Welcome.
This practice is an invitation,
Not a performance.
There's nothing to achieve,
Nothing to perfect.
We're simply going to slow down.
Come home to the body.
And let the nervous system settle.
You might notice impulses to move,
To stretch a little further.
Or to stay exactly where you are.
All of that is information.
All of that is welcome.
Let's begin by finding a comfortable seat.
Close your eyes.
Or soften your gaze toward the floor.
Take one full breath in through the nose.
And a long,
Slow exhale out through the mouth.
Feel the weight of your body.
Making contact with the earth beneath you.
Lengthen through the crown of your head.
And on your next exhale,
Let your right ear float toward your right shoulder,
Slowly.
Like it's moving through warm water.
Notice where you feel the stretch.
Maybe the left side of the neck.
Maybe up into the jaw.
Or behind the ear.
Get curious about the texture of that sensation.
Is it sharp?
Or doll.
Does it have a shape?
Now,
Here is the somatic invitation.
Let your head begin to make slow movements.
Tiny micro movements.
Maybe a small nod forward.
Or a soft roll back.
Let the neck lead.
The exploration.
There's no right way to do this.
Follow whatever feels like relief.
Let sensation be your guide.
Whenever you are ready,
Slowly roll the head back through center.
And let the left ear float toward the left shoulder.
Again,
Any tiny adjustments.
Any micro movements that feel good.
And slowly.
Return to center.
Take a breath here.
And bring your hands to rest on your knees.
We're going to let the hips begin to move in slow circles.
Like you're drawing a lazy spiral with your pelvis.
Start with a very small movement.
Almost imperceptible.
Just a suggestion of a circle.
What do you notice?
Where does the movement feel fluid?
Where does it feel sticky or tight?
No judgment.
Just observation.
Let the circles grow a little larger if that feels right.
Moving forward to the right.
Back to the left.
Let your breath move with the rhythm.
Inhale as you open forward and exhale.
As you soften back.
Now reverse.
The direction.
Slow.
Easy spirals.
The other way.
Notice if one direction feels more natural.
Notice if there's any place in the circle where you want to pause or linger.
You can.
This is your practice.
And arrive back at center.
Feel your sitting bones on the earth.
Notice if anything has shifted.
From here,
Reach your right arm up toward the ceiling and let it arc over to the left,
A long sweeping side stretch.
Plant your left fingertips on the mat for support.
And breathe into the right side of your body.
Feel the ribs expand.
With each inhale.
What does this side of your body want?
Maybe to stretch a little further.
Maybe to soften.
You might feel the invitation to let the head drop.
Or lift the gaze.
Follow what calls you.
On every exhale,
See if you can release just a little more,
Letting go rather than pushing.
And slowly bring yourself back upright on an inhale.
Take a moment to notice.
Any difference.
Between your two sides.
Now reach the left arm up.
And arc over to the right.
Right fingertips ground down.
Again,
Any micro adjustments.
Any little movements that feel nourishing.
This is active listening to your body.
And on your next inhale,
Return to center.
Take a breath here.
And feel the length you have created.
Now extend your right leg long in front of you and plant the sole of your left foot on the mat,
Knee pointing up.
Sit as tall as you comfortably can.
On your next inhale,
Grow a little taller.
On the exhale,
Begin to twist gently toward your left knee.
Right hand resting on the outside of the left knee.
Left hand behind you on the mat.
This isn't about how far you can twist.
It's about feeling the rotation through the whole spine.
One vertebra at a time.
Close your eyes if you'd like.
And scan from the base of your spine.
To the top.
Where does a twist feel spacious?
Where does it feel compressed?
Can you breathe into the tight places?
With each exhale,
See if the twist deepens on its own.
Not from effort.
But from released.
Trust the exhale to do the work.
Slowly unwind on an inhale.
Return to center.
And switch sides.
Left leg long,
Right foot flat.
And how tall Exhale and twist toward your right knee.
Let your awareness travel the length of your spine.
There it is.
Sensation.
Breathe into anywhere that feels dense or held.
And come back to center.
Take a moment here.
To let the spine return to neutral.
And let's come onto all fours.
Find a neutral spine.
And as you inhale.
Let the belly drop.
The chest open and the tailbone lift.
Let your breath lead.
As you exhale,
Press the floor away.
And let the back round,
Chin towards chest.
Gently draw your belly in towards your spine.
Now begin to find your own rhythm.
You don't have to follow mine.
Let the breath move.
The spine in whatever way feels most satisfying right now.
Maybe the movement gets bigger.
Maybe smaller.
Maybe it becomes something totally different.
Of figure eight.
A wave through the side body.
Let your body Improvise.
This is the body unwinding itself.
Trust the wisdom of the body to know how to move.
And slowly come back.
To a neutral all-force position.
Take a few breaths.
And when you are ready,
Slowly walk your hands forward and let your hips sink back toward your heels into child's pose.
Arms long in front of you or resting by your sides.
Let your forehead rest on the mat.
Let your whole back body.
Breathe.
Feel the ribs expanding sideways on each inhale.
Notice the weight of your hips.
Notice the length in your spine.
Is there anywhere you're still gripping?
See if you can offer that place a breath.
And a little permission.
To let go.
Pose asks nothing of you.
You're simply here.
Breathing.
Being.
That is enough.
Child's post.
Slowly slide forward onto your belly.
Hands under your shoulders,
Elbows in close to your ribs.
Take a breath in to prepare.
And on the exhale.
Begin to press gently through the palms and lift the chest.
Keep elbows soft.
This is not a push-up.
This is a gentle.
Unfolding.
Feel the front of the body open.
Notice if there's any holding in the low back and soften there.
Let the breath fill the front of the body.
You might feel the urge to look from side to side.
For a little twist.
Follow that intuition.
Let the shape be alive.
On your next exhale,
Slowly lower back down.
Rest your forehead on your hands.
Feel the whole front surface of your body.
Making contact with the ground beneath you.
Breathe slowly.
You don't have to do anything with this breath.
Just let the body breathe itself.
Notice the quality of your mind right now.
Has it slowed down even a little?
Notice if there are any spaces of tension.
Can you breathe into that area?
Let each exhale be a tiny release.
Follow the sensations.
Breathe into the tight places.
Let the exhale guide the release.
You are unwinding.
There's nothing left to do.
Just rest your awareness now.
In your breath.
Letting it anchor you to this moment.
Thank yourself for taking this time.
To move intuitively.
When you are ready.
Slowly press yourself up to seated.
Take a moment here.
With your eyes still closed.
Notice how you feel.
Notice the quality of the silence in your body.
Bring your hands to your heart.
Take one more full breath.
Thank you so much.
For practicing with me today.
Take care of yourself.
And I'll see you soon.
