Lay down on your back if possible for this breathing meditation.
You can have your knees bent and feet flat on the floor or a pillow under your knees if that's more comfortable.
If laying down doesn't work for you,
You can also find a comfortable seat with a tall spine.
Today we'll be focusing on the breath.
Our breath has this amazing ability to ground and calm the nervous system when we're able to take full deep breaths into the diaphragm or low belly.
It can also help us release stuck energy,
Heavy or sluggish energy in the body,
And even patterns or habits that our mind cycles through.
Often over time,
Especially when we carry stress in the body or mind,
Which we all do to some degree,
Our breath gradually gets more shallow and we start to breathe from the chest instead of from the diaphragm or the belly.
Today we'll focus on some breath work or pranayama that gets us into those deep belly breaths,
Supporting our nervous system and restoring our mind.
This type of breathing can also slow the heartbeat and can lower or stabilize blood pressure.
Start by closing your eyes or softening your gaze.
Relax your face.
Feel the brow and jaw soften.
Notice any parts of the body that feel tense or tight in this moment.
See if you can release some of that tension before we get started.
Now send your attention to your natural breath.
Notice if it's short and shallow or if it's more long and deep.
No need to attach or judge either way.
Just become familiar with the flow of your breath.
So now that you're familiar with your breath,
Let's try this.
Place one hand on your upper chest and the other on your belly,
Just below your ribcage.
Take a deep breath in slowly through your nose,
Breathing all the way down to your lower belly or diaphragm.
The hand on your chest should remain quite still while the other hand on your belly should rise.
Now pucker or purse your lips and tighten your abdominal muscles as you allow them to fall inward,
Exhaling through the pursed lips.
The hand on your belly should naturally move down to its original position.
Keep going with this breathing at your own pace.
Remember to breathe in through your nose deeply to the low belly and then pucker the lips to exhale out the mouth.
Try not to think too much about what you're doing.
And continue to breathe.
And if your mind starts to wander,
Just allow the sensation of the belly expanding and softening bring you back in.
Keep going with that same breath in through the nose and out through pursed lips.
Good girl.
You Keep breathing and start to notice if your breath has become any deeper than when you first started this exercise It doesn't matter what you notice just observe and keep going in through the nose and out through the lips The belly continues to gently expand and contract You You You Allow any thoughts emotions or sensations to move through you as you continue to breathe Keep going and trust the process In through the nose expanding the belly out through the lips contracting the belly you You You you You you Often when our mind wants to quit a practice like this We can be on the brink of a significant shift or even a breakthrough Let's keep going a little while longer in through the nose out through the lips You As you finish your next exhale you can place your arms back down by your sides Taking your hands off your belly Take a deep breath in through the nose Open your mouth and take your biggest exhale yet Let's take two more of those feel free to make noise on your exhale to fully release whatever has shown up in through the nose Open your mouth exhale let it go One more time deep deep breath in Biggest exhale yet let everything go Just land here and stillness for a moment and observe See how your physical body feels and notice what's happening in your mind See how your physical body feels and notice what's happening in your mind You You You You you You you Feel free to stay here as long as you like observing and softening until you're ready to continue with your day Be kind to yourself move slowly And notice any shift that might show up in the coming breaths Minutes or even days from this practice Namaste You
