We are in the very beginning of the class going to use the ujjayi breath.
And for those of you who might not have practiced it before,
The ujjayi breath is just a restriction of the throat and it just sounds like you are fogging up your glasses or fogging up a mirror.
So it's going to sound a little bit like this.
And when you do it,
You can close your lips.
If you want,
You can leave the lips open.
Whatever feels the most comfortable.
And of course,
Always,
If a breath does not feel good in your body,
Don't do it.
You can always just go back to normal breathing.
So we'll use that in a little bit.
I just wanted to give a little bit of an explanation.
We're also going to use a mantra towards the end.
So hum.
So it's just spelled S-O-H-U-M.
So I just like spelling them so we can get a visual in our heads maybe of what that looks like.
All right,
Let's go ahead and begin by closing your eyes if that feels comfortable for you.
Making any last minute adjustments,
Any wiggles,
Making yourself supremely comfortable.
And you can even take this opportunity to take a really nice inhale and let out anything that is maybe happened early in your day with a sigh.
And maybe one more time inhaling.
Let out anything not serving you.
And as we begin our meditation,
Let's just notice our breath.
Starting really simple this evening.
Noticing that when we inhale our chest,
Our belly rise,
They fill with air.
And when you exhale,
These areas gently fall and feel that natural letting go that comes with your exhale.
You can even notice that the sides of the body open up laterally with the inhale.
And then almost like a corset,
They begin to come a little bit closer together with the exhale.
And you can also even feel movement in the back of the body.
Same thing when we inhale,
The back of the body opens and releases with the exhale.
And that Ujjayi breath that we discussed at the very beginning,
We will use that on our exhale.
And you can begin to do so whenever you're ready.
So continue just inhaling in your normal pace and form.
And then exhaling out with that Ujjayi.
And again,
You can close the lips or open them,
Whatever feels the most comfortable for you.
And you breathe out with that exhale Ujjayi.
Follow it entirely out.
Watch that breath internally.
This is a lovely pattern of breathing to calm the nervous system.
It's also a really settling breath.
So when our minds are busy,
This is also a really good way to calm the nervous system.
It's also a nice one to use.
We'll continue the breath for a couple more moments.
Redirecting your attention if your mind wanders outside of this area.
Just coming back to the breath.
Now we will relax the entire body,
Starting with the mouth.
Bringing your awareness to the plane of contact between the upper lip and lower lip.
So not the upper lip or the lower lip,
That contact level,
That little invisible plane right between,
Starting there.
Bringing awareness into our jaws,
Relaxing.
Letting the jaw unhinge,
Release and soften.
Noticing the throat.
Noticing as the breath flows gently through the throat into the rest of the body.
Awareness to your ears.
The ear canal,
Allowing this area to relax as it connects all the way into your jaw.
Relaxing your forehead.
If the back of your head is relaxing on a surface,
Allow it to become a little heavier.
If you're lying on your side,
The side of the head.
Noticing how your back is feeling and allow it to soften,
Starting with the upper portion.
The middle and the lower.
Awareness in your arms.
Following the awareness all the way down through the elbows into the wrists.
Noticing your hands.
Softness in the palm of the hands.
The openness.
Relaxing your hands entirely.
Awareness in your hips and your glutes.
Following that all the way down into your ankles.
And eventually into the soles of your feet.
Relaxing every toe.
Savoring this moment of softening,
Of stillness,
Maybe even peace.
Let the body go a little bit more.
Maybe that means relaxing areas that still feel like they're gripping.
Or maybe that means that your body just becomes a little heavier.
Deeply connect to the surface below you or any props that you might be using.
Savoring these moments of stillness.
Using the body as your anchor to the present moment.
Now locating a sensation in the body.
It could be warmth.
Perhaps there is an area that feels tight or pressure.
But maybe there's the first sensation that comes to your mind.
And examining this entire area where you feel this sensation.
Using the example of warmth,
Maybe noticing if other parts of the body feel this warmth.
Does it expand beyond that initial location?
Now locating the opposite sensation within the body.
Using the same example that I just did.
Maybe finding coolness.
Or if it was tightness,
Maybe an area of the body that feels open and relaxed.
And perhaps maybe this area is located throughout the body.
So that sensation might be in different parts of the body.
And we will go back one more time to the original sensation.
Noticing if it feels the same as it did before.
Is it in the same areas?
Has it changed?
Has it moved?
Being exploratory and seeing what there is to notice.
And now one last time,
Finding the opposite.
Noticing if this has changed or if it feels the same.
And now bringing both of the sensations,
Calling both of them to mind.
Noticing both of the areas.
Or maybe multiple areas.
And if that doesn't feel accessible,
Just noticing then the sensation that was more favorable.
I want you to now call to mind something that you say to yourself or a way that you're feeling right now that isn't serving you.
My mind is busy.
I am angry.
And as you acknowledge that feeling,
Or maybe perhaps that sentence that you always say to yourself that you don't love that you do,
Feel it in your body.
Notice what effects it has on your body.
And now saying the exact opposite to yourself.
I am settled.
I am enough.
I am capable.
Feel how that changes the body.
As you continue to recite that opposite phrase to yourself,
Feel it.
Allow this to permeate the entire body.
Sit in this place of peace,
Of joy,
Of contentment.
Feel it in the body.
Now,
Transporting ourselves to a beach.
You are seated on the soft,
Sturdy,
White sand.
You are content and comfortable,
Relaxed at peace.
The sun is shining on you.
You are the perfect temperature.
Gentle breeze cools your body.
You are well-supported by the sand below you.
And in this moment,
You have nothing to do,
Nowhere to go,
Just be.
And as you sit here,
You notice the calm sea in front of you,
Noticing all the colors,
Blue and greens.
The waves gently come in closer towards you.
Then they're pulled back out to sea again,
Almost as if the ocean is breathing.
And as you continue to watch the ocean,
When it comes closer,
Silently reciting to yourself,
SO,
S-O.
And when the sea is called back into the massive ocean,
Hum,
H-U-M.
The wave gently comes in,
SO,
And then is pulled back out,
HUM.
Almost as if you are breathing together with the ocean,
As if the ocean is inhaling that SO,
And pulling back the exhale with the HUM.
Feel the depth of this moment.
Allow yourself to let go.
Allow yourself to be content and at peace.
And maybe even you are so relaxed as you sit on the beach that you decide just to lie back into the sand,
Fully immersing with the earth below you.
Feeling as it supports you,
And feeling that steadiness within your own body.
And whether you are seated or lying down,
Continuing to listen to the ocean as it inhales SO,
And exhales HUM.
And we'll stay here for a couple moments.
Inhaling SO,
Exhaling HUM.
Taking a couple more rounds,
Connecting with the ocean breath,
Releasing your awareness to your body.
Taking a couple more rounds of breath,
And starting to bring yourself back into the room where you're located.
With your eyes closed,
Seeing the walls,
Hearing the sounds in the room,
Maybe even outside of the room.
And whether you're seated or lying down.
And take this opportunity to tune into your body one more time.
Noticing your breath or noticing your physical sensations.
Maybe even also noticing the difference between when we first began and now.
Before we conclude,
If you're lying down,
Placing one hand on the center of your chest and the other hand on top.
If you're seated,
You can bring your hands into prayer.
Our hands are located on our heart center.
This is where our energetic heart is located.
A place where we send love to other people as well as ourselves.
Let's first begin in this space,
Sending love to someone or to a group of people.
Maybe someone you love deeply.
Maybe someone you're growing inside of you.
Or maybe someone who needs it.
And with just the same intent,
Send love to yourself.
And as you do,
Feel it.
So feel how it changes the body physically.
When maybe perhaps you say,
I am proud.
I love myself.
Noticing how it affects our physical body.
And reminding ourselves that we can always say or change messages into positive ones.
And notice how it does affect the body.
Or perhaps our minds are busy.
We can use that Ujjayi breath.
Or just inhale so and exhale,
Hum.
From my heart center to each of yours,
I am deeply grateful that you have joined me this evening.
Namaste.
