- Hello my sweet 
friends and welcome to your
31 day Yoga Revolution.
Today we have a 
serenity practice,
so I'm going to 
invite you to grab a pillow.
I grabbed the pillow off my bed.
You can grab any pillow 
and if you don't have one,
don't worry, you'll 
still be really comfy.
So some traditions 
are not meant to die,
so it's day eight, 
don't hate, meditate, feel great.
Can't wait.
(upbeat music)
Alright my lovely friends, 
we're going to begin
in a nice 
comfortable seat,
ankles crossed, sit up 
on your pillow if you like.
I went full hog and 
laid a whole blanket down.
So if you want to pause 
the video and get really cozy
so that you can stretch out
on a nice padded 
surface, please do.
And when you're ready, 
we'll bring the hands
to the tops of 
thighs or the knees,
whatever feels more 
natural, most natural,
whatever feels good.
And let's take a 
trip down memory lane
to yesterday's practice 
and begin to find this
lift up through the 
front body, this grounding
through the back body.
Feel this connection 
of the sits bones
down into the earth, this
length up through the crown.
This steadiness, 
this alertness in the spine.
And then let's use 
the breath to soften it,
so today as you know 
is about soft, stretchy,
yummy movement, but 
that's not without support
or the stability, so we're
gonna marry the two together,
and hopefully that will leave
you feeling super refreshed
and balanced, and a 
little more balanced
in your inner world when we
finish this practice today.
So sit up nice and tall 
and use your breath to find
places to soften, maybe through
the fingertips, the jaw.
And, whatever this means to you,
just take a moment, 
maybe close your eyes,
go inward to 
blanket yourself in love.
So if you've been 
really hard on yourself,
I was hard on myself yesterday
and I finally 
recognized it, and then once
I recognized it, 
I lifted that weight
off my own self and felt better.
So, if you've been 
really hard on yourself lately
or maybe you just 
had a rough day thus far
or rough week or 
rough year, can you blanket
yourself in love here?
And that's not easy 
to do, so that's why
we commit to this practice.
What does it feel like 
to blanket yourself in love?
What would that look like?
What would that feel like?
How would you breathe?
And for me, when I really move
from a place of self love,
as cheesy as hell as it sounds,
that is when I feel 
and discover peace,
this idea of 
balance and tranquility,
or as we are 
embracing today, serenity.
And when you think 
of the word serene,
what sort of picture 
comes up in your head?
So it's really not that 
we're lackadaisical and chill
all the time, we're focused, 
we're alert, sthira,
but we balance 
that with the ease
and with the recognition 
of what feels comfy.
That's how I like to define it.
So today is about 
embracing that
really nice, slow movement here.
Open your eyes if 
they are not already
and bring the 
left fingertips down,
and then slowly, left palm 
or left fingertips down,
and then slowly 
just draw your left ear
over your left shoulder.
And try to keep anchored 
through your right shoulder.
That stability in the shoulders.
And then a little softness here,
maybe you close your eyes
once you get into the good spot.
Maybe you find 
soft, easy movement.
And then maybe you 
stay here or maybe you lift
the left hand and 
draw it all the way up
just to the top of the head.
We're not putting 
any extra added weight,
got zenned out 
there, it's working,
but just allowing 
the weight of the hand
to naturally fall.
And then don't 
let this come up here,
but keep that 
stability that we establish
in the shoulders, keep that.
And then, are you breathing?
Let's breathe.
So it's super hard to slow down,
I want to acknowledge that,
so you are a total 
badass for being here
and for showing up.
Stick with this video.
Stick with me.
Stick with your practice.
And if you're really 
busy and you feel like
you don't have time, know 
that this time on your mat
is going to affect 
all the other things
you have to do.
Ten-fold.
Read my email today.
Read it later, 
make time for that too,
because it really is 
about us shifting gears
to realize, ah yes, by 
taking this time for myself,
everything else 
moves more smoothly.
Alright, release the 
left hand to the ground.
Draw the chin 
through to the chest
and then lift up 
to center from here.
Mmmm, right fingertips 
or right palm comes down.
Bring the left 
hand to the left thigh
and then find that 
stability in the shoulders,
and then slow and 
steady, drop right ear
over right shoulder.
And so the first layer here, 
the superficial layer,
that kind of first layer is, 
ah yes, neck stretch,
perfect, wonderful, 
great for everyone.
But then use your breath to
go beyond that, and again,
practice moving, 
breathing, experiencing
the full body here, 
so you might see
this line from crown to tail.
You might feel the 
stretch from your left ear
to your left hip.
You might have a memory 
or thoughts might come up
about your to-do list later.
And then embrace 
all of those things.
And keep returning to 
the role of the observer
by the breath, via the breath.
Right hand might 
come up and over.
Soft and easy, be kind.
Practice being kind 
and gentle to yourself.
It's tough.
Mmmm.
Maybe take one more breath here.
And then use the 
exhale to release.
Draw the chin into the chest.
And then roll it 
up here, life is good.
Yes, beautiful.
So soft, easy movement.
Pay attention to how 
you connect things today
from point A to 
point B, really nice, calm,
soft, easy movement, okay,
left foot's gonna come in.
We're gonna really 
draw that left heel in
and then I'm gonna actually
turn on my mat a little bit here
so I can send the 
right foot out long.
Then tug the 
right hip crease in,
tug the right 
thighbone into socket here.
Chko.
And then roll the 
left inner thigh out.
Then remember when we 
were in Tree Pose yesterday?
Squeeze, find a little squeeze
up through the midline.
And then inhale, reach 
the arms up towards the sky.
Exhale, slowly coming
forward, Head-to-Knee Pose.
Now we're not gonna crank.
Again, we're not trying to
fit ourselves into this shape,
but pay attention to 
everything along the way.
So maybe one day I'll get here.
But, keep the action of the legs
as you slowly play 
with coming forward.
Try to keep the upper 
back broad and the chest open.
Then we have some options here.
We can grab the shin, 
can grab our pant.
We can interlace, 
need some room here,
interlace the fingertips, 
bring them to the foot.
Or, we can take the 
left hand to the outer edge
of the right foot 
for a deeper stretch
in the left side body.
Might be good after 
that day six oblique work.
And then breathing here.
Spread the toes.
Soften through the skin of
the forehead and your brow,
and on a final exhale we
will draw chin to chest here.
I'm already feeling serenity.
Serenity now!
You knew it was gonna 
happen, just a matter of time.
Serenity now!
Tuck the chin into the chest.
From your root, 
that root chakra,
ground down into 
the earth, coccyx down,
and we roll up.
Beautiful, and 
we'll recenter on the mat,
and we're gonna bend the 
right knee, slow and steady,
keep active in the toes.
You can never be too 
careful, too mindful,
and we're gonna 
come into this shape
that I dubbed cheerleader 
pose, which is not a great,
not brilliant by any means, 
but you get the image.
And so, pay 
attention to the sensation
in your right hip socket.
And then if you 
need more stability,
you can walk the left heel out.
Fabulous, once you get 
there, loop the shoulders,
lift your heart, and 
we're just gonna take
the right arm across the body.
Use the left palm to 
find this stretch here,
and so you've come to this arm
stretch in gym class before,
but let's bring our 
yoga mindfulness to it
by maybe finding 
stability through the shoulders,
so a little 
squaring of the shoulders.
And then boom, 
anchoring some weight down here,
think about allowing your
right glute to be really heavy,
so rather than 
forcing the bone there,
just imagine that right hip
or that right glute 
gettin' heavy, you know.
(laughs)
Did your right 
glute get heavy today?
Yes, I did yoga.
31 days of Yoga Revolution!
Okay, one more breath, 
lift your heart.
And then release, and 
we're gonna do a twist here.
So first twist to the right.
This is a small twist.
Inhale, lift up.
And then exhale, big twist.
As you come through center,
dial your heart to the left.
Inhale, lift.
And exhale, twist.
Wonderful, release, 
come back to center.
And slow and steady, 
the right heel comes in,
and the left leg 
goes out, Janu Sirsasana,
Head-to-Knee Pose.
Left thighbone tugs in.
Top of the 
right thigh rolls out.
Then, you may not be used to
doing this in Janu Sirsasana,
but do it today, since we're
kind of building each day,
imagine you're in 
Tree Pose just like yesterday
and press your foot, even if
it's not pressing all the way,
but imagine it pressing in, 
and find that squeeze,
that lift up.
So you're not going 
into the pose like this,
selling yourself short, dang it.
Really root to rise 
here, find that lift,
squeeze, find length, and
then explore the forward fold.
So, same as before, you 
can keep the palms here,
grab the shin, maybe 
you play with interlacing,
or taking the right 
hand to the outer edge
of the left thigh, and 
I encourage you to try different
things here, slow and mindful,
and not just get stuck.
So play, 
navigate with your breath.
And then remember to 
soften the skin of the face
and the brow, serenity now.
So I toyed with calling 
today's practice surrender,
but I liked this idea 
of serenity being a quality
that comes from 
all these actions
that we're doing on the mat,
so surrender is Shavasan,
but today it's still active,
it's just a different quality,
a different flavor, 
a different rasa.
Take one more deep breath in.
Use your next exhale to 
draw the chin to the chest.
And then roll it up.
Roll it up, keep the 
toes active as you shift
back to center, 
bend the knee, toes active.
Come to this shape.
(laughs)
Brilliant, Adriene.
So here we go again, feeling
the weight of that left glute
drop down, woo, feels good.
Should feel really 
good here, day eight.
And then here we go, left
hand crosses over the chest,
big stretch here, square the
shoulders, lift your heart.
And again, allowing that 
left glute to be heavy here,
toes are active.
And then slowly release.
Small twist to the left, 
rooting down to rise here,
so lift your heart.
And then release, 
big twist to the right.
Send breath 
down into your belly,
so practice that 
directional breath,
that diaphragmatic breathing, 
so breathe all the way
down to your belly 
here even if you just get
one good one in there, 
come on, give it to me.
Big breath into the belly.
So great for the 
internal organs when we breathe
in such a way, and 
then release, awesome.
Okay, so we're 
gonna bring the soles
of the feet together here.
Again, lift up on your pillow.
So now we're going 
tops of the thighs out
and we lift up 
through the heart, the chest,
and it's foot 
massage time, don't be shy.
So take your thumbs to 
the arches of the feet.
So one of my goals 
for this year is to learn
more about the feet, 'cause
I know how important it is,
but I'm wanting to expand 
my knowledge on the feet,
I'm interested in reflexology.
So if you know some 
shiz, share it with me
and everyone in 
the comments below.
I do know that tending 
to this arched space too
via self massages is 
a really good thing,
positive force.
I'll get into that 
maybe another day,
but I think I got into it
with the third chakra video.
Anyway, I'm 
interested in learning,
so if you know, make 
sure you get your toes.
If you're a toe popper, 
be my guest.
You're not in a public class,
so you can pop away, daddy!
And then the ankles.
(laughs)
Mmmm, and tops of the feet.
You can always wash your
hands after this, okay dudes,
so give yourself a massage.
And this can be a moment for
some where it's emotional.
So I'm lucky, I have practice,
an opportunity to rub 
my own damn feet a lot
in my line of work, 
but pay attention.
Sometimes when you rub your
feet, you feel like crying.
There's a release.
Sometimes there's 
other stuff that comes up
that's more mental emotional,
like oh, I wish I had 
someone to rub my feet.
Well so does everyone.
Just kidding, so this is 
a great opportunity for us
to just kind of smile 
and keep a sense of humor,
but also be really 
loving to ourselves.
Alright.
And then remember 
this moment the next time
you're having trouble sleeping.
You can lay on your back in
your bed and rub your feet.
Or, if you have a partner,
get them to join the parade.
It's so exciting 
to see so many people
doing Yoga with Adriene 
though with their partners
and with their friends, or their
roommates, or their family.
I think the more 
people practicing yoga,
the better the world.
(laughs)
Of course, I'm biased.
Okay, so that's it, now 
we're gonna shake it off.
So we just had a bunch 
of energy in the hands,
so I'm gonna shake it off, 
but keep the knees wide
and lift up through 
your heart space.
Shake it, really shake it.
Shake it.
Like a Polaroid picture.
Keep shaking.
Maybe close your eyes.
Shake a little faster.
And then release, bring 
the hands to the outer edge
of the knees, active 
toes as you bring it in,
and we're gonna come to lie
all the way flat on the back.
Take your time getting there.
Take your pillow with you.
And we're gonna use it.
Oh yeah, 
day eight, can't complain.
I hope everyone 
makes it to day eight, man.
Okay, so bring the soles 
of the feet to the ground,
and if you want a pillow and
you didn't go grab one earlier,
just pause the video 
and go grab a pillow,
but you better come back.
Snuggle your shoulder blades
underneath your heart space
and tap into that 
inner smile or hell,
it's day eight, 
you better just smile.
And then bring the 
fingertips down at your side
and really root all 
four corners of the feet
into the ground 
and when you're ready,
inhale, start with the tail,
get really sassy on me today
with that pelvis, 
okay, so rock the pelvis up,
find articulation in 
all parts of the spine.
So really try to get articulate
in the parts of the spine,
the vertebrae that 
maybe you don't normally,
so that requires 
slowing down as you lift up.
So we're not blasting 
into an active Bridge today,
but rather using 
this as a little container
to find 
articulation in the spine.
And I'm gonna let you go 
up and down a couple times
on your own and 
move with your breath,
and so this is gonna be a
little different for everyone.
And I do, 
obviously a ton of yoga,
but even my 
chiropractor who I love,
shout out to my chiropractor
and now friend, she's amazing,
she has really encouraged 
me to slow down here,
maybe even close the 
eyes and try to gain more
articulation and more 
awareness in the vertebra
that I'm maybe kind of 
just blowing past every time.
Okay, so for me it's thoracic,
but for you it could 
be somethin' different.
I should say, lovies, if 
you're on a couch pillow,
you're gonna need to take 
the pillow off to the side,
which we're gonna 
do in a second anyway,
'cause you want your 
neck to be able to feel good.
Alright, let's do one 
more wherever you are.
Stick with it, it's hard 
to slow down sometimes.
I want to honor that, 
so stick with me.
And then release.
Alright, ready for the catch?
You need reach behind, 
grab your pillow.
If you didn't grab a pillow, 
you're just gonna do
hands together, namaste, okay?
So here's the catch, 
we grab the pillow
or hands together at 
namaste, and we bring it up
and over to the left.
'Kay, squeeze your pillow, 
so there's lots of energy
and if you didn't bring 
a pillow to practice today,
press the palms 
together with energy.
So you're either 
pressing palms together
or squeezing your pillow.
Tap into that inner 
smile and lift the knees.
Send your navel 
down towards your spine
and lower back 
flush with the mat.
Inhale in, exhale, 
bring the pillow or your palms
up and over to the right.
Squeeze, lift the tailbone up.
Inhale, draw a big 
rainbow up and over to the left,
and then see if you 
can keep lots of space
between your chin and your
chest here, so don't crunch.
If you'd like a little more, 
extend opposite leg
all the way down.
And so here, we're having a
little fun in this core connect,
but I love the 
image of the pillow,
because it's literally, right,
marrying effort and ease.
(laughs)
Sthira and sukha.
Strength and comfort,
so keep it goin', lads.
(exhaling)
Inhale as you come in, 
whoa that was my hip.
Exhale as you go to the side.
Inhale as you come in.
Exhale as you go to the side.
Alright, do one more, 
even it out.
And then check it out, 
feet go up towards the sky.
Pillow goes up 
towards your feet, lower.
And then exhale, 
pulses with the pillow
up towards your toes.
(breathing)
And you're trying to 
lift your tailbone up
as you exhale as well.
So there's two 
actions of the heart lifting
and the tail lifting.
Squeeze your pillow.
Getting into that lower belly.
(breathing)
The release is gonna be amazing.
Stick with it for five more.
And release, 
five more seconds, sorry.
And slowly release, 
bring the pillow back
to support the head, 
ah yeah, that's what's up,
and rest your head down.
Close your eyes.
Doesn't matter what's 
going on in the feet right now,
just plant them, 
close your eyes,
and notice how you feel.
And blanket yourself 
in love via the breath.
Big, soft inhale.
And long, soft exhale.
Lovely.
Feet are on the mat.
Cross the right 
ankle over the left.
Squeeze and lift.
Press your left foot 
into an imaginary wall.
Find that lower 
back flush with the mat.
Maybe you interlace here.
Maybe you squeeze.
Maybe you extend the left leg,
or maybe you flip 
your burger altogether
for a different 
version of Pigeon,
if your body's craving that.
It's really not a big move,
you just move on and do it.
So that's always 
an option if you want
a little more in the hip.
Alright, release the hands, 
listen carefully.
Send the left foot down.
Slowly slide the 
right leg on top,
and then we're gonna 
press into the left foot,
shift the hips 
over towards the right,
and then nice and 
easy with control,
allow the weight of the 
knees to go to the left.
Open the arms out wide 
or I suggest bending
the elbows, cactus arms, 
but if your shoulders
are super tight, this is not
gonna be available to you.
You're gonna be stuck here.
So, in time we'll 
be able to come here,
or maybe you just take it out.
Mmm, and then turn to rest on
your right ear and breathe.
So some days these 
practices are more important
than than the HIIT workout, 
because they invite
the nervous system, 
they invite all of the systems
to find balance
and serenity,
so that you can feel 
refreshed for your next cardio
or your next 
takin' the kids to school,
or your next 
political conversation,
or your next whatever.
You are in charge of your
own inner peace. No one else,
and I find this practice, 
and in particular,
this 31 days of yoga, 
very helpful.
Take a deep breath in.
Use your feet and 
then draw your navel
back to center like a magnet.
Yeah!
And then release.
You know what I'm sayin', dudes?
It's like, this is really 
actually just as important
as your
high impact, 
high intensity.
When you're ready, same 
thing on the other side,
cross the left 
ankle over the right.
Lift the right foot up, 
press your right foot
in to an imaginary wall, 
and then squeeze.
And then again, you 
can always flip it on over
to do One-legged Pigeon.
And you can extend the top leg.
And you can 
invite the biggest breath
you've taken all day in.
And then release, right 
foot comes to the ground,
nice and slow, 
left leg crosses over,
and then shift your 
hips to the left this time.
And then allow the knees 
to fall heavy to the right.
And then, you can choose 
a variation with the hands
that feels 
awesome, maybe cactus arms.
Maybe the right hand 
rests gently on the left thigh,
Texas T, turn onto your left
ear this time and breathe.
Soak it in.
Practice, if you can't feel,
or if it doesn't resonate 
when I say blanket yourself
in love, try, practice.
Practice blanketing 
yourself in love,
whatever that feels like today.
And resistance 
is totally awesome.
Resistance is human.
Revolution!
So I'm gonna go ahead 
and say it, I would bookmark
day eight for when you 
ever need a mini reboot,
a mini revolution 
where you need to go ahead
and come full circle 
on things, and just
find calm.
Close your eyes if 
they are not already.
Take one more 
breath cycle in and out.
And then anchoring navel down
to the core of the earth,
bring it back to center.
And we'll release one 
leg and then the other,
and we'll windshield 
wiper the toes back and forth,
back and forth.
And then if you want to cover up
with a blanket here, you can.
Bring the hands 
gently at your side.
Snuggle the shoulder blades
underneath your heart space.
And then we're gonna 
bring the fingers in,
hands into fists here, and
you can even curl the toes,
and then tighten your glutes
and hug the lower ribs down,
and squeeze, squeeze, squeeze,
maybe even squint your face,
make your face really small
and little, squeeze, 
squeeze, squeeze, squeeze,
squeeze everything tight 
and inward, hug it all in.
Take a deep breath 
and then use your exhale
to soften and 
let go of everything.
(sighing exhale)
Close your eyes for a second.
Part the lips.
Notice how you feel.
This is yoga, 
showing up for yourself,
tending to all parts.
I hope you feel balanced 
and awesome as you roll up
and off your mat and 
into the rest of your day.
Go ahead and draw your 
left hand to your heart today,
your right hand to your belly.
Feel the ebb and 
flow of your breath.
And give thanks.
I'm thankful for this 
moment, for this practice,
and for all of you.
Thanks for sharing 
your time and your energy,
and your serenity 
practice with me today.
And we'll see you tomorrow.
Take good care.
Namaste.
(upbeat music)
