So as you arrive through the body in the optimal position for this morning's practice,
Why not allow the hips to gently ground down,
The shoulders to soften and settle,
Face smoothing out and then there's this gentle awakeness through the crown of the head that starts to appear through the body.
The spine gently moving up toward the light at the crown of the head.
There's a sense of awakeness now to the body but a sense of receptivity too.
Open to receiving,
To exploring this practice fully.
And we begin today by simply taking in a deep full breath in through the nose,
Let it wash away through the mouth.
Take two more rounds just like that,
Inhaling feeling the sense of vitality moving through the body and exhaling to release any haziness,
Stagnancy,
Stuckness that might have crept in through the night.
Should be on your final round of that style of breath and then gently sealing off the lips.
You know just take a few moments to find a spacious quality of breath before we work into our breath work today.
So allowing the ribs and the torso to welcome and open now toward the breath.
Noticing that when you intentionally create space in the body for the breath you can take up that space.
There's more space in there than we initially thought for this wonderful breath coming in and going out.
Allow the back of the ribs to also receive the breath.
Also the lower stomach can gently soften toward the breath.
And for the next few rounds of breath you're just smoothing out what is here.
Letting the breath find its own fluidity,
Its own rhythm and know that you can return to this variation of breathing at any time in today's practice.
The style of breathing we're then going to move into very soon is in through the nose and out through the mouth.
We're going to find a bit of a pulse,
A bit of a rhythm together.
So just start by taking a few breaths again in through the nose,
Out through the mouth in a natural way and then we'll find a pulse together.
And it's an active inhale through the nose and a releasing passive exhale through the mouth.
And it might sound a little bit like this.
So now moving into the first gear,
The first pulse of where we're going with this,
To this rhythm.
In Out.
In.
Out.
In.
In.
In.
Out.
In.
Continue with your own pulse now feeling into that rhythm for yourself.
Inhale is active,
The exhale is passive.
You're just gently washing it away every time you breathe out.
We'll take just a few more rounds in this way and then we'll move toward our breath retention.
Consistency is key and we choose consistency over intensity with this method of breathing.
So we're here just for five,
For four,
For three,
Two and one.
Inhale fully,
Fill the whole body with breath.
Pause at the very top of the breath for a moment and then slowly through the mouth exhale slowly,
Slowly until there's nothing there and then we're going to pause and retain.
Suspend in the space between breathing for the next few moments.
Notice how it feels to be in the space between.
Only you know when it's time to breathe again and it's an inhale through the nose and a return to your natural rhythm of breathing for a few rounds.
So that was round one.
We've got two more rounds to experience in our breathing today and each round will get a little bit more rhythmical,
A little bit more pacey in our approach.
So when you're ready you're just going to start to find that pulse again from the first round in through the nose,
Out through the mouth and we're going to bring a little bit more rhythm to it.
So it might sound a bit like this In,
Out,
In,
Out,
In,
Out,
In,
Out,
In,
Out,
In,
Out,
In through the nose,
Out through the mouth,
In through the nose,
Out through the mouth.
Continue and we won't be in this round for as long.
So just committing to that pulse,
Committing to the rhythm.
Find the beat that works for you.
Be with the breath fully,
Nothing else.
We're here just for another five,
For four,
Three,
Two and one.
Inhale brightly and fully,
Fill the whole body.
Pause and suspend for just a few moments at the top of the breath and then slowly,
Slowly release.
When you get to the end of your releasing exhale,
Suspend,
Pause in the space between.
Notice how your awareness is right now and only you know when to breathe.
I'll let you choose when you welcome the next breath back in.
And again when you do return it's that natural easy breath.
Beautifully done.
So just taking a few rounds of natural breath in between rounds and we'll move toward our final and third stage of our breathing practice today.
This practice right now will be a little quicker and we won't be there for too long.
So I do encourage and motivate you to commit fully and to give it everything you've got this morning to reap the benefits on the other side.
So it's gonna be a really nice pulse and you can join me when you're ready.
In,
Out.
In,
Out.
In,
Out.
In,
Out.
In,
Out.
In,
Out.
In,
Out.
Pulsing in and out.
Your rhythm now.
In,
Out.
Go for it.
And we're here for just 10,
For 9,
For 8,
7,
6,
5,
4,
3,
2 and 1.
Fully in.
When you feel that maximum inhale suspend and slowly wash it away.
When you come to the end of the breath this is our final breath retention to pause and expand your awareness.
Only you know when it's time to welcome the next breath in and when you do it's returning to natural rhythmical breath.
Notice here on the back of those three rounds the state of your being.
Notice if there's any sensations present,
Any thoughts,
Any feelings.
See if you can just observe for the next few moments what is here now.
With this renewed sense of connection to yourself through the breath,
This renewed sense of clarity and vitality that we've instilled,
Are you able to zoom out and witness yourself?
Stepping into the role of the observer,
Noticing what's here.
Maybe starting to tune into the natural breath and witnessing it.
Watching the inhale come in,
Get transformed within the body and then witnessing the exhale be released.
Knowing that our body is an intelligent being of its own and every time that we breathe in it's doing its own chemistry,
Its own little transformation of chemicals and it's a different structure that leaves our body.
So maybe visualizing one color of light as you breathe in coming into the body,
Being transformed and then a different color leaving the body in this new form.
The lungs doing that work of transformation each and every time that we breathe.
And you might take a note of gratitude toward the lungs,
Toward your body and the breath for being here today and for functioning in the way that it is,
So that we can live.
So that we get to open to this opportunity of the day ahead.
Gently dropping your awareness now into the center of your chest,
Noticing when you do so if there's anything felt there.
And here in this part of our body we tune into a few positive affirmations to open the door to the day in the best way.
Carving out new neurological pathways as we tune into these affirmations today.
I'll leave a space after each statement for you to either sit with it and let it absorb in or to repeat internally one or two times.
I am grateful for the gift of the day ahead.
I open to the unbound possibilities that the day provides.
I move through the day feeling calm,
Clear and connected.
Today I embrace my talents and share them with others.
Today I meet challenges as learnings.
Today I give thanks for the small things.
I embrace the unknown elements of the day and stay open to the unknown.
I have everything I need and more.
I have everything I need and more.
Starting to connect to your breath here and now,
Noticing how you are receiving those affirmations.
And as the breath deepens once again you feel all of those affirmations settling into your psyche,
Into the cells of your body to support you as the day unfolds.
Starting to notice your body and what's beneath it,
Being held and supported always.
And when you're ready you start to blink the eyes open and come back into your space.
