Yoga- The Power of Imbalance

Imbalance is the teacher that brings us into balance. You look at things that way and how often do we run away from imbalance? How often do we find asymmetrical situations or wobbly moments as things to divert our attention and direction from? Or maybe even if you look at opportunities for movement. Think about if you are doing a set of bicep curls, single arm, you do eight on the right side. How many are you going to do on the left? Normally eight. Think about a yoga class right after you do right side of postures.

What happens next? Your left leg comes forward and you create that same pathway with other arm, other leg, other direction. Imbalance teaches us and strengthens our ability to be balanced, to find balance. So in today's 15 minutes movement sequence, we're going to do imbalanced actions which may not sit well in your heart, in your head, maybe not even in your, in your, your breath, or in your calm. But I promise you, at the end of our sequence today, you will not be walking around in circles and your brain will open up into new ways of looking at your capacity to find balance in your life.

We'll begin today in tabletop and bring yourself to your knees and bring your right hand down to the mat. Your left hand down to the mat. Hey. Lift your right arm to the sky. Open up your chest to the right hand side of your space. And as you exhale, thread your right arm underneath your left armpit, not down to the mat, but hovering a good six, eight inches above the ground. Inhale, unravel, reach up and exhale. Reravel, reach towards the left hand side of your space. Go again. Inhale, right hand up and exhale.

Reach on out one more. Inhale and tabletop right hand down and curl your toes under downward facing dog for a moment. Right now move in a way that allows you to bring your attention to your right side body, your left side body, how your palms touch the ground. Maybe your right shoulder and left shoulder are speaking differently to you in this moment of stillness. Become aware of how that imbalance, moving one direction and not the other, and has maybe evoked a little different attention to detail.

Inhale, look forward. Exhale, bring your feet behind your wrists. Inhale, reach your left fingertips high to the sky. Exhale, thread the needle. Slide to your left arm underneath your right armpit. Now again, right. That arm maybe is hovering 18 inches, maybe 2ft above the ground. Feel this in the outline of your left shoulder. Ground your heels down so maybe you need to bend your knees quite a bit. Inhale, unravel reach your left hand up, right finger stay on the ground. Exhale, ravel, thread the needle, pull your left hand all the way through again.

Inhale, reach up. Exhale, slide your left arm, hey. INHale, rEacH YOur left fINGers high and eXHale. Bring your left fingertips down to the ground. Step back to a high plank and breathe in. And breathe out. Pay attention to the space your breath moves into. Inhale and exhale. You feel your left side body having more real estate for breath in. Right side body, stronger, more contracted. Breath out. DOWNWARD facing DOG. We twisted a little right, we twisted a little left. But within different moments, different configurations, different distances to the ground, can you find balance within the moments that maybe parallel one another?

Unfinished conversations, unfinished tasks that even though they remain unresolved, they provide you opportunity to go, you know what? I put these things together and I find peace and balance at the end of my day. Inhale, look forward. Exhale, step your feet in between your hands. Inhale halfway. Lift and exhale fold. INhale, mountain pose. Touch the sky and exhale back bend. Inhale, mountain pose and exhale forward fold. Inhale halfway. Lift and exhale high plank and breathe in. Exhale, downward facing dog.

Inhale, look forward. Exhale, bring your feet in between your hands. Inhale, halfway. Lift. Exhale, fold. INHAle, mountain pose, right away, fold right back down, no back bend here. Inhale, halfway. Lift. Exhale, high plank, mid plank, lower down halfway, maybe your knees touch the ground. Inhale, upward facing dog and exhale, downward facing dog. Inhale, forward to a high plank. Exhale, tabletop, knees down. Inhale, cow pose. Lower your belly, look forward. Back bend. Exhale, downward facing dog.

Pull your belly in, carve out your belly and feel yourself back to down dog. Once again. From mountain pose to back bend. From high plank, low plank to up dog. Back bend. From tabletop to. Inhale cow pose. Back bend. There's variations and moments to where the pathway was like, where am I going now? And yet, in the imbalance of thought, the unknowing of where I'm going, we still found the opportunity to be open, to be exposed and vulnerable. And through that strong in foundation, where do you bring your attention to in the imbalanced moments?

We flow all of that again two times and he'll look forward. Exhale, bring your feet in between your hands. Inhale, halfway. Exhale, fold, mountain pose. Back bend, number one. Inhale, mountain pose. Exhale, forward fold. Inhale halfway. Lift. Exhale, high plank. Stay sturdy in your core. Breathe in your high plank. Exhale, downward facing dog. INhale look forward. Exhale. Bring your feet in between your hands. Inhale, halfway. Exhale, fold mountain pose. Stay sturdy in your core. Knit your ribs in, fold back down.

INhale, halfway, lift. Exhale, high plank, mid plank. Inhale, upward facing dog. Back bend, number two. DIfferent Variation, yet still powerful. Down Dog. Inhale, high plank, knees down. Inhale, cow pose, back bend number three. Exhale, downward facing dog. Belly pulls in ribs. Pull in. Everything responds. Inhale. Look forward, feet between your hands. Halfway, lift and fold mountain pose. Back Bend Mountain pose. Fold, halfway. Lift, high plank sturdy. Breathe in downward facing dog. Inhale. Look forward and step your feet in between your hands.

Halfway, lift. Fold mountain pose Sturdy Core right here like you're in your plank. Fold back down. Hips hinge. Drape your torso in front of your legs. Halfway, lift, high plank, mid plank. Here's back bend number two. Lift your chesT, slide it forward. DOWNWARD facing DOG. Inhale, high plank tabletop. Inhale, cow downward facing dog. Big breath in, Big breath out. Lift your right leg high Low lunge. Inhale, warrior two. Reach fingers front and back. Feel what it feels like to bring your knee over your heel.

Relax your toes. Relax the ball mount of your foot. Yeah. Inhale, hands overhead. EXHAle, bring your palms forward, point your fingertips the same direction as your knee goes. Inhale, palms over your head. Chest points back to the left hand side of your space. Exhale, warrior two, do it again. Inhale, touch your palms overhead. EXHAle, palms to the front of the space. Rotate. Feel your left glute squeeze and stretch. Inhale, hands overhead. Exhale, warrior two, listen. Inhale, star pose. EXhale, low lunge to the back of your mat.

Fingers are now outlining your left foot. Inhale, crescent lunge. Back heel stays lifted. And exhale, connect your palms. InHale, look towards your palms and exhale. Bring your hands forward towards the same direction as your left knee. INHAle, hands overhead, biceps by your ears, feet. Feel your lats retract, slide your shoulders down. Exhale, hands forward. Again, one more time. Inhale, hands up. Exhale, hands forward. Inhale, star pose. ExHale, low lunge, the front of your space. InHale, high plank.

Exhale, downward facing dog. A big breath in, big breath out. Shift forward, high plank tabletop. Sit on your heels. Bring one hand to your chest, other hand down. You pick whatever hand is on your chest right now. Feel your heartbeat. Maybe the heart's beating near your wrist or your fingertips. Maybe you feel it beating more towards your pinky finger or your thumb. Your heart beats in moments of imbalance to support the reality and the courage of the pathways that you choose, the smooth, the off road, the big curves and the sudden stops.

From your kneeling position, INhale, reach both hands overhead and exhale. Bring both hands together and place them in front of your chest. Press your thumbs into your sternum as your sternum is a little bit bonier and as your thumbs have a little less flesh to go ahead and feel, can you locate your heart again? Being focused and precise with where you place your attention in moments of balance, in moments of symmetry or assumed symmetry, there's great challenge to become aware of the same degree is the opportunities that present in our imbalance.

So breathe in and breathe out. Eyes open. Tabletop. Breathe in. Downward facing dog. Listen. Lift your right leg high low lunge. Crescent lunge. Touch your palms overhead and exhale. Bring your palms in front of your body. Inhale, reach your hands overhead, biceps by ears. Squeeze your lats to pull your shoulders down. Exhale, arms forward in the same direction as your right knee. Again. Inhale, hands overhead. Exhale, hands forward. Yes. Star pose warrior two to the back of your space. Inhale, hands touch overhead and exhale.

Rotate towards the front of your space. Inhale, hands overhead, palms remain connected. Exhale, twist, feel your right glute come to life and inhale last time, hands overhead and exhale. Rotate right side, body ringing out. Inhale, start pose. Exhale, horse pose. Bring one hand to your chest. Bring one hand to your belly. We moved the same amount of times in the same directions with the same body parts, but your perception shifted. Actions to the front, actions to the back. How often do we perceive imbalance within our understanding and yet balance is waiting there for us.

Inhale, star pose. Open your eyes for a moment. Exhale, horse pose. Other hand to your chest, other hand to your belly. How many ways can you perceive your experience, your life, your story? If your right hand is saying the heart is beating or your left hand is saying your heart is beating, right hand saying breath, rise and fall. Left hand breath is moving in and out. Your wonderful brain, heart, your ability to perceive and to take in and to emote all exit you with one voice, one breath, one life.

Inhale, star pose. Bring your feet together and bring your hands down to the sides of your body, palms face forward. Close your eyes with gratitude for the things that move you, that ground you, that fire you up, that offer you peace. We take one more breath in and breath out. Imbalance is your pathway, your teacher to balance. Have a good day.