Start in a seated position,
If you're on the ground use a cushion to sit on ensuring that your hips are higher than your knees,
Spine straight,
Shoulders rolled back and crown of the head reaching towards the ceiling.
Now notice the space around you,
All five senses opening to the space around you.
The touch of air in your skin,
Any lingering smells or fragrances in the air and now sound,
The sounds close by and the sounds further away and all the sounds traveling through space and notice any colors or images behind your closed eyelids and now the tongue.
Notice any tastes and welcome the space all around you,
The space in front of you,
Behind you,
To the left and to the right and notice what's present here,
This simple feeling of being open,
Body open,
Mind open and begin to notice the breath,
Awareness of where the breath enters the nostrils,
Notice the temperature of the breath,
Notice the breath flowing down into the lungs,
Notice your belly expanding and contracting with each breath.
So let's start the alternate nostril breathing practice together.
I'll guide you through the first few rounds and then give you a few minutes to practice on your own.
So let's begin.
Raise your right hand up,
Bend your peace fingers,
So the middle and index finger.
Place your right thumb on the outside of your right nostril,
Just where the bone and the cartilage meet.
Fully exhale through both nostrils and close right.
Inhale left nostril for four,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Close left,
Exhale right for four,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Inhale right for four,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Close right,
Exhale left for four,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Inhale left for four,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Close left,
Exhale right for four,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Inhale right for four,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Close right,
Exhale left for four,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Inhale left for four,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Close left,
Exhale right for four,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Inhale right for four,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Close right,
Exhale left for four,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Inhale left for four,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Close left,
Exhale right for four,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Inhale right for four,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Close right,
Exhale left for four,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Inhale left for four,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Close left,
Exhale right for four,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Inhale right for four,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Close right,
Exhale left for four,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Now continue on your own for the next few minutes.
I'll let you know when to release the practice.
Now finish your last set on the left nostril.
Release your hands and keep your eyes closed and allow your breathing to return back to normal and notice what's present now.
Right now is the only moment we can be fully alive and present.
Everything that has happened before is a memory and everything in the future is imagination.
This present moment is your life,
Each moment unfolding,
Each breath unfolding in the present moment and visualize the rest of your day with this presence,
Meeting each activity and relationship with this sense of openness,
This ability to respond and not react and now set the intention to notice what's happening outside of your meditation practice and times where you can make the conscious choice to use alternate nostril breathing to support your mental well-being.
You take your breath everywhere with you.
It's a free and effective tool that you can use anytime,
Anywhere and begin to take several deeper breaths and bring some gentle movement into the fingers and toes,
Blinking your eyes open and closed,
Coming back to your wide awake and alert state.
