Good morning.
How did you get out of bed today?
Were you aware of your own body?
Today we're going to practice moving mindfully and resting your awareness on the body as you engage in gentle stretching movements.
We're not trying to move in a particular way or look a certain way as we move.
So letting go of any concern about how you might look,
Whether you're getting it right.
We're simply learning to be at ease with the body one moment at a time.
Let's begin with a standing posture.
Standing up straight and tall,
Shoulders relaxed,
Arms hanging down the sides of the body,
Allowing the feet to be hip distance apart,
The soles of the feet resting flat on the floor.
It is best to engage in this practice barefoot.
Let's tune into this body in this standing posture,
Breathing in and breathing out.
Gently,
Naturally.
Now allowing your attention to travel down the body and to the bottoms of the feet.
Becoming aware of the heels in contact with the floor.
Now gently zooming in on just the right heel and slowly lifting the right heel off the floor so that your right foot is resting on the tip toes.
Noticing the body weight is now resting on the left leg.
Feeling a gentle stretch at the top of the right foot.
Now slowly lowering the right heel back down.
Once again noticing the contact of the right heel with the floor.
And now shifting your attention to the left heel.
Paying attention to the contact of the left heel with the floor.
Keeping the movement slow,
Lifting the left heel off the floor,
Feeling the body weight shifting to the right and allowing the left foot to rest on the tip toes.
Feeling that gentle stretch at the top of the left foot.
And then slowly lowering the left heel back down,
Paying attention to the contact the left heel is once again making with the floor.
And now very gently lifting both the heels off the floor and balancing the body on tip toes.
Holding onto this balancing posture for a few moments.
Paying attention to which muscles in the body are engaged at this moment.
And then gently allowing both heels to come back down in contact with the floor.
And now when you're ready,
Shifting your attention now to your arms.
And beginning to lift the right arm by the side,
Keeping the movement slow.
Lifting past the shoulder level and all the way up to the ceiling.
Lifting your fingers further up and feeling the stretch down the right side of the body.
If this feels safe enough for you,
Lifting the left heel off the floor and reaching even further up towards the ceiling.
Allowing the breath to flow naturally as you hold this posture for a few moments.
And then lowering the left heel back down on the floor.
Relaxing the stretch in the fingers and allowing the arm to slowly and gently come back down to the side of the body.
And now slowly lifting the left arm up by the side.
Past the shoulder level and reaching up to the ceiling.
Stretching your fingers further up and paying attention to the sensations down the left side of the body.
Working well within your limits,
Lifting your right heel off the floor and stretching further up towards the ceiling.
Holding this posture for a few moments,
Keeping the breath natural.
And then lowering the right heel back down,
Releasing the stretch in the fingers and slowly lowering the left arm down to the side of the body.
And now lifting both arms up the sides of the body.
Reaching past the shoulder level and reaching both hands up towards the ceiling.
Feeling the stretch on both sides of the body.
If this feels comfortable for you,
Gently lifting both the heels off the floor and coming to your tip toes.
Reaching your awareness on the body as you hold this extended balancing posture for a few moments.
And then lowering the heels back down,
Relaxing the stretch in the arms and allowing both arms to slowly come back down to the sides of the body.
Bringing the body to stillness and allowing the eyes to gently close for a few moments.
Tuning into the body in this standing posture.
Taking a deep breath in and as you breathe in,
Lifting the shoulders up to the ears.
And as you breathe out,
Bringing the shoulders back down.
Once again breathing in,
Lifting the shoulders.
And breathing out,
Bringing the shoulders back down.
One more time,
Breathing in,
Lifting the shoulders.
And breathing out,
Bringing the shoulders back down.
Returning the breath back to its natural state.
And when you're ready,
Allowing the eyes to gently open.
Thank you for practicing with me and have a mindful day ahead.
