Yoga For Beginners Mind _ Yoga With Adriene

How to everyone and welcome to yoga with Adrian .

I'm Adrian and that's Benji .

And today we have a yoga for beginners mind practice .

So hop into something comfy and let's get started .

Alrighty , my friends , let's begin in .

Take a second to come on down to the ground .

You can go ahead and use your hands to gently pull the butt cheeks aside .

Just kidding .

But feel your sits bones really kind of come to the earth here , start to get a little taste .

We're focusing on sensation , even as you come into your first shape here , the first posture today's practice all about coming into or returning to that beginner's mindset .

So most of us have an inkling a feeling um an idea of what that means .

But if you don't , and even if you do , I'm gonna invite you to actually practice beginner's mind when it comes to beginner's mind and just empty , empty your vessel , empty your cup .

And we're just going to start here now with whatever you're bringing to the table , I will do the same and we're just going to through some really simple shapes today , explore the practice and the position of beginner's mindset .

So , if you are a beginner , you're in luck , you're , um , you're gonna lead the way .

Just take a quiet moment to tune into your breath and whatever you're bringing to the mat today .

Sit up nice and tall , relax your shoulders .

For those who are practicing this in real time .

It's for not everyone , but for most it's a , you know , we're kind of getting really active and sweaty in our practices .

So we need to balance out those practices with practices that steady us that keep us curious and plugged in so that we're not just mindlessly working out or mindlessly doing anything for that matter .

So this practice should help with that as you're ready , take a deep breath in and a long breath out in Helen and exhale out and one more time , the biggest breath you've taken all day , big inhale and then a nice long , easy exhalation .

Now , starting with gentle movement in the neck , you're gonna drop the chin to the chest .

Then from there , we're gonna draw circles with the nose one way and then when you get to the bottom , switch it and go the other way and imagine as you do this one way , so you go clockwise and then counter clockwise .

And as you're doing this , continue to sit up nice and tall , continue to gently deepen the breath and maybe close your eyes once you feel safe and like , you know what you're doing and imagine you're doing this for the very first time .

What subtle body or even gross body sensations can you detect ?

Great ?

Then even it out ?

I had some sound effects on mine .

I don't know about you come back to center and then try to keep that same , um , dabbling .

But a little bit of curiosity is if you're coming into these moments , see sensations for the first time .

So really simple here , squeeze the shoulders up to the ears .

Breathe through all four sides of the torso .

Inhale and then exhale , pull the elbows back and drape the shoulders , shoulder blades , excuse me , down the back body .

Awesome .

Let's do it again to see what happens .

Squeeze and lift shoulders to ear lobes , squeeze , squeeze , squeeze , breathe in and then exhale , pull the elbows back and drape the shoulders on the back body and now maybe closing the eyes or softening the gaze to just see if you can imagine doing this for the very first time feeling that rotation in the shoulder , any activation happening in the upper back body , any opening or stretchiness in the front body or the chest .

Notice if your breath feels shallow today or if there's already some juicy depth to it .

Nice .

And then the next time you're sitting up nice and tall , just find stillness .

You'll bring the hands to the heart and Mudra and just close your eyes and take a moment of quiet , observing the breath .

Awesome .

And then notice where your thoughts went , where your mind went and then bring your attention back to your breath .

So each time we come to the mat , we can get in the habit of just checking off our yoga or kind of doing things the same way every time .

So I hope that this type of practice will also maybe invite you to dissect that a little bit .

Are we kind of doing everything the same way or can we uh open up our minds and our hearts to practice or at least be open to practicing new ways of doing things ?

Are you the type of person that's kind of set in your ways or are you open just a little food for thought as you're ready , you can open the eyes and we're gonna come forward onto all fours little spinal flex here .

So this is a good one to start that cat cow .

We kind of go through the motions a lot .

So see if you can find something new here , a different rasa different flavor as you inhale , drop the belly and the knees are exhaled around through the spine , wrists underneath his shoulders here , his knees right underneath the hip points , find a little rhythm with your breath and then just go for a little exploration here .

Noticing any parts of the body that feel tight that might need some extra love .

Maybe you curl the toes under and the hips back to stretch the feet and then don't decide where it ends .

Keep moving , soft , easy movement here with nice full breaths in and out .

I like to say , shine a little light in the dark places .

So you've taken the flashlight out .

Get curious , feel what needs my attention and instead of kind of just going through the rig and roll of this little V cat cow .

Can I give myself permission to explore new grooves , new routes that serve ?

move mindfully and stay connected to your breath .

And then when you're ready , you're gonna take this same dance that you've already cultivated .

So you already got it going on .

OK ?

And you're gonna slowly bring the hands nice and wide , turn the upper arm bones out this way , elbow creases pointing forward or shining forward as opposed to back and then when you're ready , peel the , the tailbone up nice and slow and then just keep it moving and grooving .

Go for a little exploration here in downward facing dog .

So what does the practice of trying to find something new ?

Feel like ?

Well , consider returning to this idea , this image of your first time .

We have a question that's been in the FWFG for a while that Chris , my business partner posted in the very beginning .

It says , tell us about your first time .

And those stories to this day are my favorite to read in the because they're all they all come from the heart from this genuine curiosity and desire to do your best to be authentic and to find what feels good .

Ok .

Here we go .

We're gonna step the feet all the way up towards the front of the mat and you're gonna come into a forward fold feet hip with the part , bend the knees , let the head hang .

So you're not holding in the neck here .

And then same thing here .

Nice strong footing .

So that's why I hit with the part for just a nice stability here , stacking on the bones .

Same thing here , whether you're flexible or tight , bend your knees and see if you can come into this as if you were here for the first time .

So let your breath really be your flashlight , feel your breath and your belly , feel the lower back stretch as you breathe in , find places to let go and soften as you breathe out .

Stay here breathing deeply .

So good for the nervous system .

Awesome , awesome work .

Now , slowly tuck the chin , bend the knees generously and roll it up .

Now , here's a great moment this moment where the blood is moving through the body , where you lift your heart and your head , relax your shoulders down the back body and come into your best and most beautiful mountain post for the first time ever , draw energy up through the arches of the feet .

Really engage the legs .

So you're gonna keep your toes pointing forward , but engage the legs by bending the knee softly first and then slowly lifting the knee caps , toning the quads lengthening the tail bone down and just finding a sense of balance and ease in the pelvis as you lift up through the spinal column .

Then when you're ready , inhale , reach for the sky , big stretch requires big breath and then exhale palms are gonna come through and we're gonna go down the midline just slicing it down here as you bend the knees generously and come back down into your forward fold .

Big breath to inhale halfway , lift palms on the shins or thighs and then exhale to soften and fold great fingertips come to the earth and you're gonna slide just the right toes back .

Inhale , open the chest , open the heart .

You can lower the back knee here if you like and you're just gonna breathe here for a couple beats , feeling the sensation trying to find um balance or an equilibrium in the body as you breathe and negotiate your weight , working with the subtle body .

If you've been practicing for a while , use this beginner's mind set to come into it with fresh eyes .

See if you can wake up more subtle body aspects that you maybe would find if you weren't so used to this posture , find ways to lift places to lengthen , strengthen , make sure you're not dumping all your weight and your fingertips activate your center you .

Yep , then plant the palms .

Here we go .

We're gonna step the left toes back , our first ever plank pose .

Press away from the yoga mat .

Inhale , look forward , exhale lower to the belly .

Now , actively pull the hands in line with the rib cage , draw the elbows into the side body , press at the tops of the feet and baby cobra inhale , we lift up just a baby , you know , stay here , breathe , let your breath move you , you can close your eyes and tuck the chin slightly .

Try to find something new as you awaken the back body .

Hm .

Awesome .

Then slowly release , curl the toes under lift and knee caps tone the quads inhale precip into your power .

Second ever plank pose .

Just kidding .

And then send the hips up and back when you're ready .

Downward facing dog .

Breathe deep here .

See if you can use the tool of your breast to just really stay present in the moment .

Enjoy the ride .

No yoga robots is another great way to consider the beginner's mindset .

Great .

Then from here , we're gonna take the right foot forward back to that nice low lunge .

You can lower the back knee or keep it lifted .

And we're gonna be here for a couple of cycles of breath , use each beat to find something new .

So this low lunge kind of a a shape that we use a lot for transitions .

We kind of blow through it a lot .

So take the time here to notice to stick with it .

Squeeze in her thighs to the midline .

Pull the right hip crease back 10 to it .

Great .

Then slowly rock the back foot up to meet the front forward .

Full inhale halfway , lift with the palms on the shins or the thighs , fine length and then exhale to soften and fold it back down .

Inhale the reach of the sky and exhale hands to your heart .

Mountain .

Deep breath in , empty it out .

Inhale the reach of the sky .

Palms come together as you exhale , slice it slow and steady down the midline forward to f inhale with your breath .

Halfway , lift your version .

Pay attention .

So this is AAA wonderful , wonderful place to kind of mark for those who have been practicing for a while .

A little beginner's mindset .

If you're learning this for the first time and you're taking my kind cue to bring hands to the shins , you can peek at me or the thighs .

Are you pinching off in the neck here ?

Are you remembering an old , maybe a version of halfway lift , halfway lift ?

Are we sorry , I'm whipping my hair back and forth .

I want my hair back and forth .

But are you clinching the back of the neck ?

Are you cutting off the flow of energy ?

Can you maybe take the invitation to fine length so we could draw a nice clean line of energy from the crown to the tail ?

That's what we're here to talk about and learn here .

All right , bring your gaze straight back down wherever you are inhale in when exhale to release .

Awesome .

This time , keep the right foot where it is slide the left toes back .

This time , you're gonna pivot on the back foot , keep the front leg straight .

Then you're gonna walk the right fingertips over towards the right heel .

Then take your left fingertips to your right wrist or pulling the right hip crease back here and then in your own time , draw a line across the chest and we're gonna open up to triangle from the ground up .

So we're coming into triangles a different way than maybe you're used to hold on to that beginner's mindset , deepen your breath .

You got it , inhale it .

Find that link .

So use that d that line that stick that staff from the crown to the tail .

No collapsing .

Nice work .

Then here you go .

Left hand is gonna come down just the way it went up .

You're gonna bend the right knee .

We're just gonna come right back to that nice little lunch .

Nice and easy .

Inhale , open the chest .

Great work .

Exhale , plant the palms inhale to look forward , shift forward .

Exhale the lower all the way to the belly .

Inhale cobra .

Find something new .

I'm exhale to release , inhale , to press uplink and exhale .

Come back to downward dog .

You rock .

I rock , we rock deep breathing .

Long breath out .

I stabbed the left foot up , pivot on the right foot .

Nice and slow and steady .

So find your footing first we're gonna work from the ground up , slowly begin to pull the left hip crease back straight through that left leg .

Left fingertips come in line with the left heel .

And as you're ready , right fingertips trace the line across the left arm across the chest as we spiral our rib cage all the way up towards the sky .

I used to say that we do it here .

Imagine you have honey on your right hand , bring it to your left rib cage .

Go ahead and bring it to your left rib cage and then smear the honey across your rib cage and bring it all the way up to the sky .

Strong footing , nice long , beautiful neck , inhale in and then exhale right fingertips , come back down , we soften through the front leg , piven on the back foot , back to the nice low loge .

Great work .

Here we go .

Wrap the back foot up to meet the front forward full .

Last time to practice this .

Here we go .

Inhale halfway lift , find that extension that length and the exhale to fall .

Beautiful inhale to reach of the sky .

Big stretch , big breath , smile , exhale , ah hands to heart , close your eyes , pause .

Try not to fidget here .

Just observe the breath .

Awesome work .

Now about the eyelashes open , you're gonna shift your weight to your left foot and you're just gonna do a nice easy quad stretch with your uh right leg .

So you're gonna reach , grab your right ankle , squeeze the right knee in , squeeze and left as you lift your heart .

Beautiful , then release that and switch to the other side .

Just a nice easy stretch and keep returning to your theme of beginner's mindset here because there's gonna be an invitation coming up here very shortly to take it off the mat and into your day .

So you're gonna take your right hand now , cross it over the chest .

Just nice , easy stretch can turn to look past your right shoulder or your left and then release other side and then release now and release the fingertips behind the back .

Draw the knuckles down , feel your feet firmly planted into the ground and then here we go .

Do the knuckles , excuse me , down and away as you open up through the chest .

Beautiful .

Take one more breath here .

You got it on your next exhale .

Release the chains , reach for the sky , big inhale , clap the poems together .

Giant .

I must stay in celebration of you , of us , of this practice of constantly returning to the seat of the beginner , the student .

That's one of my big themes this year to keep learning .

So I encourage you to listen , carve out time to do the same .

Thanks so much for sharing your time and your energy with me and with all the beautiful people practicing around the world , let us know how it goes down below .

What's something you're interested in learning or carving out time to learn .

How has the beginner's mind practice served you and let's stay connected and we stay .