Welcome.
Thank you for being here today.
I also welcome you to take a moment of gratitude,
Maybe smiling or hugging your arms or knees.
We're making space for gratitude because showing up and simply being here can be the hardest part of any practice.
It's at once both a small and big step.
In reminding ourselves of this,
We give ourselves permission to hold a gentle perspective of where we are.
Before beginning to check in with yourself today,
Take some time to set up your space.
The first thing being,
Do you need to set a timer for an extra five or ten minutes after this recording ends?
If yes,
Pause here and please do so.
Maybe this means adding or subtracting some warmth around where you are.
Notice if your body is asking for pillows underneath any joints.
Really tend to yourself so that you can have that support your body needs.
Honor that.
If at any time you need to shift to be just a tad more comfortable,
Feel free.
Settling in doesn't have to settle into feeling rigid.
Our support may need changing in the most subtle ways.
Again,
Honor that.
Honor your truth.
Everything offered here is an invitation for you to explore.
Feel free to change your mind or skip any invitations altogether because this is your space,
Your body,
And your self-care.
There are always choices.
So if you do move a bit,
Please move slowly so you can maintain that sensation of ease that you're meeting.
If building comfort is all you do,
That can be more than enough to find the rest you may need.
We aren't here to do anything,
But rather be.
Be aware.
Be curious.
If there are areas of your body that do not feel sensation,
Simply drawing your attention to those areas can cultivate rest and healing.
And you can return to your inner glimmer whenever you wish.
In this practice,
We'll be alternating our awareness around different areas of the body.
If you wish to let your attention stay on one area a bit longer,
Consider this your permission slip to do so.
Maybe there's an area that you don't typically think about or sense into,
But today you find yourself sensing into that area,
Wanting to be reintroduced to it,
Whatever it is.
Maybe you place your hand or a soft object on an area to maintain that connection.
I mentioned before that inner glimmer.
Let's explore what that is.
It's a sensing of awe from a place or an imagined place where there's a feeling of ease,
Calm,
And even safety.
It can be from a recent moment,
A current or old home,
A moment in the past,
With someone,
A beloved animal.
Your inner glimmer can hold whatever you'd like it to hold.
Feel into this awe for a few moments.
What do you notice in your body?
Remembering that you can return to your inner glimmer any time,
Begin to draw your attention toward your breath,
Your most honest breath.
That is how it's naturally moving as though you were a child again.
Notice where it's moving in your body.
Perhaps bringing a palm or two to where it's ebbing and flowing.
Feel into its qualities.
Don't think too much about them,
Just feel.
We're just checking in.
You can bring the feeling of awe with you through this practice.
So that it is available to you at any time.
Again,
There are always choices.
If we're out walking or hiking among trees,
We often keep our gaze straight ahead or raise it to see and feel the direction of the sun.
In doing so,
We overlook the low shrubs and younger trees,
Missing what feeds us the closest oxygen.
And this is the understory.
The understory reminds us to show up with what's constantly alongside us.
Within reach,
What's nourishing us along our journey,
Our body.
One way we can show up for our body is by practicing curiosity.
Now,
Imagine breathing in your favorite outdoor scent.
Take your time inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth.
Do this a few times.
If breathing through the nose is not comfortable for you or not accessible at this moment,
Feel free to breathe through your mouth.
Again,
Take your time.
Now,
I invite you to inhale and exhale through the nose for some duration.
Maybe that's three seconds in and three seconds out.
Or perhaps four seconds in and four seconds out.
Maybe it's the same duration of time.
Be curious and honor a duration,
A rhythm that makes sense for your body.
We'll be here for about a minute.
Now,
Feel into the rhythm.
Bring your attention to the sensations of your whole body resting where it is.
Be curious as to how close you are to any soft edges of a blanket,
A chair,
A mat.
Sense how close you are to any natural light.
If you feel like movement needs to happen as we sense from one area to another,
Play with wiggling.
This could offer you a more interactive experience.
Begin to notice the sides of your body,
Beginning with the side of your left foot.
Side of your right foot.
Side of the right leg.
Side of the right knee.
Side of the right hip.
Right side of the ribcage.
Right armpit.
Side of the right arm.
Side of the right shoulder.
Right side of the neck.
Right side of the face.
Right side of the head.
From the right side of the head,
Breathe awareness over to the left side of the head.
Left side of the face.
Left side of the neck.
Side of the left shoulder.
Left armpit.
Side of the left arm.
Left side of the ribcage.
Side of the left hip.
Side of the left knee.
Side of the left leg.
Side of the left foot.
Come back to breathing in and out consistently.
Sense your rhythm.
As we begin moving toward absorbing this practice now,
Know that you can come back to the breath that nourishes the brain,
Organs,
And movement anytime.
Our own understory reminds us that we are always side by side with curiosity that helps us discover more about our movement and rest.
Bring your attention to the sensations of your whole body resting where it is.
Be curious as to how close you are to any soft edges of a blanket or a chair or a mat.
Be curious as to how close you are to any natural light.
Let your breath breathe here.
Now,
Begin to flutter the eyes open and lower your gaze.
Maybe finding easeful movement,
If that's comfortable for you.
If that's comfortable where you are.
Begin to curl and release the fingers.
The toes.
Maybe creating wrist circles or ankle circles.
Stretch your whole body.
Taking a few moments to smile.
Only releasing it when and if you wish.
May you take your choice of breath with you and rotate awareness as you reconnect with the rhythm of the day or evening.
Thank you.
Be well.
