If you can breathe,
You can do yoga.
For the next few moments,
If it feels good to soften your gaze or even close your eyes,
I invite you to do so.
Place any thoughts you may notice on an imaginary shelf,
Knowing that you can come back to them later if you choose to.
Now observe your breath,
Just flowing at its natural rhythm.
Notice how it feels,
How it sounds.
Is it warm or cool?
In this present moment,
Just breathe and just be.
Now,
With our next breath,
Let's inhale for 1,
2,
3,
Pause.
Exhale 3,
2,
1.
Inhale 1,
2,
3,
Pause.
Exhale 3,
2,
1.
Inhale 1,
2,
3.
Exhale 3,
2,
1.
Continue this triangle breath a few more times at your own pace.
If at any time it does not feel good,
Just invite your breath to come back to flow once again with its natural rhythm.
If you chose to continue with triangle breath,
Begin to invite your breath back to its natural rhythm.
Now begin to shift your attention from your breath to your body.
Slowly bring your attention down to your feet,
Observing any sensations in your feet,
Maybe even wiggle your toes a little.
Just notice without judgment.
With your next inhale,
Imagine sending your breath all the way down to your feet,
As if the breath is traveling through the nose to the lungs and through the abdomen,
All the way down to your feet.
Then exhale,
Inviting the breath back up and out through your nose or mouth.
Move your attention to your ankles,
Calves,
Knees,
And thighs.
Observe any sensations.
If your mind begins to wander during this exercise,
Always gently notice without judgment,
Then bring your mind back to your body in this present moment.
Now shift your focus to any sensations in your lower back.
Slowly move your attention up to your mid and upper back.
With each exhale,
Let go of any tension you are carrying.
Gently shift your focus to your stomach and all the internal organs here.
Perhaps you notice the feeling of the belly rising or falling with each breath.
As you continue to breathe,
Bring your awareness to the chest and the heart,
And just notice your heartbeat.
Observe how the chest rises during the inhale,
And how the chest falls during the exhale.
Shift the focus to your hands and fingers.
Then with your next exhale,
Bring your awareness up into your arms.
You might even notice some difference between the left arm and the right arm.
Just notice without judgment.
Continue to breathe and bring awareness to the neck and shoulders.
With each exhale,
Lower the shoulders away from the ears,
And release any tension you are carrying.
Now with your next breath,
Bring your attention to the head and the face.
Soften the jaw and release the tongue from the roof of the mouth.
Continue breathing and let your attention expand out to include the entire body.
Bring into your awareness the top of your head and down to the soles of your feet.
Feel the natural rhythm of the breath as it moves through the whole body.
As we come to the end of this part of our meditation,
Take a full deep breath,
Taking in all the energy of this meditation and this space that we share together.
When you are ready,
Slowly lift your gaze or open your eyes and return your attention to the present moment.
As you become fully alert and awake,
Consider setting the intention that this practice of building awareness will benefit everyone you come in contact with this week.
