Welcome.
Find a posture that balances the posture you take for most of your day.
For example,
If you spend most of your day seated,
Please come to your feet and stand hip distance apart.
If you spend most of your day on your feet,
Please find a chair or an easy seated posture on the floor.
Wherever you are,
Exhale fully and notice the support of the earth against your body.
Inhale to reach the crown of your head up and exhale to drop your shoulders away from your ears.
Begin to notice the pace of your breath and work to find an equal parts breath where your inhale and your exhale are even.
That will look different in each body for each day.
So find a pace that's sustainable for you.
That might look like inhale two,
Three,
Exhale two,
Three.
Inhale two,
Three,
Exhale two,
Three.
Find your pace for today and simply maintain that breath.
As thoughts come up,
Notice them without judgment.
Bring your awareness back to the pace of your breath.
We'll take three rounds of breath here.
One more.
Maintaining the pace of your breath.
Begin to constrict the back of your throat.
It may help to imagine you're breathing into a mirror to create fog.
And once you're breathing with a constricted throat,
You will be able to hear your breath.
Many people find it sounds like waves of water.
This breath is both warming and calming.
The constriction in your throat creates warmth.
The sound is often calming.
Consider how this can benefit your work as a caregiver.
The energizing effect of warmth,
Creating energy that can sustain your good work.
And the power of that work coming from a place of calm,
A place of steadiness.
Continue to breathe.
Constricting the back of your throat,
Maintaining evenness between your inhales and exhales.
We'll take three rounds of breath here.
Continue to breathe evenly with your equal parts breath.
Constricting the back of your throat to create warmth and calmness.
Notice the sound of your breath.
Consider that your inhale may sound like so.
Your exhale like hum.
So hum is a Sanskrit mantra that translates to I am that.
Consider how your work as a caregiver comes from the strength in yourself,
I am,
To connect with others that.
So hum.
Take your left hand and place it on your body in a place that resonates with your inhale,
The idea that you stand as an individual in your strength,
In your compassion.
Place your right hand on a place in your body that resonates with your exhale,
Hum that.
Your ability to recognize the needs in others,
To be empathetic.
To choose to do work that serves.
Continue to breathe evenly listening to the sounds of your breath,
Considering the mantra so hum.
I am that.
We'll take five breaths here.
Once more,
Inhale.
Exhale.
So hum.
Begin to let your breath come naturally in its pace and sound,
Letting go of the constriction in your throat,
Letting go of your equal parts breath.
As you exhale once again,
Feel the support of the earth against your body through the soles of your feet,
Or your legs.
Inhale to reach the crown of your head up high.
Exhale at your shoulders drop away from your ears.
Know that in taking a moment to care for yourself in gratitude for the work that you are doing is not only for your benefit,
But for the benefit of every life you touch.
We will close our practice here.
