Hey yogis,
Welcome to this week-long intro to meditation course day five designed to repeat week after week to help you build a consistent meditation practice by offering a few different ways to drop in and find stillness.
We will find our meditation today in a legs-up-the-wall shape.
So find an open wall or door near you.
You'll lie on your back and wiggle close to the wall extending your feet towards the sky.
It will likely feel best to be as close to the wall as you can get.
Your booty may even make contact.
This will guide your body to a shape that your legs are straight and aren't using any muscular strength to intentionally hold the posture.
Once you find that position,
Guide your arms to the sides of your space.
Flip your palms to face the sky.
Notice how that gently invites your heart to open.
Invite your eyes to close.
Take a deep inhale through your nose.
Expand in the awareness of your breath.
Hold that breath at the top.
Let the breath hold be a bit uncomfortable.
Then a big,
Audible,
Open mouth exhale.
Let it go.
One more like that.
Inhale to expand.
Hold your breath at the top.
Audible,
Open mouth exhale.
Let it go.
Let go of any control of your breath now.
Just observe its natural rhythm.
Notice your inhales expand and invite in.
Your exhales release and let go.
Keep directing your focus to your breath.
Notice your body here resting in this shape.
We spend so much of our lives either seated at a desk or maybe even the opposite,
Moving our bodies daily through an active job that requires recovery.
It is so beneficial and so necessary to find time to pause,
To rest our bodies,
But even more importantly our minds.
Keep directing your focus to the natural rhythm of your breath.
Notice your body here resting in this shape.
So many positive changes are happening.
You're relieving tension,
Stress,
And fatigue in your lower body.
You're gently stretching your lower back and hamstrings.
You're improving circulation,
Eating digestion,
Energizing the body by sending blood and oxygen back towards your heart.
Feel and notice the relaxation these changes are creating and then keep directing your focus to the natural rhythm of your breath.
Notice your body here resting in this shape.
Now take a big intentional inhale through your nose.
Hold your breath at the top and an audible open mouth exhale.
Let it go.
Thank yourself for showing up today.
As you're ready,
Invite some gentle movement back.
It may feel good to bend into your knees and guide the bottoms of your feet to meet the wall,
Almost like a Malasana yogi squat.
When you're ready you'll roll onto your favorite side and pause for a moment in that fetal like position,
A symbol of rebirth from practice.
From here you'll make your way to a seat to continue on with your day.
Namaste.
