Hi everyone,
This is April and today's meditation is going to include a visualization and also a mantra.
So begin by finding a comfortable seat,
Either sitting cross-legged or sitting in a chair.
Make sure you're comfortable.
And just give yourself a moment to just close the eyes and just settle in,
Just allow yourself to drop into your seat.
Bring some attention to your inhalation and your exhalation.
Perhaps just noticing the quality of your breath.
We'll practice paradirsasana.
So take your arms,
Cross them over the chest and place opposite hands under opposite armpit.
So the thumbs are at the front of the chest and the fingers are pointing behind you.
Start to feel the breath moving into the hands.
Start to feel the rib cage expand into the hands as you inhale.
And notice the softening of the rib cage back to place as you exhale.
Noticing the expansion in the ribs as you inhale.
And the softening as you exhale.
Just staying with that technique for a moment.
Begin to notice if one side feels dominant or if it feels as if one side is lifting as you inhale more than the other.
And then just try to breathe equally into both hands.
Try to feel the expansion equally in both hands.
Try to feel the expansion of the breath equally into both hands.
At the end of an exhalation allow your hands to return to the knees.
Allow the eyes to remain closed and just notice how you feel after this technique.
Bring your attention to your heart center.
So not the physical hearts but the energetic heart center right in the center of your chest.
Imagine a glowing light there.
A warm glowing light at the center of your chest.
As you inhale imagine that light moving from the heart all the way to the crown of the head.
And then as you exhale imagine that light pouring out into the space around you.
As you inhale bring the light from the heart all the way to the crown.
And as you exhale allow that light to radiate into your surroundings.
As you inhale light from the heart to the crown.
And as you exhale light pours into your surroundings.
See with that visual for a moment.
As you inhale light from the heart center to the crown.
The mantra is Om.
And as you exhale allowing that light to fill your surroundings.
Shanti peace.
As you inhale light from the heart to the crown.
And as you exhale Shanti peace.
Light fills your surroundings.
Inhaling Om.
And exhaling Shanti.
You can continue with the mantra quietly to yourself.
Inhaling Om.
And exhaling Shanti.
Combining the visual with the mantra.
Inhaling Om.
Light from the heart to the crown.
Inhaling Shanti.
Light pours into your surroundings.
Inhaling Om.
And exhaling Shanti.
Continue on your own for a moment.
Continue with the technique.
If you get pulled away just come back.
Inhaling Om.
Inhaling Shanti.
After an exhalation begin to let go of the technique of the mantra and the visual.
Just taking a moment to observe how you feel.
Knowing yourself to drop back into the moment you're in.
As you're ready begin to bring the chin into the chest.
Link your eyes open.
Focus on a point on the floor in front of you.
Just gazing softly at a point.
And then very slowly allow the head to lift.
Taking in the rest of the room.
Thank you so much for sharing this practice with me today.
Thank you.
