A fluid slow flow class that plays with the element of water to connect you to the softness of your breath and body. This class expresses the chest, shoulders, side body, front of the pelvis, and hip flexors. Move through circular arm motions, folds, warriors, and heart-opening poses. It is excellent for anyone who works at a computer as it relieves the muscles strained by sitting. This class closes with a camel pose and a yogic squat before savasana.

Style: Slow Flow

Duration: 30-minutes

Level: open

Props: 2 Blocks

Focus: connecting and moving with the water element.

Location: Vancouver, BC

Music: Slow Flow Spotify Playlist

Opening Movement

Sit on your shins with your toes tucked. Rest your hips on your heels. This shape expresses the soles of the feet.

Close your eyes and take a couple of breaths. Bring your awareness to how you breathe and how this feels in your body.

If you could condense how you feel in this moment into one word, what would that word be?

Opening Flow 

Uttanasana (forward fold) at the back of your mat

Roll up slowly to stand

Urdvha Hastasana (hands to the sky) bring your hands to a prayer overhead

Uttanasana (forward fold)

Repeat this simple sequence five times.

Uttanasana (forward fold)

Ardha Uttanasana (half lift) with bent knees

Uttanasana (forward fold)

Repeat this simple sequence five times.

Uttanasana (forward fold)

Phalakasana (plank pose)

Adho mukha svanasana (down dog)

Eka pada adho mukha svanasana (3-legged downward dog)

Anjaneyasana (lunge)

Balasana (child’s pose)

Repeat this same simple sequence on the other leg.

Wave 1

Phalakasana (plank pose)

Adho mukha svanasana (down dog)

Uttanasana (forward fold)

Roll up slowly to stand

Urdvha Hastasana (hands to the sky) bring your hands to a prayer overhead

Uttanasana (forward fold)

Ardha Uttanasana (half lift) with bent knees

Phalakasana (plank pose)

Adho mukha svanasana (down dog)

Eka pada adho mukha svanasana (3-legged downward dog)

Anjaneyasana (lunge) with back knee lifted

Bharmanasana (tabletop)

• Inhale and round the back
• Exhale and arch the spine

Ashtanga Namaskara (eight pointed pose) s

Bhujangasana (cobra pose)

Adho mukha svanasana (down dog)

Repeat the same sequence on the other leg.

Wave 2

Uttanasana (forward fold)

Urdvha Hastasana (hands to the sky) bring your hands to a prayer overhead

Uttanasana (forward fold)

Ardha Uttanasana (half lift) with bent knees

Phalakasana (plank pose)

Balasana (child’s pose)

Ustrasana (camel pose) variation

• Come to sit on your shins at the back of your mat
• Take your fingertips behind you
• Lift your hips away from your heels
• Breathe up into your heart

Adho mukha svanasana (down dog)

Eka pada adho mukha svanasana (3-legged downward dog)

Virabhadrasana II (warrior 2)

Baddha Virabhadrasana (humble warrior)

Eka pada adho mukha svanasana (3-legged downward dog) variation with stacked hips

Anjaneyasana (lunge) variation with arm circles

• Inhale and take the arms forward and up
• Exhale and take the arms back and down

Dandayamana Bharmanasana (balancing table top)

• Inhale and lengthen arm and leg
• Exhale bend elbow and knee
• Inhale lift elbow and toes
• Exhale and straighten
• Repeat three cycles

Bharmanasana (tabletop) variation with Lion’s breath

Ashtanga Namaskara (eight pointed pose)

Bhujangasana (cobra pose) variation on fingertips

• Inhale and extend the heart forward
• Exhale and lower one shoulder
• Inhale and lift through the center
• Exhale and lower the opposite shoulder
• Take two cycles on either side

Adho mukha svanasana (down dog)

Repeat the same sequence on the other leg.

Cooling Flow

Come to sit on your shins

Ustrasana (camel pose) variation with hands clasped at the back

• Make a fist and take your fist to your sacrum
• Lift up through your heart
• Keep yoru hands on your back, or place them behind your head
• Lift and breathe into your chest
• Option to take hands to the ankles or calves for the last few breathes

Come to sit back on your shins and take a few breathes to ground.

Malasana (yogic squat0

Uttanasana (forward fold) variation of choice

• Hands to the ground
• Hands to opposite elbows
• Hands clasped at the back
• Hands to the back of the head

Savasana or seated meditation to close.