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FLOW
Grounding Flow: A fluid but grounding flow to move with steadiness and slow. it. down. Start with an awareness meditation and unfold into a vinyasa practice exploring twists and steadiness in our legs, playing with some variations of half moon pose at the wall. You’ll need two bricks if possible.
Circulation & Heart magic: ‘The human heart is the shape of your entire body, it is not a pump, but the place where blood refreshes its movement’ (Gil Hedley). Explore embodying your vascular system, blood flow, beating heart, pulsation and breath. This is a dynamic, at times strong and explorative practice that gets your circulation going and enlivens our felt relationship to our heart and all that that entails. We close with seated hip releases, a delicious rest, an inspiring peace mantra, and remember how to rest our mind into our hearts.
A process of becoming: A creative practice exploring backbends and the process of folding & unfolding ourselves into being. Integrating philosophical references from the recognition sutras, we start with a floor based flow finding space around the heart, ribs and spine, and then move into some creative core work and leg strengtheners as we find our fluid flow. Opens into backbend sequences and closes with a floor sequence to release. Props: 2 blocks (or 1, or large books)
Nurture & Invigorate: An accessible and well rounded stretchy flow that could be a nice wake up or a bit of invigorating nurturance at any time of day. Move through some non linear side body stretches, lunges, twists, forward bends. Build strength and stability and also find your flow. Close with some seated forward folds and twists and a short, sweet meditation.
Floor based flow: A supportive and somatic floor based practice to wiggle and roll on the ground moving though spinal rotations, shoulder release, playing with weight shift, free form flow and fully unholding into the support of the ground. Nurturing, gentle and powerful. Just over 35 minutes running time.
Heart Flow & Lower Body Strength: A fun and varied practice tuning into our vascular system and heart, with a focus on waking up the back body and building strength and support in our legs, glutes, feet - basically the antidote to sitting :). Play with yummy stretchy balance variations in supported side plank, handstand hops to get your heart moving and half moon, and close with some seated twists and a sweet rest at the end.
10 Minute Flow: A short and sweet flow for when you’ve only got 10 minutes and you want to get your practice in and bring some movement and presence into your day. Props: 1 block (you can do without). Enjoy!
A little bit of everything: A well rounded flow that nurtures a lot, challenges a little, moves between specific and free form movement, and invites options for playful balance explorations. We close with a yummy rest and some chanting. Great for when you need a little bit of everything.
Post run practice: Some of my go to practice favourites after a run to release and refresh. Starting with some myofascial release for our feet using a tennis or therapy ball (quick to skip if you don’t have one) and moves into a leg focused flow with some supported backbends and floor based stretchy goodness at the end. Props: Ball, yoga strap, block. This can of course also be done without the run (!) to release tired legs & feet.
Innermost & Outermost: A creative flow moving around the mat, exploring the relationship between the outermost layer of our body and the innermost workings of our nervous system. The skin and nervous system arise from the same source within the embryo. Feel into that relationship in this practice as you start with supported supine postures, challenge your balance, find your strength and power, and close with supported backbends and a yummy long rest. Props: A strap/tie and a block or rolled up towel.
Clarity & Direction: A balanced and fluid flow exploring clarity & direction as we move, in particular though the lower limbs. Starts with a floor based sequence to create space in our legs and moves into a continuous fluid practice with options to make practice stronger if you like, and play with side plank variations and balances as we find clarity, strength and reach through our legs.
Strong & Playful: A challenging class that plays with weight shift, balance, handstands and momentum. A variety of movement textures with asymmetrical movement woven through out to challenge our proprioception and forge new pathways. Options to play with press handstand variations (that are also easy to ignore and skip if that’s not fun for you). Less talking & instruction and more of a guided creative movement flow. Enjoy!
Sweaty Mood Booster: This practice is designed to get you feeling strong, get your circulation going, your heart beating, and invigorate and boost your mood with the magic of dynamic motion. For days when you need to shake things up and get a little sweaty and out of breath! Dynamic strength work, handstand hops, some stretchy goodness and rest interwoven for a feel good booster in a short amount of time. Take what you need, leave what you don’t, and have fun.
Flow & Restore: Start slowly, enjoy rolling movements on the ground, sneak into a little flow and settle into some restorative postures to close. A go to fave when I need to move, rest and replenish in equal measure. Props: 2 Blankets and a bolster or two sleeping pillows/ large cushion.
Creative Rib Flow: A practice focused on freeing up space and exploring the relationship between the ribs and spine. Through some dynamic movements, some very specific movements and some free flow, we open to a spacious spine-rib relationship. Play with a creative sequence including progressive ways into camel pose, leg strengtheners, crow pose play and a subtle but powerful floor based movement segment before we rest and chant.
Suspended Spine: Some of the questions we explore in this practice as we move through a varied, playful flow: What keeps my spine suspended and full of life? What early patterns of movement support freedom in back bending as an adult? How does the pattern of condensing and expanding manifest as our capacity to turn in and gather energy in order to find clarity in outward action? What are the role of our feet in extending our spine? Options to play with varied paces of motion, inversions and backbend variations with a long rest and some sound to finish.
When you’re not sure if you need to move or chill: A stretchy relaxing flow that starts with a floor sequence and sneaks you into some standing movement to invigorate and get the blood moving before settling into a brief meditation at the end to anchor into the dynamic and alive nature of stillness.
Front body support in backbends: How does the front of our body support spinal extension? Explore the relationship between the spine and the soft central axis of the gut tube, and the fascinating role that the hyoid bone plays in cultivating a subtle but powerful support from the front of the body during extension. Also explore how lungs and heart are moved and move you as you practice, starting slowly and unfolding into a fluid sequence of various scenarios for active extension, revolved half moon, and options for forearm balance variations.
Short, sweet, mellow flow: Practice 25 minutes of self nurturance in this mainly floor based flow with a focus on hip and side body release, spinal twist explorations, and a little meditation at the end.
