Your body is the road map of your life.
If you want to see where you've been,
Where you are going,
Or most importantly where you are right now,
Look at the body.
It is giving us constant feedback about our location.
Sometimes we simply aren't connected to the landmarks of where we are.
So autopilot takes us where our unconscious choices lead us.
When we learn how to read the road map of our body and tune into the cues of our lived experience,
We realize we are holding the steering wheel and can then guide our lives to the destinations we desire to go.
Our breath is a valuable key to connecting to this road map,
Slowing us down enough to check in with whether we are on track to land where we want to be.
This is a practice of following different breath patterns,
Feeling into those that meet us with support in coming to stillness,
The place where our yeses and nos lie.
When we get still,
The wisdom within becomes the guide.
Begin by coming to a seated position.
Feel free to sit in a chair or lean your spine against a wall to make yourself as comfortable as possible.
Take a moment to notice how you are already breathing.
Is it easeful?
Shallow?
Steady?
Constricted?
Whatever you notice,
On your next inhale,
Take two full,
Deep inhales into the nose.
Hold the breath at the top,
Noticing what it feels like to be full,
And let it out the mouth and sense the rush as the headspace clears.
Close the lips and slow the breath down slightly.
As you focus on the inhales and exhales,
Follow a counted breath for four cycles.
Begin by exhaling all the breath out and then breathe in for 1,
2,
3,
4.
Hold 1,
2,
3,
4.
Exhale 1,
2,
3,
4 and hold 1,
2,
3,
4.
Begin again.
Breathe in 1,
2,
3,
4.
Hold 1,
2,
3,
4.
Exhale 1,
2,
3,
4.
Hold 1,
2,
3,
4.
Breathe in 1,
2,
3,
4.
Hold 1,
2,
3,
4.
Breathe out 1,
2,
3,
4 and hold 1,
2,
3,
4.
Last one.
Breathe in 1,
2,
3,
4.
Hold 1,
2,
3,
4.
Exhale 1,
2,
3,
4.
Hold 1,
2,
3,
4.
Inhale through the nose and exhale,
Let it go out of the mouth.
Sit in the pause and notice.
Return to an easy,
Fluid breath.
Invite your muscles to soften.
Feel free to adjust your seat as needed.
Next,
We will practice 8 cycles of alternate nostril breathing.
Begin by placing the first 2 fingers of your right hand at the space between your eyebrows.
Take the thumb to gently press into the side of your right nostril to close off the air passage.
Breathe in through the left nostril and before breathing out,
Release the thumb and close off the left nostril with your ring finger so the exhale comes through the right nostril.
Keep this hand position as you breathe into the right nostril.
As you reach the top of the inhale,
Switch the hand position to close off the right and exhale through the left.
Stay here as you breathe in and switch again at the top of the breath so the exhale is released through the right nostril again.
Breathe in and continue the pattern of switching the hand position at the top of the inhale before exhaling.
You will take 4 more cycles of breath on your own,
Ending after exhaling through the left nostril.
When you are finished,
Let go by inhaling through the nose and softly sighing out the mouth.
Return once again to a steady and easy breath.
Begin to find a sense of evenness on the inhale and exhale side of the breath.
On your next exhale,
Breathe out just halfway and pause.
Release the rest of the exhale and then breathe in through the nose.
Exhale just halfway out,
Pause.
Exhale all the air out of the body.
Inhale fully.
Exhale halfway,
Pause.
Exhale completely.
Inhale fully.
Open mouth exhale,
Let it go.
Now take a moment to intentionally let go of all breathing effort,
Simply allowing the breath to move through you.
With every natural and fluid exhale,
Invite a deeper softening inside,
Allowing yourself to be held by the support you are seated upon.
Take a moment to simply notice your state of being.
Knowing there are no wrong answers,
Ask yourself,
How do I feel?
From this space of connection to self,
Once you've checked in with where you are,
Ask yourself next,
Where is it I would like to go now?
Whatever answer arises,
Sit with it and give it a little space.
If your mind becomes busy,
Refocus on the easy and fluid breath pattern you've created for yourself.
May you meet the roadmap of your body with curiosity,
Sitting long enough to hear the wisdom within guiding you forward.
Thank you for practicing.
