Hi and welcome.
My name is Diane Harris.
I'm really thrilled and honored to get to share these practices with you.
So I just want to say thank you for choosing to spend this time with me.
This is part three of the Nourish Series.
And today we'll make our way into Resting Child's Pose.
After we first start just in a comfortable seat and connecting to our breath.
This Nourish Series is a place for you to restore,
Rejuvenate and come home to yourself.
So for this practice,
I'd like you to take the time,
Maybe pause the tape to get a lot of pillows,
Maybe four and a couple of blankets.
Have them handy after our seated position,
We'll be using them to set up for a nice supportive and restive shape.
So let's start our time together by just coming to a comfortable seat.
You might want to take one of the pillows to sit on and help to prop your sitting bones a little forward so that it's easier for your spine to be upright.
It might also feel good to place one blank or one pillow under each of your legs.
So find your setup,
Let your hands rest comfortably on your lap or maybe on your fourth pillow.
And let's just feel into the breath.
Today we're going to practice an Ujjayi breath.
This yoga breath can be calming to the mind,
It can help bring focus and balance.
It's also called an ocean breath.
And we make this breath by constricting in our throat the same place that you constrict when you whisper.
Maybe saying the word whisper to feel that.
Or when you cough or when you gargle.
Or when you maybe fog up a mirror,
That hh motion that you make.
So let's start by all just pretending that we're going to fog up a mirror.
So opening your mouth and making that hh sound.
Do that a couple of times and then try to continue to make that sound except that your lips will be closed and you're breathing in and out through the nose.
And as you continue to practice this gently,
You may have discovered why it's referred to as an ocean breath.
Because with that narrowing of the throat,
It makes that gentle hh sound.
Just be aware that you don't need to make that sound too loudly and that you don't need to extend your inhales and exhales too long as that could aggravate you.
So just practice that gentle ujjayi breath.
And as you practice,
You might notice that it could generate some heat in your body and some energy.
And that can help you to feel both relaxed and alert.
Aware.
And embodied.
This should feel gentle and not forceful in any way.
The ujjayi breath is a great tool to release into a state of being rather than doing.
Instead of a mind that's busy on doing this ujjayi breath lets us gently focus here.
As you just continue to sit in this comfortable seat and feel your breath.
I'm going to describe our movement to the next shape.
And give you an alternate.
And after I've described it,
You might again want to just pause this recording so that you can take all the time you need to set up fully supported.
So from a position of hands and knees.
The feet together and the knees a little bit wide.
You're going to bring in three pillows under your chest.
And then take the squishiest of your pillows and place that in the flex of the knees.
Have a blanket handy in case you want that under your ankles.
Under your head.
Or over your body to feel cocooned.
You let your hips drift back towards your feel heels.
As your body slowly surrenders onto the pillows.
If you are more than three months pregnant.
If you have chronic back condition.
Then I'd like you to take this alternate shape.
Or even if the supported child's pose just does not feel comfortable.
So the alternate shape is to come onto your side body with one pillow under your head.
One between your knees.
And one nestled into your belly where you can hug it.
And now that we're all in this shape that feels like a big hug.
Invite your body to be passive.
Feel the lengthening and opening of your back body.
As the tailbone releases to the floor.
Relax between the shoulder blades.
And back to your ujjayi breath as you breathe into the back line of your body.
On the inhale feel your shoulder blades and your back waist rise and spread.
On the exhale melting into the floor and your supports.
Let your inhale.
Fill all the spaces in your body with the inhale.
And with the exhale.
Let it evoke every fiber of your being to simply let go.
In this supported and safe shape of protection.
Your outer world dissolves.
As your outer world dissolves,
Your inner world becomes replenished.
Notice if there's still anywhere you're holding on.
Release of the jaw.
Even your eyeballs relax in their sockets and feel heavy.
The forehead softens.
The shoulders drop a little more.
Your ujjayi breath continues to nourish you on every level.
How does it feel to have your body completely supported?
Let your breath be free and easy.
Breathing in and breathing out.
This is your opportunity to get acquainted with your breath.
And with what you really need.
Just as your breath helps you find release and balance in your body.
This Nourish Series is a great antidote to find balance in a busy life.
A life that may feel energetic and hectic.
And it may even create chronic stress.
Sometimes in this tumultuous world we feel frazzled by the inevitable challenges of life.
Let this time right now be a place where you find relief and refuge.
Right now I want you to place tremendous value on relaxing and on spending time on yourself.
Let this shape be a sanctuary where you can return to wholeness.
Enhancing your quality of being rather than doing.
Even now letting go of the ujjayi breath if you haven't done that yet.
Just let your breath feel even,
Open and free.
At any time you can turn your head if you are starting to feel any tension in the neck.
So many benefits to this time for yourself and this practice.
Dr.
Herbert Benson in the book,
The Wellness Book,
Found that these restorative and nourishing practices help to slow the heart rate,
Slow the breathing,
Slow your metabolism and slow the brainwave patterns.
And I'd like to offer that perhaps also it might help us outside of this practice together to slow down the way we move through life.
We can carry this feeling of stillness and calm and peace throughout our day.
And if you've been practicing a number of these Nourish Series recordings,
You may have found that it's not just in this shape that you're finding the benefits.
That as you move through the day,
The echo of the practice stays with you.
And I found for myself that the cumulative effect of practicing one of these each day has been profound.
Where in different pockets throughout the day,
I've been noticing this feeling of easeful joy,
Happiness and contentment for no reason at all.
Joy that is not tied to circumstance.
And that's my wish for you.
That you will give this to yourself because you deserve it.
For this inward exploration.
That can enhance your quality of being and help bring you to a feeling of wholeness.
We're gently going to move out of this shape into a shape lying forward on the front body.
So use your hands to carefully push up.
And then spread the cushions,
Your pillows,
End to end in front of you.
And then gently lower your body down,
Laying forward on the pillows.
Feel your whole body,
The organs,
Bones and soft tissues.
Sink down on the exhale.
And see yourself in a beautiful and safe place.
Maybe feeling grateful for this body.
Despite any challenges it holds,
This body is the container of our being.
And right now you're caring for that physical package and caring for your spirit.
If your head is turned to one side,
Just turn it again to the other side.
Sinking back into the supports.
Let them help you to feel held.
And open and free.
As gravity holds you and the air above hugs you.
Maybe asking yourself this question that my mentor shared with me.
What is it that I really need right now?
What is it that I really need right now?
Give yourself permission to ask this question.
What is it that I really need right now?
Invite the answer to find you.
What is it that I really need right now?
Let your soft breath caress the answer to arise.
All the answers you need are within you.
As we're trying to cultivate this trust and receptivity while we're in this restful place.
What is it that I really need right now?
You can stay right here in this shape,
Listening in.
Or if it feels better for you,
You can carefully roll onto the backside of your body.
Maybe placing a blanket over top.
What is it that I really need right now?
Here in the sanctuary of your body.
It's a chance to learn to listen in.
And if no answer comes to that question,
That's okay.
Your inner self may be surprised at the question.
It may be the first time you've ever asked it.
Just keep asking.
Because sometimes that faith and trust,
It takes a while to build.
Because it might be new to pay this much attention to yourself and your needs.
Let this be a question that you keep with you throughout the day.
What is it that I really need right now?
And let your curiosity guide you in the question and in these nourish practices.
These practices can help you before,
During and after major life events.
They can help you transition in your day.
They can help you before sleep time.
Or in the morning to help you set an intention.
Because you're planning your day coming into these shapes and asking,
What is it that I really need right now?
When life gets extra busy with holidays or projects,
Work demands,
Home demands,
Traveling and time changes,
Moving.
At any time you can come into these shapes and come home to your breath,
Even if you have only five minutes.
It's five more minutes as you build this relationship with yourself.
Learning the skill of stillness is like a muscle that we're learning to exercise.
And so I hope you'll continue to remain curious,
Kind and compassionate towards yourself.
As you continue with this question,
What is it that I really need right now?
May you know your own goodness and let it shine brightly.
Namaste.
