In this practice,
We'll be taking time to think about what it means to nourish ourselves.
Begin by taking a comfortable seat.
Instead of being on autopilot or feeling like you must do this,
Simply allow yourself to find a seat that will feel comfortable to you.
Really feel supported into your seated position,
As if you can really sink in.
Allow your body a few extra moments to ensure that even the simple part of this practice is an act of self nourishment.
Perhaps take a shoulder stretch or massage your jaw for a moment.
Whatever you need to do to get your body relaxed and comfortable.
Then,
Lengthen the torso and let your body sink into stillness.
Allow your eyes to close.
Feeling the act of closing your eyes is a process in itself of coming back into yourself.
We will take three nourishing breaths together.
Drink the breath in.
Hold it and let it out.
Another sip.
Inhale and exhale.
One more deep inhale.
As you exhale,
Feel a sense of relief.
Allow your breath to realign and find a new natural rhythm.
Continue to watch the movement of your breath.
Feel that every inhale infuses your body with new energy.
One of the most fundamental ways that we as humans rejuvenate ourselves is through breathing.
There is something beautiful in knowing that the most important way we nourish ourselves happens absolutely effortlessly.
Observe your breath closer now.
As you take note of the path that your breath is traveling,
Understand that this is your body tending to itself moment by moment.
Witness this in silence for just a few moments.
Breathe,
Feel empty.
Ility.
Come back to the movement of your breath.
Watch your breath move in and out of the body,
Intuitively finding its way.
Your breath reacts when you react.
It changes with your activity level,
Your moods,
Your thoughts,
And surroundings.
The breath adapts to changing circumstances and somehow your breath always finds its way.
It knows exactly how to readjust to serve you best.
Observe the pattern it has chosen at this moment.
Knowing that it chose this pattern as the perfect way to support you.
Watch the breath infuse and clear your body now as we sit in silence for a few moments longer.
Pulsing background music You you Now bring your attention back to the movement of the breath Your breath is the most important way your body nourishes itself We can live for weeks without food and days without water But without a breath we can only survive a few moments This breath that keeps us alive is a force that operates on its own Our bodies were created to naturally rejuvenate themselves This may feel like the breathing is just not enough The pace of life is sped up in meeting the demands of work and our families can really deplete us Some of us have set intentions for ourselves That might be hard to keep up with How do we commit to getting up early to exercise each morning and also commit to a good night's sleep?
How do we say yes when our children want to play while also dedicating time to our creative passion projects?
How do we give that extra effort at work that will lead to a promotion and also take time to socialize with friends?
Well we find sources of nourishment When we take time for rest we have the energy we need to meet these demands When we have moments of solitude we become more patient and show up as our best selves to everyone we encounter When we nourish ourselves with good food and hide only we regenerate our system in order to get back out there and play the game of life Sometimes we may think that we don't have time for these simple acts But when we take time to nourish ourselves we find that things flow a bit more smoothly and we actually have more time But what about when we don't have a few extra minutes In those times we can turn our attention to the healing qualities of the breath To remind ourselves that whether we can stop and take care of ourselves Is a part of us that has been nurturing us all the time Is a part of us that has been nurturing us all along We breathe in the breath and the breath breathes us With that let's take one last deep breath in And let it out Come back into your body by moving your face muscles around Maybe stretching your arms up overhead and allow your eyes to gently open Thank you for showing up for yourself and this practice today I'm so grateful for the opportunity to support you and your self-care And I look forward to meeting you here again soon Namaste You You
