Hello and welcome.
This is a short,
Guided moving meditation.
You'll be practicing seated upper body movements that will be synced with the breath.
This will help you bring bodily awareness and mental clarity.
And at the same time release shoulder tension and neck tension.
Let's start by finding a comfortable seat.
You could be on a chair,
A couch,
A bench,
Or on the floor using cushions or blankets.
If you're seated in a chair,
You may find more stability and comfort if the soles of your feet touch the ground,
Connecting you to the earth.
Regardless of what you're seated on,
Your back may feel more comfortable and able to relax if your shoulders are over your hips,
Stacking your vertebrae and creating a long spine.
Take a few moments to make yourself comfortable.
When you are ready,
You may want to take a soft gaze or close your eyes if that's comfortable for you.
We will start by bringing your awareness to the breath.
Try following the inhales and the exhales from beginning to end,
Noticing the expansion of your lungs and the lift of your chest as you inhale and the lowering of the chest and exiting of the air as you exhale.
Let's take just a couple moments to sit and breathe.
One last Diagnose for 10 minute Maybe you find yourself starting to relax.
You are welcome to keep your eyes closed while we move or go ahead and open them.
It's up to you.
And start by rolling out our shoulders.
Your arms can hang by your side as you do this.
Or you could bend your elbows,
Bringing them out to the side and make really big circles with them,
Creating movement in your shoulders.
Make sure you move in both directions,
Forward and back.
You could move them together or one at a time,
All the while just allowing your breath to flow naturally.
Okay.
Now let go of any movement,
Allowing your arms to rest comfortably in your lap.
And bring the focus back to your breath.
As you take long,
Slow,
Deep inhales,
Let your chest rise and heart lift,
Opening up the front of your body.
And as you exhale,
Allow your shoulders to soften and chest to deflate as you keep your heart lifted.
These simple intentions will create space around your shoulders and neck.
As you inhale,
Lifting and opening.
And as you exhale,
Softening and lowering.
Take a few breaths this way,
Allowing the chest and heart to rise with your inhales and allowing the shoulders to soften and drop as you exhale.
And now let go of any intention or control you have over your breath and allow it to flow naturally.
So now that your shoulders are warmed up,
Let's create larger movements with the arms.
But for now,
Allow your hands to rest in your lap and start by wiggling your fingers.
Bringing our attention to these simple movements reinforces neural pathways or lines of communication to and from the brain.
And now rub your thumb across the tip of each finger,
Noticing each one as you do so.
And if you like to,
You could start to rub your hands together,
Creating warmth.
You could move your hands to your face and eyes and enjoy the soothing and calming effect of your warm hands.
Now let your arms hang down by your side.
If your eyes are closed,
You may want to briefly open them and survey the area around you.
You will be moving your arms either forward or out to the side depending on where you have more room or which direction may be more comfortable.
Once you have found a safe and clear space to move,
You may resume this exercise with your eyes closed if you so desire.
And now take a deep inhale and slowly lift your arms over your head.
As you exhale,
Slowly lower them.
Continue to do this,
Letting the inhale and lifting be the same duration and then letting the exhale and the lower also be the same duration.
Now slow this down.
Do this as slow as you can,
Your breath and your arm movement taking the same amount of time.
Just breathe and move.
Now again,
Find stillness.
Let your arms relax in any comfortable position on your lap and simply let your breath resume its natural flow.
And as we come to the close of our practice,
Anchor yourself in your breath by simply following the inhales and the exhales.
And know that at any time,
Anywhere,
You can invite relaxation by simply focusing on your breath.
And now start to bring your awareness back to what's going on around you and slowly open your eyes if they were closed.
Thank you for listening.
Much love.
Namaste.
