Once you are settled in to a comfortable,
Quiet place,
Begin to focus on your breath.
Feel it flowing in and out.
Notice where it touches the tips of your nostrils.
Begin to imagine that the breath is flowing equally through both nostrils.
Every inhale and every exhale flowing equally through both nostrils.
Now imagine the breath flowing only through the left nostril.
Every inhale and every exhale moving only through the left nostril.
Imagine the breathing only through the right nostril.
Every inhale and every exhale flowing through the right nostril.
Now imagine inhaling through the right nostril and exhaling through the left nostril.
Exhaling right,
Exhaling left.
And reversing the flow,
Inhaling through the left nostril,
Exhaling through the right nostril.
Exhaling left,
Exhaling right.
Return to breathing equally through both nostrils.
Now return to normal breathing.
Visualize a place where you feel happy,
A place you know or imagine,
Indoors or out.
See yourself in this personal sanctuary.
Notice every detail of how it looks and feels.
Know that you can come back here anytime during the practice or in your daily life.
Anytime you feel uncomfortable,
Gently guide your awareness to your personal sanctuary for as long as you need.
Bring your awareness to your right thumb.
Second finger,
Third finger,
Fourth finger,
Fifth finger,
The palm of the hand,
Back of the hand,
Right wrist,
Lower arm,
Elbow,
Upper arm,
Right shoulder,
Right armpit,
The right side of your torso,
Ribs,
Waist,
The right hip,
Right buttock,
The right thigh,
Knee,
Lower leg,
Ankle,
Heel,
Sole of the foot,
Top of the foot,
Big toe,
Second toe,
Third toe,
Fourth toe,
Fifth toe,
Notice the whole right leg,
Torso,
Arm,
The whole right side of the body.
Notice your left thumb,
Second finger,
Third finger,
Fourth finger,
Fifth finger,
Palm of the hand,
Back of the hand,
Left wrist,
Lower arm,
Elbow,
Upper arm,
Left shoulder,
Armpit,
Left side of your torso,
Ribs,
Waist,
The left hip,
Buttock,
Left thigh,
Knee,
Lower leg,
Ankle,
Heel,
Sole,
Top of the foot,
Big toe,
Second toe,
Third toe,
Fourth toe,
Fifth toe,
Notice the whole left leg,
Torso,
Arm,
The whole left side of the body,
The low back,
Abdomen,
Upper back,
Chest,
Shoulder blades,
Collarbone,
The whole spine,
The whole torso,
The back of your neck,
Front of your neck,
Back of your head,
Jaw,
Chin,
The whole mouth,
Cheeks,
Cheekbones,
Ears,
Nose,
Eyes,
Bones around your eyes,
Eyebrows,
Space between the brows,
The forehead,
Scalp,
Notice the whole head and neck,
Both arms,
The torso,
Both legs,
The whole body,
Feel your breath flowing in and out,
The exhales relaxing the body,
The inhales feeding and nourishing every cell,
Follow the breath as it moves in and out,
Imagine yourself walking through a beautiful park on a crisp cold morning,
You're wearing many layers of clothing,
Shirts,
Sweaters,
Coat,
Boots,
Hat,
Scarf,
Gloves,
Feel the weight of the clothes on your body,
Feel how they weigh you down and how they slow your movement as you walk through the park,
Your footsteps are slow and heavy,
The layers of clothing represent stress and tension weighing you down,
Restricting your movement,
Pay attention to how that feels,
As the sun rises higher,
The day begins to warm,
Remove your hat and notice that your head feels lighter,
Take off your gloves and let your fingers move freely,
Remove your scarf,
Feel that you breathe more easily,
Your head can turn from side to side,
You begin to move a little faster through the park,
The day warms enough to remove your coat,
Release that weight,
Let it go,
You don't need it anymore,
Feel your body,
Mood and spirit become lighter,
Notice how you stand straighter,
Your breath flows more easily,
Your legs move more freely,
Your stride is longer,
Lighter and faster,
Continue peeling away layers of clothing and stress,
Feeling your body become lighter and freer with each layer,
You are now completely comfortable in your clothing and your body,
Breathe in the feeling of lightness and suppleness in your body and spirit,
Your bare feet are cushioned by a carpet of soft grass as you dance freely through the park,
Feel your body move easily,
In any way you can imagine,
Notice how your shoulders,
Arms and legs move without effort,
Feel the lightness and suppleness of your entire being.
As you move through the park,
You begin to imagine moving through a normal day with this sense of lightness and ease of movement,
You imagine yourself engaged in all your daily activities while remaining relaxed and at ease,
See yourself breathing through each event in a normal day,
Moving effortlessly through each task,
As difficult situations arise,
You make the choice to breathe,
To remain relaxed and at ease,
Maintain this sense of relaxation as you leave the park and return to where you are now resting,
Feel your breath,
Become aware of your surroundings,
Notice the lightness of your body,
If you wish to relax and your practice here,
If you plan to go about your day,
Take a few deeper breaths,
Begin to move the body gently,
Take your time,
Move slowly,
Make sure that you're fully conscious before you move about.
Namaste.
