Welcome to your cooling breath meditation.
Here we'll be using the breath to cool and calm the anger and anxiety you may be experiencing today.
Settling in here,
Just allowing yourself to sit in a comfortable and quiet space where you won't be disturbed,
And just taking a moment to close your eyes and rest your hands anywhere that you may sense needs a little extra nurturance or assurance right now.
Take a moment to lengthen through the spine,
Just sitting up nice and tall here,
And allowing the breath and the energy to start flowing in effortlessly.
Just taking a few deep breaths,
Inhaling through the nose,
And then exhaling slowly and softly as you settle into your practice.
We'll be working with our Shitali Pranayama,
With our breath work today here,
And allowing us to work with the process of moving through any anxiety or anger you may be experiencing,
And really allowing us to bring in this cooling breath,
Cooling down that anger and creating a sense of calm and peace.
So,
Beginning our practice,
We'll inhale through a rolled tongue.
If that's not possible for you,
You can just do pursed lips,
Like you're sipping through a straw.
Feeling the cool air entering the body as you draw it in,
And hold the cooling sensation in your awareness as you close your mouth.
And then exhale slowly through the nose.
So again,
We're inhaling through the rolled tongue,
Or the pursed lips,
Feeling the cool air entering into the body,
And holding that cooling sensation in your awareness as you gently close the mouth and exhale slowly through your nose.
Feeling the warmth of the breath as it leaves the body,
And continuing with this breath,
And with each round,
Silently repeating this calming affirmation or mantra,
I am calm,
I am cool,
I am at peace.
Focusing your attention on the sensation of the cool breath traveling into the body,
And then releasing any tension or heat with each exhalation.
Each breath,
The body calming,
Cooling.
Again,
That attention on the cool sensation of the breath as you draw it in through the mouth,
And the warmth as you exhale out through the nose.
The attention on the cool sensation of the breath,
Drawing it gently into the body,
And then releasing any tension or heat with each exhale.
Gradually,
With each breath,
Allow the breath to slow and deepen as you continue.
Allow yourself to complete your last breath for one more round,
And then I'll just gently shift over to your normal breathing pattern,
That natural rhythm.
Allow your awareness to shift into imagining a cool,
Soothing light,
Perhaps a soft blue or a white,
And imagining this light just gently flowing through the body.
With each inhale,
The light fills the mind and heart,
Bringing calm and clarity,
And with each exhale,
Releasing any heat into the earth.
Again,
With each inhale,
The light fills your mind,
Your heart,
Bringing calm and clarity,
And with each exhale,
Releasing heat or tension,
Or any lingering anger into the earth.
Envisioning yourself just surrounded by a peaceful,
Cooling aura,
This beautiful,
Cooling light as you are seated in a calm oasis,
And letting this energy protect you from any external stressors.
Any thoughts arise,
Take a moment to notice.
But then gently return to the sensation of the light or your mantra,
I am calm,
I am cool,
I am at peace.
Taking a moment here to bring your awareness back to the breath.
And taking three final deep breaths,
Inhaling here as we inhale gratitude,
And exhale peace.
Inhaling gratitude,
And exhale peace.
Last and final breath,
Inhaling gratitude,
Taking the deepest breath that you've taken all day,
And then softly,
Slowly exhaling peace.
Bringing awareness back to the body,
And bringing a little bit of movement into the fingers and the toes.
Maybe taking a moment to bring the palms together and rub them together to create a little bit of warmth,
And then gently place them over the eyes.
Taking a moment to feel the warmth of the palms of the hands,
And allow them to just soften the area around the eyes.
Releasing any residual tension or tightness,
As you softly,
Slowly,
And gently come back into the space that you're in.
Allowing the hands to release,
And the eyes to gently open.
Shanti,
Shanti,
Shanti.
Peace,
Peace,
Peace.
