Today’s 90 minute Yoga class for your home practice!

Theme: Easing into Scissors (Eka Pada Koundinyasana II)
Intention: Balance! Can you focus on balancing your breath (the same length or inhale & exhale)? Your body (moving through space with ease & grace)? Your mind (thoughts of work & play)? Work with weaving play into your practice today, letting go of any expectation of getting into Scissors, and focusing on being grateful that you can move your body in this way today!

-Pranayama: Kapalbhati (Breath of Fire, Skull Shining Breath)
-Shoelace Side Bend with 1. Neck Release & the 2. Hip Traction (Traction the top thigh away from the hip & towards the floor)
-Elbow to Knee w 1 Leg Straight Up (do a few rounds with the feet on the floor to feel the glutes, then lift the feet & continue to engage the glutes)
-Bridge w 1 Leg Up & Figure Four
-Gate Opener
-Flash Prep w 1 Leg Up

**Demo** Pressing the spine straight up & shoulder blades wrapping around the upper back when stepping forward to lunge – the goal is to get more space around the chest when stepping forward in suns…and eventually keeping the lift when stepping into Scissors.

-Classical Suns : Do a few rounds with Low Lunge & a few with High Lunge to get your heart pumping

**Demo** Low Plank (elbows bent at 90 degree angles & hugged in towards the ribs), by placing a block under the pubic bone to give you a little support in your Low Plank. Cue engaging the serratus, chest & arms to keep you lifted & prevent dumping into the shoulders. You will use these muscles in Scissors later!

B-Series w Vignettes

Down Dog w Knee Circles (Inhale lift left leg & bend the knee so the heal comes close to the butt. Make large & small circles with the knee, then switch directions to lube & warm up the hip joint & strengthen the wrists to hold you up in arm balances – Switch to Right leg at start of other side)
1. War 1 w Eagle Arms -> War 1 w Hands Clasped -> Ostrich
a. (after first side) Diamond Cobra (see photo for description here)
b. (after second side) Yogi Squat

Down Dog Kicks (Inhale lift left leg, exhale bring left knee to left elbow, inhale lift, exhale knee to chest, inhale life, exhale knee to right elbow, inhale life, exhale step through…Switch to Right leg on other side)
2. Lunge H2B (Heal to Butt) -> Nomad’s Pose (Runner’s Lunge) -> Low Lunge w Back Knee Up (Maine Coon Cat)
a. Plank on Forearms
b. Crow

Down Dog Kicks Version 2 (Inhale lift left leg, exhale bring left knee to left elbow and then immediately to the outside of the left elbow bending elbows slightly…Switch to Right side to begin second side)
3. War 2 w Shrugs -> Head to Ankle Prep -> Head to Ankle
a. Plank on Forearms lifting one foot off the floor, then the other
b. Head to Ankle at the Wall

-Scissors:
**Demo** Coming into Scissors from Head to Ankle (walking the front leg out to the side)
**Demo** Coming into it from Down Dog with 2 blocks (next to each other the long way) under back feet to help people lift the hips higher
**Demo** Coming into it resting belly on and off the front bent elbow. Beginners may want to rest some body weight on an elbow, more advanced students may want to support their whole body weight with core strength & the lift from squeezing the legs together

-Double Leg Spinal Twist w Finger Stretches & Wrist Massage
-Back Traction w Uddiyana
-Knees to Chest/Happy Baby
-Savasana