My name is Larissa.
We're gonna practice together for about 15 minutes.
As always,
This is an opportunity to slow down for a few minutes.
Spend a little time with yourself and just letting go of any like plans or shoulds or supposed tos.
Just get to be with yourself.
It doesn't mean that plans won't show up in our mind and that our mind won't move to different places,
But it's this opportunity to just be here and to practice being here.
It's such a simple thing and we'll work with some tools to help us work with being present.
You're welcome,
Of course,
To close your eyes,
Set your gaze downward.
Take a few moments just to settle into your body.
The smallest adjustment can make such a difference so that you're setting yourself up with gentleness,
Setting yourself up for success,
Rather than forcing yourself to stay.
And whether you're seated or reclined or standing or some other variation in between,
Just start to notice what parts of you are contacting the earth through a chair,
Through your shoes.
Notice that firm foundation beneath you.
And is it possible with these next couple of exhales to settle a little deeper into that foundation?
Just allow yourself to soften your jaw,
Soften your shoulders.
Look for any resistance or tension in your body.
You can just release all of that on your exhale,
Just letting foundation beneath you hold you and allowing yourself to rest into that holding.
And as you find that firm foundation beneath you,
That steadiness,
Start to bring your attention to your breath.
Notice a bit more of the movement of your body as you breathe in and out.
And if you're noticing that your chest is rising quite a bit as you inhale,
Can you allow instead expansion outward as you inhale,
Letting your belly and your sides to the front,
Even ever so subtly to the back.
As you invite in that expansive quality,
As you create that space,
It allows your exhale to be just a tiny bit longer.
We don't always have to modulate our breath.
The good news is our body is breathing for us no matter what.
But to be able to adjust your breath is one of the simplest ways to contact your calming systems,
To be able to hone concentration,
To be able to release or change your energy a bit.
Just the act of noticing your breath,
Paying your attention towards your breath is a way of becoming more present again.
But then remembering too that we can change our breath in any moment.
And instead of always trying to change our mind,
Just changing your breath can be the most easeful access to any gentle shift.
Notice here again that spaciousness on your inhale,
Ribs expanding.
Invite your body to soften a bit as you exhale.
You might follow that for a few rounds.
Spacious inhale,
Slow exhale,
Noticing,
Inviting your body to soften as you exhale.
And eventually just letting your breath fall back to its normal rhythm.
Breathing,
And then aware of breathing.
Just returning our attention back to our breath as many times as needed.
And just the noticing,
Oh thinking,
Oh I'm aware of thinking,
That's enough.
We don't have to push thoughts away or clear our mind.
It's just noticing presence,
Noticing breath.
And anytime you need a refresher,
Just breathe a little deeper.
And invite your exhale to slow down just a touch.
Just being gentle with yourself.
Oh yeah,
Thinking,
I'm aware of thinking now.
Now that I notice that,
I'm breathing,
And I'm aware of breathing.
And I'm just returning to that.
Perhaps even infusing a bit of appreciation.
Thank you body for breathing for me.
Just appreciating that no matter what our mind is doing,
Our body will just continue moving this life through us,
Breath by breath.
So noticing again your breath.
In just a moment I'll invite us to work with our breath in a particular way.
These little breath work modalities can not only again shift our energy,
But they can help us concentrate.
It's almost as if you're employing your breath to return to the present moment.
Rather than just letting your body be breathed.
Both work.
Just remembering there's no right or wrong,
There's no space in meditation we're trying to get to.
Sometimes these breath practices can be helpful.
Just to help us stay for a little longer.
Just notice again your breath.
Regular breath in,
Steady breath out.
Again,
Just a breath.
Then I'll invite you into two breaths in,
And then a sigh out of your mouth.
This is sometimes called a psychological sigh.
And it can be helpful for not only presence,
But a bit of regulation.
So when we're feeling a tiny bit anxious,
This breath can be helpful.
It can also be helpful for a bit of alertness.
A bit of awakening.
I'll invite you just to take again a normal breath in.
Let it be a little fuller,
Let your ribs expand.
Then let your lips be soft and sigh out and exhale.
The next breath you'll just breathe in twice.
And then again.
And then opening your mouth and.
.
.
Again,
Breath in.
Another breath on top of that.
And then release.
Two more like that.
Expansive breath.
Another breath on top.
And then release.
One more just like that.
A breath in.
Another breath in.
And then a releasing.
Just allowing your breath to return to its normal baseline.
Noticing just how five breaths can shift you.
Maybe you noticed just the slightest change of more space between your ribs.
Maybe you noticed your energy shifted ever so slightly.
We'll do that one more time.
Just two or three more breaths like that.
Two inhales and then a releasing exhale.
Just in your own time.
So I'll invite you to do that again.
Two breaths in.
And then a release.
One more breath just like that.
And let something soften as you exhale.
And I'll invite you to bring your hands into any of your closing habits or practices.
Palms together,
Hands over heart.
Perhaps even just letting your hands rest on a body part that needs a little love today.
Let's take a moment here to thank your body for knowing what to do with oxygen.
And then remembering that little breath practice.
Two breaths in and a sigh out.
It's a tool we can take with us any time throughout the day.
Nobody even needs to know you're doing it.
It's a reminder of your practice.
And just a moment to check in with yourself.
We'll end as we often do with a few loving kindness phrases.
Just repeating these phrases back as they make sense for you.
May I remember the innate goodness of my breath.
May I seek and find contentment today.
When action is needed,
May I choose to move with ease and peace.
And may the merits of our practice ripple out to benefit all beings.
Take a moment just to thank yourself for showing up.
Whenever you feel complete,
Find a little movement in your body.
And as always,
Thank you each for being here,
For supporting each other.
