This practice can be used whenever you need a little stretch break.
It can be practiced with your eyes open or closed.
The main idea is to move the body with a sense of care and compassion.
So moving in and out of each movement to the degree that feels safe and comfortable for your body.
We'll begin by coming to a seated position.
This can be on the floor or even in a chair.
And notice where your body is making contact with the surface in which you're sitting on.
Maybe you feel your feet on the ground,
Your back against the chair,
Or your thighs pressing against the chair or the floor beneath you.
We're going to be starting by moving the upper torso.
So from that place of feeling grounded and rooted in the lower body,
Just start to shift your torso forward.
And then shifting your torso back.
Just noticing how it feels to move the body forward and then gently rocking the body back.
And we'll do each movement three times.
Just going your own pace.
See if you can slow the movements down so that you can bring awareness to the sensations.
And then come to a place where we feel more centered and balanced.
And then we're just going to shift the weight to one side and then shift the weight to the other side.
So as you shift the weight to one side,
Noticing how that changes the sensations of where you're supported in your chair or on the floor.
Noticing their sense of maybe being a little bit more off balanced.
And then there's the centering.
And the weight shifting to the other side.
Exploring that side to side movement.
And then come back to center.
And from here,
We're going to circle the upper torso.
Circling the whole upper body around the pelvis.
Noticing when you shift your weight forward,
How that feels in the lower body.
And then what happens when you shift the weight back.
Circling your shoulders,
Your upper body over your pelvis.
And then going in the opposite direction.
Then that's come back to stillness.
And then I invite you to open this field of awareness and scan your whole body.
Just noticing other sensations that might be arising.
Areas of ease.
As well as areas where there may be some tension.
From here,
We're going to bring a little bit more movement.
We're going to start with the head.
Just starting to tilt the head back to the degree that feels comfortable in your body.
Turning your gaze up towards the direction of the sky.
Noticing the lengthening in the front of the neck.
And then gradually start to turn the gaze down,
Moving the direction of the chin down towards the chest.
And noticing the lengthening of the neck in the back.
Again,
Just tilting the head back,
Lengthening through the front of your throat.
And then tilting the head forward,
Bringing the chin down towards the chest.
And noticing lengthening in the back of the neck.
Just one more time.
Noticing the sensation,
But holding it with care and kindness.
And moving to a degree that feels comfortable within your body.
And then come back to center.
We'll bring one ear the direction down towards one shoulder.
And then bring the head back up to center.
Bringing the ear down to the direction of the shoulder and just notice the sensation of lengthening.
And then bringing the head back to center.
And then one more time,
Just notice the side of the neck that feels lengthened as you bring the ear down towards the shoulder.
And then bring the head back up to center.
We'll repeat the same on the other side.
Ear to the direction of the shoulder.
Notice any sensation of lengthening in the side of the neck.
Ear towards the shoulder.
Coming back to center.
And one last time,
Ear towards the shoulder.
Noticing sensations with care and kindness towards yourself.
And coming back to center.
Then we're going to turn the head in one direction.
Just looking towards one shoulder.
And then bring the head back to center.
And then turn your gaze in the opposite direction.
Just as if you're trying to see what's beside you.
Coming back to center.
Again,
Looking over one shoulder.
Eyes open or eyes closed.
And feeling the sensations as we move the head from right to left.
And let's just do this one more time in each direction.
To the degree that feels comfortable and safe within your body.
And then we'll come back to center.
We're going to bring the shoulders up to the ears.
Just shrug your shoulders up.
Exhale through the mouth as you bring the shoulders down.
Slowly bring the shoulders back down.
Inhaling through the nose as you bring the shoulders up.
Exhale through the mouth as you bring the shoulders back down.
One more time.
Now finally come to stillness.
And again,
Feel the entire body.
Noting any changes.
Any sensations or shifts.
It could be the physical body noticing any more ease.
It could be the breath noticing the sensations of your breath.
Maybe a little bit more smooth and even.
Maybe something more subtle like the mind.
Just noticing how the mind is after taking a few minutes of a compassionate,
Caring movement with your body.
