Greetings and happy winter solstice.
I invite you to find your comfortable seat.
Feel your sitting bones,
Feet,
And legs grounded.
Bring your two hands to each knee,
Palms facing up.
Let your thumb and pointer finger meet in Gyan Mudra,
Lengthening your other three fingers.
This mudra welcomes your connection between individual and universal consciousness.
Close your eyes or soften your gaze.
Breathe in to the nose,
Lengthening the backs of the ears towards the dark sky.
Exhale into the earth,
Stability and warmth.
Inhale up into possibility.
Exhale down to ground.
As you find your natural breath,
Take a moment to consider something that's been quietly hibernating within you this winter season.
Roots steep and warm in your heart.
Take a moment to consider something that has been quietly hibernating within you this winter season.
It could be an intentional embracing of this time of rest.
It could be a desire seeded earlier in the year that you're just noticing has been slowly taking root.
Or maybe it's a dream that you have been nourishing that you want to intentionally bring forth as the light and energies increase.
Let's take three rounds of breath to recognize that intention.
Keep your left hand where it is and bring your right palm in front of your face.
Close your right nostril with your thumb and breathe deeply into the left nostril.
As you reach the height of your breath,
Close your left nostril with your pinky and ring finger.
Then exhale,
Releasing your right nostril and breathing out.
Breathe back into your right nostril.
Close it with your thumb and then release your left nostril,
Breathing out.
Another breath into the left,
Closing the left nostril,
Releasing the right and breathing out.
Breathing in,
Closing,
Breathing out through the left.
I invite you to take two more rounds on your own.
One more round.
Let's all breathe into the left nostril.
This time,
As we close both nostrils,
Let's pause for four heartbeats.
We'll release the right nostril and exhale.
Breathing back into the right,
Closing the right nostril and holding for four heartbeats.
Exhaling to the left nostril.
I invite you to do three more rounds,
A full round being circling back to breathing out of the left nostril.
You may find that retaining your breath for up to six heartbeats feels more in alignment for you today.
Last round.
There's no rush.
The next time you breathe out of your left nostril,
You can return to your natural breath and let your right hand drop back to your right knee.
Let's ground once again with both hands in Gyan Mudra,
Thumb and pointer finger meeting.
Take a moment to feel the life force that you've been moving within you.
I invite you to bring your palms to meet in front of your heart in Anjali Mudra.
Take a moment to honor the special time of the year,
Bowing your head towards your heart.
We'll close our practice with three rounds of breath.
First,
Exhaling all the air in your lungs.
Fresh breath into the nose.
Full breath out through the mouth.
Maybe even a sigh out through the mouth.
And breath out.
You can let your hands fall in your lap.
Maybe roll your shoulder.
Tilt your head side to side.
Or find a gentle twist right and left.
If your eyes were closed,
You can slowly blink them open.
My wish for you is that you find deep rest this winter season.
And trust that your intentions are emerging in perfect,
Imperfect harmony with the rhythms of Mother Earth.
Thank you.
