Choosing a comfortable meditation position and feeling into this position,
Checking for balance and symmetry within the body.
Left and right sides are a mirror image of each other,
Hands resting comfortably in the mudra,
Lifting and lengthening the spine from the tailbone to the top of the neck,
Head resting comfortably,
Facial expression soft,
Becoming aware of the natural breath,
Witnessing the breath floating in and out of the body,
Moving the breath and the awareness into Vishuddhi Chakra,
The throat pit.
Begin visualizing the breath moving in and out of this point in the body,
Now moving into Ujjayi Pranayam,
Gentle constriction into the glottis,
Tightening the throat just enough to create that soft snoring sound,
That baby snore of Ujjayi Pranayam.
If the constriction is too tight,
The sound won't be smooth,
And if the constriction isn't tight enough,
There'll be no sound at all.
So working to create that balanced,
Steady,
Soft sound.
Once the breath is moving freely,
Smoothly and gently,
Placing the tongue in Kecchiri Mudra,
So folding the tip of the tongue back so that it's touching at the roof of the mouth,
The underside of the tongue touching the roof of the mouth,
Folding the tongue in half,
Maintaining Kecchiri Mudra throughout the practice.
If the tongue gets tired or the mudra becomes uncomfortable,
Gently release and return as soon as you can.
Ujjayi Pranayam,
Kecchiri Mudra.
Feel into the strengthening nature of this Pranayam,
The extra strength required to draw the breath into the body,
Past the constriction and down into the lungs,
And the extra strength required to push the breath out of the body,
Up and out of the chest,
Past the constriction.
Begin visualizing the breath moving between throat pit and navel.
On the inhalation,
Drawing the breath up from the navel to the throat pit.
On the exhalation,
Pushing the breath back down from throat pit to navel.
Inhale,
Breath and awareness travel up to the throat pit.
And exhalation,
Breath traveling down to the navel.
Imagine the breath is the movement of prana in the body.
Inhale,
Prana travels up.
On the exhalation,
Pushing the prana back down towards the navel.
Inhale,
Drawing breath and awareness up.
Exhale,
Pushing breath and awareness down.
Begin adding the mental repetition of a mantra.
On the inhalation,
Breath and awareness.
Prana is drawn up to the throat pit.
Mentally repeat the mantra so.
On the exhalation,
Breath,
Awareness and prana push back down towards the navel.
Mentally repeat the mantra.
Hum.
Inhale,
So.
Exhale,
Hum,
So.
Now changing the emphasis of the mantra,
Reversing its journey.
So on the next exhalation,
Mentally repeat the mantra hum.
The next inhalation,
Mentally repeat the mantra so.
Hum,
So,
So.
Focusing on all the elements of the practice.
Listening for the sound of Ujjayi Parnayam.
Smooth,
Soft,
Gentle snore.
Drawing breath,
Awareness and prana between throat pit and navel.
Inhale,
Traveling up.
Exhale,
Pushing back down with the mental repetition of the mantra hum.
So,
Hum on the exhalation,
So on the inhalation.
Letting go of the mantra now.
Releasing Khechuri Mudra and Ujjayi Parnayam.
Letting the breath become natural.
Feeling into the effects of the practice.
Become aware of the meditation posture once more.
Feeling body in contact with the floor,
Chair,
Cushion.
Notice where the body is in contact with itself.
The warmth and gentle pressure of that contact.
Focus on the breath.
Taking three full breaths.
Allowing the breath to reactivate the body at a very subtle level.
Begin tuning into sounds.
Allowing those sounds to enter the consciousness.
Begin re-engaging with the day.
The practice of Ajapa Jap Meditation Stage 1 is now complete.
Preparing to move the body.
Introducing gentle movement.
Wriggling fingers,
Toes,
Shrugging the shoulders,
Moving the head.
