Ep. 29 | How going with the flow aids recovery

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I’ll never forget the time my friend called to tell me that he had an extra ticket to see Beyoncé in Seattle that night and asked if I wanted to go.

He called me in the morning while I was already at work and said that if I wanted the ticket, it was mine. I just needed to get there by the time the show started. ⏰

At the time, I was working as a chef in a private Catholic school. I never called in sick or took a day off that wasn’t pre-planned weeks in advance.

I decided my best course of action to get out of there immediately was to tell my boss that I had an emergency. 🚨

I told her everything was ok, but that I needed to leave and I couldn’t talk about it. 😶

She was a little concerned, but granted my request to leave with this vague explanation. 🤔

Now, as far as I was concerned, this was an emergency—a Beyoncé emergency. 🐝🎶

As a young, unmarried person without children, I believed an emergency was mine to define and according to my standards, this was one. 👩‍🎤🚀

I ran home. Grabbed the coolest outfit I could find and headed to Seattle to see Queen Bey. 🏃‍♀️👗👑

The concert was phenomenal. I was happy as a clam. The seats weren’t great, but who cares! I was in the physical presence of greatness! 🎉🎵

I slept for about 3 hours at my friend's apartment. I left Seattle at 3 am and arrived back in Portland to be at work by 6:30 am when my shift started. 😴🌃

No one pried into the nature of my emergency and except for one or two close work friends, I kept the experience inside the confines of my heart and mind. ❤️🤐

Maybe you can relate—most days I’m happy to follow my plans and routines, but once in a while, I am handed an opportunity to break business as usual and go with the flow. 🌊

When the opportunity to see Beyoncé presented itself, I embraced the spontaneity of the situation and chose not to let my work routine or the short notice get in the way of the flow.

I made a last-minute decision, thought on my feet, and didn’t allow the lack of sleep or the need to be back at work the next morning deter me from enjoying the experience and having a fantastic time. 🌜🥳

This week’s episode of the Luminous Recovery Yoga podcast is about going with the flow. In the episode, I discuss how going with the flow is a way to greet life on life’s terms. Flow is the absence of resistance. When I am not in resistance, I am more open to my Higher Power’s will for me. 🧘‍♀️🌿

Going with the flow means being open and adaptable to whatever life brings your way, without resisting or trying to control the outcome.

It's about embracing change, being spontaneous, and accepting situations as they are, rather than stressing over what you think they should be.

When you go with the flow, you're able to navigate life with more ease and flexibility. 🧭🤸‍♀️

Going with the flow often involves trusting the process, letting go of rigid expectations, and being present in the moment. 🙏

If you’re interested in physically experiencing the flow this week, join me for a live yoga class! 

 

Take a break from your status quo routine and join me on the mat. 🏠➡️🧘‍♂️

 

We’ll move, breathe, and end with a little meditation to let it all settle in. 💨🕉️

 

However, if there’s an opportunity to see Beyoncé and I need to cancel class, I’ll give you full disclosure without any vague excuses. 😉🎤

 

With love, 💖

~Kari

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|TRANSCRIPTS|

Kari Doherty: [00:00:00] Thank you for listening to the Luminous Recovery Yoga Podcast, hosted by Kari Doherty. The views and opinions expressed here are strictly those of the person who gave them. Take what you like and leave the rest. These views and opinions do not represent any specific 12 step program, only my experience, strength, and hope in recovering from the dis-ease of addiction and codependency.

If you'd like to learn more, please visit my website at www. Dot Luminous Recovery yoga.com. Hello my friend. Welcome back. Thank you so much for joining me for the Luminous Recovery Yoga podcast. My name is Carrie and I am so grateful to share this space with you. This podcast is an opportunity for me to share.

Two really important modalities in my life. One of those things is recovery. How I recover my spirit from all of the people, places, things and situations where I left myself behind, and [00:01:00] also yoga. Yoga is a practice that has helped me to learn to live inside my body. When I first found yoga, Well, not only did I hate yoga, but I hated my body.

And so both of those things were true for a while. Took me a long time to find yoga in a way that felt accessible. That felt meaningful. And so I bring this space to you because I discovered yoga and recovery really at the same time. And the two have developed alongside of one another for me, as I couldn't even begin to separate one from the other.

So when I think about my life, oftentimes I think about my life in terms of a yoga pose. Like I have learned that how I show up in the yoga pose is often how I show up in other areas of my life because my yoga mat [00:02:00] has become this safe place to explore how I am and how I show up. And so if there are certain things that I struggle with on the yoga mat, chances are I struggle with those same things.

Out in the world because it becomes almost this snapshot. So for me, what I love about yoga is, It's actually very metaphorical. Like the practice itself is the practice. Like the poses are the poses, and yet I tap into the pose as a metaphor for life. And so that's what I love about yoga is it gives me this.

Place to explore myself on a deeper level. And so when I bring you the, these topics of this podcast, luminous Recovery Yoga podcast, I generally like to bring in a recovery related topic, but then how I also see that through the lens of a yoga practice. But then there's also yoga history and philosophy.

And I [00:03:00] don't get so deeply into that all the time, but there are just all of these different layers about how we can start to explore how we show up in the world. And so for me, yoga is one of those things. And you know, there are ways to take these principles that we practice. Into the rest of our lives.

And you know, one of the things that we say in 12 Step Recovery is that we practice these principles in all of our affairs. And the same applies for yoga. We practice these principles in all of our poses. And so for me, the pose becomes this place to try on principles. And it's not so much about the pose itself, but it's about who I'm being, how I'm showing up.

And how I am use, utilizing the practice, using the practice in a way that helps me to try on principles. And, and so that's, that's why it works for me. So that's what I bring you in this space. A place to one, [00:04:00] listen to how somebody else is doing it. One of the things that I really get out of going to meetings is that I get to listen.

I learn how to listen for myself in others sharing. So, you know, take what you like and leave the rest. If there are things that I say that resonate awesome, and if there are things that I say that don't, Take what works for you. And I just find that listening to other people share helps me to realize that I'm not alone, that I'm not going through life as this deeply unique individual that nobody could possibly understand that my life is my life, but also the human experience is.

Not that unique. Like there might be unical details that could make each one of us unique and there certainly are, but ultimately being a human is a pretty standard experience in a lot of ways. Like we live in these bodies. [00:05:00] Many of us struggle with these bodies, whether it's like the body itself or the things that happen while we're living in the body and you know, so I find that more often than not I can, I can.

How I'm more like somebody than not, and that is such a gift because there was a time when I was walking around acting like the things that were happening to me were so unique that nobody could possibly understand me, and that's a really lonely existence. Like if I don't believe I can, Be with others or, or that I can't hear myself and others sharing like that just feels really lonely.

So I hope that you hear something today that helps The flow of every episode is that I share on a recovery related topic. I often bring in how yoga also fits into that, and then, We'll take it to the mat because one of the things that I've really learned is that the issues live in our tissues. And I don't mean your Kleenex, although, yeah, [00:06:00] like sometimes the issues are also living in your Kleenex, but ultimately everything that happens happens 100% through our bodies.

Our bodies are the vehicles for how we get through this world. So the things that happen in the world are happening through our physical experience and our body. Has this tendency to hold onto it, and so the yoga mat also becomes this place to sort of work out that tension or to find some relaxation or to even get physically present to the experience of being in the body.

I know that oftentimes I get so wrapped up in my thinking that sometimes it's like my mind and my body are in two very different places. Physically I am here, but mentally I could. Back to when I was 17 years old, you know? So sometimes our minds and our bodies are just not in the same place at the same time.

And so the yoga mat also becomes this place to [00:07:00] get present. And, and that might happen for a minute. Like you might get on that mat and you might be stewing about what's going on with you and, but maybe for a minute you get your breath, your body, and your mind all in the same place. And if that is what you got out of the practice today, then God bless that one minute where you got present.

So, you know, give up the idea that you have to do this right. Give up the idea that it has to be a certain way. And that is why I really like to integrate a little bit of yoga into each of. Episodes because it becomes a place to explore the principle on the mat and to see what it feels like to physically embody these principles.

I like to call it embodied understanding where our, our body is a part of understanding these. Mental, heady, philosophical topics that it's one thing, you know, maybe you've been in this experience, I know this has [00:08:00] been like this for me, where I know the thing, like I know I should forgive or I know how to do this, or I know the, like I know in my mind what I need to do, but I can't seem to get my body to go along with it.

You know? Sometimes our mind. Hold information that we just can't seem to like get into the rest of us. So that is what this podcast space is for me. It's a way to try on a. You know, wisdom, a philosophical topic, but then also integrate it into the rest of the body. And, and that to me is where it becomes an integrated practice where it's not just about what I say and what I think, but it's about how my body is moving through this world and, and living these principles.

So that is what this space hopefully. Is, you know, provides or attempts to provide or, you know, again, [00:09:00] take what works and leave what doesn't. So, you know, you might listen to the first half of this podcast and then you might come back to the practice later on in the week. Or maybe you don't, you know, it really just is up to you.

And I provide both because if you do have time for both, you might discover something new. So that's what this space is for. The other thing I wanna say before I get into the topic for today is, Smash that like button and hit subscribe. I hear YouTubers say that, and I think it's funny. Smash that like button and hit subscribe.

So if you would smash that like button and hit subscribe, that would help me so much. I'm growing this channel, I'm growing this podcast, and I would love for you to be a part of that. So, You know, spread the message. If you find something in here that's helpful to you and you pass it along to, you know, a person who's in recovery with you, or maybe someone that you think might enjoy this, like, please share [00:10:00] it.

So like it subscribe, share it, leave a comment or a review. These are all things that you can do to help me that are free. So if you get something out of this that helps you and you wanna help me back, please hit the like button. Subscribe, any of those things are helpful. Leave a comment. And then one last thing.

I teach live yoga classes and I would love for you to join me live. I teach several yoga classes a week, and there's a button in the subscript in the description of this podcast or the show notes. If you're listening on Apple or Spotify or one of the other podcast outlets, sign up to take a free class with.

Like I would really love to see you live, if that works for your schedule. It would be wonderful to actually share real time and space with you. So if you go into that link, it's gonna take you to a page where you can sign up to get your first class with me for free. [00:11:00] And it would just be really great to have you in person, not in person virtually.

It would be virtual, but we would be in the same time space continuum together. So all of my classes are virtual. Sign up, come and take a class with me. So that's what I have for you. Housekeeping, you know, administrative. Great. We've done all that. So now I wanna jump into my topic for today. My topic for today is Flow.

Flow, F L O W, flow and. I recently was in a meeting where we talked about flow and I thought, Hmm, I wanna talk about that a little bit more. Just wanna explore it a little bit further, and I wanna explore it with you. Flow right off the bat. What I wanna say about flow, flow is the absence of resistance.

I'm gonna say that again. [00:12:00] Flow is the absence of re. Now, let me start by saying I am or have traditionally been one of the most resistant students that I know. I start most things with resistance where it's like I don't want to, don't make me, you know, like, Ugh, why do we have to do that? Ugh, I don't wanna do that.

Ugh, ugh. Lot of clenching, right? A lot of contract. I approach most things with resistance. You know, yoga, I tried yoga so many different times and I hated it. Like I was very resistant to yoga. A couple of like brief funny stories, I'll never forget a time I was in college and I signed up to take a yoga class for credit and at the time, you know, cell phones were much smaller and they only really like took phone calls and.

Text messages with [00:13:00] T nine, you know, and so I had a cell phone and I didn't turn my cell phone off it, I did not mute it or turn it off. It was not on do not disturb. It was very disturbing. And anyway, I'm in this college class a room full of but probably 60 people in this class. And my cell phone rang like four.

Now, after the first time that my cell phone went off, I was like, oh shit, that's my phone, and I was embarrassed. Couple minutes later, the phone starts ringing again. Now I'm really embarrassed. By the third time that the phone went off, I was so deeply embarrassed. One, I was not gonna get up to silence the phone because I believed then people would know that I was the idiot asshole who did not turn it off the two times.

So I was really afraid of what everybody in the room was already gonna think of me if I got up to silence the phone. So I didn't. And then that just reiterated how much I hated yoga. [00:14:00] So like that was like, that is burned into my memory. Like, oh, why didn't I do yoga? Because my cell phone went off during class and it embarrassed me so much that I blamed yoga for it.

Or you know, I can give you so many different reasons. Yoga wasn't for me at the time. I just was chock full of resistance and any excuse that I could find to not do yoga, that was it. Like, oh, my cell phone went off. I hate yoga. You know, like it, it was really just where I was at the time. Another kind of funny story is I had a friend who was like, you know what, Carrie?

You should do yoga. And I was like, why would you say that to me? What do you mean I need to do yoga? You know, like I was so mad about it and I was like, why? Like, it was all of these like silly things where like yoga was knocking on my door and I was like, no, not you again. You know? And the same thing happened with recovery.

The first time it was [00:15:00] suggested to me that I. Consider checking out a recovery meeting. I was mad about it. I was like, what is that supposed to mean? You know? So like I can tell you that at every juncture there has been resistance. And when I'm in resistance, I'm not in the flow. And by flow I mean things are moving.

I'm in, I'm moving in the direction of God's will and I'm not pushing against that. Like I'm not beating my head against the wall saying, no, no, no. You know, cuz there's a lot of that. So one of the things that I have learned from Yoga and recovery is that oftentimes where there is resistance, that's actually where I'm meant to go.

Like that is actually. More in the direction of God's will than the thing I'm resisting. So now I know that when an idea comes up or somebody mentions something and my immediate reaction is [00:16:00] no, or like it's to clench or contract, that there is something there. So I now know that that resistance is actually a sign that there is something.

And maybe I'm just not ready to hear it. Maybe I'm not ready to explore it, but that seed has now been planted and I know myself well enough now to know that that is actually the breeding ground for like, huh? There's something there I'm probably gonna have to eventually look at. I'm just not ready to do it today.

And that's fine. Like that is absolutely fine to say, you know what, not today. But what I now know is that that resistance is actually telling me where I am not in the. So resistance has taught me a lot about flow. So when I say that flow is the absence of resistance, I now know that resistance is where I am blocking the flow.

Like I am the dam, you know, like the dam in the river or the wherever dams are, I am blocking the flow and. And [00:17:00] so that's like really good information for me to have. Is that where I'm resisting? Generally that means that I am resisting being in the flow or I'm resisting God's will. And you know, if you struggle with the word God, like, you know, like that's okay.

I use that as a colloquial term, higher power, the universe. What have I heard recently? Oh, God stands for great outdoors. You know, I often refer to my breath as my higher power because it's literally a power greater than me. Like without breath. I don't live on the planet for more than four minutes.

Our body stores four minutes worth of breath. Once we stop breathing, we have four minutes to live. Four minutes. Like talk about a power greater than me. The breath is a power greater than me. So if you don't like the G O D word, I just use it as a stand-in for something that is bigger than. So when I am resisting, I am resisting something that is bigger than me.

Like there's usually [00:18:00] something there that I am resisting. So resistance has become a really great teacher for flow. One of the reasons not reasons per se, one of the ways that I discovered flow was in my yoga. I practice a style of yoga where we move the body with the breath, and what I have learned is that my breath is a really good indicator of flow.

When my breath is moving and it's calm, my breath is like a mirror to what's happening inside of me. So when my breath is, you know, flowing in and out and there's like this, just calm and ease in my body. That's generally when the rest of me is in the flow. But sometimes when my thinking gets distorted and I start to like panic or freak out, I notice that I'm short of breath.

I notice that things are not necessarily inside [00:19:00] flowing, so my breath has become a really good indicator of flow. For me. Flow is something that. It's like I can tap into it, you know? So more recently, in the last few months, I've been going through a lot of different, like, what am I doing with my life?

What do I want with my life? You know what, what would I think would make me happy? Like, am I ha you know, like all these like life questions, right? And I'm sure you can identify with that. Like, we're always asking ourselves like, what am I doing? Why am I doing that? Am I happy? Is this the right job for me?

Is this the right business for me? Whatever. And so as I've been in that inquiry, you know, I often notice that I am trying so hard to figure it. And one of the things that I have learned in my 12 step recovery is that figuring it out is not a step. So anytime I find myself trying to [00:20:00] figure it out, I am generally not in the flow.

I am generally in some kind of resistance because what I'm resisting is reality. What I'm resisting is, you know someone very wise in, in program said to me or has taught me that.

God's will is what's happening right now. Like if I wanna know what God wants from me right now it's like what's happening right now. And sometimes I try to really overthink it, like, what does God want from me? It's like, well, it's happening right now, and yet I want these big. Signs and flares and fireworks, and it should be neon and it should really be very obvious.

And sometimes it is, sometimes it is obvious, but sometimes the signs are like, what if you just went to bed? That's the next thing. It's, it's 10 o'clock at night. Do we really need to get ourselves riled up about this right now? Like whatever it is, sometimes I am [00:21:00] like, what is supposed to be happening right now?

And the answer to that. What's happening right now, that's what's supposed to be happening right now, and when I am resisting that, when I am in resistance of the present moment, I am not in flow. So oftentimes flow happens when I'm not thinking about it and, and it's funny because that's actually how it is for me on the yoga mat.

Like when I'm really in my thoughts or I'm like, ah, why is this teacher doing this? Or like, why are we doing this right now? Or like, oh, I have so many things to do, like why did I decide to take a yoga class today? Or like all the chit chat that goes on in my. When I'm really invested in that chit-chat, I am generally not in the flow, and it's often when I can sort of shift out of thinking and into my feeling body that I can tap more into flow, that I can tap into the flow of things.

You know, it's, it's hard to like describe flow, you know, like, like we have phrases, right? Like, go with the flow or, [00:22:00] gosh, I really feel like I'm in the flow. You know, it's, it's this like feeling that. Like maybe things are going our way, but maybe they're also not going our way. Like maybe. The flow is when it's like, oh, I'm just like living life on life's terms rather than like trying to swim upstream.

You know, oftentimes when I wanna think about myself like, like if I go into visualization land, the visualization of me being in the flow is me sitting on a tube in the river with a sun hat on and a glass of lemonade and sunglasses. And that is like my vision of me going with the flow where like I am on a raft on the.

Now, sure. Maybe the, maybe the, maybe the current picks up, you know, maybe I get knocked off the boat, my raft, you know, then what happens? Right? It's like, okay, well I have tools and sometimes the tools are the things that help me [00:23:00] like manage when the flow gets too fast. Or, you know, it's like, am I trying to swim upstream?

Am I trying to go against the flow? Because oftentimes when I'm going with the. Even if I think the flow is going a little bit fast, I can just really center myself on, well, what is happening right now? How can I get present to the experience that is happening right now? Because oftentimes when I am in resistance of that, that is when I get in trouble.

So for instance, Recently I took on a job during the day working with kids and before I took on this job, I was really upset about my life. I was just like thinking about myself all the time, like very obsessed with like, what am I doing and why am I doing this, and why is it so hard and all these things.

And so I took on this job working with kids. And one of the things about children that is so beautiful and so frankly annoying but beautiful is how much attention they [00:24:00] require. You gotta watch 'em all the time. And what I realized within like a week of being with these kids is that suddenly my problems just started to like not be so loud because I didn't have so much time to sit there and think about them because the children required my.

Like they, they demand it. Kids require presence. Like the greatest gift you can give to a child is your attention. It's your. I mean, you know, they don't necessarily need all of the bells and whistles. Of course, I was a kid who wanted bells and whistles, but the best thing that people gave me when I think back on my life is like their time and attention.

So kids require that time and attention. They are like ultimately very present creatures. And so the more I started working with these kids, the more I started to notice that the sounds. Why is my life like this in my head? What just started to get so much quieter and, and then that is [00:25:00] actually when things started to click for me is when I wasn't so obsessed about my own problems.

When I started giving service and attention to others, I found that my life started to flow in a completely different way, and all of a sudden I was like, oh, I think I wanna go back to school. I think I wanna do this or that with my business, like. All of a sudden I wasn't so obsessed about my problems and the problems kind of worked themselves out, like I found new inspiration, or I found myself just not so worn down all the time that I couldn't think about what possibly could be next.

So I find that. When I'm sitting there obsessing in my mind, churning my problems over and over and over again, obsessing about things and how they're not going my way, that is not flow. That is a lot of resistance. That is a lot of me re resisting present reality, and when I am in resistance of present reality, I am not able to [00:26:00] receive.

The gift of Serenity, I am not able to receive inspiration. I am not able to receive connection with my higher power because I am so obsessed with myself. And so it's really when I can get present to what's happening that I can be more in the flow. So, you know. Questions for you. What does flow feel? Like that is something that I've really gotten from yoga, is what it feels like to be in the flow, not what I think about being in the flow, but what it feels like when I'm in the flow.

Like what are the bodily sensations that you receive when you are in the flow? What signals do you have that tell you you're in the flow? How do you know when you're in the flow? Because that's really the question is like flow could also be very confusing. You know, how do I know the flow isn't trying to like eat me alive or something?

Or like, is [00:27:00] there a certain point where you could go with the flow so much that you're actually being a very passive. Like character in it all, you know? And these are just questions that I have. I don't have answers to these, but you know, I personally have not found myself in a position where I was going with the flow so much that I like.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that like being in the flow isn't the same thing as being passive or not taking action in your life. Because I also see that as like being in resistance. Like if there are things happening and you're not responding to it, that is another way of being in re. By not tending to your side of the street, and that is not necessarily being in the flow, perhaps.

I don't know. These are just, it's like I'm, I'm asking these questions, but also I'm trying to like explore this at the same time, out loud. That being in the flow isn't just a passive.[00:28:00] 

Action. Like it's not just letting things happen to you. That's what I'm trying to say is that being in the flow isn't just letting things happen to you. Right? At least I don't think so. I don't know. I guess I'm also bringing this to you, like what do you think about that? You know, where in your life maybe do you just let things happen to.

And does that feel like flow? I mean, and this could be different for everyone. This could, this is not a homogenous experience of being in the flow. Maybe you're like, F the flow. I don't want the flow. And then I would probably say to that, that you're being in resistance and that's fine too. But you know where we started all of this is that flow is the absence of resistance.

So if I am resisting my responsibility, then that's not. Right, like, I like the, I like the definition of responsibility as responsibility, my ability to respond. And so if my ability to respond to life and like what I'm [00:29:00] supposed to do that is not flow that's when I think you get taken by the current, you know, like if we're using the river as sort of a metaphor here, I think that's when you just get sort of taken by the.

And drown, you know, because like flow is powerful, but if you also don't like, you know, and I'm not saying like resisting that, but like also like we have to do our footwork. Like we have to meet higher power halfway. You know, if I want certain things to happen in my life, I have to be willing to show my footwork.

You know, like actually just recently I applied for something and in order. Be considered for this thing I have to turn in my application. Now, once I turn in that application, the rest is in God's hands. I don't know if I'll get accepted. I don't know if that will be the right thing, but I've done my footwork and if I, if I wanted this thing to happen, but I wasn't willing to put my name in the ring or throw my hat in the ring, then.

Then that's just [00:30:00] like, that's not what I'm talking about. Do you know what I mean? Do you know what I'm saying? I hope this makes sense. Hopefully this like lands somewhere on you. You're listening to it, you're taking it in, and hopefully something that I said lands and resonates for you. So that's what I've got for you today.

Flow and how flow. Helps my recovery and what it means to be in the flow, at least for me, what it feels like, different physical indicators that perhaps were in the flow. So that's what I think about that. So now with that being said, we're gonna take it to the mat and we're gonna explore flow in the body and just maybe like what it feels like to try that.

Physically. So with that being said, I'll see you on the mat. Hello my friend. Welcome back. Here we are on the mat and today we are exploring flow. So [00:31:00] embodied understanding how can we take these principles and bring them into our physical practice and try these principles on in the body? What does it feel like to tap into flow on the mat?

So we're gonna do a simple practice guided by our breath. You could even watch this if you're on YouTube. If you are listening to this on podcast, you could listen to it once and then. The second time or whatever works for you. But I'm gonna offer you this gentle practice and we'll move slow, but we will explore flow.

So start in a simple seat, just one foot in front of the other, and we're gonna start by just warming up the body. So bring your hands to your knees. You can close your eyes, or you can keep them open. And just start by moving your torso from side to side. Like you were a wave just moving your body from side to side, and you could move your neck from side to side[00:32:00] 

and then begin to move your torso in some circles. So moving your body in some big circles, I like to. Imagine that I was a spatula, scraping and scooping the edges of a really big bowl. So imagine that you were just moving and scooping and making some movement in your low back. You can involve your neck and your tailbone.

Just move your body

and start to notice what your breath is. Move your body with your breath.[00:33:00] 

Hmm.

And slowly come back up to. Bring your hands back to your knees. Reach your arms up over your head, interlace all 10 of your fingers. Flip your palms to the ceiling and take a full stretch.

And then bring your hands back to your knees. Straighten your right leg. Pull your left foot to the inside of your leg, and then slowly bow forward over your leg, and you can reach for your foot, or maybe your hands land on your calf.

Begin to.

Notice how the breath feels flowing [00:34:00] in and out.

Slowly sit back up and we'll switch to the other side. Straighten your left leg, pull your right foot in, turn and face your left foot, and then just slowly fold over your leg. You can reach for your foot or in the direction of your.

And notice if there is any resistance. Notice if there are places in the body where it feels like an ouch or a no, not today. And that is being in physical reality.

Remember, flow isn't just going with the flow. It's being an active participant. And listen. For the next right thing[00:35:00] 

and slowly come back up. We're gonna experiment with some very simple and gentle sun salutations as a way of tapping into flow. So start by coming to all. And we'll take some rounds of cat Cow to just begin. Start by dropping your belly. Lift the center of your chest,

round your back. Tuck your chin to your chest. Push the floor away.

Do it again. Take a breath in, drop your belly, lift your chest,

and then round your back. Push the floor. Now take a few more rounds of cat cow. [00:36:00] Move your body in any way that feels good. You can continue to move up and down, or you might move from side to side. You could circle your neck and your tailbone.

Notice what your breath is doing.

Look to the top of your mat. Step your feet forward. Stand up. Reach your arms over your head. And take a big, full stretch.

Bring your [00:37:00] palms to touch at the center of your chest. Pick your toes up, spread your toes out, ground into your heels, and soften at the knees.

And we'll take three simple sun salutations. Reach your arms up over your head. Breath in. Bow forward, breath out.

Halfway lift. Stretch the crown of your head forward. Downward facing dog. I like to use blocks under my hands. Step your feet back and set your eyes between your toes. Find a softness in your knees, your heels do not have to touch the floor.

Tap into the flow of breath.[00:38:00] 

With an inhale, lift your heels up, benden your knees. Look forward. Step to the top. Halfway lift. Inhale.

Forward fold. Exhale,

mountain pose. Stand up.

Palms touch at your chest.

Arms. Reach up. Inhale. Bye. Bow forward. Exhale

halfway. Lift. Breath in. Downward facing dog.

Breath in.

Breath out.

One more.[00:39:00] 

Pick your heels up, bend your knees. Look. Step to the top. Halfway lift. Inhale,

forward fold.

Stand up mountain pose, palms touch at your chest.

Arms up. Inhale. Forward fold. Exhale,

halfway lift. Inhale.

Downward facing dog.

Take a breath.

One more.[00:40:00] 

Come down to your knees, we'll take one set of camel pose. Stand up on your knees. Bring your hands to your hips. Start by taking a breath to lift the front side of your body and then lift your pelvis forward. Start to lift the center of your chest up towards the ceiling. Hug your elbows and shoulder blades in towards your spine.

With an inhale, slowly come up, have a seat on your heels, and for just a moment, tap into the flow of breath.[00:41:00] 

We'll take a brief Shavasana, come to lie down on your back

and let your legs lengthen in front of you with your feet flopping heavy out towards the. Lift up your shoulders and slide your shoulder blades underneath you and just allow your palms to naturally rest facing up.

And if it's comfortable to you, close your eyes.

Give yourself permission to lie.

To let yourself be

without having to do anything. [00:42:00] Please anyone make anything special happen.

What would it feel like to rest for a.

To be in the.[00:43:00] 

Take a long, full, intentional breath in

and empty it.[00:44:00] 

Wiggle your fingers and.

And circle your ankles and wrists

and take a full body stretch. Reach from front to back,

pull your knees to your chest, and if it's comfortable to you, roll over to your favorite.

And gently make your way up to a seat.

Bring your palms to touch at the center of your chest and take this final moment to notice how you.

You don't have to call it anything or name it. [00:45:00] Noticing is enough.

Bring your thumbs to the center of your forehead and bow your head towards your heart

in. Of you and me in this practice that we share. I bow to you

Thank you so much for taking the time to listen and to practice with me today on Luminous Recovery Yoga podcast. I'm so happy that we shared this space together and I look forward to seeing you again. Take care. Thank you for listening to the Luminous Recovery Yoga Podcast. If you'd like to support the show, please consider joining my Patreon or leaving a comment and review.

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