This pranayama meditation focuses on the solar plexus or manipura chakra.
This chakra is considered by some to be the second heart and the origin of 72,
000 pranic or energetic channels.
It's strongly correlated to our internal power and self-esteem and it governs our metabolism and digestion.
When unblocked and open,
We feel comfortable taking appropriate risks and setting boundaries that protect our well-being while respecting the needs and wants of others.
We can ask for what we need.
Blockages may result in feelings of stagnation,
A lack of empowerment,
Low self-esteem and poor digestion.
This chakra is the home of imposter syndrome.
Due to its connection to our sense of ego and identity,
Impairments here may result in feeling insecure,
Out of control or judged.
When wounded,
We may feel like we've had the wind knocked out of us.
We'll experiment with Kapha body pranayama.
This breathing technique strengthens our chests,
Cleanses our abdominal organs and energizes our circulation and nervous systems.
It also energizes our minds,
Eases sleepiness and helps in toning our digestive organs.
It's sometimes referred to as the frontal brain cleansing technique.
Breathing practices typically require an active inhalation and a passive exhalation.
This practice reverses that process.
We begin with intentionally taking a deep inhalation through the nose so that our bellies fill and expand,
And the following exhalation occurs through a sequence of short and forceful exhalations through the mouth.
While this is an active practice,
Balance your effort with ease.
You should feel as if you could continue breathing in this manner beyond our practice time of three rounds of 60 seconds.
If you experience dizziness or feel breathless,
Stop the practice and settle back into your regular breathing pattern.
Then,
When you feel you're ready to begin again,
Try doing so with less force.
The bija,
Or seed mantra,
For the solar plexus chakra is RAM,
And the element is fire.
This fire element is about change,
Absorption and courage.
To fully stand in our own power,
We often have to walk through the fire of change.
It's about finding the courage to begin the process of shedding limiting beliefs,
About fully understanding our self-worth and being willing to stand up for ourselves.
Let's begin.
Take a few moments to settle in.
During the meditation,
Your eyes can be closed or you can have them capped with your gaze lowered.
If you feel like you need to open your eyes during the meditation,
Feel free to do so,
And then,
When you're ready,
Close or cap them again and return to the meditation.
Leave all of your senses open and welcome all aspects of your experience.
Notice the sounds around you.
Some sounds may be near to you,
And others may be farther away.
Some sounds might be easy to accept,
And others may feel more imposing or unwelcome.
You may also notice smells in your environment,
Or tastes in your mouth.
You may notice the sensations of your physical body.
Perhaps you're aware of the points where your body is in contact with the surface beneath you,
Where your bottom or your back is in contact with your seat.
You may notice where your feet are.
You may notice where your hands are.
Just notice.
Now,
Mindfully take a full breath in,
And then slowly let it out.
And again,
Take a full breath in,
Then slowly let it out.
Continue a few cycles of deep breaths at your own pace.
Let your inhalation and exhalation draw you into a deeper state of calm and release any tension or stress you might be holding on to.
Moment by moment,
Let your body and mind unwind.
Move your attention to your scalp.
Let your gentle attention soften your scalp,
Including your forehead.
Notice the area behind your eyes.
Let your jaw relax as though your mouth wants to open,
But keep your lips together.
You might tuck your chin in slightly and feel the length at the back of your neck as your throat softens.
On your next inhalation,
Gently raise your shoulders to your ears,
And then on the exhale,
Let them relax and fall away from your ears.
Feel the support of the chair or the cushion beneath you,
And let that support help you to relax your pelvic area.
Now bring your attention to your spine and trace the path of your vertebrae from your tailbone along your lower back,
Along your middle back,
Along your upper back,
All the way to the base of your scalp.
Moving your attention to your front body,
Soften your chest,
Your diaphragm,
And your belly.
Now put your attention on one leg,
Starting at the hip,
And follow it with your mind's eye all the way down to your toes,
Releasing any muscular engagement of your leg along the way.
Now put your attention on your other leg and follow it from your hip all the way to your toes,
Again letting your gentle attention help release any sense of holding.
Feel your whole body present,
Relaxed,
And still.
Take a few more long,
Slow,
Deep breaths,
Letting each breath cycle draw you into a deeper state of calm.
Now bring your awareness to the area of your solar plexus.
This is the area between your navel or your belly button,
To just below your heart.
See,
Feel,
And imagine the warmth of a bright yellow sun shining its light in this area.
Imagine the light growing brighter and brighter,
And as it does so,
Filling you with yellow energy.
Watch the light as it grows brighter and brighter until the solar plexus chakra can no longer hold it,
And so it spreads until your whole body is full of its brightness.
And now let's introduce Kapalbhati Kriya.
While in your seated position,
Place both hands on your knees,
Or you can put one of your hands on your tummy to feel how it moves as it expands and relaxes.
You can adjust your posture if you'd like,
Perhaps pressing your tailbone and your sit bones into the surface beneath you.
In this Kriya,
The focus is on an active exhalation and a somewhat passive inhalation.
As you actively exhale,
Think of using your abdominal muscles to pull your navel toward your spine.
It is audible and deliberate,
While the inhalation will be more of a spontaneous recoil involving little or no effort.
We'll do the first round slowly,
At a pace of about one exhalation per second.
The second and third rounds will be progressively quicker.
If you get tired or dizzy,
It's okay to stop,
And when you're ready,
Begin again.
Let's begin.
And inhale fully,
Feeling your belly expand.
And on the exhale,
And rest for 15 seconds before we begin the second round.
This next round,
The exhalations will be a little bit quicker than the first round.
Inhale,
And rest for 15 seconds.
The third round will be a little bit quicker than the second round.
And inhale.
And let that go now,
And just settle for a few moments,
And observe any change in the activity of your body,
Your mind,
Or even your emotions.
Before we go into the final and silent portion of our meditation,
We'll perform 11 rounds of the Bija mantra,
Ram.
If you're self-conscious about chanting,
It might help to put your attention on the feeling,
On the vibration of the chant,
Rather than the sound you make.
And you always have the option to chant silently.
Let's begin.
Inhale.
Ram.
Inhale.
Ram.
Inhale.
Ram.
Inhale.
Ram.
Inhale.
Ram.
Inhale.
Ram.
Inhale.
Ram.
Inhale.
Ram.
Inhale.
Ram.
Inhale.
Ram.
Inhale.
Ram.
And now let go of the mantra,
And we'll sit in silence for five minutes.
Remember that it's natural for your mind to wander,
Particularly during the silent meditation periods.
And when you notice it,
Simply acknowledge that your mind has wandered,
And bring your attention back to your breath,
And begin again.
Keeping your eyes closed,
Start to take some deeper breaths now as you begin to transition out of your practice.
Slowly reacquaint yourself with the sensation of being in your environment.
Perhaps you're noticing the space your physical body is taking up.
Begin to wake your body up by slowly moving your muscles,
Perhaps circling your wrists or ankles,
Or adjusting your arms and legs.
Allow any movement that your body is asking you for.
Notice the feeling of the surface beneath you,
The sounds around you,
The taste in your mouth.
And when you're ready,
You can slowly open your eyes.
