- Hi, everyone and 
welcome to Yoga with Adriene.

I'm Adriene and this is Benji.

And today, we 
have yoga for nurses

or for anyone who's 
wanting to nurture themselves.

This is a yummy practice so
hop into something extra comfy

and let's fill our cups.

(upbeat music)

Alrighty, my friends.

Today, we're gonna 
begin lying flat on our backs.

Yay!

So take your time getting there.

There's no rush.

Remember, this time is for you.

This valuable, 
valuable precious time

with your body, with your 
breath and with your heart.

When you get there, go ahead
and lay all the way down.

So relax your limbs.

Let your arms rest 
gently at your sides.

If you have a ponytail or, 
I don't know why

I said that so weird,
that's a weird pony.

If you have a ponytail, go
ahead and put it to the side.

And alright, ladies and 
gentlemen, boys and girls,

let's take one nice,

full, conscious 
breath in together to begin.

Here we go.

Big inhale in through the nose.

And exhale out 
through the mouth.

Don't be shy.

Awesome.

Close your eyes 
and just take a moment

to notice where you're at today.

Start with the 
soles of the feet.

We're gonna scan the body all
the way up from the soles,

all the way to 
the crown of the head.

So, depending on 
your personality type

and your energetic state,

we all experience this 
body scan a little different

depending on whether you're
more right brain or left brain.

So I don't really 
wanna tell you how to do it

but rather, just 
invite you to scan the body

from the soles of your 
feet to the crown of the head

and to breathe 
deep as you do so.

Close your eyes and begin.

Nice full body scan.

Take your time and if 
you zoomed through it,

you can go back to the soles
of the feet and try it again.

See if you notice anything new.

Great, and then as you're ready,

you're gonna take a 
deep breath in again.

And exhale out 
through the mouth.

Don't be shy.

So we sigh out through 
the mouth, our little sigh.

We're signaling the brain.

Communicating that this 
time is time to slow down.

Check in, take stock.

All right, bring the 
thumb to your fingerprints.

You're just gonna move your
thumbprint on your fingers

starting out nice and slow.

And if you're totally exhausted
and you're like so tired,

you can go to sleep here.

I got your back.

We're gonna ease 
in nice and gentle.

So just take one 
moment at a time.

Try to, just let one 
present moment be a window

or a doorway into the next.

So don't get 
ahead, if you're tired.

It's all good and 
that's why we're here,

to nurture your sweet self.

Self-care, self-love is the way.

And through this practice today,

will hopefully 
leave you feeling nurtured

so that you can fill your cup

and be 
available to serve others,

help others, nurture others.

Alright, release 
the fingertip thing.

We're gonna bring the palms
now flat down to the earth

and you're gonna 
press into the earth

and use this 
connection to sweet Mama Earth

to press, excuse me, 
draw the navel down

as you press with the hands

and you're gonna slowly lift
the knees up towards the chest.

You can do it 
either at the same time

for a little core stimulation

or if you want 
to keep it softer,

just one knee at a time.

Then scoop the tailbone up.

You're gonna give 
yourself a big hug.

Wrap the arms around your
legs and then close your eyes

and find what 
feels good here.

You might rock 
gently side to side,

you might point 
and flex the feet.

And we're just 
finally dropping in,

realizing, oh my gosh, 
I need this time,

I need this practice.

Feel your yoga mat rising 
up to meet your back body.

This practice has your 
back, I have your back.

I admire you for being

the type of person

who is willing to serve others

but even more so 
for taking the time

to make sure that you, yourself,

are taken care of and nurtured
so that you can do your job

and be your best self.

Hold on to your right knee,
send the left leg out long.

Go ahead and let the 
left heel come to the earth.

You're really gonna 
squeeze the right knee up

towards your heart

and then open it up 
towards your shoulder.

Again, squeeze it 
up towards your heart

and the action of drawing
open towards your shoulder.

Right, activate your left leg.

So firm down 
through the left thigh bone,

left toes up towards the 
sky, take a deep breath in.

And a long breath out.

Great, then you're 
gonna lift your left knee up,

press your left 
foot into the ground.

You're just gonna shift 
your hips over to the right

and then extend 
your left leg out again

and you're gonna come 
into the supine twist.

So you're just 
shifting your hips

over towards the 
right a little bit.

And then right knee comes over

towards the left 
side of your mat.

And then you can stay here

opening up through 
the right armpit, chest,

the pec, the shoulder 
or bend the left knee.

You're gonna reach down.

Aim to grab your right, 
excuse me, your left foot,

your left toes 
with your right hand.

And then we open 
up the chest here.

So you're opening the right
shoulder towards the right,

kind of down towards the earth.

And then the last 
yummy ingredient here

is just 
breathing into the belly.

Think spa breaths today.

Whatever that means to you.

The way you 
would breathe in a spa.

And don't get sad if 
you've never been to a spa.

You know, don't 
choose that path.

Just use the creative image too.

Oh, what would a 
spa breath be like?

A blissful breath.

(breathing deeply)

One more, inhale in here.

Right down into the belly.

Gorgeous and then your exhale

to release that 
bottom foots, bottom leg

and then slowly guide it 
back all the way to center.

Shift the hips down 
right to the center line

and hug both 
knees into the chest.

Awesome, this time we're gonna
take the hands to the knees.

You're just draw 
gentle circles in one way

and then the other.

One way and then the other.

So massaging the 
lower back, the SI joint.

We're stretching 
through the hips and the glutes.

And maybe, most importantly,

we are just taking 
this time to soften our gaze

and close our eyes, 
breathe deep and again,

feel supported.

So you spend so much 
energy supporting others,

being present, listening, 
to being very supportive

so just take a 
moment to really feel that.

In fact, you might 
quietly whisper to yourself,

I am supported.

I am supported.

Sweet, then hold 
on to your left knee,

send your right 
leg all the way out.

Go ahead and bring your
right heel to kiss the earth.

And squeeze the left 
knee in towards your heart

and then open it 
towards your left shoulder.

Again, the action is 
squeezing in towards center

and then opening.

So we're creating 
a little compression

in the front of the 
left hip crease here.

Breathe deep.

(breaths deeply)

Then lift up 
through your right knee.

Press your right 
foot into the ground,

lift your hips, 
scooch it over to the left

and then extend 
your right leg out.

And as you're ready, guide the
left knee over supine twist.

Notice how this 
side is different.

Right side, left side.

And breathe like 
you love yourself.

Left arm can go all 
the way out and stay there

or we'll bend the 
right knee this time.

Maybe reach down, try to catch
the right toes, right foot

and then open the left 
shoulder one more time.

And then go ahead 
and use your right hand

to gently guide that 
left knee a little deeper.

Breathe deep here.

Breathe into your belly.

Spa breaths.

(breathing deeply)

So when I get 
really busy with work

or when I get really invested
in other people's stories,

I have to up my self-care

and tend to my mental 
headspace, not just my body.

But I have to be able to kind
of soften my thinking space

and make sure that 
I'm taking time to restore

and tend to myself so that I
don't spiral out of control

worrying about 
others or depleting myself.

Take one more breath.

That's why the spa 
breath is so important.

Okay, and then use 
and exhale to release

the bottom leg and we'll 
shift slowly back to center.

Hug both knees into the chest,

and then this time, 
we're gonna inhale in,

exhale, peel the 
nose up toward the knees.

So it doesn't 
have to come close,

just creating spaciousness 
between the vertebra.

And then if you want, 
you can grab the feet,

you can grab the shins

or you can take your 
hands in to the midline

and take a 
little Happy Baby here.

So I have some options.

A little hedgehog pose.

Maybe you're here or Happy Baby.

Take three 
cycles of breath here.

Count them out.

One.

(breathing deeply)

And two.

(breathing deeply)

And three.

(breathing deeply)

And then we're 
gonna bring the hands

to the back of the thighs.

Keep breathing nice 
long cycles of breath

and we're gonna rock 
and roll all the way up.

So take your time

massaging through 
the length of your spine.

You should feel really awesome.

We're also waking 
up the core muscles

that we need for a strong back

but also a nice 
connection to that third chakra

which is our 
home base, it's that

self-care center.

And then rock as many times

as you feel 
awesome and comfortable

and you're gonna 
come all the way through

to a nice comfortable seat.

You can center 
yourself on the mat.

And then right 
away, let's inhale,

reach for the sky, big stretch.

And then exhale, you're going
to open twist to the left.

Now fingertips can 
go down to the earth

or maybe you 
catch a little bind.

And then inhale, 
reach for the sky.

Back to center and 
exhale to the right.

Catch a bind or 
fingertips on the mat.

Inhale back up to center, lift
all four sides of the torso,

lift and lengthen, exhale.

Open twist to the left.

Inhale to center.

Sync up with your breath here,

open twist to the right.

And you can find a 
little more fluid movement here.

Inhale, reach up high.

Exhale, open twist.

Maybe integrating the neck here.

Keep it going.

One more time on each side.

Beautiful, inhale reach up.

Exhale bring the hands down.

You're gonna open the 
legs a little wider now

so that we come 
into Baddha Konasana.

So the soles of the 
feet are gonna come together.

You're gonna take 
your hands to your feet

and you're gonna 
practice a little self massage.

Now, you can start 
by taking the thumbs

to the arches of your feet

and just gonna kind of start
there and work your way out.

And then take 
your eyes off the video

and I mean this 
with all sincerity.

Like really focus in 
on what you're doing.

I'm laughing because I 
know it can seem kind of silly

but many people 
will get emotional here.

And I wanna tell 
you why I think that

but I just want you to 
feel your way through this.

And if you're not feeling 
anything, that's great too.

Just give yourself a 
nice little foot massage.

Breathe deep.

All right and when you're ready,

you gonna open the 
feet as wide as you can,

just like a book.

You don't have to force it.

And you'll grab the ankles, 
try to keep the feet open

and then roll up really 
tall through your spine.

Inhale, lots of 
love in, stay present.

Exhale, relax 
your shoulders down.

Lots of love out.

Try to create more space.

Inhale, lots of 
love in, lift your chest.

Exhale, relax 
the shoulders down.

Lots of love out.

Great, take the left ear.

Drop it over the left 
shoulder, breathe deep.

So I'm actively kind of tagging

some weight down 
through my right elbow.

And then bring it up to 
center nice and easy breezy

over to the other side.

Oh, yeah.

Awesome, bring 
it back to center.

Take the hands, lift them up.

Bring them to the 
outer edges of the legs,

slowly close the 
knees together, lean back.

Lift your shins.

If this is too much on your back

and we're kind of 
needing to nurture the back,

you can keep the toes on the
ground or heels on the ground.

Otherwise, you're just gonna get

a little core strengthening.

You can hold on to 
the backs of your legs

or you can send the 
fingertips out wide.

We're just gonna 
breathe deep here

and see if we 
can keep a nice calm,

cool softness in the face.

So soften your brow.

And then the pose is really
meant to inspire the breath

and the breath 
there to nurture the pose.

So the more we can sync those
two things up, the better.

So breathe deep.

Awesome, then in the air here,

see if you can catch some air.

You're gonna cross 
one ankle over the other.

Bring the palms together,

and then we're gonna slowly clap

and then rock 
all the way through

and take it to 
Downward Facing Dog.

Take your time getting there.

Let each 
movement be soft and easy.

Remember the 
intention of today's practice

is not meant to bust 
your chops or break you,

but rather to nurture.

So let your movement and the
way you move reflect that.

Shake the head, 
soften through your jaw.

And then here we go.

We're gonna do baby steps

all the way to 
the top of the mat,

but really see how 
many steps you can take.

So pay attention to the nuance.

Try to stretch through 
the fascia of the foot,

the ankles, the Achilles.

You might crisscross the feet
to get more into the calves

and then through the backs
of the knees, the hamstrings.

Then once you arrive 
at the top of your mat,

bring the feet hip width apart

and bend your knees so 
that we can give some love,

and by some, I mean a lot 
of love to your lower back.

Clasp opposite 
elbow and breathe deep,

inhaling lots of love in,

as you bend your 
knees generously.

And exhaling, relaxing 
the weight of your head over.

Letting go.

Fabulous, release the arms.

Press in all four 
corners of the feet,

tuck your chin into your chest

and with so much love 
and tender loving care,

roll up to Mountain Pose.

And as you rise up here,

try not to fidget and 
if you did, it's all good.

Take what you need.

And see if you can just 
pause and be still here.

Allow your breath to evolve.

Nice full loving breaths.

Awesome, then we'll 
slowly bat the eyelashes open

if your eyes were closed.

We're gonna inhale, 
reach up, look up.

And then exhale, 
soft bend in the knees

as you open twist to the left.

And then inhale, 
reach up, look up.

Ground through the heels,
exhale, soft bend both knees

as you open twist to the right

and then keep it going 
just like we did before.

Inhale, reach up rise up.

And sync up with your breath.

Exhale, open, maybe look back

and then inhale, 
reach up, look up, rise.

Moving with your breath

and again, protecting the knees

by keeping them nice and bent
every time you open twist.

So most people practicing
this will probably intuit that

but just in case, 
be really mindful.

Soft bend as you open twist.

Let's do one more on each side.

Nice yummy spa breaths.

Inhale, reach.

Awesome, then the next time
you inhale, reach for the sky,

bring the palms together.

You could give it 
a clap if you like.

And then we're gonna Forward
Fold all the way back down.

Great, then 
bend both knees here.

Right fingertips are gonna
come to the center of your mat.

And then you're gonna slowly
straighten just the left leg.

Keep the right knee bent 
as you reach left fingertips

up towards the sky.

Big open twist 
and then take it down.

Inhale.

Exhale.

Open twist to the right.

Straighten the right leg.

Keep the left knee bent.

And back down and same thing.

So you inhale to center,

exhale the twist.

And then you're alternating 
which leg is straight,

which leg is bent.

Alright, even it out.

Bring it all the way down.

Forward Fold.

Awesome, from here, 
we're gonna bend the knees,

plant the palms.

I'm just gonna step one 
foot back and then the other.

One Plank Pose in this practice

just to wake up 
our center or core.

Big breath in.

And then exhale all the way
down to the belly nice and slow.

Loop the shoulders, 
pull the elbows back.

Inhale, open the chest.

Baby Cobra.

And then release.

Awesome, you're gonna 
press up to all fours,

then curl the toes under

and then peel it from your tail.

Downward Facing Dog.

Big breath in.

Long breath out.

Sweet, baby steps 
to the top of the mat.

Take your time here.

Really maximize this journey

so you can find 
stretch in the side body.

Again, waking up 
through the feet,

tending to some tired legs

by stretching through 
the Achilles, the calf.

And then all the way 
back up to Forward Fold

at the top of your mat.

Great, feet hip-width apart,

inhale, halfway lift, 
lengthen through the spine.

And exhale to soften and bow.

Root to rise here.

Press into the feet, 
bend your knees a little,

reach the fingertips 
way up high, big stretch.

And then exhale, hands to heart.

Mountain Pose.

Take a deep breath in 
and a long breath out.

Beautiful.

So from here, we're 
gonna walk the feet together,

really together.

And I like to 
challenge my friends lately

to try to do that 
without looking down.

It's harder than you think.

Then bring the palms 
together if they aren't already.

We're gonna shift the 
weight to the left foot

and slowly pick 
the right knee up high.

So we're gonna squeeze and lift.

Interlace the fingertips,
squeeze and lift.

Lift, lift, lift.

You can rotate the right ankle
one way and then the other.

And then bring the left 
hand back at your heart space

and you're gonna 
take the right foot

and bring the right heel

either all the way up 
to your left inner thigh

or maybe drop it down 
to your left inner calf

or maybe big toe on 
the ground for a Tree Pose.

Hands on the heart,
palm face down.

So pick your Vrksasana today.

And you're gonna try to hug
everything into the midline

as you open up through 
that right outer hip

lengthen tailbone down.

Think upper body lifting

and back body grounding.

And then tap into a 
little ocean breath here.

You might soften your gaze down

or challenge yourself

or if it just 
feels better today,

we're aspiring to look up.

You might do that.

Find your flavor 
and breathe deep.

And then slowly bring 
the right knee back up,

squeeze and lift.

We're gonna inhale, 
reach for the sky.

Standing one-legged Tadasana.

And then check it out.

Exhale, open twist 
to the right, whoa!

Hug everything into the midline.

Open, twist.

You might create 
a little resistance

between your left 
arm and your right knee.

Maybe you look 
back, breathe deep.

Inhale in and then exhale,

release everything, 
Mountain Pose.

Awesome work, super fun.

Inhale, lift the chest.

Exhale, relax the shoulders.

All right, 
inhale, hands to heart.

Shift your weight 
to your right foot.

Bring the feet 
together without looking down.

Awesome, then slowly 
lift the left knee up.

So activate the core here.

Interlace the fingertips, 
squeeze and lift.

Press away from the earth.

So press your 
standing foot down.

Lift your chest.

We're creating a 
healthy flow of energy

with this little 
ditty here so stay focused.

Breathe deep.

Rotate the left ankle.

It might start to 
get a little warm here.

It's all good.

And then the right 
hand comes to the heart

and you'll find your Tree Pose

on the other side, your version.

And there's a tendency

to kinda push into 
the right side of the body

so let's balance out right
side and left side of the body

by pushing back a little bit.

Finding that 
equilibrium, that balance.

And then again, 
you might look up today

or soft gaze down.

Find what feels good.

Maybe you challenge 
yourself by closing your eyes.

And then notice what's 
coming up in your mind,

your heart space 
and just breathe deep.

Create a little warmth.

Awesome, then you're gonna
slowly inhale, lift the chest.

And exhale, release.

Bring that left knee back in.

We're strengthening core here.

Squeeze and lift, 
standing one-legged Tadasana.

Inhale, reach for 
the sky and then exhale.

Keep pressing 
into that standing leg,

lift your left knee up, 
open twist to the left.

Create a little resistance 
here, a little fulcrum.

Hug navel in and up.

So upper abdominals 
and lower bellies

zip in towards your navel

and you might look back past
your left shoulder, breathe.

And then use an 
exhale to release everything.

Mountain Pose.

Whoa, bring the feet 
together, really together.

Bring the hands to your heart.

Take a deep breath in.

Exhale, close your eyes.

Inhale.

Cleansing exhale.

Release something, 
let something go.

Great.

Final asana, we're 
gonna step the feet very wide.

So feet will start parallel

and then you'll inch 
your big toes in a hair.

So you can really feel the
outer edges of the feet connect.

Inhale, hands together and lift
your chest, lift your heart.

Exhale, microbend in the 
knees as we've been doing,

then you gonna 
send the hips back,

lead with your chest.

Standing 
wide-legged, Forward Fold.

Eventually, the hands 
will come down to the earth.

You might widen your stance,
you might make it more narrow

and then yogi's 
choice, my dear friends.

You might bring 
the hands in line

with the arches of the feet,

bringing the 
crown of the head down.

If headstand is your 
practice, you can send it up.

Maybe we're here 
keeping the wrists

right underneath the shoulders.

You've done a lot of twisting,

but if you're feeling 
it and you wanna continue,

you can do open 
twist to the right

and open twist to the left.

So we'll take five cycles.

Five mindful 
cycles of breath here.

Engaging the inner thighs,
staying connected to your core.

Letting go of 
any stress or tension

by simply 
breathing with consciousness.

Keeping the skin 
of the face soft

and relaxed.

If you're upside down, 
make your way back down.

If you're in a twist, 
even it out.

We'll slowly walk 
the hands back out.

And this time, bring 
them to the waistline.

Bend the knees, 
activate your core.

And again, with your heart,
lead the way, rise up strong.

Great, beautiful.

Just feel the effects here,
blood flow, energy, that flush.

(breathing deeply)

And then we're gonna slowly
inch the feet nice and slow

all the way back 
in and underneath us.

Keep the hands on the waistline,

and stand tall.

Inhale, lots of love in.

And exhale, relax the 
shoulders, lots of love out.

Awesome work.

Release the 
fingertips down to come up.

We bring the palms together

and all the way 
up to the third eye.

Close your eyes and just feel
this out for a second here.

Feel your feet on the earth.

Feel the energy 
that you stirred up.

Blanket yourself in love here,

and gratitude for taking 
the time to fill your cup.

I wanna personally 
thank you for all you do

to take care of others.

Probably goes without 
saying, but I genuine,

I'm gonna get emotional

but I genuinely 
believe that this practice

is a great tool for all of us

to take better care of ourselves

so that we can 
take care of each other.

Treat everyone with the 
love and respect and kindness

that the world needs.

Can I get an amen?

Okay, take a deep breath here.

And exhale one 
last cleansing breath.

The awesome in me 
bows to the awesome in you.

Please share these 
practice with anyone

who you think 
might benefit from it

and I'll see you next week.

Namaste.

(upbeat music)