This is Brenda Cary with Sacred Path Healing and we are going to be doing a practice infused with some self-massage.
So this practice is meant to give you a little bit of an immune boost and also to help you feel more connected to your body and to your breath.
So grab a mat,
A blanket,
And a couple of blocks and let's get started.
So we'll begin in a comfortable seated position.
If cross-legged doesn't work for you,
Please feel free to change that up.
So once you find your comfortable seat,
Root down through your sit bones,
Roll the shoulders back and down with a big sigh and then close the eyes down just for a moment.
We're going to take these first minutes centering in and focusing in on our breath.
So really slow the breath down,
Feel the rise and fall of the belly and rib cage,
Soften into the heart and then fully exhale.
A couple more full and deep breaths.
And in our yoga practice today,
We are going to use our healing hands as a way to bring us some support and comfort because we are all on a healing journey.
Keeping the breath smooth and fluid,
Slowing it down even a little bit more.
And then let's bring the palms of the hands together,
Thumbs press into the heart space.
Just know that when we connect with these healing hands and send love into our body,
That we do this from a place of self-compassion,
Self-love,
And we open ourselves up to our subtle body or our energy body.
So calling in this healing energy,
Whatever you call it,
Spirit,
Source,
Highest wisdom and breathing it in and then begin to rub the hands vigorously together.
Create a little bit of heat at the palms of the hands.
We're going to begin by calming down some of our other senses before we get into our sense of touch.
Sending in that healing intention as you feel the heat build at the palms of the hands.
And then what I'd like you to do is lightly cup the hands over the eyes and just allow the darkness to relax all the muscles around the eyes and the forehead,
Maybe even the jaw.
And you don't have to touch your face.
You can have your hands floating above your face or you can really cup the hands around the eyes and let the darkness sink in.
And then from here,
Move the hands over the ears kind of by the temples as well.
Again,
You can hover the hands over the ears or you can cup your hands around the ears and just allowing that healing energy.
Notice the sensation.
Sending in anything you need to listen to,
To be open to.
And then bring the hands back over the eyes just for a moment.
Just acknowledging this healing energy of being open to what you need to see.
What is your bigger vision?
And then drawing the hands down over the heart,
Connecting into your heart beating.
Breathe it in.
Big exhale out.
Now that we feel connected to our energy body,
Let's take our healing hands,
Extend the legs out.
Doesn't matter which leg you start with,
But we are going to start with one leg and begin to massage up the lower leg.
So just kind of using your hands in like circular type motions.
There's no right or wrong.
And then just drawing this energy up and then get to the knee.
So one hand is on the back of the knee,
Other is on the kneecap.
And then keep going up the thighs,
Top of the thigh,
Even to the inner and outer thigh.
Just kind of building that energy,
Feeling that sensation.
And then we're going to just draw it down to the other leg.
So opposite ankle,
Begin to make some circular motions up the lower leg.
This is always great to do with an oil,
But if you don't have an essential oil or carrier oil,
No worries.
To the top of the knee and the back of the knee.
And then finally up the thighs to the top and back of the thigh,
Inner and outer thigh.
And then coming up to the hip.
Now we're going to rub the belly,
Start in one direction.
And then the opposite direction.
Coming to the sides.
And then into the low back,
Maybe even the glutes if you need.
Just kind of massaging up the back as comfortable as it is for your arms to go.
I like circular motions,
But if you prefer up and down motions,
That's fine too.
And then coming over the heart space.
And then choose an arm going down,
One arm.
Kind of moving the arm back and forth down to the hand and then send that out.
We're going to come it back up towards the heart,
Sending all that healing energy into the heart space,
Into the chest.
And then other side down the arm.
Getting at the back of the arm,
Down the forearm,
Send that energy out.
And then coming back up.
Back to the upper chest and the heart.
And then land it here for a breath at the heart space.
Breathing in,
Just notice the sort of tingly feeling in your skin.
And then finally,
We're going to get into the throat and the neck.
You can,
Again,
You can do circular motions if you'd prefer,
Or you can do more downward stroking motions.
Just personal preference.
Maybe even get into the lower part of the neck if you'd like.
Into the upper traps if that feels good.
And then we're just going to get lightly into the face.
So at the cheeks.
Especially at the jawline.
Maybe you open the mouth,
Move the chin side to side.
And you can get up into the sinus cavities.
You can even go out to the temples.
You could even do the ears if you would like.
Just kind of exploring all these little areas,
Small areas of our face.
Maybe even at the bridge of the nose.
And then move it up into the third eye,
Out the forehead.
Making these sweeping motions up the third eye and out.
And then finally,
Give yourself a little scalp massage.
Doesn't matter what your hair looks like.
Maybe go down the back of the head,
Maybe to the side of the head.
Maybe even go even down the base of the skull.
That's a sore point for me at the base of the skull.
All right,
Finishing up.
And then a deep breath in.
Big exhale out with a swoosh.
Just give it a shake out.
Release any pent up energy.
And from here,
Let's meet in tabletop.
We're going to get into our spine a little bit more.
That's our quick self massage.
We're going to get into and basically massage our spine with some cat cows.
So inhale,
Drop the belly,
Shift the gaze forward.
Exhale,
Round it out.
Moving at your own breath pace.
Really use your breath to open up the belly and the rib cage.
Couple more rounds.
If you would like,
You can move it side to side.
Or make some rolling movements if that feels better.
And then evening out from side to side.
And then coming back to a neutral table position.
Let's set up for downward facing dog.
So walk your hands out about a hand print in front.
Tuck the toes.
Bring the hips high up and back.
We're not here for too long.
Just pedal out the feet.
Maybe give a shake out to the head.
And then on an inhale,
Lift both heels.
Maybe step your way up to meet your hands.
Come into a forward fold.
Maybe you use a block underneath your hands to rise up the floor.
Just sway side to side.
Couple more deep breaths.
And then on your inhale,
Slowly rolling up one vertebrae at a time.
Roll the shoulders back and down.
Big exhale out.
Good.
And then we're going to make light fists with the hands.
So not like you're gripping really hard.
And they do this a lot in Qigong practice.
So you're going to really kind of give a little bit more of a vibrational experience instead of a massaging kind of experience.
You're going to start down on one leg.
It doesn't matter which leg you start with.
And just give some light taps.
So you're tapping all around the lower leg.
And then move it up.
To the thigh.
You get to the back of the thigh.
Maybe even your glute.
And then go back down the leg.
And you're going to go up the other leg.
So onto the other leg,
Starting at the lower leg.
Again,
Light fists.
Move it up into around the knee.
Maybe not right on the knee bone.
And then up into the thigh.
Inner,
Outer.
Maybe at the back.
Of the leg to the glute.
And then back down.
And then a big exhale.
Forward fold.
Inhale,
Slowly roll up.
One vertebrae at a time.
And then same thing.
Light fists with the hands.
Just make some little pulsating movements around the belly.
Along the sides.
Maybe to the back.
Just high up as you can comfortably go.
And then up and down.
One arm.
Just pick an arm.
Doesn't matter which one.
Maybe the back of the arm.
Just kind of waking up the skin.
Now the skin is our most superficial layer.
It's really where we connect to our energy.
Other arm.
Again,
Doesn't matter which one you start with.
Just a light fist.
Waking it all up.
Excellent.
Deep inhale.
Arms rise out and up.
Exhale.
Hands.
The heart pull in that healing intention.
Two more times.
Inhale.
Exhale.
Inhale.
Exhale.
This time we're going to inhale.
Sweep the arms out and up.
Exhale.
Forward fold.
Inhale.
Half lift.
Draw the core up and in.
Hands on the shins.
Nice tall spine.
Fold it in as you exhale.
Inhale.
Rise on up.
Greeting this new day.
Exhale.
Cactus the arms.
Squeeze the shoulder blades.
Inhale.
Fingertips reach up.
Exhale.
Forward fold.
Inhale.
Half lift.
Draw the core up and in.
Exhale.
Fold.
Inhale.
Rising on up.
Exhale.
Cactus.
Heart is open to the sky.
Whatever today brings.
Inhale.
Reach up.
Exhale.
Forward fold.
Last time here.
Inhale.
Half lift.
Exhale.
Fold.
Inhale.
Rise on up.
Exhale.
Cactus.
Inhale.
Fingertips reach.
Exhale.
Hands come to heart center.
Close the eyes down for a moment.
Give yourself this moment to notice the subtle sensation that you've created in your body.
Activating with massage and light tapping.
One more deep breath.
Exhale it out.
And then we're going to continue on with three sun salutations.
Take these at a pace that feels good for you.
Just keeps that massaging energy as we fold forward and open up.
So starting at the top of your mat.
Inhale.
Arms sweep out and up.
Exhale.
Forward fold.
Inhale to a half lift.
Draw the core up and in.
Exhale.
Fold.
Bend your knees.
Plant your hands.
Step back into a plank.
Plank can be with knees down if you would prefer.
Stay here.
One more inhale.
Exhale.
Downward facing dog.
Couple breaths here.
Option to pedal out the feet.
On your inhale,
Lift your heels.
Bend your knees.
Walk up to meet your hands.
Inhale.
Half lift.
Exhale.
Fold.
Inhale.
Rise it on up.
Extend.
Maybe a little back bend.
Exhale.
Cactus the arms.
Inhale.
Fingertips reach up.
Exhale.
Forward fold.
Inhale to a half lift.
Exhale.
Fold it in.
Plant the hands again.
Stepping back into your plank.
Could be with knees down if you would prefer.
This time we're going to lower all the way down to the belly.
Exhale.
Squeeze the elbows in.
Lower all the way down.
Release the toes.
Inhale.
Lift the chest.
Just a little baby cobra.
Exhale.
Lower.
Inhale.
Press through two through tabletop to downward facing dog.
One more breath here.
On the inhale,
Heels lift.
Bend the knees.
Walk or lightly hop up to meet your hands.
Inhale.
Half lift.
Exhale.
Fold.
Inhale.
Rise it on up.
Exhale.
Cactus.
Open your heart.
Inhale.
Fingertips reach back up.
Exhale.
Last time.
Forward fold.
Inhale.
Half lift.
Exhale.
Fold.
Plant your hands.
Stepping back.
Moving through plank.
From here,
Lowering all the way down.
Knees can be down if you'd like.
Squeeze the elbows in.
Once you're on your belly,
Release the toes.
Inhale.
Lift the chest.
Cobra.
Exhale.
Lower.
Press back.
Downward facing dog.
Settle into your down dog.
From here,
Bringing the knees down about mat width.
Big toes pressing.
Push back to a child's pose.
Forehead either comes to a block or the mat.
We're gonna settle in here for several breaths.
Give yourself some time here.
Honoring your body for all the work that it does for you.
Honoring your mind for all the creative thoughts that it thinks.
The times when it keeps you on task.
One more deep breath.
Exhale it out.
And then walk your hands back to yourself.
Coming into a kneeling position just momentarily.
And we're going to close with some thymus tapping.
So find that spot just below the bony notch of the collarbone.
Begin to rub or lightly tap your thymus gland.
This will definitely give you a short burst of energy,
An immune boost.
And I want you to breathe in your healing into your thymus.
Maybe it's I deserve to be healthy and strong.
Or I am energetic.
I am vibrant.
Whatever it is you want to connect to today.
A couple more full and deep breaths.
Exhale out.
Ah.
Bringing both hands,
Feeling into your own heart beating.
Honoring this sacred rhythm.
Notice how you've connected to your body.
To your energy with breath,
Movement.
And loving touch to yourself through massage and light tapping.
Namaste.
