Yoga Every Day
Connect to Your Devotion

S10:Ep10

20 mins

TV-G Teacher: Steph Schwartz

How do you connect to your devotion on the mat? In this episode of Yoga Every Day, Steph Schwartz guides a heart-opening flow inspired by Hanuman.

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To truly connect to your devotion, we must sometimes look to the stories that shape our physical practice. In Season 10, Episode 10 of Yoga Every Day, instructor Steph Schwartz invites you to step onto the mat for a heart-centered journey inspired by the legendary devotion of the monkey god, Hanuman.

This 20-minute devotional hatha yoga practice is thoughtfully designed to help you cultivate deep hamstring flexibility and safely work toward full splits. By blending precise physical alignment with spiritual intent, this hatha yoga level 2 class serves as an ideal morning yoga ritual to ground your energy, focus your mind, and open your chest. Through a focused daily hatha practice, you can transform physical movement into a sacred, embodied yoga practice that honors both strength and surrender.

Using two blocks to support your alignment, Steph guides you through a heart opening yoga flow that emphasizes the connection between physical release and emotional openness. Hanuman’s leap across the ocean represents a leap of pure love and faith, and this sequence mirrors that journey by opening the hips and chest to prepare the body for Hanumanasana. By approaching the physical challenges of the splits with a sense of humility and patience, you learn to honor your body's current boundaries while gently expanding them. This session is not just about achieving a peak pose; it is about connecting with inner devotion and finding space within the body to breathe, expand, and offer up your efforts. Whether you are looking to deepen your physical flexibility or bring more mindfulness to your daily routine, this practice offers a balanced approach to physical and spiritual wellness.

Cultivate Heart-Centered Alignment

Deepen Hamstring Flexibility: Utilize two blocks to safely explore deep hamstring openers, building the structural support and stability needed to work toward full splits.
Open the Heart Center: Engage in targeted chest-opening postures that release tension in the upper body, fostering emotional receptivity and a deeper connection to your breath.
Integrate Devotional Intent: Learn how to align physical effort with a deeper sense of purpose, transforming your physical postures into a moving meditation and a heartfelt offering.

Begin your exploration today on Gaia and discover how a dedicated movement practice can elevate your daily routine.

Teacher: Steph Schwartz

Audio Languages: English

Subtitles: English

Frequently Asked Questions

What does devotion mean in a yoga practice?

In yoga, devotion—often referred to as bhakti—means dedicating your physical efforts and mindfulness to a higher purpose or a deeper sense of love. It shifts the focus of the practice from purely physical achievement to an offering of the heart. By practicing with devotion, you cultivate humility, patience, and a stronger connection to your inner self.

How do you practice devotional yoga?

Devotional yoga is practiced by setting a heartfelt intention before movement and maintaining a focus on breath and surrender throughout the sequence. Postures are approached as offerings rather than goals, allowing practitioners to connect deeply with their inner devotion. Incorporating heart-opening poses and hip openers helps release emotional tension and fosters a receptive state of mind.

What are the benefits of a daily morning hatha yoga ritual?

Establishing a morning hatha yoga ritual helps ground your energy, improve physical flexibility, and set a mindful tone for the rest of the day. Regular morning practice stimulates circulation, wakes up the muscles, and enhances mental clarity. Over time, a daily hatha practice builds both physical strength and emotional resilience.

What props are recommended for this hatha yoga level 2 class?

This specific session requires two yoga blocks to assist with alignment and support. Using blocks helps practitioners safely explore deep hamstring openers and work toward full splits without straining. You can stream this episode of Yoga Every Day on Gaia to experience how props can enhance your alignment and depth.