Let’s be real. You’re a badass.
You wouldn’t be reading this if you weren’t! It may be in a different ways than most, but you have it in you. Supreme badassery lives within you!
Sometimes we find it difficult to tap into this power and confidence. Here together we will breathe, flow, and fly as we move inward to reconnect with our true inner badass self. Like everything in life, it’s a process.
“Every day you should strive for PROGRESS not perfection.” – Cassey Ho
Short Meditation :: Dhyana
It’s important to spend a few minutes before practice to move inward. Deepen the breath and notice what’s going on in the body. For this practice, we’ll do our beginning meditation in Child’s Pose.
Balasana :: Child’s Pose
Position both knees as wide as the mat and sink the hips back onto the heels. Arms should be stretch out in front, palms and fingers rooting down with forehead resting on your mat. Soften the shoulders and relax all the muscles in the face. Breathe. Less thinking, more breathing!
Pranayama :: Breath Work
Affirmation :: “My breath is strong. I am fierce. I am victorious!”
Ujjayi Breath :: Victorious or Ocean Breath
Find Easy Pose, in a comfortable seat. Inhale and exhale through the nose as you slightly constrict the back of your throat. You can practice ujjayi breath by taking a deep inhale and imagining fogging up a mirror on your exhale. It helps to make the sound “haaaah” slowly as you exhale.
After a few breaths like this, seal the lips and try again. The key is to gently constricting the back of the throat so the air passage becomes smaller and the breath drags up and down the throat. It takes some practice, so be patient with yourself. More details can be found here.
Sankalpa :: Set an Intention
Setting an intention serves as a reminder when the mind wanders to bring awareness back into the present moment to hold the awareness in the mind, body, and breath when the mind begins to chatter. This intention is a word, prayer, mantra, idea, or message. For today’s session, let this intention be something powerful that uplifts you and allows you to feed into your inner badass.
Badass Yoga Sequence
Affirmation :: “I am badass, I am powerful, I am one with the Universe.”
Tadasana :: Mountain Pose
Come to standing and roll the shoulders and few times and find Mountain Pose by standing tall with feet hips width distance apart. Absorb the grounding energy of the Earth below as the crown of the head reaches up. Find a slight bend in the knees, palms face forward with fingers spread wide. Take up space with your breath. Each inhale to lengthen and exhale to ground. Take a few deep breaths to prepare for your badass flow.
Urdhva Hastasana :: Upward Salute
Inhale the arms out and up. Palms touch at the top of the inhale. Big stretch up!
Uttanasana :: Forward Fold
Slowly exhale as you bow forward with a flat back. Arms can swan-dive down, or bring hands through third eye, heart, and down to the Earth. Keep a soft bend in the knees and even weight in both feet. Bend the knees enough to bring palms to mat and lower to table top for cat/cow pose.
Marjaiasana/Bitilasana :: Cat/Cow Pose
Come to table top on hands and knees. Ensure your wrists are under shoulders and knees are under hips. Spread the fingers wide and root down evenly through both palms and all ten ball mounds of fingers. As you inhale allow the belly to fall towards the sand and pull the chest through the arms while bringing the gaze up. Exhale to round the back, tucking the tailbone and chin. Move with your breath for 5-10 rounds.
Add extra movements, because you’re a badass and you can do that! It’s not a yoga pose, who cares? You’re doing what feels good in the moment. Moving with the intelligence of the body rather than what you’re being told to do. Move and breathe.
Adho Mukha Svanasana :: Downward Facing Dog
Re-engage the palms into your mat and tuck toes while lifting the pelvis up and back to find Downward Facing Dog. Think of this shape as an upside letter V, keeping equal weight distributed between upper and lower halves of the body. Simultaneously rotate forearms inward and biceps outward. Spine is long and tailbone tips to sky as heels energetically press down. Take 5 deep cleansing breaths and let the head hang heavy. Ujjayi breath!
Tri Pada Adho Mukha Svanasana :: Three Legged Downward Facing Dog
Inhale right leg to sky for tripod Down Dog. Maintain equal weight in both hands, arms, and shoulders as you bend the right knee and stack right hip over left for the bent leg variation. Wiggle toes and roll the ankle as you take 3 cleansing breaths. Return to Downward Facing Dog and transition to left side. Option for a few breaths in Child’s Pose before transitioning.
Prasarita Padottanasana :: Wide Legged Forward Fold
Inhale right leg to sky and exhale to step in between the palms. Walk down the left side of the mat to a wide legged forward fold. Right foot will slightly turn inward like the position of the left foot. Find a slight bend in both knees and let the upper body hang heavy. Finger tips touch to Earth or blocks. Inhale to half-way lift, exhale fold. 5 rounds of breath.
Each release of the exhale, release something you’ve been holding onto that no long serves your life purpose. If it doesn’t make you feel badass, you don’t need it. LET IT GO!
Utkata Konasana :: Goddess Pose
From wide legged forward fold, turn both feet out to a 45 degree angle. Bend generously into knees and lift the torso all the way up with a flat back. Pelvis presses forward as knees open out wide. Sit low! Spine is long. Shoulders relax down the back as chest lifts and opens. Bring hands to heart and breathe into your inner awesome self. Need more? Take 10 baby pulses into the goddess squat. You’re a badass!
Anjaneyasana :: Low Lunge
Slowly lower back to your wide legged forward fold on an exhale. Walk the hands to return to the top of your mat framing the right (front) foot. Lower the back knee down to the mat as you inhale to lift the chest with arms lengthening up towards to sky above. Allow any tension in the hips to soften and give the hamstrings, quads, and groins a sweet little stretch.
More advanced variation :: Alanasana :: High Lunge
Tuck the back toes and left the back knee. Back leg is strong and straight. Engage core and inhale to lift the chest with arms lengthening up towards to sky above. Fingers and skin of palms stretching wide, shoulders soft, hips squaring forward and lots of deep breaths. Hold for 5 rounds of breath.
Virabhadrasana I :: Warrior One
Lift the back knee (if in low lunge). Spin the back foot down to a 45-degree angle. Inhale to rise and re-square the hips forward as you bring the biceps next to ears. Maintain a strong and straight back leg with front leg at a 90-degree angle with knee directly over ankle. Lengthen the waist, arms, and fingers as you soften the shoulders, jaw, and throat. You are a warrior of the road, stand strong! Warrior poses are not only about strength and stability, but also about compassion and ease. Check out Alissa Lastres thoughts on the truth of Warrior Pose.
Balasana :: Child’s Pose
Bring right foot to meet left in Downward Facing Dog and lower knees for Child’s Pose. Take 5 rounds of breath before transitioning to the left side. Position both knees as wide as the mat and sink the hips back onto the heels. Arms should be stretched out in front, palms and fingers rooting down with forehead resting on your mat. Soften the shoulders and relax all the muscles in the face.
(Repeat this series on the left side)
Apanasana :: Knees-to-Chest Pose
Roll onto the back and keeping the entire spine against the mat, hug the knees in toward the chest, wrapping the arms around the shins. Gently rock right and left massaging the lower back.
Savasana :: Corpse Pose
Make your way completely onto the back. Legs spread wide, arms out to the side, full body relaxation. Close the eyes and breathe naturally. This is your time to absorb the benefits of your practice, to fully surrender, and to find enjoyment in all that is you.
Namaste.
Affirmation :: “I AM A BADASS!”
