Welcome,
My name is Jung Jin Moon and I'll be guiding you in this breathing exercise to stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system and balance the yin yang energy within.
Please be seated for this meditation.
Straighten the spine and soften the body.
Begin to relax the forehead,
The eyes,
The lips,
Tongue,
And jaw.
Breathing comfortably through the nose,
I invite you to begin observing the journey of the breath.
On the inhale,
Feel the coolness in your nostrils,
The expansion in your torso.
On the exhale,
Feel the emptying of the torso,
The warmth in your nostrils.
Continue following the breath for the next few moments as we allow the body and mind to settle into this meditation.
The autonomic nervous system can be thought of as a balance of yin and yang.
The parasympathetic nervous system is yin energy or the state of rest and digest,
While the sympathetic nervous system is yang energy or the state of fight or flight.
When stress levels are high and the sympathetic nervous system is overactive,
We begin to experience symptoms of yin deficiency.
These are symptoms like anxiety,
Physical and mental fatigue,
Dry mouth and eyes,
And poor sleep quality.
Through breath work,
We can activate the parasympathetic nervous system and invite more yin energy,
Creating greater balance and harmony within.
Now,
On your next deep inhale,
Breathe in through the nose for a count of five.
Exhale through the mouth,
Sighing it out for a count of five.
Continue inhaling through the nose for five and exhaling through the mouth for five.
With each exhale,
I invite you to sigh and let out any noise that wants to be expressed.
An audible exhale through the mouth signals to the body that it is safe to relax.
This activates the parasympathetic nervous system and allows the body to be in a state of yin energy,
Which supports a greater sense of relaxation,
Calm and ease.
Now,
Begin to breathe in and out through the nose.
Place your awareness at the midpoint of your lower belly,
Which is the space beneath the navel.
Feel free to place your hand here.
On your next deep inhale,
Breathe into the lower belly for a count of five,
Observing the belly expand.
Exhale through the nose for a count of five,
Drawing the lower belly towards the spine.
Inhale,
The lower belly expands for a count of five.
Exhale,
The lower belly gently compresses for a count of five.
Continue breathing in and out with your focus on your lower belly.
This point of focus is the location of the lower dantian,
Also known as the second brain.
The lower dantian is an energy reservoir which stores vital life energy that mobilizes and strengthens the body.
By concentrating your breath and awareness here,
The lower dantian accumulates energy that promotes inner calm,
Balance and groundedness.
On each exhale,
Breathe in and out through the nose for a count of five,
Observing the belly expand.
Exhale,
The lower belly gently compresses for a count of five.
Continue breathing in and out with your focus on your lower belly.
Inhale,
The lower belly expands for a count of five.
Exhale,
The lower belly gently compresses for a count of five.
Inhale,
The lower belly expands for a count of five.
Exhale,
The lower belly gently compresses for a count of five.
Inhale,
The lower belly expands for a count of five.
Exhale,
The lower belly gently compresses for a count of five.
Inhale,
The lower belly expands for a count of five.
Continue to notice that the lower belly feels warmer or heavier.
This is one of the first signs that energy is being concentrated and stored in the lower dantian.
Continue to keep your awareness on the lower belly,
Breathing in and out for a count of five.
As you return to a natural and comfortable pace,
Begin to notice the shift in energy that has occurred from activating the parasympathetic nervous system.
Observe the balance of yin energy,
Which may feel like a softening,
A release,
Relief,
Or calm.
The breath is our anchor,
Grounding us in our bodies and creating stability within.
By regulating and deepening the breath,
We can balance the yin and yang energy and return to a state of harmony.
Before you open your eyes,
I invite you to take three deep breaths.
When you're ready,
Slowly begin to wiggle your fingers and toes and blink the eyes open.
Thank you for joining me.
