This particular practice can transform your life.
Namaste,
My name is Somya.
I'm a yoga instructor based out of India and today we will be learning mindfulness meditation.
Consistent practice of this meditation can help reduce your stress levels.
It can help bring anxiety under control.
If you suffer from mild to moderate depression,
This can be super beneficial to you.
Or if you have an overactive mind and have the tendency to overthink,
This can also help you train your mind.
To do the practice,
You need a couple of cushions to sit on,
A pair of earphones,
But that is optional,
And a quiet place where you will not be disturbed for the next 10 to 15 minutes.
So if you're ready,
Hop into something comfy and let's get started.
To begin the practice,
Find a comfortable seated posture of your choice.
You can do this practice while sitting cross-legged on your yoga mat or while seated on a chair,
Feet planted firmly on the ground.
Keep your back nice and straight without putting any unnecessary pressure.
If you have a weak lower back,
Feel free to support yourself with a cushion.
Your hands can rest gently on your lap,
Cupping,
Or you can place them on your thighs,
Palms facing up towards the ceiling.
And once you feel ready,
You may close your eyes or keep them open with a soft gaze in front of you.
And just give yourself permission to be present for yourself for the next few minutes,
Learning this new practice.
Mindfulness is about being aware and present.
The anchors that we will be using today are your breath and your body.
Take a deep breath in.
And as you breathe out,
Drop your entire weight onto the surface beneath you.
Inhaling one more time.
Exhale and release your weight.
Inhale.
Exhale and relax.
Move your awareness to your feet now.
See if you can notice any tension or any sensations in your feet.
Take a deep breath in.
And as you exhale,
Release all pressure,
All tension,
All your body.
And as you exhale,
Release all pressure,
All tension from the soles of your feet and your toes.
Now move your awareness to your abdomen.
And just notice how the belly rises and falls as you breathe in and out.
Don't try to regulate your breathing.
Just notice.
You know how to do this.
Your body knows how to breathe.
Now move your awareness to your neck and upper back.
Where we tend to hold on to a lot of tension that gets built in from the day.
Take a deep breath in.
Open your mouth and exhale.
Breathe in.
Open your mouth.
Exhale.
Do this three more times at your own pace,
Keeping your exhalation longer than your inhalation.
Well done.
Now move your awareness to your nostrils.
As you allow your breathing to come back to normal,
Just notice the inflow and outflow of breath through your nostrils.
Breathing in,
I'm aware that I'm breathing in.
Breathing out,
I'm aware that I'm breathing out.
Breathing in,
I'm aware that I'm breathing in.
Breathing out,
I'm aware that I'm breathing out.
Feeling calm and relaxed,
Releasing all tension,
All worries with every outgoing breath.
You work hard.
You deserve to rest.
And this is your time.
There's nowhere else that you need to be.
Nothing else that you need to do.
This is your time.
In your mind's eye,
Imagine that there is a beautiful stream of water.
The water is flowing freely.
There are trees on both sides of this stream.
There is a bridge in the middle of the stream.
You choose to walk on this bridge and reach the center.
You stand and look around.
You notice that a leaf falls from one of the trees into the water.
And then it floats away.
Another leaf falls onto the surface of the water and once again floats away.
You continue to watch and observe as these leaves fall and are flown away.
You watch with a certain sense of ease and detachment,
Feeling calm,
Grounded and peaceful.
Aware of the fact that you have no control over which leaf is going to fall.
That if you try to stop the leaf and engage with it,
That would require a lot of effort because the water wants to carry the leaf away.
But as you watch the leaves,
There is no unnecessary sense of control.
You just observe calmly.
The stream is like your mind.
The leaves are like your thoughts.
You have no control over which thought enters your mind.
You get too lost in the thought.
If you try to control it,
If you try to stop it,
It can lead to unrest.
Just like you did with the leaves,
Let the thoughts come in,
Observe them and let them pass.
There is no judgement of whether a leaf is good or bad.
Similarly,
There is no judgement here.
It's just a thought.
Your breath and your body are your ankles.
If your mind wanders,
Invite yourself back to observe your breath and your body.
And soon you will experience a sense of peace again.
And now I invite you to practice this on your own for a few breaths.
Keep your awareness on the rising and falling of your belly or on your nostrils.
Keep noticing the inflow and outflow of breath.
If the mind wanders,
Patiently,
Without any judgement,
Invite yourself back.
Keep your awareness on the rising and falling of your belly or on your nostrils.
Keep noticing the inflow and outflow of breath.
Keep noticing the inflow and outflow of breath.
Keep noticing the inflow and outflow of breath.
Keep noticing the inflow and outflow of breath.
Keep noticing the inflow and outflow of breath.
If you would like to,
You can continue meditating for a few more minutes.
Else,
Give yourself permission to wake yourself up from this state of trance.
Thank you for sharing your time and your practice with me today.
If you enjoyed this practice,
I recommend doing this every day for the next 21-30 days,
So that this becomes a habit for you.
Please feel free to subscribe to this channel and I wish for you a peaceful day ahead.
I will see you soon.
Namaste.
Thank you.
