going to pop
some Frankincense on our hands.

<<20>> Frankincense is going to help us

<<22>> ground into the practice together.

<<24>> So just rubbing your palms together,

<<26>> bringing it into your heart centre,

<<29>> lifting up through the spine.

<<31>> And as you sit, just make
sure that your spine can lift,

<<34>> your knees are a little
bit lower than your hips.

<<37>> That helps your spine to
lift up and then breathe in.

<<41>> And as you breathe out,

<<42>> just let those shoulder
blades settle down.

<<47>> Take another breath in,

<<51>> and out, letting the
shoulder blades settle down.

<<55>> And as you breathe in,
now expand your ribs,

<<58>> open your heart, open your collarbones,

<<63>> and slowly breathing out,

<<65>> just letting everything land and settle.

<<68>> Feeling your buttocks on your
cushions or your bolster,

<<71>> extending your spine up.

<<75>> Just allowing yourself to be present here.

<<80>> And just set your intention for today.

<<83>> How do you want your day to be?

<<86>> How do you want to feel today?

<<89>> And just bring in that intention

<<91>> into your practice with you.

<<98>> Lovely.

<<101>> And then just bowing
your head to your heart,

<<105>> releasing your palms.

<<107>> Just gradually opening your
eyes again and lift your head.

<<111>> Wonderful.

<<112>> So with your cushions,

<<114>> you can pile your cushions up

<<116>> so you create a little bit
more height for yourself.

<<119>> And we're just going to
lie back on the bolster

<<121>> to open your heart and your lungs.

<<123>> It's really important to
give your heart and lungs

<<126>> space to breathe.

<<128>> So we're supporting it
from the shoulder blade,

<<130>> so just gently lying back.

<<132>> We're going to join the
soles of the feet together

<<134>> and let your hips release.

<<136>> If you find that your head's tipping back,

<<138>> just place another cushion underneath it

<<139>> so your spine's nice and long.

<<142>> And just allow your arms
to roll the shoulders out

<<145>> and place your arms by your side.

<<148>> And then just tune into the breath,

<<151>> just allowing the breath
to come from your belly

<<154>> into your chest.

<<157>> Lift, open, expand your heart centre.

<<161>> And as you breathe out,

<<162>> just allow your body to surrender,

<<165>> to let go.

<<167>> Just allowing yourself just this moment.

<<171>> You have nowhere to be, nowhere to go.

<<174>> Just take another deep breath in.

<<178>> And out.

<<180>> And as your heart is
open, your lungs are open,

<<182>> you're supporting the shoulder blades.

<<185>> It helps your posture.

<<189>> We're just going to
take a fold of the arm,

<<190>> so bringing your thumbs into the elbows,

<<193>> and then lifting your elbows up and over.

<<196>> Feel the stretch coming
from the back body.

<<199>> So we're not trying to poke
the ribs to the ceiling,

<<201>> we're bringing them down,
lengthening through the sides.

<<204>> We're opening up through the side ribs.

<<208>> So again, helping the
breath, helping the lungs.

<<212>> Nice, deep breath in.

<<215>> And out.

<<221>> And then slowly release.

<<222>> Change the fold of your arms.

<<225>> Push the elbows to the ceiling,
and then extending over.

<<228>> So you're opening up through
the side of your body,

<<231>> from your waist, to your
armpits, to your elbows.

<<234>> And then broaden out into your armpits

<<236>> so your throat feels nice and relaxed.

<<240>> Take a full deep breath in.

<<245>> Lift open and expand your chest,

<<249>> and breathe out, releasing.

<<255>> And then slowly bringing your arms back.

<<258>> Just let your arms, for a
moment, settle by the side.

<<261>> Take a few more breaths here.

<<263>> Just allowing your hips to release,

<<267>> keeping your chest open.

<<275>> And then slowly using your hands,

<<277>> bring those knees back together.

<<280>> You're just going to roll to your side.

<<282>> Just take a little
moment here on your side,

<<284>> opening your eyes,

<<287>> and then pushing up.

<<289>> And then we're going to
come with our kneeling pose.

<<292>> And again, if you struggle
with any kneeling,

<<294>> just place another cushion
underneath your buttocks.

<<298>> And then we're going to stretch forward.

<<300>> So you can have something to go onto,

<<303>> or you can bring your hands to the floor.

<<304>> So I'll show you both options.

<<306>> Keeping your tailbone down,

<<308>> we're just going to
extend through the spine.

<<310>> We really want to get

<<311>> this beautiful stretch through the spine,

<<313>> opening up for your
posture through the day.

<<316>> So we're preparing the body for

<<318>> everything you've got
to come through the day.

<<321>> And if you feel you can take that lower,

<<324>> you can stretch your
hands, spreading the palms,

<<327>> bringing yourself down,

<<329>> and then slowly releasing your head down.

<<335>> And you're feeling that
length from your tailbone

<<337>> to the top of your head
through to the fingertips,

<<339>> and really try to switch the arms on.

<<342>> So we want these muscles
to support the joints.

<<345>> So squeezing up through the
arms, roll your shoulders out.

<<349>> And again, where we
were resting the bolster

<<352>> on the back of your ribs,

<<353>> we want to feel that those are moving in.

<<358>> And as you breathe,
again, you're trying to

<<360>> expand your spine a little bit more.

<<365>> Taking a few deeper breaths,

<<366>> allowing your body to open gently.

<<373>> Opening through the side
body, the whole of the spine.

<<378>> Make sure you're not
gripping around your neck.

<<387>> And then slowly release.

<<390>> Just interlocking your fingers,
extend your palms forward,

<<394>> and then reaching up
through the body again.

<<397>> So when you're reaching up,

<<398>> sit the tailbone right the way down.

<<401>> Feel the spine opening,

<<402>> the heart opening, the chest opening.

<<405>> Gripping those outer arms in,

<<408>> slowly raise your head up,

<<410>> pressing your palms to the ceiling,

<<414>> and release.

<<416>> We change the cross of the fingers,

<<417>> so whichever little fingers at the bottom,

<<420>> change it, push forward.

<<422>> So you're spreading those palms again,

<<423>> and really squeeze the outer arms in.

<<425>> Broaden through your collarbones,
lifting your chest up.

<<429>> And then, again, reaching up,
squeeze those out arms in.

<<432>> We're really trying to get those muscles

<<434>> to switch on to support your joints.

<<437>> And then just take a little
lift of the head upwards,

<<440>> breathing in.

<<443>> And out.

<<446>> And then slowly release it down.

<<450>> So coming to lie down now,

<<453>> and we're just going to place
the hands by your chest.

<<456>> We're going to curl the toes under,

<<459>> and then bringing yourself
up onto your knees.

<<461>> Keep your hands exactly
where they are here.

<<464>> Squeeze those arms in,
make them really strong,

<<467>> and then we're going to lift
up, straightening the legs.

<<470>> And you'd squeeze the thighs,

<<472>> and you extend your body backwards.

<<476>> So really feeling, again,
that length in your spine.

<<479>> The aim here is to really
work into the posture muscles,

<<482>> to set them up for the day,

<<484>> to release any tension out
of your nervous system,

<<488>> opening up more with your breath.

<<491>> Hold it for as long as you can.

<<494>> So your belly moves in
and out as you breathe.

<<496>> There's no tension,
there's no holding there,

<<498>> but your arms and your legs
are firm and working hard.

<<504>> Just take a few breaths here.

<<515>> And then slowly bringing
yourself back down.

<<517>> And just come back into that child's pose.

<<522>> Just trying to lengthen and open.

<<530>> And then slowly release back up.

<<533>> Lovely. So coming your feet now.

<<536>> So taking your feet wide
apart, wider than your hips.

<<540>> If you're on a yoga mat,
the width of your yoga mat.

<<542>> And we're going to suck
up through the legs.

<<545>> I'm going to fold forward,

<<548>> extending your spine as
you're folding forward,

<<551>> and broaden and open your chest.

<<554>> If this is enough for you, stay here.

<<556>> You could always bring
your hands onto your shins.

<<559>> Just keep looking forward with your chest.

<<562>> You can bring your hands down

<<563>> if you feel that's where you can go.

<<565>> But again, we're trying to
lengthen the upper back.

<<568>> Remember when we started at the beginning,

<<570>> we tried to move the shoulder blades in.

<<572>> So we're extending the lengthening
through the upper back,

<<576>> trying to keep the heart
lifted, the lungs lifted.

<<579>> Now really be firm with your legs.

<<581>> So press firmly into the feet, suck up.

<<583>> Use the muscles to open
the joints and extend.

<<588>> Just take a few breaths here.

<<591>> And as you breathe, just
notice your tummy should move.

<<594>> So don't grip in the tummy.

<<596>> As you breathe in, your tummy inflates.

<<601>> And as you breathe out, it
softens back to the spine.

<<603>> And that's when I want you to try

<<605>> and encourage that length
through your spine.

<<609>> Now to come up, really
press firmly into your feet.

<<612>> Grip those leg muscles even more.

<<614>> Grip through your buttocks as you lift,

<<617>> and bring yourself to stand tall.

<<619>> When you're up, try and move your weight

<<621>> back into your heels.

<<622>> Don't let yourself lean forward.

<<625>> Come back into your heels,

<<626>> keep lifting up through your body.

<<628>> Take your arms up,

<<630>> take a breath,

<<634>> and slowly release down.

<<636>> And then just bring yourself
into the middle of your mat.

<<641>> We're going to take the next
post with our feet wide.

<<643>> So stretching your feet out wide.

<<645>> Take your arms out wide,

<<646>> and you're looking for your
wrists and ankles to be in line.

<<650>> And when you stretch your arms,

<<651>> really use these muscles
to open your chest wide.

<<654>> Open your heart and your lungs again.

<<656>> And then just bringing your hands down,

<<658>> we're going to turn to the side,

<<660>> so turning your feet.

<<662>> Pick up your back leg and turn even more

<<664>> so that your hips can face the side.

<<667>> And then plant in your feet,
suck up through your legs,

<<669>> lift up through your
body, open your chest,

<<673>> and we're either going to
fold your arms behind the back

<<677>> or, if you can, I'll just show you,

<<680>> we're going to take
your palms up the back.

<<683>> So one or the other, choose
which one's right for you.

<<686>> And then again, just
stabilise through your feet.

<<689>> Lift up through your legs,
lift up through your chest,

<<693>> and then we're going to
start to bend the front knee.

<<695>> As you bend the front knee,

<<696>> really push back into this back leg.

<<699>> And the key thing here is
to keep your pelvis lifted

<<701>> and move your tailbone in

<<704>> and opening up your chest.

<<707>> So go as deep as you can.

<<709>> Knee goes over your ankle here.

<<714>> A couple of breaths.

<<716>> Just finding your stability, your centre.

<<718>> So from here, releasing
the arms, taking them up,

<<722>> stretching up through the
torso, through the body,

<<725>> grounding through your feet firmly.

<<730>> Take a breath in and out.

<<735>> Slowly bring your arms
down, straighten the legs.

<<739>> Bring yourself back round to the centre.

<<741>> And just realign yourself here.

<<743>> Checking the distance for
your arms and your legs.

<<746>> So this gives your pelvis a lot of space.

<<748>> So it's really important
to have your legs wide.

<<751>> And once you've got that,

<<752>> bring your hands back onto your hips.

<<753>> We're going to turn to the other side.

<<756>> So turn in the body, pick
up your back leg, turn it in

<<760>> so that you've got your
hips facing the side.

<<762>> You could always have a chair next to you

<<764>> if you feel a little bit wobbly.

<<766>> And really now work on your
feet, suck up your legs.

<<768>> Lift your pelvis.

<<770>> So whichever arm you
folded the first time,

<<773>> try and fold the opposite arm this time.

<<776>> And those of you, take
your arms up your back,

<<777>> just bring them up again,

<<778>> roll your shoulders, open
your heart, open your chest.

<<783>> Firm those feet, firm those legs, lift up.

<<786>> And then you're going to start to bend,

<<788>> moving that tailbone in, and
keeping your pelvis lifted,

<<792>> and checking that your
knee is over your ankle.

<<794>> As you press back into that back leg,

<<797>> your back leg is your anchor.

<<800>> So really working through that leg.

<<803>> Just take a few breaths
here to stabilise yourself.

<<809>> And then bringing the arms down.

<<811>> You're going to reach up,

<<812>> try and make those arms nice and straight.

<<814>> Really work the muscles through the arms

<<816>> to help you lift up through your torso.

<<821>> A breath here.

<<827>> And then slowly release the
hands down, straighten the legs,

<<832>> bring yourself back round to the centre,

<<834>> and just give yourself a
little stretch again here.

<<836>> Really open yourself out wide.

<<839>> Take a breath,

<<843>> and release, bringing
your feet back together.

<<846>> So let's just find that posture.

<<848>> So grounding through your feet, spread.

<<850>> Lift your balls of your
feet up, spread your toes,

<<854>> spread through your feet,

<<855>> and then suck up through your legs.

<<857>> Roll your shoulders down

<<859>> and just stretch down with the fingertips.

<<863>> Take a couple of breaths here

<<864>> and just really centre yourself.

<<867>> Find that grounding
through your feet and legs.

<<871>> Breathe in,

<<873>> and out.

<<876>> Good.

<<879>> Okay, so we're going to come
back down onto the floor

<<883>> and bringing back in your cushions.

<<887>> And you're just going to
put a couple of cushions,

<<889>> one on top of the other.

<<890>> Or if you've got a yoga
bolster, use your bolster.

<<893>> And we're going to actually lie back now

<<895>> with our hips supported on the bolster.

<<897>> So just taking care
when you are lying down.

<<901>> So just bringing your buttocks,

<<902>> rolling your spine down,

<<904>> so that your shoulders are on the floor,

<<906>> your pelvis is lifted,

<<908>> and you have your feet parallel.

<<911>> And then again, you can just
rest your arms by your side,

<<916>> and just take a few breaths here.

<<920>> Again, letting the abdomen
move as you breathe.

<<923>> So it's really important
that we're not gripping here.

<<925>> When you breathe in,

<<927>> your belly should lift up.

<<931>> And as you breathe out, it settles back.

<<933>> So this is massaging all
these internal organs.

<<936>> It's really good for us.

<<938>> So really look for that breath.

<<940>> Breathing in.

<<942>> Let the belly inflate up.

<<946>> And as you breathe out,

<<948>> just let it settle down.

<<952>> So just invite you quietly now

<<953>> to do a couple breaths like
that, really tuning in.

<<963>> Softening the body.

<<967>> Try and breathe through your nose.

<<980>> Good.

<<982>> So just bring your feet
in a little bit more,

<<984>> tip your pelvis, press
down into your feet,

<<987>> lift up through your buttocks now.

<<990>> So we're trying to get this
posterior chain switched on,

<<993>> moving the tailbone and
lifting up as much as you can.

<<998>> And then you're just going to slide

<<1000>> everything out of the way,

<<1002>> and then roll down through your spine,

<<1007>> slowly releasing.

<<1011>> And then hug your right leg
in, extend your left leg away.

<<1015>> So imagine you've got a wall
at the end of that foot.

<<1017>> So pushing into your heel and
really press this thigh down.

<<1021>> Now, it's like you're trying
to get rid of the daylight

<<1023>> underneath that leg

<<1024>> and draw this thigh in as much as you can.

<<1029>> Just holding it here, relax
your shoulders, relax your jaw.

<<1037>> And then let that left leg release.

<<1039>> We're going to bring this
leg across your body.

<<1042>> So take your right arm out to the side.

<<1044>> Just gently now easing this leg across

<<1047>> as far as is comfortable for you.

<<1051>> Take a breath in,

<<1054>> and release out.

<<1055>> See if it'll go any further.

<<1056>> And you may feel your back click.

<<1058>> Don't worry. It's all good.

<<1065>> And slowly release bringing that back.

<<1068>> Bending in your left leg,
extend into your right leg.

<<1071>> So again, imagine you've got a
wall at the end of that foot.

<<1074>> Really push into that wall

<<1075>> so your muscles in this leg are active.

<<1078>> We want to open out the back of the knee.

<<1080>> We've got our lymph nodes
in the back of the knee.

<<1082>> We're trying to detox
the body as we stretch.

<<1087>> So you just hold.

<<1088>> You do a couple of breaths

<<1089>> to just let your body notice
what it is you're doing,

<<1092>> what you're asking it.

<<1093>> Your body doesn't like to rush.

<<1098>> And then just let this right leg relax.

<<1100>> We're going to take the left arm out

<<1102>> and slowly bring the leg across.

<<1107>> Again, just feel where that point goes,

<<1109>> where your body feels like it's resisting.

<<1111>> Just hold it and take a breath.

<<1116>> And on your outbreath,

<<1117>> just invite you to go
a little bit further.

<<1125>> And then slowly release.

<<1128>> Okay, so we are going to
now move into Shavasana,

<<1132>> which is our little yoga rest at the end.

<<1135>> So before we do, just
lift up your buttocks

<<1137>> and I want you to feel like

<<1138>> you're lengthening your
tailbone towards the heels.

<<1142>> Take your palms out and
roll them to the ceiling.

<<1145>> So again, you're letting
the shoulders roll away,

<<1148>> and then stretching your legs out.

<<1150>> And I want you to extend and
really push your legs out.

<<1153>> Extend and reach your arms out.

<<1156>> Take a deep breath in.

<<1159>> Breathe out,

<<1161>> and just let the floor
below hold your body.

<<1165>> Allow your jaw to relax.

<<1167>> Allow your tongue to relax.

<<1171>> And just notice your body now.

<<1173>> You might feel tingly,

<<1175>> you might feel your blood pulsing around,

<<1178>> but hopefully you feel more awareness.

<<1184>> I'm just going to go quiet for a moment

<<1187>> and just allow you to enjoy
that stillness within yourself.

<<1217>> Now, you are more than welcome
to stay longer if you wish.

<<1224>> But if you're coming back with me,

<<1225>> just slowly bring your
feet back to the ground,

<<1230>> remembering your place here on this earth.

<<1235>> Bring your hands back to your body,

<<1238>> remembering this journey in
this body that you're having.

<<1246>> And then you're going to
roll to your right side.

<<1248>> Just support your head as you roll,

<<1250>> bend your knees well in,

<<1251>> and just pause here for a moment.

<<1253>> It's so important that we
don't rush this process.

<<1258>> Slowly opening your eyes,

<<1260>> just bringing yourself back present.

<<1264>> And then gently pushing on your hands.

<<1266>> Just bringing yourself to sit back up

<<1269>> and just grab something to
sit on that you started with.

<<1274>> Coming back to seat.

<<1276>> Again, just grabbing your Frankincense

<<1279>> to finish the practice.

<<1281>> Rubbing the palms together.

<<1283>> Come back into your heart centre.

<<1285>> Lift your spine.

<<1289>> Just connect back to that intention

<<1291>> that you set at the
beginning of the session.

<<1296>> How do you want the day to go?

<<1298>> How do you want to feel today?

<<1301>> Now we've grounded in the practice.

<<1303>> We've grounded you in your
body with that awareness.

<<1307>> Take your energy, take
your beautiful body,

<<1310>> and enjoy the rest of your day.

<<1315>> Bring your head down to your heart.

<<1316>> Connect into your heart centre.

<<1321>> Release the palms,

<<1323>> gradually opening the eyes,

<<1326>> and lift your head.

<<1328>> I hope you've enjoyed that
practice with me today.

<<1330>> Have a wonderful day.

<<1332>> Take care.