Thank you for being here.
Here when you could be a myriad of other places.
I Need a Minute is an offering for you.
For the times in which you need to check in.
To check out.
To recalibrate.
Shift your energy.
Or rest.
My commitment to you is that I need a minute.
Will be 15 minutes or less.
And every time you leave,
You will feel different than when you began or before you started the practice.
The offering I have for you today.
Is A minute of rest.
A moment of pause.
So please take your time now and gather some accoutrements to help you feel cozy.
You can pause this recording.
Grab a pair of socks.
A pillow,
A bolster or a blanket to roll under the knees.
If you prefer to sit upright through this offering,
You might grab a sweater or a blanket to put over the shoulders.
Take the time here to gather what you need and come back when you're ready.
If you're using props today,
Set yourself up with care.
If you're seated upright,
Be mindful that you're in the tripod base of your pelvis.
Feel yourself slightly shifted forward,
Long spine.
If the chin is jutting forward,
Guide the chin ever so slightly towards the chest to cultivate more length through the back body.
If you're on your back here,
Get cozy,
Get comfortable.
Place the blanket over your body or beneath the knees.
Allow the low back to become heavy.
You might place a scarf or an eye bag over the eyes here.
When you feel yourself comfortable,
Please begin to soften the gaze or close the eyes.
Invite a sense of heaviness over the body.
And as you do,
Notice here what's true for you in this moment in time.
How do you experience your breath in your physical body?
How do you experience or see your thoughts here in the thinking mind?
Exhale all the breath from the body.
Find a gentle inhale through the nose.
At the top of your inhale,
Sniff in a little bit more air.
And exhale,
Let the breath go through the mouth.
Find an audible exhale.
Ahhh Gentle inhale through the nose,
Feel the breath low and wide in your abdomen.
At the top of your inhale,
Sniff in a little bit more air.
Feel yourself full.
And exhale,
Let the breath go through the mouth,
Audible exhale.
Hmm.
One final time here.
Inhale.
At the top of your inhale,
Pause,
Kumbhaka,
A hold.
Sip in a little bit more air.
And as you feel called to exhale,
Let the breath go slowly and gently,
Like you're popping a cork through the mouth.
From here,
Begin to find a rhythmic breath.
In and out through the nose.
Let your tongue rest behind the top teeth.
Find a little bit of space between your top and bottom jaw.
Your mouth is sealed without clenching,
Without strain.
The breath is flowing here easily through the nose.
The practice today will be to breathe.
To bear witness to the thoughts that arise.
And to come back to the breath.
Strengthening.
The metaphorical muscle of awareness,
Of consciousness,
Of mindfulness.
Please remember that it's totally normal for thoughts to arise.
And when they do,
Perhaps you might say to yourself,
How human of me.
How human of me to have a thought.
And then come back to the rhythm of breath in the body.
You have permission to be here.
Be still.
You have permission to slow down.
Notice if you're clenching through your jaw.
If the shoulders are riding up.
Feel the features of the face continue to slacken.
All emotion melts away.
As you continue to breathe.
Easy breath.
In and out through the nose.
The thing about mindfulness.
Yoga.
Meditation.
Is that it only works if we do it.
We only receive the benefits if we practice.
Our time in practice doesn't have to be long.
It only needs to be consistent.
Please take three more gentle rounds of breath here.
And in any way that you're seated or resting on your back.
Begin to invite movements gently back into your body.
You might roll the head from side to side.
Or curl the tips of the fingers in towards the palm.
Let your breath get a little bit deeper.
And guide your hands together at heart center.
Rub your palms together,
Feel the friction here.
Feel the warmth begin to build.
A reminder that you are alive,
You are human.
You deserve a minute,
Always.
To check in.
Bring the palms over the heart space.
I'll close our time with the teacher student prayer.
Om Sahana Bhavatu.
Saha now,
Bahu naktu.
SAHA,
VIRYAM,
KARVAV,
HAI.
Tejas vina,
But he tamas tu.
Mahavid Vishavahai.
Om Shanti Shanti Shanti.
May we be protected together.
May we be nourished together.
May we study together with great vigor.
And may these studies be enlightening.
Let there be no animosity among us.
Let there be peace,
Peace,
Peace.
For we are all teacher and we are all student.
Maybe take a minute as often as we need.
So that we can more often live from that place of sattva,
Of truth.
That exists inside of us.
Thank you for being here today.
