Hatha-Based Movement Practice (Long)

This is a 45-minute guided Hatha yoga movement practice. It's designed for MBSR participants but is suitable for beginners and established meditation practitioners alike. It's a great way to practice meditation if you have a mind that finds sitting still too agitating. I hope you enjoy it.

Dan

Transcript

Welcome to the movement practice.

Finding your way to the floor.

So you're lying down flat on your back.

Arms and legs lying long and just taking a rest.

Just seeing what's to be known here.

What you can feel in the body.

What sort of a mind is here.

What sort of a mood is here.

And just taking a rest.

We're going to be doing around 45 minutes of movement practice and it's important that you take your own authority with what's right for you and what isn't.

So if I suggest a move that you know isn't right for your body then perhaps you can just imagine doing that movement or perhaps choosing another movement that does feel right for you.

So now just keying in to the movement that's already happening here as you lie here.

Perhaps the movement of breathing.

The chest moving up and down or the stomach moving up and down.

Perhaps the sense of movement of clothes on the body as you breathe.

Or the pressure increasing and decreasing as you lie here.

And now if it feels okay just letting the body move in any way that it wants to.

A sense of warming up the body.

So maybe a stretch or a wriggle.

Just letting the body do whatever it wants to.

And then once again lying flat on the floor.

Arms and legs lying long.

And now bringing the knees up with the feet flat on the floor and the knees towards the ceiling.

And we're going to just play with rocking the pelvis back and forth.

So perhaps pushing down on the feet as we curl our sit bones under.

And then moving back the other way and perhaps feeling the engagement of the abdomen or any other muscles that have to activate for this to happen.

Perhaps feeling muscles in the legs as we rock the pelvis gently back and forth.

Just going as far as feels comfortable to you.

Not pushing it too much.

And remembering to breathe.

And now stretching the legs out once more with the arms lying long.

And just taking a moment to rest.

Gaying in to how it feels to rest after we've moved.

And now bringing the right knee up to the chest and leaving the left to lie long.

Perhaps holding onto the right leg just around the knee as you pull it into the chest.

Perhaps having your elbows out wide and a sense of the shoulders moving away from the ears.

And just having a gentle squeeze keying in to all the sensations.

Perhaps the sensations of stretch in the groin.

Just tuning in to whatever you can feel in the body as you stretch in this way.

And now letting the right leg go.

Letting that lie long and taking hold of the left leg.

Pulling that into the chest with your hands above the knee.

And pulling the leg towards the body.

And again feeling the stretch in this part.

Remembering to breathe.

And now letting the left leg go.

And once again taking up the right leg knee to chest.

Hand above the knee or wherever feels comfortable.

As you gently pull the leg towards the chest.

And this time if it feels okay for you.

Perhaps lifting the head up and chin to chest with the forehead heading towards the knee.

And just noticing how that feels.

Perhaps a stretch in the back of the neck.

Noticing breathing in this position.

And then letting the left leg go.

And picking up the right leg.

To do the same here knee to chest.

Holding on to the knee wherever feels right.

And again perhaps lifting the head off the ground.

Tucking the chin to chest.

And bringing the forehead towards the kneecap.

Just seeing how this feels.

Again maybe noticing what muscles have to activate for this to happen.

Seeing if there's any sense of stretch in the body.

And then letting go.

And lying flat on the floor with the legs outstretched and the arms next to the body.

Perhaps palms facing up to the ceiling.

And taking a full rest here.

A full rest in relative stillness.

And again perhaps noticing what it's like now to be still after moving.

And now very slowly we're going to lift our arms so they rise up and move in a long slow arc up above our heads till they come to rest on the ground above our heads.

But we're going to go very slowly.

So starting to lift the arms off the ground and noticing perhaps what it's like to move from having to do no work for the arms having to work.

But the muscles having to kick in.

And as you move up to the top of the arc perhaps noticing how at the very top gravity is holding the arms.

And there's very little work there.

And then as we move through the arch gravity kicks back in.

And noticing all the little muscles that have to start up to hold our arms as we slowly move through the arc.

And have the arms in whatever way lying above our heads as they touch the ground.

And then in this position just having a stretch.

So letting the arms move away from the torso and perhaps having the legs moving the other direction.

Maybe pushing out with the heels or the toes.

Just letting the body have a stretch here.

And now very slowly we're going to move back through the same arc.

So lifting the arms in that position taking note of the effort it takes to start that arc.

And moving slowly up.

Noticing if there's any change in the muscles.

How the shoulders have to work or the neck or the stomach.

And again as we go through the apex noticing how there's a lot less effort involved as it reaches equilibrium.

And then how you pass through the apex.

How the muscles have to kick back in to support your arms as they head down back towards the ground.

And then as we get close to the ground paying close attention to the sensations that arise as we touch the ground and sink in and let go.

Paying attention to that process of letting go.

And remembering to breathe.

Remembering to be aware of the breath.

And now in your own time we're going to move through that same arc again.

Moving up.

Feeling all the muscles kicking that have to start to get the arms moving.

Moving up through the apex.

Noticing how gravity ceases for a little while.

And then how the muscles have to kick back in as gravity takes over.

As our arms move through.

Heading towards the ground above our heads.

And then coming to rest.

And again paying careful attention to that process of letting go as our arms touch the ground.

Or not letting go.

Perhaps maybe our shoulders don't want to let go here.

But just seeing what happens.

And now moving back through.

Lifting the arms up through the same slow arc.

Through the top and back down towards the ground.

And again paying close attention to the sensations of letting go as our arms come to rest once again by our sides.

And just laying long for a moment in relative stillness.

And now bringing both knees to our chest.

Perhaps holding on to our knees or our ankles or our shins.

Wherever it feels comfortable.

And hugging our chests to our legs to our knees.

And if it feels okay perhaps lifting our heads off the ground and tucking our chins to our chest to our knees.

And just holding ourselves for a second here.

Perhaps really gently rocking back and forth.

Just having a little bit of a movement here.

And if we do rock back and forth just noticing all the little muscles that have to kick in to do this.

To rock.

And maybe a little rock from side to side.

And you're just seeing what muscles have to activate for this to happen.

And breathing here.

And then lying long once more.

With our legs outstretched and arms next to our bodies.

And just taking a moment in relative stillness.

And again if at any moment we find ourselves off in thinking,

Maybe off in planning,

Maybe while we're moving.

If we can just gently come back to the sensations we can feel in the body.

Or maybe the sights that we can see with our eyes as we move.

Or the sounds we can hear.

Just coming back to our senses as we do the movement practice.

And now once again our knees pointing up to the ceiling feet flat on the floor.

Similar to what we did with the pelvic rocks.

We're going to take this position but we're going to move if it feels okay for you.

And if you've got back issues it can be really important to be aware of this one.

But if it feels okay for you we're going to bridge up.

And so with our knees to the ceiling and our feet firmly on the floor.

We're going to tuck under again a little bit of a pelvic rock.

Except this time we're going to push down with our heels and slowly peel our backside and our back up off the floor.

As we transfer our weight up towards our shoulders and rise up just as far as feels comfortable to a bridge position.

Your arms still lying next to you up into a bridge.

With our hips thrust towards the ceiling.

And then slowly coming down vertebrae by vertebrae.

Unpeeling ourselves back onto the ground.

Until our tailbone is at rest.

And then once again putting some weight in our heels as we slowly rock our pelvis under and start to peel up off the floor vertebrae by vertebrae.

As our pelvis heads up towards the ceiling and the weight gets transferred onto our shoulders up into the bridge position.

And perhaps noticing here as we notice what muscles have to work for this to happen.

We can notice what doesn't have to work.

Perhaps our arms don't need to be engaged or our hands don't have to be engaged.

And then coming down again vertebrae by vertebrae back onto the floor.

Till we rest with our tailbones.

And this time as we go up we're going to match with our arms going up in an arc.

Rest ending up resting above our heads.

So as we push down on our heels and our tailbones coming up.

If it feels okay for you your arms matching going up at the same time.

And just as you get to the top of the bridge your arms are resting above your head in whatever way feels comfortable or not comfortable.

And just seeing what it's like to breathe here.

Is it a shallow breath or a deep breath.

And then coming back down with our arms matching the arch.

Coming back until I rest next to the body again.

And now laying long on the floor again with our legs lying long and our arms next to the body.

I'm just taking a moment to rest here.

And now rolling over onto all fours.

Onto our hands and knees.

With our legs beneath our hips and our arms under our shoulders.

And if this isn't okay for you you can always be on your fists and not your hands if your wrists are sore.

And just taking a moment to find stillness here.

And now we're just going to arch arch like a like a cat going up.

With our back heading towards the ceiling curling under.

And then we reach the top we're going to come back down and arch the other way with our stomachs heading towards the ground.

Arch and flex of the cat and cow.

And then going back up.

Arching back up with our back heading up towards the ceiling.

And then coming back down with our stomach heading towards the ground.

And we're just going to do this a few times in your own pace.

Just arching up and then flexing down.

Just as far as feels comfortable.

And again if any of these movements don't feel right for your body then it's completely fine to sit out to lie out.

Perhaps just imagining doing this in your mind or doing something else.

And coming back in when when the movement feels right for you.

It's important that you take your own authority here.

And now resting back with your bum onto your heels.

With perhaps with your knees wide or not.

And just sitting back and letting the arms lie on the ground next to you.

Perhaps pointing out behind you.

Forehead on the ground if it can reach or not.

And just taking a moment to rest here in this child-like pose.

Remembering to breathe and just noticing how you're breathing.

How being in this position might affect your breathing.

And now coming back up onto all fours.

Again with the arms under the shoulders and the legs under the hips.

Taking a moment and stillness here.

And then if it feels okay for you we're going to stretch the right arm forward out in front of us.

While we stretch the left leg out behind us.

So you end up looking like a bit like a pointer dog.

And maybe noticing any stability here or instability.

And then lifting your head so you can look down the arm.

Down the right arm.

And perhaps stretching here so the right arm moving forward or the left arm moves back.

Again just noticing all the muscles that have to activate for you to do this.

All the work that has to happen.

And then coming back into all fours.

And now stretching the left arm out in front.

While the right leg stretches back behind.

And again noticing stability or noticing instability.

And then raising your head so you're looking down along the left arm.

Looking out across the fingers.

And checking out what it's like to breathe in this position.

If it's easy or hard.

Or any thoughts that are coming along like this is uncomfortable or god I'm gonna fall over or I'm good at this.

Just whatever's coming up.

And then coming back to all fours.

And now going into a rest position again by just resting your bum back onto your heels.

Just like we did before.

Perhaps opening your legs a little or sitting down on your knees.

Having your chest on your legs with your arms pointing out behind you next to the body.

Maybe forehead on the ground.

And just take a moment to rest in this position.

And now making your way back onto the back.

With your knees pointing up to the ceiling and the feet flat on the floor.

And with your arms outstretched either way.

A bit like you're lying in a cross position.

And we're just going to do some gentle twisting from here.

So perhaps bringing the knees down onto the right side.

And just feeling that twist through the mid section.

And if it feels okay for you perhaps turning your head to the left to the opposite way that your legs are.

And just seeing what this feels like.

Perhaps noticing a stretch through the body through the neck.

And then lifting the legs up.

Maybe noticing how the abdomen the abdominals have to kick in to get the legs up.

And then moving them across to the left side.

With your arms in a cross.

Stretched out.

The legs now on the left side.

And looking to the right if that feels okay for you for your body.

And again just seeing what it feels like to be in this twisted position.

Noticing what it's like to breathe in this position.

And now bringing the legs back up to centre.

With the feet flat on the floor.

And then stretch the legs out.

Lay long.

And maybe give a bit of a jiggle through the body.

Just however the body wants to move.

Perhaps moving the head from side to side.

Or shrugging the shoulders up.

Just whatever the body wants to do before coming back into relative stillness.

And now bringing the knees back up.

Feet flat on the floor again.

Knees to the ceiling.

And we're going to lift the right leg up.

So maybe placing some weight through the foot.

Through the left foot.

As you lift the right leg up off the ground.

Just as high as it can go.

And just noticing what this feels like.

Again all the muscles that have to work to get that right leg up.

And then slowly lowering the right leg.

Outstretched.

Until it comes to rest on the ground.

And again paying close attention to what the sensations in the leg are like.

As it makes contact with the floor.

Noticing those sensations of letting go.

And now bringing the right leg up.

So the knees pointing towards the ceiling.

And the foot is flat on the floor.

And raising up the left leg.

So it's pointed up.

As high as it can go.

Pointed up towards the ceiling perhaps.

Just lifting it up to whatever position you can get it to.

Perhaps pushing down for support into the right foot.

And noticing what muscles have to work.

And then slowly lowering the right leg.

Letting it come down slowly.

And again paying attention to what the sensations are like as the ground comes up to meet the leg.

And the leg can let go.

What those sensations of letting go alike.

And now lifting the right leg back.

So the knee,

Right knee is pointed towards the ceiling.

And the foot is firmly on the ground.

And lifting the left leg up again.

And perhaps this time if it feels okay for you.

Putting your arms behind the back of the right leg.

And perhaps lifting up with the chin.

Lifting up with the head.

And rolling forward as high as you can.

So you stretch the leg.

Moving the chest towards the leg.

Just in whatever way feels doable for you.

Not going too far.

Maybe playing with what's comfortable and maybe pushing it a little bit.

But just being mindful of not going too far.

Just what feels right for you.

And again in this position noticing what it's like to breathe.

And then letting go of the leg.

Letting it slowly come down.

Letting the upper part of the body and the head come back down.

And noticing the letting go as the leg makes contact again with the ground.

And then swapping over.

So having the right leg,

Knee pointing towards the ceiling.

Foot firmly on the floor.

And lifting the left leg up.

And then if it feels okay for you.

Perhaps cupping your arms around the thigh or the knee or the calf.

And moving up into a stretch with the torso coming up off the ground.

Perhaps the chin towards the chest.

And just seeing what this stretch is like.

And again not pushing it too far.

Just going as high as you can.

Again seeing what it's like in this position.

Just breathing here.

And then letting go.

Letting the leg come back down to the ground.

Letting the chest lie back on the ground.

The head back on the ground.

And paying attention as the foot makes contact with the floor.

And those sensations of letting go.

And then just a moment of lying long.

Of rest.

Just seeing what the body feels like now after that movement.

The sense of stillness after movement.

Lying long on the ground.

And now rolling over onto the right side.

Perhaps having the arm under the head for support.

Or arranging it so that you can support your head in any way that you can.

As you lie on your side.

Maybe having the left arm out in front of you to support you for balance.

And just lying on your side here.

We're going to slowly lift the left leg off the ground.

Just lifting up as high as you can.

Or it doesn't have to be a big movement.

It can be quite small.

Just whatever feels comfortable.

Just lifting the leg up as you lie here on your side.

Perhaps with the arm supporting the head.

The right arm under the head.

Stretched out or cupped.

And then lowering the left leg.

And then again lifting up the left leg.

Just as high as feels comfortable for you.

And holding this position.

Noticing the muscles that have to work here.

Perhaps noticing the breath here.

How you're breathing right now.

And then lowering the left leg.

And now rolling over onto the left side.

And again finding a way,

Your way to support your head.

Perhaps with the arm outstretched above you.

Or cupped holding your head.

And with your left arm to support you in front of you.

To give yourself some stability.

And now lifting up the right leg.

Just as high as feels right for you.

Again doesn't have to be big.

Just letting it come up.

And holding this position.

Noticing how you're breathing.

Noticing perhaps stability and instability.

All the muscles that have to work to hold you here.

And then letting that leg go.

Bringing it back down to touch the other leg.

Stacked on top of each other.

And then once again lifting the right leg up.

Holding here.

Noticing breathing perhaps.

What it's like to breathe here.

And then letting the leg come down.

And from here we're going to roll over onto our bellies.

Perhaps with the head turned to one side.

If that feels okay for you.

Or finding a way to lie in your stomach here.

That feels comfortable.

And a way to support the head at the same time.

Just however that works best for you.

And we're just going to take a moment to rest in this position.

Just lying on our stomachs.

Lying on our bellies.

Perhaps noticing as we breathe how the body moves.

How the air coming in pushes our body up.

And then contracts as we breathe out.

The body falls back into the ground.

Feeling the weight of gravity.

And then if it feels okay for you.

We are going to very slowly to lift our heads off the ground.

First we're going to make sure our arms are lying long next to our bodies.

Perhaps with our chins and our foreheads on the ground.

And then we're going to slowly lift our heads up.

And so that we're gazing along the ground.

And then perhaps a little way up the wall.

Remembering to keep your neck long.

And perhaps pushing down with the tops of our feet to support the lower back.

As you lift your head up.

Just as high as feels comfortable.

And then coming down.

Letting the head lie one side or the other.

With your head turned.

And again just breathing here for a moment.

And then lifting the head up.

Once more.

Pushing down with the tops of the feet and the legs to support the lower back.

As you lift the head up.

Looking along the floor.

And perhaps slightly up the wall.

And then coming down.

Head turned to one side.

And now if it feels okay this time when we go up.

We're going to lift the right leg.

As we lift our head and perhaps a bit of our chest off the ground.

With our arms outstretched behind us.

So pushing down with the left foot to give us some support for the lower back and stability.

We're going to lift our head up.

Gazing along the ground.

And then slightly up the wall.

And then lifting up the right leg.

Noticing all the work that has to happen here.

You're turning on the buttocks.

The leg.

Perhaps the lower back having to work.

And just go as high as feels comfortable for you.

Doesn't have to be big.

Just whatever feels right.

And then coming down.

Laying the head to one side of the other.

And then repeating this on the other side.

So lifting the head up.

Looking along the carpet.

Along the ground.

Perhaps up the wall.

And then lifting up the left leg.

As we push down on the right leg.

The top of the right foot supporting us.

And lifting the left leg up as high as feels right.

And just noticing what it feels like here.

What it's like to breathe.

How much work is involved.

And then coming back down.

And just one more time.

On the right hand side we're going to lift our heads up.

Looking along the ground.

Lifting the chest up a little bit.

And the right leg coming up.

Left leg pushing down to give support.

And again noticing breathing here.

Noticing how much works involved.

And then letting go.

Coming back down.

Head to one side.

And then once again going up.

Chest slightly off the ground.

Head lifting up.

Neck long.

Looking along the ground up the wall.

And the left leg coming up.

And the right leg giving support.

Pushing down.

And then letting go.

Coming back down.

Letting the head lie one side or the other.

And just taking a moment to rest.

And now rolling back onto the back.

Making a transition onto the back again.

And we're just going to bring our knees up to our chest.

As we did at the very beginning and hold ourselves here for a moment.

Perhaps lifting the head up.

Chin to chest.

Forehead to knees.

Before letting go and lying long on the ground.

Arms lying long.

Legs lying long.

And just being present to what's arising now.

What sensations are here.

Perhaps what sort of moods here.

Noticing any thoughts.

It's being present for our bodies and our minds.

And if it feels right for you maybe congratulating yourself for spending time in this way for finding time to practice.

Reviews

Very nice. Thank you very much Daniel.🙏

Slow, mindful, deliberate, grounding and present. Perfect for steadying a fragmented mind and calming the body. Thank you very much for this practice 🙏