Mindful Movement - Standing Series

This is a series of yoga poses used in the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction course. The focus is on mindful movement and developing a connection with the body, indications of limits and working at the edge of limitations. The pacing is slow with frequent moments to check in with the effects of the exercises.

Transcript

So we're going to practice moving in mindfulness.

And to prepare you might want to grab a blanket for later.

Ensure that you have a space where you won't be interrupted.

And if you have a yoga mat you might lay that out for yourself.

And then coming to stand at one end of your mat.

So throughout this time we're going to do a series of gentle movements.

And the invitation is to notice sensations,

Thoughts,

And emotions as they arise.

And to explore with kindness the boundaries and the limits that your body indicates.

So you might see this a bit as a playful experiment in listening to your body.

Exploring your body and how it reacts to intentions,

To movements.

And even noticing how movement can open new experiences of space and freedom.

The invitation is also to take good care of yourself.

So you're the expert of your body.

You're always free to stop an exercise earlier or skip an exercise entirely.

If that's what's best for you.

And if you skip it perhaps you can continue to do it in your imagination.

So visualizing making those movements.

So standing at the front of your mat giving yourself a moment to arrive and become present.

And then you might close your eyes and become aware of your feet pressing into the ground.

On the ground carrying you.

Your arms hang loose at your sides.

And you begin to become aware of breathing.

So following in breath into the body.

And back out.

Noticing the rise and fall of the stomach.

Notice the expansion of the chest.

Even the sense of temperature as the air flows in through the nose.

And back out again.

Then you might wiggle your toes.

And just pressing the toes and the ball of the foot into the ground.

And then releasing.

And doing that a couple of times.

Just pressing the toes and the ball of the foot into the ground.

And then releasing.

And then beginning to rock gently from front to back.

So it's a very slow motion.

Just rocking up to the toes.

The heels are still on the ground but the weight is shifting forward.

And then backwards so that the weight is more on the heels.

The toes are still on the ground.

We're just exploring the shifting of weight.

And then finding a spot in the center where the weight is distributed evenly from toes to heel.

And then beginning to gently rock the weight from left to right.

Doing this a few times.

Realizing how the body shifts.

Noticing all the changes that happen to keep you upright.

And then finding your spot in the center where the weight is evenly distributed across the insides and the outsides of the feet.

And then you might lift all five toes off the ground and press the ball of the foot into the ground.

Spreading the toes and placing them back down.

And from this firm standing posture,

We're going to begin to move the arms up.

So rooting into the ground with the feet.

And allowing the arms to float up in front of the body.

Palms facing each other.

All the way until the fingertips are pointing to the ceiling.

Taking a deep breath in this posture.

Then imagining that the body is lengthening just a little bit longer.

Taking a deep breath and lengthening the body.

Pressing into the sky.

Feet pressing into the ground.

And then releasing.

Allowing the arms to float back down until they're besides the body.

And then allowing the arms to come out to the sides.

Elbows straight until the hands are parallel to the ground at shoulder height.

And then bringing the fingertips towards the ceiling while the arms stay in this position.

Just as if you're holding something away from your body.

Creating space for the body.

Feeling the stretch in the wrists and the forearms.

Maybe even in the shoulders or the back of the hands.

And then bringing the hands back parallel to the ground.

Allowing the arms to slowly come back down to the sides of the body.

Then noticing with these movements what the effect of them is.

So where do you feel pulsing or tingling in the body?

And taking a deep breath and bringing the right arm up.

All the way up to the fingers pointing to the ceiling.

Holding here for just a moment.

Breathing in.

And imagining the body lengthening just a little bit from the ground to the sky.

Perhaps pushing the right foot just a little bit into the ground.

And seeing if that allows you to extend just a little bit further.

And then releasing the stretch and allowing the arm to come back down.

Noticing as we do this what kinds of limits and boundaries we run into.

So you might notice that you've reached some kind of physical limit when the breath stops.

Or if there's discomfort or pain.

You may run into a couple kinds of boundaries.

The more hard boundaries where there's pain and you can't move anymore.

This also happens when you reach the end of a position and that's as far as the body can go.

And there's the softer ones where there's tension.

You can stay at the edge of that tension and explore a little bit.

And then allowing the left arm to reach up to the ceiling.

Feet planted firmly in the ground.

Taking a deep in breath.

And again pressing the left foot into the ground and imagining extending the body.

Lengthening into the sky.

Perhaps feeling a stretch along the whole left side of the body.

And then releasing the stretch.

Arm comes back down.

And then lifting both arms up into the sky.

Getting from the ground.

And bringing the arms over to the right side.

So you just lean almost making a bow with the body.

Allowing the hips to shift a little to the left side.

The arms to the right.

The feet are planted in the ground.

Making an arc.

And then coming to center.

And then leaning the arms over to the left and the waist over to the right.

Noticing what this movement does.

Standing back to center.

Bringing the arms back down to the sides.

Back in the starting position.

Standing.

Feet planted on the ground.

Body reaching into the sky.

And just notice what the impacts are of these movements.

Taking a deep breath.

And allowing it to come completely out.

For the next movement we're going to do some shoulder rolls.

So you can begin by gently lifting the shoulders up towards the ears.

And then bringing them forward.

Dropping them down.

And then rolling them backwards.

And just continuing with this gentle rolling at your own pace.

And the sensations.

Seeing if you're still breathing.

And then reversing the movement.

And making this movement a few times.

Paying attention to sensations.

Paying attention to the information that the body is continually giving you.

And then bringing the shoulders to do a rest.

Standing.

And then allowing the head to gently lean over towards the left.

So we're going to do head rolls.

And really pay attention to what's happening in your neck and in your shoulders.

So that you don't push yourself through a boundary or hurt yourself.

Just allowing the neck,

The head,

To gently roll to the left side.

And then down towards the chest.

So the chin comes towards the chest.

And then the right ear comes towards the right shoulder.

And then to the back.

And just allowing your head to make this gentle circle a few times.

Seeing where the tension is.

Perhaps the soft boundaries.

Maybe the hard boundaries.

And then reversing the movement.

Going the opposite direction.

Doing this a few times.

And then when you're ready,

Bringing the head back to the center.

Returning to the starting position of standing.

Feeling the feet grounded into the earth.

The earth supporting you.

Breathing.

And then the next movement is a balancing exercise.

So your arms are going to come out parallel to the shoulders to the sides of your body.

Fingertips pointing away from you.

And then allowing the weight to shift just a little bit onto the right foot.

Realizing how even here as you shift the weight,

The body is making continually movements to stabilize to keep you upright.

And allowing the weight to shift a bit farther over until the left foot can come free from the ground.

Picking a place out in front of you to focus on.

Holding the gaze fixed.

And bringing the left leg out to the side.

And up as far as you can bring it.

Allowing the crown of the head to reach into the sky.

Lengthening from the right foot.

Make the right foot and leg strong.

And then allowing the left foot to come back down to the ground.

Keeping the arms up.

And shifting the weight to the left side.

Shifting until the right foot can come free from the ground.

Crown stretching into the air.

Foot and the leg strong.

Gaze a little bent.

Or not locked.

And the right leg comes out to the side.

And up as far as it can go.

Gaze fixed in front of you.

Checking your breathing.

And then bringing the leg down.

And slowly allowing the arms to come back down to the sides of the body.

Feeling the after effects of this exercise.

Perhaps feeling the effects in the shoulders.

Wherever else you notice them.

And then rotating so the feet are going to stay on the ground.

The hips are going to remain pointing forward.

Put your hands on your hips.

And move the head and the shoulders to the left.

So it's as if you're looking to the left and the shoulders come with you.

But the hips stay where they are.

And just exploring,

Going to the point that is your boundary.

And you might notice that the head can actually turn farther than the shoulders.

So allowing the head to turn as far as is comfortable for you.

Noticing if you're inclined to push through or to stop before the boundary.

And then coming back to center.

And then looking with the head and the shoulders to the right.

And noticing that perhaps the head can turn a little bit farther than the shoulders.

Checking if you're still breathing.

And then returning back to the center.

And then we're going to twist again.

This time the hips can come with the shoulders and the head.

So the feet stay fixed on the ground.

Look to the left.

Shoulders and the hips coming as far as they can travel.

And often the hips stop first and then the shoulders and then the head can keep going.

And then on an out breath coming back to the center.

And then looking over to the right.

Shoulders and hips.

Twisting with the head.

Noticing where you feel the stretch.

And then coming back to the center.

Using the hands to drop to the sides of the body.

Being aware also of what reactions come up.

You may notice that the thoughts wander off or that there's particular feelings about your body.

Or that you're competing with yourself.

Or maybe boredom.

Just noticing what the reactions are as they come up and then bringing the attention back to this exercise of moving in mindfulness.

And for the next movement we're going to fold forward but before you do just becoming aware of the intention to move.

Aware that you're intending to move forward.

And then allowing yourself to gently fold forward.

Using the arms to hang loosely.

Coming down as far as your own boundaries will allow you.

No need to push or strain but just allowing gravity to do its work.

And then when you get to that point that's good for you.

Taking a deep breath in.

And just breathing here a couple times.

Full in breath.

Full out breath.

And then from this position straightening the back so you remain folded at the hips.

And then you straighten the back so the crown comes forward.

So the top of your head is facing forward.

Eyes focused on the ground.

And then reaching the right arm out in front of you.

The left arm is still hanging loosely.

Taking a breath here.

And then bringing the right arm down.

And reaching the left arm out.

Reaching out.

Taking a deep breath here and seeing if in breathing you can lengthen just a little bit.

Gently bring attention to your body.

Creating space with breath.

And then allowing the arm to come back down.

And bending the knees just a bit.

And then allowing the head to hang back down.

And then rolling up very slowly vertebrae by vertebrae.

Paying attention to your back.

Until you're standing upright again.

And viewing the after effects of this exercise.

And then we're going to imagine that we're sitting in a chair.

Or perhaps better said we're going to sit on an imaginary chair.

So planting the feet firmly in the ground about hips distance apart.

Bringing the arms out in front of you.

Stretch straight.

And then allowing the sitting bones to drop as if you're going to sit in a chair.

And coming down as far as is comfortable for you as if you're sitting in a chair.

And then holding this pose.

Again breathing in and out.

Noticing where you feel the stretch.

Noticing the muscles that are working to keep you held up.

Back is straight.

And then rising back up straightening the legs.

We need to lock the knees but just straightening them.

Arms come down to the sides.

And then making that movement one more time.

So arms come out to the front.

And drop the sitting bones back as if you're sitting in a chair.

Back remains straight and to do that it actually.

You kind of rock your pelvis forward just a little bit.

So the back isn't arched.

Holding the sitting position.

And then coming back up.

Noticing here.

Noticing the heart rate.

Noticing the pace and speed of breath.

And then coming down to a sitting position.

When you're on the ground taking a minute to adjust to this new position.

So you can begin with the feet touching each other so the bottoms of the feet touch each other.

And then the knees are bent.

You might just from this position just rock from left to right.

Finding a solid stable position where you're really supported by your sitting bones.

Moving down into the ground.

And then clasping your hands across your toes.

So across the front of your feet.

And beginning to gently flutter your knees up and down.

Like the wings of a butterfly.

So up and down the knees go.

The back is straight.

The crown is reaching to the top of the ceiling.

And then allowing the legs to come to a rest.

Taking the hands and reaching them on the floor just a bit behind you so fingertips are pointing in the same direction that you're facing.

And leaning just a bit back and stretching the legs then out in front of you.

Legs are next to each other stretched out in front of you.

Palms pressing into the ground.

From here allowing the crown to really reach into the sky.

Pressing into the ground with your palms.

And then releasing.

And then reaching the arms up into the sky.

Again lengthening and then gently folding forward.

As far as is good for your body.

Allowing the back to round.

Feeling a stretch in the hamstrings.

And again here gravity does its work.

There's no need to stretch or strain.

And noticing what sensations are here to be felt.

And then slowly coming back up.

And if you have a blanket next to you grabbing your blanket.

And then laying down on your mat.

Using the moment to arrive in this new laying posture.

Allowing the eyes to close.

The feet are about the distance of your hips or the width of the mat actually a bit farther than your hips.

So the legs spread just a bit apart and the feet fall gently outwards like the pages of a book.

And then the palms are facing up towards the ceiling.

Becoming aware of the breath.

Just taking an extra deep breath or two so breathing in deep and then sighing it out.

And breathing in deep and sighing it out.

Relaxing the eyelids,

The forehead.

Relaxing the jaw.

After movement comes rest.

Perhaps feeling the heart area opening up.

Allowing the awareness to rest with the body for the coming few minutes.

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And then pushing yourself up to a sitting position.

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And moving with the same kind of.

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Reviews

Wow. What a way to start my day. Felt sooo good. Thank you

I loved this gentle mindful practice. It brings so much awareness to the body as it moves through the poses. The ending was perfect. So often this is rushed but it allowed plenty of time to come to a calm and peaceful place. The delivery was clear and beautifully paced. Thank you.